\ A NATIONAL PAPER, PUBLISHED WEPK ESDAY S AN*]> SATURDAYS BY JOHN F F.N NO, No. 69, HIGH-STRZF.PHILADELPHIA* [No. 25. of Vol. IV.] FROM THE AMERICAN MUSEUM. REFLECTIONS on the STATE of the UNION. Concerning the laws, which intrench vfen the rigijs oj property. IT is not remembered that the atts of the na- have been deemed by any ot tlie poflelTors of any defer iption of pro'nertv, Unfavorable to their right?, cxccpt the pro ceedings in regard to the public debt. It hno less curious than true, that a part of t'.e com-! munity affirm that the government have iniu red the country by too much liberalitv, while another part charge the legiflati-.re with im pairing the contract. In taking a view of this Ajbjeft, it should be I remembered, that the state of things when it was taken up, was in every refpeft critical and uncertain. It was difficult to fay what the country could perform, and more so to tell what they would comply with. It was perceived on the one hand, that as such a ftatc of public credit as preceded the year 1789, would ruin a government more energetic than that of the United States, so its immediate melioration was a matter of the mcft imperious neccflity. On the other hand, the non-exiflence of one imgiccjftcient funding fyftem,yielding a full/be cie inhrej} y in any one State, and a number of painful facts in the financial operations of some o tne legislatures, created a conviction, that there was either an inability or disinclination in all to render a specie payment in the full ex tent of the explicit contra "y Vigorous and well devised efforts t! recover credit at home and abroad, an arrange ment was formed, and executed, which ha given better payment to the creditor tha: could reasonably have been hoped. It is plaii to every observer, that, but for the indii'cre tions of some of the public creditors, who fu pel-added to the trials and fluChi.-.tion&of a con valefcent Hate of credit, the late unparalltlei difficulties of the holders of the flock, the tlire. species of t:;e public paper, taken at a medu;ni would have been worth the nomina! value in th 111 ark et. Hitherto it never has b*en. There yet remain, however, i n the United States forae law; which affect the rights of pro perty. The operation of inftalinent and valua tion laws is not terminated in two or three of tie State - .. In two or three others, paper mo ney is a tender in all or in particular cases. In some quarters, real estate is protected from ex ecution for debt; and in others, the judgments ot the courts are suspended, if the income of theejlate bears a certain proportion to the ere tlitoi ,s demands. In some of the Stages pre ferences are given to the claims of citizens, be fore those ol citizens of the other States, or of foreignersand a variety of ill exists in many quarters, in the form of infolventi laws. The federal constitution, and those oi several of the State', have barred the introduction of tbele evils in regard to new tranfaftions; and the States which are not chargeable with them, in regard to past affairs, have reaped, in the last three years, an ample reward for their wis dom and virtue. Property may almost be called the palladium of communities Tiieir moral fafety at least is always at hazard, when that is un warrantably invaded. In every cafe wherein culties to obtain his own are interpoied in the way of the honest and industrious citizen, nis loft is not all the public injury. A fellow citizen—perhaps a member of a legislature (and through him a legislature itfelf) is corrupted in nis principles. . tie pullic Mtt. when it is remembered, that the term? up on which the debts of the State? were affumcd .?S r are Hot more favorable than ihdfe en *indi the federal debt was funded, and when it is called to mind, that the unaflumed debts if ai >y ccift.ed, appears to be dtifipatcd. Oa the other hand, when it is remembered, that long after the promulgation ot the funding fvftem and of the bank, the pof- Jeilors of specie might have procured certifi- T*** " I C.'ites upon ver» ;;-r C >i-: United States draw a filch of the profits of* the bank without fyrniJUirig any of the capital, tliat tfce grant of irfedeemubittty is temporary, and To perfectly nominal, that we now have a right to pay ofl more than we have money to d li tharge ; when it is aifo borne in mind, that the terms given by Congress to the public creditors, | were exceeded (by law at leaf!) in ft vc vat of the | States, and that two of them have added to the benefits of their citizens front the funding fy>- tem, without di 11 imipating. in favor of the o riginal creditor, or agairift'the present holder, the a, t of the general government ap pears to be confident with the publio intereib and with the wijilem ojthe State It'ijlaturcs. If the funding system ofCongrels has been thus equal ly j uiUnd beneficial with those of the. States, it has beep accompanied with many advantages which cannot be questioned. Public, credit*is restored—in consequence of that, the contracts tor all public supplies are made for caih on the deliveries or performance— the money, thus early promised, is paid by anticipation on the proffer of indubitable security by the various contra&ors; apd interelt in favor of the Uni ted States has been allowed for the promptitude of her trcafury—half a million of dollars of fpe-' cie claims have been lifcharged ; and purchases) of the public debt, which bring tlieextingnifhed lum to about 2,400,000 dollars have been made, or provided jor—a series of payments f.uce the month of September (required by the most dif tlllguiflied ally ot the United States, in the late war) 1. ve been made to serve the occaflons ct their unhappy colcnift*. Loans upon five per cent, upon four and a half per cent, and upon tour per cent, interest, have been effected in two opulent lcenes in Europe, solely by mean s ot our restored credit, to repay, in the hour of need, to that ally, the monies lent to the United States in a like leafon. All that is due hr.,been paid, part of that which is not yet due has been anticipated. Monies anxiouiiy desired bv France, have been discharged by means of loans at a lower intereil. Both nations are benefited and pleased ; but our country is honored bv the tranfaiHon. To have reglefted our public credit, would have been to lose thcle advar,- tajes, son THE GAZETTE OF THE UNITE!) STATES IT IS very proper for a private man to nly on his known purity of enmiuft and principles, and to fit in tecuiiiy and lilcuce, while the little scandals invented by tfie base, lurmfh amiifement to the crcdulous. It would not suit the 'clearili nefs and dignity of virtue to discompose itfelf by lagging >he fqualtd imps ot calumny from thd cells whete tjiey retire to htcw their poisons and to limn the hatrful .lay-light The individual ner sons concerut d in the government of the United States, cannot suppose themfelvrs injured, n"r • veti ft) much as aimed at. by the authors of the impudent fmirilny which has be. n poured out since the Ueg'nning of the prcfent year. It hjs been a.flcrttd, that a plan of the influential men in the government to introduce monarchy and a despotism. anil an atiftocracy, is not only formed but almost effected—and that the conipiraiors arc corrupt speculators, and breakers ol public trust. Congress, as well as "the executive pan of the go vernment, under the name of the court and the court party, (land charged with this crime as mean, as qtrocioiis. The acrufers iUvme no small merit to ihpmfclvcs for Ijaving founded the alarm. They call tnemfe.ves by a number of praise-wor thy titles—watchmcn'fOr llie people—friends of liberty—old republicans, See. But is there a me rit in fallhood, is there virtue in indwlgip" the mofl malignant paflions ? Yet this, in truth, is the praise to which the writers lay claim. It is not easy to conceive of any men out of Bedlam having lormcd schemes so inconfiflent with each other as they have pretended to divulge. A funding fyflcm and a monied influence, suppose flable laws, and a firm and inviolable protcftion •o property. Yet such men as those who draw their income from the source of the public faith, a-e reprcfcntcd as wilhing to change the ftatc of tbings, and to be a: work to throw every thing into eonfufion, and to put their all at rifle : for what ?—for a despotism, fav the sagacious writers againll government. A despotism to the public debt. A wife plot truly. Those who arc fafe under equal and facrcd laws, are plotting to be falerundera despotism, which would tramole on all laws. The writers aliuded to mnfl enter tain vafl refpefl for the fcnCe of a people, to whom their mode of finding fault is fuppofrd to be ac ceptable. And the ariflocrats too ar*- said to he in a box with thr monarchy men. Many a party, writer has hurt hiscanfe by taking mankind for greater fools than they really are. To many friends of good order, [he inconsist ency of the charges a».rinft government has ap. peared fufficirnt to prevent their mifchief. They hare fsid, the decerning will fee the fallacy their arguments ; and of the nnthinkino, one half will be lhocked by the maligniiv'and violence o! thcfc writer; and the oi.her half will not read their pieces. Theyargnea free government ii ot conference pure. Such arc its pi inciples. it will purify iifelf—ftir wrong, done or intend ed to be done, would deltrojr the confidence a! the people in those who administer the great ofli ces,?nd that would produce "the ot officers. Such a government, it would Perm', might dcfp'fe llif C»ndet» of ill enemies. For the people, nn- Saturday, August i 8, 1792. term- (to be continued.) 89 thp' lets extremely ignorant of ih<-'r po"—ve, rry-—Neither this, nor the present inequality of leprefeiitation, can be denied. it will be said, that the necefilty of : this change, does not now exilt, be cause Congrcfs liave muter their con ' troul, rs 11 the great objects of legisla tion. To this it may be anfweved, that Congress have eltabiiflied an ex cife,odious even in monarchical coun tries— they have imposed duties too enormous for a free people to bear they have ertablifhed an army, when there is not the profpe