PUBLISHED WEDNESDAYS AND SATURDAYS BY 10HN F£NA'O, No. 69. HiiIU.STRF.ET, BETWEEN SECOND AND THIRD STRFETS, PHILADELPHIA
[No. 6 1, of Vol. lII.] Saturday, November 26, 1791-
BY HIS EXCELLENCY
WILLIAM PATERSON, Esjuire,
Governor, Captain-General, and Commander in Chief in and over the
State of New- Jerjey, and territories thereunto belonging,
Uianceller, and Ordinary in theJame.
PROCLAMATION.
WHEREAS it is, at all times, our duly to approach the
throne of Almighty God with gratitude and piaife, hut
more efpeciaily in teafons of national peace, plenty, and prospe
rity; I have,therefore, thought fit, by and with the advice and
consent of the Honourable the Privy Council, 10 alli ;n Thuifday
the eighthdav of December next, to be set apart and observed as
a day of PUBLIC THANKSGIVING and PRAYER for the
great and manifold mercies Conferred upon this land and people ;
and particularly for the abundant produce of the earth, during
the prefertt year, for the foirit of rnduftry, sobriety, and economy
wHich prevails ; for the liability and extenfton of our national
credit and commerce, for the progress of literature, arts and sci
ence and for the good order, peace and nlcnty, and the civil and
religious liberty wilh which we are blefTed. And alio, that we
may unite in our supplications, and humbly implore the Almighty
Ruler of the Universe, that he would be pleased to continue his
protcftion and goodness to this land and people, to fniilc upon
all Ichools and seminaries of learning, to promote agriculture, ina
nufaflures and commerce, to tlluminate and guide our publtc
councils, to hlefs our national and ftatc governments, to enable us
all to discharge our official, social and relative duties wilh dili
gence and fidelity, to eradicate prejudice,bigotry and superstition ;
to advance the interests of religion, and the knowledge and prac
tice of virtue ; and for this purpose to pour out his holy spirit on
all ministers of the gospel, and to spread the saving light thereof
to the nroft drftant parts of the earth.
Given under my hand and seal at arms, at Trenton, the
twenty-firft day of November, in the year of our Lord
one thousand leven hundred and ninety-one.
By his Excellency's command,
Bowes Reed, Sec'ry.
Copy of a letter from the King of France to the
National dffembly, accepting the Constitution
Gf.ntlemen,
I HAVE examined with attention the Conflitution which vou
prefer»ted me for acceptance. I accept it, and shall fee it exe
cuted This declaration would have been fumcicnt at another
time ; but at prefcnt I owe the interests of the nation and myfelf
an explanation of the motives that have induced this acceptance. —
from the beginning of my reign I have been desirous of reform
ing abuses, and in every ast of" government, have wished to be
guided b> public opinion. Various caufcs, among which the
fuuation of the finances when I came to the throne should be men
tioned, as also the immense expences unavoidably incurred for
the support of an honourable war, carried on tor a length of time,
without an increase of taxes, had a great difproponion
between the revenues and the expences ot the state.
Fully fcnfible of the enormity of the evil, I not only looked for
a remedy, but felt the neccflity of preventing its return. I con
ceived the design of establishing public felicity upon a firm foun
dation ; and tofubje£t to invariable rules even the authority which
I exerciled. I called around me the nation to execute this design.
In the course of events brought on by the revolution —my intenti
ons have never varied. When, alter having reformed the ancient
institutions, you began to substitute for them your firft works, 1
did not wait to give them tv.y aifent that the whole Constitution
should be known to me. I favored the establishment of parts be
fore I could judge of the whole ; and though disturbances which
have attended almost every ftcp of the revolution too often were
the causes of great grief to me, I always hoped that the law would
resume its vigor in the hands of its new depositaries, and that as
you drew towards a conclusion of your labours, every day would
reltore it that refpe£t, without which the people can neither be
free nor happy. I long perfilted in this hope ; my determination
Changed, when that hope left me.
Let every one call to recollection the time when I left Paris.
The Conflitution was nearly completed, and the authority of the
laws was diminiftiing. Public opinions, far from being fixed,
appeared to be more divided than ever. The least moderate opi
nions appeared alone to have weight. The licentiousness of the
press was at its height, and no authority was refpe£ted. I could
not obtain an acquaintance with the general will, when by looking
around I could fee nothing but the laws without weight and not
enforced : Then, I mud fay it, had vou presented the Constituti
on at that time to me, I should not have thought it the interest of
the people, the constant and only rule of my conduct, that I should
have accepted it.
I enteitaineo but one sentiment : I had in view but one design :
J wilhed to retire out of the reach of every party, and examine
what was really the wish of the nation. The motives that influ
enced my conduct, no longer cxift ; since the inconveniences and
evils which I then complained of have struck you as they did me.
You have shewn a desire to restore good order ; you have at
tended to the undisciplined state of the army ; you have seen the
necessity of putting a (top to the licentiousness of the press. In
the rcvifion of your work, you have placed among the laws several
articles which have been presented me as conllitntional decrees.
You have established a lepal mode of reviling the Conflitution.
At length the public wish is known to me ; I have f en it evi
denced in the attachment of the people to your work, and to a
monarchical form of government.
I therefore accept the Conftitucion, I promise to support it in
the kingdom, ro defend it a gain ft foreign violence, and to procure
its execution by all the means which it places within my power.
I declare, that convinced of the attachment of the great majority
of the people to the Couftitution, I gave up the right of concur
rence, which I had called for in this work, and that being respon
sible to the nation alone, no one has a lo complain ol this de
parture from my original requifuion.
I should how ever deviate from truth, if I said that I have per
ceived in the administrative and executive authority all the energy
lieceirary to put in motion, and preserve harmony in all the parts
of this wide extended empire : But since opinions areat this time
divided on this fubjeft, I consent that experience alone should be
Ihe judge. When 1 shall have put into action all the powers plac
ed in my hands, I can fuller no reproach, and the nation, whose
intcieft tiiould bed comlaui rule, will explain itfclfiu the manner
WILLIAM PATERSON.
laid down in the Constitution. But to strengthen liberty and the
Constitution, to promote the individual happiness of every French,
man, certain interests pofttively cail for the re-union of all our ef
forts. These interests are, refpedt for the laws, the le-eftabhlh
ment of good order, and the re-union of citizens.
At this time the Constitution being finally eftabliflied, French
men living under the fame laws should know no other enemies
than those who disregard them—Discord and anarchy—they are
our common enemies : I will oppose them with all my might.
It is impoitant that vou and your fucccftors should second my ef
forts with energy. Without attempting to controul thought, the
law prote&s equally all those whose a6hons are in conformity to
it. Let those whom fear of perfections and disturbances have
driven from their country, find, when they return, security and
tranquility: And to put an end to feuds, to foften the diftrefTes
which a great revolution always occasions, and, that the law ma)
from tins time command with full energy and be well executed,
let us consent to forget the past. Let accusations and prosecuti
ons, which took their rife in events which accompanied the revo
lution, die away, and let an universal reconciliation take place.
I make no mention of those who have been guided only by their
attachment for me : Is it pollibie that you fticuld deem them
guilty ?—With regard to those who, having been guilty of cxcefles
that involved nerfonal injuries, have drawn upon their heads the
vengeance of the laws, I prove to them, that lam King of all
Frenchmen.
P. S. I have thought, gentlemen, that I ought to pronounce my
solemn acceptance of the Constitution in the midst of the Repre
sentatives of the Nation, and on the Ipot where the Constitution
was framed ; I (hall therefore come to the National Assembly to
morrow at noon.
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, SEPT. 13.
dfler the King hadfubfcribed the oath, the President made the following
jut'W/r o
INVETERATE abuses, which had long triumphed over the
good intentions of our best Kings, and which would still have con
tinued to defy the authority of the throne, kept France under op
preflion.
The National Aflembly, entrusted with the wishes, the rights
and power of the Deople, has, by the deftruffion of all abuses, r£-
established the solid foundation of public prosperity.
Sire, what the National Aflembly has decreed, is ratified by the
consent of the people : the molt complete execution in all the parts
of the empire attests the general assent. It defeats the weak,
schemes of those whom discontent has too long rendered blind to
their own interests. It protnifes to your Majesty, that you will no
longer wifli in vain for the happiness of the French.
The National Aflembly has nothing more to wish for on this
ever-memorable day, wherein you consummate, in the midst of
them, the most solemn engagement —the acceptation of the consti
tutional royalty. It is the attachment of the trench—it is their
confidence which confer upon you this pure and refpe&ful title to
the faireft crown in the universe * and that which secures it to you,
is, Sire, the inexhaustible authority of a Constitution freely de
creed : it is the invincible strength of a people, who has felt itfelf
worthy of liberty : it is the want of hereditary monarchy, which
will always be indifpenfible to luch a great nation.
When your Majesty, expefling from experience the light which
it will throw upon the pra£hcal results of the Constitution, pro
mi fes to maintain it within and to defend it agfiivjl enemies from with
out, the nation, relying on the justice of their rights, and on the
consciousness of their strength and courage, as well as on the car
ncftnefsof your co-operation, cannot fee any ground of alarm I rom
without, and will concur by its quiet confidence in the quick suc
cess of its internal government.
How great to our eyes, dear to our hearts, and how sublime
will appear in our history the cera of this regeneration, which gives
citizens to France—a country to the French ;to you as a king, a
title to greatness and glory, and to you, as a man, a new source of
enjoyment and new fandlions ot happiness!
The fill owing Address from the General Assembly of
St. Domingo, was read in the House of Represen
tatives 0/ the United States, on Monday lafl.
TO THE HONORABLE IMS CONGRESS OF THE
UNITED STATES.
Gentlemen,
IN our letter of the 24 th of last August, you
received information of the misfortunes, which
had befallen the northern part of this flourjfhing
colony. Our whole force, though very limited,
has been levelled against the ravagers, who are
it waste ; and we have so far accomplish
ed our ends, as, if not to effect their total reduc
tion, at least to check the evil in its progress.
That unhappy cataflropbe forced the General
Assembly of the French part of Saint Domingo to
embrace every means of fafety, indispensable in
similar cases, and rendered necessary by the ur
gency of circumstances ; in consequence of which,
the flipping in general, and, among the reft,
the velfels belonging to your nation, have ex
perienced some little delay in their departure.
But, desirous of maintaining the union and har
mony, that subsist between France (of which we
conttitute a part) and your States—desirous also
of telHfying, as far as in their power, their
arateful acknowledgment of the generous servi
ces offered and rendered to the colony, by the
brave fubjecfts of the United States—the General
Assembly, in concert with the King's representa
tive have in the firft plate, set aside the Droit
d'Aubaine, in favor of such as might fall vie
tims to their own zeal and courage. The Aflem
bly would have wifbed to abolish it forever, and
to extend the exemptionstothe Americans inge
iH»p>l, b ' Jt tllis ob J e<rt k eln ° a conftitutio " al
241
answer.
[Whole No. 269-]
point, they intend to apply for it to the mother
country ; and we have not a doubt, that flie will
eagerly gratify our wiflies.
In the next place, having taken into consider*
ation the obstacles, experienced by Mr. Sylvanus
BoHrne your consul in this colony, to the regii
try of his credentials—obstacles, which were oc
casioned by certain formal defedis—the General
Aflembly haltened to remove them, and to give
orders that the said credentials ihould be regis
tered.
Finally, under the constant influence of those
principles of jultice and equity, which cement
the union between the two allied nations, and
desirous of corresponding with the views of
France, who will ever hold clear that memora
ble epoch, when {he saw permanent security given
to the unlimited freedom of a nation, that has
furniihed her with the glorious example, for the
recovery of her own rights so long misunderstood
— the General Aflembly have,in favor of the Ame
ricans, liaflened to take off the embargo, which
the unfortunate fituarion of affairs had obliged
them to lay on all vessels without diftin<ftion.
But 111 vain would the colony have recovered
her former tranquility, if the means of applying
a speedy remedy to the evil were not to be em
ployed. The General AiTembly have therefore
determined to fend to your body two new coni
milfioners, Meflrs. De Beauvois and Payan, who
ate provided with letters from the Aflenibly and
.the King's representative.
The General Afleiubly do not entertain a doubt,
that you will together with a favorable recep
tion to them, give your allent to the requisitions
which they are empowered,ro make of you, the
fucce<*s of which will undoubtedly extend its influ
ence to the commerce, which the fubje<fis of the
United States carry orr with this colony.
With this pleasing hope, we contemplate their
departure, and diretft them to the representa
tives of a generous nation, the friend and ally of
France since the year i 782, the period when
fully recovered her liberty.
t 1. 1 • *
I have the honor to be, Gentlemen,
Yournioft obedient humble servant,
J. PONCIGNON, President.
Cape-Francois, Oflober 13, 1791.
CONGRESS.
PHILADELPHIA.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
TUESDAY November iy, 1791.
IN COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE.
Debate on the Ratio of Representation,
(continued.)
MR. STEELE laid he should not have trou
bled the committee again if his observa
tions had not been dill or ted by the remarks
which had been made 011 them ; he hoped that
what he should offer on some of the opinions
which had fallen from gentlemen in opposition
to him would be received with that candoc.wiih
which he should deliver them. He profe&d to
be as warm a friend to the liberties of the peo
ple as any man, but he differed in his ideas ref
pe&ing the nieafures which would moil effectu
ally fecurethem; the prefentqueftion he thought
was not particularly interelting to the liberties
of the people, as the point of difference would,
not make a very great variation in that number
of the representative body which appeared to ba
the most eligible to the majority of the committee;
but tlie principle contended for, he conceived
had a very important afpetft on the (lability of
the government ; the fubje<st therefore should
be considered principally with refpedt to legisla
tion ; the great and efTential principles of which
he observed were involved in the difrulfion—and
here he thought that our own experience was the
bctl inttrutftor, for the examples quoted from
Great-Britain did not in his opinion apply to this
country in all refpeifts > the circumitances of the
people of the refpedive countries are efTentially
different.