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COMMUNICATION".
Mr. Hcwcs,
In.the "Federal Gazette" of the
17th inst. I .have seen some oKseryat ions un-
der the si a nature" of ' A Looker-On," on a
bil' ii"W depending bef--re the Legislature of
Maryland, entitled, " An act for quieting
possessions, and securing and confirming
the estates of purchasers.." I do not know
'who your first " Looker-On" was-; but I
was also a " Looker On," at the time the
bill was discussed before the House of Re-
presentatives, and I'add my testimony, that
(in my opinion) the conduct of the House
of Representatives was very precipitate in-
deed.—<-I enclose vou a copy of the Bll, as
reported to the House of Delegates, and by
them adopted.—
« AN ACT
For quieting possessions, and securing and
confiuning the estates of purchasers.
" Whereas deeds for conveying lands, and
other real estates, have been executed and
acknowledged by femes-covert, and doubts
are entertained whether they are effectual to
convey the property therein contained, be-
cause the precise form of acknowledgment
had not been pursued: And whereas doubts
are also enterteined whether deeds acknow
Jedged under a power of attorney, in the
name of the attorney, and not in the name
of the principal, are valid : And whereas
doubts are also entertained whether deeds
acknowledged before two justices of the
peace, who were not justices of the county
c urt, are valid : And whereas also deeds
of bargain and sale have been executed
without having been indented under •* hich
deeds property has long been peaceably held,
and if such deeds are adjud.ed to be vord.
bona fide purchasers will be greatly injured,
and creditors deprived of funds on which
the crrdit was given, it having been obvi-
ously the meaning and intention of the par-
tits to such deeds that the property should
be conveyed as expressed therein ; and sound
policy and justice dictate, that all such de-
fective deeds should be aided by law ; there-
fore,
'* II. Be it enacted by the general assembly
of Maryland, That all deeds heretofore made
fer conveying or passing iny estate of inhe-
ritance or freehold, or declaring or limitting
any use or uses, or fur eonv-ying any es-
tates for above seven years, and all acknow-
ledgments of a release or relinquishment of
a right of dower in lands, tenements or he-
reditaments, which have been acknowledg-
ed by feme-coverts, in which acknowledg-
ments the precise form prescribed by law
lias not been observed, and all deeds for
conveying .any estate as aforesaid, heretofore
made and acknowledged in virtue of a pow-
er of attorney, in which the ackno ¦ledg-
ment is made by the attorney in his own
name, and not in the name of his principal;
. and-alldeeds foreonveyingany estate as afore-
said, heretofore made and acknowledged be-
foTetwo justices ofthe peace of any county in
'ttirr-state Tn which the acknowledgment is
made and all deeds of bargain and »ale for
conveying any estate as aforesaid heretofore
tnade>, and not indented shall be, and the
same are hereby declared to be, of the same
effect and validity to pass the property and
estate limited and expressed therein, as if
such deeds had been, by such femes-covert,
acknowledged in the precise form heretofore
prescribed bylaw, as if such deeds had been
acknowledged by the attorney in the name
* of the principal, as if such deed* had b by John Johns»n, esq.
the fav urit'e leader 'if the democratic parry
in this state, who was the counsel of the
memorialists, from which the fallowing ex-
tracts are made.—fThe whole of the me-
morial may be seen at the office of the Fe-'
deral Gazette.!
" Your memorialists understand, a bill
to aid such deeds is now before the General
Assembly, the second reading whereof is
ordered for Thursday week. The effect of
this motion will be, to prevent the deed from
Mrs. H. being confirmed although in the 0-
pinion of y >ur'honors it ought to be made
valid ; for. before the bill can be finally act-
ed on, the opinion of the Court of Appeals
in this case may be pronounced."
" They respectfully pray a shorter day
maybe fixed on for reading the bill, and that
they may be heard by counsel at the bar of
the house."
I must be indulged in calling the attenti-
on ofthe learned to the style of the present
Attorney-General, especially to what is in
italics.
As your first " Looker-On" has observed,
a very warm debate then ensued ; it was
stated to the house, that the bill was uncon-
stitutional retrospective, and interfering
with the judiciary. For to those who know
not the fact, it is stated, that a suit was at
this time depending in the Court of Appeals
of Maryland, bet veen the memorialists and
and Mrs. H. That the case had been argu-
ed by the most learned counsel in the state,
and was then sub judiee, under a curia, advi-
sare vult. '• Now advert to the memorial."
I will conclude these observations, by ob-
serving, that before the bill was put on its
passage, it was stated by learned members
of the house, that the very memorial which
had been read, shewed that there were then
cases depending before the judiciary triba
nals which ought not to bee interfered with,
and it was moved "as an amendment to the
last section of the bill, " That this act
should not extend to any case, which then
might be the subject of judicial considera-
tion, or to any case where a valuable consi-
deration had not been paid /or the lands
intended to he convey d." But I mast say
it to the legislature and to the people, both
of these amendments were rejected.
The bill is now before the senate.
ANOTHER LOOKER ON.
The Editors of other daily papers are re-
quested to insert the above, for the benefit
of their fellow-citizens.
The Committee or the Handelian Chari-
table Society.
To the Public. .
Deeply sensible of the importance of
the object for the attainment of which the
Handelian Charitable society was formed,
and anxiously desirous to accomplish it—
the committee previous to another oratorio
for the benefit of the poor, are solicitous
that their views may be precisely understood,
and that the benevolent, with the lovers of
Harmony may be induced to contribute
their aid; thereby fully justifyingthe expecta-
tions, and remunerating the exertions, of
the society, by enabling them to mitigate
the heart rending anxieties which attend the
hiers of poverty. Hence the committee
conceive it necessary to advert to the circum-
stances which produced the oratorio of last
January, as some remarks have been made
upon the conduct of those who directed that
entertainment, which are by no means just,
and which are not grateful either to their
feelings or to those of the members of the
Handelian Charitable society. During last
winter, several musical gentlemen discussed
the propriety of attempting a charitable
concert, and having duly considered the sub-
ject, it was decided in favor of the effort—
all necessary aid was procured ; the prepa-
ra;'ons were made ; the audience was niuiie-
rot ; the music v.as heard with delight ;
and the large sum which was raised, evinc-
ed the correctness of the opinion which had
been enteitained, that the citizens would
display their usual munificence. The notice
of the Oratorio which was published, stated
that the profits of the meeting would be
immediately applied to the benefit of the
distressed ; in conformity with that promise
the expences of the meeting having been
ascertained, and the bills having been paid,
the proceeds were offered to the mayor,
wh'j declined to receive them, alledaing
that he had several hundred dollars which
had been formerly collected for the poor,
and which remained not appropriated : he
referred, the ceramittee who waited upon
him, to s'ime gentlemen whom he named,
as the most proper to distribute money to
the necessitous—they received the amount,
*hich is at pres«nt at interest subject to fu-
ture claims. The following is a copy of
the receipt.
"Baltimore, 6th Feb. 1807.
" Received from Messrs. Samuel Cole,
Samuel Keyser and George Myers, six hun-
dred and twenty lour dollars, 84 cents, as a
deposit ; being the nett proceeds of the Ora-
torio, to be appropriated under the direction
of certain persons named in their letter, un-
der date of 2d Feb. 1807.
" ISAAC BUBNESTON."
624(lolls. 84cts.
Encouraged by that very flattering expres-
sion of public approbation, several gentlemen
assembled and formed the " Handelian Cha-
ritable Society," to render their labours in
behalf ol the indigent systematical and per-
manent. By the payment of five dollars
each as the first annual subscription, aided
by a few benevolent amateurs as honorary
members, who are anxious for the prosperity
of the institution ; the committee have hi-
therto been enabled to pay the expences of
their regular weekly meetings, by providing
music and other requisites. In consequence
of which, the chief part ot the debt th.»t
was incurred in providing the last Oratorio
will be saved for the promotion of the object
filler! the duties which they voluntarily en-
joined uponthemseJfitfrSjJJie-society havf re-
s l'cii' (ir:f3' which they owe to themselves, to the
society whose affairs they are appointed to
superintend, and to the gentlemen who re-
ceived the profits of their exertions, to rec-
tify some mistaken opinions, and to demon-
strate the purity of the motives of those
who have devoted their time and talents to
eSci'e and promote that august disposition
of mind - christian'charity.
" The,Committee ofthe Baltimore Han-
delian Charitable Society :
Baltimore, 3Btk Sept.
" Gentlemen,
" We have the pleasure to inform you
that in the distribution through the last
winter, the surplus money in the hands of
the mayor met all the current and necessary
demands of the deserving poor, after much
search and attention of the committee with
whom the money was deposited, and by
thetu distributed.
" The same committee were honored with
your confidence in receiving under their
care and subject to their appropriation, the
amount of the Oratorio last winter, which
amount is yet untouched and accumulating
by interest.
" The committee have determined and are
making arrangement to prepare a plan for a
permanent institution. These funds, the
future products of your society, with dona-
tions from other humane sources, being
funded, we trust, will in a short time from
their annual products give efficient relief to
the deserving poor of this city.
" We cannot omit congratulating the wi
dow and the orphan upon their having
found in the Handelian Society the first
movers of this bonevolence, which will tend
to mitigate their woes in affording that re
lief their indigence sojustly claims.
" Vou will please to receive in behalf of
your benevolent society our warmest wishes
for your collective and individual welfare,
and that your latest posterity may always
enjoy the choicest comforts of life
" With respect we are your friends,
LUKE TIERN-AN.
ISAAC BUHNKSTON,
Acting for the Committee.
The committeehaye amply contemplated
every subject which is connected with an
Oratorio for the aid of the distressed—they
have consulted the opinions of those who
are friendly to the Society and its design—
they have procured all that aid which will
insure the mournful appeal of the music to
the heart—and to complete the gratification
of the public—they have prepared a choice
selection of the most approved sacred music
—part of which was never before performed
in the United States—;and therefore the so-
ciety snticipate from their fellow.citizens
their attendance, which is the only reward
that the members desire ; except the satis-
faction which results from the conviGtiori
that they have not' been deaf and inatten-
tive to the plea of the widow, the petition
of the fatherless, and the complaint of the
orphan—and assisted to feed the hungry, to
cloath the naked, and to cheer the child of
want and penury. By the committee.
HORACE H. HAYDEN, Sec'ry.
N. B. The proposed Oratorio will be
performed on Tuesday evening the 22d
inst. the particulars of which will be made
known in a few days.
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i*¥ THIS OAY's MAfLS;
NEW-YOK, Dec. 9.
The Commercial Insurance Company of
this city, have declared a dividend of thirty
per cent, for the last six months.
Arrived the brig Erneline, Stowell, 18
days from Martinique, and 14 from Anti-
gua, where she was carried in and released.
Left, brig Brutus, Michales, from Philadel-
phia for Martinique, sent in ; brig Sussex.
Lee from Martinique for New-York, clear-
ed ; brig Swift, from do. for Porlland,
waiting trial ; a ship from Guadaloupe for
N. Yrrk, de. and others at Martinique, brig
Emily Richards, for New-York in 5 days ;
brig Mary Ann, for do. in 5 ; brig jane
and Celia, both of New-York.
Sch. William Hull, Duncan, 9 days
from N. Carolina, naval stores.
Schr. John, Hand, of Hudson, 33 days
from Turks Island, salt.
Schr. Philip, Williams, 8 days from
Charleston, cotton and Logwood. Nov.
27, off Charleston, spoke U. S. brig Hor-
net, from Washington for Charleston.
Nov. 24, spoke schr. Delaware, Gordon,
from St. Kitts for Baltimore, with loss of
foremast, &c.
Schr. Feronia, Block, Richmond, 9—
Richmond, Seaman, do. 9—Emily, Fitch.
his indignation at the conduct of the cap-,
tain of the privateer, in bringing in the ves-
sel without the least shadow of ground for
seizure, and took the opportunity of animad-
verting severely upon the conduct lately
proceeded upon by the privateers. The
captur was east in cost and damages.
From the London Gnr.ette, Octtber 17.
By the It inc.
A PROCLAMATION",
For reciting and prohibiting seamen from
serving Foreign Ptinets and States*
GedxGK R.
Whereas it hath been represented unto
ns, that great numbers of mariners and sea-
faring men, our natural born subjects, have
been ini iced to eryter into the service of
ii states, ana are now actually serving
as well 011 board the ships of war belonging
to the said foreign states, as on board the
merchant vessels belonging to their subjects
notwithstanding our former proclamation
recalling them, contrary to the duty and
allegiance which our said subjects owe unto
us, and to the great disservice of their native
country ; we nave therefore thought it ne-
cessary, at the present moment, when our
kingdom is menaced and endangered, and
when the maritime rig-Sits on which its'
power a id greatness do mainly depend, are
disputed and called in question, tp publish,
bv and with' the advice of -our privy coun-
cil this our Royal Proclamation : We do
hereby strictly charge and command all
masters of vessels, pilots, mariners, ship
wrights, and other seafaring' men, being
our natural born subjects, wno may have
been inticed into the pay or service of any
foreign state, or do serve in any foreign
ship or vessel, that forthwith they and
every one of them do (according to their
bounden duty and allegiance, and in consi-
deration that their native country hath need
of all their services) withdraw themselves,
and depart from, and quit such foreign ser-
vice,,and do return home to their native
country ; or do enter on board such of our
ships of war as they may chance to fall in
with, either on the high seas, or in any
rivers, waters, havens, roads, ports or places
whatsoever or wheresoever.
And, for the better execution of the pur-
poses of this our Royal Proclamation, we
do authorise and command all captains, mas-
ters and others commanding our ships and
vessels ot war, to stop and make stay ot all
and every such person or persons (being our
natural born subjects) as shall endeavor to
transport or enter themselves into the ser
vice of any foreign state, contrary to the
intent and command of this our Royal Pro-
clamation, and to seize upon, take, and bring
avv ay all such persons as aforesaid, who shall
be foui d to b« employed or serving in any
foreign merchant ship or vessel as aforesaid :
but we do strictly enjoin all such our cap
tains, masters, and others, that they do per-
mit no man to go on board such ship, and
vessels belonging to ssatts at amity with us,
for the purpose of so seizing upon, taking
and bringing away such persons as aforesaid,
for whose discreet and orderly demeanor
the said captains cannot answer ; and that
they do take especial care that no unneces-
sary violence be done or offered to .the vessel,
or to the remainder ;of the crew, from out
of which such persons shall be taken.
And in case of their- receiving informa-
tion of any such person or persons being
employed, or serving on board of any ships
of war,bejonging to. such foreign state at
amity with us, we do authorize and com-
mand our captains,' masters, and others com-
manding our ships of war, to require of the
captain or commander of such foreign ship
of war, that he do forthwith release aad dis-
charge such person or persons being our
natural born subject or subjects and if such
release and discharge shall be refused, then,
to transmit information of such refusal to
the c mmander in chief of the squadron un-
der whose orders such captain or comman-
der shall be then serving ; which informa-
tion the said cammander in chief is hereby
strictly directed and enjoined to transmit,
with the least possible delay, to our minis-
ter residing at the seat of government of
that state to which the said foreign ship of
war shall belong, or to our Lord High
Admiral, or Lords Commissioners of the
Admiralty for the time being in order that
we, being apprized of such proceedings
may forthwith direct the necessary steps to
be taken for obtaining redress from the go-
vernment to which such forign ship of war
shall belong, for the injury done to us by
the unwarranted detention of our natural
born subjects in the service of a foreign
state.
And whereas it has been further repre
sented unto us, that divers mariners and sea-
faring men, our natural born subjects, have
been induced to accept of letters of natural-
ization, or certificates of citizenship from
foreign states, and have been taught tc be-
lieve that, by such letters or certificates,
they are discharged from that duty of alle-
giance, which as our natural born subjects,
they owe to ns ; now we do hereby warn
all such mariners, sea-faring men and other-,
our natural born subjects, that no such let-
ters of naturalization, or certificates of citi-
zenship, do, or can, in any manner, divest,
our natural born subjects of the allegiance
or in any degree alter the duty which they
owe to us their lawful sovereign. But in
consideration of the error into which such
mariners and seafaring men as aforesaid may
have been led, we do hereby publish and de-
clare our free pardon to all such, our sub-
jects, who, repenting of the delusion un-
And we do hereby notify^hat all such
our subjects aforesaid, who have voluntarily-
entered, or shall enter, or voluntarily conti-
nue to serve on board of any foreign ships
of war, belonging to any foreign state at
enmity with us, arc& will be guilty of high
treason: and we do by this our royal pro-
clamation declare, that they shall be punish-
ed with the utmost severity of the law.
Given at our court at the Queen's Palace,
the sixteenth day of October,, one
thousand eight hundred and seven, and
in the forty seventh year of our reign.
The Sun says, " The value of English
property confiscated by the French at Leg-
horn, and other parts of Tuscany, amount to
ten millions of dollars."
A late London paper says " the sensible
pa>t of the Americans it is said, are averse
to a war with Great Britain, and the same
we believe, may be said of the sensible part
of the British ; but these parts in both na-
tions are seldom attended to on such occa-
sions."
It is said Gen. Terreau has entered a for-
mal protest against any pacification between,
the U. States and Grant Britain.
We learn by Capt. Block, in 36 hours
from Norfolk, that the French ship Patriot,
of 74 guns, had dropped down to Hampton
roads. Two British ships of war were in
Lynhaven Bay.
A London paper of Oct. 26, announces
the receipt of Virginia papers by the Charles
Carter.
Portsmouth, Oct. 26.—Arrived the Diana
from La Vera Cruz, with 800,600 sterling
in dollars.
et, Fredericksburg, 12; William Wallate, I der which they have acted, shall immedi-
do.—John, Wallace, do.-sloop Chancel- ;,t^,'' ufon k"ow1^ of this our royal
, c, p ¦ , , r proclamation, withdraw themselves from
ler, Story, Richmond, 9.
Still below the brig Anna, from Guada-
loupe. Wind NE.
Cleared, ship Oliver Els worth, Sketch-
ley, Liverpool : William, Marshall, Nevv-
ry ; Alkmonac, Halstead, Bordeaux ; A-
nierican, Reid, Londonderry ; schr. Gene-
ral Hamilton, Richards, Vera Crux.
GOOD NEWS.
London, October 30.—Admiralty court.
Thecase of the Orion, Ainericaushipand car-
go, bound from the Baltic for New-York,
which the members proposed in the'tirst detained by a i lymouth privateer, was ar-
estabiishment of the society. Having ful- gucd on Wednesday. The judge exnresied Us as subjects of ^Great-Britain
foreign service, and return to their allegi-
ance to us ; and we do declare that all such
our subjects, who shall continue 111 the ser-
vice ot foreign states, in disregard and con
tempt of this our royal proclamation, will
not only incur our just displeasure, but are
liable to be proceeded against for such con
tempt, and shall beprcceeded against accor-
dingly ; and we do hereby declare that if
any such masters of ships, pilots, mariners,
seamen, shipwrights or other seafaring men
(-being our natural bom subjects) shall be
taken in any¦ ion ij.';n service by the .'U»e-
rines, or other Barbary Powers, and carried
; 1 c-ry, they shall not be reclaimed by
PHILADELPHIA, December 10.
Arrived ship Minerva, Newcomb, Laguira,
35 days, c.ftee, c, coa, &c- ; brig Globe,
Williams, Batavia 106, coffee & sugar; Sea
Nymph, Whelen, Bermuda, 25, ballast—¦
sch'r 5 Sisters, Acton, Kingston, 35,woods;
Emily, Davis, Guadaloupe, 18, coffee and
Sugar.
Cleared. Brig St. Croix Packet, Mayne,
St. Croix,; Schuylkill, Tuttle, Oporto—
sch'r Sally, Lopez, Havana : Rover, Gard-
ner, Charleston; Rising Sun, Borden Rich-
mond.
Capt. Williams left at Batavia, tie ships
Orion Bell, supercargo and first mate dead,
for Philadelphia in a few days ;Lcda, Spears,
for Baltimore in 12 days ; Chcsafeak, Mmmt
do. captain sick ; Manhattan, Brown, for N.
York, uncertain ; Millwood, Nibbetts. for
do. do ; Huntress, Peck, for do. do ; Sid-
ney Davy, for Baltimore do ; Orizimbo,
Gardner, fn m Baltimore, forSManillo in 8
days ; brig Cora, Van Allen, for N, York,
uncertain.
The ship Sally, of New York, had Sailed
for the Eastward ; ship John Bnlkley, Love,
of Philadelphia, sailed for Sausasaus ; ship
Mount Vernon, Davidson, of Philadelphia,
had sailed for Japan ; ship Rebecca, (capf.
dead) sailed for Providence) R. I. 9th Au-
gust ; ship Bayard, (captain and supercargo
dead) sailed for Pr-avidence 4th August ;
ship Adamant, of B •himore, fBeaty, captain,
dead) sailed Lr Europe 1st Aftgust.
The following ships passed Anger Point.
Ships Mercury, Arnold, from Philadel-
phia for Canton, 5th August; South Caro-
lina, Annesley, from Philadelphia for do. 7th
August ; Jane, Pender, of Baltimore, from
Isle of France, for Canton, August 9th ;
Trident, Blakeman, from New York for
Canton, 14th August ; Be'lisarius Wilds,
from Boston for Batavia, 19th do. Fair Tra-
der, Cooper, of Philadelphia, from Isle of
France, for Canton, August 19th ; John &
James, Briggs, of Nantucket, from Isle of
France far Canton, August 19th.
Capt. Williams spoke the following ves-
sels :
Nov. 10, inlat. 18,43, N.long. 54,West;
brig Diana, Young, fram Portsmouth,
(N. Hamp.) for Demarara. out 28 days.—
Nov. 23d, in lat. 32, 20. N. long. 64, W.
schooner Experiment, Rodgers, from St.
Bartholomews, for Baltimore, out 37 days
in great distress, the vessel very much da-
maged in her hull and rigging, was then
standing for Bermuda, expected to make the
island next day. November 26, schr. Wil-
liam and David, 5 days from Boston for
Jamaica, in lat. 34, 30, long. 63, 30,
November 27th, in lat. 37, 20, long. 70,
W. schr. Dorothy, 12 days from N.York,
bound to Richmond. December 3d, in lat.
38. 05, long. 72, W. ship Pomona, 2 days
from N. York, for Guadaloupe.
Brig Sea Hymph, Whelan, from Bermu-
da. Left there the 26th alt. ship Colum-
bian Packet, of Philadelphia, under trial ;
ship Destiny, of New-York, condemned ;
brig Maria, of New-York, for Jamaica, in
4 days; and biig Susannah, Hamilton, for
Turk's Island, in 4 days.
Ship Minerva, Newcomb, from Laguira.
Nov. 1, was boarded by the British frigate
Arethusa, arid treated politely. November'
6, in the Mona Passage, was boarded by
two British sloops of war, vexr.mined and
dismissed. Pecembr 2, spoke barque Har-
per, Foster, from Saj*m,for Baltimore, who
supplied us with a banal of bread.
Ship Louisiana, JJrevoor, from BOR-
DEAUX. Left there the same vessels re-
ported by the Calypso, arrived at New.
York. Sailed i'rom the Cordovan. October
37th. Coining out spoke the ship Portland,
Callender, of Philadelphia, from Oniric .
ton, bound up. 'i'/° The Louisiana was
overtaken in the river by an 'oepfess from
her consignee, ordering her to sea without
delay, in consequence of dispatches receiv-
ed by the Amencan consul frorti the minis-
ter at Paris. Capt. Brevoor was informed
that orders had been received to detain the
ship George Washington, Hidelius, of PhiJ
ladelphia, but she had sailed two days be-
fore for St. Sebastians. The Louisiana was
boarded off the Cordovan, by two L>nu-.h
frigates and treated politely.
CHARLESTON, Nov. -iT.
The sloop Harriet, captain Frttit, from
-Charleston, bound to St. .-.ugustihe, on the
lOta October, in lat. 27, 12, long. W, Ifi,
afttr encountering a sever-- gah loxatveral
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