\ meffa>c was received from the Senate, communicating for
urrcnce, a bill pass din thai body, entitled an ast relative to
COI -' ication ofthe PrelideiVt and the Vice-Pi'tffident, and declaring
the oiiicer who ihouid ast as President in caie of vacancy in the
nice of President and Vice-Prefident* Adjourned.
THURSDAY, December i
eogrofied bill making com p|nfat 1011 to widows, orphans
an rt invalids in certain calcs, was read the third lime, and parted
__il e title was altered to read—" An ast for the relief ot widows,
orphans, invalids and other persons."
The bill which has palkd the Senate, entitled, " An ast relative
10 chafing electors of President and Vice-Piefident of the United
Siatcs, &w." was read the full time.
"A report from the Secretary of War, on the petition of Captain
Thomas Campbell, was read and laid on the table.
In committee of the whole on tire bill for the relief of David
Cook This bill received conhderable difcufliqn—various alura
tions were propoled, and reeled —the bill was finally agreed to,
without any amendment, and so reported to the lioufe.
Mr Parker moved in the houie, to add a clause to the bill pro
viding for the placing Capt. Thomas Campbell, an invalid, oh the
pcnfion lift. This motion being agreed to, itwasordcied that
the bill be engrofled for a third rcadtng.
On motion of Mr. Fitzfimons, resolved, That a committee be
appointed to bring in a bill to explain and amend the acts relating
to the 7 years half-pay, promised to the widows and orphans ot
officers who have died in the service of the United States, and of
pcrfoiis who are or have been entitled io pensions as invalids—and
Messrs. Lawrahce, Fitzfimons and Barnwell, were appointed.
A representation ot the legislature of New-llamplhiie r on the
fu'ojcft of invalid penfioncrs, was read and referred to the above
committee. •
A number of petitions were read and reterred to the Secretary
of War.
A petition from sundry seamen who were in the service of the
United States the late «rar, was read and referred lo the Secretary
of War.
A petition of Peter Hezler, praying the renewal of a 101 l certi
ficate, was read, and referred to the Secretdry of the Treasury.
FRIDAY, December 2.
Faffed, the bill for the relief of David Cook and
Thomas Campbell.
Rend the .Second ri;rte, and referred to a com
mittee of the whole house on Wednesday next,
the bill relative to the election of President and
Vice Prefident—alio determining the officer who
iliall atS: as President in cafe of vacancy in the
office of President anil Vice-Pi efidem.—Ordered
to be printed in the interim.
A petition from the Society of the United Bre
thren, refpeifting certain lands in the WcUern
Territory, was presented by Mr. Hciltcr—read,
anil referred to the committee appointed to bring
in a bill providing for the sale of vacant lands.
11) committee of the whole, on the bill making
appropriations for the iupport ot Government
for the year I 792.
Mr. Muhlenberg in the chair
The bill ami eltimates being read, Mr. Parker
observed that he could have wished the result of
a full enquiry into the expenditures of monies
heretofore appropriated, had been communicated
to the committee of the whole, by the feled: com
ini:tee—if such enquiry had been made, he should
wilh to hear.it; for he (hould not think liirnfelf
'jurtifieii'in giving his vote for the bill, until (bine
information 011 this fubjedt was obtained.
These observations led to alengthy difcufiion 1
of the biifinefs—the remarks principally refpeft
ed the gross funis in the eltimates, on which the
bill was, founded—it was contended that the
items which composed thofc ftfms should be par
ticularly detailed to the committee, in order to
judging of. the propriety of making thfc appro
priations mentioned in the bill ; the difcpilion
ended a motion for the committee to rife, and'
report progress—which being put,was carried in
the affirmative.—The committee accordingly rose
and had leave to fit again.
On motion of Mr. Lawranceit was voted, that
the Treasurer's account of the receipts and ex
penditures of public monies (hall be printed.
Mr. Gerry laid the following motion in fub
•ftarree on the table, that the executive officers of
government fhoulcLqn the third Monday of eve
ry annual feflion of Congress lay before the house
a particular account of the expenditure of public
money, committed to their disposal by adis of
appropriation.
Mr. Fitzfimons laid on the table the following
motion—That a committee be-appoirrted to exa
mine and report, at every feflion of C<>ngrefs,
the state of the Treasury Department—and that
such report be made to the house on the second
Monday of the session.
A reprefentarion from the legislature of Maffa
ehuf'etts on the fubjeift of invalid pensioners, was
. communicated by Mr.Atues,and read. Adjourned.
BOSTON, November 19.
The receipt of the intelligence of the Ratification of the French
Constitution, by Louis XVI. spread fatistattion and joy through
all ranks of citizens in this metropolis. The bells were rung, and
arnidft the Thanksgivings of the day offered to Almighty God, in
our Temples, that pleasing event very largely partook. In the
evening the houfc of the Hon. Coniul of Fiance, and several others,
were beautifully illuminated.
N E W-Y O R K, November 29.
The present situation of the Suic debts, is a curious one. Con
gress resolved that as thofc debts were contra&ed for the support
®' the war, they ought to be paid out of the Continental treasury.
1 ncy were therefore adopted as Continental debts, but under
•ertain rcftriftions.—lt was clear enough that if one State debt
which was incurred for the general defence, ought to be ailumcd,
another ol the fame complexion ought likewise to be alTumed ;
y«from an oveillrained fqueaniiHinefs, a certain limit was fixed,
and only a given sum a (Turned in each State, tho' it was prcviouflv
known that the debt exceeded that limit ir» several of the
ta f- The creditors of thole States fubferibed to the loan open-
Cl by Congress, but it turns out that there is an overplus beyond
1 uium aflumed— what is to be done with it ? If the creditor ap-
p.ics to the State to pay, or fund that overplus, the State will na
turally (ay to h'nn, '• your debt is no longer a State debt—it is a
C lntinental debt— CongTefs have so declared it—we are bound
by tlieir acts you inuft look to them for ic—you have taken them
as paymalU i ,s, bv fubferibing to tin ir loan, .and you have Oi.'wri
that you preferred their credit to our's, you cannot therefore with
any decen y resort to us." Unless Cowgrefs make a provision for
this overplus, the Creditors mull lore it. This is, however, not
to be apprehended : tnc ftrift regard hitherto (hewn to juftice,by
that body, 1 ;.a flattering prel.ige, that they will not leave undone
that work they have so honorably begun, more t facially,as they
have by their atfc Induced the State creditors into this dilemma,
and as (rom the present ;*ufpicious (late of the public revenues, it
is manifett that a com pleat afluinptiou will require no impolitions
of further burdens.
LF i others boafl that they are brutes, I glory thnt I'm a
i "• ° ; '-ers w :1a lor eternal flcxp. I (hall be for ever a wake.
Let others waste their golden hours in proving that God is falfe,
I ieel some thing within which proves that his word is true, though
others confjgn foul and body to the dull, the clods of the valley
cannot cover my foul. No ! legions of angels can't -confine me
to the grave, my body was dirfigned ror the dud; but my foul
will inherit the world of fouls ! alas ! what is l.i/* if w.e
LIVE NOT FOR EVER !"
MAN
Philadelphia, December 5.
Accounts from the Southward iuform, that the Commissioners
who met at R*nck Landing, in Georgia, for the purpose of running
the line agreeable to the tieaty with the Creeks, waited till the be?
ginning of November for the Creek Chiefs, when they despaired
of being able to effe& the buiinefs this season. The difficulties
which preventea thc Chiefs from attending, are said to be raised
by the famous Bowles, who aruved in the Creek country in SeD
tembei !alr.
Adjourned
i he samples of Buttons from the manufa&ory in Connecticut,
which are presented for inlpedtion to the members of Congress,
afford the fulleft evidence of the practicability of furnifhing, with
out importation, (hat ncceffary article, upon the cheapest terms,
and of the best quality
We have the pleasure of announcing to the public, that the sub
scription book lor opeuing the Canal and Lock Navigation, be
tween the rivers Suluuehaunah and Schuylkill, by the waters of
Quitapahilla and Tolpehocken, in this State, was opened by the
Commissioners appointed by law, at the State-House, on Thursday
last, when upwards of 500 (hares, the number required by la»v to
empower the Governor to incorporate the said Company, was fub
feribed for before one o'clock. This is another initance of the
public spirit of the inhabitants of this State.
We received by vefterday's poll. No. 3, of 44 The Morning
Ray ; or impartial oracle." a new paper published at
Wind for, Hate of Vermont. Motto,
44 The icildernefsfhallbud and blojfom as the rose."
".Your papers for three months past, have not more than two
thirds reached this place, and not one since the 9th inft. whereas
wc ought to have them as late as the 16th or 17th. Many times
their transportation may be impeded by the quantity of public
dispatches to the different officers ; but this is not the sole cause.—i
The Salaries ol Postmasters do not pay any thing for their trouble,
and until some law of the United States is passed for the fafe trans
portation of papers, they-will continue to be flopped. The office
of Postmaster is a confidential one, arid the pay should be Sufficient
to employ men who are attached to "the public intereff, as con
nected with the means of information."
Why should we he terrified at the charge of opening free
fchools for all the children ? It is not every expence that makes
us the poorer. It is baying feed com—it will fpraut and bear a
crop that will pay the firft cost an hundred told.
The more men can be made to think, the better; books have the
tendency-—But they are dear and scarce. All the lazy, and aim oil
all the busy, negle6l them, because it is a talk. Who would be
gin that could not or would not finifh the reading one? Every
body reads the Almanac—it is the poor man's library—but the
lesson, though good, is too seldom taught.
A newspaper is cheap, of small bulk, and goes everywhere—be
sides, it is a treat which always creates an appetite, lorcuriofity is
sauce to ir. Add to all this, it is daily, or weekly, served—it is a
kind of (landing dish. A newipaper, therefore, is a valuable
utensil of knowledge—it tells us fatls at the minute we are curious
to know them-—it tells us also the opinion oi the world upon
them. We keep company with the absent; we are, by their
means, made acquainted with strangers—we feel, in solitude, a
sympathy with mankind—without abstruse thinking, we receive
the truths which others have hammered out. Men stick to their
business, and yet the public is addressed as a town meeting. Yet
the Gazettes follow us to our closets, and give us counted there.
With all this pleasure, and more than all this use, they need not
cofl any thing, to the public, to be made easy of circulation thro'
all parts of the country.
Where equal laws secure property, men will exert all their fa
culties to get it. Thecaufe being general, the efforts will be so
too. Industry will spring up, and work wonders. In this way,
the rration will grow rich. Government has nothing to do, in
this affair, but to maintain the laws which protefl property. For
who would work for what he could not be allowed to keep ? The
boast of their laws of navigation—their bounties on the
cod and whale fiftieries, &c,—as if the hands of industry could
work the better for being tied. They may have more seamen,
for having bounties and prohibitions—but they certainly have less
wealth. The fa£l proves it—for if more was not to be gained
otherwise, there would be no occaficn for bounties,to the whale
men, &c. A rich nation will have much to buy—an industrious
nation much to fell. This is traffic or commerce. When will
nations follow the laws of nature, and depend, for the prosperity
of trade, on the abundance of the sources of iudividual industry,
from which it is to be supported.
The public good is the supreme obiett in forming the social
compact—and every government is good in proportion as iis ad
ministration appreciates tha» object—but a (Irange infatuation has
prevailed at different periods of the world, which lias led ihe rulers
of {fates and kingdoms to draw a fatal line of separation between
their own interrft and that of the people. Mankind are at length
awaking from their lethargy, and alfeiting their own dignity and
importance. It will not be long before a jull policy will lead the
legifiators of the earth to adopt the public opinion as the guide of
their condu£f—Th'is will ensure prcfent applaule, and future fame,
for the people are always in favor of conterring honors and re
wards on the benefa£lors ol the human race.
It fomctimes happens that the love nf one truth is so warm a;
to make men cold towards another. The right to wordi'p God
according to one's own conscience, is no longer disputed in our
country. Perhaps the care which has been wifely taken to pre
vent any violation of this right, has produced an over jealousy in
regard to the provilions which are made in some Stales, and not
made in others, for the public tcachin* of morality. It feeros to
251
The SOUL.— an extract.
Extratt of a letter to the Editor,
be manUeflly ira proper to make a man of one persuasion pay
taxes for the propagation of another. But the great duties of mo
rality are alike inculcated by all feds. The world is doubtlels
mended by the pains which have been bestowed upon it once a
week. —The Clergy of this country h jve been the patrons of lite
rature, and the examples of good morals, ever iince it was fettled.
Who can fay that the laws we have in force would have been
fmnd ftroncr eriough., had not the love and relpetl for good mo
rals, which for more than a century have been infufed from the
pulpit into the minds of youth, as well as confirmed in persons of
mature age, contributed all their influence to enforce them ? The
more is done by opinion, the Icfsoccafum for law and for punish
ments. As no provision is made by law in fevcral of the States
"for the regular support of the C! rgy, should not this great ad
vantage be secured by the munificence of individuals? While,
therefore, (o many new eftablifhmcuts are making, new funds
created, and new settlements forming, it will be proper to reserve
_ lands, or by other means to begin funds for so laudable a purpose.
What better use could be made of wealth than to form such funds
by fubferiptions ?—if to this fhonld be added provision for
schools, it would be a further security again (I vice and barbai ism.
When men live alone, they run wild—to tame them, they mil ft be
broui'ht together. The advantages rcfulting from regular public
worship, have been too long enjoyed by focicty to require any ii r
Juftration. It is to be lamented if there is any part of our coun
try where these advantages are yet to be secured.
It is proposed bv the bill reported for the eftablifnment of the
Pbft-Office, that Newspapers (hall he sent to fubferibers through
that medium, fubjeft to a tax of half a cent each. This idea has
been obje£ted to, as a precedent on which a heavy impofmon may
be founded at some future period; it is said also, that it will
check the circulation of those ufeful vehicles of information.
The object contemplated bv the committee which reported the
bill, it is fairly to be presumed was not to check, but to promote
the ci 1 culation of Newfpapeis. The complaints of irregularity in
receiving the papers published at the feat of government are in
numerable ; supposing a small addition to the expence of the sub
scription would inlure their punctual reception by the fubferibers,
it mufl be evident, that their circulation would be greatlv extend
ed. Something mull be done to remove present complaints and
difficulties, or the idea of a general diffusion of intelligence by
the means of Newfoapers will be abandoned altogether—on its
present plan, it is ruinous to the printers.—Additional trouble
and expence in the Poft-Office department, will be the cons
quence of making that a sure and certain medium for the circula
tion of Newfpapeis. The qucftion is, how shall this expence be
defrayed ? Let the government of the United States fay, that the
expence shall be a public charge. A correspondent is firmly per
suaded that such a measure would meet the approbation of the ci
tizens of the United States, he is very sure it would merit the ap
plause of every fiiend to the 44 rights of man" throughout the
globe.
At a meeting of the Subscribers to the National Manufactory on
Monday last at Trenton, the following gentlemen were chosen
Dirc&ors.
Thomas Lowrey,
John Bavard,
Eliflia Boudinot,
Archibald Mercer,
Moore Furman,
John Neilfon,
William Duer,
William Marshall, a tinker, of Crofsmichacl, is now u&. He
might pass for a man of 60.
Here is a fjne fellow for a Tontine !
An action was lately tried, brought by Mrs. Bcckford, against
farmer Throp, her tenant, for leaving her farm, at the expiration
of his lease, greatly out of repair ; and for carrying the dung and
comport off the farm, during the last year of his term. VerdiCt
for the plaintiff 201. damages.—This verditk eftabhfhes the fun
damental law that tenants, holding under a repairing lease, shall
leave the premises in a tenantable condition ; and that the dung
made upoii.the.land (hall, be expended upon it. London pap.
IMPROMPTU.
THE people pay, and ought to know
For what the public taxes go ;
To this no mortal e'er said nay,
And yet they talk'd the live-long day.
From PELOSrs MARINE LIST.
ARRIVALS *t the PORT of PHILADELPHIA.
Brig Jason,
Bet fey,
Lydia,
Snow Jane,
Schooner Sanfoucie, Cooper,
Mary, Welden,
Metompkin, Barafit,
Tryal, Vannenan,
Eagle, Spren,
Sloop Ann, Forreft,
Sophia, Connell,
Philadelphia Packet, Tanner,
Polly, Bunker,
Favorite, Smith,
Dolphin, Bailey,
PRICE CURRENT.—PUBLIC SECURITIES.
N FUNDED DEBT.
6 pr. Cents 22/ 22/2 pr. £. jn pr. ccnt.
3 pr. Cents 12/6 12/$ 63J do.
Defered 6 pr. Cents 13/ 13/3 do.
UNFUNDED DEBT.
Final Settl. and other Certificates i$J6 20/*
Indents 11fS
Bank Subscriptions, 144.
American Lead Manufactory.
STEPHEN AUSTIN, & Co.
HAVE just now opened their Leab-Warehouse, two doors
south of Walnut-ft reel Wharf, adjoining their New Factory
where they have now made, arid ready for sale, a general alFort
ment of SHOT of all sizes, with SHEET and BAR LEAD, the
production of the Mines in Virginia. As they have employed a
number of experienced EnglilK workmen, they warrant 11 to be
equal in quality to any manufactured in Europe, and at a reduced
price from the prime cost of imported.
They also continue to manufacture all the above articles at
Richmond, in Virginia. All orders addressed to either of the
above Faflories, will be thankfully received, and execntcd on the
lhorteft notice.
N. B. Wanted, indubious, sober, Labouring Men, at the said
Mines, where constant employ, good wages, and other encourage
ments will be given, means of conveyance being provided, and
houses for their reception.
For further particulars enquire of Messrs. Mosis Austin&Co.
at their Factory in Richmond, or as above.
Philadelphia, Dacmicr 3,1791,
George Lewis,
Benjamin Walker,
John Dewhurft,
Nicholas Low,
Royal Flint,
Alexander M'Comb.
Meafc,
Rut Tell,
Aux Cayes
Cape-Francois
Martinique
Oporto
Vlrginia
Van fife,
Prance,
St. Thomas
Halifax
Virginia
Curracoa
Euftatius
Fayal
Marseilles
New-York
par.
5/i do.
Dollars.