Newspapers / North-Carolina Centinel and Fayetteville … / Aug. 8, 1795, edition 1 / Page 2
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P H rtA D EL P H I A, July at. By a gentleman who leftKewiYorkr -on Sunday evening, we have re ceived the fbllowrng account of the 1 OWN-MEETING. " AS it will be no doubt intereftirg, not only to the citizens of thisflate at large, but to the citizens of other ftates, to have afr accurate idea of the circumftances which preceded and attended the meeting of Satur day laft at the City-Kali, theollow ingftatement is offered asonewhich may oe oepenuea upon : - - 1 he intelligence of the Town Meeting at Bofton, which had enter ed into certain refolutions, difap provirg of the treaty lately nrgocia ted with Great-Britain, had no fooher reached this city, than a buz began to prevail that a fimilar meet ing would fpcedily be had here. , It was obferved very foon alter, that particular characters were very ac tive in going about the citypo incul cate the neceflity of fpch a meeting. , Oh Thurfday evening, thert ap peared in feveral -of the papers an anonymous invitation to the citizens to meet at the City -Hall on Saturday " at XII o'clock, for the purpofe of unitins: their common efforts. with their fellow citizens of Bofton who, at two general - Town-Meetings; unanimoufly adopted refoluti ons expreffive of their deteftation of the treaty made with Great-Britain. On Friday a hand-bill was cir culated, which contained thefo fentiments That the ueaty furren ders rights and privileges ruinous to our commerce ; that it yeilds advantages which we ought never to part with but with our lives ; that it makes facrifices for which w e have no equivalent : In'fliort, that it fettles principles dangerous to the liberties and happinefs of the people, and ceftructive ot our freedom and independence ; and urged the citi zens to attend the meeting to exprefs their deteftation of the treaty. On the evening of the fame day, a number of merchants met at the Tontine CofFee-houfe, and agreed upon an addrefs to the citizens, which was figned by their chairman, James Watfon, and publilhcd the next morning. This addrefs recites the expreffi ons above quoted from the hand bill appeals calmly t"b the-judgement of the citizens, whether fuch a picture of the treaty can be true exprefse.s this among other fenti ments, that they , the merchants, then convened", had not yet been able to , difcover in the treaty, " ihbfe hein ous features 'which, are alledged to exift," and exhorts to calm dicufli on and deliberation, and to a general attendance of the citizens, that the true fence of the city might appear. At the time and place appointed, a very numerous body of citizens afTembled , among thefe the principle part of the merchants, and rnanv very refpeftable citizens of all defcription . A propofition was made for appointing a chairman Col. Wm. Smith, and Commodore Nicholfon, were named the firft was appoint ed, and took the chair. A propolition was then made for adjourning to fome place more con venient for a fair and full difcuflion of the treaty ! This was oppofed on the followinggrounds: That the treaty had been for fome time in the hands of the citizens; that it was prefumable each citizen had come there prepared to pive his vote upon it ; that if the opinion of the citizens were to anfwer any nurpofe it mud befneedily civen; finceitwas pro bable a decifion by the Prefidcnt of the U. States would not be delayed ; and that a difcuflion to befatitfaclo ry and effectual, would require more time than the attending citizens' could fparc, and would tend to irurtrate the objeU f the meeting." There were many voices for and agaift the. prot ofal ; but a part of the meeting was fo clamorous, that no reply could be made to tluc object - and no decifion could be obtain ed While this queflion wfts agitated, a propofal was n.ade, that thole who difapproved the treaty fhoulddraw off to the right, thoe who approv ed of it, t0.the.l5ft." A considerable part of the meeting drew off to the right j but the greater part remain ed where they at firft were. This attempt alto proved abor tive,- andjlcjdecUiothing, 1 chaitmati, 1 1 idly, fifteen! There wereW . -1 A citizen prefent, however, with out recurrence to the proceeded to name rap perfons as a committee a r r a number ot voices in lavour or eacn, but this whole affair of the commit tee was conducted in fuch a msnner that it is hnpofible to corifider it as the acT: of a meeting. The meeting -became every mo ment more and more tumultuous and noify. After the above tranf actions a motion for adjournment was made and agreed to. Previous to this "the Friends of Fair Difcufli-on-as they were denominated, were; invited to withdraw, and many withdrew accordingly, and were withdrawing when the motion for adjournment terminated the meeting- ". . The perfon who took lead in the bufinefs of the meeting on the fide of thofe who, advocated an immediate condemnation, of the treaty, were Mr, Brockholft Livingfton, Mr. Peter Livingflon, and Mr. Maturn Livingflon; on the othei fide ap peared Mr. "Hamilton, and it was underftood that Mr. King and other gentlemen, ftood ready toco-operate in a difcuflion if it could have been brought about. Injhecourfe of the affair three ftones were thrown at Mr. Hamil ton, the fecond of which glanc ed his forehead, but without materi al injury, one of the others flruck another gentleman Handing by him. From the beginning flandards were difplayed bearing the colours of the United States and F ranee. About this time, a part of thofe who had drawn off to the right, went round by another ftreet (down Broad Way) to the battery, bearing a ftandard, with, the .American and French colours, burnt the Tretty there, and making a circuit, return ed with an augmentation of num bers. While this was doing, according to every appearance, without the knowledge of the great body of the citizens who continued their pollti- r .1 . la f'tt on oeiore tne my nan, tne toiiaw- ing matters were going on, viz. A refolution was propefed, which being handed to the chairman, was read by him in the following words : "Refolved, That it does not ap pear necefiary ..to this meeting to exprefs any opinion on the Treaty lately negociated between the Uni ted States and Great-Britan, iaaf much as they have full confidence in the wifdom and virtue of the I'lcfi dent of the United States, to whom, in conju&ion with the Senate, the . decifion of thequetVion conftitution- ally belongs.' A queflion was then taken upon it, by the Chairman. The - voices for it and aga'uut it were numerous and loud. 'Tke party were defircd to fignify their afTent, by raifing their hands. Many hands were" railed for and againfl it ; but the noife andcon fufion were fo great, "that it was difficult, if not impracticable, to fay with certainty where the majority lay : Both fides claim it with equal pofitivenefs. Immediately after the queflion on the resolution, a propofition was made for oppointing a! committee to report, on Monday next, upon the Treaty. There is good caufe to believe that thii propofition was not generally heard by tie meetirg, and it -is rotafcertaird that aiy. queflion was tuken upon it. The following is a ftattment of the day by the chairman. To the Citizens of fitw-Ycrk. THE inhabitants of this city ha ving betn called togeih.tr, this day, to decide on the fuhjedt of the treaty " lately negociated between tke Lni ted States of America and Great Britain ; it may be considered incum bent on me, being honoured by the voice of my fellow citizens to prehde -at theirTneetimgr to ftate -toahetn,J with impartality, the bulineis of the day. The firft propofition-had in view the adjournment to fome place, where a full and fair difcuflion of the treaty may be had, which was oppofed on the ground, that the treaty had been lome time in the hands of the citizens ; that it was prefumable each citizen bad come there prepared to gi e his vote urcn it ; that if the opinions of the citi zens were to anfwer any purpofe, it :' muft be fpeediiy given ; fmce it was probable a decifion by the Prtficlent of the Lniied States would not be delayed, and that difcuflion, to be ; fatisfadory and effe'dlual, would require more time than the attefrd-7 ing citizens could fpare and would tend to fruftrate. the object of the meeting. The propofition Was advocated atid oppofed (but no difcuflion hud) -and a refolution was then offered in the following words : Kelolved, that it does not appear to this meet ing neceflary to exprefs any opinion on the treaty lately negociated be tween the United btates and Great Britain, inafmuchas they have full confidence in the wifdom and vitueof the Frefident of the United States, to whom in conjunction with the fenate, the decifion of the queflion conftitutionally belongs.'' This refolution being handed to the chair, wds read, though not without interruption, and thexjucfti 6n was put upon it. There were many who advocated, and many who oppofed it : But there was fo much diforder, that it was difficult to pronounce with certainty wheie the majority lay. A propofition in the ccrurfe of the meeting, was made, that a commit tee mould be appointed to report ft -fet of refolutions to be fubmitted on Monday next, at 12 o'clock, at the fame place, expreffive of the oppini on of the citizens on the hibject of their meeting. A member (not thro the medium of the Chair J then named fifteen citi zens as a committee, to whom the fubjeJt fliould be referred, and who Ihould be required to report atthe time and place above mentioned. The perfons named were Mr. JJ. Livingflon, Mr. I. Clafon, Col. H. Rutgers; Mr. F. Nixon, M. Va rick, Mi I. R. Livingflon, Mr. Jno. Broome, Mr. Simpfon, Mr. Elting, Mr. Denning, Mr. Ofgood Mr. Gelfton, Mr. W. W. Gilbert, Mr. Brower, . . tnd Mr. Gurden Munford. For each of thefe gentle men there were many voices, but the noife was fo conliderable, that it is hard to pronounce with certainty, whether this proceeding wai dear ly underftood by the citizens at large. A motion for an adjournment to the meeting at the fame place on Monday next, at 12 o'clock, was then made ; and an adjournment thereon took place. PETERSBURG, July 31. Accounts from Barbadoes of the 20th ult. mention that the Ifland of Grenada prefents one continued fecne ofthemofl dreadful definition and inch is the general calamity, thae the colony is reduced to little fliort of total ruin. The Citizens ofPttuflufg. and of the neighbouring counties, are requeued to meet oft Saturday n xTT the lft of Auguft, at eleitn o'clock, at theTovtnCr,urt-hoi)(e. 1 he ob ject of the meeting is, tl at the People fliould txprefs tl tir opinion on the late Tteaty,- between the; United States, and Greaf-Bfitain. Mejfrs, Connoly, ir Co. U entie7r.cn f FOR the information of the gocd citizens of the lounty ot Rohtlcn, you will pleafe to infert in your im partial gazette, the cncloltd copy of a letter addrefl'ed to me by a cer- tain JobkIWJllis, 6f Liimbenon, Robefon county ; alfo the copy of a letter, which '1 have forwarded to Jacob Rhodes, efq. of LVmbcrton, and oblige your obt.1ervant, GEOBGE JAMES. , Raj.eigh,8 February t 1795. Mr. James, ' SIR, - - I HAVE underftood that you have on hand, a large amount in 'the certificates ifliied by the ftate of North-Carplina, which you wifli to veft in entering vacant lands: this may , be done, and as 1 am further informed you have a partner in this bofmefs, I will endertake to furnifli one million of cres, if you will furnifh the bounty to the Ttaie. The .fees to furveyor8, &c. 1 think may be done with about five hundred pounds, as thefe officers have here tofore done this bufinefs for 1-4 of the lawful tees : it will be ui:cerftocd that if we go into this bufinefseare to be three equal partners, paying out the whole cxpences and the nett proceeds divided into three equal hares -if you accede to this, you'll inform Sir, your humble fervant, JOHN WILMS. K. B. The bounty to the ftate is fifty fiiilmigs per hundred acres, which you are to furnifh. The entry takers and furveyors, I will fet tle with them ; every thing advanc ed and expended to be charged to the company account. You will direct to the addrels of John Willis, Lumbevton, Robefon county State of North Carolina. J. W. The above propofition was acceded to, fit Raleigh, 6th February 179?. GE0 Favetteville, Augujl 6, 1 705. - SIR, A few, days ago I was In the Coun ty of Richmond, the furteyor of that County informed me that he did not believe there could be ten thoufand acres of.vacant land found in that county fince the large furveys made laft fummer, " what could Mr. Willis flatter himfelf with, in wifh ing to take frcm me the fum of 55cl. to enter on my account two hundred thoufand acres of land ut the county of Richmond, one huo-. dred thoufand acres in the county of Robefon ; aoo,oco in the county of Bladen ?" knowing at the fame time that there was no fuch quanti ties of vacant land in the counties of Richmond & Robclon, do the peo ple in the county of Robefon put up with fuch tricks of villainy as this i what induced Mr. Willis to fuppofe fuch a game could be played upon, flrangers. I hope that the people of Rcbefon county wiU at the next election take care to fend a man that will not make it his bufinefs to pro pose a contract for a million of acres f of land when it will he found to be totally out of his power to comply with fuch an engagmerrt 1 wifli you to fliew this to the people in the county of Robefon. 1 (hall be at the next cleclion in your county ic (hew to the people Mr. Willis's propofition, and aik Mr. Willis to prove to the people, where this milli on of acres of land wasto be found ; if he can do fo, I muft coniefs it is
North-Carolina Centinel and Fayetteville Gazette (Fayetteville, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Aug. 8, 1795, edition 1
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