PUBLISHED WEDNESDAYS AND SATURDAYS BY #)HN FEN NO, No. 41, BROAD-STREET, NEAR THE EXCHANGE, NEW-YORK. [No. 22, if Vol. ll.j TRANSLATED FOR THE GAZETTE OF THE UNITED STATES. ADDRESS of the NATIONAL ASSEMBLY to the PEOPLE of FRANCE. February nth, 1790. DURING the progrefsof their labors, the Na tional Afl'embly receives from all quarters the congratulation of the provinces, cities, and communities, the teftlmonies of the public joy, the acclamations of gratitude ; but it likewise hears the murmurs, the clamors ofthofe who fee) hurt or affiifted at the measures taken against iintnberlefs abufes,intei efts and prejudices. While engaged in providing for the happiness of all, it concerns itfelf with the misfortunes ofindividuals —it pardons prejudice—spite and injultice—but it conliders it as a duty, to guard you against the influences of calumny, and to deitroy the vain terrors with which you are attempted to be sur prised. What measures have not been taken to mislead you—to snake your confidence ?—Some pretend to be ignorant, and ask what good has the National Aflembly done > We will remind you. Difficulties have been thrown in the way of what has been done, which we will answer.— Doubts have been circulated, uneasiness has been excited refpedting what will be done. \\ c aie going to inform you. What has the Afiemhly clone ? It has traced with a firm hand, in the midst of fyftnas, the prin ciples of aConfticution, which secures liberty for ever. The rights of nun were forgotten—infill - ed for have been re-established, in favor of humanity, by that declaration which will forever be the signal to rally against oppreihon, r.nd the law of the legislators themselves. The nation had loft the right of decreeing both laws and imposts—This right has been restored to it— and the trite principles of the Monarchy, the in violability of the august Chief of the nation, and the inheritance of the throne in a family, lo dear tQ every Frenchman, have been, at the lame time consecrated. Wc only ha 1 the States Central,— You now have a National , which cannot be raviffied from you. Orders, divided by necelii ty and fubjecft to ancient pretentions, heretofore dictated decrees, and could reltrain the Springs of the national will—These orders exist no longer— every thing has disappeared before the honorable diftiu&ion of citizen. Every one having become a citizen, it was necel farv to have citizens for your defenders—and at t he" "firft filial we have seen the National Guardaf fembled by patriotism, and commanded by honor every where maintains or restores order, and watches with indefatigable Seal over the feennty e ich, for the interest of the whale. 'unumerable privileges, irreconciliaWe ene cs to the public good, com]iofed the whole of our üblic rights : They are destroyed, and at the voiceofyourAflbmbly, the Province mod jealous of theirs, have applauded their fall—they have pcrceived themselves enriched by their lols—-a vexatious feudal system, so powerful even in its latest ruins, fprcad over all France. You were fubjefted in the Provinces, to the regimen of an unquiet adininiftration,from which you have been i«lieved—arbitrary orders, which encroached 011 the liberty of the citizens are annihilated. You wsfhed for a com pleat organization of the municipalities: This hasjuft been given to you, and the creation ofall thelehodies,framed by your j'ufrrages, presents at this moment, a 1110 ft linking Spectacle throughout France. Ihe National Ai fembly has. at the fame time, # coi>fuinmated the work of a new division of the kingdom,which alone can efface the last traces of ancient prejudices substitute the true love of our count'y in the place of the felfifh love of a Province —lay the founda tion of a good representation, and fixat the fame time the lights of each man, and of each Canton, in proportion as they are connected with the pub lic—a difficult problem, the solution ot which has remained unknown till our days. For a long while you have wished for theabo lition of the venality of the Magistracy: It lias been pronounced. Yon experienced the want of a reform, at le-aft of a provisional one, ot the pi 111- cipal faults ofthe criminal code : It has been de creed, until a general reform can be adopted.— Complaints, demands, and claims have been ad drefl'ed to ns from all quarters ot the kingdom which we have Satisfied as far as it was in our pow er. The multitude of public engagements terii tied us : We have confccrated the principles, on that faith which is due to them. Yoa feared the SATURDAY, JUNE 26, 1790. power of the Ministers : We have imposed a law 011 them, securing their responsibility. The im port: of the Gabelie was odious to you : We have mitigated ith) the,firft instance, and have pronii fed to do it away intitefy—for it is not enough, that Imports are indifpenfablj*. neceflary for the public exigencies—they ought also to be juftifia ble on account of their equality, their wisdom and their mildness. Immoderate pensions, frequent ly lavilhcd without the knowledge of your King, ravished from you the fruks of your labors. We have in the firft instance considered them with an eye of severity, and we are about comprehend ing them within the limits of ftriift justice. In fhortthe finances required immense reformation seconded by the Minister who has obtained your confidence, we have labored at them without ces sation, and you will soon enjoy the benefit. j (To be continued.) FOR THE GAZETTE OF THE UNITED STATES. DISCOURSES ON DAVILA.—^ —No. XII Order is Heav'nsJirft law—and this confeft'd, Some arc, and mujl be, greater than the reft : More rich, more wife —But who infers from hence, That such are happier, /hocks all common fevfe. THE world is sensible of the neceiiity of sup porting their favourites under the firlt on fetts of misfortune —left the fall should bedread ful and irrecoverable —for according to the great Mailer of Nature, 'Ti* certain -reainefs, oncc fallrn oiil Willi fortune, Must fall out with men too : What the declin d is He shaN as soon read in the eyes of others, As feel in hi* own till : For men, like butteiflies, Shew not their inealy but to the summer , And not a man for being tingly man, Ilath any honor ; but's honor'd tor those honors That are \a ithout him, as place, riches, tavor, Pm-as ot accident as oft merit. Mankind are so sensible of these things, that by a kind of inftinft or intuition, they generally sol ■ low the advice of the fame author. Take the instant way honor travel so narrow Where one but goes abieaft : Keep then the path, Foi l.mulation haih a thousand tons, That one by one pursue ; if you give way, Or hedgoatidc from the direst forth-right, Like to an entci'd tide, they ali rush by, And leave you hindmost ; Or I ke a gallant horse, fall'n in firft rank, Lie there tor pavement to the abject rcai, OVrrun and trampled on. The inference from all the contemplations and experiments which have been made, by all na tions, upon these difpofit.ions to imitation, emu lation, and rivalry, is cxprefledby the fame great teacher of morality and politics. Degree being vizarded, Th' unworthicfl (hews as fairly in the mafic. , The Heavens themselves, the Planets and this center, Obfervc degree, priority and place, Infilhire, course, proportion, fcafon, form, Office and custom, in all line ot order : And therefore is the glorious planet Sol, In noble eminence, enthron'd and fpher'd A mid ft the others; whose med'cinable eye Corrects the ill afpe&s of planets evil, And ports, like the commandment of a King Sans check, to good and bad ; but when the planets In evil mixture, to d.forder wander. What plagues and what portents ! what mutiny - What raging of the sea ! Shaking of earth ! Commotion in the winds ! 1 lights, changes, horrors, Divert and crack, rend and deracinate, The unity and married calm of dates Quite from their iixure ? O, when degree is (hak d, Which is the ladder to all high designs, The enterprizeis Ack ! how could communities, Degrees in fchoois, and brotherhoods in cities, The primogeniture and due of birth, Prerogative of age, crowns, sceptres, laurels, But by degree, iland in authentic place ? Take but degree awav ; untune that firing And hark ! what discord follows ! each thing meets In meer oppugnancy : the bounded waters Should lift their bosoms, higher than the Ihores, And make a fop, of all this solid globe : Strength should be lord of imbcciiity, And the rude son should strike Irs father dead : Force ftiould be right ;or rather right and wrong Should loose their names, and so OioulJ justice too. Then everv thing includes itfelf in power, Power into will, will inro appetite ; And api eti:e an univerlal wolf, Must make per force an univerlal prry, And left qat up hmfelf. This chaos, when aegree i: fuffocate Follows the choaking, The General's disdain d. By him one step below : he by the next; That next by him beneath : so every step Examplcdby the firft pace, that is Tick Of his fupenor, grows to an envious fever Of pale and bloodless emulation. Troy in our weakness stands, not in her ftrcngth. Molt wifely hath Ulyfles here discovered The Fever, whereof all our power is sick. 501 CONGRESS. HOUSE Or REPRESEN TA ; IVES. TUESDAY, MAY 2;. Mr. Gerrv's motion the affvrrrption of the S*tdte <l-:bts y whic/i was injzrted in this piper o) the 26* '?, under cons (\lr. BOUDINOT's Speech concluded.) '""INHERE is no connection between my debt agair.ft t!".e prrlon X who may become my security to another, and the creditor to whom I owe a debt of my own contracting—Stfppofe in coin mon dealing A. owes B. 100!. but being unable to pay, C (who owes him money) as his security to B.—Before the debt is paid, C thef cuiity becomes insolvent, and A retrieve* his affairs and is able to pay—would any man think A in his lenfcs, to rc fuf» payme nt to B. because C. was unable to pay the debt due to him. But it G. had paid the money to B. then thedebt was chang ed and C. would have a right ro charge it ag3inft the debt he owed to A. So, whenever the State has discharged a debt by Congress, tothe indiidnal citizen, and has t'ie evid nee of it in heftreafury, such Stace has no right to demand a repayment* 'til, by the fcttiement of her accounts with the United Starts, it (hall appear.that a balance is due to her. This is every day's practice between man and man. But both the equity and policy of th ; s measure have been denied. As to the firft, let it be a iked, are the fads above set forth true, " that the debt was originally that of the United S:a:er, an .1 that the creditor has never received any fatis faCtion for it ?" If so, where is thejufticeor equity of making a difcrimnation among our creditors ? Can any man assign a real >n, I why debts of the fame nature, under the fame contract and for the Gime fcrvices, (hould be n;e£ed and treated as of no force, merely because they have been fettled and vouched by different of ficer*, imder the fame authority. What will the veteran foidier and the respeCtable ipilittaman, who, under ev.ry discourage ment fouiht your battles, and nfqued their lives for your preser vation. .it wt\\ the,pati iot farmer, who* Inrnifhed ypu w;th Topples 1.1 the day i>*f cUrknefs and diltrefs —What will t!ie citi zen. from whom you forced, perhaps that on which he depended for the support of hirfamily, at the bayonet fay, when they are told, that alt r waiting ten years in Vain for tlu.ir jult it itnaw inequitable to pay their demand, because it was fettled by tht government, agreeably to the directions of Congr£is. # There Tliufc be the greatest equity in appropriating that treasure, supplied b.y the union at large, tothe pa)meu£ of tito/e debts contracted for their common dcfence. A fait argument I (hall offer to ihew the equity of this measure is, that we are 111 jaofieflion of the very means from which alone the States could pay thefedebts, if their obligation to it was ever so clear. I now coineto the policy of the measure—As in private life, so in every government, 1 am fully latisfied, that honcfty will ever be found to be tTie best policy. The policy of this meafdrc arises from numberless sources. —It isfuppoiting t'be pybliC faith.—As-our present conduCl {hall be, so will be the conduCl of others towards us, whenever we shall need further loans for public lei vice—A tew hundred dollars sa ved now, may heieafter cost us more thousands —Our condtiCfc on this occaiion will be narrowly watched, and not forgotten in ma ny years. — Good policy requires one uniform rule of paying our public debt, as well as the like uniformity in the arrangment and collection of the public revenue.—Another source of the policy of this measure arises from the propriety of fupprefiing all tempta- I tions to unneceflary party zeal and collision ot opposite interefls a -1 mong the citizens of the fame government. Let gmtlemen con i fider the operation of a contrary mtafurc.—Will the citizcns ot in- I dividual States fee with complacency the produce of'fo heavy an 1 impofl, expended in partial payments of the debts of the general government, while their demands, funded in the (In Cleft are wholly disregarded by those who are bound to do equal justice to evcrv citizen. It should not be forgotten, that the colleChon of a revenue in such a country as oqrs, deprndsjgreatly upon opinion. If, by our public measures, we once make it reputable to defraud the revenue, it will be out of the power of all your regulations and penalties to secure its due colleCtiqn. At present there is a u niveifal prejudice in your favor. The patriotism of your citizens is a greater fccuVity than your utmost force. They think that the government is in their own hands.—That they are truly rcprcfcnt cd here, and that theii contributions, are faithfully applied to their best interests. Cherish this spirit, by the mod impartial jufticc .ind equal dealings to every citizen. -If once it becomes a habit to depart fiom the path of virtue, it will be more than difficult to tread back those steps again. It is policy, to prevent by this means, one State from pre)ing on the neceflities of another, by which jraloufy, feuds and animosities. so dangerous to every go vernment, are often promoted. Aliho' I am in general averse from bringing into view on general questions, the local circum ftancesof a particular State, yet in the present cafe, I beg leave to hold up the circumstance of the State from which I have the honor of coming, because I am best acquainted with her real situation. It is well known to this committee, that in the beginning of the war, she was deprived of many of her citizens, who went off to the enemy. She prcfented her whole sea coafl as a frontier to the British troops.—She was invaded every few months, for fcveral years of the war.—Mer militia was almost continually in the field. —Her towns were cleferted—Her houses were burned—Her pro perty plundered, and her faithful citizens carried into captivity.—• For several years, both the British and American armies were tile greatest part of the year within her borders.—As if these evils were not fufficient, at the end of the war, an import, for State pur £ofes, was eftablifhcd by the two adjoining States, from whom (he was obliged to receive all her imports, whereby (he was bled at every pore. During this whole time, the req 111 fit ions of Con gress were made on her, without any allowance for her peculiar circumstances, the other States had fharcd a milder fate. As fai; as it wasin her power, she complied faithfully with them—and in addition to her exertions, she has relieved the diftrelTes of her citizc ns, by paying the intercft due to them from the government, without refpiCl to the species of debt. In this manner, (he has draggled with difficulty, nnder anopprcflive burthen, 'til the pe riod arrived" which she thought, proimfed an alleviation to her di ft rcfTcs, The ability of the new government, (he fondly hoped would have eased the burthen, and calmed the minds of her citizens, who were daily leaving the State to find a happier cliipate to the north ward and the westward, where heavy taxation would not reach them. I hold up these circumstances of an individual State, to (hew that she cannot go much further; every citizen she looses, leaves the incumbrance the greater on those who remain behind. At this moment, fir, in one town(hip of that State, there are be tween 2 and 300 cxecu.ions out for the arrears of Is it not [Whole NO. 126.]
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