here the law is dubidlas, ana yet must 1)4 carried into opera
tion Some latitude mull be given to the executive in similar
f -Iwere it denied the executive authority would bealmoftufc-
Tf The Governor when he summoned the Council, observed
that the returns would probably be made the third of March,
d upon that presumption did he summon them. The next quef
t'on is whether the Governor ihould not have protracted the de
termination till atl the returns were made ? I think not, for the
reasons before dated ; it isfufficient if he waited a reasonable time,
lo that the returns might have all been made : Twelve out of thir
teen were actually made : Con;refs were affemblinr, and a very
reasonable time had been allowed : The Governor was then jufti
fcdin announcing the elcftion.
Ittnay be said that this rfi'cretionary power might be abused,
because the governor might watch the opportunity when his friends
were highest on the lift, and then clole the elettiou. True, such
abuse was poflible, and were it proved, would be a good ground
•ffettiii" it aside; butall power is liable to abuse; the returning
officers "have it in their power to commit abuses at all elections"
yet they must be trusted ; it does not appear that the governor act
ed unfairly—on the contrary, he f. eins tcr have conlulted the in.
tercfts ol his state, by fending its representatives in proper time to
Congress, andatthe fame time receiving the (urt'rages ot his fellow
citizens, as long as was confident with the public good.
Thequeftion on Mr. Vi ning's motion was carried in theaffirm-
S "a mefTage was received from the President of the United States
informing the House that he had approved and the bill for
regulating the coaftingtrade, and the trcafury bill.
The House then took up tl#: amendment of the Senate to the
bill for cftabliftung the compensation of the members of Congress.
The firft amendment was to strike out thefirlt paragraph to the
bill and to insert instead thereof a clause providing that tne Scna
tors'and Representatives Ihould have fix dollars a day till the year
oqi when thecompenfation of the Senators (hould be L-Ven dol
lars a day, and that the allowance for travel (hould be fix dollars
forever/ twenty miles.
Mr, Jackson opposed very warmly both the principle of the
amendment and the manner in which it was introduced.
Mr. Sedgwick also obje&ed to the formof the amendm-nt,
lut took this opportunity to press the principle of the discrimi
nation between the pay of both Houses. He was supported
by Mr. Ames.
Mr. Tucker, reprobated the form of the amendment as inde
licate since it proposed to the house a measure which it would be
dilgracelul in them to adopt, viz. the fubjefiing their fucceflbrs
toadifaimination and an inferiority which they would not them
selves f(ibmit to.
Mr. Jackson considered the amendment as a measure of de
ception, to take the House in by a specious semblance in the Sena
tors of i disregard to their personal interest
On the other fide, the argument was chiefly confined to the ge
neral principle, and the old ground was travelled over. Several
alterations, by way of amendment, were attempted to the amend
ment of the Senate, but the amendment itfeelf seemed so con
dratted that any partial alteration appeared impoflible with con
sistency.
The general quellion for concurrence was at length taken, ana
Kgatived by a large majority. Adjourned. [Daily AJver.J
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER J.
The engrofted bill for suspending the opera
tion of a clause in the collection law till the firft
ofAugult next, was read athird time and palled.
A letter from the Governor of Georgia was
read, which encloled an accurate statement of
the impolts, exports, amount duties, &c. of that
State, for the year i 788.
The bill to provide tor the punilhment of cer
tain crimes committed against the United States,
was read afecond time,and refered to a commit
tee ot the whole Honfe—to be the order of the
day, next Monday week.
In committee of the whole on the fubjeclof a
permanent residence for the general Government.
The resolution submitted by Mr. Scott on
Thursday lall,was read : viz. That a place ought to
be fixed on forthe permanent residence of the ge
neral Government, as near the centre of wealth,
population and territory,as is consistent with the
convenience of the Atlantic navigation, having
also due regard to the western territory.
Mr. Goodhue rose, and observed that the a
bove resolution is indefinite, as it fpecifies 110
particular place—the eastern and northern mem
bers, said he, have been averse to taking up this
buiinefs the present felfion, considering the
weight of public business to be transacted pre
vious tothe adjournment; but their judgment be
ing overruled by a late vote, they have since
made up their minds upon the fubjedt, and agreed
not only with the spirit of the resolution before
the committee, but have gone further, and fix
ed on the place ; they are of opinion that on the
eastern banks of the river Safquehanna, Congress
Ihould fix its permanent residence ; and that until
the particular spot should be determined on, and
the proper buildings eretfled, the feat of the
general government Ihould be at the city of
New-York. He then introduced a resolution to
that effect.
The difcuflion of this fubjecH: being an expect
ed event, a crouded hall and galleries teltified
the public solicitude.—The debate was ingenious,
fat'ietic, and animated—the molt profound at
tention was given.
Several amendments were proposed and nega
tived: But one moved by Mr. Lee for striking
out the former part refpedting " the Sufquehan
na," and inserting " the Patewmac," occafion
«d a prolongation of the debate till near 4 o'clock,
when the committee rose, without deciding up
on the original motion, or the amendment,
a tid the House adjourned.
FR IDAY, sept. 4.
Mr. Hf.ister presented a petition from the in-
soldiers of the State of Pennsylvania, repre-
that the State has flopped the payment of
their pensions, and praying relief—read, and re
° a fp cc ' a l committee, confilli y,;; of Mr.
e -ni ' • Wadfworth, and Mr. Gilman.
The several petitions from pensioners, which
M VE p • P 1 " e *~ ente d to the House, on motion of
r ' " ar tri(lge, were refer edro the above commit
tee—\vhich was also iiiftructed to take up the fub
jeift generally, and to report a bill.
The committee, to which was recommitted the
report on the letter received from the Post-Master
General, brought in a new report, in fubilance,
as follows : Resolved, that until further provilion
can be made, the Polt-Otfice be conducted agree
able to the ordinances of the late Congress, and
that the contraifis be made conformably thereto.
In committee oft he whole, on the order of the day.
Mr. Bou&inot in the chair.
The resolve introduced by Mr. Goodhue yes
terday in.the following words was read : Resolved,
as the opinion of this committee, that the perma
nent feat of the government of the United States,
ought to be at some convenient place on the eall
bank of the Sufquehanna in the State of Penn
sylvania ; and that until the neceflary buildings
be erected for the purpose, the feat of the gov
ernment ought to be at New-York.—Mr. Lee
proposed to amend this resolution, by striking
out the firft part to introduce a clause which pro
vided that the permanent fear of government
should be on the Patowinac.—The debate was on
this amendment, which continued till near four
o'clock, when thequeftion being put, it was ne
gatived ;as were also several others,and the ques
tion on Mr. Goodh ue's motion was finally car
ried in the affirmative.
Mr. Fitzsimons then proposed the following,
vit.
Resolved, as the opinion of this committee,
that The President of the United States be autlio
rifed to appoint commiflioners, to examine
and report to him the moil eligible situation on
the east bank of the Sufquehanna, for the perma
nent feat of the government of the Uuited States.
That the said commiflioners be authorised, by
and with the advice of the President, to purcliafe
such quantity of land as may be thought neceflary
—and to ereCt thereon within years, Sui
table buildings for the accommodation of theCon
grefs, and of the officers of the United States.—
That the Secretary of the treasury, together
with the Commiflioners so to be appointed, be
authorized to borrow a fiun not exceeding
dollars, to be repaid in years with interest
at the rate of per cent, per ann. payable
out of the Duties on Import and Tonnage; to be
applied to the purchase of the land, and the
erection of the buildings aforefaid.
And that a bill ought to pass in the present ses
sion, in conformity with the foregoing resolutions.
Which being read was laid on the table—After
which the committee lose, and the chairman re
ported progress. Adjourned.
IO" IVant of room prevents our injerting a Jketch
of the interefling debate on this fubjeß, this day.
EMIGRATION.
BY dire misfortune driven to despair,
To southern climes our hardy sons repair ;
There in a land of fire, disease, and (laves,
Where thjp first p*l a nth is the man of graves.
Where fevers, agues, fogs and dews destroy,
And aid grim Death the Sexton to employ,
The wretched vittims find when 'tis too late,
Their native clime affords a milder fate.
ADDRESS TO THE PUBLICK.—from an old friend.
I HAVE alwaysbecn a friend to America : It is my native coun
try-r-and till very lately I have had no cause of complaining—
every body has beenpleafcd with my deportment,and have thought
themselves happy in the vearejl arid mojl intimate acquaintance with
me ; but some how or other, there is a realox pretended indifference
arisen of late—what it is owing to, 1 will not fay ; but so it is,
that since a certain vagabond crew of brazen face cheats were beat
out of countenance, and were ftiunned by all honest people, as they
ought to be—l fay,fince that time, I have been a fufferer : Perhaps
it is owing to my having been J'ecn in bad company now and then ;
but this it is impoflible to avoid, as the world goes : However,
the fa & is, that I have funk in the general estimation, some fay ten,
others twenty pr. cent. My family consists of a variety of ages
and sizes ; and we all have our weight and importance regulated ;
and claim our refprftive dues anil lanksin foeiety. We have done
no injury to the public : \V r e behave as well now as we did twenty
years ago—and why we (hould not be eflimated as highly is per
fettly unaccountable to our whole family.
Home oldfervants * among us complain very bitterly of a certain
shopkeeper, who under pretence of our injerior value, is locking
us up for transportation, by which he will clear more than twenty
pr. cent, and indeed we shall all be for packing off bag and bag
gage, it we cannot be valued actording to our intrinjic merit.
It is our invariable cuftoin toJix in those places where wc can
purchase the mojl, with thzleajl.
If these hints do not have proper weight given them, you (hall
hear another chinking before we take our final departure.
SILVER COIN.
* Shillings without a head.
THE LATEST ACCOUNTS FROM EUROPE,
STATE—
That every thing was in a state of fermenta
tion in France—and that the military had refufed
to draw the trigger upon their couutrymen when
ordered by the Count D'Artois, in Paris :—That
the Duke of Orleans omits 110 opportunity to ac
quire popularity : —That forty of the prlnripal
clergy had joined the Commons—and that the
Tiers Etat were continually receiving accelfions
of numbers to their party :
That theßuflians and Swedes are cutting throats,
the former have taken a 44g<yi ftiip from the lat
ter —but that the Swedes had gained the advan
tage in an engagement by land.
That the Turks and the Allies are frequently
engaged—and the former as ufaal routed with
horrible slaughter—Two Pachas having lately
fallen into the hands of the Imperialilts :
That the Emperor of Germany is not dead,
but recovers slowly—and was to take the field in
May—and that in all probability the campaign
will be a bloody one :
That the budget had been opened by the Bri
tish miniiter in parliament—and some additional
taxes proposed—among others, an EXCISE ON
TOBACCO AND SNUFF : That the trial of
Warren Hastings 13 not finifhed—nor is there a
profpedt of its being very speedily terminated.
TROUBLES IN BRABANT.
The following are the articles proposed by the
Emperor to the Commons of Brabant,and which
they having refufed to accede to, have been di
verted of all power.
Article 1. A fixed subsidy to be guarded as in
Flanders.
Art. 2. Fifteen towns in the provinces to fend
Members to the States, instead of the three chief
towns only.
Art. 3. The wilhes of two Orders forming
the majority to carry the consent of the third.
Art. 4. The council of Brabant to seal and
publilh the editfts, regulations, &c. in the usual
form.
Tliefe being all refufrd the Emperor has revok
ed all the charters of liberties granted to the
people of Brabant.—Their archives and trea
sure chelts have been sealed up by his officers,
and a committee is appointed to manage the cash
accounts of the province.
' It is easy to perceive how arbitrary this law is.
—The Nobleile and Clergy dare not refafe their
consent to the Emperor's will ; and if the above
articles were agreed to, the Commons would in
fa<ft become nothing more than proclaimers of
the laws agreed to by the other two Orders.
NEJV-TORK, SEPTEMBER 5.
It hqsbeen remarked, that since the outcry was raised about the
Copper Coin, the Silver has depreciated in valhe, and what is en
tirely unaccountable upon any just principles, quarters, eighths, and
fifteenths of dollars of the old stamp, are depreciated by many in
to piflareens, half piflareens, &c. The dollars and parts of dollars
of this description, are really worth a premiujn upon the value of
the new dollars, as is well known.
Money is so very plenty, and the fruits of the earth are so very
scarce, that it cannot be wondered at, that the solid coin (hould be
so little efteeroed !
Coppers \vith the jerfcy stamp, are now current at two for a
penny : It is to be hoped, that the mint maflers will be so moderate
as not to glut the market.
The period afligned for th,e prefenc feflion of Congress is draw
ing to a close. Perhaps some, and indeed moil of the public cre
ditors expected that in the course of this fefiion, the public debt
would have bern a fubjeft of coitfeinplation. However, had they
carefully eftiinated the objects that were to be previously accom
plilhcd, they could hardly nave supposed tWat so few months would
have brought our national legislation to so advanced a stage of the
bufineft, as that of PUBLIC CREDIT. Every refle&ing man
mud be convinced, that a good system of finance presupposes a
well-established, operative government. If attempts are too foou
made to fix appropriations, it is a thousand chances to but
that the calculations will be so fallacious, as to throw embarrass
ment and uncertainty over the face of public affairs. Some data
resulting from an experiment must be obtained before the impor
tant fubjeft of appropriation can be fafely intieduced and finally
decided.
The debates on the fubjett of a permanent feat of government
rcfleft the highest -honor on the abilities of the several speakers.
Great justice was done to the arguments on both fides, a»d the
fpettators, who were uncommonly numerous, exprefied their ap
probation of the candor, and their admiration for the talents that
were displayed on this interesting occasion. We will not pretend
to determine how far it was policy to introduce the queflion at the
present moment; but we can affirm that it has been ably and ho
norably coudu&ed.
There appears at the present day to be the happiest disposition
among all clafTes to give all due honor to our civil rulers, and to
pay a prompt obedience to the laws : This indication is among
the most auspicious presages of our country, for without domestic
peace, and tranquility, no art or profeflion can be pursued with
any degree of fetisfaaion—" the hope of reward sweetens labor " buG
if that hope is embittered by fear and anxiety, left the rcftlefs sons
of anarchy and discord should blow into a flame the coals of ftrife
and party rage, and thus check the operations of law and govern
ment, the hand of the diligent is unnerved, langour and idleness
succeed, and society is rendered less eligible than a state of nature.
Nature and art are combining to render the United States a great
and happy people the aufpiccs of the New Government.—
Providence is crowding the year with its bounty : The vegetable
world pours forth its trcafures in luxuriant profufion—a more
plentiful fcafon was perhaps never known—" the valleys are covered
with corn, and the hilU rejoice on every fide" —health in general per
vades our cities and towns—commerce from a thousand sources
pours her rich treasures iuto our lap—arts and husbandry are daily
receiving additional improvements—in these our inventions are
unparallelled. What gives the finifliing tint to the portrait is,
That our Country is free—our earnings our own—protected by a
wife, a just. and equal constitution of government.
The people of France never appeared in a more exalted point
of viewthan at the present important crisis. As friends to the
equal rights of human nature, Americans cannot be indifferent
fpc&ators of their glorious exertions in the cause of liberty—and
as allies and friends they cannot but wifta them a compleat tri
umph, in establishing a free constitution of governm£nt.
A correspondent wishes to enquire what personage is meant by the
letter writer from Frederick/burg in \our lafl, under the terms our.
Pk esidentwhether he weans the Piejidcntof a College in Virginia,
or of any particular club as which the Utter writer is a member ; for as
there are or may be more than oneperfon of the fme name who r/iay lose
a his account is too indefmte to be underflood. j^,.
AR RIVALS. NE W- YORK.
ftcdncfday, Sloop Ladv Haley, Tillinghaft, Rhode-Hland,
Schooner Sincerity, White, Baltimore, 10 days.
Sloop Herbert, Colley, Norfolk, 6 do.
Sloop Dolphin, Carpenter, Savanna, 8 do.
Brig William, Maftin, Madeira, 49 do, '
Thursday, Brig William, Harrifon, Dublin, 75 do.
Brig Hull Packet, I.awrance, Hull.
Sloop , Dominick, St. Augustine, .
Sloop Si. John, Nixcn, St. Thomas, 18 do.
Sloop John, Lowndes, St. Croix, 18 do.
Schooner Nancy, Clark, Baltimore, 7 do.