hand could be made of the poft-oJKces, if ever
t l, e y are under the direction of an improper
nerfon- At the time of a general election, for
fnftance, liow easy would it be for this man to
dictate to,particular towns and villages, " If you
do not fend such a man to Congrcfs, you ihall
have no poll-office ; bur if you eiec't my friend,
ton shall have a poft-office, and the roads ihall
be run agreeably to your wiflies." Another im
proper use may be made of this power by the
interception of letters, and checking the regular
channel of information throughout the country.
Upon the whole, he w;is clearly for rejecting
the motion for striking out ihe words in the bill.
Ivlr. Lawrance obfeived that the revenues ari
finjr from the poft-office would not, perhaps, pro
duce a fufficient sum to defray the expences of
the eftablifliment : if this should be the tact, he
would prefer the amendment, but if the revenue
should increase from time to time; he should have
no objection to the addition of pods and roads
in proportion to Fuciiincreafe. Ihe consequence
of establishing so exten.five a system all at once,
as was contemplated in the bill, might be, than
the revenue would fall short, and then addition-
al taxes malt be laid to pay off the deficiency :
however, upon the whole, if he could be fatis
ficd that the revenues of the department would
be fufliclent to defray the expences of it, he
would be againlt striking out the clause in the
bill.
Mr. Page.—lf the motion before the comtnittee
succeeds, I (hall, said he, make one which will save
a deal of time & money, by making a'fhort feflion
of u ; for if this house can with propriety leave
t;. business of the poft-office to the President,
ii, ni l;, ieave 10 him any other business of legifta
jion ; and-i may move to adjourn and leave all
the iH-'Ui of legifiation to his sole eonllderation
.-uwl i : : But how the President fliould be
inted with the proper places for poit
. .t roaiis than the representatives of
11 >I cannot conceive : In Virginia, for
ii hi ,\ c'amut the 10 representatives fay with
us.. iin; what pod-roads would be proper
jn i' • Slate than any one man ! I look upon
the motion as unconßitutional, and if it were
jipt 10, as having a niifchievous tendency, which
1 am willing to believe the member who made it
is not aware of.
In reply to Mr. Sedgwick, he said, he heard
but two arguments on which any ftreis vvr.s laid,
viz. that the Prefidcrit's greater responsibility
pointed him out as the proper person to ba en
trusted with the important business of eftabliih
ing pod offices and post roads, and that his lu
perior knowledge of this business ought to in
duce the committee to leave it to him alone '
tut as -to the responsibility, how that can be !
greater than the responsibility of the memfceis
of this h'onfe, when he is appointed by electors
for it; lcnger term than they are—and they elect
ed by the people themselves, and accountable to
them every two years, is to me inconceivable ; and
as to his fuperi'or knowledge, granting ti'.at he
> J>o(!e(Ted it, which I cannot grant —can there be a
greater paradox than the alfertion that the Pre
lident's knowledge r.lone, is greater than that
very knowledge aided by the informa
tion of both Houses of Congress, coliecled and
presented to him in the bill Sir, if the clauie
■which it is said we should strike out, faiflead oj
communicating the sense of this house to the
President, took away his right of approving or
rejeiiling it—there might be some weight in the
is argument drawn from the supposition of his fii
perior knowledge— but as this is not, and can
riot be the caie, and so far from it, that the
' clause submits the business to the pioft mature
fc deliberation of the President and Senate ; it
inuft be paradoxical to fay that we lose the ad
vantage of fut erior wisdom and knowledge of
the business, if we do not leave it to the Pi eiioent
alone—but we are told that the motion is not
Uliconftittitional :—I think ,it is;—but who is
there that denies it is contrary to the interest
and spirit of a free government ? The people,
however, may think with the member who
made the motion, that the President (that is,
the man who is now their President) underihmds
this business, and can do it better than their Ke
prefentatives ; and they may think the whole bu
siness of government might be fafely entrusted
to him but they are too wife to make the expe
riment, and understand the nature of their go
vernment so well as to complain that Congress
too often commits to heads of departments what
the conftinuion requires at their hands. The
Present bimfelf. if I mistake not, views the fub
jedt before us in the light 1 do, or he would not
so repeatedly have called on us to make it a pe
culiar object of our deliberation.
[debate torecontinued.)
WEDNESDAY, December 7.
A bill making appropriations for the support of government,
for the year 1792, was twice read and ordered to be engrofled tor
a third reading.
The Houfethen resolved itfelf into a committee of the whole
(Mr. Smith in the chair) and rcfumed the consideration of the
44 bill to eftablifti the post office and post roads within the united
States."
Question before the committee,
Mr. Sedgwick's motion for ftrikkigout from the firft feflion of
the bill; the whole detail of the pofr towns and roads fromWifcaf
fct to Savannah, and to make it (with the amendment, inserted in
italic) to read as follows :
Be it ena&ed, &c. that, from and after the pa fling of this ast,
the following roads be cltablifhed as post roads, namely, from
WiTcafTet in the diftri£V of Maine, to Savannah in Georgia, by
such route, as the l J rc[ident of the United States Jhallfrom, time to time,
cause to be ejlablijhed. Provided that the route, by which the
mails are at'prelent conveyed, (ball in no cafe be altered, till the
contracts already made by the poftmaftcr general, shall be deter
mined.
After some debate, the qucflion was taken on the motion, and
pasTed in the negative.
The Committee t ( hen proceeded to the confederation of the dif
ferent roads, as detailed in the bill ; —fundry amendments were
pro poled ; —various difficulties were flatted ; —the committee
rose, reported progress, and the House adjourned.
THURSDAY, December 8,
An engroifed bill, making appropriations for the support of
government, for the year 1792, was read a third lime, palled, and
■lent to the Senate for their concurrence.
Nine memorials were presented, from as many societies for the
abolition of slavery, in the States of Rhode-Island, Conne£licut,
iNew-York, Pennsylvania, Maryland and.Virginia. Referred to
a felett committee, consisting of Mcflrs. Benfon, Baldwin, Dayton,
W. Smith, and Learned.
The house having refplved ilfelf into a committee of the whole,
proceeded to the further confiderationof the poft-office bifl; and,
after some time spent therein, agreed to eflablifh the main poft
road as follows :
Wilcaifet, Portland, Portsmouth, Exeter, Newbury-Port, Ips
wich, Salem, Boston, Worcelter, Springfield, Hartford, Middle
town, New-Haven. Stratford, Fnivfield, Norwalk, Stamford, New-
York, Newark, Elizabeth-Town, Brunfwick, Princeton, Trenton,
Brifto', Philadelphia, Chester, Wilmington, Elkton, Charleftown,
Havre-de-Grace, Hartford, Balliinoie,Bladeniburg,George-Town,
Alexandria,Colchefter, Dumfries,Frederickfburg,Bowling-Green,
Hanover Court-House, Richmond, Pcterfburg, Halifax, Tarbo
rough, Smithfield, Fayetteville, New Bridge over Drozoning-Creek,
Cherazv Coui't-Houfe, Camden, StJtcfborough, Columbia, Cambridge,
Augulta, Savannah.
The committee then proceeded to consider the cross posts,
pointed out in the bill; agreed to foine—altered others—intro
duced Tome additional ones—rofc, reported progress, and asked
fit again. Adjourned.
FRIDAY, December g.
The Speaker communicated to the house a report from the Se-I
crelary of State, on the petition of Samuel Breck, and others, pro
prietors of the Boftori Duck Manufactory, requeuing an exclusive
- right to affix a particular mark to their manufa&ure. The report
proposes that the fubjeft* fliould be provided for by a general regu
■ lation. Read and laid on the table.
A meflage was received from the Senate by Mr. Secretary Otis,
with the bill apportioning the Representatives of the people of
:he United States according to the firft enumeration—pa (Ted with
amendments, in which they request the concurrence ot the house.
The principal amendment is to encrcafe the ratio of reprefenu-i
tlon from thirty to thirty-three thousand.
In committee of the whole on the pod-office bill : Mr.
Muhlenberg in the'Chatr. The fubjett was further iifcuffed, se
veral motions for additional routs of the post wrre made, lengthy
debates ensued ; some of the motions were reje&ed, and others
agreed to. The committee rose and reported progress—and
then the House adjourned till Monday. /
PROVIDENCE, November 26.
From an undoubted channcl of information we are authorise.d
to mention, that the Secretary of theTreaiury, whofc wisdom and
patriotism are conspicuous on all occasions, has diretted the col
le&ors of thecuftoms in this state to deposit all monies received
Iby them in the bank, of Providence, and to receive the notes of
said bank in payment for duties -the bank in this as in all o
ther cases of acpofit, being fubjeft to the payment of drafts on
fight. This arrangement of rtie Secretary, while it aids the ope
ration of mercantile and other bulioefs, mull give the notes a ge-
i ncral circulation,
ARTICLE FROM A CORRESPONDENT,
The general alTembly of the state of Vermont, at their feflion in
O&ober last, palled an ast to found a University within that state.
It is to be (ituated in the town of Burlington, on the fouthtrn
bank, of the Onion river, and will command a prafpeft of Lake
Cham plain, snd'a moll romantically beautiful view of the fettle
merits and highlands in the (late of New-York, weft ef said Lake.
One of thfe fundamental principle® of the inftitutinn is, " that in
the laws and rigulations thereof, preference shall not be given to
any fe£t 6r denomination of men whatever."
NEW-YORK, December 6.
The death of his Excellency the Marquis De La Luzerne, late
Minister Plenipotentiary from the court of Versailles to ihe Unit
ed States of America, being confirmed, the Members olthe New-
York State-Society of Cincinnati are requested to honor the me
mory of their deccafed brother by wearing the usual mourning
for 21 days. By order of the Prefidcnt,
FROM THE ROYAL VANISH AMERICAN GAZETTE.
(St. Croix) Nov. 2.
ACCOUNT OF THE HURRICANE OF THE 25th ULT.
Accounts received from the Well-End and North-Side Quar
ters, arc calamitous beyond imagination, unless to those who have
been on the different Plantations in those parts of the Island ; more
particularly at the North-Side, where the devastation has been
most deplorable : all the forward canes, being totally destroyed,
and thole which were not so far advanced in growth, twisted and
torn to pieces. Some few estates which were more forward than
others, iiave lf'ft everv piece ofcaAe, nearly the whole turned out
bv the roots, many .of which are blown in whole stools out of the
pieces, and where there was the mnft flattering profpett of a great
crop, not a hogshead of Gigar will be made the ensuing year, as
the pieces are so destroyed, thatthfe whole must be turned out and
new holed and planted, before there can be the lcaft expectation
of a crop
u ix America, the European mode of clafling the several ranks
ot a nation is unknown—Tbey a|ow neither of great men amongst
them, nor men of genius, nor - fiftocrais, " or populace and this
is what is to be undcrftood by a PuRE REPUBLIC."
PRICE CURRENT.—PUBLIC SECURITIES,
EBT.
pr. £ .
<3/
■3/4
U N
Final Settl. and other Certificates 10/4
Indents 12/
Bank Subfcriptioos, >3®
6 pr. Cents
3 pr. Cents l -jio
Defered 6 pr. Cents i
259
W. S. SMITH.
EXTRACT.
FUNDtD
* n A
ji i J pr. ceiv
65 do.
66J do.
Philadelphia, December 10.
The substance of the following truly melancholy intelligence,
there is reason, from various concurring accounts, to believe is too
I rue.
Extratt of a letter jtolll Skippenjburg December 5, 1/9 1
" I herewith write you the aifagreeable news of our army br
ing totally defeated the 4th November, about 15 miles from the
Miami Village, and 30 from Fort Jeflerlon.
K ILL £ D.
General Builer Colonel Oldham.
Majors—Brown, fieavt, Clark, Fergnfon,
Captains—Brad ford,Tipton, Smith, Newman, Phelon, Kirkwooo,
Price, Sweri/igcn, Cubbs, Gait her.
Lieutenants—Warren, Spear, Luckins, M'MicM'MaJ:.
Hopper, Reed, Kelfo, and two others.
lEnfigns—Bentley, Cobb, Balch, J3.r«oa&if, Chaie, iruman, Purdy,
and two cfthers,
Quartermasters —WatcL, ileynolds, Semple.
wo u N D E J) -
Colonel Gibfbn [mortaliyj Colonel Dark.
Major Butler [mortally.J
Captains—Ford, Doyle, Buchanan, Madison, Hpugji,
V* .. f -f 1' * 1 -
Debuts, Price, Greaton, Crawford, M'Crca, and two others,
About 600 privates killed, and God only knows how many
wounded. There were few, if any, officers of difKn&ion efcap
»ed, except Gen. St. Clair.
Seven pieces of cannon, and all the tents, fell into the enemies
.hands.
Mr. Elliott, the Contra&or, wrote this account to Mrs. EHiotC,
-in Hagerftown, therefore the truth of it need not be doubted."
Accounts from Pittsburgh add, that the attack on our encamp
ment began about day-break, and continued with resistless furv
: for four hours—that Gen. St. Clair, after sustaining so great a lof>,
withdrew with the remaining troops to Fort-Jefferfon, and there
fuffered £0 extremely for want of provisions, as to be obliged to
kill his liorfes for the immediate subsistence of his army.
Richmond, December 2.
FROM THE LEXINGTON (KEN.) GAZETTE.
Copy of a circular letter from Brigadier-General Scott, to the different
County Lieutenants in Kentuckey.
Lexington, November n, 1791.
"si R,
" We have now received certain intelligence that the army have
been defeated. -The very great. The garrison at foij-
Tefferfon is intercepted, and many, many brave wounded 'gallant
men are now left on the road unable to travel, and without any
provision but the flefh of the pack-horles. This cafe requires im
mediate exertions. I have appointed a rendezvous of volunteers
at Craig's Mill, the 15th inft. completely equipped, with arms,
! ammunition, and 20 davs provision. I trust that no exertion on
your part will be wanting, when the fafety of our country, and
the lives of brave men are in danger. The circumdance requires
the greatest difoatch, and no friend to his country can now be idle.
Believe me with refpeft, your's.
* * The volunteers who are not ready by the 15th inft. are to
foHow as soon as poflible."
Extract of a letter from a gentleman in Mercer County, to a member cj
the General Ajjembly, dated, November 13, 1791.
" The defeat of General St. Clair, 011 the 4th inlt. engrofles all
iour though's; we had 600 men killed and wounded, all the ilorcs
;loft, and 7 pieces of artillery. This Engagement happened about
15 miies from the Miami Village, 30 from Fort-Jefferfon, and 98
;from Fort-Washington.
, " General St. Clair expe&ed an action; the men were drawn
(up in order of battle, and (food in their ranks all night, the army
'were formed into a hoilow square, the artillery and baggage in
jthe centre—the enemy made their attack at the dawn of day on all
;the lin'es, particularly on the rear, which was compofcd of mttitia ;
"they were overpowered and gave way, the Indians rulhed on and
Ifoon were possessed of the artillery, which was retaken in a few
moments by a company of regulars with fixed bayonets, but mod
of the matrofles being killed, no use was made of it; the adtion
continued obstinately till 9 o'clock, when our men gave way.,--
General St. Clair rallied them, and brought off the greater part of
the wounded to Fort-Jefferfon, being pursued about 5 miles,where
the remains of the army and wounded are cooped, almost llarved,
living on poor pack-horses.
" The people of the diftritt are preparing to the relief of
Fort-Jefferfon, and I hope by the 20th, 1000 or 1500 effe&ive
men will be at Fort-Walhington, on their way. Upon this occa
sion, a number of your acquaintances will turn out, in Lincoln,
Logan, Shelby, and Ewing, and Mercer, Col.M'Dowell, and my
felf, with a number of young fellows; we (hall carry provisions
to the garrison, and bring off the wounded."
How various is the scene of human exigence ! —this has been
said a thousand times; still the course of nature, or which is the
fame, the dispositions of Providence continue from year to year,l
and from age to age, to enforce the solemn remark, that all sublu
nary things are vain.
How often are our fondeft expectations blafled, our brightest
profpe6U overcast with (hades!—and true it is that the best ar
rangements, and the calculations of the wisest among men, are
susceptible of the moil grievous disappointments. _
The Aflumption of the State Debts, (fays a New-York paper of
the 2d inft.) was amongst the wisest measures of the late Congress;
even those who formerly thought it an exceptionable a£f, now ap
prove of it, because they have ft en the good consequences flowing
from it, and they now k join with its former advocates in lament
ing that the opposition made to it was the cause of its being left
incomplete. Had the sum been allumed which was originally
reported by the Secretary of the Treasury, as the amount of the
dehts of tht several states, nothing more than justice would have
been done, and some time would have been saved to the prefenc
Congress, who will undoubtedly be disposed to follow the liberal
and just example of their predeceflors, and compleat that which
peculiar circumstances left unfinifhed on a former occasion.
Wednesday the House of Representatives proceeded to the
choice of a Speaker, and upon counting the votes, it appeared that
the honorable William Bingham, Esq. was unanimously
ele&cd.—On Thursday the house proceeded to the choice of their
other officers.
The honorable Ri cha rd Peters, Esq. continues Speaker of
the Senate.
From PELOSFs MARINE LIST.
ARRIVALS Mt the PORT of PHILADELPHIA.
Brig Planter, Poole, St. Croix
Dolphin, Feaux, Hifpaniola
Schooner Isabella, Anderfon, Wilmington
William,
Sloop Abigail,
Bctfcy,
Dr. Wi i.jon's firft Leßure, of his firft Course, will be
delivered at the College, next Monday, at fix o'clock in the
evening; and the firft Letture of his second Course, will be de
livered at the fame place, ai fix o'clock on Tuesday evrning.
ioiJ do.
60
Dollars,
LEGISLATURE OF PENNSYLVANIA,
Wood,
Norton,
Lewis.
St. Petersburg
Boston
Aux Cayn