PUBLISHED WEDNESDAYS AND SATURDAYS BY JOHN FENNO, No. 69, MARKET.STREET, BETWEEN SECOND AND THIRD STREETS, PHILADELPHIA
[No. 68, of Vol. ll.] Wednesday, De c ember 22, 1790.
ROME.
' | "'HE reports spread abroad in foreign coun
tries, ofpretended disturbances, which have
obliged his Holiness and leveral of the Cardinals
to leavethis city are destitute offoundation. Eve
ry thing is in the molt perfect tranquility, which
lo well suits the speculative life we lead. Poor
Caglioftro is more closely guarded than ever. It
mult be believed that he is detained for some ca
pital crime, for he is confined within five iron
doors, guarded by eight armed men. What a
reverse of fort une ! The Capuchin, his fellow
iufferer, is closely examined, and it is afl'ured
that their sentence will speedily be pronounced.
CONSTANTINOPLE
The particulars relative to the action in the
Black Sea are not yet received. The heights of
CafFra were before them. The Captain Pacha had
■with him a fleet of jy veffels—lo caravellers, 5 fri
gates, 10 kii langi{hars, and ;o cannoniei s. The
aiftion was so far in favor of the Turks, that the
Ruffians loft four frigates, and the Turks have
loft not even one.—The battle lasted seven hours.
That there mull have been some severe work,
is however certain, for the Admiral's (hip of the
Turkilh fquadrou received 80(hots, through her
fides ; nevertheless, preserving all her rigging
unimpaired, she got tfieltered in the fleet.
VIENNA, Sept. J
Accounts from Wallachia mention, that the
Grand Vizier had actually crofled the Danube
■with 30,000 men, but that when the second co
lumn were ordered to follow, they absolutely re
fufed it, and in confequencea regular battle en
sued, in which 1.000 men were killed. The
Grand Vizier has thereby been compelled to
recrofs the river, and the corps under the Prince
of Cobourg and General Suwarow, jwliich march
ed on the y6th of August to receive him, will
consequently ]ofe their errand. The Ruffians
are all now in motion, in four divisions.
The firft, of 10,000 men, under General Su
warow, with the Prince of Saxe Cobourg ; the
second, under Prince Repnin ; the third, under
Prince Gallitzin, is to undertake the siege of If
mael ; and the fourth under prince Poiemkin is
36,000, in the neighborhood of Bender.
LIVERPOOL, October 2
A Hint to Tradesmen. —A man in business who
dwelt in Dublin lately, finding it iinpoffible to
get in his book debts, advertised them to be fold
by AuCiion, pledging himfelf at the fame time
to prove each debt for the putchafer : the alarm
■which this excited w.is such, that in less than a
week not a single debt was to be found uncrofled
in the books of the Advertiser ! Probatum eft.
Last week one Watson, who had been reaping
in a field at Hanham, near Bristol, being much
fatigued, he lay down and fell asleep under a
hedge, when a viper, or some other venomous
creature, bit him under one of his eyes, which
caused his head to swell in a very extraordinary
manner, and of which he died in a few days af
ter, though the best medical advices had been
obtained.
On Tuefdaylaft, some workmen employed in
removing a large hedge bank, upon the estate of
John J. Atherton, Esq. at Walton-Hall, near
this town, they discovered an earthern mug,
containing upwards of a tlioufaud pieces of silver,
and one piece of gold, wrapped up in a leather
bag. It is supposed they were concealed there
during the Parliament Wars, as none of them
are of a later date than King Charles the First,
there are many of Queen Elizabeth, and a few
of Philip and Mary.
LONDON, September 30.
Tuesday night, at ten o'clock, the Remains of
his late Royal Highness. Henry Frederick, Duke
of Cumberland, &c. were privately interred in
the chapel of King Henry VII. at Westminster.
The lervice was read by the Dean of Westmin
ster : after which Garter King at Anns proclaim
ed his Royal Highnefs's Stile, which concluded
the ceremony. During the procession, which
began at nine, from the Prince's Chamber, min
ute guns were fired ; and St. Paul's, and other
churches, tolled minute bells. The procession,
with the different preparations previously made,
are estimated at the expence of joool.
A g-entleman, desirous of improving the breed
of sheep, lately purchased a Ram from a gen
tleman, in Leicefterlhire, for which lie gave
300 guineas. -
On Saturday night there was a general f'weep
below Bridge, and scarce a ship in the river but
was honored by a visit from a Lieutenant in the
impress service.
The King of Hungary ha» resigned the Dutcliy
of Tttfcajiy to his son, in rivtue of a treaty signed
by him for that purpose, in cafe he Ihould luc
ceed to the Throne of Hungary.
The Afleinbly of the National Parisian Guards
on the 13th decreed, That they would go into
mourning eight days for all the citizen soldiers
who died for their country in the affair of Nancy.
CONGRESS.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Sketch of the Debatu on the MILITIA BILL,
THURSDAY, Dec. 16.
MR. PARKER observed, the clause which
enacftsthat every man in the United States
shall " provide himfelf" with military accoutre
ments, would be found impracticable, as it mult
be well known that there are many persons who
are so poor that it is impofTible they -should coin
ply with the law : He conceived therefore, that
provision should be made for arming such persons
at the espence of the United States. He then
gave notice that in the course of the discussion
of the bill, he [hould move an amendment to this
purpose
Mr. Oilman observed, that obliging persons to
turn out in the militia till th«y were fifty years
of age, agreeable to the bill, would be found
unneceilary and inconvenient —and is, laid he,
contrary to the pracftice of the several States—
few, if any, requiring militia duties to be per
formed after the age of forty-five. He moved
therefore that fifty beftruck out, and forty-five
inserted.
Mr. Vining objected to the motion : He ob
served that a great proportion of our citizens,
especially thole at the eastward and northward,
were as capable of military services at fifty as at
any period : Many in the ranks of the late Con
tinental army, were he believed fifty and upwards,
who were as good foldisrsas any in the service—
He thought the alteration unneceflary.
Mr. Gilman replied, that he conceived the ge
neral practice of the States, which was found 011
experience to be the bed, wgs a fufficient answer
to the gentleman lad speaking, and would sanc
tion the adoption of the amendment he proposed.
Mr. Lawrance said that by the laws of the State
of New-York, persons above 45 years of age are
not enrolled to do duty in the militia—and he
thought that 50 was. a period too late in life to
be fubje<ft to military bardfhips, if it could be a
voided.
Mr. Williamfon was in favor of the motion—
Tho he had seen men in the field who were ad
vanced in life, it had not been without pain—He
thought from 16 to 18 too early a period—Many
at that tender age fell facrifices to sickness and
fatigue.
Mr. Gilman's motion being put was carried in
the affirmative.
Mr. Ficzfnnons luggefted to the consideration
of the committee, whether it would be the moll
eligible mode to fubjecft all the citizens from 18
to 45 years of age, without exception, to turn out
as soldiers. A much smaller number would in
his opinion answer all the purposes of a militia.
He thought the active militia might be comprised
within a much smaller number, to be proportion
ed to thecitizens of each State. The militialaw
of Pennsylvania had been of this general com
plexion, and had never compensated in its ope
ration for the uneasiness it had excited, and the
tax and grievance it had been to the people.
Mr. Boudinot said, that the idea now fuggelted
was debated in the committee—and the)' could
not agree upon any other mode than that propo
sed in the bill. He very much disapproved the
idea of making a soldier of every man between
i 3 and 4J years of age—there is a manifell im
propriety in the measure—and he wished some
gentleman would propose an alteration.
-677-
o
[Whole No. i 72.]
Mr. Lnwrance said that the idea of the gentle
man f.oin Pennsylvania llruck at the principle of
the bill—but as the hint may be not unworthy
of consideration, he proposed thathefhould form
a motion, and reduce it to writing.
Mr. Fnzfimons apologised for engrossing the
time of the committee, cfpecially as he had not
prepared an amendment to that part of the bill
to which he objected, not having contemplated
the fobje<ft fufficiently—but on ptrnfing the bill
it had been forcibly imprefled on his mind, that
fubje<fling the whole body of the people to be
drawn out four or five times a year, was a great
and annecellary tax on the community—that it
could not conduce, either to the acquisition of
military knowledge, or the advancement of mo
rals. As far as the whole body of the people are
neceflary to the general defence, they ought to
be armed ; but the law ought not to require
more than is necefl'ary—for that would be a jult
caufeof complaint.
Mr. Wadfworth said, that it appeared to him
the gentleman's objection went only to that part
of the bill which points out the number of days
to be devoted to training; the militia—as he had
conceded that all from 18 to 45: ought to be arm
ed.
Mr. Jackson said that he was of opinion that
the peopleof America would never consent to be
deprived of the privilege ofcarrying arms—Tho
it may prove burthenfonie to some individuals to
be obliged to arm themselves, yet it wonld not
be so considered when the advantages were jull-
Ij eflimated. Original institutions of this na
ture are highly important : The Swiss cantons
owed their emancipation to their militia eftab
lilhment—The Englilh cities rendered themselves
formidable to the Barons, by putting arms into
the hands of their militia—and when the militia
united with the Barons, they extorted Magna
Charta from King John —In France we recently
fee the fame salutary etFetfisfrom arming the mi
litia—ln England, the tnilitia has of late been
neglecfted—the consequence is a {landing army—
In Ireland we have seen the good efFecfts of arm
ing the militia, in the noble efforts they have
made to emancipate their country. If we neg
lect the militia, a (landing army must be introdu
ced ; but if the idea suggested by the gentleman
from Pennsylvania is adopted, certain clafles inuft
be drawn out, and kept for months together—
which would prove as great a burthen as a (land
ing army : None of the States he observed, have
adopted such a plan—lll Georgia the militia ser
vice has been as drift, as is contemplated -by the
bill—but they have never complained : In are
public every man ought to be a soldier, and pre
pared to resist tyranny and usurpation, as well as
invasion—and to prevent thegreateft of all evils
a (landing army.—Mankind have been divided
into three clafles, Shepherds, Husbandmen, and
Artificers—of which the Jaft make the word mi
litia ; but as the arts andfciences are the (ources
of great wealth to the community, which may
excite the jealousy and avarice of neighbors, this
class ought to be peculiarly qualified to defend
themselves and repel invasions—and as this coun
try is rising fad in manufa<stures, the arts and
sciences—and from her fertile foil may expert
great affluence, (he ought to be able to protert
that and her liberties from within herfelf.
Mr. Parker here introduced his motion, to a
mend the bill by a proviso, that persons who shall
make it appear that they are not able to equip
themselves, lhall be furniflied at the expence of
the United States.
Mr. Wadfwerth objected to this amendment:
He said it would empower the officers to create
an enormous charge against the United
He said he had read almolt all the militia laws ot
the several States, and had found no such provi
sion in one of them—there is not a considerable
number of such persons in any of the States—and
rather than have thisprovifo inferred, he would
prefer a clause to excuse them altogether.
Mr. Parker said, that in Virginia there is a law,
which provides that poor persons, not able to
arm themselves, should be equipped at the ex
pence of the State. In every State there are
doubtless many such persons, who ought to be
provided for by the general government —and
if they are not, the law is rendered impractica
ble—as you require more than is poflible for them
to perform—As to excusing such poor perfous
from military duty, they would be found in cases
of emergency, very ufeful to defend those, who
do not chufe torilk their own persons.