New Theatre. *s THIS EVENING, Saturday, January IT, Will be presented, A TRAGEDY, (not ailed these. two years) called Venice Preserved; Or, a Plot Discovered. Duk« of Venice, Mr. H'arrell Priuli, Mr. Warren Brdamar, Mr. Fox Pierre, Mr. Cooper Jaffier, Mr. Moreton Rennault, Mr. V Eft range • Spinofa, Mr. Darlev,'jun. Elliott, Mr. M'Donald Theodore, Mr. Eliffett Officer, Mr. Wdrrell, jun. Belvidera, -Mrs. Merry After which will be performed, by the French Com pany, a Comic-Opera, in one a£t, called Le Tableau Parlant; A Or, The Speaking Pi&ure. The music by mons. Gretry. Caffandre, M. Viellard Leandre, M. Glaire Pierot, M. St Mare ' Ifabelle, Mile. Sophie Colembine, Mils. Tejfeirt 0- On Monday, The ROAD TO RUlN—with The FLITCH OF BACON, in which mr. Prigmore will nuke bis firft appearance at this theatre. £!T Box, One Dollar cents. Pit one Dollar, And Gallery, half a dollar. £3" Tickets to he'had at H„ & P. Rice's tiook-ftore No. 50 High-flreet, and at the Office adjoining the Theatre. The Doors of the Theatre will open at 5, and the Curtain rife precisely at 6 o'clock. Places for the Boxes to ne taken at the Office in the front of the theatrfc, from 10 till 2 o'clock, and from lo till 4 on the days of performance. Ladies and Gentlemen are requested to fend their servants.to keep places a quarter before 5 o'clock, and to order them, as soon as the company are feafed, to ■withdraw, as they cannot on any account he permit ted to remain. ' VIVAT RESPUELICA! College-Hall. Readings and Recitations, Moral, Critical, and Entertaining. Mr. F E N N E L'L Relpeitfully informs the Public, that ' THIS EVENING, Saturday, Jan. 21, at 7 o'c-lock Will be delivered, (first part) On the Means of Improvement in Oratory, includ ing feltsiflions from Dr. Blair. (second fart) 4 Satan's Address to the Sun, Milton. Anthony's Speech on the BoiJy of Julius Csefar, Shakespeare. Anthony's Funeral Oration, Shakespeare (third part.) Hamlet's Soliloquy oil Death, Shakespeare. Cato's -Soliloquy on the Immotiality" of the Soul, Addifon. Ode on the Passions, Collins. —— V £5" On MONDAY, January 23d, SeltiSions from History. Edwin and Angelina. Gray's Elegy ; and Part of the Deserted Village. Tickets to be had of Mr. Poulfon, jun. at the Library ; at mr. M'Ebvee's looking-gtefs-ftore, No. 70, S. Fourth ftreet; and at Mr. Carey's, Bookseller, Market-flreet— Half a dollar each. Admiflion tickets for Children (a quarter of a dollar each) to be had at either of the above place?. Notice. THE Advertiser is a person regularly bred, and has carried oa in an extensive manner for these 30 years past, the various branches of Goldsmiths' and Jew ellery, plaied and hard-ware Cutlery, and Ironmonge ry business, and haj general knowledge of the Dry Good and many other businesses. He has a particular taftc for building, has built extensively for himfelf, has condafted buildings for others, and is of opinion that his lervices to auy gentleman that might be in went of a person to condufl any of the aforel'aid busi nesses, would not onlj- be ufeful but an acqmfition, as he will engage, ou liberal terms, either as a falsfman or tc fell on commiflion as an agent, afl as a partner or take the care of a manufactory, or fupcrintepd build ing;, &c. He is a married man, and having no family but his wife who v. ouldaft as a saleswoman or houle " keeper.. No objeilion to auy part of the Southern lutes, or to take a voyage to Europe as a fupereargo. AJiitc direfled to j. C. to the care of the printer, will be punflually attended to. N. B. He is well acquainted with moll of the Eng li(h,lrifh, and Scotch manufactories, as he carried on business for ten years ill London, but; od account of unavoidable.misfortunes in his country, he is now for ced to seek for a living for himf If and wife in this way, and he flatters himfelf that he will £iv«/ entire f»tisfai?.ion to his employer. And as he is well known in this city, and to the msft char/<3«rs on the continent, doiibts-not but his cluraAer, morality and indefatigable industry, will bear the ftrldleft en quiry Dec. 18. Tawtf „ «r — — ; A Watch Loft. Loft 011 Monday last, a Silver Watch, makers' namesi " ll.fuxhiiift and Donlt 309," on the face, 1 our .hand in a small circle ; the minute hand revol viir;, in a larger- Whoever has found and'will return the lame, to J..Mt!5 EiiGEh, corner of Second and Ca tharine Streets, ft all receive Ten Dollars reward. If fw fale,itis rtquefiul it may be flopped. January; 18. *jt ' A Pointer found. Any person having loft a small POINTER PUP PY about a fortnight since, may have him again by I roving property and paying charges. Apply to the PriiiUr. January 10 .3 , CONGRESS OF 'THE UNITED STATES. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Wednesday, January 4, continued. The report of the committee of Ways and Means 011 the fubjeft of the balances due from indivi dqal States to the United State* being under con _ fidcratioru Mr. Williams recapitulated what he had before said on the fubjeft of emigration, and infilled upon the rfif advantage it was of to them in the settlement. Mr. Gilbert said, before the queltion was finally taken, he wa'f dlfpofed to make a few obfervatioas more 011 the fubjeft, though he did uot know that he should fnggelt any new arguments. From the apparent disposition of the committee, frpm their r#fufal to grant any time as requafted by the debtor Hates, that Mey might be enabled to convince the Hotife of the iujudice of this claim against them, {he said) lie could entertain but little hope of suc cess, by any argument or consideration with the committee ; he (hould, however, as a duty he owed ta the general sense of mankind, as well as to his immediate constituents on that lubjedV, proceed in | a summary juray to examine Jtirther into the merits I and propriety of the refolutioa before them, and fuhmit certain considerations resulting from the fabjefl, to the reflection of' those who were dif poled to consider them. The resolution, be said, was in effect, afTerting a claim, by the United States, to those balances againlt the individual liates, and making solemn demand oflhem for the payment. It would there ' fore be proper, he said, to examine the fubjeft, in order to be clearly fatufied, against all objections, 'that this was a jujl and righteous claim. And in his opinion, Mr. C. said, the present was the pro per m«ment, notwithstanding the opposite feuti ments exprefled by some gentlemen, for makinjA the enquiry and ascertaining the important fadL It would be remembared, he said, that when Congress m?de provifian to pay the balances claim ed by the creditor dates, about three years agoj the fubjeft of these corresponding balances was prcfented to the consideration of that House, and underwent a particular animadversion and dif- It would be recollected how solicitous the creditor states then were to secure from the.United Statej provifian for their claims ; and how far they wese, at that lime, from Hrging or even proposing the idea contained in the present refeltitioo, ofex •aQing these balances from the individual states. It would also be ree»lle&ed by many who were then present, he said, that certain gentlemen frojn those states, favoured the opposite idea in behalf of the debtor states—that one ef the commiflicners em ployed in the settlement of the accounts, and then a member of that House, and who, he said, from his intimate knowledge of all that bulinefs, was better acquainted with Its nature and merits than any other member, explained it, and in order to prevent any measure like the present, proposed a relinquifhment of all such claim on the ground of justice, policy and equity. It would also be recol lected, he said, that it was considered at that time, by certain gentlemen of the creditor states, that such lelinquiftimeot ought to be made; and that it was particularly so contended by one of those gen tlemen, then very adtiveas well as eminent en this floor, and now of the Senate—that this geutleman considered the law prefenbing the mode of settle ment and rule of apportionment (and he was one of the makers of it) no more than 1 an artificial ar rangement for effecting a final settlement and quie tus of that difficult business—which con(tru£tion, Mr. G. said, derived great strength from the a£t itfelf, as well as from other confiderations—for it was remarkable, he said, that the a£t prescribing the mode of settlement, without expreffiug any thing as to exaflting payment from the individual states, against wl»m balances should be rendered, cantains express engagement that prorifion should be wade, by Congress, for the payment of such ba lances as should be rendered in favor of individual states. This remarkable omifiion and fiienie of the aft rtfpe£ting the debtor states, feemcd to him, he said, strong evidence that no such thing, as now contended for, was then coinempla'cd. It it true, said Mr. G. that no such relinquifhment was then made; but it i» equally true, that after provision was made for the creditor states, pursuant to the adt of settlement, no .motion or idea like the one corf tsined in the resolution before us, was offered ; and j t,hat, the impreflious arising from the con | liderations then suggested, it seemed to him, and so ;he had beett, he fafd, in fact assured by others, that 1 no fiich cljl.ii, as the present, would ever be af j ferted. ! In addition to these obferrations, in reference to the former impressions entertained upon the lubjeft, Mr. G. laid, he /hould be glad to fee on what ba sis this claim agaiijft the individual Ita'.es rcfted, and whether it were fohd or net. When he contem plated the state of thiftgs nnder the »ld fabrick of confederation, lie could find he said, no principles contained in that? com past, to warrant the course and proceeding adopted, in refpeft to the settle ment of those accounts, by the present government. He could perceive 110 fort t»f provision ji\the new con ft it ut ion, by which cohgrefs could derive, ores ercife any power of arranging and dire£ting the mode of settlement in the manner they had done ; and although such proceeding, so far as it, related to the United States only, might be proper aqd found, if they contemplated a mere artificial arrangement, for ascertaining and fettling all accounts, andqui-"" etting those who were creditor states ; yet if they, intended by such mode of proceeding, to exaiEt the balances which should be rendered against individu al (tales also, the procetfding anf) a£t of congtefs as to their binding influence on individual states, he considered (he said) quite unconstitutional and nu gatory. And this consideration also, he said, cor roborated th.f such arbitration among the parties ? Where are their submissions to befaund. He said he had ne ver seen any- Certainly th« legislature of the U- Rited States would not he said, consider their own a£ts competent to such and arbitration, as must bind all the individual states, uulefs there was. eXpVefs power given them by the conftitutian fijr such aft of legislation. Certainly he said, it was not pretended, that conprefa had any special delegated authority from the individual" llates for tha* proceeding. Admitting however, that con gfefj had been specially authoriz-sd to adt on that fubjeft by way of 'arbitration, yet he said, palpa ble error, or mistaken principles tending to an une qual result, without any frgud or fault in any party, and much more so, when the unfair com'uft and ex travagenee of a parry contributed to such result, would always nullify the award. • On the ground therefore, of arbitriment and award, he said, the claim mult alio tail. The principles of the extraordinary mode of f«t tlement, the unequal rule of apportionment, their application.to New-York, with theit unequal epi lation and effects, he said, had already been fully explored by hii colleagues as well as himfelf, to the committee, and therefore needed not again to fee fpecified. When we take a retrofpeflive and compara ive view of the efforts and conduct of the feveraf ftntes during the revolutionary war, anjl compare it'with the statement of accounts made by the (.ovnmiflioß ers, and fee the enormous sum placed against New- York, far beyond the amount »f all the sums pla ced against other states ; at firft blush he said, all would be convinced, (except those who intended not te be) that the settlement must have been une qual, and if f« found a claim against the ttate, ve ry unjulf. He had said it before, and he said he would here repeat it, that he did not think there was a member on that floor, who -w3s acquainted with the whole btifinels, how gravely soever he might affe& to think otheiwife, that could in his confcienec believe the statement made against New York to be the result of a fair equal adjustment. In that settlement, he said, was found, (and that under direction and fan&ion of the law) that while no charges by New York had been made againlt the United States, but for general defence, and autho rised service Jlridty vouched ; there had been allow ed in favor of other states,, charges and claims of all forts, as well for private as for general defence, for unauthorised as well as authorised Services, and all these whether vouched or not. Was there ever said he, such an inequality heaid of ? He believed not. This circumliancc however, afforded convic tion to his mind, he said, that what had been here tofore urged, was true, tw wit—that congress canfi dered it but an artificial arrangement. For (he said) a these things, with the unequal rule of apportionment must, and moft»certaiuly yvere foreleen, it weuld rat otherwise be explained or accounted for, at this day^—and thetefsre (he fajd) he gave it that conftrudtion, which alane it would coujlitutionably and rationally bear ; and some »f riiefe, who were makers of the law* de clared was its only intent and meaning. To for tify this conclusion the more, (he said) he fhauld present another view of thefuhjeft resulting from the change of politicalfituation, which he thought defeived feriaus confidcration. It seemed to him (he said) that gentlemen mis took the state of things in refpeft ta. the United, and the individual states, and confounded themselves with those local feelings and dilpofiti».ii so predo minant under the old confederation. Under the old fabric (he said) each state stood alone clothed with all the right»-u£-fc>vereignty and means of re venue. The United States who had incurred this debt, were refj-ouirbie for its payment, without the power or means to difchargc it—To remedy this defedt, to give all power and means to the U nited States requisite to fatisfy this debt, and pro vide for all other exigencies, and to meet all oc currences, a new compact was formed and lyftcm adapted. To effect this purpofc, the individual states ceded great portions of their sovereignty and all their principal means ef revenue. These ces sions were more ar less impßrtant to the United States (be said) according ta the magnitude and peculiar lucxl Jxtuation as the state. The cessions made By New-York in-this refpeit, if not equal or superior toar.y other, were (he said) of gteat er value than ftidfe of .one halt of all the other states in the Union, and served to afford ta the United States mere a&ual current revenue. And yet so little grateful or imprefled with manly re fpeil for the boan, in which they ali participated alike, (he said) thert,*feemed a mntradmg levelling defpotilin that was not to be fatisfied, so loßg as that state was luppofed to be more wealthy than ftime of her neighbors. He hoped however (he said) that liberal feelings and candid reflection on this fubjeft, would discover the injuilice, the Im .propriety of asserting this claim against the indi vidual states ; and that a due confidcration of po licy and of justice, in reference to the mode of settlement, and lii-fegard to the conftitutionajity of the, la vr p efc ibing it, as well as tHe political ! change in the arrangement of the government of the United States and th? great resources of reve nue ceded by individual states, when feiioufly con templated with all the probable cenfequences re sulting from this proceeding, would restrain the committee from adopting the resolution piopofed and induce them to abandon the projedt, as unjuit and eppreffive, cantrnry to the Spirit and meaning of the law, as well as the constitution of that go vernment—But if they were inclined (he said) to adopt it, in order to hear what the states had to allege against the demand, he was confident New \ ork would be able to offer good and Sufficient reason, to (hew that the claim against her was un just and ill founded and ought not to be.exa&ed. [To be Continued.] WAITED, . A middle-aged Woman Servant, Who is a goed Sieamftrefs, and capable of.taking some charge in a family. None need apply Without good i«umm«ndatjons. Enquire at No. 88, Spruce-ft, FHILADELP HI A, SATURDAY EVENING, JANUARY ai, 1797. Died on Wednesday morning last, at Burlington, New-Jersey, Richard Brooke Roberts, lifq. of South Carolina, Major of Infantry in the fervicc of the United States. Meflrs. Wignell and Reinagle, Managers of the New Theatre, have put i«to th« hands of the Mayor of this City, ttoo hundred and forty-fix dollars and fifty-five cents, for the benefit of the fufferers by the late fire in Savannah. COMMUNICATION, % The Aurora it angry beeaufe writers in England fj»eak with refpett of the President's valedictory— beeaufe they derive from it texts of political wjj". dom, and apply them 16 their own affairs—beeaufe they barrow strength from I hat name which it,i# the pride of all good men here to believe will L.e im mortal; and beeaufe tbey use that lirength agamlt the enemies of the human race—call them jacobins ! Men abhorred by all the friends of liberty & jaw— Hrangled by the very mother who boie them—a felon race who have found in the Botany bay of fomc of our cities a refuge from the whips of their native country. Formerly, convi£ts, when they did come among us, rej^eneiated—a murderer, lung inured to humility and hard laoor, repented and reformed ia a scene that was aufpicieus to human nature— The crimes of men were then perpetrated or, a small fcale—collediive murder—butchering en mafTe wa» not knowh. The wish of the flagitious Roman ty rant, was the ridicule and the horror of the school —The harr:ble grime -of jaeobiniini was unknown. DOCUMENTS Which accompanied thevnieflage of the President of the United States to both Houses of Congrei's, January 19, 1797. Letter to Mr. Pinckmy, Mirujler Plenipotentiary of the United States to the r'rench Republic. Department of State, January 16, 1797. SIR, In ray letters ef the sth and 26th u!t. I feat you two Notes from Mr. Adet, the Mi liter of ,ie Frenvh Republic to the United States ; the to m er dated the 27th of Oitoher, and he latter the 15th of November lalt; and my infwer to the firft. The latter note embracing nUrr.eroiu topic* of complaint, and going as far bai.k as the year 1793, required a particular examination ail the tranfafiions of our government from that time to the preffint. The other iiidifpqttfable duties of the office prevented tny entering on this examination as early as I had expected, and she current bnfi nefs has retarded the pursuit. The result of this examination 1 am how, by the dircftion of the Prelidcnt ps the United States to communicate to you. This history of out affairs you will tmi sup. ported by documents, many of which were deliver ed to you at your departure, and the relidue will be herewith tra«fmitted. The remarks and reason ings on fadh you will duly appreciate ; aad, from the whole,joined with your own obfervation6, yoa will be enabled, it it believed, to vindicate the li nked States, and to their impartiality as a neutral nation, their fidelity in the oldlervatiori of treaties, and their fricndlliip as an ally. Ihe difcuiDon on which I am entering will in* volve much repetition ; for tkegeneral queftioimand particular cales grouped together i h the Mini tier's last note, have been fubjetis of controveify and correfpondeuce from May I 793 to this dav. Some Other points have indeed-feeen contended for, which the Minilter has now without notice. Why they ate omitted I know not ; for in these cases the United States were as ppfitively charged with violating treaties as in those which he has been pleased now to detail. Some ol thwm it may be fouud proper to introduce, to render less imperfect the view of our relations to France. The complaints of the Fr'ench minister against th« United States, have reference ta three principal iubjc&s. 1 ft. lo the abandonment of their neu tiai ri'hts to the injury of France,-in not maintain, ing the pretended principles of the modern law of cations, thatfree/lips make free goods Ani that tim ber and naval ftorcs for the equipment and arma ment of veffcls, are nut coutrabar.d of war. 2d. To violations of our treaties with France e ven in their letter. ' 3d. Tiil the Treaty of Amity and Commerce bet ween the United States a„d Great-Britain ; which he alledges '< deprive, France of all the auvanta,ei ftipulalcd in a prev.ous treaty." A fourth com plaint i» t. uly ingenious. The fortune of war ha. constrained some of the belligerent powers from e nemres, to become her allies ; aad if the alleged abandonment of the rule of the modern law of na tions, limsconfequences, works an injury to those ahies, from that moment France is alio injured. 1 evhaps 1; will be in time to notice this last charge when the allies themselves complain ; if the answer to the firft, involving the fame principle, should not render inch notice altogether URneceffary. 1 fiiail now prcL.it to your view those fads and observations which will pr.ve,.we con:ei,e, that' the mini Iter's complaints ar« without any iuft foun dation. J Under the firft charge, That we have not main tained, as we ought to have done, our neutial rights, it is alledged ;• ijL That the pofuion, that frte Jhib,make free goods, is an eftablUhed principle of the modern law,ot nations, and that Great-Briuin, by cap turing French properly on board our vessels, has violated our neutral rights ; and that unlrfs we canape! Great-Britam to refpecl those rights, France will be jultiSed in violating them. Not to remark on the singular reasoning, Tbat if one warring pawer commits an adl of injustice towards a neutral and innocent nation, aiioiher warring power may lawfully commit the like id. jultice, we may ask what authority is adduced, to fl)ew that the modern law of nations has eftablifh !ed the piiutiple, That free Jhips make fee goods