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-RALEIGH, N. C.-i PUBLISHED (wbeklt) BY LUCAS AND A, H. UOYLAN.
fllJ' 6); wuiCH a...vjwc.
Vol; 1 8 .
FRI D A Yi -J U N E 25, 1 813.
No. 899.
r I
Massachusetts Legislature.
, and ought to hive been delivered into, the public -chusetts, among the most ancient and powerful of of proceedings widen hi majesty contempt; te 1
: r-t; ' Uostun, June 10.
IMPORTANT.
ThV following- at'le K ;p-rt" was pjeseri erj to
fc two branched of'oir 1 -jiMsIaiure on Tuesday
k arfJ taken sup for consideration in the Sen-
wsterday h : debate conti'ued, until the
urof a lj wrfiinf, f witliou' a decision.. Il is
'manly and iii'.l:ri-n(lcn:. anoeal to the patriot
and good stnrt: of the people of Massathu-
I y HEPORT.
lie Cqmm:teVto f- h .n wi retired the.1r"l
tlw -Scrcurjt--o'riViip of the United Stat'c't. to
hiirEscelltncy ih-j Govpinoiir, bearing .date
atAVashiiiKtoa, Maroh 1571813, in ans;ver to
nap.dica'ion, mu le, by his Excellency in cam.
plinnccvitn a rct;ole of thn honourable the
Genc.nl' Court of h Commonwealth of Mas
sichinetts, ' to tin? Executive of the Unitet'
Siatea, requesitSnffOuch sup;ly bf, muskets as
might be considered the proportion to which
ths ConTionvveahli was entitld'uner a lavxf
the United Slates," passed in April,' 1398, by
which law the ami u.d sum ot two Jumdred.
thousand. (J'Ifs wair appropriated for the pur
post of "providing aiui for the militia of the
Uni -.d bta'.!;s, to be traniiTjitud . o thi . sever,
al ,'Sta-s in proponioti to the cif.-ctive miliua in
eacu State
tesjiectudij Report,
1HA1 tlie. law of, the United States re-i
rred to by ins Exrellnncjr the G.ivernour, and i
hlitltd '-an act making provision for arming '
jnd equipping: the whole ho: y. of 'h-.- militii
lie U. S. and anpropri liner annually S200,000:
1- .,-, , j ,
prinn purpose, pro;i as :itat the- a.-rtS
arsenals,, of which about one tenth part from. the the sisters of the great family of States, whocom-
moment of 'heir receipt by the. General Govern, post this confederated empire, will duly guard
meat Vcame, in the p'wion of yur Committeer her own hunor-and self-respect, and wilfcvtr be
the actual properly of t he State of Massachusetts, alive- to ths maintenance of her just rights at ev
an ! by the terms of ilie same law, it aho be.
came the duty of the administrators of the Gen.
tr,il Government, to have caused a proportion of
tnem km hat ratio to be 'tranaoutted or delivered
to this State : that not a single musket of -this
number has been received, or has been jntendid
to Jio transmitted, or delivered, is too apparent,
from the reply of t he Secretary of war to the sp.
plication of hi3 fxcelltncy. .
Of tliedistvibution of the stands'"" of arms which
had been actually received "ry the government ot
the United States,, under-th" law of'-innl, 1808.
;t appears from returns-made to tngr . s tv the
Department oFwaf to thejnonth of December last,
that
1000 stands had beerrdelWcrtd to N. Hamp
shire. ' "
2500 - - - to Vermont
1000 - - to Rh.jdi Island to which
Slate 250 stind? ha i also-been loaned
1000 - - to New Jersey.
ry hazatd, that she will, never compromit her
dignity, nor stoop X om.Jier pride of place, to re
pel unmerited aspersion, if arny such were intend
ed, on the motives of the man, whom she is" gra
tified to honor, who has evinced himself to be a
wak:ful Walrhm&flPbn the citadel, and a faithful
Guardian of the constitutional rights and liberties
if his fellty citizens j nor upon a militia, inferi'n
to'-jone in Union, and who are at (Jnce the
ornament, te boast, and the seuriy of Jhe State
which: has t-rarf.! and formed, and which df lights
tto cherish ind i'esp'jct them And sliould at any
time hert i' ,i fiy insidious foe seek to sow Iht
se. ds of jeufousy aii ihtit-id bstvden rhc;4n.iiiua
f the several parts of the Union,, by .unfounded
imputations on the efficiency or patriotism of the
Military if Massnchuaetts the Legislature will
view all such attempts with horror, and rejett
them with disdain.
Under the influence of these convictions, th
Committee forbear to dilate on this part of the
Irttcr til the Secretary at War, and limit them
adop'irtg. The Frenchman the:: stated ihai Ins
majesty would recommend, that, at the r.i v.
oIlhjcLStsion. juIjCoq grrsa lhe PesidtuL-auoulil, 1
4
5
500 - - . to unaware, to which State
650 st mds of arms haJ ais bren loaned. L5.elves.to reporting, that "from the whole view of
2130 ... to ttorth.Ca'o'"na.
-2000 "' - to Sou h Caiolina.
1000 - t G rgh.
1500 . - . to Ohio, to -.which.
3500 stands had aho ieen loaned.
1500 . . f0 Kmtickv.
15'JO - - to "Ten lessee.
' i.50 . - - to Lonisianna. and
216
State
thiijbj'?ct which they have been enabled to take,
Ihey .re of opinion, that the proportion of arms
provided" iwider the law of the yni:e i S'ates of
the 231 of April, 1808, to which the state of Mas
sachusetts is entitl-d, bus been unduly withheld
from her, and that in-the present exposed situa
tiort of the country, it ts the imperious duty of
in his message, adopt a reSi.lii'e and -iri.ii-- ,u. t
tone . respecting Spanish "agRrrsiipns j suwh a
tone as would indue-a belief that hos.ili.itv ouid
tie resorted to, un:ess prompt and an.jJe.!d ..$$
waspobtained. Upon the appearance cf fl.ii flf.-c-ument,
his mijesty wcultj cause it to be at7fj.
sented to the Spauish court, that his se..Se
lice compelled jiim to consider Spaii, ih- igies.
sor: that justice ouht to be done to the Unifed
States : . and if it was not,' his mujesty would be
compelled to take pt.rt with the latter This
course of conduct, the Fretthman rcmjiUO, .
wimldf without douhtinduce Spain to adju-- her,
dispuj.es' hh the United S'eTuporj such unns
V"i-2A0','t'''-' :''8ni thoi6 ttriS:' 'lit'
hi9 majesty would ufid'erfi.xe, should Ue ta"t$cT - ?
tory to the United-States. ' J hat in ' itu:n-f.p
this important service, his majesty would epect
the United States to pay him asum of money to
be greed upon, but net to exceed, seven niil -or.s '
of doilars. Mr. Armstrong informed the I t, : h
man that he would lose no time in comtmiii: at
ingthe proposals to his government, and ihus ;he
conference ended.
Every mau must recollect lhe course thv. wa's
pursued A high toned messaoe was sent to
Congress A confidential message equrllv ti;it
ed. was afterwards communicated ami Congress
voted two millions'of dollars o- be disposrd ot in
our fottign .intercourse, which was to be sent,
not to Spain, but to Paris.
4
the'Lfgish'ure to ,ilace that nirt of it under their l W'H hatufally be asked, whence an o'scure
to tne I erntory ot Illinois, and protection in n eftective staTeot ctcitnc as speed-' inmviiijui, in the western woods cnuia ;o.aia
Pr""ui
m virtue;ji mar ., ftaa oe transmuted to arm$.in
tint there ha. i been lomed to the
of C -lunribia,. 2200.
WhU
tia-: uroinc or nearly
addition hi-.h i
16,000 stands of
kno pledged to
District, ily as may b- practicable ; and they therefore re-
commentT the adoption of the follow ing rcsolu
'tiicb were contra-r.' d be delivered on orbc
t ;-e 'n 7th October, lrf!2. nd remain unarcoun-
t'l for ; or whit nuni
he several states composing,! he Union, and the have been received, i -,f'3 550 stands of arms
tntories thereoi to each 9are and erri i-ory r?s
ectivelyrin proprti m o the nu.flbc-r of efT c'i r
ihtia therein, u.d';r such rul-s and V'cdations
phall be by laiw pres rib.d by the Legislature
if each state or ten itory ''"- ' h
lo the apprehension of your Committee, the
.rrnsof tjhe law are simple", precise, and definite,
lmiuinfc nehber of t pcrve-siori of" ourpose nor
iti;ud-of construction .jf the favouritism of
arUauty, or an ini:ulger,ce ,Qf caprice.
I He people of the Umte.l States for the better
tiun
enceto the only source, from which perhaps in.
fe'tee thtM;or, by -m act of their- constituted
bthoiities, set aside from thtir revenue the annti
sum of two hundred tlvmsand d dlars, foram formation mipht be obtainerl
S and f-quip-jjing the whole body vfthe mili Of the, cauS(?s, ; pretences whic
tof 'he Untied States, and expressly directed! d the Government of tie United Sta
Jtetohrdy That' the Adjutant Genera of the
State be directed forthwith to request of the Sei
cretarv at War of the U. States, that the propofT
tion of arms to which the State of Massachusetts
er has bten r;ceiv..f! since lis entitled under the law of the 23d of Auril. 1808.
October, or untter wh it authority the 13c p at- for arm.ng and equipping the wlioj body of
mentof W;u Has assumed discre''fn neither ; Militia of the United Stte6,may be immediatLlv
gi 'en, ror war nt-.d by the law, of loaning ai. ex- transmitted t?TTiim, in his official capacity in be.
ccs beyond the proportion to which it was enii- J half of the State ; and in case it should.be consi
lied by the provisions of the law, to any State or idered by the Executive of the general J govern-
Territory, or of making any loan whatever, your ment, that Massachusetts is not a frontier State.
Committee have not the means of ascertaining ; tor that her militia hive not come forward in the
and the short dura ion of the present session of 'service of the country m surh manner as to entitle
the 'Legislature will not admit of a timely refe It he State to the proportion designated by the law
aforesaid, of the arms that have been already re-
h have indue-
ates to furnish
eleven States of the Union, the District of Colum
bia, and the Territory of Illinois, with a propor
tion of arms, which it has seen proper to withhold
from the populous, respectable, and exposed State
of Masbachusetts, and which had been- delivered
fi omits own iiianufactoriesibe letter ptjh'4' Ho
hourable John Armstrong, Secretary at war of the
United States, of March 15th, ' coiTrmunicated by
his Excellency, furnishes the evidence.
y; By that let'er, his Excellency is informed, that
" The President has deemed it most conducive to
the general interest to supply in the first phce
the ffontierfiraTes. and ""the' ""mltiilahrrh'avrcrhie"
foVward in the defence of the country, and - that
w,lien the state of 'he public arsenaK will' justify
the m.-asure, Massachusetts will receive her pro.
portion of arms agreeably to the provisions of the
law.'- '
In commenting on these reasons of the Secreta
ry at W4r, for the omission to ,, transmit, or to
deliver to the State. -of Massachusetts, the propor.
tion of arms tis which ie was entitled, your com
mittee.beg leave to remark, that the state of the
public arsenals in December last, as it respects
the supply of-arr.is, provided for the respective
States und Territories, will be manifested by the
preceding statement, from which it appears, that
of the 85,200 stnnds of arms- which were due . to
the General Government from the contractor's StT
October and of which it is acknow?edgpd 31,640
had at that time been deHVered;; shorUof levlOO
had been distributed as lates DecIast ; but they"
confess they are wholly unable, to comprehend, or
perceive even on the alleged principles of dis
tribution, how the VitiihrVnig froW the State of
Massachusetts, rashly aiidj unpreparedly plung-,
in common qrith the rt f the' Union, into a dis
astrous wariwith the most powerful maritime na
lion the tyocld ever witnessed inft;n. rt
ims'ir.htme.tis. bpirn trv-TIO liQ ,Knt. ........ n. j . .v .- . ."' r'r"-.
- fcv. - . , ug nutuc: iciuiu .ulcii sea u.im rnn antt nth.K vita... -1. , t '
ol the mihlia of th United, States as,communi.!on, intersected with ' ports aird hai bors in every
theH
iii.
the
by alo'ftg line
thf Mrt PI I, Urn
l:ab jiit onr tenthjof the snd sum of nne iMililnn id,. nrn;nr.. r',k .. ', . '
oe justihed or
at the -arms provided in virtue of thjt act
hotil.l br. transtnitted to the several ; stales com
sing theUnioMjaild territories thereof ; to each
. tit ? and 'irritoryi respectively in "proportion ro
h- number of its effective militia. Ht;nce it be
Jine the duty of the government noi to wait for
he application of (he several States, but on the
ecei'ptnf such supply of arms, as would admit
f a reasonable .division, promptly to transmit
he saro e to the respective states and territories,
v'Vhet.her this has be .m done, conformably wi.h
he provisions of jthe law or consistently with those
irincipl es of inspect, r -equalky-'amt impartiahty,
vhivh o ught ,to regulat." the conduct of thGjnef
d Gove rnment towards each member of the con.
ederacyihe history of the amount of this fund
-the. d istnbution of the arms .and the letter of
he Secretary of JVar will determine-
The act having passed jn pril, 1 808, it is ev
rdent that at this time one million of dollars must
ave accrued under it, and oueht to have been
ppropria.ted towards artnine" the whole body of
b.e militia of the United 'States." Of this sum or
he proceetJs of it, on the ratio of her contributions
Jto the revenue of the Uni'tVl States, Massachu'
etts wouH be. entitled to about Viefth p4rt, huv
jing paid upwards of forty millions towards Wis
xwo tjundrand htteen millions of dollar, derived
by the United- States under the operation bf the
Federd Government but ' predicated upon the
moiv unfavorable ratio of lhe la V, which in this
casemusioveni, MassachusetUElthoagh capa
bf bringing into the' field ah e ffective . force of
one hundred and twenty thousand free white citi.
-Tins,, for the purpose of sustaining her rightsf of
enecKiug usurpation, or ot , repelling Invasion,
would be entitled only to the number of arrrs prq'
cured under, the act of April,, 1808Mn the ratio
that. 70753a, the riu.nber.of-'-'mili'ia'-a'grpeaDiy-.i to
ceived by the Department of War under its pro
visions that sUv h proportion of the money col
lected urujvrtht said-act, as ifinvesei in arnis
would f right belong to Massachusetts, should be
held subject to the dispositmrrfthe-Tredsufer of
this Commonwealth, in order that the1 4State may
be enabled to adopt those measures of defence
which the general Government neglect to providfc
tor it. Per orter, i
JOHN WELLES.
pti'iitlC
Hubert
mis lniorraaiton in. ints . too, inc
shall be gratified. At that time Mr.
STrrrrrrwas ecretan
Smith was a Senator from Ohio, high in favor
of administration, but a juggPs like this wu en
trusted to none from whom it could well b'.' con
cealed We received our information from Juh.i
n
"Political.
n. any department of the General. GavernmentoLboundary, -on the East, and on
ii;ab jut onr tenthJof the and sum of one million !the nrovince. hfthi-.
i 1 ii n-T Air ani miilot'f .m t . 2 I. 1 1 ' J 1 ' - .
v VltUMI HU UUUV ObWUtllUlttlLUl 171 Ul lint
tenth of the number 01 arms tfikthaVe been pro-
cured'"the.refrom. :r' 5. ' . ..: V
And your Committee further report, I that, from
the returns mi'Ie to Congress W 'thewar depart
ment in December last, itwippears, that contract's
-iihder The law of the United States of April" 23,
lBOfi. ltaVe been made for lOO.OOOtands of arms,
34,000' stands -were contracted for in Massachu
settsv and 9875 stands were actually delivered by
the-maaufacturers within the State prior to Octo
oer last.' and, tnat, lrom these contracts; there
palliated, by a pretence, that it has been deemed
u.uai eouuucive 10 .the general interest, in the
first place to supply, the frontier Srates, and in
consequence, to omit the transmission or delivery
01 a single musket, to a State, with a frontier of,
kaiij a muusBHH IIU1C5 10 C1TCUU.
The additional cause assigned by the Secreta
ry at War, for withholding the proportion of arms
allotted to Massachusetts "that 1c was most con
ducive to the general interest to supply in the first
placei the militia who have come forward in the
service 01 tne country," alone remains to be con.
I... . , t - . ihiiiHi.'. V It
rr"T .vm "r'"-&v"-":' fiu.u..Mr.mj suniru i uu your committee with r-.lactance an dav.
tux months since, o i,o4U stands, ot arms at which proaeh-ihis part of the duty assin-.-d ihe-n rfor--f VWieh the Prenc
.tjrne 53,50,02143 qf arras in, addition; wtre due, they ate confident that while the State pfMig. (strong requealed hi
The fol'owinjr important n.i n ative is taken from
the Ohio Federalist,- and will be read with
more than ordinary interest by the people of
the United States. The. Editor introduces it
to shew tliat French Influence" does prevail
. in our councils.; and aware of theTesponsibil
ity fchich he incurs ty offering a specific' fact
in support ofthe charge, gives at once the res.
pectable authority upon which he publishes it
to the wot Id Sex, Gar, 'J'K.V"' ' ;
In the summer or fdl of 1805, Mr.' Armstrong,
then our minister at Paris',' made "a communica
tion to our governmeMrontarnthg, jn": substance,
the followirTg statement: sA trentleman connect
ed with Jthe French minister; one morrting called
upon, Mr. Arnistrong, and presented him a slip
of papernpoh which,' was Written, i in substance
' the Bearer, is authorised to confer with- the A
merican miniateir.f.-t'&e asked Mr 'Armstrong i
I he recognized the'handi writings who i-eplied he
did : that it was the hand writing of Mr. Falley
rand. The gentleman then began a conversation
in which he set forth the great interest which the
Emperor took in every thing that concerned the
TT:. 1 ?. . r . . : .
uimea ?iaies j arter mucn general conversation
he touched upon the ' subject of oui differences
.with'Spaln.'..'-He..sta..thaL:th0tinperorwa
sensible that Spam liad been, guilty of great
wrongs toward the United State;, and that he
wa disposed to lend his assistance, to the United
States in obtaining redress : Mr. Armstrong
expressed his satisfaction at these sentiments ; of
tki' Amp,M.n ' n J . L .. . ! .. . I , ' .
iv viii.iui, aim inc.. gicai Bii.Mciy ui lUS go
vcrnmentto have .their differences,, with Spain,
especially that respectmg the bounllary of Lra
isiaua, odjusted. The Ffeivch man replied that
his majesty would undertake to have the whole
disputes, between the two nations settled to the
satisfaction of. the United States; upbaTlcertain
cunuuions. nrmstrong wisned to Know the con
djtionsj the Frenchman stated that the only
conditions would be that the United States would
pursue a course directed by his majesty, and
make to him a reasonable, compensation for . his
fcood oflices- Mr. Armstrong appeared somewhat
discencerted, when theV Frenchman observed he
would leave him to reflect upon tile subject, ami
call ami resume the conversation upon he next
day
Smith of Ohio who slated to us, that lie saw
copy ofthe letter in the hands of Unberr Sinl.y.
who was, oj; affected to be, very indignanfur the
measure and who communicated the wbol ;'
transaction to him. ..,-''Vv
Many reasons induce us to credit thir VateJZI;
ment It explains wherefore Robert Smjffr wa& "y
made Secretary of State, and whereforrjThOmaaf '
JeflVrson remained his fast, frit n 4 after he was . ii
litn'.ssed by Madison It ' explains whereforo ?
Jjhnt,Smih was persecuted-almost unto deaths -as
the destruc.'ion of, his character might render .
him undeserving of credit It Explains where- ;
fore Mr Madison told - Mr, Randolph that --
France watu- money and mast'kaye; jt' It'tx'
plains whertfore Mr. Armstrong is now Secreta
ry at war and it help to explain wherefore Mr.
Gallatin i now sent , o Rpssa There, are ' but-
lew, very lew, to wbom it . would oe ste to
confide the secr ts of our foreign neociaiibns !
" H OUaEs OF REPRESENT FIVES.
' . Monday i June 14. ' ;
Mr. Tt oufiy from the commite. on V ilitaVyi .
Affairs, reported" a bill torovide f r.the wL'ow
and orphans 'of militia slain, and of mili ia jis
abled in the service of the United St.vf-sv
These bills were twice read and comrni ted.
i-Mrsiai of Conn? cticut o -tamed leave vl ab
sence from the service of he House, fromHo-'
morrow to the end of the' session.
Oh-motion4 of Mr. fentfietead, . - .,
' Jieaolvedy That the committee on Military A ff
fairs be instructed to enquire.; into the exptriien- -
cy. of continuing in force tlie' act author ising t
President of the United. States to raise certaTn
companies" of rangers for iherotcTon of th,e
frontiers or the United States, " jwissed J oiiMi tr
2, 1812, aiul the act supplementarytb' reto.ptss
renchmsn: next called, Mr." Arm-
utx full to ejiipLiin the ctruist
el July 1, 1812." with leaverto report by bill en''
otherwise. ' 1
ivir. Amy, ioi .viass auer iniroaec,toryf re
marks, explanatory of his views in respect there f
offered, for consideration the following resolutions:.
fUctolvfd, That the Committee of ElesflioTrs-be
instructed to enquire into ihc exptdiency of re
viving an Act, entitled " An Act to prt scribe tlj,e"
mode of taking . evidence in cases of contested
elections fo'f members ofthe House of Rvpresen
tatises of the i United States, and to compel the
attendaitice of witnesses Or of reviving inch par
thereof, as they may judge expedient with 'such "
alterations and addkionsTaS to them may apj.eav
necessary : and that they have leave to report by
bill or otherwise. ' ,
Resolved, That the rules; and orders of this
House be so far altered o" amended, as tht the
Committee of Elections shall in future be' itesig
Oated by lot : fitjvhich purpose, the nanea ,td
all the members, 'who'- shall take their siats on
the first dy of any session, vl which the House
may form a quorum, si. all be. pt.t ,m a btllot-box
by the clerk, in presence ofthe lfc. ise, and seca
of them .shall be -drawn tli.iefrom by the S, 'taker, :
also in the presence ti the- House f-wltidi fer ,'
ven members, tin drawn, si.all cor.stitiite 'the '
Committee of Elections. Buttf- in tiny, cyst- ot
contesiial election, one or more of said romi-w.t t.-.e V
be interested therein, or related to eiTh. V othe :
parties, he" or tliey'hall. n motion, to theil w.?,
be excused from sitting thereon ; and oin: rr ir'
members bhall he subslituftd -iir such . cast, b r
ot asaforisaid,-from ali the mtmocrs w'hv'th- " '
then-be pveient, not on said cyrrmfiue- i;cr i. :
lies in said t& ,: ' -V '" ;