CONGRESS. HOUSE <?r REPRESENTATIVES Thursday, November 27, 1794. Debate on Mr. Dayton's motion to re- Jiore the words " felf-created societies and," -jjbich had been expunged /(i the addrefsto the Prejidentin answer tc his Speech. Mr. RUTHERFORD continued his to the motion—he re peated the fubflance of his former re marks on the condu6t of those who ap peared so solicitous to throw an odium on the democratic societies—he con tended that too much importance was given to these institutions j they were harmlcfs of and if let alone would have no more weight in the com munity than their condudi should enti tle them to. If they promulgated truth, the people would hear them, and follow their advice ; if not, they would fink into contempt. But what is the import of the motion ? It favors of jea lousy, a mere suspicion—os what ? he nothing on which to found any such jtaloufy or suspicion ; the people are iatisfied with their own government, they will support it ; the people are happy and 1-untSnred; why then raise doubts and difficulties ? why Hart at fliadows? why gi/e consequence to tri fles ? " Trifles light as air, are to the jea lous confirmations strong as proofs of holy writ." Let us dismiss this unmanly jealousy, and let us imitate the example Cet us by the date of Massachusetts— there was a man in that (late by the name of Shays; he raised a bustle, and made a noise ; but what did the govern ment do ? Why they despised him— and in a (hort lime he funk into infigni ficance. Mr. Baldwin said, he had from the beginning entertained doubts relative to the propriety of going into the business before the house in the minute manner proposed ; adverting to the usual pro cess in conducing tranfaiSions of this nature he observed, that the present ap peared to be a deviation, if not an en tire innovation 0.1 the usual mode. Du ring the recess, the Prelident collected and arranged the information which li£ deemed proper to lay before the house ; it cannot therefore be expe&ed that the house ihonld at once, at the threshold of the feflion enter into a minute answer to the communications of the Pr;fid?nt containing facts and opinions," the result of five or fix months experience and' xi fleftion, before they have had time to examine those opinions, and investigate those fails—This never was the prac tice of this house, arid cannot be ex pected from them. Mr. Baldwin then adverted to the allegations which liad been adduced againll the democratic so cieties ; he queftii.ned their authentici ty. Excepting the ftatemfiit in the pofleflion of the house, that of the Se cretary of the Tiealnry, tie knew of no document affording any evidence of the fadts alledged, and that adigned a dif ferent cause for the infifrreftion ; for it appears by it, that discontents had pro ceeded to a great heighth before the formation of these iocieties. It had beeD arterted that the house had a right to enquire into the causes of the im'arreQion ; let US proceed then as an inquest ; let lis call for the evidence and lift the business to the bottom ; at present he infilled the house was not piepared to judge and decide. If the speech mud be echoed in every minute part, let us appoint a committee to di gell and report a date of fa&s, as in the cafe of Gen. St. Clair. In matters of notoriety, such as that we were enjoying the bleflings of peace, when in truth that was the cafe, or in refpeift to any otfyer felfevident pofi *ion that was in itfelf inconteftible, he he had no objedlion to an echo of the address to the house—But on an occa lion like the present, when there was such acontiaiiety of opinions, he could not fee the propriety of it. He re gretted the loss of time that the discus sion bad occafioncd, and that it had not been employed in the more essential bu- Jjnefs of the fefTion. As to democratic focietiee, there were none, to his knowledge, in the date he represented [Georgia]—but if there were, he should not feel alarmed at the citcumdance. He doubted whether the Prcfident meant to include the societies in gene ral, under that denomination—he rather supposed he had reference only to those in the four western counties of Pennfyl vanta. As a more general idea, Mr. Baldwin said, he preferred the expref lion combination] of men, &e. He was fully of opinion that rather than spin out the debate to any further length, it would be much more eligible to leave the fubjeft altogether, and take up the other business of the nation. He was sure that the President, for whom he profeffed the highest refpe£t, could not be pleafcd with this mode of conducing that before them. Mr. Madison—said he entirely agreed with those gentleman who had observed that the hodfe (hofild not Have advanced into thi> difcufiion, if it could have been avoided—but having proceeded thui far it was indispensably necessary to fini(h it. Much delicacy had been thrown into the discussion, in confequcnce of the chief magiflrate ; —he always regretted the circumstance, when this was the cafe. . _ This he observed, was not the firfl instance of difference in opinion between the President and this lioufe—lt. ma/ be recollected that th« President diflent ed both from the Senate and this Houie on a particular law (he referred to that apportioning the reprefentatives)—un that occasion he thought the President right—On the present question, sup posing the President really to entertain the opinion ascribed to him, it affords no conclulive reason for the House to facafice its own judgment. Ii appeared to him, as it did to-rhe gentleman from Georgia, that there was an innovation in the mode of procedure adopted, 011 this occasion—The house are 011 different ground from that usual ly taken—members seem to think that in cases not cognizable by law, there is room for the interposition of the House—He conceived it to be a iound principle that an a&ion innocent in the eye of the law, could not be the object of censure to a legislative body—When the people have formed a constitution, they retain those rights which they have not expressly delegated—lt is a quelli on whether what is thus retained can be legislated upon—Opinions are not the obje&s of legislation—You animadvert on the abuse »f reserved rights—how far will this go?—lt may extend to the liberty of speech and of the press.-— It is in vaih to fay that this indiferi minate censure is no punilhment. If it falls on clafles or individuals it will be a Tevtre punishment. He wished it to be. considered how extremely guarded the coniiitution was in refpeft to cases not within its limits—Murder or treason cannot be noticed by the legiflatuie. Is not this proposition, if voted, a vote of attainder? To consider a principle, we muj'try its nature, and fee how far it wilt go ; in.the present Cafe he consi dered the effefis of the principle con tended for, would be pernicious. If we advert to the nature of republican government, we shall find that the cen sorial power is in the people over the government, and not in the government over the people. As he had confidence in the good sense and patriotism of the people, He did not anticipate any lading evil to re fiilt from the publications of these focie tics ; they will stand or fall by the pub lic opinion ; no line can be drawn in tills cafe. The law is the only rule of right; what is confident with that .is not punilhable ; what is not contrary to that, is innocent, or at lead not cenfu rableby the legislative body. With refpeft to the body of the people, ( whether the outrages have proceeded from weakness or wickedncfs) what has been done, and will be done by the Legislature will have a due effeift. —If the froceediugs of the government Ihould not have an ef fect, will this declaration produce it ?— The people at large are pofiefled of pro per sentiments on the fubjedt of the infur reflion—the whole continent reprobates the conduct of the insurgents, it is not therefore necefiary to take the extra step —The press he believed would not be able to lhake the confidcnce of the people in the government—Tn a republic, light will prevail over darkness, truth over error— he had undoubted confidence in this prin ciple—-If it be admitted that the law can not animadvert on a particular cafe, nei ther can we do it—Governments are ad ministered by men—the fame degree of purity does not always exifl— Honesty of motives may at present prevail—but this affords no assurance that it will always be the cafe—at a future per iod a Legislature may exist of a very different complexion from the present j in this view, we ought not by any vote of ours to give support to measures which now we do not hesitate to reprobate. The gentleman from Geor gia had anticipated him in several re marks—no such inferrence can fairly be drawn at that we abandon the President, (hoUdwepafs over the whole buftnefs - The vote palled this morning for railing a force to compleat the good work of peace ortjer and tranquility begun by the execu tive, fpraks quite a different language from that which has been used to induce an adop tion Of the principle contended for. Mr. Madison adverted to precedent's none parellel to thef übjcfl before us existed —The inqui ry into the failure of the expe dition under St. Clair was not in point- In that ca£e the house appointed a Commit tee of enquiry into the conduct of an in dividual in the public service—the demo cratic societies are not —He knew of no thing in the proceedings of the Legislature which warrant* the houfii in faying tht't in ftitutions, confeflecfly , not ilfcgal, vjcre fubjedlt of legiflativc censure. Debate to be Continued. Monday, December.!. The House, in committee of the whole took into consideration a bill U>r the relief of John R. Livingfton—af ter some discussion the committee was discharged from any fuither proceedings on this bill —and on motion of Mr. B. Bourn—it was referred to the com mittee of claims. Sundry petitions were read and re ferred to the committee of claims. On motion of Mr.' Parker, the house, in committee of the whole took into conflderation the report of a feleft com mittee on the petition of Moles My e ' s j after some conversation on the fuhject, to give time for further information the committee rose ard had leave to fit a gain. On motion of Mr. Moore, the fob }e£t of a petitipn refpe£ling a more ex tensive promulgation of the laws by having them treflated into the German language was taken into conflderation— after a few remarks on the importance of this business,' Mr. Moore moved, that a committee be appoiuted to report what measures may be proper to pro mote a furthci promulgation of the laws. Mr. Baldwin urged the importance of taking the molt efte&ual mealures 10 difieminate as exfinfively as poflible, a competent knowledge of the laws and proceedings of the Government, in or der to enable the people to judge for themselves, and to guard them against the operation of the ground!eft fears and jealousies which are excited by the discontented/ factious, and ambitious— more particularly at the present critis ; and in order to guard against a repeti tion of the evils already experienced from this source. He saw no othet way to prevent these mifchiefs but that of surrounding as it were their whole pro ceedings with a blaze of light.—He recited a variety of misrepresentations and falfehoods which had been circula ted with the greatest indnitry iii the less informed paits of the country. The carriage a<ft had been represented as ex tending to every defciiption of wheel Carriages, even to (pinning' wheels— I these people had been told, and they religiously believed it, that an excise had been laid on wheat and other aits ; clcs never contemplated in the law, and that the 80000 men which had been or dered to hold themselves in readiness, were a draft to be lent to France for which the United States were to re ' ceive a large subsidy—and many other equally futile and ridiculous tales had been circulated, too infignificant to men tion in the House, but which had dif trafted the people, and rendered them unhappy ; from all which Mr. Baldwin strongly inferred the necessity of some thing further and more effectual being done, (even if the expence should a mount to 50,000 dollars per annum) to scatter the means of information a mong the people. To (hew them that their Government was good, and that its errors if «ny were f'ich as proceed from the imperfection of human nature. Mr. Moore's motion, with the peti tion on which it was founded were re> ferred to a frleft committee. A report was read from the commit tee to whom that part of the Preident's speech was referred relative to trading houses for the accommodation of the Indian Tribes—this report coincides with the lentimenc contained in the speech, and proposes a resolve for a law to pass appropriating ico,ooo dol lars for the purpose. Referred to the committee of the whole house on ThurHay—interim to be printed. Mr. New, reported an enrolled bill for granting the privilege of franking, &c. to James White—this was signed by the Speaker. Mr. Preston presented a petition from fuudry inhabitants, who reside on the line between Virginia and the South Western Territory—read and referred to a feleft committee. A petition was likewise presented by Mr. Preston, praying for a translation of the laws into the German language; this was referred to the committee on Mr. Moore's motion. In committee of the whole, Mr. Cobb in the chair, on the bill to regu late the pay of the non-commiflionetl officers and privates of the militia when called into a&ual service of the United States. This bill proposes that the pay rtiall commence from the time of enrolment. A motion that it should be altered to read «« from the time of their appearing at the rendezvous of the Regiment or Brigade," occafioncd some debate—the motion was finally agreed to—the com mittee then rose and reported progrelk, and the House adjourned. PHILADELPHIA, DECEMBER l From a Correffondent. The debate on the felf-created Clubs be ing finifhed, a paragraph at last peeps out of a certain paper, which ha* for some time kept a modest silence. The writer, • probably a leading member of the club of this city, endeavours tp rescue .t from re proach, by attributing to the minority in the House of Representatives on the ex cise law, a fimihr conduct to that with which the clubs have been chr.*fed. Wjth out denying that the very inflammatory fpceches of certain members on that occa sion, which were printed and industrious ly circulated throughout the Union, may have been in a degree inftromental in ex citing uneasiness in the Weftcrn Country ; that circumftancc furnilhes no vindication for the conduct of. the clubs in fomenting that uneasiness after it bad -faffed. There ia as obvious a diftinAion betwten an op position to the law, whilf- it is pending, and one afier the lu<w bad faffed, au there is between a member ek&ed by the peor>le to discuss legiflatiye matters and ldf-crc i- Ed and unauthorized clubs. Tlrr afTertion that " no,opinion has befn uttered by the club which has not been by a mi nority in the federal Hcufe of Rcprefenta tives" is an unfounded charge, and a li bel on that rcfpcctali'e minority, witness th« resolves of the club of this city in May last, setting forth " that tilt appointment " of IV!r. Jay by the President, was a fa~ " crijice of the interests and pcace of the " United States, that it was an abmdon " ment of the IVcJtcrn Polls, putting at " (lake the blood of our fellow citizens on " the f rentiers, giving birth to a perpe " tual military eftablilhment, an endless " war, and all the opprrjfiont, resulting " from excise and heavy taxation ; and " that the above resolution .ought to be " made public, and transmitted to a lithe " Democratic Societies in the Union, as a " f rotefl of freemen against the mofl un " conjlitutional and dangerous measure in " the annals of the United States." O thers of a like complexion might be quot ed, as-emanating from the fame soUrce & will be if necefiary. Last Friday evening the Governor of this Commonwealth, arrived in town from the western Codntry. But yegerday the French., with a very fupcrior iorce, made a iurioufi attack up pon the Corp of Genera! Latour, which was Rationed from Chartreuse of Liege a l£ng the river Owrte, about Spremont and Louvegnte, they having -econnoitred the We Hear that In the month of Goober ' Lie E etli7he Tu ftran? ° ftf' °f la ft tlie imposts In the port of Philadelphia tr ;!nf J,h ' 1 rn P i f A U [" ■wnousted to four hundred thousand dnl fall Vav rl b f i . t adtlp 1 Wa | i m d ports , f i his ed » retreat towards Hcrve with" confidf! a'aasftssr-* i a»*r.w *■* —-«* e and the right wing to Fourcn f St, Martin, after having evacuated Char ; treufe. On the fame day, the tnemy attacked also the corps of referw, betv/een 5 and 6oco me:., which was flaiioncd under General Dajtpn, to cover Limhourg, and, after a conflict oi three hours, they forced this general to make his retreat towards this place. This day the Legislature of the Com monwealth are to meet at the State House, in this City. We hear that DwigHt Foster and Wil liam Lyman Efqrs. are fe-e'lctfled mefnbers of the House of Representatives of the Uni ted States, by the people of (heir respec tive diftri&s in Mafiachufetts. Robert Brooke Esq. is cleded* Gover nor of Virginia in the room of Gen. Hen ry Lee Commander of the patriotic army —whose term of fervjces was expired. The Treaty lately held by Timothy Pickering Esq. with the Six Nations, we learn by a Whites town paper is conclu ded, and fatisfaGorily to all parties* Foreign Intelligence. Capt. Morgan of the brig Molly, arrived here -on Saturday from London—Captain Morgan left London the 4th, the Downs the 6th, and the Lizard the 17th Oilober and brings papers which contain the fol lowing intelligence. BARCELONA, Aug. 27 Tbe menus from Biscay and Navarre, is •v(ry consolatory. The French after having surprized the Spani/h nation, by their ta king Fontarabia and St Sebaflian soon wit ne/Jed the I yalty a>id valour of thote two provinces, the inhabitants of which, ani mated with the love oj their sovereign, all rose to take up arms without d jlir.ilion, to avenge his cattfe. They advanced immedi ately, with the greatefl intrepidity, and checked the farther prcgrefs of the French, who doubtlfjs, apprehensive of being cut in pieces, broke down the bridge of Tolofa, on the road of Navarre, and consequently firm tohave relinquished the dejignof penetrating farther. Fifty thousand mufquets have been sent to Burgos, from Madrid, and the regular troops and armed majfes in that dijlritt have dispelled every fear of a visit from the enemy. At Madrid\ the Burgers are forming I a garrison oj ia,oco and in Arragor. I the inhabitants rife to defend the frontiers from every incurjiav. In Roujfillon the French evacuated St. Si baflian delta Nuggo, to entrrnch themfelvcs in the environs of Giunchcra. A French colonel of Hujfars came over to our army and brc't with him a great deal offpecie. He gave some very interefling information refpeßinr the French army, arid dijclofed the names of many spies in our own, who were instantly put under arr £ft' .. . The king* torders and the excellent prepa rttioru novi making, inspire all fpaniardi <witb thegreatejl confidence, and tlxy fear taking from unj qnurttr. AIX LA-CHA PELLE, Sept a». It i> unfortunate but too true, that the Aullriatu have experienced a defeat on river Ourte. There it constantly parting here, baggage coming from the country of Limbourg. The whole of the leit wing of the Aufiriau army hat been cut to pieces. General Latour arrived on the 18th a 7 in the evening, at Herve, and at ten the camp from Chartreuse Convent at Liege began moving, and the troops encamped near Herve.. On the 19th this army eftabl'flied them flves between Herve and Battice, but in the night abandoned again their pofnicn, and retreated. The victorious French followed their enemies close to their heels. On the 30th, and yesterday, we heard a formidable cannonading, and a large fire was seen from our high towers. Maeftritht is completely inverted by the French.-The Aufiriaiu are said to have thrown seven battalions of troops into it. VIENNA, Sept 11. Our regiment of light horfc of Leveneht marched on the 22d. ult. urorn Dubona in* to the Polilh territories. A corps under General Meirflieim has also advanced to Pulway. Skirmishes have taken place between our troops and the Poles, in consequence of the invaiiou of the former iiTto that coun try. The Poles have fought every where with great courage and enthnfral'tr.. According to a new ididl 110 Polifli lub je«a is tolerated in Galicia, unless he en liits in the militia. • ; Our Court has commenced an imporant correspondence with that of Russia, with rcfpeA to measures to be adopted by either in cafe of a rupiure between Turkey and Russia. The Britilh miniftersare fiill here—thty are said to wait only for the ratification of the treaties on the part of his Britar.nic Majelty. AIX LA-CHAPELLiT, Sept. 19, The dayjbefore ycfterday theFreneh at tacked the Austrian General Kray, in his petition before Maeftrichr, and obliged him, about n o'clock to fall back under the cannon of the place. But General Clairfayt having come to his afliftance, with four battalions of in fantry, and four fqnadrons of horse, the enemy were driven back to their former ground. Camp near Granenbouig, Sept. 24. The Duk<? of York has made a move ment to the left, about two leagues higher up the Meufe. His head-quarters are atr Granenbourg. Tuesday, Sept. 15. The Duke of York has changed his head-quarters from Granenbourg to Mook a small village near his ramp. Th« ground on which it is situated [3 elevated, commanding an extensive view of the country aroundjwith the river, Grave &c. AMSTERDAM, Sept. 25. Though the situation of these Pro vinces is more critical than ever, the enemy having rendered themselves mat ters of the Meufe and made further pro gress in our territory, we remain in the most perfect ignorance of the operations of the armies. There has been, it is said, a French commifiioner at the Hague, who had a long conference with the Grand Pcnfi. onary Vanden Spiegel.—Lor j Sr. He lens refnfed to be present at this inter view, alledging that he had no i nil ruc tions from his court to that effed. The tefult of this conference is for the pre sent a fectet. It is also rjported that the King of Pruflia bag detei;mined to offer terms of pacification to the Frendi Convention for Pruflia and Holland. The report of the dajr is, that the French weie preparing to past the ri«r Waal near Brommel, fix leagues from Utrecht. MAYENCE, Sept. 21. We receive this moment the certain and important intelligence, that the at tack of Field-Marlhal Moellcndorff Ihi Kaisers-Lantern, has fully fueceeded. Ihe Pruflians yesterday morning ren dered themselves mailers of that place, mad • 3000 prisoners, and took 6 piece* of cannon. By the Convention accounts this plan was retaken by the French the fame (lay, BRESLAW, Sept. 14. Private letters from Poland aflure lit, that the king of Prussia has entered in
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers