among other objeifts which may eng a g e atten tion of the legislative body, we lincerely hope that a worthy anil refpe<stable member will not forget hip plan for checking the piogrefs of fe male Prolfitution—an evil which, in this coun try, and particularly in the metropolis, has in creased, is increaling, and ought to be diminish ed . Though this evil cannot be abolished, it may, however, be leflened. The eftablilhment of a proper poiice, vigilant magistrates, atfli»e officers, and suitable punishment infli<sled upon those who offend, will undoubtedly contribute to promote so delirable an objeiS, and be of the ut nioft benefit to society. The arms of Great-Britain continue prosperous in India. But it would be ralh, after the public dispatch of Lord Cornwallis, to predict hidden or unobftrtidled success. We therefore wait ihe event with the solicitude and anxiety of good ci- tizens The marriage of the Duke of York with the Princess Frederica of Prulfia, has taken place sooner than we expeCied. This alliance is high ly creditable to the Duke, and honorable to the nation.' The union of the young prince of O range with another branch of the fame family, renders the connection still moredefirable. The Duchess of York, if fame speaks truth, poflefles every amiable qualily- that can adorn her sex.— At Berlin her character is held in high estimation. Her Royal Highness, it is to be hoped, will be come rtie model of female imitation ; and her example may banifli from the higher circles those modish follies which at present prevail, & which, if not criminal, are certainly ridiculous, and en gage too much of their leisure and attention. A printed paper has been distributed at Stock holm, one of which the King found under his feat, and of which the following is a copy : " The Swedish nation will not go to war a gaintl the French nation :—The law only per mits our afl'embly to make an offenfive war ; thy oath obliges thee only to lead its troops for the service of the nation ; and it is only in this ser vice that we will fight against who ever offers to offend or transgress the laws, and are in any wife deficient in discharging their duty." By the Nancy, Captain Anderfon, arVived yes terday in the river, from Rouen, in Normandy, ■we are acquainted, that the utmost rejoicings were observed in that city, so long celebrated for its exertions in the cause of freedom, on the day which the intelligence arrived oftheFrcnch King's acceptance of the Constitution. Captain Anderfon adds, that the people of that country seem so attached to the late changes, that if he may judge of all France by the peopleof Rouen, all the powers of Europe united, will not be able to make them change their political creed. The price of bread in Paris still continues to rife, and it is feared may interrupt the public tranquillity. It is attributed to the failure of the crops through the southern provinces of France. In the north the harvest was gtjod. The plague flill rages at Constantinople, and still more in the Morea and in Egypt. The different prefenrs made in Berlin, which the Duke of Yook diltributed 011 account of his marriage, cost the sum of 35,000 rix dollars. The American funds are now much fought af ter, and have risen within the two last months from 92 to 120 per cent. The Dutch have fold out very large Aims from our funds, to purchase those of America. Accounts from Canltantinople mention, that every thing was reduced to order in that empire, the rebels in Asia and Africa were entirely sub. dued. The Dutch have continued felling out of our funds for fotne time, especially Bank Stock, so that at the opening of the books last Thursday, more transfers were made than ever were known in one day before. The high rate at which thev have fold will give a vast profit to the foreigners"; but it is a comfort to fee now little the price has been affe<fted ; not above two or three per cent, by the prodigious fumsfold out. Nothing proves more the internal riches of country, than this circumstance, that when the foreignerschufe to fell out of out funds, the native stockholders can take on themselves all that comes to market, and as the interest of it will in future be paid to and spent among ourselves, and not remitted a broad, it will operate to keep up the course of exchange in favor of this country. The French king has begun to appoint the of ficers of his new tioufehold. M. de Bri(lac is commander in chief of the military department M. de Harvelly is commander of the infantry, and M de Point PAbbe of the cavalry. The Empress of Rulfia has dilbanded the great er part of her Asiatic troops, and distributed a inong them implements of agriculture. The Royal Academy of Berlin lield their' an niversary meeting 011 the sth ult. the king's birth-day, when M. de Hertfberg notified, that amongst several others, the King of Poland had been eleifled a member of that Academy. The.dilturbances which existed in the Canton cf Berne, are entirely fettled without bloodlhed. This morning John Hopkins, Esq. Lord May or elect, was prelented to the Lord Chancelloi, ot his house in Ormoud-llreet, and received tilt lignification of hifcMajeity's approbation. The King of Spain has lately made confidera hle promotions among the officers ot hi* army, and lias intimated an intention ot railing the pay of his troops. These are very obvious, but only temporary expedients for fecui ing the obe dience of troops, between whom and their com manders there is no common intereit. Spain seems to lake one leflon from ? ranee. In order to etfet't the Revolution the more surely, France encreafed the pay of the soldiers. Spain, to secure their allegiance to Monarchy, has done the fame. Ihus has the soldier fared well, whe ther freedom or delpotifm prevails : but it may be a bad military leflon, to adopt that cauie which pays belt. The Resolution of the Emperor are the nioft fatal strokes that could poifibly have been given to the hopes of the refugee princes ; for indepen dent of depriving them of all expiations si om him, they will throw a damp upon the success of their negociations elsewhere. M E N T Z, O(Sober 17 The French emigrants who were here a few days ago, received a mefl'age from the Prince of Conde, requeuing them to repair to him at Worms ; but 011 their arrival in that city he was not to be found, having let off for Aichaflen bourg. By the despair and sadness visible a mongst tliefe foreigners, it is imagined that the which M. de Conde delired their at tendance, was to communicate to them the bad news of the acceptation of the new conltituuon by his Molt Chriitian Majesty, which destroyed every hope of succour from foreign powers to restore the ancient form of government, and en able them to return to their own country. CONGRESS. PHILADELPHIA HOUSE OF R E P R ESENTATIVg S, TUESDAY, December 27, 1791. The Report of the Committee of the whole House on the Pojl-Office Bill, was taken into confideratiou. THE several amendments agreed to by the committee were read. The firH fe<ftion, as amended, after some further amendments, was agreed to—this fedtion details the roads. Second amendment was to authorize the Pollmafter-Ge neral to form contracts for carrying the mail on cross-roads—agreed. In the eighth fe<flion the rates of portage are eftablilhed by an amend ment, the lowest at fix cents for a single letter, and-fhe highest twenty-five cents for the greatelt dfltance—agreed. The substitution of " imprisonment for life," in lieu of the words " (hall fuffer death," for robbing the mail, was objetfted to by Mr. Hart ley, who observed, that for the protection of pro perty, most countries have ena<sted penal laws.— Those which have been the moll: sanguinary, have, I think, not been the molt fuccefsful. Those of a moderate complexion, have had a better effedi, without sporting with the lives of men. While the Englilh government had irs influ ence in America, the public mind in molt of the Provinces was in favor of the former kind. Penn sylvania was among the fiift exceptions. The Quakers, who fiift fettled Pennfyl'vania, were moderate in their manners and principles : their penal code remained till the late revolu tion. Ihe independence of America has led to great inquiry—and we have ventured to change our laws, and made thein less sanguinary this has happened in a greater or lefler degree in raoft of the States. Life is not sported with, and the idea of con finement and repentance strongly prevails. As I have said the other day—we have altered our laws with great luccefs in Pennsylvania. What protedion are we to have to this pro perty ?—What danger is it fubje# to ! The Poftinafter-General will doubtless take security from the deputies he appoints, and of those to whom the mail is etitrulled. This is our security—and there is fcavcely an instance where a man is punished with death for a mere breach of trust. Fines and imprifomnent will be fufficient to punish the party, and deter others from commit ting the like bffence. Ir is not like a robbery upon theperfon, taking money. There is. in the latter, a complication of offences—Perfonal security as well as property are involved, and thecrime inced. Perhaps robbery ihould be puniflied with death ; Lut I 306 think fine and imprisonment fufficient for the crime now under consideration. The public mind would more approve of it than the punilh ment of death. Mr. Boudinot agreed in sentiment with Mr. Hartley. He said that extreme punishments of ten prevented a jury from convicfting a criminal. Mr. Barnwell was of opinion thac a crime of so pernicious a nature as robbing the mail, ought to he punished with death. Mr. Liverivore was also in favor of the origi nal clause. He observed that a felon was never so secure as when he was hanged out of the way. In reply to Mr. Hartley's remarks re(pei r ting the salutary effects ot the new system adopted in Pennsylvania, he said he did not think they were so apparent as had been reprefefited—crimes were (lill committed, he said, in this city; for that since the meeting of Congress, several at tempts had beer! made to set it on fire. He said that punishments, and capital ones, would always be found necell'ary Mr. Smith (N.H.) observed, that puniflimelits ought to be proportioned to the offences com mitted ; this is not done in the bill—lie there fore was under the neceUity of voting against the clause, in order to having fouie modification of it made. Mr. Hillhoufe was in favor of the amendment as reported by the committee. Mr. Hartley moved an amendment to the amendment, by driking out the words "for life" —this was seconded by Mr. Findley, and sup ported by Mr. Kittera — who observed, that it was a principle in jurisprudence not to too much in the discretion of the judges. This amendment was carried.—On the queltion to agree to thefec tion as thus amended, Mr. Baldwin dated sundry particulars to shew that the crimes and puniftiments referred to in this bill, were on a totally different principle from those mentioned in laws already passed by the Legiflalure of the United States. He ihould therefore vote against the amendment. The question. being divided, the firft was on striking out the clause, " shall fuffer death," — it pafled in the negative—so that the origiual clause remains. The twentieth fedtion, refpedting franking, Mr. Wadfworth moved Ihould be struck out. Mr. White observed, that he did not like the clause as it (lands ; but lie was not for abolifliing the privilege altogether. He read a clause whicU very much reftritfted the business, and which he fliould prefer to the feftion in the bill. Mr. Hillhoufe said he had thought favorably of the motion ; but on more mature considera tion, and after hearing the arguments on the fubjeift from gentlemen in favor of it, he was of opinion it would be bed to retain the privilege. Mr. Wadfworth observed, that finding a great alteration had taken place in the sentiments of gentlemen on the fubjett,' he had been induced to renew the motion.—He observed thac the evils resulting from the pradiice, he had found on en quiry, were much greater than he had supposed ; but if the practice is retained, he fliould greatly prefer the proposition of the gentleman from Virginia. He doubted not that a revenue might be raised from the poft-office, and in a way which would be perfectly agreeable to the people, pro vided abuses were kept out of the department, by franks and other means. Mr. Sturges replied to Mr. Wadfworth.—He obl'erved that it was not to be confiderd as a pri vilege conferred on the members, but intended solely for the benefit of the people ; it had not been complained of—was productive of the mod; fulutary consequence he did not think the difad.vantages counterbalanced the numerous be nefits resulting from it. As to the abuses men tioned, he had greater confidence in the honor and integrity both of the present members, and those of any future national legislature, than to suppose they would abnfe the privilege. Ke was in favor of every neceflary rellricftion, but still for retaining the fubllance of the ciaufe. Mr. Gerry replied to Mr. Wadfworth.—Keob ferved, in the course of his remarks, that Lhe ar guments offered for abolishing the privilege, were the most forcible in favor of retaining it. Mr. Kittera observed, that though the revenue of the poll office might at firft be afFe(fted, yet he was of opinion that the correspondencies which would ai ife from tliofe begun by franking, would eventually contribute to an encreafe of the re- venue. [The further consideration of the amendments was poltponed.] WEDNESDAY, January 18. A bill to reimbuiTe certain extra expences of the late comniiffioners for ti eating of peace with the Creek Indians, having been read a second time, and referred to a committee of the whole house on Wednesday nexr, it was (on motion of Mr. Giles) resolved, that the Comptroller of the treasury be dire<sled to lay before the honfea copy of the account of the said extra expenles. A meflage, from tlie President of the United Stales, was delivered by Mr. Secretary Lear, to gether with the copy of an acftof the Legiflarure
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