[No. LXXV.j
THE TABLET.
No. LXXV.
u iVa mortal is so miferabl:, from his oiu/i inborn
Jfirit, as a covetous man."
THE love of wealth, is a passion attended
with io mnch utility, that no reafooable
man will discourage the exercise of it. This
passion, however, when it prevails inordinately,
defeats its own purposes, andfnbje<fts its pofielibr
to the tnoft painful inquietudes. The predomi
nating feature of a man of real covetoulnefs is, a
reluctance to put his money out of his immediate
controul. By such a precaution, he accumulates
less rapidly than he craves, and endures a perpe
tual conflict, between a deftre to encrsafe and aJear
to lose.
It is likewise a characteristic of this paflion to
be conrtant and unabating. An avaricious man
has no relief from the anxieties of his craving
difpofirion. If he meets with lofles it fills him
with agony: If he prospers in what he undertakes,
it heightens his solicitude about the prefenration
and management of his property. Other paflions
may rage with more vehemence, but they act by
intervals, and sometimes scarce operate at all.
Another property peculiar to avarice is, that it
gains strength by age. When the fire of youth
is abated ; when the ambition of middle age has
loft its ardor, the old man still has a source of gra
tification, securing, or in adding to his wealth.
It is a happy circuinftance that the love of money
encreafes in the decay of life. This propensity
maybedeemed a fubltitute for the loft of other
amufeinents ; and riches will support the influence
ofa man when talents and activity have fallen a
facrifice to the inroads of time. Theluftreof
opulence will supply the place of utiderftanding,
llot only where it never existed, but where it has
yielded to declining nature.
But the molt extraordinary effe<t of avarice is,
the solicitude it begets with refpedt to the appro
priation of an ellate, when a man bids adieu to
earthly scenes. The pangs that a covetous man
feels, in anticipating the profligate manners, in
which his hoardings may probably be squander
ed, are greater than can be described. This an
ticipation is often attended with such pain, that
the covetous man bequeaths his interest to some
public institution, that it may be kept entire, and
not fall into hands who will spend it by dissipa
tion, or misapply it, by indiscretion. Ithasoften
been remarked, that very avaricious people dis
cover a capricious kind of liberality in the diftri-.
bution of their ellate by legacies, to thole who
have no natural claim upon it. This is sometimes
afcribcd to vanity, but it more usually results
from a fear of misapplication of the money,fhoiild
it devolve upon the apparent heirs. A temper
of misanthropy is too apt to be connected with that
of avarice, It may therefore happen that a per
son of a covetous disposition may have so much
hatred for those whom he knows, and to whom
he is related, that he cannot bear the idea of pro
moting their welfare, by enjoying his property,
when he is dead, any more than while he was
alive. From this cause, he devotes it to public
uses, or perhaps with an air of refined generosity,
leaves it to strangers, whom he cannot hate, be
cause he does not know them.
Philadelphia, Dcc. 24,1 78 >•
YESTERDAY morning the Committee of the
Convention, appointed for the purpose, re
ported the following Declaration of Rights to
he attached to the Form of Government already
fubinitted to the confederation of that honorable
body.
ARTICLE IX.
THAT the great and ellential principles of li
berty and free government may be recognized,
and unalterably established, we declare,
I. r T"'IIAT all men are born equally free and
A independent, and have certain inherent
and indefeaiible rights, among which are those
of enjoying and defending life and liberty, of ac
quiring, poflelling, and protecting property and
reputation, and of pursuing their own happiness.
11. That all power being originally verted in,
is derived from the people, and all free govern
ments originate from their will, are founded 011
their authority, and inliituted for their common
peace, fafety and happiness ; and for the ad
vancement thereof, they have, at all times, an
unalienable and indefeaiible right to alter, re
form or abolilh their government, in such man
ner as they may think proper.
111. That all men have d natural and indetea
fible right to worfliip Almighty God according to
the dictates of their own confdences, and that 110
WEDNESDAY December 30, 1789.
man ought, or of right can be compelled to at
tend any religious worship, or to erect or support
any place of worship, or to maintain any ministry
against his free will and consent ; and that no
human authority cancontroul or interfere with
the rights of conscience, in any cafe whatever,
norfhall any preference ever be given, by law, to
any religious eftabliffiments or modes of worship.
'V- That no person who acknowledges the be
ing of a God, and a future state of rewards and
punilhments, shall, on account of his religious
lentiments, be difqualified to hold any office or
place of trust or profit under this Commonwealth.
V. That elecftious shall be free and equal.
VI. That trial by jury shall be as heretofore,
and the right thereof shall remain inviolate.
VII. That the printing presses shall be free to
every person who undertakes to examine the pro
ceedings of the Legislature, or any branch of go
vernment, and no law shall ever be made reftrain
ingthe right thereof. The free communication
of thoughts and opinions is oue of theniort inva
luable rights of man, and every citizen may free
ly speak, write, and print, being responsible for
the abuse of that liberty.
VIII. That the people shall be secure in their
persons, houses, papers and pofleffions, against un
realizable searches and seizures, and no warrant
shall iffue,to fearchany place, orto feizeany per
lons or things, but on probable cause, supported
by oath or affirmation, and defcrihing them as
nearly as maybe.
IX. Thar in all criminal prosecutions, the ac
cufedhath a right to be heard by himfelf and his
! counsel ; to demand the cause and nature of the
accusation ; to meet the witnefles, face to face ;
: to have compulsory process for obtaining witnes
ses in his favor, and a speedy public trial by an
impartial jury of the vicinage ; nor can he be
compelled to give evidence against himfelf; nor
can any way be deprived of his life, liberty or
property, but by the judgment of his peers, or
the law of the land.
X. That no person shall he proceeded against
by information for any indi&able offence, except
in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in
the militia when in acftual service in time of war,
or public danger ; nor shall any person for the
fame offence, be twice put in jeopardy of life or
limb; norfhall any man's property be taken, or
applied to public use, without the consent of his
repvefentatives, and on just compensation being
made.
XI. That all courts shall be open, and every
freeman,for an injury done him in his lands,goods
person or reputation, shall have remedy by the
due course of the law, and right and justice admi
nistered to him without sale, denial or delay.
XII. That no power of suspending laws, or the
execution thereof, shall be exercised, unless by the
Legislature, or by the authority thereof.
XIII. That exceflive bail fliall not be required,
nor exceflive fines imposed, or cruel punilhments
inflicted.
XIV. That all prisoners shall be bailable by
fufficient sureties, unless for capital offences, when
the proof is evident, or presumption great, and
the privilege of the writ of Habeas Corpus shall
not be suspended, unless when in cases of rebel
lion or invafton the public fafety may require it.
XV. That the person of a debtor, where there
is not a strong presumption of fraud, shall not be
continued in prison after delivering up all his
estate for the benefit of his creditors, in such man
ner as shall be pvefcribed by law.
XVI. That no ixpejt facto law, or law impair
ing contrails shall be made.
XVII. That no person shall be attainted of
treason, or felony, by the legislature.
XVIII. That no attainder shall work corrup
tion of blood, or forfeiture of real estate, except
during the life of the offender.
XIX. That the right of the citizens to bear
arms in defence of themselves, and the state, and
to afiemble peaceably together, and apply, in
a decent manner, to thole inverted with the pow
ers of government, for redress of grievances or
other proper purposes, shall not be quettioned.
XX. That those who conscientiously fcrople to
bear arms shall not be compellable to do so, but
fnall pay an equivalent for personal service.
XXI. That no Handing army shall, in time of
peace, be kept up, without the consent of the le
gislature, and the military shall, in all cases, and,
at all times, be kept in ftridl subordination to the
civil power.
XXII. That no soldier shall, in time of peace,
be quartered in any lioufe without the consent of
the owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to
be prescribed by law.
XXIII. That the legislature fliall, at 110 time,
create any office, the appointment to which ihall
be for a longer tenn than during good behavior.
[Publijhetf o/i Wedii.-fday and baturduy. j
t XXIV. 1 hat emigration from the itate iiiali
not be prohibited.
XXV. To guard againfi: trailfgreflions. of the
high powers which we have delegated, WK DE
CLARE, that every thingin this article expreUtd,
is excepted out of the general powers of leoiiia
tion, and lhall forever remain inviolate. "
RA 1 It ICA i lON of the new CONSTI FU I'iON
by the State of NORTH CAROLINA.
With the AMENDMENTS proposed.
Extralh from the journal cf tin Convention of North
Carolina, which met at FayetteviJ/e, on the 16th
day of November, i 789., for the purpefe of del,for
atifig further upon the Conjf itution or form- of go*
vernment proposed for the government of the tin
ted States.
MONDAY, November t6.
/~VN motion of Mr. Stokes, bis Excellency Sa
muel Jolinfton, Esq. was choleu President
and Charles Johnfton, Elq. Vice-President ; John
Hunt and James Taylor, Ef'q'rs. were chofeu Se.
eretaries.
THURSDAY, November 19.
The order of the day being callcd for taking*
undei consideration the form of government pro
posed for the government of the United States,
the Convention reiolved itfelf into a committee of
the whole—Mr. Afli in the chair.
After iome time spent, the President refamed
thechalr, and the committee reported profiref.
Adjourned.
FRIDAY, November 20.
Acommitteeof the whole met according to ad
journment. This day was spent in debate? The
committee reported they had gone through with
thebufinefs, and were ready to report. Ordered,
that the report lie on the table. Adjourned.
SATURDAY, November 21.
The house met. On motion, Ordered, that the
report of the committee be taken up—which was,
that in behalf of the freemen and citizens of"
North Carolina, this Convention do adopt the
Conililution proposed for the government of the
United States ; the mainqueftion was then pat,
Shall this Convention concur with the repoi t of
the committee ? ihe yeas and nays being taken
were as follow, viz.
Ayes, 193 —Noes, 76 —Majority n7.
STATE OF NORTH-CAROLINA.
In Convention, November 23, 1789.
MR. GALLAWAY, from the committee ap
pointed to prepare and draw up amendments to he
proposed to the Constitution or form of govern
ment, proposed for the future government of the
United States, reported the following, viz.
Resolved, unanimoully, that it be recommend
ed and enjoined on the Representatives of this
State in Congress aflembled, to make application,
to Congress and endeavor to obtain the following
amendments to the Constitution for the future
government of the United States, agreeable to
the second mode proposed by the fifth article of
thefaid Constitution, which, when ratified agree
able to the said article, shall become a part of the
Constitution ; and that the Executive of this State
be directed to transmit a copy of the said a
mendments to eacliof the United States.
AMENDMENTS.
1 ft. That Congress fhallnot alter, modify, or
interfere in the times, places, and manner of
holding elections for senators and representatives
or either of them, except when the legiflatui e
of any State shall negledt, refufe, or be difablcd
by invasion or rebellion to prescribe the fame, or
in cafe when the provision made by theltate is so
imperfect as that no consequent election is had.
2d. That Congress {hall not djreftly or indirect
ly, either by themselves or through the judiciary,
interfere with any one of the States, in the re
demption of paper money already emitted, and
now in circulation, or in liquidating and difcliarg
ing the public securities of any one of the Stares';
that each and every State fhallhave the exclusive
right of making such laws and regulations for the
above purposes as they flrall think proper.
3. That the members of the Senate and Iloufe
of Representatives lhallbe inelligible to and in
capable of holding any civil office under the au
thority of the United States, during the time for
which they shall refpecftively be elected.
4. That the journals of the proceedings of the
senate and house of representatives, shall be pub
lished at least once in every year, except fucli pans
thereof relating to treaties, alliances, or military
operations as in their judgment require ferrety.
5. That a regular statement of the receipts and
expenditures of all public monies flirill be publish
ed at least onec every year.