PUBLISHED WEDNESDAYS AND SAFUR.DAYS iiv *. '' ■■■ —— ' ' ' No> 6 0' HIGH-STREET, BETWEEN SECOND AND THIRD STREETS, PHILADELPHIA [No. 66, of Vol. lII.] Wednesday, December 14, 1791. The SECRETARY oT STATE, t® whom was referred by the PRESIDENT of the UNITED STATES, the Refol.nion of ■ Cotlgrefs, requeuing the President •' to cause an estimate to be laid before Congress at their next foflion, of the Quantity and Situation of the Lands not claimed by the Indians, nor granted to, nor claimed by any Citizens of the United Slates, within the Territory ceded to the United States, by the State of North-Ca rolina, and within the Territory of the United States, North west of the River Ohio," makes thereon the following REPORT. THE territory ceded by the date of North-Carolina to the ti nned States, by deed bearing date the 25th day of February, 1790, is bounded as follows, to wit : Beginning in the boundary between Virginia and North-Carolina, that is to fay, in the paral lel of latitude 36J degrees north from the equator, cn the extreme height of the Stone mountain, where the said boundary or paral lel interfefts it, and running thence along the said extreme height to the place where Wataugo river breaks through it ; thence a di rect course to the top of the Yellow Mountain, where Blight's road erodes the fame ; thence along the ridge of the said moun tain between the waters of Doe river and the waters of Rock creek, to the place where the road erodes the Iron Mountain from thence along the extreme height of said mountain to where Nolichuckey r ver runs through the fame ; thence to the top of the Bald mountain ; thence along the extreme height of the said mountain to the painted rock, on French Broad river ; thence a long the highest ridge of the said mountain, to the place where it is called the Great Iron or Smoaky mountain; thence alono- the extreme height of the said mountain to the place where it is called Unaka mountain, between the Indian towns of Cowee and Old Chota ; thence along the main ridge of the said mountain, to the southern boundary of the said state of North Carolina, that is to fay, to the parallell of latitude 35 degrees north from the equator ; thence weft wardly along the laid boundary or parallell, to the middle of the river Miffifippi ; thence up the middle of the said river to where it is interfered by the firft mentioned parallell of 365 degrees; thence along the said parallell to the beginning: which tract of country is a degree and a half of latitude from north to south, and about 360 miles, in general, from east to weft, as nearly as may be estimated from iuch maps as exist of that coun ty- The Indians havingclaims within the said tract of country, are, the Cheriikees and Chickafaws, whose boundaries are fettled by the treaties of Hopewell, concluded with the Cherokees on the 28th djy of November, 1785, and with the Chickafaws, on the 10th day of January, 1786, and by the treaty of Holfton, conclud ed with the Cherokees, July 2d, 1791. These treaties acknow ledge to the said Indians all the lands westward and southward of thefollnwing lines, to wit : beginning in the boundary between South and North-Carolina, where the South-Carolina Indian boundary flrikes the fame ; thence north to a point from which a line is to be extended to the rirer Clinch, that (hall pass the Hol fton, at the ridge which divides the waters running into Little Ri ver from those running into the Tenneftee ; thence up the river Clinch to Campbell's line, and along the fame to the top of the Cumberland Mountain ; thence in a direst course towards the Camberland River, where the Kentucky road erodes it, as far as the Virginia line, or parallel! aforefaid, of degrees ; thence weftwardly, or eaftwardly, as the cafe (hall be, along the said line or parallell to the point thereof, which is due northeast from ano ther point to be taken on the dividing ridge of Cumberland and Duck Rivers, 40 miles from Nashville ; thence south weft to the point 1a ft mentioned, on the fnid dividing ridge, and along the said dividing ridge north weftwardly, to where it is interfered by the said Virginia line, or parallell of degrees. So that there remained to the Unued States, the right of pre-emption of the lands westward and southward of the said lines, and the abso lute right to thole northward thereof, that is to fay : to one parcel to the eastward, some what triangular, comprehending the coun ties of Sullivan and Washington, and parts of those of Greene and Hawkins, running about 150 miles from east to weft, on the Vir ginia boundary, as its base, and between 80 and 90 miles from to south, where broadest ; and containing, as may be con j"£hired, without pretending to accuracy, between seven and eight thousand square miles, or about five millions of acres : And to one other parcel to the westward, somewhat triangular also, compre hending parts of the counties of Sumner, D jvidfon, and Term (fee, the hafe whereof extends about 150 miles also, from east to weft, on the fame Virginia line, and its height, from north to south, a b°ut 55 miles, and so may comprehend abont four thousand square miles, or upward s of two and a half millions of acres of land. Within these triangles, however, are the following claims of citizens, reserved by the deed of ceflion, and confequentlp form ing exceptions to the rights of the United States. I. Appropriations by the State of North-Carolina,for their con tinental and state officers and soldiers. 11. Grants and titles to grants vested in individuals by the laws • f the state. 111. Entries made in Armstrong's office, under an ast of that state, of 1783, for the redemption of specie and other certificates. The claims covered by the ill reservation are, ill. The bounties in land given by the said state of North-Ca rolina, to their continental line, in addition to those given by Congress; these were to be located within a diftrifcl bounded northwardly by the Virginia line, and southwardly by a J:nepa- Jallell thereto, and 55 miles diflant. Weftwardly, by the Ttn "ellec, and eaftwardly by the meridian of the interfc&ion of the Virginia line, and Cumberland River ; grants have accordingly ilTued for 1,239,498 acres, and warrants for the further quantity •' 1 >549,726 acre*, making together 2,739,224 acres. It. is i<> be noted that the fouthweftein and southeastern angles this diftrift, rooftituriug perhaps a fourth or fifth of the whole, are south of the lines eftablilhed by the treaties of Hopewell and Hollfon, and consequently in a country wherein the Indian title acknowledged and guaranteed by the United States. No in formation is received of the exact proportion of the locations made within these angles. . ?d. Bounties in land to Evans's battalion, raiTed for state pur poses. These were to be taken weft of Cumberland Mountain I he locations are not yet made. she second reservation covers the following c'aims. 1. Lands for the surveyor general's fees tor laying out the mili tary bounties, to be located in the military siftn6fc. The grants atready iffaed this account amount to 30,203 acres. J. Giants to Isaac Shelby, Anthony Bledfoe, and Abfaiom Ta tum, commissioners for laying out the military bounties ; and to guards, chain carriers, markers, and huntei'3, who attended them, already issued to the amount of 65,932 acres, located in the mili tary diftrifi. 3. Entries in Washington county amounting to 746,362jacres ; for 214.546J of which grants have already issued. Ot the re maining acres, a considerable proportion were declared »oid by the laws of the state, and were particularly excluded from the cover of the reservation in the deed of ceflion, by this clause in it, to wit—Provided, that nothing herein contained (hall ex tend, or be construed to extend, to the making good any entrv or entries, or any grant or grants, heretofoie declared void, by any acl or afls of the general effembly of this slate. Still it is to be con dertd, that many of thele pcrfons have fettled and improved the lands, are willing, as is said, to comply with such conditions as '"all be reqired of other purchasers, form a strong barrier on the new frontier, acquired by the treaty of Holfton, and are, therefore, objects meriting the conlideration of the legislature. 4. Entries in Sullivan county, amounting to 240,624 acres ; for '73>33 2 acres of which grants have already issued ; o( the remain ing entiies, many are certified void, and others understood to be lapsed, or otherwifevoidable under the laws of the state. 5. Certain pre-emption rights, granted to the firft fettlersof Di vidfon county, on Cumberland liver, amountingto 309,760 acres. 6. A grant of 200,000 acres to Richard Henderfon, and others, on Powcl'i and Clinch's rivers, extendiug up Po Wei's river in a breadth ps not less than 4 miles, and down Clinch's from their junction in a breadth not less than 12 miles. A great part of this is within the Indian territory. Among the grants of the state now under recapitulation,as form ing exceptions out of the absolute rights of the United States, are not to be reckoned here two grants of 2,000 each to Alexander 1 lartin and David Wilson, adjacent to the lands allotted to the officers and soldiers ; nor a grant of 25,000 acres on Duck river to the late Major General Greene; because they are wholly within the Indian territory, as acknowledged by the treaties of Hopewell and Holfton. The extent of the third reservation in favor of entries made in Armstrong's office is not yet sntirely known, nor can be until the 20th ot December, 1792, the last day given for them : the sum of certificates, however, which had been paid for thefewar rants into the treasury of the ftate,before the 20th day of May, 1790, reaches, in all probability, near to their whole amount: this was 373,6491. 6s. currency of that state, and at the price of lal. the hundred acres,eflabhlhed by law,(hews that warrant* had issued for 3:73 6 >493 acres ; for 1,762,660 of these, grants have paffed,which appear to have been located partly in the counties of Greene and Hawkins, and partly in the country,from thence to the Miffifippi, as divided into Eastern, Middle and Wefterri diftri&s. Almost the whole of these locations are within the Indian territory : be sides the warrants paid for as before mentioned, it is known that there are some others outstanding and not paid ibr ; bun there riectf not E£ Wken tmir account, payment of them has been disputed on the ground, that the lands being within the In dian territory, cannot now be delivered to the holders of the war ■"ants. On a review of all the reservations, after making such conjectu ral allowance as our information authorises, for the proportion'of them, which may be wiiliin the Indian boundaries, it appears pro bable theycoverall the ceded lands fufceptibleof culture,and clear ed of the Indian title, that is to fay, all the habitable parts of the two triangles beforementioned, excepting only the lands south of French Broad, and Big Pigeon rivers. These were part of the tra£t appropriated by the laws of the state to the use of the IndU ans, whose title being purchased et the late treaty of Holfton, they are now free to be disposed by the United States, and are proba bly the only lands open to their disposal, within this southwestern territory, which can excite the attention of purchasers. They are supposed to amount to about 300,000 acres, and we are told that 300 families have already set down upon them without right or licence. [remainder in our next.J ON NEWSPAPERS. DM AN ENGLISH PAPER.] THE effedl produced by the newspapers, is so prodigiously great, that it ought to be reck oned as one of the moll important among the nu merous causes, which have brought this country to its present exalted and unrivalled fiiuation. While the improvements of the.public roads, and the creation of immense aquedutfts, have short ened the laborious communication of real com merce; while the universal confidence of fictiti ous commerce has re'moved, in many cases, the necelfity of such weighty communication in prac tice, the news papers hnve given wings and light to every thing. The value of all things is known in all places ; private correfpotidence is shorten ed, and sometimes made fuperfiuous ; diltances are removed ; doubts are cleared up, and the fame knowledge of every bargain, every offer, every wilh, is diffafed with the fame certainty and clear ness over the whole kingdom, as tlie petty tranf atlions of a village are made known by the mo notonous proclamation of a bell-man. So far their operation extends as-to trade and the.real concerns of life ; but when we confjder them in a censorial capacity, we (hall be still more afto niflied at their effet't. It is well known that a censorial power is only nnorher word for public opinion—it cannot exifl without it. When the republic of Rome ended, the Emperors wilhed to retain the censorship, and it was often revived, but always without effect. Public opinion was. corrupted ; shame had loft its bltifli ; rio person feared it; and shame is the only real punifliment of a censorial power: So that it is true, though 261 'fdjffid* [Whole No. 274.] miserably true, that beyond a certain line, just in proportion as such a power is wanted, its au thority is of no effe<ft. With us, however, it is different. Publicity is th« censor of Great-Bri» lain. The certainty that the proceedings of e very individual, from tlie highefl to the lowest, will be immediately tranfiuitted from one end ot the country to the other, from Johnny Grot's hpufe to the Ultima Thtile, keeps all the inhabitants, with a coercion far ilronger than the law, from, doing any thing which they would be afhame<i to read themselves, or afraid that others ihould hear. It is true that this power may be, hgsbeen, and must be, liable at times to considerable abuse ; but this abuse has its remedy. The great varie ty of the papers having separate intereftsand le parare employers, often, by contradicting each other, let mutual errors to rights; when these errors are payable, they become of little conse quence. If they be of a great and dangerous na ture, the law is open, and it is now, upon expe rience, not only open to hear, bur ready to punifk whenever there is occasion. It is true that such prosecutions are foinetiuies but poor fatisfa&ion to the person complaining ; yet such a defect is only one among the eviis our iuuaiion exposes us to as individuals, which we each of us readily hazard the chance of; having a much less flake in that hazard, than we have in the general be nefit, that results to us with certainty, as mem bers of the community to whose pi ofperity these > papers contribute so much, and could not do so, but with this abuse as incidental to their It is certainly incumbent upon news-papers, for their own fake, to avoid it as much as possible. There is enough fa! volai'tlt, enough matter that is piquante without it, and real wit never requires a facrificc trom propriety or truth, to propitiate its divinity. Accordingly we find, that however some years ago the license of the press might be complained of, when its liberty was new ; thjere are at preient but few drawbacks on this head from its general utility. Another good cohfe quence, of the fame tendency, has followed tho delivery of the newspapers from ineflengers and secretaries. Persons of better talents, of better education, and of a higher station in life, than formerly, are induced to undertake an employ ment, which by that delivery acquired a free dom and independence that makes it equal to any other department of writing, and renders it a liberal and honorable, as well as lucrative, engagement » from whence arises a security againll its abuse, that gains ground every day, and is mere operative than the strongest direc tion of law ; namely, the conduiflor's own in terest, in preserving the purity of his paper, by facrificing which to the difreputatioD of another,, he, in a much mora effectual manner, counteradis his own. I. O N D O N, September 30. 'TH HERE is hardly a kingdom or state on the continent but prohibits the importation of trench newspapers, upon the feverell penalties. Thir tolly is almost equal to that of a certain an cient Senate. Hcrojlratus had burnt the famous temple of Diana, in order that his name might, become immortal. The Senate were refolded to disappoint his wish, and parted an edidl, that no person under penalty of iuffering death, fliould pronounce the name of Heroftratus.—Theconfe quence is, that the incendiary's name lias taken root in history, and will never be forgot. M. Montniorin, the French Minister for Fo reign Affairs, has formally notified to all the fo reign courts, the King's acceptance of the Con ftitutiou. None of the foreign courts have yet thought proper to take any public notice of this notification. Nothing is a flronger proof of the general con fidence in the (lability of the outline of the French Conftirution, than the prices at which church and crown lands have fold. From the commence ment of the sales, the prices have been from twenty-five so fifty years purchase, the average about thirty ; and at present national property cannot be bought at left than thirty-three years purchase. The price may be either p/iid imme diately or by regular installments in rfie course of eleven years, but with five per cent, interest on the balance till paid. Monsieur Bougainville, the famons circumna vigator, is appointed Minister of the French Ma* rine.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers