v-rjyaeat ? He believed the gentlemen would join 1 toi in faying they concurred in these sentiments ; and if so, where was the propriety of refufing to agree to this clause ? He hoped they would re-con sider the matter, and that by dividing the question, the clause moved te be struck out might be retain ed. Mr. Nicholas said the question could not be di vided ; if it could, a member could never vote a greeably to his wijh. For his own part, he had lather the paragraph in question should be retained, nnd have liked the motion better had it not included sit. ' Mr. Giles said gentlemen might refufe to strike cut the whole, and then move to strike out a part, and so attain their otyft. Bur, said he, aJmitting the paragraph to be founded on truth, was it a thing they had any thing to do with as legislators ? Was it proper to remind the people of Europe that they are not so happy as we ? Huppofe, added he, any individual was to go into the house of his neighbor, and fay to him, " am very rich and }-?ti are poor 5 I am very happy, but you are very referable j" would fncli a conduct be well receiv ' ed i He believed not: and he was unwilling to do that in a national capacity, which he disapproved in an individual one. Mr. Sitgreaves said, he felt himfelf perfectly in different as to any division of the question, because bis mind wat prepared to give an unqualified vote to every sentiment contained in the answer report ed. He did not believe it to be either unnatural or unbecoming in us to derive happinefa from a con trad of our own fltuation with that of other na tions who were less favored. He believed it was the only way in which,<ve could justly appreciate the value of our fltuation. He believed everything appeared greater or less, worthless or valuable by comparison, and that our happiness and prosperity would not appear evident, except eontrnlltd with nations less so. He perfeflly agreed with the gen tleman from Virginia (Mr Giles) that what was condemnable in private life, would he equally so in public, and he should think it wrong'for a man to exult over his neighbor's poverty or misfortunes in the way he had mentioned ; but though he should fiot ebufe to o£fend his neighbor, he saw no im propriety if he, in the bosom of his family, patm ed his faults and follies, in order to watn those uli der his care against, the like, and that they might be fufliciently grateful for their superior advan tages. He thought there- would be nothing in such a condu& either unnatural or unbecoming, and therefore did not wish to fee the paragraph struck out. He did not in any degree doubt the wisdom and firmnefs of the •dminiftration of the government : in the language of the answer, he entertained " a grateluleonviftion, that the wife, firm and patriotic adminißration of the Prcfident, had been signally conducive to the fuecefs of the present form of gov eramect." This, he said, was not only his senti ment—it was the sentiment of America.—Such a sentiment was the anly reward which could be giv en to labours like those of the PJCuient : he tir#t they ouglit not to'be withheld by that house, when every public body, from one end of the continent to tire other, were poflring thrui forth. He saw so reason for being io veiy cautious of cwmplimeat, which would in effect convey reproach inllead of praise. If these sentiments were universally felt, there could be no impropriety in their expressing them : but if that House, indeed, believed that the sdminillration of the Prefidtnt had neither been wife, firm nor patiotic, then they would concur with the motion for striking out. It had been insinuat ed, that the present situation of this countty, with refpeft to its foreign relations, was owinj; to the want s>f firmnefs arid wisdom in the adminiftiation- His opinion was direfily the contrary, and he be lieved that it was the opinion of America. This opinion was fully exprefTed by that Hottfe or a re cent occasion in the last fcflioTi, and he did not be lieve it had seen any cause for changing its opinion It was no reason for qualifying the expreflion rela tive to the prosperity of the country, because pri vate credit had been in some degiee deranged, as that derangement could not be attributed to any *&. of the government. He was sorry that ftich circumllances should have been mentioned, to tar. nifh the bright appearance of the country. These circumftaiices were *but like a speck upon the fun Why were they not told of the fires which had hap. pened at New-York and Savannah, as well as of the derangements of oar merchants ? Such trivial mat ters were not to be mentioned in a national view If the gentleman from Virgiria (Mr. Gilss) did i rot regret the refignatioa of the Prcfident, he did : he beiieved America did, and he believed this re gret was extremely natural andipreper—He did not thjok it undignified. That gentleman had said the j gemrunent would go on without him, and that I there wete many others capable of filling the Prefi- 1 dential chair. This might be so ; but did it sol- | low, that they should not regret the loss of a valua ble public servant ) Should we not regret him, said by, OB account of the univcrfal confidence placed in him ? Confidence in the officers of government was valuable, he said, untkr every form, but'pir ticalarly in a republican government : it was the chief principle from which it derived its energy.— Coold 1 his be denied ? If not, certainly regret was natural, because thi* confidence would not be so great in his fncceffor, tho' he might be pofTcfTed of equal talents and virtues. Mr. Sitgreaves said, ht should not agree to the notion of the gentleman from S. Carolina, (Mr. Harper) because it was fub&ittiting other words in place of those nfed, for no good reason whatever. Those wctds would not change or improve the sen timent or the phraseology, and there was therefore Bo ulP.ity in adopting them. Upon the whole, he believed the answer reported, to be free from the 1 chargeof adulation. He believed there was not a sentiment i« it, which was not jnftified by fa£l— It wat expreflive of national regret at the departure of our chief magistrate from office, and of national gratitude for his services ; sentiments, which be be lieved would not be agreeable to the American peo ple to withhold from him. [Debate to be continued.] Tliurfday, December ry. The ordir of the day being called fur on the 4n fwer to the President's Speech, the house resolved ltfelfintoa committee of the whole, Mr. Muhlen prg in the chair, when Mr. Giles's ranion foi linking „ui the la (V eight paragraphs of the answer being under bonfideration, after some obfervatioos from Mr. Nicholas, Mr. Rutherford and Mr. Li vingrton, the motion was put and neg»ti»ed. Mr. Harper then renewed his motion for (biking out the seven last paragraphs, for the purpose of introducing a paragraph containing nearly the fame sentiments, which, after" a few observations, was negalived, 25 members only being in favor of it. Mr. Parker renewed his motion for linking oat the word. « the freeft.and moll enlightened in the world, which, after considerable debate, gave way to an amendment of Mr. Thatcher to have the expreflion read " the fpeftawle of a free a..d en lighted natron, offering," &c. whuh wart carried by a considerable majority^ Mr. Livingfton next moved an amendment in the sixth paragraph, to strike out from the ward tianquil" to M period,"* and to introduce in its Head " present period with that," so as to read " to compaie the present period with that imme diately antecedent," &c. which was carried 42 10 37- Mr. Livingfton next moved .to strike out the words " wife, firm and patriotic administration** m the next paragraph, and to introduce in their Itead the words " wisdom, firmnefs, and patriot ism," which after much debate was loft. The committee then rose and reported the Ad* dress with the amendments, which the house took Up, and having gone through, Mr. Sitgreaves mo ved an amendment to strike out the " while we par ticipate" to " countrymen," and tu insert after the words '* to interest our attention, and'' to the fol lowing viz. " at the fame time that we as sure ourfclvrs that *your jll (t confidence in the pa triotism, fdf-refpe&, and fortituec-of our country men, will not, in any event, be difappointcd, and that they will nor, on any oecafion, forget what is j due to the charafler of our government and nation." j This motion ocgafioned considerable debate, and was at length defeated by the previous question, which was put in these wards, " (hall the main quef tiou now be put." The Yeas and Nays were cal led for, and taken as follow. YEAS. MefTis. Ames, Bradbury, Coit, Craik, Daven port. Ejje, A. Fofler, D. Fuller, Cilbert, Glen, Goodrich, Grifwold, Harper, Hartley, Hender fon, S Lyman, Malbone, Sitgreaves N. Smith, Isaac Smith, W. Smith, Swift, That cher, Thomas, Thompson, Van Allen, Wads worth, Williams, Hindman— 31. NAYS.' MefTrs. Bailev, Baldwin, Baird, Blount, Bry an, Chriftic, Claiborn, Clopton, Coles, Dent, Dearborn, Franklin, Freeman, Gallatin, Gilei, Cillelpie, Gilman, Greenup, Gregg, Grove, Har 1-ifon, Havens, Heath, Holland, A. Jackson, G- Jacklun, Kitchell, Livingfton, X. icke, W. Lyman, Maclay, Macon, Madison, Moore, Mnhlenbera, Nicholas, Page, Parker, Patron, Richards, Sherborne, Jfrael Smith, Siradwick, Swanwick, 11. Sprigg, Van CuriLudt, Varnum, Venable—4B. In the laourfe of thit debate, which was of a considerable length, some very warm expressions took place betwixt the Speaker, Mr. W. Smith, and Mr Harper on.the point t>f order. The lat ter gentleman appealed from the chair to the house, nnd was pronounced by the house to be out of order. Mr. Blount moved t® strike out the last sentence in the 44 far your country's fake, dtc.— » hen the Yeas and Nays were taken as follow : ye a. a MefTrs. Bailey, Baird, Blount, Chriflie, Clop ton, Cole*, Gallatin, Giles, Greenup, Hcat-n, Holland, A. Jackson, G. Jackson, Livingfton, Locke, W. Lyman, Maclay, Macon, Moore, Parker, Pattoo, Swanwick, Varnum, Venable— 24. NAYS. MefTrs. Ames, Baldv%, Bradbury, Bryan, Claiborn, Cort, Craik, Davenport, Dearborn, Dent, Ege, A. Fofler. D. Foster, Franklin, Freeman, Gilbert, Giiiefpie, Gilman, Glen, Goodrich, Gicgg, Grifwold, Grove, Harper, Hartley, Havens, Henderfon, Hindman, Kit chell, S. Lyman, Madison, Malbone, Muhlen berg, Nicholas, Page, Read, Richards, Sewall, Sherbbrtie, Sitgreaves, N. Smith, Ifratl Smith, Isaac Smith, W. Smith, Sprigg, Stradwick, Swift, Thatchcr, Tbftmaa, Thompfcn, Van Cort landt, Van Allen, Wadfworth, Williams—s4. On the question being about to be put on the anfwef r as amended, Mr. Blount said he wished the Yeas and Nays might be again taken that pos terity might fee that he was not coufcnting tp tlriVaddrcfs/ - The question was carried 67 to 12'. The Noes were MefTrs. Blount, Coles, Giles, Greenup, Holland, A. Jackson, Livingfton, Lyvke W. Lyman,...Maclay, Macon, and Venable. Meflrs. Am:s, Madison and Sitgreaves were ap pointed a commii'ueto wait upon the Prcfident to enquire when and where he would receive the an swer to his addrets. Adjourned.. F»r tie Gaiitti or tii Unitsd Statu. Mr. Fenno, Confrdering Theatrical exhibitions, when conduced with an earncft desire to please those, who support the Theatre, by frequent attendance, as the only rational entertainment the Citizens, in Philadelphia, can pofli bly partake of in public.—After the laborions hours of business, the theatre presents itfelf, to smooth the vari ed scenes of life, to fee Nature pourtrayedor " catch the manners living as they rife" either in the exh bra cing smiles of Comedy, or the impreflive scenes of the Tragic muli, these form " a confummution devoutly to be wished," by every admirer of the Drama. I well remember that for two seasons pafl, the per formances have been much approved of, ttie perform-, ers received that indulgence and almoli unbounded en couragement their refpeflive merits entitled them to s and, at the clofeof earh season, th?' Managers thanked the public, for their "very generous and liberal sup port." How then can those very Managers, now ternc forth, •rid assert, the very contrary to b* the fail : it fcfas then true, or if not, tlieir acknowledge ments mu.t be considered only, a* fatyricil eulogium* on a parfimoniouo public, whom they ieem inclined to force ihto any msafure they may plcafe to adopt. Mj Wign«ll,has gratifird the Phialdelphians, in bringing Mrs. Merry ti> America, such exquilite per formances as hers, must convince, even the molt preju diced, that the ltage can, and ought tu pourtray na ture in i!| the beauties of exprefi(<on and ailion. In these Mrs. Merry tnfwers our nioft sanguine expec tations. Were there such helpa to her at her abilities deserve, and demand, the New Theatre would fully compenlate the Managers ( even at the advanced price ofadmiilion) for their labors. Excepting this paragon, this excellent thea'rical Star, the present company is much inferior in numbers and abilities to any former leaibn : hew then, can the public expect to have that entertainment generally they have been used to. \[f we may judge from a comparative fettle of the abilities of t'lofe Performers who have left the Theatre ( on .what account the public are no otherwise concerned than in th«4ofs) and .those newly engaged, it plainly appears, the public are not benefited- I have* arranged the merits, upon- a ratio, making fif teen cq«al to the htgheft perfeflion, upon a general line »f aifting, of tltofe absent, and of those engaged to supply their stations, leaving the generality of the company to their own merits, fcveral of whom are really refpedtable Performers absent. New Perforn»»rs. Mrs. Whi'lock, 13 Mrs. Merry, 15 Shaw, 10 Mechiler, 4 Marshall, 9 Miss L'Eftrange, 4 Cleveland, j Mrs. L'Eftrange, 3 Green, 4 Rowfon, 3 Mif# Braodhurft, 10 Mr. Fennell, 13 Mr. Cooper, II Bates, It \Varren, 9 Chalmers, Iz Fox, £ Whitlock, 11 L'Eftrange, 4 MarOiall, > 7 Cleveland, ' s Green, 5 119! j6 From this it appears that the former Companies were much fnperier in number and abilities, to the prelent arrangement. I have omitted feversl perform ers belonging now and formerly to the fame theatre, whose performance* merit, on the fame feale, viz. Mr. Moreton, 13, and who undoubtedly is the only chaste male Adlor on the New Theatre stage. Mr. Wignrll, 10. Mr. llariiood, ( whom the public are happy to recognize once again) 13. Mr. Francis, 9. Mrs Oldmixon, 14. Mrs. Morris, 8. Mrs. War rell 9. The above system of Merits, are more from public, than private opinion ; and the general receipts of the T heatrewrn speak r.ioft feelingly to the understandings of the Managers, and Subfcribcrs, whether the advan tage this Scafon, will be more favorable than any for mer one. , PHTLO THEATRICUS. FOR THE GAZETTE OF lUE U.VITED STATES. A'EiV THEATRE. HENRY IV. THAT " huge hill of flefh," the fcnfible, wit ty, Ray, humorous, cowardly, gluttonous, lying, thieving FalitafF, not been, " any time ihefe two-and-twenty years,"* exhibited in a more mif terly and inip.ctlive style, than by War es, on Weiuefiley evening. Indeed this piece of acting was given with to petfatt comprehcnlian of al! the minutiz of the cliara&er, that criticism or comment were rain : From the opening of the play to the ciofe, it was supported with such naivete, animation, and confif. tencyV *»» to authorize the opinion, that no perfor mance in America ever afforded higher fatisfaQion, or pnffefled better claims to pre-eminent met it. Shakefpcaie, in thecouifeof his dramas, furnilhes the critical observer with tbe original models of most of the prominent. chaiaAers in modern plays. Dr. Johnson ebfrrvfs, thai his " Pistol" is the model of i.ll the bullies on the Engllfh stage, Dr. Young's' Revenge is wholly built on the tragedy of Othello, but it ie unneceflary to rite instances : the remark must ftvikr every one ; and all that is left to regret, is, that this fyffem has not been mote generally putftied. Falftaff, unrivalled Falftaff, still (lands untouched by the pen of any modern imitator. And here Sbakrfpeare mtrft forever (hine without a rival. His overheating excellent* in this finilhed part, must inevitably swallow, ai in a vortex, all who attempt to interfere with him. Indeed Shake speare htmfelf is thought to have fallen off some what in the continuation of hit Fat Knight, in the Merry Wires of Windsor. As he is said to have written this play in order to continue the cbara&er, by command of Queen Elizabeth, perhaps his ge nius may have been cramped or laid under reftraiiit by the loyal command. If any parts of Mr. Warren's performance were particularly deserving of commendation, the whole of his firft dialogue with the prince ; the soliloquy on hoaor ; tbi merit i> the delivery of which was such as to render Ihouts of applause iriefiftible ■}■ — his account of his soldiers ; —and that part of the fecund aft where he upbraids the prince with deser ting him, " a plague of all cowards," might be mentioned as inllancei. Mr. Cooper has great merit in Hotspur; hilac-' tion is good ; tho' too redundant. If he erred, it was in not being " hot" enough—in general, this leading trait in the chara&er did not miss his atten tion—at times however he was remiss. The solilo quy on the contents of the letter, and the scene with his wife, were admiiabie. It may not be improper to notice here some re marks ot a writer, who criticises on Mr. Cooper, with little " candor" or consideration. Hi» acti on, fays this writer, was " mechanical." Is not all aflion mechanical ! After dellttuting Cooper of all claim to meiit, he concludes with an enumeration, including all the more important poigtaof thf cha racter, wherein he acknowledges him to have been " peculiarly fortunate." Mr. Moreton, when afllng " Hal" was in his element, and did ample jnftice to the part ; ht spoiled all in the Prince, by hi* rant. , In this p» r Within thi« period have died two performers, of diftinguilhed excellence in the character of Falftaff— Garrick and Henderfon. Htd they llv'd to " die here after," there night have been oppsrtunity of inftitu trng a comparison :At " 'tis better as it is:" and a " younki-r" must rely for his knowledge of them, on the " abflra<si and brief chronicles of the times." ricular, however, lie hM much amended. It mult all be ffiakcn off, before he can become a peife£t actor. Mr. L'EHrange (are some parti in the King with confidcrable energy, and effect. W. Philadelphia, v FRIDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 16, 1796. Rktvkn or yorti . 1 £ t Si« ™* £ >i« J E 2 PRESIDENT S ■ J" b i •2J 11. VICE-PRESIDENT - ! N *• *"■ ■* p •■"• O - New-llamplhire, | . 1 MafTachufetts, 1613 * 1 j Khode-Hland, i Connecticut, 94 5 j Vermont, | New-York, ti 11 i New-Jwfey, 7 7 i Pennsylvania, 1 21413 • Delaware, 3 3 I Maryland. 7443! 2 Virginia, I 1 ao 115 31 Kentucky, T«nneflee, North-Carolina, , South-Carolina, Georgia, Total, !_J . From the Aurora. " Mr. Fenno has afle rted, that the Senate'* anfwar to the PreSdenf « speech paired that House unmnimoujlj. Wt know te the contrary." Ext raft from the Journal of the Senate of tie United States, Saturday, December 10, 1796. " The Senate resumed the consideration of the re port of the committee in answer to the address of tho Prelident of the United States to both Houses of Con gaefs, and after further amendment* it wat uninimouf* !y adapted as follows," tv. It is a melancholy fail, that the true cavfe of the present fHgnatioft- in aur commcrcial concerns is tie high price of produce. Surely our patriotic farmers will not look on tamely till our merchants are all ruined and their fl»ippn>y rot ten, for the vain hope that another famine in Europe may eccur to favor the present exorbitant prices for their grain. Arrived—Ship Peggy, Elliot, Bvordeaux, j4 day*.— Left Bourdeaui October 11. BY THIS DAY's MAILS. BOSTON, December 9. Majfacbufetls 9 Eleflort. O* Tuesday lait (he sixteen Electors of this Com monwealth convened in the Senate chamber, agreea ble to a refolveof the Legislature, pa£fird at the laltfef lion. The whole number being preftnt, they adjour ned to Wednesday, when they again met conformably to the Confiitution and Law of the United States, and proceeded to the choice of President and .Vice Pro* fident. The vote, Hood as follows ; John Adams, t6 Thomas PinckneyS. C. 13 Samuel Jolmfon N. C. % Oliver Ellfworth Con. 1 An ejiprefs was difcatefced to Philadelphia, with a certificate of the votes, signed by each Eletfor ; anoth er certificate goes by the regular port. One is depofi tcd in the office of the Diftfiil Clerk, and one in the Secretary's office of the Commonwealth. NEW-YORK, December ie. I \ SERIOUS ALARM. Renewed attempt* to ftt fire to different parti ef the city have been discovered On Tuesday night a (hed in the rear of Messrs. Lindfey and Knox's ivork fliop, in Liberty-fired, was observed to be caught from coals ef fire concealed in an oiled cloth, similarly secured with those lately ;depofited in Mr. Smith's and Depcyfter'e cellars in PearU street. The hotife of Mr. Lewis Ogden, in Pearl ftrect, has been twice set on the malicious intention it indubitable, and he has fens his black man, fufpe&ed, to prison : Another at tempt, we learn, wa* made on Tuesday night in Eeckman-ftreet i a bed was set on fire under a child, and his criei alarmed his family ; yesterday morning the back-doot of Mr. R. Leroy's house in Green wich-street, adjoining Mr. Lindfey'*, was observed to have been affe&ed from the fame means ; the fire having burned through the lower part of tiic door before it expired. Sufficient evidence ja thai obtained of the evil intentions of a dclperate gang which iafeft* the city ; and the vigilance of the citixen* Ihoulc be excited proportionably to the mifchief which may arise, if they are not early discovered or checked in their attempt*. An additional night-watch of con fidential person*, to be employed by the inhabitant* of the different ward* ; —or an association of them selves for the fame purpufc, have been thought of as some means of procuring additional security, and in some puts of the city have already been adopt ed. We conceive that a reward fllould also be of fered for the discovery of villains; and a sub scription to defray the expence thereof (which should be liberal) we have no doubt would be ra pidly made up by the inhabitant*. In addition to the above, we hear that attempta have been mad e to set fire to' the large and elegant range of store* belonging to Mr. Dclafield, scar the exchange. Attempt* were likewise made to set fire to th« (hip Mohawk, Capt. Moore. At»o meeting of a number of the inhabitant* of the firlt and second ward* of thi* city, at Mr. Rat toonc't tavern, on Wednesday evening the 14th December, 1796, it wa* nnanimoufly agreed— Th iT it appear* attempt* have been made by evil disposed person* (unknown to ui) to set fire to the citjSiu diver* place* i it is therfcorc recommended that night-watch, compofcd of citizen* from each ward, be eftablilhed, to serve in rotation, until a more regular fyltem can be eftablifhcd ( and that a guard of twenty men from thi* meeting be ap pointed to patrole the firlt and part of the second ward* of thi* city, a* far as Wall-ftrcet, for this and the four succeeding night* 1 and that Melane ton Smith, James Van Dyk, Andrew Mortis, Si. mon Schermerhom, and Henry Wyckoff, be a oommittee to appoint the watch ia the mean time I ind it it farther recommended, that fianlar met , lutes he adopted by the citixen* of the different ward*. William Niilson, chairman.
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