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"reasonable we mighty Cnd therajpn invest!-f-ationto.be. Under these, circumstances end I appeal to my excellent friend from Maryland, who brought it in, for the -correctness of my statement, thd opponents of Ihe bill gave.it no -other opposition than silent vote. And nowsir we are told th at . v.s, stand pledged, and that ' an appropria tion for British grants not re-grunted by Spio especially, and for such other claims against the state of Georgia, generally,' as congress should find quite worthy, was made for the especial benefit of . a particular de scription Claimants, branded too with the - deepest odium ; who dare to talk to us of public faith and appeal to the national ho nor. The conclusion of the memoriaLis amu- sinp; enough. After playing over the farce, which was acted by the Yazoo Squad at the last session, affecting to believe that an ap propriation has been made by the act of March- 1303, for their especial. benefit, they pray that congress wnl be. pleased to give them what? that to which they assert they are entitled ? 'by no means---an eighth or tenth part oi it which said eighth or tenth part, if we may credit them, rnsbecn already appropriated to their use by law. From. 'knowledge of the memorialists, and those whom they represent, can you believe for a moment that if they had the least faith- in tlie volume of -argument, (I am sorry to pro - fane the word)vh'ichjlhey have presented to original grantees. Discoveries such as these have been reserved for the profound" legaV learning of the agents of the New-England Mississippi land company, and tne.ingenui- of the committee of claims I YV hat, ty Sir. would vou sav to a pretender toour estate, who after hyinaT' claim to the Whole of it,, and writing a volume of, argument (if I may so abuse the term as to apply it, to the sophisticated trash which I hold in,. IX . : - , x- i : T I my naou; in support, oi nis miuuiuwi should make it the ground work at a, pto posal to receive a seventh or a tenth part' of which he declared himself legally and equitably entitled to, and should at the same the house to wove the goodness of their title can you believe th'it tinder such an im presion they would accept a paltry compro mise of two shillings in the pound-nYuch le&s that to obiain it they would descend so low. Sir, when Abese men talk about pub 'lic faith ami national 'honur, they remind mc of the appeals of- the unprincipled gamester and veteran -usurer to the honor ot the thoughtless spendthrift, whilst, in reality, they are addressing themselves to;his vices and his folly. I have 'confined myself on this occasion, principally to the q'.ics'.iori of ntice, because it has bjeri ma le an engine tQ. play upon the g-erierous feeiingSsvf many, 'and not because I deemed it 'material to the question of -title. It is not my intention to' travel over. the ground which 1 occupied at the last session on the following important points. " That Georgia had mo light to make the sale ; thc-.t. tun if she h id,' the contract being laid in corruption and fraud, - was null and-void, abinitio ; that, consequently, the qu'estion of notice was not material to the question of the litlertJhe-hand-ollHm pwsonsf-Hv the original grant being obtained by Bribery ' -and fraud, no right could vest tjder-Ut-and that eve. i if these positions wereas false, as they are indisputably trte, the pieser.f caie presents a monstrous anom dy, to 'which the ordinary and na-row maxims of municipal jurisprudence cight not, ar.d c.mnot be ap plied. It is from great first principles, to which the patriots of Gcoigia so gloriously appealed, that we must look fur aid in such rxirrmity. Ys, extreme cases like this, call; for ef.rewe remedies. There is no cure slriit o"- exilrpatin. 'Attorneys and judges do not d idj the fete of empires. The light of ths state oftCeorfa to sell (althug;i I do not propose to go largely, in to tli.it question) is denied by your own sta tute book. !y turning to -which yn will find t!ut si fir from bji:v.; able totransfer toother the ri:j!it of cxiing'iishing Indian title to laid, ile ias r.-it Utrn aide to exercise it fir h;mr,i h.:n-it. It i only throii!i the agen- yof'.li; U;iiu-d Strs lb it s!il! ran obtain V.w f'.i:vitis'im!H of -Indian tiih's to the sil within liir hurt, wn h less-could she dcljgit-: it t a f.-w Ya.n men. i'ut, as lit been i';p..atcd!y Mimed fii former di. cu js'mis ol this snbjcjt, cvi.ii if the q'is,t'nn of :i ;h. on rhc p'.rt of Georgia to ttil, and 0:1 t'lJ p-pi f Hvi rranfc ii.cul.t con. r.e led, U caii'tol be conlrovertrd tint time affirm.th.at you were - bound in honor" to accede lo his modest, considerate and generous-proposition i wouia you not scout hiin'troni your presence as a swindler, as a disturber of the peace of society, or would you be trepanned by '.his artifice, or bullied by his effrontery out of your property ? ; The government of the United States, on a former occasion, did not, .indeed, act hi this firrh and decided manner. But those were hard unconstitutional times, which ought never to be' drawn into precedent. 1 he first year that I had the honor of a seat in this house, an act was. passed, in a nature not altogether unlike the one now proposed I allude to the case of the Connecticut re serve, by which the nation was swii.dled out of some three or lour millions of acres Df land, which, like other bad titles, hadfallen Thto the hands of innocent . purchasers. When I advert to the, appTTcanta by whom J we were then beset, I find '.hat among them was one of '.the vury persons who style them- ! selves agents of the New-England Missis sippi hind company, who seems to have an : -unfortunate luck at buying bad titles. His , gigantic -grrrsp embraces with one bund the shores ot Cuke trie and ftretche. with t.ic other to tiie bay of Mobille. Milieus of a cres are easily digested by such stomachs. Goaded by avarice, they buy only to sell, tnd sell unly to buy.-- The retail trade of iivud and imposture yields too small and slow a . profit to gratify their cupidity. They by and sdl corruption in the gross, and a few millions, nore or less, in hardly felt in the - account. The deeper the play tho greater ' "thair zest for the game, and the stake which is set up 'i meir tnrow, n no.nmg less,. man the patrimony of the people. Mr. Speaker, wh.en I sei; tin agency that has been employ", od on this occasion, 1 .must own that it fills me with apprehension and alarm.1 This 4.me agent is-at the head of an executive de- j-arUiw)t-fHi-vi;rttmetU,-ubontinate in rank and dignity, and in the ability, reriuir. -f dMta-ttperimendTcc,-but-infc!orto none in the influence attached to it. This "olTicer pobsessed of how many snug appoint ments and fat contracts, let the o!uni'inous records on our table of the mere names and dates and mms declare, having an influence which is confined to no quarter of the coun try, but pervading every purt.of jhe union, with officers in his gift amongst the most lucrative, and at the same time the least la borious or responsible under the government, so templing as to draw a member of the 6 ther house from his seat, and place him as a deputy at the fi.-et of-your applicant; this ofi':c?r prt-scnts hiir.sclf at .your bar ot once a parly and an advocate. Sir, .when I see ! this tremendous patronage brought to bear I - upon us, 1 do confess that it strikes me with I C'nisiernaiinn iiiv'l disniiy. Is it come to j this? Are l.cals of executive departments of : the governir. -ot to be brought into, this ho.i,e, with all the influence and patronage attached to them, to extort ' from ui, no.v, what was r .-fused at m last srssit of ron r,"ess! I hope not sir. Bui if they are, and f the alMm'Hi'.de illiny practised npr-n, and Ly the h'i-.biturerjf Georgia, in 1795, is now to he tlasvid over, I fir one v:l.v; what se ver to rise in this section tf the globe. I speak of the plunder of the public property, j S!iLJSMwe wil, the marrow and pithf this business will be found, in the character of the great majority of its friends, who stand, as they have before stood on this floor, the unblushing advocates' of uti blushing cor ruptioa. But this; it mav be said, is idle de- fKclairiatioh. We mav hf tolft. ns Sre have i been lold before, that the squanderers of the public treasure are the guardians of ihe peo ple against their worst enemies, therhseh es ; that to protect them from farther dilapida-" tion, it is necessary to give this Cerberusf corruption, this many headed dog of hell, a :J r.wi-iiv t'iry, hr whom it shall he done, can the M-.T-r for theirremitAiions. bcttcrthan can lit! frau l ih-nt ad lcoA ipt aticmptof the !-gisl.t--"1v;n for the charac ter of ihwt lej-jsJaturcf tjreoTl7J' lobelray ihc interes's of those j 1 .viil pin Hvsf:lf up:i this text, anil prcarh whohtj.lco.'iled';'ii!itm.wisipMf..ctoo:d; i u r nitas long as I luvp life. If no other t'al m ri ;'Jt o'tld hj vcst.. by it,,m liic r.-a , n ca t b ad lured but a regard Tor bur insiifdt.irs.an lputi.ip.it iriof ihe fr.md,and l nan la nu,' it' it were onlV to rescu? ourselves ik'il ih tsooiiiM inl nnvry loothcr a bet- ! f.-ont t!;is f.nli l:r title th.n fuy t,i.:,iisi-ves pfs?'.s i.- JLUitUJO'hy wr-w irthy aay-r..Li,(r.l. j!iys-;f wo-i.Tcitc Mut .f the n:r.!:thsls tii.'.ntclvfs a'id if i!,j fo-.nn-iltte ft claims, in s-.i ip iit t.f tins 5fM!in. It is clliwed by lli-.e , r.h'jri'.irJ, tin'. t!u title f liit iu c:, n r, at second .vl ihicd h ind, is ihn.i-ni!tr-l in t'tc rati .which 5'e rtillhr.s of npuiv.i'.n, this weak osrl dis- j; h inor.'Mc. r o:i' pru.U.s w: xhjtl jrvccivcla jrprimn TT-cTsiviTnjrction. Is the voice j f p.itrio'isin lulled to rest? that we no lin.t I f,tr hear ihe cry aain t a t ovcibejrinif ma I i iri'y, dt.tei'inioc-1 to vii down th; constim- j lion, ni l l?f t' every proposition of com I pr jrr.is"! Step woe 'the H.e fwrelKHlings ' t' which we have brtn hiTrtolore comnclls I ;,Lr.-s bars in!ic nhdr l-. ritor which Uujr j t, listen. Bit if the enmitv of such men he m . IomIv al..t"l lo cnnuiit ihiiiy-iise r.! 1 urn of acres, .iUVju lliere is thvj hrst re s i f bj'.i. it l biii?r filiy.. -N.ow, sir, ivr luvj ii-it r in lestei-.drJ to expliin f us by w";it IcTUm nil it comes to a t'ast h iMc ' fii.ty -five millions of acies (to xn ti.ti, i i Vaiem.'nt) is i!tfrrc"Hicd ia th -'r ha I'ltt f.'jrfii'.ly us i qt4tiiin. t re ' icr-l lMitf s.'feMH of its vain?, uhdl the t.'l'f v .f :1n. t'.Jv-lft that H'vtir.h is prvpor i,iiiilv r.'.s'."!. IMa'o, ho.iest iten wonll is i i scry dcVicnl A tnun .f this stair ;t si I p ( p.. ifrwlwit i t this Way. If the c'..'rn it uti j r nrttiptioi; grnlc:s of M. vi!l u chin lo lid rty. five millions ti Ufs'i ihiitv p-tci'is, sursly those riioi? oiiil ;tte lac same tiita to the whole ol V; iM.p,.is- wIikIi llrf Ind purchased, h, il Uirv ii.t.M pic",:nil to itt up li any pnrt fit. Ii v.i.ilj tKvrr Mtir to silh a mm, ti at sbit, as to4'ial., l'ae iois hd Ui-i;l.t a ivtier tula than ihe venders ihm- hallo sett, ytl, bv s-iina uoililcl'mi. fii'iaidiblc their friendship issiedly deslriic- ' ti.m, it.crr touch (wUiuioit. What is the , Vrit ;.iinit which we norr ltrtigi!e, which We h ive tainlr citdctivareU to stifle f ' mon nur trciitxaitd by fraud, nursed by corrup tion, tint in trt -silnre waits his prey il U ih.- soit of n-'.DKKAI.lSM! Tii.ft sjiirit vhich cf.nsidcts the nt.tns; m ir.M-l-i only I ir fw, which sees in a Rovero. in; nt nothiit hut a jot, which is never so li'tio to ifself, nssh?nfi!sc to the nation , Wticiv I hthold a certain party supporting and ' cl'.n iii,jto ur a measure, almoM lo a man, I te only men faitlifiil to their own princi i pi 's pnr'iiu, wi'h unsteady step and tinti I red n il, the unifiirm tenor of their political H it when I see s'utcd with them. in fim compscl, Mhers who once rallied un i' ilrrthc Hand jnl of opposite principles, I ant ,'fIhd with apprrhrmion ami concent.- Of ; wtioi consequence Is It ihal a man smilrs in I your farr, holds nut his hands and dr Urei i 'himself wie alvocMcftfihoscpolilicsloVinions I inc. W''11," wi n n.i,ir. ; l. .1,1th .lo .re ..IKlicd. .I.cn ,.u .ce vo.is.f-h nitiof stswwinal worth i in e-.'ur w.Hs, v it iTfn limti wrjc, unj 6t principle which the voire of the nation his putuawn, which I did licpe werohuitcd, nc sop ; that is to your interest to pacify him : and this sentiment is re-echoed by his yells. Good God! Sir can, you believe, can any man believe it j is there a woman or a child in the country weak enough to credit it that a set of speculators, out of pure regard to the public interest, are willing to sacrifice thirty millions ol acres of land ; That they press their offer-to accept a seventh or a tenth of their claim, from motives of patriotism ? Can you believe that their love of country has got the belter of their avarice, that their vir tue is equal to such a sacrifice at the shrine of the public welfare ? Such men, I repeat, it, are formidable as enemies; but their frieudihip Is fraught with irresistable death. I feared indee'd tl)e " lHnaos et dona ferch tes." ' But after the law, in question, shall have passed what secui ity have ybii that the claimants will accede to your terms of com promise ?- That this i.s not a trap, to obtain from congress something like a recognition of their title to be hereafter had ngninst us? Sir, with :sill our wisdom, I seriously doubt -our ahili'y lo contend with the arts and de--signs of the claimants, if they can once en tangle .us in the net of our own legislation. Let the act of March '1801, 'of which already they have made so dextrous an uei be re membered. .They themselves have pointed out the course wliich we ought to pursue They have told us that so long as we refrain from legislating on this subject, their case is hopeless. Let us Ihen persevere in a "wise and masterly inactivity." Whenever a bill shall be introduced in . conformity to the principles of the report, if such should unfortunately be the decision of the house. I trust that some gentleman more rompetert than myself will be ready to give . ita more i Tic tu 1 opposition. My weak health and want of preparation unfit me for the task. But, sir, if this claim istobe admitted, I hope we- sball not fail to go the whole length of our "principle-! ; that we 'dVidlTfoUiarrow' (IoSvh to 5 m;llion of acres a legal orequitable'.itle tofifiy 1 fX'oiTgress"fchalI dttcrnune to sanctionlhis" fraud upon the public, I trust in God we shall hear no more of the crimes and follies of the former administration. For one, I pramise that my tips upon thtssubjret shall be closed in eternal silence. I should disdain to prate about the petty lrcenies i f Mir prcdecensors, after hiving given my twnrtion to tbi atroci ous public robbery. Their petit delinquen cies will vanish hi-fore h. as the stars of the firmament fade at the cndlgenl appearanceof a suMmcr's kiin. N KW.YOPK, April 5. 3 the brig Patty, Irom Tordeaux, we have received Paris papers lo the '6th of Febru ary, whiclM on' run a "variety of intrrcMing domments nLtive to the overtures of France for a peace. We this day com-m.-nre those papers, and shall continue 'thtr.i in fti'ure numbers of this Gazette. CO A j A R VA TlVE SF. T.1 TE. Pa a is, Feb. 4. Till, Senate assembled this duv in -.grand costume, rndjr Ihc presidency of his serene 'highness the arch-r'-ancellor. His cxccllenry, M. TaHeyranrl, ministcrof ' fo'x-ign nhui'-n-.. wasintroduccd, and prcscnt cu tie following rejsori t M T,i:!ijcnd The nntioinl solemnity olihe Ci rnmaiioo, that nol le and necessary completion of our social institutions, attached to its sentiments toof profound and too uni versal ti' t lo occupy the whole attention of aft c.isesoftl.c state ; at the near approach of this great internal event, which has just as sured fur vcr the sVestinics of France, in con secrating by the vo'icc of men anil heaven all that we had acquired of uWy, of grentness, and of independence, the interest of nil other events was jreneralry, as il by one common inipicstinu, felt to diminish and grow feeble ; even ihc tVmght cf war seemed tp s-anish from the bosom of a nation which owes so much to Us s-iclTies. All is accomplished ; the empire is, foun ded and in re-assuming the cares of the ex terior, and recalling genius lo the intercsls of war, ihc first sentiment .fthe I'mperor h.ss hten to elevate himself above all the passions, an t to iustify hc ureal destiny for which Provi lence reserves him. b) shewing himself inaccessible lo hatred, to ambition and re vengc. , If ihcrc exist mfn who have mnceived the project of combating us with the weapons of crime who nave, as mucn as ucsin meir pvrcr, realised tht cruel thought j who have hired assassins; and who, even at this m intent, subsidize our enemies, it is o ver Ihrsi verjffmsions that the Emperor his wished to triumph. The more natural a nd common is it to men to he InitateJ by person al attacks, and to shew sentiments of resent- inent, so much the more htf has felt that it wis the part of a treat soul lo rise supciior lo Ihem. ' ' This determination prevails in every in stance, lut il is far removed from the ordi nary rules j sndlnso singular a case. I must forget, for a moment, ihe principles of courte sy which t ny othfr time would forbU ma from offehdir.g by cttccm'.f.i.'.S the m. teredo to whom I bae tin. honor .Ll)en:g nwriiMtr. Here, 1 cannct v?p!In iht itpota yti iii sity which supposes a. loieilulntss ot il.e common laws of prudence, rwuh6ui justify jug them ; and without intending it i-l my jus tifications are eulogium. 4 . . The Emperor has made the first advanrei towards government w hich has the e,mU of being the aggressor ; whwh lias mauilcsml, witjaiut moth e and without reset ye towatoa. him. and towards usi- sentiments otinunveie-' l ate hatred. To comprehend weir this iuo deratTon, it will be necessary to retrace tic ' vents which are 'passed, a ml to .11y t march of oiir august sovereign to the 'extent of his noble careePrMen who have studied, his character havetheyp'CSc'kmnt lecte .'d " by the boldness fcf hjs conceptions, and il,c vigorous and constant execution of ail bib wn terp'rizes, a calmness ot mind . and a pm., ilence by which they were tem pered, a 'resenV which prevented all abuse, an tfi'ervetic'ence, in short of justice ana humanity, which ten ded incessantly to moderate ti e effects " find cut short the term of necessary violence t Thus, after a train of advantages obtainvd upon the borders of the Drave far iicwv a bundoning himself to hopes which the iiVc liberal fortune seemed to hold out for his in- . toxication, he calculateu it would be n ore useful to -France and her enemies to under stand each other. He combatled the great aluremenls of glurvw;ithlhe slill gretaciun- terests of humanityi '' lie beard the Cries of the victims who wcicKpi-edily to be iir.mi la ted during the last struggles of an 'implaciible war, and be made overtures cfpeacv. - rrom this time, with thivt Mew cl utturitw " which outruns events, and distinguivhts tlum from the causes by which they at e pi educed, .. he had seen ail thefblood which' was to How n the field of Marengo, on that of llohcnlindui; and, regardless of the prestiges which promi sed to ..France and her brave armies nrw bai re.Ua.Qd new conqiic3ts,helistened butto Yi dictates of wisdom and bunir.nity, which le galizes glory, but commands sacrifices. ..The same principle inspired bint, the same magnanimity, when, being called to ti ke il.e reins of government, he united the title of First Consul, tp the fame, of bis gvneridshjp, ; and the powers ol the tirst magistrate to tbc immense influence of the glorv'he had actn:i- . redelivery where haddresscd the words- 01 peace;, anc he succetdeu m making lun . self heard. ' The Continent pacified, there remains ytt an enemy to France. On the 6th Ventose, year 8, he proposed peace to the liingof England The generous conqueror oftheyt-su'5, the First Consul, pacificatoi'of the year 87v.t-re ngain to be found with the same.majiiu.iii mous moderation in the august sovereign to whom heaven has entrusted our destinies.- The degrees of power, the diversity of situ ations, change none "of tlwe eminent quali ticsr which might justly be termed virtues cf character; and the Lnperor owed it to himselfto propose pe'Ce the third time, to ' prove that it was not in vuin ht hi-dtiMd u solemn occasion these evtr n emortblc ix . prtssions: u Soldier and I irst Consul, I have had but one thought, Lmpcter, 1 hate no ether." In these two years svar .is declared, and could not yet be begun. All have been pre parations and projects : but the moment In - . ing come when their execution w as to hi in - on real events, and give birth to tke n.ostleiv rible hazards, the limperor lus thought it was in the principles of ihot politic uhiifii, v.hich no doubt drawsdown upon the ihouUs and the efforts of the just and generous i ni ce the assistance of heaven, to do. turf thing in his power to prevent trt- caLu.i ties by making peace. 4, - I am ordered lo communicate lo you ike letter, which in that iew of uwh ration and humanity, his Majesty, ihe 1 trpiror J judged il proper tp. write to his Majesty, the King of hnglaild. Letter Jrtm the Lmftror ti tlu Ving cf Lrg land. SlX MY HROTHIH, Called 10 the Throne cf France h pro viderre, bj ihe fufTisgcs cf ihe Sctuie llie people and ihe army, my firll fenii ment is li e wifli cf l'cace. ' Fiar.ce ami England are wctrirg tut their profpniiyj they may" contend for ar.es. But ihtir r;o vcrnmenn, do tby fulfil laiihtully the moH ficred of their duties f and fo much Moo.! fhed unneccfTatily and without ai r prcfpccl of an er.J, dtKi it not accufa them in ihcir own confeierc ? I "t'ath , no dillionor upon making thefirft flep. f 1 have fulficirtitly, I think, ptoved to iba world that I fear twtaiijr of thetharcciof ' war; it offers mt nothing of hkh I. ou-ht to be afraiJ. Peace- is the vrifh if my heart ; but war hat never been adverfa to m clory. I conjure your Ma'efly rot to rrfufc to yourftlf ihe happinefsof g? ving peace 10 the .worlJ s let not this feet fatisfacTion be left to your children. For, in fhort, there never cxifled a fairer opportunity or a more favorable moment j put an enJ to alt the piffionf, and to liflen on!y 10 ihe femimeni tf hutnaniif and cffeifon, - 7hli moaient once lol, what term of duration can .beafTigncdto . wir, svhichallmt elTorti fh'all hae been unable in bring to a dole t Ytur Ma. Jcfly hanalned more' in territory. and Irt riches during the lift ten jreari than the whole ettent of Europe j your nation it at the hlfthefl point of prafperiiy, What ii flie to expeft from warr to ccaefco
The Wilmington Gazette (Wilmington, N.C.)
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April 23, 1805, edition 1
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