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REGISTER, Ort are the planief fair leH())tfal peace, ; Unvnrp'cUJy paitynaife, t live like brother. Monday, Jue 10,s1805.j, ro 298 a v.'. - ... r. i "'"-'V;' "' --.-v ' " ':,:':rft;:lkB . V v North-Garolinf p:te Gazette. VOL. VI. ' , - - . T.' ttt'. ' "V '4 trie The fotiowmg Addteis to the Ptople of the State of Pennsylvania, contamsthe rea wns in support of calling a convention ) for the amendment bt the Con.itutwn ot ' i that State i . . : TO THE DEMOCRATIC CITIZENS PENNSYLVANIA, OF rThe Address of a numerous meeting o'f'the Member of botK Rouses of the General Assemoiy 'Friend and FellcM-CMzcns, Occurrences, painful in thetti ftelves not wholly unforeseen, tyut which an invariable nioderation, on .the' part of your representatires in the General Assembly, ought to har e V. prevented, reduce us to the necessity of addressing you at tne ciobc ui present session of the Legislature. The necessity is painful ; but, as the cause has increased in aggravation, in proportion as the Assembly has dis played patience and arbearsince,there appears to us no alternative between an appeal to you, or an abandonment of your rights atid the respect due to your representatives. Principles and notmen,were the foundations onwhich Americas independence w-as estab lishedPrinciples and not men, hav.-. . been iheobjectsof contest, ever since. - between the several parties which have arisen un-.leru r ovt-rhnivnt; but we are now brought "to u pointy wher it is to be determined, i the publi sulfrage, whether men setting atd fiaricctbe wishes of the people an I the principles of rt preventative g -verrment, shafl govern Pemfeyi vania. v Your political contests, in 1797 1798. 1799 and 1800, were for tiv. estaulishmenof a free government : for a time ,the , end you proposed, proofed to be attained ; and though pai ticular deviations from your wishes were perceived, you were willing to make allowances for human infir mity. At 'the tlos? of the admr nistration of the late Governors our political affairs had, by the pecu liar circumstances and habits of that gentleman, been involved in perplex ity and danger...hi pliant temper ' was abused, to the detriment of the State ; but your detiiJved rights were not openly violated, nor were your 1 kcti-.n of his revolutionary services, and v our halntual- moderation, over l oked his infirmities, until they ha;i involvedthe commonwealth in danger and actually brought on a political crisis in the State. The federal government was stated in you pi inc. pal cit...and an aristocracy f-stered by the members of 'that kovuronient ; your assembles were a&Sdiied by the flatteries, the se ductions and the intrigues of the aris tocracy, and by the influence of a fo rejgn mercantile body, which labour ing to contaminate, constantly agita ted rour .legislature. I f they could not seduce the state representatives into acts subversive of public right, they frustrated nieasuiescTreal utili ty and necessity ; until the republi- catwcre Uirown into a state of dis orgifuza'tion, by all these various i.ausics, r.i. l the unstable and tempo rising conduct ef the State Execu tive. The people of Pennsylvania, at length aroused, saw with apnrehcn ion, this powerful combination cf ,rcs and nence, opposed to their prosperity ; and every remedy wfiich the experience of years and the sagachyof strpng mind pointed ut, vas-tth(St'precHoJS,' or present ed cnjltibice.cf difficulties. You dul iiotlu)oVyou"r strength : ur.d the var.t oflhatkdjjc. pi-odnccd an uiicertaimyjglitch.vr.s in e2'ct the same as the''aiit of powci. it became necessary 'to make a choice of some character Gover nor. That moderation 'which has ter been the pecuUir virtue of re- preseniative government, , althousrl otten the canse et its raisfor tunes, required on this occasion, that all private considerations should give ?ay, in order lo rescue the comnion Wviiiith from its present evils and im pending dangers ; the people at large hurl a lively stiisr- of their situation : prejudices and prepossessions, which oeen employed with too much success to keep the deceived m sub- jvcuon, Avere now shaken oh. A c::aSs iu- the.ppomotioa of the gs J if hcral cause, prevailed and producod an unanimity, which stecttastiy pur sued, overcame all resistance, and appeared to place th republican in. &iitutions upon their natural founda tions. At the meeting of a few de cide d and influttittal rnenx to f oms the selection of a taridldate, for the ofTicc " of governor was 'tacitly refer red, several gentlemen were brought into view from different parts of th State. On the first meeting Thomas M'Kean had the least support. Many of those who had assembled, were apprehensive that his austerity ?.nd a ristocratic habits would render him unsuitable for the chief magistrate of an unostentatious people ; they saw m him a man of strong mind, bias sed by a bigoted attachment to a, par ticular class of men, confirmed by years of professional contention and domination in courts of law. Address and management were then seojn in motion- Those who advocated his selection, laid much stresc upon the torrents of abuse that had been la vished upon him by the federal p:ir ty, in the insolence of their n'.r.rn dancyr ; they ii.sisted on the impor tance of a character, capable of vigor and decision, in tryi:g times ; but here were others who apprehensive that that vigor of character which had ahvady on many occasion1; ex hibited a " vior b yond. th hwj' flight, at some tip ire day, be direct- d against those to whom he sliould hen owe his elevation. Promises, to the extent of the public hopes vre give i in re' urn f r these foitbad ;:gs ; and to give them strength, ai a-ly bpor:unity was taken to draw ;irm n m a sp-.-r:ific engagement, to cohfimi UiGsv who had doubled, and io aspire those who had confided, Mr: M'Kean took occasion to hurl at t,he heads of - tories, trai:oi"s, refu gees and apostate whigs" a fulmina lion which exc reded l he' expectation of the republicans, and to which tiey silently submitted, under the impres sion tti&t it fixed an Rternal and im passable barrier between him and the adversaries of popular government. Disicsi'.ions so frank and gene rous, n run-rally overlooked inferior considerations ; the same temper in its ardor, was open to assurances and pro;nises-..deiivRd with plausible earnestness, pressed with dexterity and utmred zeal. In a word, it was held, that division on this t.ccasior would be more pre judicial than any consequences that cnjkircsuH from .Mr. M'Kean's elec tion, and hewastakt. n ur and elcctevl by the great body of the farmers of j Pennsylvania, in opposition to the whole interest of the federal govern ment,., the mercantile interest, and of alt that were ajjs'.bcratical or dis posed "to introduce a system subver sive of freedom. During the three first years,, exr, cept in an ungracious distribution cif public" oKice- and emolument among his relatives and persons connected, with them in various ways, Mr. M'Kean's administration, promised, upen the vh.de, to be bcrufirial to the State; but soonsfafter his re lec tion in 1803, dispo?ifions and assocl ations, which were not to be recon ciled, either with delicacy cr with the supposelctl&everity of his chamcter, excited apprehensions of evils which have since been realised. Motives, which are not yet public ly explained, and whrh do notbelong to U3 to discus upon this occasion, soon produced an amcableSc intimate association bttwecn him and his for mer libellers ; . a circumstance tkat j would not merit notice, were it hot coeval with an opposite temper of jis I rcsiect and indtcorum' towards the j member of the legislature ; his name .was emploved as the patron of poiiucai disorganization, unchecked bv! Mm, although proceeding from officers immediately appointed by him, and paid by the people ; the independence of the legislature, though displayed with equanimity, was treated with distant sullennpss and private vifulence ; whilst, thpse who had formerly calumniated, and had now become his flatterers, were I the auditors and the exulting report ers ot these distressing truths to an insulted public. . .. ' ! TJese operations 'proceeded bi.uA. in liand with the formation of W third party throughout b State, apd if we ifiiayi crcuapates, throughout the. United States; A ticket for med by the officers of executive appoint ment, and composed of a mixture of time Serving , republitans and noted federalists, was distributed from the governor's coach, by two of those officer, who accartpanitd him, and daily held him up as the patron of faction. This attempt was frustrat ed by the force pfpopular suffrage, and he was driven to disavow, only after defeat, what he had really taken ains to promote without success. Theae first open overtures of dis affection to the wishes of the people, and to the principles upon which he had been placed m the station of he greatest honour and pr.tronaije in he commonwealth, were succeeded by others, calcu'a'ed to spread dis cord mere extensively, or to provide ovj'm? project ret arozuid. The" of ficers of executive appointment veiy generally, ( although no' all r.o base) have, for nearly two vtars pact, de nounced the tiiedand geiv.iin? friends of the people as anarchist? lune-'c- ! ton. iiiferrar.izers '&i' jicqh.is r.'id :t the ame time preached un exfeu fivf ptrfections (3 fnbdicition ! When public opinion v. ?s agitated in vari ous parts of the Str.te last year, the same men who denied the existence of any third party, held correspon dence with the discontented, and en couraged them; promises cf execu tive promotion were held forth as baits for dissaffection, and those who iWcrc acting in the work of disorder, were instructed to clamour disorga nization against whom they attacked ; but after assuming various mks, ihey have at length tin folded them selves by a notorious-act cf decep tion, in holding forth the name of a venerable patriot as their letder a venerable patriot, who disclaims an association under the specious name of Constitutional Republi cans," the acts of which lire repug nant to the constitution itself. . Such, fellow citizens, has beer the varying aspect of political tiffairs, frcm the nomination of Thomas M'Kean to the present time ; in 179?, you elected him under the impressi on of his being a f iend to thejpci'..' ; you now find him insulting you ar.d your represent tiv?s, and becoming the real head v'f a faction. j review f h;s administration, v.'.li prove tliai what Iv.Te as-erf is not declamation ; but a rebicn offsets, too serious not to pmdur stnsa .' )r.s tainluland bitter, tocvetv . frlvnd oi i republican government. i j U ider the former fed-rral ar.'inii- trr.lion a continual ciT;,;t h?id h-en ' making to consolidate the ju.::- go vernments, and reduce ihtrn M nn- 4-i'lhe absolute suhiection f one The legislature "of 1802. wishing to a vail themselve s of the republican as con:t;;ncy, and to keep as much as in tL-m lay, the governments dis 'i.ict and independent of each oth.er, passed a law de'aring certain olfices hekftmder the United States, incom patible in the same persons, with of fices held under this st'e. You saw hi:n negative this 'aw, and assign f'cr reasons, because It appears to me to intimate an unreasonable jtahufy and distrust not only of the-virtuous and great chief magistrate of the U nion, but also of the chief maifvatt of Pennsylvania, both chosen by the people themselves, and known to be unequivocally disposed -to secure and promote their I nd le- cause I have a few months-- ago per suaded a gentleman not less distin guished for probity than taUr.ts, to accept the commission of Recorder of the city of Philadelphia'"!... .but this law was pissed by the legisla ture without his signature. You have seen him in the same year put his veto upon a b'ili, enti tled. .."An act for the recovery of debts not exceeding one hundred dollars ;" to this he affected to state constitutional objections ; but he also offered as reasons the following be cause "the jurisdiction would devolve upon persons of incompetent skill generally speaking in the law"..that magistrates would decide, '.' instead of independent judges-" and that u provision should have been made that the parties might be htard before the magistrate by counsel" . v ; ; A law, containing similar provisi;i oris, was agarn parsed by.tht legis- General Peter MuhWhbafr " f Alexander J. Dallas., . lature, and again negatived by him ; but was afterwards enacted by a con stitutional majority, without his consent. You have seen him retain in office, persons who had - amassed immense; tf fortunes at the public eXpence, but wfinci. rnr!nrl Viafl rpi if!f Trvl thplKl obnoxious to the people; perseus known to have the disposition and'," to select the best character lor sub the power to exercise indirect op-i pression and injustice against such as entertained the political principles upon which the executive ctuiie into office. You have seen him put his veto on a law, taxing an office yielding enor- j mous emoluments, and assiirninir as reasons, not the ground of the con- stitution, althovurh that lorms a partii of the Pretext, but because the com- pensution to be allowed (ulout 2,500 dollars) is inadequate tD the object and unreasonable in l elation to the officer ,;" and secondly In cause it was encrbachin? v:)on the rn-erovranvc of the executive and circumscribing the choice "by rendering it the interest , t of the officer to resign." Yet an act ?! cortijping a similar yn-inciple was a- gain passed, and he sufiVred it to be 1 come a law without his signature. You have seen him appoint, io of fices of hanor and profit, as well ci vil as mTnarv, personswhose names were scarcely known iuPennsylvnia, in preference lo men long known, and entitled to confidence for their meritorious service-:. It is perfectly within the lvnoXv ledje of the great boy of the people, tint one of the first acta'lof Mr. i.i'Kean's acmunistrationv-tras the appointment to the station of Attor ney Ctnepl of this Commonwealth -to the. station of public prosecutor and preserver of the p,ac k laws, of a man, who had. in a manner -c:-rcply wunout example, in times ot i -e; -.rs. violated the laws of thesta c d th peace of societv, bv an allemnt to assassir.ate, in open day, an individual ' j who bad contributed moc ptrha: than any other, by unwearied and indefatigable zeal in the public cause, to elevate Thomas MTvean to the chair cf"'r.t3. In ISO 3 you saw him put his ne- uport a fJ:ii entitled an act to authorise anv D'-rson to erect mil! dims," :c and lor winch he gives as rcasv:?, thou'i he admits it would bencf.iial, becaus. , "it confers i1 too great a power on gentlemen (jus tices of the p;.'acc) of that character in K--ner;u." 1 Within, the present L?si.ibh, lis has rc-uVp.'jd, on act explanatory of the act lor tne reuiatjon oi tne cf costs en indictments, : - paynvjr.t without his sinauira ; but, havinsr kept it beyond the time limitttd bv the constitution, it of course became a law v.'ithout his consent. - A law establishing a supretne' court in the western part of the state, an ohject much desired by the' western portion of our constituents, Was pas sed in the present session, and suit to the governor far his signature ; but it wai not returned hen we ad journed, and cannot become a law at least till the next session of the legis lature. Py the constitution (art. vi. 5.) provision is wisely made, that the reasury sha.! be at all litnej5, and un der ail circumstances, within tiiecon troui of the IegUlature ; but during the federal asccf.dency, the constant practice of that party being to throw all effective power, patronage, and influence into the hands of the Exe cutive, the appointment of the Com ptroller and Jricguter General,1 the only efficient checks upon the, trea sury, wa put into the hands Of the governor ; and those oiheers, inten ded as checks as welKon him as upon othrrt were rendered liable to removal at his discretion. From this injurious regulation, the state had Sustained under former officers great loss and damage. With, a view ta bring back the appointment, of these officers, to the safe ground, inten ded by their institution, the present legislature parsed an act, by a large majority of the House of Represen tatives, and by the Senate wanting only one vote of two thirds, vesting the appointment in the legislature $nd repealing the former act : this ct, also, was negatived, by the go vernor, and he gave forfreqsoris Xhe folrewmg Merit alonfc will not se- p " cure their re-election. !' Having ; been a member of as many u cbn j greases, conventions legislative - u,ni. (uuuu uuutca " as perhaps any gentleman of the United ; States, oermit rive lo declare, that, from all my ex perience and cbena1.ion, a large l" puunc body is not so xbcll qualified ordinate onices as a single per s nt rrjpoUlble, unfc'tcre'd ' .and inde pendent." He continues "J have n o ambit ion f or. fa acr but? trust I 'dut.i be ex ued i.i hiding it as a sacred duty to trc rswit the con stitution (which approachcaasn: ar to perfection as any thaU!evcr did, or does- now exist in tfrejrorld) tt i.iy -u.ee sor uni 'paircct and un I " 'h'Kkled by any act of mine." : 1 i Language and sentiments suchas ij lht3e niight be employe d in CfMintries i latere men are bnm legislators and? . j krs. or where the monarch or the iic - - sPr't a-sumes the power oinoniwa' trig nis success r , d tieicrwni. i v'hlt may or -may not be the ccn utu ''ff-DUt lo )r we subn.it wrrat ap pi - nensio.is such sentiments ougiit to excite. The existing constitution of the state declares and guarantees to the citizens of the commonwealth, the ricrht of tddressine- the leo-islatnr oy petition, memopal, cr .remon strance. Availing, yourselves of this right, addresses have been presented to the legislature from various, parta of the state praying ah amendment cr alteration of theconstitmiofc the the right to auth orisethjls tx;sts with the people inherently yet what has been the language 'of the magis trate chosen onlv 'for three rears 0 - o to execute' the law? Ve relate : j! 5t with riificatiQnbut with trttth jl5lal te has rteckred io members o The leei-ilatvre ' Th' f rom t- t at ' I Memorial f k villains. II' 'Z:'d rt'"SneT rs...itjhaUnviiet . , z T to'U not fufftrfveh a th iO take ftlccc." F.-1W jwn.it are these mepa:ed means of j picventibri? Armi or corruption I if tli re arc any other means that coulu be en. ployed to prevent it, we k io v thein not and we know our I condition s too well to believe, that j either the one or the other, or both, " M Vi'lbV,UO l;"'0 scceei. '( .. Iu consequence of numerous' peti- ai oi ins universal com plaints i maueragainst the injurious, vexatious i tedious, unci expensive mode n vhich I the. adn.inistration ,oi the tourtvof ; Jaw Is con ducted, an act was passed by us in the present session, by a Urge majority, in which the amica- ill, . : -, . .. ,J,C "ntl Ptaceiui principle ot arbitra- j s introauced : and by which !Prv'On was made for reducing to a reasonable standard the costs atteV '-' clatit on suits; and foV settling lieht" v J pecuniary disputes without the in- teventlon ofaiawyer. This salutary 'law, whicii might have obviated ma ny of tlie complaints, that have in- duced great i. umbers to solicit the i; calP of a convention the gove,morr" also returned with his vef and not content with resisting the wishea of the people in so many points interest ing to their peace and haDniness, j what he gives under the name of reft-1 j son, are couched in a style of irony i and derision, that fortids all conside rations of forbearance or future co-i operation with a magistrate, who so much mistakes his duty to the people. and to their representatives. J Ha says it would be more eligible ; for v suiters in courts io pay a certain stipulated sum of money to the " state for. an allowance to have e ' trial by jury in the first instance.' And in the same tyle he proceeds to ' say,-that the bill " should have been submitted to the several Presidents ) (of cpvrts of law) heretofore com mis- rt sioned, who reside within their for mer and newly appointed districts, whether they would accept jbCthe kU ' ternative -or not." ' These fcen.i.nients, connected with' an opinion ex,..essed, or rather held forth as a meijace, in his reasons for negativing an act before mentioned," exhibit very aUrming and dangerous tenents, proceeding from an execu-; ' tive, when considered along with ' other menaces held forth , in essonspicuous'thut io an cqua.r yerbus form. " It is incumbent: o, me Vto spefW-wi-h d'ffidenct ; . -.1 1 Si ' -j: i, -c.
The Weekly Raleigh Register (Raleigh, N.C.)
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June 10, 1805, edition 1
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