m Excra& from the New-York Magazine—for November, i 790. THOUGH v>faith may obtain refpeCl, and though . talesits may gain admiration, yet it is the life of inte grity and virtue which will alone secure to us the esteem «f the world. This will command refpe* and regard, though fortune Jhould rob ui oj her gijts, and though faClion Jhould deny ui the dtfplay of our talents. Of the importance that a virtuous character is towards giving us public confidence, cach day's observation may assure us. How many do we mat within life, on whom nature hath beftovsedthe mojl diftinguijhed talents,yet who remain undijlinguifhed by public honors, merely because their countrymen have not a confidence in their virtue and integrity ? while, on the other hand, how frequently do we fee men of moderate abilities called to public employment, from the refpeEl and veneration which is borne to the virtues oftheir private char all tr ? But as example is of more efficacy than precept, behold in the char after of one whom you boajl of as your fel- Jow-citizen, and who now directs the finances of your country, a proof of the principle that I wijh to esta blish, and let his success serve as a ft intuitu to your virtue ana to your ambition. Though even now at an age, at-which viojl charac ters begift their political career, yet he hath for years, received the mo ft fiatteri/ig marks of public diflinc tion, and now holds one of the tnojl important offices in any government. In hit appointment to that of fice the wijhes of the public had anticipatid the judi cious nomination of our firjl magijlrate, whose dis cernment in ejlimating chatatters is not the leajl va luable of his political talents. Though his abilities, no doubt, firjl procured him public diflintlion, yet to the uniformity of his political condufl, and to his inflexible and unde-j'tating integ rity, he ztnqueflionably owes that unbounded confidence which he now enjoys, which is so honorable to hivtfe(f t and so serviceable to his country. SALEM, December ar The contention in Martinique appears to have 110 reference to the late French revolution, as both parties acknowledge the prefentgovernment in France. From the revolution, however, the colonies derived the privilege of constituting Assemblies to legislate for them. The equal laws made by the Colonial Aflembly of Martinique no longer left any exclusive commercial privileges to the town of St. Pierre ; and the free people of colorfelt the enjoyment of the rights of men. This equality excited the jealousy of the inhabi tants of St. Pierre, and produced an enmity to wards the reft of the colony, which continually increased, till the maflacre of the Mulattoes <»n the 3d of June last. The jullice of government was now oh]ig#fl.tQ intcrpoft , and 4Vom bencc* have arisen the parties, of thegovernment, plan ters, free mulattoes, &c. on one fide—and the inhabitants of St. Pierre, on the other. ALBANY, Dec. 23 A letter from a young gentleman of this city, now at Manchester, Vermont, dated the 20th in stant, mentions the sudden death of two young women of that town, (Patty Savage, aged 18, and Lois Godrich, 16) who having agreed, on Wed liefday evening the 15th, to eft price they can for it. The question is, whe her we shall fix a price, or adopt the plan pro lofed by the gentleman from Maflachufetts. He vas in favor of the latter, and said he doubted JOt it would be easy to make a discrimination n the relative qualities of the lands. Tlirs dif ference in price may render it worth while for he commissioners to have the land of a parti cu ar district explored. He replied to the objec tion from the want of integrity in thefurveyars Admitting the full force of the objection, it wa< probable that the United States would gain by it at any rate they would not lose; and it was moK probable that, to avoid suspicion, if the f'urveyor; (hould be inrerefted in the tracts surveyed, thej would give more than 30 cents. Withrefpect t< foreigners, after they ariive in the country, tliej then will be on the fame footing with our owr citizens. He adverted to the mode which had been adopted by New-York—they had fold landi in every way, at a certain price, at auction, anc are now felling them at the discretion of com iniffioners, at a rate not below a certain sum. Mr. Stone objected to the mode of leaving the price unfixed, as it would involve a complex fyf tern, subjecting the purchasers to great inconve nience, perplexity and uncertainty. He repro bated the system adopted by New-York, and ask ed the gentleman (Mr. Lawrance) whether New- York had not been subjected to great loss and vexation in consequence of the plan they had pursued ? He wiflied the system of New-Yori should be fully linderfbood, in order that the United States may avoid it. He concluded bj faying tliat he was in favor of fixing a price, anc supposed that the Western Territory, fold at 3c cents per acre, would whoi« of ttic na d COT. Mr. Lawrance replied to Mr. Stone: He faic: that when the state of New-York fold their land: at a fixed price, there had been complaints on ac count of the bell tracts being taken up. When they had fold them at auction, the value of the lands had been generally realized in proportion to the With 1 efpect to the lalt mode adopted, the result was not yet known. I Mr. White said, if the gentleman had propofec i the amend mem to the clause which refpecfts large purchases, he fliould not have objected to it. He however objected to it in the present cafe; and, in order to drew that a fixed price was most eli gible for small quantities, he instanced the prac tice of Lord Fairfax, who had been a great pro prietor in Virginia—and also the practice of the firft proprietors of Pennsylvania : These fold their lands, good and bad, at one price—their experi ence for fiich a length of time, near a century, ( he thought fufficient to shew that mode ro be most eligible. He would not object to affixing that condition to special contracts. Mr. Sedgwick obviated the objection in the firft instance, by faying that the officers will be able to determine with very considerable preci sion, what will be for the interest of the United ; States. He said experience had proved that there were no insuperable difficulties in the cafe. Mr. Moore observed, that the actual value of the best lands in that territory was about 30 cents per acre : When all of that description is fold, the next will bringthe fameprice; from whence he inferred, that there could be 110 difficulty or loss attending fixing the price. He stated some difficulties which would result from adopt ing the mode proposed. Mr. Sherman observed, that the committee was now only fettling principles. The principal objection to the idea of leaving the price discre tionary, appearld to arise from the difficulty of carrying it into execution.—He endeavored to obviate the difficulties. He said there was un doubtedly a, great difference in the value of the lands : He had been informed by a fnrveyor that some of those lands are worth a guinea per acre. He doubted not that such information may be ob tained by the firveyors as that a very great sav ing may be made to the United States. Mr. Bloodworth said he was in sentiment with the gentleman last fpeakingfrom Virginia. Hi< experience in the state of North Carolina was en tirely in favor of fixing a price. Mr. Sedgwick's motion being put, was loft. Mr. Scot then moved that the clause whici makes a discrimination in the fecuvities to be paid for the land, fhoulcl be struck our. His ide; 694 was that all the securities fliould be received at their face for the land : He said this he consi dered as the only apology which the United States could make to their creditors, for not pay ing them 6 per cent, on the whole of their de mand. Mr. Fitzfimons objecfted to the motion He said it would be reducing the price of ahe land to one half the sum already agreed to. Mr. Lawrance preferred to Mr. Scot's motion striking out all that relates to public'fecurities, and making gold and silver oi.ly a tender for the land. Mr. Sedgwick was in favor of the article as in the report : He enlarged on the importance of finking the public securities, and making provi sion for extinguifliing thedefered (lock in a par ticular manner Mr. Scot's motion was negatived. _ Mr. Lawrance then propoled that public feeur ities flioukl be struck out. The gold and lilver said/he, received for the land, may be appropri ated to finking the debt, agreeable to the provi sion already made for appropriating the surplus revenue. Mr. Jackson objected to the motion ; he ob served that the lands in the Western Territory had always been considered as a fund for fink- ing great part of the public debt of the union ; he wi/hed not to Jose fight of this objecfl—many persons have securities in their pofl'eflion, who may be disposed to apply them to the purchase of lands ; those persons may not find it conveni ent to turn their paper into gold and silver, and 1 fee no necefiity. said he, for this round about process—a more Ample method is to be prefer red. As the gentleman last fpenkinghad thought proper to allude to the aisl palled the last feffi'on, making provision for the reduction of the public debt, beg'd leave to offer a few remarks on that fubjedi : It is true said he, we appropriated a lurplus revenue of one million of dollars, to be applied to purcliafing the public debt in the market, while at a reduced price ; but what is the refillt ? By the report of the commifiioners it appears that only 200,000 dollars of the debt have been bought ; the securities have risen, and one defcripcion of them is nearly up to par ; why the whole sum has not been applied to make purchases when the price was low, 1 ain not able to fay but the benefit to the public derived from the ineafure is so trifling, that it suggests a fnf ficient reason to my mind for not Agreeing to appropriate any more money in that way. Mr. Lawrance, in answer to Mr. Jackson, ob served that it is true the sum of one million of surplus revenue was appropriated as a finking fund the last fclfion ; but it was well known that that sum was not then in the treasury, not* was the whole expected to be realized till towarfts the close of the year; this would account for the whole amount's not being appropriaied. With iefpe(t to the proceedings of the commiflioners, lie was not so fully informed as to give the com mittee full information 011 the fubjetft ; but doubted not that their tranfacflions would be round to be perfectly conformable to the spirit and meaning of the law under which theyacfted. The motion for finking out public fecuritias was loft. MONDAY, Jan. 3 The bill for the relief of Shubael Swaine was read the second time, and ordered to be engross ed for a third reading. Mr.Hathorne presented the petition of William Reynolds, a soldier of the late army, wounded at the attack on tort Montgomery, praying to be placed 011 the pension lift. Mr. Fitzfiinons presented the petitionof Joseph Huck. The above petitions were referred to the Secretary of War. A mefiage was received from the President of the United States, by Mr. Secretary Lear, with the copy of an adl of the legislature' of New-Ter fey, ceding to the United States the lot of ground at Sandy Hook, on which the light-house isereift- The House then took in consideration the re port of the committee of the whole house, on the report of the Secretary of the Treasury relative to the eftabliftiment of land-offices, for the faleof lands in the Western Territory—The Speaker read the report. The firft rel'olution provides for the.eftablifliment of a general land-office, at the feat of government. Thefecond, for two fu boi dinate land-offices in the Western Territory One to the South—the other to the North Weft of the Ohio. The third, that all sales above acres /hall be negociated at the general land-office, tourth, Indian titles to be extinguished previous to any sale. These resolutions were adopted byi the house, without a division. The fifth refolu- tion provides that convenient locations shall be set off ior actual fcttlers.—This resolution on motion of Mr. Scot was struck out. He proposed a sub- Ititute, which after some debate was disagreed to. 1 he sixth resolution provides, that tliefe"en ran ges already laid out fliall be surveyed and fold. This was adopted. The seventh, that any quan-/ titles within natural boundaries, of lines, or both,