Jen, had been considered-as central
counties, and therefore left out of the
calculation of Eastern and Western
strength. This would make a very
coosideraule difference in the result ol
their calculations. Mr. H. could see
no good reason why, as these counties
generally voted wiih the East upon
this subject, and wen: opposed to a
change of the Constitution, they should
not be taken from the West and added
to the East, in the calculation. If this
were done, there would be a vast dif
ference in the result. Although the
white population of the West might
be greater than that of the East; yet
if feclpr.il numbers" anrl nrnnertv were
taken into the estimate, there would
he a corresponding ascendency in the
East, which would balance the major
ity of white population in the West.
The objects of government being the
protection of property, as well a3 the
security of the liberty of the citizens,
it has been generally conceded that the
basis of representation ought to be ac
cording to population and taxation.
Gentlemen, in order to shew the
ereat'inequality of representation, even
tinon this basis, have taken some of
the larger Eastern counties, with some
of the Western Halifax and Rowan,
for instance, and compared them with
Columbus, Jones, and other counties.
If the large counties in the East are
satisfied with the present Constitution,
why, asked Mr. H. will gentlemen at
tempt to force upon them a change?
Mr. H. thought there was much weight
in the remark of the Ecentleman from Hal
ifax, (Mr. Alston,) that wherever you find
a large county, you generally find small
er ones near it, whose repi esentatives
having the same interests, the same feel
ings, and frequently the same connexions,
to represent generally, vo'e alike, upon
all subjects which come before the Legis
lature. The interests of the larger coun
ties are, therefore, almost as much pro
tected as they would be, if their represen
tatives were apportioned according to
their relative wealth and population. He
agreed also perfectly in opinion with the
gentleman from ,v ilmington, (.Mr. Jones,)
that it was impossible to weigh out politi
cal justice, in exact mathematical scales.
If this could be done, it would be neces
sary to apportion the weight not only of
each individual county, but of each indi
vidual member of society. Viewing the
subject with a mathematical eye, it is as
unjust that the individual who is posses
sed of scarcely any property, should have
the same weight in the political scale, as
an individual who is possessed of millions ;
as it would be to allow Columbus the
same weight with Rowan but we are un
der the necessity of submitttng to inequal
ities of this kind. Some standard must
be found, and no better one can be poin
ted out, than that which the Constitution
has erected.
The gentleman from Salisbury, has
another objection to the present Constitu
tion. It produces an aristocracy of the
smaller counties, and gives them the pow
er of exercising undue influence over the
larger ones I An aristocracy of a fez? poor,
insignificant counties I Columbus is to
tyrannize over Rowan ! Who, Mr. II.
asked, had ever before heard of an aristo
cracy of the peasantry, over the wealth
of the country ? He had been taught to
believe that wherever an aristocracy exis
ted, it generally possessed the means of
carrying its views into execution. He
has thought it one of the qualities of pov
erty to be sometimes dependant on wealth,
and it was the character of power to en
croach upon the weak and the defenceless.
But the Gentleman from Rockingham
has discovered dangers from an aristocra
cy of a 'different kind. He says, if slave
property, be represented, in the House of
Commons, and land in the Senate, it is
giving an undue weight to property, and
will create an aristocracy dangerous to the
"country. So that gentlemen go to differ
ent extremes. Hut he believed it an ax
iom so we!! settled, and so generally con
ceded, that taxation and property ought to
be taken into the calculation in fixing the
basis of representation, that he did not
deem it necessary to trouble the Commit
tee with any remarks of his upon that
point.
But some gentlemen seemed disposed,
in the new Constitution, if such is to be
formed, not to respect property at all, but
to fix the representation according to pop
ultion alone. Mr. H. had an exalted
opinion of gentlemen from the West.
ihevwere, generally speaking, honor;;
ble and independent men, and he had been
proud to vote with them on those subjects
where the best interests ot the Stale were
at stake : but he hoped gentlemen would
pardon him for believing, if population
alone were made the basis of representa
tion, that the Slaves of the F.;t$t would
pay most of the taxes into the public
treasury. The majority would have the
power of so cidering things; and if they
had the power, it was idle to say they
would not abuse it. Whenever an ex
treme case shall occur, they will me this
rower, and use it opprcssivrly. The Eas-
their proportion cf taxes. The power,
however, is now pretty equally balanced,
according to this combined principle of
population, taxation and property, and he
preferred it should remain so.
But wc are told, said Mr. H. that the
importance of the Western counties is
daily advancing, and that when the im
provements are effected, which are now
going on in the several rivers, and the
produce can be gotten to market, it will
become more prosperous and wealthy. It
will be time enough to mould our Consti
tution to this state of things when it shall
actually take place. He would venture,
however, to predict, that the Eastern part
of the state is destined to an improve
ment, perhaps, equal to the West, from
draining their marshes and opening their
country, which not only increases its fer-
tiht v, but renders it more healthy. There
is no part of the country in which they
have greater inducements to make im
provements in the science of Agriculture,
than our brethren in the East have. It
will be time enough, however, to provide
for this state of things, when it shall hap
pen. Mr. H. would make one remark on the
Resolution, which directs the minner in
which the people arc to signify their will
in relation to a Convention. It proposes
that the question shall be decided by the
voters for Mfv trs ..of the House of
Commons wr's: rraach of their tick
ets, " Convention" or
Convention."
This would be losing sight entirely of the
combined principle and the propriety of
calling a Convention would be decided by
population alone. He would make one
or two statements, drawn from the last
Census, to shew what would be the effect
of this vote, and how completely the prin
ciple before mentioned' would be depart
ed from, lie would suppose that each
white person and person of colour, in
each county, were entitled to vote ; for al
though that was not the case, and the
number who are actually entitled to vote,
is much smaller, as the proportionable
diminution would be about the same in
each county, it would be sufficient for his
present purpose, and would save the ne
cessity of a calculation, which he had not
now time to make. faking this then as
a data, merely to illustrate his idea upon
the subject, it will be found that the coun
ty of Burke has an aggregate population
of 13,411, and having only 1,917 slaves,
would give 1 1,594, votes, or in that pro
portion ; while the county of Granville
has an aggregate population of 18,222,
and would, upon the same principle, give I
only 2,151 votes. 1 he county of Bun
combe with an aggregate population of
onlv 10,542, would give 9,500 votes ;
while the county of Halifax, with an ag
gregate population of 17,237, would give
only 7,787 votes. These calculations, as
well as many others which might be made,
prove very satisfactorily to my mind, that
upon the question, whether a Convention
should be called or not, the principle so
much contended for in the course of this
discussion, would be completely conce
ded by adopting the Resolution on your
table ; and that an undue advantage would
be given to the Western over the Eastern
counties. Again, when this Convention
is called, and the Legislature undertake
to prescribe the number each county shall
send, what is to prevent tneir sending
more ? When you once call a Conven
tion, that Convention is omnipotent. The
Legislature can set no bounds to their au
thority. In concluding, Mr. H. said, much feel
ing had been brought to bear upon this
subject. Gentlemen had discussed it as
if it were entirely an Eastern and Wes
tern question ; and a mere cortest about
power. He felt no particular bias either
in lavor or me casi or me w est. i ne
county which he had the honor, in part to
represent, was a central county : it was
also a populous and wealthy county, and
its situation would not be much affected
whether the Resolutions passed, or were
reiected. The citizens of Granville have
no jealousy of their neighbors ; they know
their rights, anu place too nigh a value
upon the interest which they have in the
present Constitution, to be willing to jeop
ardize it for they know not what. It ap
peared to him, that it was incumbent on
the advocates of a Convention, to shew
that the present Constitution has not only
imperfections on paper that it wants pro
portion and symmetry, but to shew that
some real practical evils have been expe
rienced bv the people, from those defects.
If they can shew that the lights of any
person have been sacrificed, or that any
person has a claim upon the State which
has been unheard and unattended to, and
that this is the fault of the Constitution
and not of the Legislature, then there
would be some plausibility in urging the
adopticn of the measure before us. But.
though gentlemen had been called upon
repeatedly during this discussion, they
have not been able to point to a single
grievance a single practical evil, which
iias resulted from even the inequality of
representation, so much complained of;
he took it for granted that none existed,
r xcept the want of a little more power.
Sir, said Mr. H. when wc are about to
rail a Convention to amend our Constitu
tion, it should be recollected that a diver
sity of opinion exists here and elsewhere,
as to the amendments which it is proper
to make. Some are for making white
population alone ; some, federal numbers
and others, the combined principle, the
basis of representation. Some are for
electing our Governors, Sheriffs, Clerks,
Sec. by the people others, for making
the Judges dependant on the Legislature,
and immoveable at pleasure, upon the vote
of a certain number. In this wild rage
for improvement, while the Convention
are tindertaking to amend its imperfec
tions, what security have we that they will
not fritter away every valuable feature of
the Constitution. Mr. H. would not de
ny the right of the people to amend the
C onstitution, from time to time ; but the
Resolutions on the table, called upon us
to pronounce the Constitution so perfect
ly defective, so rotten in principle, so un
equal, unjust and anti-republican, that they
ought to lay violent hands on it. When
ever an actual necessity shall exist, the
people will assert their power and apply
the remedy. He did not believe the sen
timent expressed in the Resolutions was
correct, and therefore could not vote for
them. He thought the voice of prudence
would say to the people, as you have en
joyed your rights uninterruptedly for up
wards of forty years under the present
Constitution, and have not a single actual
grievance to complain of, you ought not
to consent to subvert it.
COJVGRESS.
SEVKXTEEXTH COSTGKESS FIRST SESSION,
A SEMITE moxdat, AritiL 22.
REVOLUTIONARY PENSIONS.
The Senate took up in committee of
the whole, Mr. King, of Alab. in the chair,
the bill from the House of Representa
tives, supplementary to the acts of 1818
and 1820, allowing pensions to revolution
ary soldiers. Sec.
Under the act of 1820, several thou
sand pensioners were stricken from the
pension roll, who were deficient in proofs
necessary to entitle them to be continued
on the roll. Subsequently, those so strick
en off presented further proofs in support
of their right to enjoy the benefits of the
act of 1818; but the Attorney General,
whose opinion was taken in the case by
the Secretary of War, decided that per
sons who had been struck from the roll,
under the act of 1820, could not, even on
the adduction of further proof, be restor
ed thereto by the Secretary of War, in
asmuch as the Secretary's authoiity had
ceased, as related to them. And the pres
ent bill was intended to " authorize and
require the Secretary of War to restore
to the list of pensioners the name of any
person who may have been, or hereafter
shall be stricken therefrom, in pursuance
of the act of 1820, whenever such per
son, so stricken from the list of pension
ers, shall furnish evidence in pursuance
of the provisions of said act, to satisfy
the Secretary of War that he is in such
indigent circumstances as to be unable to
support himself without the asistance of
his country ."3
The Committee on Pensions, to which
this bill had been referred, reported the
same with a recommendation that the bill
be indefinitely postponed ; and the ques
tion was on agreeing to this recommenda
tion. On this question a debate ensued, which
continued nearly two hours. The indefi
nite postponement was opposed by Messrs.
Dickeraon and Alorril ; and it was support
ed by Messrs. jVoble and Broivn of Louis
iana. The question being taken on the
indefinite postponement of the bill, it was
decided in the affirmative, by yeas and
nays Yeas 26 Nays 12. So the bill
was rejected.
The engrossed bill to provide for the
selection of a site on the western waters,
for the establishment of a National Ar
mory, was read the third time, passed,
and sent to the House of Representatives
for concurrence.
The bill making appropriations for the
support of government for the year 1S22,
was read the third time as amended, pass
ed, and returned to the other House for
concurrence in the amendments.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
Monday, apiul 22 r. Butler sub
mitted for consideration the following res
olution :
liesolved, That n. committee be appointed to
inquire into the contract between the AV'ar De
partment of the United States, and Elijah Mix,
of the 25th July, 1818, to report whether the
same was made in pursuance of law, and wheth
er the said Mix has performed his covenant, and
such other facts as they may deem proper, rela
tive to said contract.
In offering this resolution, Mr. Butler
remarked, that he discovered, on consult
ing the documents on this subject, that,
according to the contract, there was due
to the United States the delivery of 150,-
oc.q perch of stone, on the 1st January
last, and that, on that day there had been
actually delivered only 102,137 perches :
so that the contract had not been fulfilled
on the part of Mr. Mix, and was no long
er binding on the United Stales. Resides,
he said, there were, to say the least, sus
picious appearances about this contract.
No proposals fbr this contract were pub
licly invited by advertisement or other
wise. It was said, too, thar Mr. Mix had
sold out his contract at a dollar and a half
per perch ; and Mr. 15. said he observed,
from the account of contracts laid before
the house, that a contract had actually
been made by the government at Phila
delphia, for stone, to be delivered at the
Pea-patch, for a dollar and a half per
perch, whilst three dollars per perch was
paid to Mix. Taking the time, place,
and manner of the contract into consider
ation, and the default of the contractor
to fulfil his engagements, he had thought
proper to submit this resolution. No ap
propriation that is made at this session,
Mr. B. contended, ought to be expended
under that contract.
Mr. McDufTie said, he was very glad
the gentleman from New-Hampshire had
introduced this resolution. It was the
proper course to pursue in cases of this
kind. If there was any thing improper
in the conduct of any officer of the gov
ernment, it was proper to inquire into it,
not incidentally in debate or by e.v parte
statements on this floor, but by judicial
investigation. Whilst up, Mr. McDuflie
said he would state, that, on an investiga
tion, the facts of this case would be found
very different from what they had been
represented to be. He was authorized to
say, that, if Mr. Mix had not taken this
contract, a loss would have been occasion
ed to the United Stales-of 75,000 dollars
the contract having been taken by Mr.
Mix at half a dollar per perch less than
was just about to be contracted for with
another person. A great deal had been
said about the extravagance of the price
of this stone. At this time such a price
would be high ; but the contract was made
in the year 18 18, at which time every ar
ticle was higher than it now is, in conse
quence of the depreciation of the nation
al currency ; which fact ought to be taken
into consideration.
Mr. Sawyer said he had no objection to
this resolution ; but as for the abrogation
of the contract with Mr. Mix, on account
of his failure to deliver a stipulated quan
tity of stone, it was sufficient to say, that
if the allegation were true, the fault lay
not with Mr. Mix, but with this House,
which reduced the appropriation for for
tifications below the amount required bv
the Secretary of War to comply with ex
isting contracts. For this Mr. Mix was
certainly not to blame.
Mr. Cambreleng said he hoped the res
olution . would be adopted, lie thought,
from the statement which had been made
by the gentleman from New-York some
days since, that the subject required inves
tigation. On one point he begged leave
to differ from the gentlemen from South
Carolina and North-Carolina. He did not
think that government, under any circum
stances, ught to have made a contract
with Mr. Mix. This opinion was formed
from v hat he had heard from gentlemen
on different sides of the House on this
subject.
Mr. Metcalfe proposed an amendment
for giving to the Committee the power to
send for persons and papers. lie did not
mean to censure the individual who was
implicated in this discussion, nor to exon
erate him from censure. But he was in
duced to believe some very satisfactory
information might be got on this subject
bv a resort to oral testimony.
Mr. Butler accepted the proposed
amendment as part of his motion ; and,
thus modified, Mr. Butler's motion was
agreed to without opposition.
INTELLIGENCE.
He comes, the herald of a noisy world,
News from all nations lumh'ring at his back.
MELANCHOLY.
The dwelling house of Geo. Sheffield,
Esq. of Lyme, Huron county Ohio, was
consumed by fire on the night of the 23d
ult. and, what is distressing to i elate, a
boy aged 14, and a girl 6 years of age,
children of Mr. Sheffield, perished in the
flames.
Lydia Berry was on Tuesday, convict
ed of the crime of wilful perjury, in hav
ing falsely accused a respectable gentle
man of this city with being father of her
bastard child ; and was sentenced to five
days solitary confinement, and ten years
hard labor. Boston Patriot.
HANKING EXTRAORDINARY.
The new directors of the State Bank of
Vincennes, Indiana, have declared a divi
dend of profits for the last six months, of
tivtnty percent, or at the rate of forty per
cent, per annum. So says a paper printed
at that place. This bank could afford to
pay a tax.
TUMULT.
Philadelphia, april 15. An im
mense concourse of citizens of various
grades, before the usual hour of divine
service yesterday morning, thronged the
churchyard of St. Mary's, and, in all the
streets and avenues leading to it, there
was literally a solid moving mass of nonu-
lation. A few minutes after 10 o'clock,
and immediately as the Rev. Mr. Hogan
was entering from the vestry room, to
perform the duties of the day, two or
three of the trustees appointed by the
Bishop's party, made their way up the
south aisle, as if to possess themselves of
that part of the church enclosed by the
railing, near the altar. This conduct im
mediately created a general movement,
and for a littlo time some tumult, when
Mr. Leamy 'and others, trustees of St.
Mary's, desired them to withdraw they
should not enter. In the mean time, one
of the constables was sent for to the front
of the "church, where the vigilant mayor
had judiciously placed several, anticipa
ting confusion, when two of the opposing
party were taken away, and the worship
of the day continued and concluded peace
ably. Union.
EARLY PRODUCTIONS.
BOSTON, APRIL i- n. uu ui
APRIL 1-. r OOX
Of
Strawberries was sold in Boston market
on Wednesday during the snow stor?n, for
eight dollars. Cucumbers upwards of 8
inches in length, fresh from the vines,
were exhibited the same day.
Countertit Jxotes. W e are requested
to state, that there arc in circulation coun
terfeit ten dollar notes of the State BaiiJ
of "or th- Carolina well executed. Per
sons receiving notes of the above denom
inations, of the State Bank, should observe
unusual caution. Pet. Intell.
HARD TIMES FOR LAWYERS.
The number of entries upon the docket of
the court of common pleas for the city of New
York and county, the present session, does not
exceed thirty.
UNCERTAINTY OF LIFE.
LANCASTtit, o. APRIL 4. On Tuesday week
last, as David Lyle, esq. was in the act of sha
ving with a drawing-knife, a small stick of wood,
one end of which was thrust into a crack in the
wall of an old building, the other closely press
ed to his body, a piece of timber accidentally fell
from the loft of the building on the stick of
wood he was shaving, which gave it a sudden
jerk downwards, and inflicted a wound on the
bowels of Mr. Eyle that proved mortal. lie lin
gered about 12 hours in extreme misery, w hen
lie expired How numerous and diversified are
the ways by which we take our departure fci
the ether world !J
.2 jsEir j).l'clxg step.
It appears, by the late English papers,
that since the introduction of the new
fashioned corn mills in that country, the
most salutary effects have been produced
in lessening crimes. These machines
are erected on the premises of the houses
of correction, and are so constructed, that
rogues are compelled to grind their own
meal, by a process that keeps them in
constant labor, in a stepping or dancing
attitude. The machinery, it is stated, is
so arranged, that during certain revolu
tions, it inflicts a blow on the culprit if he
stops for a moment thus leaving him
but iwo alternatives, either to continue
the dance or receive hard knocks. A
great number of persons who had infest
ed Blackfriar's road, and certain places in
and about London, for a long period, after
taking a few steps in this mill, have, on
their liberation, become such adepts in
this new dance, and so much under the
influence of a locomotive power, that the
authorities have in vain looked for them
to take their old stations. It is to be sin
cerely hoped, that the honorable the cor
poration of this city, who have had this
subject under consideration, will lose no
time in erecting a few of these mills, that
those among us, who are under the influ
ence of certain habits, both pernicious to
them and to the public, may be improved
by this healthful and salutary exercise,
which has the two fold effect, of learning
a man to dance, and to grind his own corn.
JV. Y. Daily Adv.
Philadelphia, Feb. 18. A very important
change his been made at all our City Ranks
within the last week. They will not, at present,
take on rteposite or in payment, the notes of any
Rank which is located farther south than Balti
more. Press.
PIRATES.
It is now pretty certain that one hun
dred and sixty-two of the pirates who
have preyed upon our commerce in the
West Indies, are prisoners on board the
Enterpiize ; and that twenty-one of these
wretches are the very men recently con
demned at New Orleans, and pardoned by
the President 1 Let the halter do them
justice this time I ! ! .V. L. Adv.
WASHINGTON, APRIL 20.
William P. Duvall, of Kentucky, re
cently Judire of the United States Court
in East Florida, has been appointed by the
President, with the consent of the Senate,
to be Governor of the Territory of Flor
ida. jYat. Intel.
Of the documents yesterday transmit
ted to Congress, by the President, con
nected with recent occurrences in Flori
da, the most important is a Letter from
the Secretary of State to Don Joaquin d'
Anduaga, Minister of Spain, giving a de
finitive answer to his complaints against
the proceedings of General Jackson, whilst
Governor of Florida. The letter is oi
such length, that we shall not be able im
mediately to publish it. Meanwhile, we
present our readers with the following,
which are the concluding paragraphs oi
the letter, and which afford information
of the destination of the Macedonian fri
gate, which lately sailed from Boston :
" The delays of the Captain General
of Cuba, with regard to the fulfilment of
the Royal order transmitted to him by
Col. Forbes, were so extraordinary, and,
upon any just principle, so unaccountably