Mr. Williams that with refpeft to thf
gentleman''! oSjeft ons refpefting the Journals, he
hoped, that, as the opjofiiton was against the Pre
fiJest, for his in nnt being drawn in
to a war, to embrue ourjiands in the blood of one
nation, to gra ify the hatred, or serve the interest
of another, we fh uild now (at it was >lie lad time)
agree to the report, andaltbo' thfc gentleman (Mr.
Giles) supposed it to be the interest of France to
go to war with us, yet hr did not think so ; but if
ic was their interest, nothing would (lop
It was the interest of this country to be at peace,
and he would do «very thing confident with the
honour of bu> nation keep so.
Let us, said Mr. Williams, individually endea
vour to eradicate from our minds those opinions,
which we may ha»e allowed to acquire a growth
th„t overfhades the dilates of unbiased truth and
justice ; let us each individually confjder, whether
we have not Allowed our immediate and particular
interells to influence our public condu-t ; and wir4i
a view to temporary advantage to ourselves, 41'ven a
fan ft ion to measures, which, unless imely checked,
mny put in hazard those biding! whieh a conftitu
tioi) founded like the cOuftitution of the United
States, not on the vision of a heated or diltemper
ed imagination, but on principles winch unchecked
in their operations, byjhe arm of violence, or raif
reprefer.tation of calumny, mull iiercffarily pro
duce, and when we (hall have traced t hem in the wis
dom. which direftec', .ritd ti ehi mnefs which ef
fect;:.! the revolution, I t us then cokdder the man'
who hat h been the inflrument.
Th'e ccmm ittee rose, had le,.ve to-fit again, and
the house adjourned.
Thursday, December 15-
In Committee of the whole house. on the answer to
the Prefidents'i kddrefs.
Mr. Nicholas halt vifhrd to have had this business
fettled as agreeably as possible. He thought himfelf
at liberty to Vote for the paragraph now before the
com ittee, because he was faiisfled that the pi efent
admin, ration had, in many instances been wile ar.d
firm. InriAiE a Irefs it could no.t be meant to include
pending meitfures. • He should think himfelf wrong if
heforehore.o expreisthc • gret .which hk, conftuuents
felt tor the retiring or ti 1 e I'refident from offne. Mr.
N eholas, however, ccnfiSercd the style of compli
mei as too strong. —He imagined that it might be
bett i-Mprefled for the fake of general accommoda
tion to 11.e ftntimi nts of members.
Mr. Rutherford Umen ed that gentlemen should
have a milt.iked zeal for the Frefiden' by introducing j
expedients into the answer before them which could;
jiot be fwlifcribed unanimously. The division of fenti- j
tnent which had taken place in the Jioufe on the ocea- s
lion, would give the world an idea that there was a j
putv who criminate the President, 3nd to j
rfb him of those patriotic virtues which he polFefied. f
There was no'uch thing. Eveiy oneand his c. ileagucs j
amcngd; the reft, esteemed the virtues of that great 1
man; and if there had been any flip in his condufl,
the American people were generons and knew that to j
err was human, and that other perfonswere equally to •
blame with hi.n He was sorry, therefore to fee so
warm a zeal, endeavouring to grasp at too much.
They werf not only toxonfider the wisdom and patri
otism ot our chief magidrate and great deliverer un
der divine providenee but also the situation 111 which
we stand with refpeft to the Republic of France. We
seemed to be in a delicate situation, and we ought to
ai3 with the greatest coolness and circlimfpedtion.
He therefore hoped, the answer would be so amended
as to pass unanimously.
Mr. Livingdon honed the answer to the address
of the Prelidetit would have been so drafted, as to
have avoided this debate, hie (I'll hoped, that the
candour of the gentlemen who advocated iliin ad
dress, and of those who opposed it, would admit
of fu h amendments, as might make it p«fs unani
mously. With this view, when the piefent motion
was difpofrd of, he should move to itt ilce out some
words, for the purpose of inserting otl.eti. He had
not the f<me pinion of the firft paragraph propos
ed to be I 1 11 k out by the gentleman from Virgi
nia with other gentlemen. It did not appear to
him to draw confutation from the misfortunes of o
ther nations ; and the comparison of a gentleman,
who had likened our litualion t» that of members
of the fame family, had considerable weight upon
his mind. The only objection he had to the para
graph, was to the single exprcfiion of «' tranquil
prosperity." He did not think that the present fi
tuatinn of the UniteJ States would warrant such
an exprefiion. There hmilar objections to o
ther pai-tsof the address, which might- easily be re
moved by amendments. He should therefore votea
gaintl (liikingout the eight clauses.ii order that ihey
might be amended, so as to prove generally accept
able.
Mr. Giles's motion was then put and negatived_
Mr. Parker wished to renew his motion for fink
ing out the words "freeft and mofl enlightened ia
the world."
Mr. Harper believed his motion would fupercede
that of the gentleman just fat dowß, because it
.contemplated the finking out of a greater portion
of the answer, and because it had already been
fuhtni ted to the hotife. Having already given his
Teafons for wishing his motion to prevail, he should
not again trouble the house with them, but merely
submit it to their decision. Jt was to strike out all
that part of the answer, from the words " retire
ment from office," at the end of the seventh, para
graph, to the words " may you long, &c." at the
beginning of the lafl; and to insert " and to avail
ouifelves of this occasion, since no suitable one may
heteaftcr occur, of disclosing those warm emotiooi
of refpeft, gratitude and affection, with which we,
nolefs than our constituents, have been inspired bjr
a life, equally illudrious for the wisdom, integrity
and patriot ism whereby in public conduct have been
guided, and fortunate in the happy influence which
the exercise of those virtaei has produced on the
prosperity of our country."
« Mr. Freeman obje&cd to the substitute offered
by Mr. Harper, because it did not contain a feati-
Hient in the original which he very much approved,
viz. " Yet we cannot be unmindful, that your mo
deration and magnanimity twice displayed by retir
ing from your exalted stations, afford examples no
less rare and indruftive to mankind, than valuable
to a republic."
Mr. Harper he had no objection ts the ad
miffmn of that fentimcnt into his substitute.. which
<afily be done.
1 Mr. Ames hoped the motion to strike out wsuH
not prevail. Ihe original, he said, having been
printed and in the hands of members, had the ad
vantage of being well weighed, and he trusted ge
nerally approved : but any substitute would not
have that advantage, beft.lesthat he ihotight the
Sentiments being crowded together iu the way pro
posed, would drag Ijeavily along.
The motion was put and negatived, there being
only 25 votes foi it.
Mr. Parker then urged his motion.
Mr. W. Smith hoped tha words in question
would not be druck out. The reason aligned yes
terday fordriktng out these words was that thiv
might offend other nations who conceived them
selves :.s free and enlightened as we. Gentlemen
did not fay wh t nation wntild take umbrage; but
he supposed they alluded to the French reptibli<.
If, however, he could shew those gentlemen tha t
that republic had uled a fimilitf language, in wtrich
they called themselves the grealefl nation in the
world, he trull :hhey wou'd feci easy as far as tc
fpedled any offence to 'hem. In looking ovei'
some papers, he had met with fever a! bomballical '
expressions in a note of Baithe'cmy s, a report to
the convention of Liaiiviere, sn.l of CumHaceres in
the mm; of the three committees He iead
and hoped they would remove from the minds of
gentlemen all ideas of offence to the French repub
lic.
Mr. Parker said, he m ide this motion he I
neitluT had the F ench Republi: in view nor pny o
ther nation His objection o'he expression was,
that if we were more free and enligh ened than o
thers, it was not becoming in tis to nuke the decla
ration. Our government, ht said, was as free as
any inexi.tence; and as to our being enlightened,
we might be more so than otheis. His ohjeclion
went againd the declaration. But, however enlight
ened we might be, our enlightened uriderllanding
had been far exceeded by-Deumatk and Sweden,
who had p'refeived their neutrality amidst tljej irring
intcrefls of iturope—their vessels could pals uamo
led ed on the ocean ; eyen the Helvetic Republic'
had preserved i:s neutrality mviolate. The Teamen j
of these countries were not seized and carried on !
boatd men of war, nor diot for leaving their pi ifoo
ships. The brother of a member of that house, he
said had been (hoi at in this fu nation. It was true,
he was not killed, but the {hot w.is levell«Ua' him
Was this, be afkr.l, preferring our digni' y ? When
the gentlemen from Maffat hufetts (Mr. Ames)
lad fcfiion fpokc of the p-ob»bility, of a wai with
Great-Briiain, hi said, ihe was armed at all points
l.ke a Porcupine. It was then our business t« be
quiet—to Ihu: ouifelves up in a (hell like a Tor.
toife. Pea e was to be preserved at any rate ; wh/fl
the British were frizing our property and inipreffing
our seamen, whom they f ourged and treated ia the
mod cruel manner, yet a'l must be (till, not a word
about reliflance. When the Executive feiit an En
voy to treat with the British he tru:U I to
the judice and magnanimity of h»-ni jelly ! Was
this fit language lor this country to In Id to Bri
tain i The moll petty principality in Europe would
have thought itfelf 'ebafed by such a coir net.—
What was the result ? A Treaty. This
was the aft of an adminiflration which they uere
called upon to appl ud. He yet believed the Pre
liderit wife and virtuous, but he had, perhaps, per-,
sons about him who had advised him to this unwil'c
and impolitic aft
The gentleman from Maffj' hufetts (Mr. Ames)
had told them, we were on the eve or a war with
France ; the greatell nation, said Mr. Parker, on
earth, a nation who was fighting in the cause of h
berty, and who had carried bet vietoijfs to every
part of Europe, whose exploits in war Rorye never
exceeded. This he thought was not a fitu.ttion in
which to exult. We may, said he, think well of
ourselves. He believed the people to be wife, the
government good, but the adminillratioH bad. The
gentleman from Mafiachufeus had said, we are dc
firuus of peace ; but if the Fr. nch are determined
011 war, we are ready to meet them. Where heaf
ked, were our (hips, or out armies ? This gentleman
had told them lafl feflivn of the tomahawk and of
the mother bleeding over her hild. He would not
deal in metaphor with tha! gentleman, but he would
ask him for his confidency. Why peace with Eng
land, but with France, fay we are ready to meet !
them ? Where was the lafl war ? Did he meet the i
enemy ? He believed not. But addsci he, I saw
such cruelties committed by the British, as would
make the flouteft shudder!
Mr. Parker said when Gen. O'Hara left Portf
mauth he went into it and fonnd a house as large as
that hall full of people ill of the small pox, many of
them blind, whom O'Hara had left without a nurle
or any assistance.—The gentleman from S. Carolina
had seen a British eourt ; he had not. He had seen
some of their lord s indeed, but he found them like other
fmen.—lf, he faiil, ihe French made war upon this
country,he should certainly fight against them. He
did not fear them ; but he disliked to take up arms
againftafrre people. Kingcraft and Prieftcraft had
too long governed the world with an iron rod : more
enlightened times, he trusted, were approaching and
he hoped ere long republicanism would cover the earth
—He wished the words to be itruck out.
Mr Harper said he did not feel the least difpoGtion
to follow the gentleman just fat down through" his een
fures on our own adminillration. Nor did he fee what
relation this had to the matter in hand. The question
was, whether we ihould make the declaration before
them or not. And lie thought the thing of little coa
fequenee ; because, if we were the most free and en
lightened, it was well, and other nations would fee it
Why, then, travel into a field of inveflive against ad
ministration. Suppose this was as base as he could
make it, it would not follow that all the reft of Ameri
ca were wicked. If all his aflcrtioiis were true, there
fore, he might vote against his own motion.
A great deal, Mr. Harper •bferved, had been
said about pacifice intentions, war, &c. Strangers,
or gentlemen who had net heard the whole »f the
debate, would suppose, that the question before the
committee was the fubjeft of a declaration of war,
tho' Jx was merely to determine whether we should
call ourselves free and enlightened. Yet the gen
tleman from Virginia was very pacifically inclined to
all natious. The sum and fubftanee of the whole
ftoty was, that this gentleman was pacifically in
ciined towards the nation which seemed to have hof.
tile views against this cauntry. He hoped, how
ever, they IhouM oot eater «a fields of discussion,
which could enljr fcrve to irritate End prolong the
business, nor give scope to their recollection of every
thing that had been pleaflngor difpleafmg to them,
but vote on the simple question. The gentleman
from Virginia had said, that when compared to
Denmark, Sweden, or the Helvetic republie, our
. administration had beeuveiy unwise indeed. Now
it happent, fat'd Mr. Harper, that the gentleman
has been very unfortunate in his comparison ; for
Sweden and Denmark submitted to the fame kind
of treatment which we have submitted to. At to i
the Swiss cantont, thiy were in alliance with the
only Ration that could fuccefsfully annoy them, ow
ing to their inland and mountainous situation. He
j did not fee therefore any wisdom in their condutt.
Whilst, said he, with many difficulties on our hands,
we have (till preserved peace, Snd efeaped the effe&s
of European broils, much better than any of us
expe&ed.
[Debate to be continued.J
Mon»ay, Becember 19.
The milii in bill was taken up in committee of
•lite whole. The fitll provides for a division
of the militia into two clatles, the firft to comprise
those between 20 and 25 years of age, the other
rbofe between 25 and 40; the firft clafl to devote
a ronfiderable portion of time in military duties,
the other to lie conflicted as a corps de reserve. The
principle of this fe&ion was ohje&ed to, on account
'chiefly of the gieat expense of time and money
whici) tjie execution of the pian would require, and
it was moved to ftrikeit out. A motion, however
was made for the rising of the committee, which
obtained, and the committee obtained leave to fit
again.
On motion of Mr. Livingfton, a committee was
appointed to enquire and report, by bill or other
wise, what alterations appeared necefiary in thepe
nal code of the United States.
A petition from Stephen Moylan, commissioner
of loans lor the ft ate of Pennsylvania, praying an
ercreafe of salary, was read, and referred to the
committee on that fubjeA.
| Mr. Gallatin obtaiised leave of absence for ten
! days.
Mr. Harper moved, that the committee bf the
whole fbould be difefnrrged from further
the militia bill, with a view that it should be re
committed to a fcleft committee. The motion was
"iTFgatived. '
On motion of Mr. Heath, resolved, that a com
mittee be appointed to enquire whether any and
what alteration ought to be made in the existing
law?, to enforce the payment of monies due the
United States, by the different officers of the reve
nue. Adjourned.
Philadelphia^
TUESDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 10 1796^
RUTUKN OF Votbi . £ . e « ~
rou 7- J 5 5 au, > §
PRESIDENT
AND > •> . ig •» -q
"1 iTI * p pHfe r?ld
iN T cvv-H*i.f>fhire, j~~6 6
Maflachtil'tlts, i 1
!<ho(l«-iltand, 4 4
Connecticut, 9, 4 5
Vermont, j r
New-York, 1213
New Jerily, . 7I 7
Pennsylvania, 1 214 13
Delaware, 3 3I 1
Maryland, 7 4,] 43] 1
Virginia, X 1 10 115 31
Kentucky,
T T.nefiee,
North-Carolina, 11116 1
South-Carolina,
Georgia,
Total,
Marriid, last Evening, by the Rev. Dr. Rogers,
Mr. Edward Harris, Merchant; late of England,
to Miss jANt UsTipK, daughter of the Rev. Mr. Uf
tick, of this city.
This day his Excellency Thomas Mifflin was
proclaimed Governor of this Commonwealth with
the cuilomary formalities.
The New York papers by this day's mail, fay it
; it probable that Edward Li*ingllon, Esq. it re
elected a member of Congreft.
The ship C.harleflon, capt. Garman, is arrived in
the river, in 7 days from Charleston.
On Saturday, at twelve o'clock, agreeably to ap
i pointment, Dr. Rush delivered his Eulogium in
: the Prefbytetian Church, in High street, on the
i late Mr. The Doctor commen
-1 j ccd his Oration with an account of the birth of the
; | great philosopher whose eulogy he wat about to
| make, and proceeded to give an account of all the
material tranfafliont of his life, till he came to the
1 awful period of his death, in all which he found
■ occasion to pay the highest tribute of praise to the
deceased. Indeed, we believe, we (hall be joined
1 in sentiment by all who heard it, in pronouncing
the Oration a mod masterly composition, and that
it was pronounced with all the ability of an Qra
tor and with all the feeling of a Friend. The
. Church was exceedingly full, but very attentive.
1 The President of the United States, the Member!
•f Congreft,. and of the Legislature of this State,
' the foreign Ministers, the Philosophical Society,
Medical Students, &c. were a part of the auditory
on this solemn and affe&ing occasion.
►
» FOR THI GAZETTE OF THI UNITIfc STATES.
! Mr. Fehno, •
TN a pamphlet published yeflerday, under the
> title of " An Address to certain Bank Dire&ors,"
is contained the following paragraph :
" A certain bank direhor applied to a Jiationtr
some short time ago, te have a hantffome bank
book made. After the flstioner had completed
, hit work, agreeable to order, k« wat so mech
pWed with it« elegance, that he refolded to furn]lh
hirofelf with one equally handsome, and exafHy
like it. A few days aftet, the fiationet Tent his
new and pretty bank boo 1 ? to the bask, to get a
small note n/roU in. To his furprije hi» pretty
book was returned with • credit for a note which
had been discounted (roR the Director) for
eighteen thousand dollar*. The accidental refem
' blance et two elegant bank books caafcd this mif
rake ; but it also discovered a fafl that points with
tilent eaergy at the bank proceedings."
The stationer alluded to, deems it but justice to
the bank director in qncftion, ro dcclare, that the
whole contents of the a bore paragraph are abfo
lately deftitutc of even the ftnallell shadow of foun
dation. M. C.
December 20, 1796.
BY THIS DAY's MAILS.
BALTIMORE, Dec. 17.
ANOTHER. FIRE IN SAVANNAH.
Captain Hughes who arrived yellerday from Sa*
vanuah, which h? left on the 6th inft. we learn,
blings a* account of another fire in that unfortu
nate city. Not having seen captain Hughes, we
could not obtain any further particulars than that it
occurred a day or two previous to his failing, occa
fioncd, perhaps, by the fmoaking ruins of the late
fire ; and that twenty more houlcs had been laid ia
afhei.
NEWBERN, December 3.
A letter from Soath Citiolina, states, that Mr.
Pinckney will undoubtedly have all the votes of
the electors of thatftate, for Vice PreCdent of the
United State! : but that the vote* for Piefident
will be considerably divided between Me(T r s. Adams
and Jefferfon.
The honorable brigadier-general Benjamin Smith,
Esq. iseleited speaker of the Senate, and the hon.
John Leigh, Esq. speaker of the lioufe of Com
mons.
Pantheon,
AND RICKETTS's AMPHITHEATRE.
Corner of Chefnut and Sixtli-ftreets.
For Equestrian and Stage Performances.
To-morrow evening, Wednesday, Dec. 21,
Will be presented the following entertainments, viz.
HORSEMANSHIP,
by the Equsftrian troop.
A Comedy, in two A&s, called,
The Lying Valet.
Sharp (the Lying Valet) Mr. Chamber*
Gaylefs, Mr. Jones
Jullice G tittle, Mr. Durang
Beas Trippet, Mr. Tompkins, and
Dick, Mr. Sully
Mali(Ta, Mils Robinson
Mis. Gadabout, Mrs. Durang
1 Mrs. Trippet, Mrs. Tompkins, and
Kitty Pi-y, Mis. Chambers
A COMIC DANCE, tailed
The Dwarff ; or,
The Warrior''s Wonder.
A SongbyMifs Robin^n.
In the course of the evening, a Duet by Mr,
and Mrs. Chaiirbers.
The whole to conclude wi'h the Grand Pantomine of
Don Juan ; or 5/
The Libertine Dejlroyed.
:£s* Doors to open at 5, and the Performances to com
mence at a quarter after 6 o'clock.
* # * The days of performances, to be Monday, Wed
nefday,Friday and Saturday.
CAUTION,
WHEREAS very hrge and heavy debts are justly
due and owing from meflrs. Blair M'Clenaehan and
Patrick Metre, ef the city of Philadelphia, merchants,
trading under tf;e firm of Blair M'CUnachan antl P.
Moore, and from Blair M'Ctenachan in his separate
capacity; to which, by the laws of the land, ail tha
joint as well as separate property of the said Gentle
men, is, and ought to be, liable. And whereas
it i» clearly and fatisfa&orily ascertained, that mr.
Blair M'Clenaehan, of thr said firm, has conveyed
away to mr. John H. Httftor., his son-in-law, to his
daughter, miss M'CUnachan, and to his son, George
M'Clenachan, several large and valuable real estates,
as well as considerable personal property, in the city
and county of Philadelphia, in the county of Lancas
ter, in the county of New-Castle on Delaware, and
elsewhere, with a view, as it is apprehended, to de
feat the Creditors in the recovery of their just debts.—
This is, therefore, to forewarn all persons whamfo
ever, against the purchase from the fsid grantees, or
either of them, of any portion of the said real or per
sonal property, as the molt vigorous mcafures will
without delay be taken to render the fame liable to
the just demands of the Creditors.
»y order of the Creditors.
Thomas Fitifimons, ~~l
• Philip Nicklin, I
Isaac Wharton, r Committee;
William M' Murtrie, 1
Samuel W. Fi/her,
Philadelphia, December 17th, 1796. aoth.J
FOR SALE,
A very Valuable Eltate,
CALLED TtVITTKNHAM, situate in the
townlhip of Upper Derby, and county 01 Delaware,
7 i-» miles from Philadelphia, and half a mile from the
new Weftera road: containing 230 aarts of excellent land,
45 of which are good watered meadow, 90 of prime wood
land, ,ahd the rell arable of the firft quality. There ai%
; on theprediifes a good two story brick house, with 4 rooms
on a floor, and cellars under the whole, with a pump-well
of excellent water in front; a large frame barn, (fables,
and other convenient buildings; a fraoke-houfe and (tone,
spring-house ; two good apple orchards, and one of peach
es. The fields are a# in clover, except those immediately
under tillage, and are so laid out as to have the advantage
of water in each of them, which renders it peculiarly con
venient for grazing.
The situation is pleasant and healthy, and from the high
cultivation of the land, the good neighbourhood, and tha
vicinity to the city, it is Very suitable for a gentleman'*
country feat.
The foregoing is put of the estate of Jacob Harman,
dece&fed, and otfer*d forfait by
Mordecai Lewis,
OA* gt. taw Surviving Sxscutor.