, ;n finally be loft to the Union : But to
• te may be replied, that the iinmenfe ocean
thlS lis between Europe and these States, is
fh a natural and powerful barrier, that the fe
rion and independence of this country was
P eut to be expected in the course of things,
fLnas we were preparedfor it.—But how was
£'» feuaration accelerated and brought about ? By
!he ill policy and oppreflion of the mother coun
_The western territory is quite differently
fimated ; it is true, fnnilar causes may produce
r hr effects ; but with judicious and lair nfti
Cement that country will always continue firm
lv attached to the Atlantic States. The trade of
It country mult be through the United States,
ev are the nearest market, and custom, habit
d convenience will conspire to perpetuate a
lie and intimate connection between them.
But admit for a moment that the reparation is
. 'table ; still let us be attentive to our own
! tere fl let us get as much from them as we can
" let us draw from that source by rational methods,
~ v present advantage at least : But if we with
to mike them independent, let us leave the lands
to their disposal, they know the value of them,
and will very soon raise fufficient to fuppovt a go
vernment. .
Immense tradts of this temtory are under sale
by contracts with the late Cougrefs—thefe are
laying in an incomplete state, owing to the fur
y/vs not being finifhed ; and prove a loft ofup
waids ot 600 dollars per day to the United States.
This beincthe cafe, it remains to determine what
Jiall be done ? I think the eftablilhment of a
Land-Office in that country, upon some such
principles as are contained in the report, is the
obvious duty of Congress.
This will open a door to a regular, fate and ex
peditious sale of the lands—and it will become
theintereft of every person in the United States
to become purchafers—for the purchase will ex
tinguilh both principle and interest of the public
debt. [Mr. Scott, then pointed out the advanta
tages that would result from felling the land in
thefirtt inltance, to those that would fettle it, in
preference to felling it in large tracts to specu
lators He alio enforced the elegibilitv of felling
it in finall quantities, which might be done so as
to have them surveyed, located and fettled with
out expence to the States.]
This plan (Mr. Scott further observed) does not
prevent sales of large tracts —it only admits tales
offmall quantities.
The plan that has been pursued has been enor
moutly expensive ; lo much so, that Congress had
betterg/pe the lands to settlers.
It has been said, that deeds of that country
ought to be executed under the immediate eye of
Congress.—But 1 think the directors of the Land-
Office may be as well checked as olHcers in any
department whatever. I therefore hope that the
report of the committee will be adopted, and a re
folvepafs, that afelec f t committee oi the lioufe be
appointed to prepare and report a bill upon the
general principles of this committee.
The queltion upon the report of the commit
tee was then taken and paflecl in the affirmative.
A resolve, which provides that the Land-
Office Ihould be placed under the direction of the
Governor of the western territory, was then read.
Mr. Sherman observed, that the western lands
are undoubtedly a valuable fund to the United
States—and the gradual settlement of them, by
particular dalles of citizens, may not prove inju
rious. But lamby no means in favor of open
ing a wide door to {peculators—by which immense
tracts may be monopolized, and the public l'ecuri
ties depreciated to the great injury of the cre
ditors of government. I think it will be a pro
per Hep to establish a Land-Office, to facilitate
and compleat the sales already made —but a wide
field for disputes andevery evil will be the confe
rence of iifuing warrants—l lhall therefore be
against such a measure.
Mr. Lee observed, that he thought it was best
that the committee should rife ; that a ipecial
committee fliould be appointed to examine all pa
pers, contracts, &c. refpeifting the western ter
ritory, both of Congress and the several States :
He objedled to the plan of eftabliffiing the land
office at a distance from the feat of government,
and placing it under the direction of the Gover
nor of the weltern territory.—lt might in the is
sue be found that we had erected an imftrium in
imp trio.
Several other gentlemen made observations up
on the subjeCt, when Mr. Sedgwick propoled,
that " Governor of the western territory fliould be
ftruckout, and " Secretary of the Treasury" in
serted.
Mr. Vining then moved, that the proportion
fliould lie on the table till tomorrow —and that
the committee fliould rife: This motion obtained,
the Speaker relumed the chair.
Mr. Vining moved that the report of the com
mittee, appointed to take into conlideration the
fation proper to be allowed to the Preli
,ent, Vice-President, Senators and Reprefenta
j' ves °1 the United States, for their services,
wud be taken lip : this motion was agreed to •'
m report Hated, that 20000 dollars per annum
e allowed to the Prelident, exclusive of the ex
penees of an house, furniture, Secretaries, Clerks,
carriages, horses, &c.
Mr. Laurance observed, that lie Ihould not
take upon him to determine whether the sum
mentioned in the report was fufficient or not: The
constitution states, that the President shall re
ceive an adequate allowance which he has aright
to dilpofe of as he pleases : He pointed out the
impropriety of fpecifying particular objects for
which allowances were to be made, andfaid that
the conipenfation should be made in a gross sum :
He therefore moved, that those parts of the re
port which refpeifted particulars with the twen
ty thousand dollars, (hould be ltruck out,and the
sum left bla'nk.
A variety of observations followed this m >ti
on ; which was at length carried in the affirma
tive, and the article in the report now Hands
thus: Resolved, that the President of the United
States be allowed thousand dollars per an
num, as a co'mpenfation for his services to be paid
in quarterly payments. Adjourned.
TUESDAY, JULY 14.
Mr. Ames, of the committee on ele&ions, made a partial report
on the contested clc&ion of the State ot New-Jersey, .which was
laid on the table.
The engrofled bill to regulate the collection of the duties on
goods, waves, and merchandize imported into the United States,
was read—after which 1 the House proceeded to fill up the blanks.
Among others the following :
All imported distilled spirits of 24 degrees, by the Hydrome
ter, to be reckoned Jamaica proof
Thecoft of goods to be eilimatcd at the following rates :
Dollars. Cents.
The pound sterling of Great-Britain, - 4 44
The livre tournois of France, - - iߣ
The florin, or guilder of the United Netherlands, 39
The mark banco of Hamburg, - - 33^
The rix dollar of Denmark, 1
The rix dollar of Sweden, - 1
The ruble of Ruflia, - 1
Real plate of Spain. - 10
The millree of Portugal, - - 1 24
The pound flerling of Ireland, - - 4 10
The tale of China, - 1 48
The pagoda of India, - - 1 94
The rupee of Bengal, - - 55?
And ail other currencies in value as near as may be to the laid
rates.
All duties to be paid in gold and silver.
Cents.
The gold coin ofFrance, Spain, England and Portugal, ? gQp W f
and all other gold coin of equal finenefs, to be valued at )
The Mcxican dollar, - 100
The crown of France, , - - 111
The crown of England* - - 111
And all otherfilver coin of equal finenefs, 111 cents p. oz.
The blanks being filled—the quellion, Shall the bill pais ? was
carried in the affirmative.
The title of the bill was thendetermincd, viz.
An ACT to regulate the colleUion of duties imposed on tonnage, and orl
goods, wares, and merchandize imported into the United States.
Mr. Fit zsi mons introduced a motion, That leave be given tc
bring in a bill to provide tor the government ol the Wc-ftern ter
ritory, agreeably to the aftsand ordinances of the late Congress,
Tins motion was adopted, and Me&rs htzfmons, Sedgwick, and
Brown, appointed as the committee.
Another motion was then made by Mr. Fitzsimons, That a
committee be appointed tobring in a bill providing for the lettle
ment of accounts between th : United States and individual States,
Agreeably tothcatts and ordinances of the late Congress : This was
also agreed to, and Mcirrs Baldwin, Sturgis, and Smith, (of S. C.,
appointed as the committee.
Adjourned till 11 o'clock, to-morrow.
FOREIGN AMD DOMESTIC MISCELLANEOUS ARTICLES.
ZARA, FEBRUARY 27.
The Chevalier Emo, is cruizing with our
fleet between the Archipelago and the Mediterra
nean, it is said he is furniihed with secret in
ftrutftions relative to the war between the two
Imperial powers and the Porte, and it is report
ed that an alliance fubfilts between the two firft
and the republic.
LONDON, APRIL 24.
M. DE SASSURE has been performing phi
losophical experiments in the exalted regions of
the Alps. He was accompanied by his Ton, and
they ascended one hundred and eighty toiies above
the top of the Buet, formerly thought the highell
acceilible summit of the Alps. Here they found
the storms violent, and the cold intense, the wind
piercing their hovels, the thunder loud and fre
quent, the air fully impregnated with electricity.
The appearance of the snow and ice by day, was
too refulgent for the eye to bear ; by moon light
the profpecft was beautiful beyond conception.
The experiments made on this expedition are not
only extremely curious and entertaining, but must
prove of great use to astronomy. The only ani
mal seen in these elevated regions, was a black
spider found under itones.
As men and Christians, our national character
was never, perhaps, more at flake, than in the
iflue of Mr. Wilberforce's intended motion on
Monday next, for the abolition of theflave-trade.
Those who are advocates for the continuance of
this unatural traflic, on the principles of policy,
we would aik, in the language of the Rev. Mr.
Rennie, a writer on that fubjedt, " Is commerce
more valuable than Christianity ? Arefugar, rum,
and Jamaica pepper, of more importance to the
happiness of mankind, than jufUce, mercy and
benevolence !"
Pamphlets, chiefly in the form of dialogue,are
difleminating among the French peafantry,treat
ing 011 the natural rights and liberties of man
kind. To this practice no opposition is made by
the government.
The French have, with their usual gallantry,
gone farther than ourselves in the plan of their
representation. They have given to ladies the
right of voting, and of lending Representatives
to the General Allembly.
BALTIMORE, JULY 7.
Captain Weatherby, in the brig Paca, from
this port bound to Port-au-Prince, about the Tit
of June, in the latitude of Bermuda, fell in with
a {hip which was lying to ; supposing her to be
in distress, he bore down in order to speak her ;
oil coming within hail, she informed him she
was from Virginia, bound to Cadiz. Capt. Wea
therby then perceived she mounted a number of
guns, and was manned in proportion. The
Capt. ordered him to bring to, as he intended to
fend his boat onboard, Capt. Weatherby im
mediately concluded ilie was a pirate, and made
all the fail possible : the ship immediately began
firing at him, and continued chafing of him for
fix hours; one fliot carried away the croofs jack
flings ; the brig failing very fail, escaped, and
got Safe into Port-au Prince. Capt. Weatherby
communicated this intelligence to the Gove, nor,
who, it was reported, intended dispatching a
frigate inpurfuit of her. She was under Spanish
colours, and yellow fides, white bottom, no head,
and in ballast.—This intelligence was communi
cated by Capt. Weatherby, to Mr. David Plan
ket, who has just arrived from Port-au-Prince.
Philadelphia, July 8.
The time is now approaching, when Ameri
cans will be enabled to demonfirate their grati
tude towards those persons, who have been in
strumental in procuring them that molt invalua
ble of human blessings— Liberty.
The appointment to offices of trust and profit
will soon commence ; and there can be no do'.ibt
but that those will have the preference, who have
molt diltinguiflied tliemfelves in the cause of free
dom.
Extrafl of a letter, dated London April 29.
« My warm and zealous attachment to the
United States induced me to publilh some extracts
from your letter, that indicate the glorious prof
pedts of your citizens, under the operation of the
federal government.
" Paragraphs are generally deemed obnoxious,
and it is with difficulty that liberty can be pro
cured to insert them in any of the public papers.
None of the Editors of the ministerial papers
would give them a place, as Adminiltration dread
the consequences of emigration, whenever Suffi
cient encouragement is held out to form the in
ducement.
" The political reputation of 110 country was
ever so much blalled as yours lias been since the
peace. It will require an undeviatirig adherence
to the maxims of an honest and just policy, to re-
Itore your credit, and place you in a refpecftable
point of view amonglt the nations of the earth.
" You would have had many men ofconfider
able fortune, (desirous of making provilion for
large families of children) who would have emi
grated to your country, but were reltrained, from
die general opinion that prevails, that although
there was great enjoyment of personal liberty,
(even to the extent of licentioufiiefs)there was 110
security for property. That public and private
contracts were glaringly violated by legiflatiue
bodies, who fliould have been the guardians of the
rights of the people.
" However, a favorable change of sentiment
already appears, and the principles of your feder
al Conllitution have in agreatmeafure effe«£tedit.
BOSTON, JULY 1.
The fifhery the Itaple of Mafi'achufetts, we are
told, is verging fall to the grade of Superiority
which it held before the revolution ; Marblehead
has reached this point, and other towns are not
far in the rear. The firft: fares this season have
been good, in quantity as well as quality.
NEW-YORK, JULY 15, 1789.
We hear from Albany, that 011 Saturday lalt,
the Hon. Legislature of this State, chose the
Hon. Philip Schuyler, and the Hon. James
Duane, Senators of Congress for this Diltriist of
the Union.
By an editft of the King of France, dated Paris
April 20, 1 789. The premiums or bounty granted
011 the importation of grain and flour into that
kingdom from the United States, is doubled, and.
continued to the firft of September 1 789.
Extract of a letter from Salem, July 11.
" It is with thankfulnefs we can inform you,
that we are now cutting down our liarvefl, and
that we have the greatest profpedl of the largest
crops that we have had for many years ; and the
molt part use no rum in cutting it down."
On Wednesday the lit inllant, the Rev. lfrael
Evens, was installed Paltor of the Church of Con
cord, New-Hampshire.
Saturday arrived here the brig Prudence,
Capt. Swan, from a Whaling voyage''.
fpjr* Threee months have now elapsed fines the commencement of
this publication : Our patrons wi/lpleafe to notice the terms of fubjerip
ticn : Those at a diflance who can cause payments to be made in thts city
will fir cat/v accommodate and oblige the editor.