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Mr.
For the FEDERAL GAZETTE.
Hewes,
It is much to he regretted, that
men. "ho. write under the influence of preju-
dice or resentment, should permit their has-
ty, incorrect and passionate effusions to be
ushered to public view, in language which
the writer in his cooler moments mast often
blush for, as not justified by the ccasion.
Evei v writer who uses harsli and indecorous
language, is suspected by all judicious read-
ers,of being influenced by improper motives,
& therefore fails to produce any good effect
by his essays; but when his zeal or prejudice
so far misleads him, as to cause a deviation
from, or perversion of the truth of the facts
On which he pretends to found censure, it is
the duty of every good citizen to assist in
detecting his err rs, and defending those
•whom he unjustly censures.
These observations are peculiarly applica-
ble to the communication signed " Looker-
On," published in the Gazette of the 9th ;
the writer of which appears to possess but a
small portion of that politeness which he
accuses our delegate, Mr. Dorsey, of want-
inf and those gentlemen of dignity, rank &
age, who. he says, -were derided ana dexte-
rously damned with republican ridicule, must
be ^enstble on reading the misrepresentati-
ons contained in his essay, that he is as defi-
cient in candor as politeness.
" On Frday last, (says this Leoher-On)
was exhibited inthe statelegislature, a scene
of confusion scarcely paralleled by the nati-
onal assembly, m the eventful time of Ro-
bespierre."—And again—' The deceitful
Bill to quiet possessions was made a
party question." What was the fact ? A
minority, composed of thirteen federal-
ists and four democrats, were employing
every aitifkewhich ingenuity could suggest,
to create a confusion, and thereby prevent a
majority, consisting of thirty-six democratic
and ten federal members, from passingalaw
which they conceived necessary,to secure to
individuals their just rights, the merits of
which had been twice discussed in debates
which la >ed each several hours, and which
they belie ted -ould be highly important &
beneficial in i's effects.
The law in question has already been
published at length in the Gazette of Friday
last ; of its merits or demerits I shall here
give no opinion. A plain statement of the
Circumstances that took place during the
time it was pending before the House of
Delegates, will fully sec unt for the unpa-
ralleled scene of confusion, and enable the
constituents of Mr. Dorsey to judge whe-
ther r not his conduct on that occasionwas
meritorious, or justifies thehrsh and intem-
perate censure of the' L • ker-On ;" while
the division, nearly equal, of the federal mem-
bers on the final passage of the Bill, suffici-
ently refutes his assertion that "it was made
a party question."
Tiie supplement to the act for quieting
possessions, he. had been reported to the
house- of delegates, and a printed copy of
the bill, hi the possession of each of the
members from ten to fifteen days previous
to the time at which it was passed On
Tuesday, the first'"of December, on the mo-
tion to make it the order of the day for
the following Friday ; the merits of the
bill were discussed by the members both for
and against it for several hours ; the motion
prevailed notwithstanding the repeated at-
tempts of the minority to defeat it by mo-
tions for adjournment, by which thev had
delayed the house till "early four o'clock,
in hopes that by tireing the patience of the1
members, they would compel a long pos'-
ponement of the bill and probably defeat it.
From Tuesday till Friday the members had
full time to consider the bill, and judge of
its merits, and on its second reading during
a discussion which lasted six. hours, its op
ponents had full opportunity to urge every
argument which their ingenuity could devise
against it. About half p.ist three o'clock,
P. M. the question on the final passage of
the bill was about to be taken, when a moti
on was made to postpone it; this was object-
ed to, on the ground that a full discussion
of its merits had twice taken place, and that
about two weeks had elapsed since the at-
tention of the members had bean called par-
ticularly to the subject, each of them during
that time having had a printed copy of the
bill in his possession, It was also urged,
that the house was then full, but on the next
day (Saturday) as usual, a gnat number of
the members would be absent; and that even
member of the house had fully made up his
opinion how to vote on the question of the
final passage of the bill. The motion lot-
post ponement being negatived, the yeas and
nays were called, evidently with a design to
consume.time and compel the majority to
adjourn. With the same view the yeas and
nays were called on deciding a motion for
adjournment in the negative, b proceeding
almost unprecedented, and notwithstanding
a large majority voted against adjourning,
the motion was almost immediately repeated
with the same success ! ! Several members
in the minority then took their hats and left
the house, as was believed by the majority
¦with a view to reduce the number below a
quorum ; finding, however, that the advo-
cates for the bill were more than a quorum,
and that a number of those in the minority
would not countenance such conduct, the
members who had withdrawn returned and
took thtir seats : a genii ¦man then rose, (it
is presumed the same alluded toby " Looker
On,") and, addressing his discourse to Mr.
Dorsey, said, " he hoped the honorable gen-
tleman from Baltimore would gratify the
wishes of the house, and suffer them to
adjourn." Mr. Dorsey replied, in terms de-
cent and re«pectfnl and nut such as could
or rf/r/insult the teelings of the gentleman
alluded to, that " he hoped the gentleman
who had addressed him- would himself yield
to the repeated and unequivocal expressions
of the wish of the house, of having the bill
put to its passage; that he also hoped a
minority' would net attempt, by producing
confusion and other indirect means, to con-
troul and thwait the wishesof the majority."
One of the minority then ros'.> and renewed
the argument on the merits of ihe bill, in a
speech of great length, that consisted chiefly
ef a repetition of reasons already urged, evi-
dently- with design to tire the patience of
the members, and compel an adj -uriyrient.
The house observed the strictest order during,
bis speech, and no other member rising to
speak, the question was taken on fhe pas-
sage of the bill, and carried in the affirma-
tive; On calling the yeas and nays it appear
ed that forty-eight voted affirmative ly ex-
clusive of Gen. Winder, who, after voting
in favour of the bill, had left the house before
the yeas and nays were called. Seventeen
only voted in the negative. So fir from
being a party question, that, of twenty three
Federal members who were present, ten voted
in favor of the Hill, and many o/thern wrie
the most decided opponents to an adjourn-
ment or postponement, being unwilling to
encourage so dangerous a precedent, that a
minority should controul a majority.
The assertions of «' Looker. On," that the
business had been previously settled in cau-
cus, and that all questions are decided by
party spirit, are therefore mere unfounded
surmises. The division of the Federal mem-
bers in this instance proves the assertion to
be absurd. CANDOUR.
The following is a copy of a bill before the
legislature of this state, which was made
the order of the day for this day.
AN ACT
For the opening and extending Pratt-street,
in the citv of Baltimore,
Whereas sundry persons, inhabitants of
the city of Baltimore, have represented to
this general assembly, that the health and
convetiience of the said city would be great-
ly promoted bv the opening and extending
the said street, which is at present inter-
sected by several docks, and obstructed by
other impediments : And whereas this ge-
neral assembly have good cause to believe
that the representation of the said inhabit-
ants is just and true ; therefore,
II.- Be it enacted, by the general assembly
of Maryland, That be and they
are hereby appointed commissioners to open
and extend said Pratt-street of the present
width thereof, from Light-street, eastwardly,
to Jones's Falls and that the said street,
when so opened and extended, shall fore-
ver thereafter be and remain a public street
and highway ; and the said commissioners
are herebyrequired to cause an accurate plot
thereof to be made and returned to the re-
gister's office of the city of Baltimore, who
shall receive and file the same among the
records of his office, as a part of the plut
of the city f Baltimore.
III. And be it enacted, That it shall be
the duty of the said commissioners, and
they are hereby directed, to cause that part
ol Pratt-street which passes through the
bason, to be filled up to a convenient grade
for paying the same and to fill up to a like
grade ali those docks which lie on the
north side of said street extended, and
also to fill up to the grade afore-
said, and erect and build a good and
substantial wharf extending twenty-five
feet to the south of the south side of
Pratt-street, and bounded on the east by
Frankfin lane, and on the west by Light-
street ; and the said wharf, when so filled
up, built and erected, is hereby declared to
be a public wharf for ever, to be used as
such by all persons residing within the state
of Maryland, free and clear of all charges or
wharfage whatsoever.
IV. And be it enacted, That the
said docks, when so filled up as aforesaid,
shall be, and the same are hereby declared
t, be, ths right and estate of the respective
persons, bodies politic or corporate, who
would have been entitled to the same in
ease the proprietors of lots on the north side
of Pratt-street had wharfed out and extend-
ed the same to the north side of said street,
under the several acts of assembly of this
state, and by the permission of the mayor &
city council of Baltimore.
V. And be it enacted. That the said com-
missioners shall, ss soon as conveneniently
may be after the passage of this act, ascertain
and determine for what sum of money the
said street can be extended, the said wharf
filled up and built, and the said docks filled
up as aforesaid, and shall make a statement
there f under their hands and seals, and de-
liver the same to the jury herein after ,p-
p inted.
VI. And be it enacted, That each of the
said commissioners shall receive, as a com-
pensati n for his services in carrying into
effect the provisions of this act, the sum of
—— dollars.
VII. And be it enacted, That in case any
of the said commissioners should die, refuse
to act,or remove out of the county, before
the discharge of the duties imposed on
them by this act, it shall and may be lawful
to and for the surviving or remaining com-
missioners to appoint a commissioner or
commissioners, as the ease may be, in his
or their stead, each of whom shall be vested
with the same powers, and required t. dis-
charge the dame duties, that any commissi-
oner named in this act is.
VIII. And be it enacted, That the chief
judge of the sixth judicial district, after hav-
ing given ten days previous notice in the
several newspapers inthe city of Baltimore,
shall issue an order, under his hand 8c seal,
to the sheriff of Baltimore county, comman-
ding him to summon-------persons, named
by the said chief judge in the said order,
who shall be freeholders and residents of the
city or precincts of Baltimore, and shall be
free from interest in the subjects wherecn
they are to decide ; and the said sheriff shall,
on or before the —— day of------- next, in
pursuance of such order, summon the said
persons to meet at the intersection of Pratt-
street and Light-street, and the said persons,
when so assembled, shall take and subscribe
the following oath or affirmation as the case
may be, viz : " I, A, B. do swear or affirm,
"that I will discharge the several duties re-
" quired of me by the act of assembly pass-
" ed st November session, 1807, entitled,
" An act for trie opening and extending of
" Pratt street, in the city of Baltimore, to
" the best of my skill and judgment, with- .
" out fav, ur, partiality or prejudice ;" and
in case any of the persons appointed as a-
foresaid shall die or renise'toact, it shall and
may be lawful for the said chief judge, from
time to time, to substitute other persons in
their stead, who shall severally be summon-
i •: by the said sheriff, and take and subscribe
the aforegoing oath or affirmation, as the
case may be, and have the same po w much of the said damages,
costs, charges aud expence, is to be by him
borne and paid, and the said statement, un-
der their hands and seals, to return to the
office of the clerk of Baltimore county ; and
they are also required to return a duplicate
of such statement to the office of the regis-
ter of the city of Baltimore, to.be by him
preserved and kept in the same manner that
the public records of the city are.
XI, And be it. enacted, That the said
sums of money,, ascertained by the said jury
to be paid by the said owners of property
bsnefited as aforesaid, shall be and the same
are hereby declared to be a lien on the pro-
perty of the said owners respectively, for
the full amount by them severally to be paid ;
and the said commissioners, or the survivors
of them, may and they are hereby autho-
rised to institute, in their own names, a
suit or suits in Baltimore county court, for
the recovery of the said sums of money from
the person or persons by whom they are
respectively due, in which it shall be suffi
cient to declare for money had and received,
and this act and the proceedings under the
same, shall be evidence to support such ac-
tion or actions instituted as aforesaid.
XII, And be it enacted, That the said com-
missioners be, and they are here y'authoris-
ed and directed to appoint a collector, and
in case of the death «r resignation of such
collector, another person to appoint from
time to time in his stead, to collect and re-
ceive all sums of money ascertained by the
said jury, to be paid by the respective own-
ers of property beneficed as aforesaid, who
is hereby authorised and empowered to col-
lect the same in the same manner that the
city taxes are collected by the collector of the
city of Baltimore, and to pay over monthly
to the said nommissioners, all money by him
collected as aforesaid ; and the said collect
or, before he proceeds to the discharge of
the duties of his office, shall give bond to the
state of Maryland, with securities to be ap-
proved of by the said commissioners, in
the penal sum of ——— hundred thousand
dollars, conditioned that he will well and
truly collect all sums of money ascertained
by the jury aforesaid to be paid by the own-
ers of property benefitted by the opening
and extension of Pratt-street, and pay over
the same monthly to the commissioners ap-
pointed to open and extend said street, a-
greeably to the provisions of this act, which
said bond shall be lodged in the office of the
clerkof Ball imore county; & the saidcollector
shall receive half a percentum on the whole
arnmount by him collected, as a compensa-
tion for his services in collecting the same.
XIII, And be it enacted, That the said
commissioners, before they proceed to the
exercise of their powers and discharge of
the duties created by this act, shall give
bond to the state of Maryland in the penal
sum of ------- hundred thousand dollars,
conditioned for the faitful discharge of the
duties required of them as commissioners
under this act ; which said bond shall be
lodged in the office of the clerk of Balti-
more county, and a copy thereof under the
seal of the county, shall be competent testi-
mony in any court of law or equity in this
state ; and the judges of Baltimore county
court, or either of them, holding said court,
may, upon the application of any person in-
terested therein, call upon the said commis-
sioners to renew their bend with such secu-
rities as the said court may deem satisfactory
and upon sncli commissioners neglecting or
refusing to renew their said bond as afore-
said, the said county court may revoke all
the r> \vers and trusts oiven to the said com-
missioners, and appoint other commission-
ers in their places, who shall give bond as
af-resaid, and possess and exercise all the
p iwers, trusts and duties, imposed on and
delegated to the said commissioners no
minated in this act.
XIV. And be it enacted, That each mem-
ber of the said jury shall receive as a com
pensatinn for his services rendered in pursu-
ance of this act, the sum of-------------dol-
lars.
XV. And be it enacted, That the said
bonds given by the said commissioners and
o Hector, shall be liable to be sued on by
any person injured by them respectively in
the discharge of thek duties ; which suits
shall he brought in the name of the state f
Maryland, and endorsed for the use of the
person suing ; provided that nothing in this
act contained shall authorise the said com
missioners to fill up, or commence the fil
ling up or extension i f the a d street as
aforesaid, until each owner of property
injured by the opening and extension of
said street shall be paid the full amount of
the damages ascertained by the said j'iry to
be sustained as aforesaid, or until each of
the said owners shall declare their assent in
writing, that the said commissioners may
proceed in the discharge of the duties of
their office.
LEGISLATURE,
House oe Delegates, Maryland.
Thursday, December 8, r807.
The house met. Present as on yesterday.
The proceedings of yesterday were read.
The bill authorising Benjamin Ray, late
sheriff and collector of Montgomery county,
to complete his collection, the bill to extend
Centre street, in the northern precincts of
the city of Baltimore, and to build a bridge
across Jones's Falls, the finther supplement
to the act to incorporate companies to make
several turnpike roads through Baltimore
county, and for other purposes, the bill for
the side of the real estate of James Win
Chester, and the resolution in favor of Wm.
Amos, were sent to the senate.
Mr. Robert Dennis, a delegate for Dor-
chester county, appeared qualified, & took
his seat.
The following message was sent to the
Senate :
We propose agreeably to the order of the
day, to proceed immediately to the election
of two directors on the part of this state in
the Union Bank of Maryland. Peter Forney.
Samuel G. Griffith, Samuel Howard, & Sam.
Briscoe, are pvit in nomination by this house
in addition to those nominated by you.—
Mr. Sudler and Mr. Hopewell are appointed
by this house to join the gentlemen named
in your me' _ to examine the ballots.
The hous ^ v-ded to ballot, for two di-
rectors in the Union Bank of Maryland,
and upon examining the ballots it appeared.
that Samuel Wrignt was elected, who was
accurdingly declared a director on behalf of
this state for the ensuing year in the Union
Bank of Maryland.-
The house proceeded to ballot for aonther
director, and upon examining the ballot it
appeared, that Thomas Dickson was elected,
and was declared to be a director on behalf
of this state for the ensuing year in the
Union Bank of Maryland.
\ pethion from sundry inhabitants of the
city of Baltimore, praying that the city
commissioners may be authorised to establish
the dividing lines of certain lots, was pre-
ferred, read, and referred.
Mr. Bowles delivered an unfavorable re-
port on the petition of Jean B. Chirac ;
which was twice read jnd concurred with.
Mr. T. Dorsey delivered a bill, entitled, an
act to authorise the drawing of a lottery
within the city of Baltimore, for the pur
pose therein mentioned, and a bill, entitled
an act for the relief of James West, an
insolvent debtor ; which were read.
Ordered, That the further additional sup-
plementary act to the act, entiled, an act
for quieting possessions, enrolling convey-
ances, and s> curing the estates of purchasers,
have a second reading on Wednesday the
9th insta t.
Mr. Harryman delivered a favorable re.
port on the petition of Thomas D Cockey
and Joshua F. Cockey ; which was read.
. The house, according to order, proceeded
to the second reading of the bill to establish
a chancery court on the eastern shore of this
state. & to repeal such parts of the constitution
and form of government as may be incom-
patible with the same, and on progression
in reading said bill, the question was put,
That the further consideration of the same
be postponed until Thursday, the 10th in-
stant ? Resolved in the affirmative.
The supplement to the act to establish a
bank, and incorporate the subscribers thereto,
was read the second time, and the question
pin, Shall the said bill pass ? Resolved in the
afarmaive, yeas 39, nays 28.
The house adjourned till to monow morn-
ing.
Friday, December 4.
The house met. Present as on yesterday.
The proceedings of yesterday were read.
Mr. Grahame appeared in the house
The supplement to the act to establish a
bank,and incorporate the subscribers thereto,
was sent to the senate.
Mr. O. Williams delivered the bill, entitled
an additional supplement to the act, entitled,
an act to ascertain the allowance to jury
men and witnesses to the general court, and
the several county and orphans' courts in
this state, as amended ; which was read.
The clerk of the senate delivered the
supplement to the act to appoint and author-
ise commissioners to review and lay out a
part of the road therein mentioned in Har-
ford county, endorsed. " will pass with the
proposed amendments ; which amendments
were agresd to, and the bill ordered to be
engrossed. And the further supplement to
the act to regulate elections, endorsed "will
pass with the proposed amendment ;" which
amendment was agreed to and the bill order-
ed to be engrossed.
Ordered, That the bill for the enlarge-
ment of the city of Baltimore, in Baltimore
county, be recommitted for amendment. .
A petition from Evans Willing, of So-
merset oouuty, praying payment for « ne-
gro man who was drowned while pthsatd
a* a runaway, was preferred, read and re-
ferred.
Mr. Porter delivered a favorable report on
the petition of Maloy ; which was read.
The bill to provide for transcribing and re-
cording certain records and papers in the
register's office of Kent county, was read
the econd time and passed.
The clerk of the senate delivered a bill
annulling the marriage of Britannia Mar-
shall, endorsed, " on reconsideration wilt
pass." Ordered to be engrossed. And the
bill for the relief of Robert Leatheibury,
endorsed, " will not pass "
The house, according to order, proceeded
to the second reading of the bill for quiet-
ing possessions, and securing aud Confirm-
ing the estates of purchasers, and after
reading the same throughout, the question
was put shall the said b;U pass ? The yeas
and n.iys being required, appeared as follow :
Affirmative. Messieurs Gardiner, W.
Moffitt, Welch, Briee, Belt C. I). Hjd-
ces, O. Williams, Merriken, Emerson,
Green, Rogerson, Little, Harryman, M.
Brown, Kerr, P. Spencer, Seth, Stevens,.
Dennis, Ennalls, Henry, C >x, T. Moffitt,
Porter, Page, J Williams, Sturgis, Robins,
Dashiell, Biggs, Kuhn, Shriver, Streett,
Ayres, Davis, Bayard, Jump, T. Dorsey,
Steuart, Bo les, Schnebly, Tabbs, Gab'byy
D rue, Bruce, Tomlinson, Green*ell, Bris-*'
coe.—48.
Negative. Messieurs W. H. Brown,,-
Blakistosie, Hopewell, Gale, of Kent,
Blake, Stotic, C. Dorsey, G.de of Somerset,'
Jackson, King, Callis, B. H >dges, Shaaff,
J. E. Spencer, Sudler, Hawkins, Carrol,—
So it was resolved in the affirmative.
Adjourned.
Sparta (Geo) Nov. 21.
Cold comfort for Yazoo Speculators—The
fallowing resolutions were introducted, at
the commencement of the present session of
the legislature, by Mr. Bryan, (of Chat-
ham ; ) the preamable was proposed by Mr.
E. H. Cummins, (of Wilkes ;) and the
word " unanimously" was inserted on moti-
on of Mr. Davies, (of Chatham.)
LEGISLATURE OF GEORGIA.
In the house of representatives,
l-jth Nov. 1807.
Whereas, in the year 1795, as will be
recollected with emotions of indignation by
every virtuous citizen of this state, a combi-
nation of influential and monied men, suc-
ceeded by bribery and corruption, in obtain-
ing the passage of an act, conveying the
right of this state in a well known portion
of the western country, called Yazoo, to
several companiesof purchasers—and where-
as the succeeding legislatures duly convinced
f the flagitious agency which had procured
the act aforesaid, virtuously determined by
a rescinding law, to prohibit all contracts,
conveyances and grants originating in that
fraud from being carried into effect ; it so-
lemnly becomes this legislature to support
and preserve consistent, the reputation of
this state by denying the statements of a
band of speculators, c mbined from New.
Hampshire to the Mississippi, to embezzle
the funds either of this state, or the Unit-
ed states, and to riot on the profits of an
extensive tract of county, in alledging false-
lit that the state of Georgia contemplated
in the articles of cession of the U. States of
her western territory in 1803,. any enmpro.
m'tse of the Yazoo claims, in any way -whate-
ver. And in as much as it is important to
the decision of congress on this subject, and
greatly so to the dignity and ju-iice of the
state of Georgia, that the truth as it is, in
this matter, should be Fully and unequivo-
cally defined, it is therefore,
Resolved unanimously, by tlx Senate and
House of Representatives of the State of Gear.
gia, in Ceneral Assembly met, That they have
vie ed and still view with abhorrence, the
attempt made by a set of unprincipled men,
commonly known by the appellation of
Yazoo men, to corrupt a majority of the le-
gislature of this state, in theyear 1795, which
attempt was rendered abortive by the virtue
of the succeeding legislature.
Resolved unanimously, That it never was
the intention of the legislature of this state,
when they ratified certain articles of agree-
ment and cession, entered into by com org-
sioners appointed by the State of Georgia
and the United States, to evince any desire
to compromise claims that originated in
fraud, and which were rendered invalid by
the state sovereignty.
Resolved unanimously, That the thanks of
the Senate and H»use of Representatives o£
the state of Georgia, be given to John Ran-
dolph, member of Congress from the state
of Virginia, and the late majority of the
Ninth Congress, for their virtuous and man™.
iy opposition to acompromise, which would
in their (pinion, equally compromit the dig-
nity of the government of the UnitedSiates
and the sovereignty of this state.
Resolved unanimously, That the Governor
be requested to transmit copies of the forego-
ing resolutions to Mr. Randolph, to the Se-
cretary ot State, Secretary the Treasu.y, and
the Attorney General of the U. States.
Extract bom the Journal.
Attest,
HINES HOLT, Clerk.
Concurred unanimously in Senate, iS/h No-
vember, 1807.
WILL. ROBERTSON, Sec'ry.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE
Vtrgittia Legislature of the 10th inst.
Mr. Smyth (of Wythe) begged leave to
. call the attention of the House to a subject
J of importance. It appeared to him that the
j informal war which already existed between
j this country and Great Britain must very
soon become a war in form. We have been
inlotmed by the public prints that the Bri-
tish court have declared that if the non-im-
purtittion act goes into operation, it will'be
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