CONGRESS.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES?
Monday, November 19.
Mr. Mercer from Maryland took Ins
bill leccived from the senate by Mr.
Otis, their Secretary, on b riday, enti
' led "an ad to regulate foreign coins and
for other purpofts" passed the fenate,was
K ad tlie tii ft and ftcoud time, and made
the order of the day for Monday next.—
Interim (o be printed for the life of the
report wa* lead from the trustees of
the fund for reducing the public debt,
dating their progrefa in the buiinefs pur
fua.it to the acts of Congress.—Ordered
to be printed for the use of the house.
A petition was read from the executor
of the estate of the late general Sehriev
ner, of Georgia, stating Lhe loss of cer
tain continental fecuiities, the property of
the heir's of said jdeceafed refeued to
the committee of the whole 011 the fubjeft
of loft ceruiicates.
Serecjl petition* from iov?!ids wt:e
read and referied to the committee alrea
dy appointed on similar applications.
A memorial was read from the society
ofthe people called Quakers, refpc&ing
the Indian war, fuggeiting the import
ance of an invelUgation of the grievances
ofthe Indians, and of peace on just and
equitable terms. —This memorial watfrom
he delegates ofthefociety alTembled from
New-Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and
part of Maryland and V irginia.—Laid on
the table.
Mr. Williamfon called the attention of
the house to the fubjeft of American fea
men —he observed, that it was of the
greatest importance that the number of
jiative fcamen should be encreafed, and
meaftfres adopted promotive of that ob
ject j he stated the inconveniencies the
American commerce laboured under in
■confcjjuetice of ihe number of Jlri
tifh seamen employed in navigating Ame
rican veflels : he recitcd several in (lances
in point, which have occurred within a
Ihort period, and which have been pub
liihed in the newfpapers.—>Thefe iafts
refpe&ed the violent taking of British
sailors from American veflels. After
hinting at the inseparable connection be
tween agriculture and commerce, he iug
geftea various modes by which native sea
men might be encreafed j he adverted to
the necessity of provilion for lick and in
itm seamen—that hospitals ftiould be e-
K&ed, and a fund provided for the pur
pofein such way as on mature conlideia
tiun (hall appear advifeable.
Mr. Williamfon accordingly moved,
That a committee be appointed to pre-»
pare and report a bill for the relief of lick
and &rftr*i fcftmen i this motion w»s a
freed to, and Messrs. Williamfon, Law-
TOnce, Goodhue, B. Bourn and Barn well
wtrc'ajt pointed.
Qn motion of Mr. Parker, the report
of the Secretary of the Tieafury on ma
rinehofpitals—alio the report of a feleft
eoromittee on tbe fame fubjeft were re
ferred to the fame committee.
Mr. Williamfon then offered the follow
ing motion, that a committee be appoint
ed to prepare and report a bill for pio
moting commerce, by the encreafe ot A
ir.erican seamen : agreed to and referred
to the above committee.
Mr. Boudinot moved that a commit
tee be appointed to prepare and report a
bill or bills providing a nniform fyttem of
bankruptcy throughout the United
States.
1 his motion was laid on the table.
In committee of the whole on the Pre
sident'? tpeech to both houses, (Mr. Law
'unce in the chair.) The speech was read
by the clerk, and then in paragraphs by
'lie chairman.
On the fivft paragraph,refpefting the In
dian war, Mr. Boudinot after adveiting to
the confidential communications received
fiom the supreme executive, relative to In
dian affairs, proposed a resolution expref
live of the fatisfadfion of the house at the
meafurts which have been pursued by the
executive to effect a peace with the hostile
tabes— -this motion was withdrawn furthe
pi'rpofe of bringing it forward in the house
Mr. Parker moved this resolution—
That it is the opinion of this committee,
that provision should be made for the wi
dows and orphans of those persons who
may have been killed while under the pro
tection of flags of truce to the Indian
tribes, which was agreed to.
Mr. Sedgwick moved, that it be re
solved as the opinion of this committee,
that that part of the Piefident's speech
which relates to the Judiciary fyllem, be
referred to a feledl committee, to consider
and report. Mr. William Smith proposed
an addition, by incoiporating in the mo
lion the clauft in the'ipeech, which refers
to a description of offences against the
laws of the United States—This addition
was waved, that it might be made the
fubjedt of a fcparate and particular refer
ence.
Some conversation ensued refpefting
the most eligible mode of taking up this
business, whether by a committee of the
whole, or by a feledl committee ; the re
sult was, the withdrawing of the motion
by Mr. Sedgwick, for the present.
On the paragraph of the speech rela
ti?e to the intercoufe with foreign nation*,
Mr. W. Smith moved a resolution to this
purport, That provision ought to be made
for that oljjeCt. This resolution was a-
greed to.
The paragraph relative to theYoreign
loans being read, Mr. Fitzfimous proposed
a resolution to the following purport :
Relolved, th?t it js the of ijii#e jftf U
committee, that measures ought to be
taken for the redemption of io much of
the public debt, as by law the govern
ment has a right t® redeem ; and that the
Secretary of the Tiealury be dire&ed to
report a plan for that purpose.
This motion occationed a debate, par
ticularly with refpe£t to the last clause, re
ferring to the Secretary of the Treasury.
Mr. Madison, Mr. Mercer, Mr. Findley
and Mr. Page, obje&ed to, and Mr. Fitz
fimons, Mr. W. Smith, Mr. Sedgwiek,
Mr. Williamfon, Mr. Hillhoufe and Mr.
Murray, in various views supported the
proposition. A motion to strike out the
words, toward the close of the debate,
was not decided when the committee rose,
and reported progress.
Mr. Murray moved that a com
mittee be appointed to bring in a
bill to alter and amend the clause
in the Militia La-w relative to arm
ing—A difference of opinion taking
place between Mr. Murray and fonie
other gentlemen refpetfing the ex
tent of the revision of that law, and
the hour of adjournment beingpaft,
the motion was not decided on.
TUESDAY, Nov. 20.
Mr. Murray renewed his motion refpeftjng
a revision of the Militia Law. He offered a
resolution in the following words— 41 That a
committee be appointed to bring in a bill sup
plementary to the Law,'parted the last
felfion."
This resolution was altered, on motion of
Mr. Williamfon, and by consent of Mr. Mur
ray, to read, " a bill to amend the Militia
Law/'—Some debate eufued on the question
to agree to the resolution—Mr. Murray, Mr.
Greenup, and Mr. Mercer, I'upported the mo
tion ; Mr. Williamfon, Mr. Hillhoufe, and
Mr. Fitzfimons, opposed it. On taking the
question, the motion was negatived.
Mr. Murray then laid the following motion
on the table—"Thai a conrnittee be appoint
ed to bring in a bill to repeal so much of the
Militia Law as relates to the arming of the
Militia."
Oil motion of Mr. Ames, the report of the
Secretary of tlie Treasury on the petition of
Joleph Henderfon, was taken into confidera
tioii—this report being read, the following re
solution was submitted, viz.
Resolved, That there be allowed per
annum, to Joseph Henderfon, for liis Cervices
as Naval-Puyinafter to the Navy Board for
the Eastern Department, from s'h August,
1778, to »78a
This resolution, with the Secretary's re
port were referred to the committee of t!ie
whole, to-morrow. The petition of Miran
du, Strrgar was read, and referred to Meflrs.
Giles, Macon and Niles.
The memorial of William Cooftable and Co.
merchants of New-York, was read—stating,
that owing to an unavoidable accident, the*
have not been able to furnifh, compleat, tl»e
reqtiifite formalities, to obtain the draw-back
of the duties 011 a quantity oftt-a, actually ex
ported from New-York to Dunkirk, and not
re-landcd in the United States—and praying
relief in the prc-mifc;; referred to the Secre
tary of the Treasury.
The Petition of" Dr. John Bartlet was read
sfnd referred to a Teleci: committee, consisting
of' Mr. B. Sourn, Mr. Clark and Mr. Kittera.
The petition ot William MJckay wa» read,
and laid on the tabl^!
In committee ot ihe whole on the Prefideni'i
Sorech—Mr. Lawrence 10 the chair—The con
federation ot the resolution fubmuted by Mr.
fnzfirnons ycfterdav, was refumed—l.hc moti
on for ftriki'ng oist these words, " and that the
Sccreuiy ot Lhe Treafuiy be dirc&ed ,t/> report
199
a plan for that pnrpofe," wasfurtlier dcb«ted —
and on the qucftion to »gree to this motion, it
was negatived, 31 to 25. —An amendment was
propofsn by Mr. While, in thele v. ores, " so
far as contijls with Ihe present revenue of the
United Swtea." Tins motion was negatived.
1 he original refoluuon was then put, and auorit
ed. . '
1 he. paragraph of the Specch delating to the
loan of the bank ot theUrmed States being read,
Mr. Diyton propoied a relolution to the follow
ing pujport-
i tut the Secretary of the Treasury be dirctled
to report a plan for reimburltng the lo;m of the
bdiik of the United States, agreeable to liic pio
vilions made by law—l his reloluiion v. as agreed
to.
The Speech being gone through with, the
committee rose and reported that they had come
tu iundry itiiilutmns 011 the fame—The report.,
was laid *,i , the table, and tile House Adjourned.
Philadelphia, Nov. 21.
By the (l-.ip Fanny, Capt. Braine, from Glas
gow, arrived at New-York, London and G!af
gow papers are received to the 4tli October—
By thele it appears that the National Aflem
bly closed its career the 21ft September—Oll
that day au address to the National Conven
tion was agreed on by the Afl'embly—Alter
the address was read, and approved, a deputa
tion from the National Convention havingen
tered the Hull, their (pokefman (aid,
" The National Convention has lent us to
inform you, that they are constituted, and
that they are going t» repair hither, ta com
mence their fittings."
M. Francois, who was in the chair, inform
ed the deputation, that the National Legilla
tive AlTeinbly had just decreed, that they
(hould proceed in a body to the Thuilleries,
to serve as a guard to the Convention.—All
the members immediately rose up, and thus
terminated, after the existence of a year, the
uoue. which the French
nation marched with giant strides towards
Republicanism
The firft fitting of the National Convention
was on Friday, the 2ift of September—M.
Petion, F-refident —The Secretaries, Mefl'rs.
Camus, Qondorcet, Vergniaud, BrifTot, La
fource, a'nd Rabaut-de-St. Elienne.
Two proportions by M. Manuel and Ma.
thieu, caused a long debate—the firft moved
that the Piefident, whom he called the Preli
dent of fiance, iliouid reside in the National
Palace : that he Ihould always be preceded
by the bridges of the law ; and that when he
entered the Hal], the people Ihould always ho
nor the National Sovereignty, represented in
his per on, by rising up.—The latter moved,
" that t(ie Convention, invested with the So
vereigny of the People, ihould begin its pro-
by a grand ast of that sovereignty—
It mult, (laid he) annihilate in their name all
those authoiities which subsist in the empire,
in order that the power may revfit to the
people."
Theft'jifopolitions were combated by M.
Chabgi f pfto concluded bis remarksJby frying,
" Deciari} that you will invite (he French
people, in the Sections or Aflemblies of the
Commons, to ratify or reject those decrees
which } ou pass."
M. Couthon said, " Let us all swear to
maintain the Sovereignty oj the People—the whole
oj that Sovereignty— and nothing but that Sovereign
ty."
After various propositions, which occaficn
ed some debate, the following, presented by
M. Cheuier, was decreed by the Convention :
" The National Convention declare, that
there can be no Constitution, but that which
is accepted by the people. They declare al
so that persons and property are under the
protection of the law ; that they will after
wards concert the mode which the French
people at large thall pursue to manifeft their
opinion refpefting that Constitution which
(hall be prelented to them."
It was then moved, " that the National
Convention (hould expressly declare, that all
the authorities at present in the exercise of
their functions,thall be provisionally maintain
ed until-further orders."
This occasioned some debate, and at lafl
the principle of the motion was decreed in
the following words :
I. Those Jaws which have not been abro
gated) and those powers which have not been
suspended, (hail be provisionally preserved and
supported.
IJ. The taxes adtually existing (hall be eol
lefted as formerly.
Convention was about t« terminate
the fitting, when M. Collot d'Herbois, ftart
itig up, cfied out, " There is one declaration
" which ought not to be deferred, even till
the evening—it is the eternal abolition
'•or ROYALTY ll* FRANCE."
The Deputies all rose up, and demanded,
that it might be put to the vote*.
M. B:tzireexclaimed against the enthufiafni
which had taken poffeffon of their minds,and
requeftcd that a question of fiich magnitude
(hould be debated with that calmness and dig
nity becoming the Representatives of a great
People.
Various plans were then offered, a: d the
Convention at length passed the following
Decree •
« THE NATIONAL CONVENTION
DECREE, THAT ROYALTY IS ABOL
ISHED IN FRANCE."
This Decree was followed by loud and long
continued applauses, and the exclamations of
Vivt U Nation !
The procefs-veVbel of this fitting was or
de> ed to be sent by exprcfies to all the depart
ment-.,, and the armie-, ai d to be proclaimed
on the morning of the 22<i,in the Ctt> oi Pans
—The fitting rofc at half after four o'clock.
In Saturday's fitting the Convention de-
all public aftr fliall be dated, " Tie
jfr/2 year oj tJit French Republic. '
11. 1 nat the State Sea) flaali be cl»anjc**L
and have for legend, »«frtrrch HcptMh. '
111, That the National Seal Jliall reprint
a woman fitting on a bundle of arms, a:>d l.a«. -
i'ig in lier hand a pike with the cap of JibertT
upon it; a*id on tlic exergue, 44 Anhiv<s of
the French Republic."
JV. That all the Administrative and
ciary Bodie? lhould be re elected.
. " That Judges may be cliofen v ;rl out
aiftiuytiou from among the Citizens."
Extract oj a Utlerjrom Iljpanioid, CY.V r \ ' y
il A Ihip is arrived at Cayes, wit!< }y: :r _>«
of the battalion of Aube. Tbele troops, who
were much abused by the enemies of the pub
lic good, appear to be well difpojed, perfectly
well disciplined, and shew great impatience
to be led against t ; .ie revolteil.
" The fliip St. Anne, which brings the re
mainder of the battalion, appeared for a mo
ment, but has been again driven out to lea
by the currents.
u It is time France lhould think of as.—
Fifteen days more and all was loft.
u We wilh much for the arrival of M.
de Montefquitu, to re-eftabblh goodordcr At d
enforce that obedience which is due to legal
authority.
" We j nft now hear, and the intelligence
may be depended on, that Cavillon, Jeremie,
Cayemitte, Petit Trout, and L'Anfe a Veau,
have surrounded the rebels of Petit Trout,
had pursued ihem for nine days, and killed
almost the whole of them; the fiirvivors
prayed for raercy, and all 15 restored to order.
It lhould be observed that they had as com
mander, no agent of the old executive."
A correspondent observes, that tbeoppofers
of the re-eleffoon of the Vice-President, have
carefully avoided the affirmative in their dif
cuflion of that gentleman's pretentions to the
fuffrages of his fellow-citizens-—well knowing
hi»mbitthr? and Jfrtmces an
ble barrier to the force ©f thole wire-drawn in
sinuations which have an influence on unin
formed and prejudiced rflinds—-but, continues
our correipondent, the artifices of these theo
retical and intolerant politicians, who torture
opinions, not imbibed in their school, into
ci imes, will most afTuredly fail, so long as rea
son and common sense ihail influence the con
duct of the citizens of the United States.
A correspondent observes, that the experi
ence of the good people of this country is alto
gether opposed to the doArine of tho e who
appear so zealous for coniUtuting a board of
sixty or seventy financiers. It is not perhaps
too much to lay, that the public debt of this
country has been enhanced one quarter part
from the mode of managing the state and con
tinental money concerns by boards and
committees—-and the event is devoutly to be
deprecated, when the idea of responsibility, by
being transferred from an individual to a coi
le&ive body, lhall vanifti into air—into thin
air.
A correspondent, who beard the motion
made by the gentleman from New-Jeifey, for
bringing forward the business of a Bankrupt
Law for the United States, cannot retrain
from exprefTing his fatisfa&ion on the occa
sion. The efforts heretofore made to bring
that ftabje6t to maturity, have certainly fallen
short of the exertions made on many other
point?, to fay the least, not more interesting
to the people.
Boston, November 7,
Extraflof a letter from a gentleman oj the Law, in
London, to his friend in MaJJachufetts, dated
July 10, 1792.
" Pa i n e has been endeavoring to excite the
people of th:s country to destroy our govern
ment, and to substitute his Utopia. I fancy he
knows more of the " Rights" than of the nature
of man; and can have paid but little attention
to the sagacious, temperate, hu«maneand pratti
cabie dottrines of that true friend to mankind,
our illustrious Adams. If we really fufhrcd
those grievances here which alone could fan£iioo
a revolt of the people—l mean, such as ouf
weighed our prosperity and happiness, a Mas.
saniello or a Wat Tyler, would perhaps
be more likely to carry it than Paine; for our
mob, I find, cannot understand his visions : —
America, I take it, has no mob, nor ever had. In
that country he spoke to a people, under the
very menaces of oppicflion, and who were ge
nerally intelligent enough to undcrilland his Ipi
ritcd sentiments : And as to the several dcfcrip--
tions of people here, who are superior to the
mob (fuclj people, less than any, will not be rea
soned out of their feelings) I take thcfc to feel so
individually, so substantially, and so generally
happy, that it will be at present impofliblc to
persuade them that they are otherwise.
" We fee plain enough how it is in France.
They have fquandeied out so much liberty
among a people, ignorent ot the ule of it, that
there is scarcely energy enough left in the exe
cutive power to extinguish a riot of drunken
Weavers.
" Several attempts have been made here, by
vain Frenchmen (and others who appear to
know full as little of the genius of Joh n Bull.)
to make the "Ca ira" popular; but they might
as well offer him a Ftog—He will never pro
nounce the one, any mote than be will fwsllew
the other."
SHIP NEWS.
ARRIVF.Da/ the PORTcj PHILADELPHIA.
B*>que Hope, Miller, Oporw
Schooner Pi i nee of Wales, In ham, St. Kitt*
PRICE OF STOCKS.
6 per Cer.ts,
3 per Ccnis,
Deferred,
full /hares Bank U. S. As
4 (hnres, 57
Unfunded debt of U.S. iij6 on the prtp-pij.
And on the Jntereit yp to lit Jsn. 1788,
m ft
12jt
»a/3
per criit, prczn