|| becoming a citizen: For by fo doing, he "placed his name on a lift of profcription, and fubjected himself to banishment, at the arbitrary will of an individual. That your Memorialifts do moft ref pectfully prefume to fuggeft to the wisdom and juftice of Congrefs, that the poorest emigrant that arrives here, has a property in his life, in his liberty, and in his labour; and is as liable to the laws as the richeft citizen. That to tax him, imprifon him, or put him to death, by laws, in the framing of which he was not reprefented, is to exercife against him an act of tyranny. That though this doctrine, viewed in the abstract, is found, and though the venerated example of America, who juftified her refiflance to Britain on this precife footing, gives it fanction-Yet your Memorialists Memorialifts areware that in the internal regulations of States, it may-nay, ought, to be fubje&t to fome modification. That your Memorialifts with all due fubmiflion, conceive, that fociety would be fufficiently preferved, by admitting fuch Alien to immediate enfranchisement, as adduced fatisfactory proofs of pure moral character-evidence of having paid taxes towards the fupport of government, and of attachment to its form; with a renunciation of his allegiance to any other-And a declaration of his intention of permanently refiding in this country. That while your memorialifts glory in the privilege of thus fpeaking to the great Council of the nation of their rights as men, they would not, merely on these rights however facred, reft their caufe or their claims. They would appeal to your juftice and to your policy, as well as to their rights. Your memorialifts believed that a confiderable majority of their number might without regard to abftract right, lay their claim on plighted faith. This majority are the natives of Ireland-an ill-ftarred country, to whofe inhabitants flavery was more intolerable, after feven hundred years of diversified cruelties and oppreflions ; because they still retain a love for, and ftill could appreciate the value of freedom.Congrefs, ftruggling for independence, condoled with them-warmly acknowledged the fervices of Irish patriots to the caufe of Humanity and America:" eagerly invited them to partake of their country and of their fuccefs; and the countrymen of Montgomery, have never by their conduct in war, or their votes in peace, proved un: worthy of the bleffing. That your Memorialifts refpectfully appealing to the policy of the measure, requeft leave to obferve, that those who have Jacrificed their country and all the charities, which render country dear to man, for the principles on which your conftitution is founded; are not likely to be undeferving || citizens, and not confume our time in at of the truft and of the functions of cit- tempting to fatisfy people who, it would ized/hip. feem, can never be fatisfied. I hope we fhall turn a deaf ear to this petition and put a flop to the business. Your Memorialifts farther beg leave to adduce the example of the enlightened State in which they have the happiness to live, as well as of the others which were the mildest in their laws and moft liberal in their inftitutions refpecting foreigners. It is believed that they are not inferior in attachment to the American Union, in morals, in freedom, in arts, induftry, or profperity to any of their Sifter States. In the rapid increase of population, which affords ftrength and fecurity to your young enviable form of government they are the foremoft. For by their conftitutions, the ftranger of good conduct, after two years refidence was to be a citizen; and in thefefions. he then hoped to find a home. Mr. Smilie hoped the motion would prevail. He thought that fo much respect at leaft ought to be paid to the petition as to commit it, even though the house fhould not find time to act upon it at the prefent feffion. He was the more of this opinion from his knowledge that a great number of fimilar memorials would be prefented from the aliens of Pennsylvania and New-York. Mr. Grifwold wifhed that the beginning of the memorial might be read again. It he understood it correctly, it contained fome indecent and unbecoming expref HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Part of the memorial was again read. Mr. Bayard agreed with the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Davis.) He thought it quite fufficient to permit the memorial to lie on the table. He did not know that to the memorial to a fele&t committee would be treating it with refpect. He did not believe that the house would be able to act upon the fubje&t during the present feffion, nor did he deem it neceffary. The law was laft feffion revifed by a committee confifting of the friends of aliens-by this he meant, thofe who profeffed themfelves the friends of aliens-The measures recommended by that committee were adopted. This, he thought, ought to latisfy thein. Spain funk by the expulfion of the Moors. France expelled the Huegonots, and England and Ireland established their ftaple manufacture. Encourage your aliens, you will have the arts and manufac-efer tures of Europe--neglect us we fuffer, but you are not served. Your Memorialifts, therefore pray, that you may, in your wifdom and goodnefs, admit to citizenfhip thofe who are now excluded by default, on account of not having made a declaration, three years previously, of their intention. And that you may reflore the time of two years refidence fpecified by the law originally enacted to establish an uniform rule of naturalization. Mr. Bayard made fome general remarks upon the impolicy of admitting aliens immediately to the rights of citizenship. He was afraid that by extending thofe rights indifcriminately to all perfons who may choose to come to our country we shall uncitizenize ourselves. Under the laws already exifling, aliens are permitted to protected in their perfons and prophold property real and perfonal-are effecerty, and enjoy all the benefits of citizens except the right of interfering in our elec tions. 15 February 7 Mr. Smilie prefented a memorial [in form as above] from the aliens refiding in Chefter County, in the fate of Pennfyl-tually vania. Mr. Smilie moved that the memorial be referred to a felect committee. Mr. Davis hoped it would be permitted to lie on the table. He thought that defcription of people was becoming extremely cription of people was becoming extremely troublefome. Great pains had been taken to fatisfy that class of men: An act was paffed at the laft feffion for the fole purpofe of their accomodation-yet they are not fatisfied. I think it time to turn a deaf ear to thofe importunities, and put an end to them. A great portion of the time of the house was last year confumed upon the fubject. Such provifion was made as was thought proper and reafonable, and I am not now difpofed to take up the business again. If we should make a law that these aliens might become citizens the next day after their arrival, they would then petition for fomething elfe. We ought to attend to the rights and the claims of our own He could not think it proper to admit ftrangers, ignorant of our government and laws, bringing from their refpective countries political opinions & prejudices inconfiftent with our inftitutions, to intermeddle with our public concerns till time should be given for them to become acquainted. For that purpofe he thought the time at prefent allowed fufficiently fhort. He was not therefore difpofed to take up the time of the house with the fubje&t. Mr. Smilie apprehended no danger to the government from the admiffion of aliens to the rights of citizenship. There are, perhaps, a greater number of aliens in Pennfylvania, than in any other ftate, and he hought the politics of that flate to be perfe&tly found. The question was taken on refering the memorial to a felect committee and loft, ayes 33, noes 49. February 8. Mr. Leib this morning prefented a petition from the aliens refident at Carlisle in Pennfylvania, in the fame words as the one prefented yesterday by Smilie. || Mr. S. would not queftion the fincerity of the remark of the gentleman from While the memorial was reading, Maffachusetts (Mr. Thatcher) that he Mr. Davis role and faid he hoped the would equally oppofe an infult to the prereading would be difpenfed with, and that fent adminiftration: Though Mr. Smith the house would go to other bufinefs.. He faid he would not forget that, during the did not think it the duty of the house to fit prefent feflion, that gentleman had, by his and hear fuch complaints and even revi- vote, declared that he has no confidence in lings from worthlefs and difcontented men that adminiftration-a declaration, in his of that defcription. They are not, faid he, opinion, much more infulting than any induftrious and refpectable men, but tur- thing contained in the memorial of the bulent foreigners who have no title to be aliens. He confidered the conduct of the thus troublefome. I do not think that we houfe towards the memorial prefented yefare under any obligation to liften to fuchterday as altogether unufual and unexamindecency coming from fuch men. || Mr. Leib confented to difpenfe with the reading and hoped it would be referred to a felect committee. Mr. Varnum hoped it would not be referred. He did not think it entitled to any fuch attention. It was evident that the memorialifts were a difcontented and turbulent clafs of men, and had taken liberties, in fpeaking of the authorities of the country, which he thought altogether unbecoming and indecent. Mr. Thatcher was happy to find that his colleague (Mr. Varnum) was difpofed to check fuch infolence. He thought the memorialists paid but an ill compliment to the majority of that houfe, by fuppofing, that by reviling the laft adminiftration they fhould curry favor with the prefent. It was a matter of no confequence to him what adminiftration it might be that might be made the object of fuch calumny-He would as foon oppofe fuch an infult offered to the prefent adminiftration as to any for mer one. He had given his vote against the reference of the memorial offered yef. terday, though he did not at that time know that it was a printed paper. He now found that this memorial was in precifely the fame words, and it appeared to be a paper circulating among difcontented aliens for the purpofe of procuring fignatures. He was furprised to find that any gentlemen who had felt fuch great fenfibility at the reading of a memorial from one of the late officers of the U. States (Mr. M'Henry) and one which appeared to him perfectly decent and refpectful, could liften, without indignation to the reading of this paper coming from perfons not even citizens of the United States. He was of opinion that it ought not to be permitted even to lie on the table. edged that fome parts of the memorial con- ed. Mr. S. Smith had never known an inftance where a memorial or petition that was prefented by an honourable member, was retufed a commitment. He acknowl pled. As to the memorial of a late officer of the government, to which an allusion had been made, he could never fee what the object of it was, or that it had any object, unless it was that it fhould be printed for the ufe of the members and thus that it fhould go els forth to the world. Mr. Thatcher could not understand what the gentleman meant by faying that thofe who wished to hear the reading of the memorial which had been alluded to, had no object in view but to have it printed and given out to the world. It never was printed-nor did any one afk for the printing of it; it was not even referred to a committee. As to the vote which he had given, and thought it ought to be remembered that the feelings of thofe people had been severely wounded; that they were cruelly and inju riously treated under the former adminiftration and under the alien law. Further he believed that every thing which the memorialifts had flated was ftrictly true, though it was not proper for them to exprefs that truth. They were abused under the former adminiftration-they were put out of the protection of the law and made liable to banishment without trial or hear. ing. Mr. Elmer was oppofed to the commitment-not only on account of the inde. cency of the memorial, which, in his opinion contained expreffions very unbe coming in aliens, but because the subject had already been acted upon by the present Congrefs at the laft feffion. Mr. Nicholson did not recollect ever to. have voted against the reference of any memorial or petition until the one which was prefented yesterday, and of which this ap peared to be an exact tranfcript. vot voted against that because of the indecent form in which it came forward. He thought that no refpect or attention was due to men who, not being citizens of the United States, have the effrontery to treat the houfe with fo little refpect as to come forward with a declaration that a late Prelident was hoftile to all aliens of republican principles... Mr. Claiborne called for the reading of the memorial. He was unilormly in favour of hearing the memorials and the complaints of perfons who chose to address that houfe, but if upon the reading he should find that the prefent memorial contained fuch expreffions as had been mentioned, he fhould vote against it. The memorial was read, upon which Mr. Leib called for the yeas and nays on the question. Mr. Dennis believed that no example || If the contents could be known in any other could be found in parliamentary proceed-way he should not think that it ought to ings of committing part of a petition and be allowed a public reading in that House. rejecting the reft. If the memorial was He was of opinion that the American retered to a committee, it must all be re- people are quite able to govern themselves fered, and muft all be read and confidered; without the aid of thofe who live upon the as well the parts which are indecent as the hofpitality and courtesy of the country, and reft. No divifion could be made-he con- who ought to know how to make a proper fidered it as being impoflible in the nature return for that hofpitality and courtely. of the thing. Befides, he thought it alto- He well remembered the conduct of the be gether unneceffary. If it fhould aliens at the time the Britifh treaty was thought neceffary to act upon the fubject, under confideration-that vaft numbers the facts were already before the house, of memorials were fent by them to our and could be acted upon as well without at government, and many of them went fo far, reference of the memorial to a committee as to difmifs perfons from their employment as with it. He felt no difpofition to con- who refufed to fign thofe momorials--He vert that houfe into an organ for convey- thought it time to put a flop to fuch libing to the world the flanders of turbulent erties. and troublefome foreigners, which would really be the effect of adopting the motion. Should the example be fet, people of that defcription would hereafter have nothing more to do than to communicate their flan-fixty-one. ders to that house and thus have them given out to the world The queftion was then taken by yeas and nays, "Shall the memorial he referred to a felect committee ?" and it was refolved in the negative; yeas twenty three, nays Mr. Dennis faid he did not know what the gentleman from Pennfylvania (Mr. Smilie) meant by faying that all which was ftated in the memorial was true. He obferved that the memorialifts flated that they were convicts-This part he prefumed was true-and he wifhed to know whether his colleague (Gen. S. Smith) thought it decent to place the flanders of foreign convids upon a level with the votes of gen tlemen upon that floor. He obferved further, that the memorialifts had ftated, as one part of their complaint against the late adminiftration, that our minifter at the Court of London had expreffed the with of his government that the ftate prifoners of Ireland and England might not be fent to the United States, and that in confequence of this cruel proceeding they had been fubjected to long and grievous imprifonments in their own country. This, he prefumed, was alfo true; but he did not know that this had entitled them to come and read political lectures to the government of the United States. Mr. Bacon thought it would be time enough to attend to the requests of thefe people when they fhould come forward with a decent petition. To refer this memorial would, in his opinion, be holding out to the world, to other countries as well as this, the idea that the fureft way to please the prefent adminiftration is to cenfure the laft. He believed there was not a perfon in the House who wifhed that fuch an expreffion fhould be made. Mr. Claiborne faid there was nothing more repugnant to his feelings in general than to refufe to liften to petitions prefented to that Houle. But viewing the tendency of that memorial he was almoft forry that he had called for the reading of it. Be it our weekly task, To note the passing tidings of the times. >© <<<<<< Hudson, March 1, 1803. MORE OF THE WORKS OF GIDEON. WILLIAM GOODWIN, Efq. is turned out of the Poft-Office at Plymouth, Mafs. and JAMES WARREN, Efq. appointed in his place. The Governor of Maffachusetts has appointed Thurfday the 7th of April, as a day of Fafting and Prayer, throughout the Commonwealth. A line of ftages is established from Portland (Maine) to Savannah (Geo.) 1340 miles. In fummer the diftance will be run in 15 days, in winter, in 21.. IMPORTANT. We collect the following Congreffional information from fundry extracts of letters, &c. which appear in the Evening Poft of the 22d ult. Mr. Coleman will excufe the liberty we have taken in condenfing. Mr. Rofs, federal Senator from Pernfylvania, on the 16th ult. made a long, energetic and impreffive fpeech on the ftate of the nation, with particular allufion to the affair of New-Orleans. He was preparing to follow this up with refolutions conformable to the Spirit of his fpeech, when the democrats (thofe that stick to the Prefident through thick and thin) took the alarm, and got the gallaries cleared; upon which Mr. Rofs declared that he would not offer his refolutions in fecret, and, therefore, dropped them at that time. The next day, the democrats, aware of the impreffion which fuch a proceeding would have upon the public mind, contented to open the doors, when the fubjoined refo lutions were offered. Refolved, That the United States have an indifputable right to the free navigation of the river Miffiffippi, and to a convenient place of depofit for their produce and merchandize in the island of New Orleans. That the late infraction of fuch their unquestionable right, is an aggreffion hoftile to their honour and intereft. That it does not confift with the dignity or fafety of this Union, to hold a right fo important by a tenure fo uncertain. That it materially concerns fuch of the American citizens as dwell on the weffern waters; and is effential to the union, ftrength and profperity of thefe ftates, that they obtain complete fecurity for the full and peaceable enjoyment of fuch their abfolute right. That the Prefident be authorized to take immediate poffeflion of fuch place or places, in the faid ifland, or the adjacent territories, as he may deem fit or convenient, for the purpcles aforefaid; and to adopt fuch other meafures for obtaining that complete fecurity as to him, in his wifdom, thall feem meet. That he be authorifed to call into actual fervice, any number of the militia of the ftates of South-Carolina, Georgia, Ohio, Kentucky, Tenneffee, or of the Miffiffippi territory, which he may think proper, not exceeding fifty thoufand, and to employ them, together with the military and naval forces of the Union, for effecting the objets abovementioned. That the fum of five millions of dollars be appropriated to carry into effect the foregoing refolutions; and that the whole or any part of that fum be paid or applied on warrants, drawn in pursuance of fuch directions as the Prefident may, from time to time, think proper to give to the fecretary of the treafury. The Wreath. [The following fable from the EUROPEAN MAGAZINE, of 1801, contains a most excellent moral.] TRUTH AND THE MILLER. A FABLE. CHILL The Man of Meal, with fluent tongue, To him the wretch her tale address'd, And thus, in piteous strain, express'd :"For Heav'n's sweet sake, kind Sir! O! spare One farthing to a widow's pray'r; Hard are the times, and little know The rich of poverty and woe: At home for bread my infants pine, And ev'ry racking care is mine!" "Vagrant, begone!" the good man cried"And haste thy loathsome form to hide; To honest labour turn thine hand; Forbear thy plaints, and understand, That though thou dar'st at Heav'n repine, 'Tis sleth and indolence, like thine, With other crimes combin'd, that call The chast'ning rod of Heav'n on all ; Hence fruitless seasons, harvest drear, And all the plagues that blot the year!" He spoke when, lo! before his eyesAs flames thro' smouldering smoke arise→ The SUPPLIANT rose, transform'd and bright, A native of the realms of light' A sum of splendor grac'd her breast, A zealous rage her eye confess'd, As thus, with action dignified, "Detested wretch! immers'd in gain, And harden'd to another's pain, Thou dost the attributes abuse Of him whose name thou dar'st to use; On which you found your stale pretence; BUFFON, UFFON, a French philofopher, of diftinguifhed learning and great fame, but an opposer, and contemner of the facred volume, conjectured that the earth is a fragment torn off from the fun ; that, it being, at the period of its firft diflodgement, a ball of lolid fire, it must have took fome thoulands of years to cool it to fuch a degree as to render its furface habitable : conlequently, that the earth, near the poles, had formerly a proper degree of warmth for elephants, rhinoceri &c. ;and that in this way we may account for the skeletons of these animals being found in the polar regions. - Be this question, however, as it may : -whether the deluge were a natural or a fupernatural event, its exiftence cannot be reasonably doubted; inafmuch as it is attefted, not only by facred hiftory, but alfo by its evident effects over the face of the earth. I believe I have not done (certainly have not defigned to do) any injuftice to the lentiments of Buffon, on this fubject; tho' I have to depend on memory, as his Whethwritings are not now before me. er any credit is due to this philofophical fancy; or whether it is not even a confirmation of the truth of Mofes's hiftory of the flood, that a man of fingular learning and talents has had recourse to fuch a wild theory to invalidate it ;-let every candid reader judge. The moft learned man in the world is fcarcely more able to dive into the arcana of the laws of nature, than a fly, that lights upon St. Paul's Church, is able to fcan its dimenfions and criticife on the juftnefs of its proportions. But if it were even granted, that, according to the ufual operation of the laws of nature, the united waters of the oceans and of the atmosphere could not be made. to cover the earth, to a height much above thirty feet, it is ftill more rational to admit a fupernatural agency, than to deny the fact a fact or event, that accounts for a multitude of phenomena, which are utterly unaccountable on any other known principle. A diftinguished philofopher of our own country, Mr. Jefferfon, has objected to the credibility of Mofes's history of the deluge, on the ground that it violates the eftablished laws of nature; according to which, (in his opinion) water cannot be made to rife over the furface of the earth, to fuch an attitude as to cover even small hills, and much lefs the lofieft mountains. On the other hand, Barnarden St. Pierre, a French author, who is no lefs celebrated for philofophical difquifitions than Mr. Jefferfon, has offered to the public a very ingenious theory, which (if true) feems to prove that the deluge was poffi. ble even on natural principles. W. TERMS OF THE BALANCE. To City Subscribers, Two Dollars and fifty cents, payable in quarterly advances. To Country Subscribers, who receive their papers at the office, Two Dollars, payable as above. To those who receive them by the mail, Twa Dollars, exclusive of postage, payable in advance. A handsome title-page, with an Index or Table of Contents, will be given with the last number of each volume. Advertisements inserted in a conspicuous and handsome manner, in the Advertiser which accompanies, and circulates as extensively as the Balance. Complete files of the first volume, which have been reserved in good order for binding, are for sale -Price of the volume, bonnd, Two Dollars and fif ty cents-unbound, Two Dollars. The whole may be sent, stitched or in bundles, to any post-office in the state, for 52 cents postage; or to any post-office in the union for 78 cents. AGENTS FOR THE BALANCE. IN ADDITION TO THOSE HITHERTO MENTIONED. PUBLISHED BY SAMPSON, CHITTENDEN & CROSWELL, Warren-Street, Hudson. WHERE PRINTING IN GENERAL IS EXECUTED WITH ELEGANCE AND ACCURACY. The COLUMBIAN Political. FOR THE BALANCE. 66 HAIL SACRED POLITY, BY FREEDOM REAR'D ! 46 HAIL SACRED FREEDOM, WHEN BY LAW RESTRAIN'D !" AND ON THE IMPOLICY OF A SPEEDY ADMISSION Balance, REPOSITORY. HUDSON, (NEW-YORK) TUESDAY, MARCH 8, 1803. Moft readily is it granted that many of the emigrants to this country are peaceable, induftrious, useful people: they quietly betake themselves to their respective callings, and are a valuable acquifition to the nation that adopts them.It is from the fwarm of idle, reftlefs, turbulent and factious characters, who neftle together in our largest towns and cities, that the peace || of the country is wounded and its liberties jeopardifed. These outcafts from European focieties, these fcapelings from the gallows are not contented to find here a fecure affylum, an inviolable protection of BEATTIE. No. I. THIS HIS country is a vaft refervoir, into which are continually pouring fuch polluted streams as powerfully tend to corrupt and poison the whole mals. The flood-gates of emigration are set open.Europe, for the last ten years, has been in a ftate of general and violent fermentation; and the froth and lees which that fermentation had produced, are thrown out upon us. The jails and dungeons of foreign countries are discharging their filthy contents into our land, which feems doomed to become a Botany Bay; and, Scape-ed on our fhores, than they affert their convulse our sea-ports ;-they arreft the their perfons, a goodly land, which of- ment of an independant and great nation fers them food and raiment. It is not e- fo infulted by vagabond strangers, who nough that they enjoy the rights of hospital- were fubfifting on its bounty. If these ity: "that they are permitted to land aliens had come over in an embodied army quietly on our fhores; that they will be fifty thousand strong, and with a defcendprotected equally with our own citizens, ant of William the Conquerer, or with a in their persons, and in the acquifition and brother or coufin of Bonaparte at their enjoyment of property; that our courts head, they might, with a pretty good grace, of juftice are open to them to feek redress have declaimed against the oppreffion and of injuries; and that they are permitted tyranny of our laws, and demanded a new peaceably to return to their own countries, order of things,-not as a favour, but as whenever they pleafe, and to carry with their right. In fuch a commanding attithem all their effects."-They defpife and tude, they might have pleaded their right oath this precious Manna, that is incef- to a share or even to a monopoly of the fantly diftilling upon them, and falling in national fovereignty, in language of scorn, celestial fhowers around their tents; and invective and reproach. But (unless conof which they are admitted to the gratui- vinced of their duty by the all-powerful tous enjoyment.-No immunity, no priv- logic of a conquerer) the fovereign people ilege, fhort of the right of fuffrage which of this country are not yet quite prepared is a participation in the national fovereign- to endure, from vagrant hordes, buffetty, can fatisfy these haughty and trouble- tings and spurnings in return for hofpisome strangers. No fooner are they land-tality; nor have they, in the "march of fentiment," attained to fuch an unbounded regard for "oppreffed humanity," as to be willing that foreign convicts and gallows-fcapers fhould fcornfully tread upon their own necks. || ONE OF THE PEOPLE. *No circumstance could afford a clearer demonstration either of the ignorance or extreme absurdity of our new political lecturers, respecting the nature of government, than the following sentiments in their late memorial to Congress: namely, " that to tax him, (an emigrant,) imprison him, or put him to death, by laws, in the framing of which he was not represented, is to exercise against him an act of tyranny." According to this principle, if an emigrant or an alien, the day that he lands on our shores, should steal, rob, or murder, it would be an act of tyranny to punish him; because, forsooth," he was not Never perhaps before was the govern- represented in the framing of our laws.” |