CONGRESS. PHILADELPHIA. MONDAY last being the day appointed for the. meeting of the national legislature,in this city,now the feat of government of the United States, thirtv-onc members of the house of rpprefent atives afTembled in the hall, in Chefnut-Strcet, which number not being fufficient to constitute a quorum, they adjourned to yester day, 11 o'clock, A. M. Fifteen members of the Senate also assembled iu the Senate chamber ; viz. Members OF THE SENATE His Excellency The VICE PRESIDENT* Hon. Meflrs Langdon, Hon. Messrs Morris, Wingate, Maclay, Daltrtn, Izard, Ellsworth, Butler, King, Hawkins, John 0 on, Basset. Dtckinfori, M un toe, Few, 1 Members prcjmt. of the House cf win The Hon. The SPEAKER. Hon. MefTrs Ames, Hon. Mc flirt Lawrance, Benfon, Lee, Baldwin, L ; .vcrmore # Blood worth, Madison, Boudinot. P. Muhlenberg. Brown, * Schureman, CadwalUdef, Seney, Clymer, Sherman, Fitzfimons, Smith, (S. C.) Floyd, Sturges, Foster* Sylvester, Gilman, '• batcher, Goodhue, Williamfon, Griflin, Wynkoop. U tiger, Huntington. iTUESDAY, Dec. 7. Hon. Mr. Scot, and Mr. Hcijicr, appeared and took tbeir feats. an< ✓Hon. W. B. Gila, Member from Virginia, eleft fd to fupplythe vacancy occasioned by the death jbf the Hon. T. Bland, appeared, produced his (credentials, was qualified, and took his feat. r The House being formed— On motion of Mr. Boudinot, the Clerk was di rected to inform the Senate, that a quorum of the House being now aflembled, they are ready to proceed to business. A meHage was received from the Senate, by their Secretary Mr. Otis, informing the House that a number fufficient to constitute a quorum of the Senate, being aflembled in the Senate Cham ber, they are ready to receive communications ■from the honorable House. ■ A committee was appointed, conlifti jig ofMefl'rs BoudinotfLaviraiiceandSmith, (S.C.)to joina com tiiittee of the Senate, to wait on the President of theUnitedStates,and inform him that a quorum ofbothKoufes are now aflembled—a meflage fcnt to iHo Scns'.e, by tfce- C'lcrk, (to infoim them of the above vote. A meflage was received from the Senate in forming the House that they have appointed a committe confiding of the Hon. Mr. Morris, and the Hon. Mr. JLangdon, to join a committee of the Hon. House, to wait 011 the President of the United States, and inform him that a quorum of bothHoufes being aflembled, they will be ready in the Senate Chamber to receive fuchcommuni cations as he may be pleased to make. A motion was made by Mr. Liverwort, that the Jloufe should concur with the Senate ; this being objected to, the motion was withdrawn. The House then non-concurred that part of the Senate's meflage which afligned the place of re ceiving the President—and the Clerk was diredt ed to inform the Senate of the fame. After which a meflage was received from the Senate, informing, that they concur in the vote of the House—and the committee proceeded to wait on the President. Mr. Laivrancs tions which were The petition of Jacob^Sapl. of Francis Ackley. V Mn. Fitzflmoru Several petitions and of Alexandf which were read jontl laid on the tables Boudinot, of the joint Tommittee on the fftirt of the House, reported that they had waited on the President of the United States, and deli vered the message of both Houses. The President informed the committee that he would meet the two Houses in the Senate to-morrow 12 o'clock. Adjourned. Philadelphia, Dec. 8. / Yffterday there was a Levee at the house of THE PRESIDENT (•f the United States—at which were present His Excellency The Vice-President, and many Members of both Houfcs of Con erefs fevtral of the Heads of Depaitments, besides a number of refpeQable private charaQers. Ignatius Palyart, Esq. Consul General from Her Mod Faithful Majtfty, the Qui en of Portugal, was presented (atthe Levee) to The Pkes:dent •f the United States, by the Hon. Thomas Je itt rson, Secretaiy •f State. , . THERE is a report that the forces tinder the command of General Harmar, have received a check from the Indians ; but as the acci dent is said to have happened forty days ago, and no official information has been received by Supreme Executive, it may be presumed that It.lie account is premature. !the following peti laid on the table, viz. , of John Lewis, and ifentei This day purcliafes of Public Securities will be made by the Secratary of the Treasury, at 'his Ortice in ChcfnutrStreet. 4 c Extract of a letter from Pittfbirg, dated Nov. 18 " We have tliisday had intelligence by a half blooded Indian, who is come in from the Indian country, that general Harmar has taken the Mia mi town without resistance. " The person who brings this account left De troit the 23d of Otfiober. He fays the Indians attacked the army two or three times on their march, but were always repulsed with Ext ran of a letter J ram a member of Congrcfs, now at JVew-Tori, to his friend in this city dated De cember 2. " Mr. S ■, has this moment-received letters from England of the iyth of Ocftober, and from the hostile movements there, the alliances form ed in Europe, and the Hidden departure of a number of (hips of war and transports for the Weft Indies, war seems inevitable. I give you this information because it maybe relied on." Sometneie are, observes acorrefppudent, who shake their heads with solemn motion, and pretend to wonder what can be ths rea- , son of the new settlements on the MiJJijippi, and adjacent to (he Nat chez. This is a " wilderness,** they fay, ftiirounded with fava gcs and the scalping knife »»d >f a people are bent on making new settlements, let them fettle " in the moll cultivated parts of the United States ; and the curie will not be diminilhed by en countering nature in her moll rugged form." What can such men design !—What do their grave obfervattons amount to, but this, " that man, absolutely regardless of his own happiness and wel fare, Ihould resign himfelf, with ferenfi flupidity, to the tender mer cies of every wealthy lord and mailer, who chooses to command him ?" Thefc men imagine they perform all the offices oJUJe, if they endeavour to add to their present wealth, power and credit, without any fort of refpett or teodernefs for the " mass" of that society, under the protection whereof they live, who if they can make any immediate advantage to theinfelves, in railing the value ot their own property," in the cultivated parts of the United States," spare no language or effoits to depreciate the moll promifiug settlements of other places. Let not, however, the dreary description they present us, dis courage the flattering profpe&s of the adventurers on the Miffifip pi. Let it be remembered that this placc itfelf, this'emporium of America, now shinning with all the arts and customs of polifhcd life, was once a wilderness, inhofpitablelike the defarts by the Mif lifippi. Rather let these friends to mankind fed happy on the occasion in being the means of forming a fettlemcnt, where the people may live free as nature, which is before them, where every sensation, favourable to happiness, may be indulged, and where there is nothing to remind them of the tyranny of man ! (Independent Gazetteer.) ToobP rveaprogrefs in ourarts and manufattures mud give plea- 1 fare to every American. Musical instrument making is now carri cd to great perfection in this city. An ingenious artiil has lately turned out ot his hands several forte pianos, in point of workman ship, nothing inferior to the imported. Independent of the en couragement which everv American would naturally be inclined to give to home manufa&ures, these, inftruinrnts, on another ac count, claim a decided preference. The wood which enters into the composition of imported instruments, seasoned in London will not iland this Climate. It is well known, that the air of that capital is more moifl than ours ; then of course the imported in ftrumentwill crack and split when once affe&ed by our drier air. A; *.««. reafv' b.k «<■ irtty.*rlti3 forte piartos They aie k£f-t wifntovlnng but glue. Scr..** are also abColutely neceflary, that they may stand the I'udden chan ges here from drought to humidity .and back again. Experience, corroborates this : Imported forte-pianos require frequent repairs and in a f«w years are unfit to use. These objections aje removed by the carc our artist takes in fea fonitighis wood, and in itrengthening every part of his work with iubftantial iron screws. The large emiflion of paper money voted by the National Aflembly of France, and the tumult that accompanied the decree, seemed to forbode confufion. The latelt Engfilh arrivals however, dispel our fears ; the Aflembly has been with more calmness deliberating on the fubjetfl of taxes ; the storm that feeined immediately to threaten the Nation, has blown over, and things leem to have resumed a more quiet appearance. G. Adv. In taking a view of the present situation of the United States, there is no idea more forcibly impreflfcd on the mind, than the peace and tranquility which prevail under the auspices of the ge neral government : The inferences which naturally result from this confederation are highly complimentary to the public admi- niftration of our affairs—With one solitary exception only, not a whisper of disapprobation has been heard—and this is so confcf fedly local and partial,-that it can hardly be supposed to have the smallest influence -jut of the limits ofthe State where it originated, and even there, it is to be presumed, that a deep impression of the importance of prcferving the harmony of the States, will forcibly operate to prevent the smallest schism in the sacred bond of Union. What then remains, but that our civil fathers (hould proceed with confidence in perfecting the great work they have so ably begun ? The prtfent feflion commences under the most favorable circum ftauces ; the public approbation of men and measures has been fu generally exemplified in the recent elections, that we may justly expect, that energy, independen ■ and dispatch, in the public bu siness, which past success ? d pub: . nfidence inspire. Civil government is the Sift gift of Heaven to man—lt is the only fafeguard.of liberty—that form which Heaven has bestowed on the people of the United States, appears the most conducive to this great objefl, because it provides for an equal and jufl r:pi e frntation of the various interests of all : Had the representation been comprized in one branch, it may well be doubted whether j the public business would have been conduOed with that dispatch, 01 been so cordially accepted by the people as it has been—the de cisions of a majority of one body, can r.cver be supposed to fprak the sense ofthe people so fully as lhat of <r«fl-for the oppofitioi, in opinion which frequently occurs between the two branches, and that mutual jealousy which 's always difcernable, plainly prove that an imereft always exists among the people, which cannot be recognized anrl hav: justice done t« it, in a frngle affem- 667 The liberty of the Press, with some persons, means only a right to abuse, and render odious , public charaiflers ; others fappofe it ronfifts in an exclulive propogation and defence of their par ticular ftntiments. The abuse of public chara&ers, however, as such, while they enjoy the public confidence, is a gi ols inlult on the nujelty of the people : Men in private life julUy consider their reputation as an invaluable jewel—ami the laws have provided a sacred barrier for its defence : In the eye of the law. every man is fuppoi'ed to be innocent, who is not impeached of a crime—and peifonal at tacks on private fame excites the honell indigna tion of every good citizen—lt is therefore pre pofterons in the highelt degree to call that liberty, which fubjecfis those charaOtes to indifcriminatc obloquy, wljom the people, for real or fuppoi'ed qualifications, have (elected as the guardians of theirrights, and the sdminiitrators of their laws —it is converting a blelfing into a curse with a vengeance;, to attempt to render those ridiculous whom found policy would lead us to refpett and honor : Measures and not men are the proper fubje<sls of to a free press ; butthepar tifans of discord are generally so imcompetent to an investigation of public tranfatftions, that they find it much easier* to excite attention by having recourse to flandef and detraction, than by ana lyzing and pointing out the defedls of govern ment : That species of freedom which some per sons are clamorous to fee exercised by the Press, which anathematizes all who prefumeto think for themselves, in oppolition to the demagogues of the hour, is in reality nothing less than impudent intolerance—" that turkish policy that will bear no brother near the throne."—From such defini tions of a free press, may the enlightened citi zens of this free republic ever turn with abhor rence—" the collision of sentiment is the parent of light and truth"—and while our prefles are really free, every decent proportion will have a. candid consideration—every friend t* the happi ness and liberties of the United States will boldly offer his opinions, and the public will give them w.eight in proportion to their intrinsic merit aud importance. LATEST ARRIVALS AT PHILADELPHIA. Brig Minerva, Weft, Ruflia, 117 days. , Boys, Lilbon, 42 Philadelphia, Strong, , Charleston, German, Charleston, 17 Sloop New-York Packet, Holden, [N. Y.] 4 Lively, , St. Auftatia, 30. Postscript. BY THE MAIL ARRIVED I. AST EVENING PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 8. Latest INTELLIGENCE from SPA If BOSTON, NOV.;*},' Negociation still and that o jrcat-Britain, of the think, and talk vari rioufly. If we are to of both parties,ar immediate WAR seems inevitable : In each they are arming with the ulmoft vigour and activity ; particularly since the National AflemMy of' France hath ordered, that 45 fail of the line, befidei frigates, be immediately got readyto aflift Spain, in cafe of a War. The squadron which returned into this port the Bth tnft. is get, ting ready with all expedition, to proceed to sea— And every Jkip in the Spanijh navy is ordered ir.to commiflion--and we working oil them without intermiflion, even on Sunday. " Hoftiltties have taken place between us and the Emperor of Morocco. Two cruizers of the latter have been brought into this port, within these few days, and two or three others have been carried into neighbouring pbrts. The Moors are preparing to at tack Ceuto, where theie is a garrison of 12,000 men. Indeed it ; s expected they will assail all the citiej belonging to Spam oa the African Coast." THE following intelligence from one of the molt x< in Spain, to a gentleman w HIBERNIAN SOCIETY. AN adjourned meeting of the Hibernian Society, for the relief of Emigrants from Ireland, will be held jit Mr. Patrick Byrne's Tavern, in Front-Street, on Monday next, the 13th inft. at fix o'clock in the evening, when a Trefident, Vicc-JVefident, Se cretary, Treasurer, two Counsellors, and two Physicians, ate to be chosen. At this meeting, the folllowing proportion is to be debated " All fumsof money, paid by any person at the time of his be coming a member—all sums paid in lieu of the yearly dues—and all the donations made to the Society, shall, from time to time, be veiled in some public stock, in the'name of the President for the time being—who (hall, as occasion may require, transfer the fame to his successor. And the said stock (hall at all times be confiaer ed as the capital of this lociety : Th» principal of which (ball ne ver be made ufc of, 01 drawn upon for any purpose whatsoever. Signed by Order, MATTHEW CAREY, Src'ry. $TsKk gnl/enitat iift* titKonc number s of this humane inflt tution, are rejnefled to gwe in Unit ntmes at any time prevtvnl It the meeting, to any of the mnbers tij the ftciety. By Thomas Lang, No. 21, Church-Alley, And fold by Travcis Bailey, Joseph Crukshank, Wxi i,uu FriCHArd, and Rice and Co. in Market-Street ; ana by Thomas Dosson, William Young, and Robert Campbell, in Sccond-Street, Philadelphia, Price 12s. 6d. (not half the price oj the London edition) The Poems of Ossian, SON OF FINGAL. Tranllateil by JAMES MACPHERSON, Esa. This day is published, THE
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