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tion; before coming to which, the committee rose, reported progress, and asked leave to sit again.

Wednesday, Dec. 17. On motion of Mr. Holmes of Mass.

Resolved, That a committee be appointed to inquire into the expediency of providing, by law, for the pay of the mem bers of the Senate and House of Representatives, and the deputies from the territories of the United States-and that the said committee have leave to report by bill or otherwise.

The House then again resolved itself. into a committee of the whole, Mr. Bassett in the chair, on the bill, to provide for commuting the bounty lands of the soldiers of the late army-the motion to strike out the first section being still under consideration.

The debate was resumed, and continued to a late hour, in which Messrs. Ball, Colston, Livermore, Storrs, Holmes, of M. and Beecher spoke against the bill, and Messrs. Anderson, of Ky. Baldwin, Harrison, Clay, and Johnson, of Ky. advocated it.

Mr. Clay offered a substitute by way of amendment, embracing various provisions varying in many points from the original bill. The amendment having been read

The committee rose, reported progress, and obtained leave to sit again-the House having previously ordered Mr. Clay's amendment to be printed.

The amendments of the Senate to the bill to abolish the Internal Taxes were taken up and agreed to.

Thursday, Dec. 18. The debate on the bill for the commutation of soldiers' pay, was resumed in committee of the whole, after various propositions, the sum to be paid in lieu of the 160 acres of land was fixed at one hundred dollars. The question being stated, "shall the bill pass?" On motion of Mr. Spencer of N. Y. the committee rose, reported progress, and obtained leave to sit again.

Friday, Dec. 19. On motion of Mr. Harrison, of Ohio, the following rule was adopted:

The Speaker shall have power to admit persons to seats in the hall, during the sitting of the house, who belong to such Legislatures of foreign governments as are in amity with the United States.

The House resolved itself into a Committee on the commutation bill, which was reported with amendments to the House, and ordered to lie on the table, and to be printed.

The House again resolved itself into a Committee of the whole, on the bill concerning a provision for the survivors of the revolutionary war. Some debate arose in regard to the scope of the measure, and several amendments were proposed; but no question was taken on the amendments, when the Committee agreed to rise and report progress, and obtained leave to sit again.

ART. 12. DOMESTIC OCCURRENCES.

MASSACHUSETTS.

THE expenses a-prison in Charlestown,

attending the maintenance

amounted during the last year to $48,913 50. The receipts arising from various kinds of labour performed by the convicts during the same period, amounted to $34,328 50, leaving a balance of $14,595; against the State. But the stock on hand, in September, 1817, with some additional items to be credited, amounted to $16,729 54; which sum, deducted from the amount of the above ba lance, and the stock on hand a year ago, amounting to $11,797 40, will leave only the sum of $9,652 86, as the actual cost of the prison to the Commonwealth during the year ending September, 1817. The average number of convicts during the year has been 300, employed in various mechanical labours: the deaths amounted to 9-the number pardoned to 27-the number whose term of confinement expired to 72. The new convicts received into the prison during the year were 138.

VOL. II.-No. 113.

29

An extensive Asylum for the Insane bas town, in an open, airy and healthy situabeen established within the limits of Charles

tion, considerably removed from the town. It is not yet completed, but will be ready for the reception of patients, it is expected, early next summer.

The farmers in the District of Maine are turning their attention to the cultivation of wheat, and it is anticipated that the time will soon arrive, when Boston and the other sea-board towns of the Commonwealth will derive their full supply of flour from the mills on the Kennebeck and Penobscot. The scarcity, in the year 1816, was not because wheat would not grow, but because very little was sown; and this year, the abun dance is such, that one contract has been made for the sale of 2000 bushels, to be shipped from the Kennebeck to Baltimore. As a specimen of what the soil of the District of Maine can produce, it is stated that Mr. Daniel Hussy, of Fairfax, raised, on one acre and twenty rods of ground, in the

summer of 1816, sixty-four bushels and an half of wheat. The land had been ploughed once, in July, the year before, and crossploughed in the fall; in the spring of 1816 it was plonghed twice before sowing, and two bushels and an half sowed on the piece: it had been used as a yard for cattle for two summers before, but had not been otherwise manured.

Charles Bulfinch, Esq. of Boston, has been appointed, by the President of the United States, Architect of the public buildings at Washington.

Died.-At Salem, on the 26th November, George Crowningshield, owner and commander of the celebrated Cleopatra's Barge, aged 51 years. He was an enterprizing, public spirited citizen. By his exertions were the remains of Lawrence and Ludlow removed from Halifax to their native land.

RHODE ISLAND.

On Friday the 5th of December, as the packet Maria, Captain Gardner, was on her passage from this place to Newport, a lad of the name of Thurston Butts fell from the bowsprit of the packet, which was then going at the rate of about eight miles an hour. At this critical moment, General William C. Gibbs, of Newport, a passenger on board, sprung from the vessel, swam for the boy, reached him and succeeded in preserving him from a watery grave. Owing to the rapidity of the vessel, the General had to swim a considerable distance before he reached him; and being much chilled by the cold, was twice carried under by the weight of the boy and his own clothes, before the boat which put off for their relief could reach them. They were both almost exhausted, and could not probably have kept above water another minute.

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A cow, raised and fatted by Nathaniel Gray, Esq. of Little-Compton, has been recently killed in Bristol, weighing as follows: The four quarters, 927 lbs.-Tallow, 115 lbs. Hide, 96 lbs.-Total 1136 lbs.

The valuable Cotton Factory, in Cranston, belonging to William Sprague, Esq. and containing 900 spindles, was consumed by fire, supposed to have been communicated by design, on the 11th December. The loss is estimated at $25,000.

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ham, and Whittingham, to consider the expediency of using Mr. C. A. Busby's newly invented Water-Wheel, (a print and description of which was given in our last) have determined to adopt it, and have contracted with the inventor for its immediate application to the boat York.

Eight miles of the military road commenced by the 6th regiment of the U. S. Infantry, leading from Plattsburgh to the Chatauque Four-Corners, have been completed; and a strong permanent work is erecting at Ronsis Point, the outlet of Champlain.

On the 1st December seven young war .riors of the Seneca tribe of Indians left Buffalo, in the stage, under the charge of Mr. A. C. Fox, of that place, and Mr. W. Brigham, of Chatauque, to proceed to one of the sea-ports, and embark for England. Their object is to exhibit themselves in all the important towns in England, whence they will proceed to Paris, and afterwards, probably complete the grand tour through Europe. The Indians are all fine looking. active young men, and will afford the Europeans a very novel and interesting exbibition.

The annual Meeting and Fair of the Dutchess and Columbia Farmers' Club was

held at Red-Hook sometime in November. of the earth, are highly creditable to the farThe exhibition of stock, and other products

mers of the two counties.

Albany, containing three acres, there are upIn the garden of Isaac Dennison, Esq. in wards of two hundred plum trees, of the choicest flavor and selection; besides an equal number of the finest fruit trees, consisting of pears, ap ples, cherries, peaches, quinces, apricots, &c. The steam-boat men took from this garden, during the season, 130 bushels of plums for the New-York market, at the rate of five dollars per bushel; and it is supposed there remained more than 70 bushels of that species of fruit, which prietor and the visiters of the garden. There were distributed among the friends of the prowere also raised a variety of other fruit, and every kind of culinary vegetable, in great abundance. The products of these three acres are estimated at one thousand dollars.

NEW-JERSEY.

Thursday, the 1st inst, was appointed a day of prayer and thanksgiving in this State, by procla mation of the Governor.

PENNSYLVANIA.

Certain British Officers, who had stood com mitted on a charge of misdemeanour, in violating the neutral relations of the United States with

the Spanish colonies in South America, were presented to the Grand Jury, during the recent session of the Circuit Court of the United States in Philadelphia. The Jury returned to the presentment, Ignoramus.

DELAWARE.

In the extensive paper-mills of Thomas Gilpin and Co. on the Brandywine, a new process of making paper has been introduced, which delivers a sheet of greater breadth than any made in America, and of any length, in one unbroken piece, and regulated according to the materials, with a greater of

less thickness. The paper, when made, is collected from the machine on reefs; it is, in its texture, perfectly smooth and even, and possesses all the beauty and strength of what are called well-closed and well-shut sheets. The engines now prepared are calculated to do the daily work of ten paper vats, and will employ a water power equal to twelve or fifteen pair of mill-stones of the common size. The apparatus and machine are on a principle entirely new, and have been patented by the inventors in this country.

MARYLAND.

The balance in the treasury of this State, on the 1st of November, 1816, was $57,515 13; the amount of receipts into the treasury, during the year ending Nov. 1st, 1817, was $151,14477, and the amount of expenditures, for the same period, was $170,530 34, which, substracted from the two first sums, left in the treasury, Nov. 1st, 1817, a balance of $38,129 56

By the last annual report of the trustees of the Male Free-School of Baltimore, which is under the management of the Methodist Episcopal Church of that city, it appears, that at the last preceding report, there were remaining in the school 229 pupils, and that there have been admitted, since that time, 103; that of the whole number, 42 have been bound out, 37 returned, and 2 have died, leaving in the school 251 pupils. This school was, for a number of years, conducted on the old plan; but, in the year 1813, the Lancastrian system was adopted, and the beneficial results have been striking and nu

incrous.

By the report of the Grand Jury for the city and county of Baltimore, made at the last November term of the city court, it appears that there were then confined, in the Penitentiary of that city, 309 convicts, male and female, of which 234 were males, and 75 females.

The delegates to the legislature of this State did not organize the house on the first day they convened, in consequence of an act passed the last session to disqualify every delegate for holding a seat who would not bind himself by an oath never to become engaged in a duel thereafter. The house met the next day and formed as usual, dispensing with the oath.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

Died. At Washington, on the morning of the 8th instant, after an illness of about twenty days, Silas Armstrong, aged 23 years, a Chief of the Delaware tribe of Indians, and one of the deputation of the several tribes which arrived at that city on public business a month ago.

VIRGINIA.

James P. Preston is re-elected Governor of this State for the ensuing year.

An Agricultural Society has been formed in Virginia, of which Mr. Madison is president. Each member is required to make a report of his own practice and economy in agriculture, and also the practice of three or four of his neighbours.

The Virginia Board of Public Works have decided that it is not expedient, in the present state of the resources and population of the country, to improve the navigation of the Rappahannock upon the extensive plan originally proposed by the principal engineer; but that it is expedient and practicable to render the navigation of that river equal to that of James river; and have accordingly resolved that the sum of $200,000 is neces

sary and sufficient for the completion of the works requisite to be effected by the Rappa hannock Company, according to their charter.

Richard E. Parker, Esq. has been appointed one of the judges of the General Court. in the place of Griffin Stith, Esq. deceased.

NORTH-CAROLINA.

An importing company is about to be established at Fayetteville, N. C. to be called The North Carolina Commercial Company," with a capital of $500,000, divided into shares of $100 each, and the affairs of the company managed by seven directors and a principal agent.

SOUTH CAROLINA.

There are said to be about 30,000 souls within the bills of mortality in Charleston. From the 1st Oct. 1816, to the 1st October, 1817, there died 769 males and 480 females, about half blacks and half whites, making a total of 1249: of this number 429 died of fevers. It is quite remarkable that 112 persons died upwards of 60 years of age, 1 upwards of 100 years, and 1 more than 110 years old.

GEORGIA.

Advices from Milledgeville state that the detachment from this State, amounting to 1000 men, assembled at Fort Hawkins, on the 1st of December, and were to resume their march in a day or two. This detachment has been strengthened by a reinforcement of 500 friendly Creeks, under the command of their most distinguished warrior, M'Intosh. General Gaines has with him, at Fort Scott, 700 regulars. The Seminoles have been reinforced by considerable numbers of disaffected Creeks and Cherokees.

General Gaines, in a letter dated at Fort Scott, to the Governor of Georgia, states that" The reports of friendly Indians concur in estimating the number of hostile Indians, including the "Red Sticks" and Seminoles, at more than two thousand, independent of the blacks at and near Suwanney, within 120 miles of this place, amounting to near four hundred men, and increasing by the addition of every runaway from Georgia able to get to them."

An extract of a letter from a gentleman in Georgia to a member in Congress, states, that Major Butler, of that State, on 85 acres, cultivated by seventeen hands, produced 140,000lbs. sugar and 74 hogsheads molasses, supposed to be worth $29,800; and John M'Queen, Esq. on 18 acres, 44,781 lbs. sugar, and 23 hhds. molasses, computed to be worth $9,452.

The census of Georgia which was recently completed, estimates the number of inhabitants at 175,981 whites, 133,459 blacks-total 390,440.

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cently had a verdict against the representa tives of Blakely; some points of law are said to have been reserved for the decision of the General Court.

LOUISIANA.

During the year ending with September 1817, there entered at the port of New Orleans 523 vessels, making a total tonnage 100,810 tons. Within the same period 510 vessels cleared, the tonnage of which amounted to 98,831 tons. The vessels employed in the river-trade that left New-Orleans in the above space of time, were 1115 in number, giving a tonnage of 19,012 tons; and there arrived, in that time, 1500 flat boats, 500 barges, and 24 steam-boats, freighted with the following articles, the produce of the western states and territories, viz: Apples 5000 bbls; bacon and hams 18,000 cwt.; bagging 2500 pieces; bark quercitron 800 hhds.; beef 1700 bbls.; beer 300 do. ; butter 800 do.; candles 150 boxes; cider 500 bbls.; cotton 65,000 bales; cordage 4300 coils; corn 140,000 bushels; cornmeal 4000 bbls.; flour 190,000 bbls.; ginseng 1200 do.; hemp yarns 200 reels; hides 4000; hogs 500; horses 350; lead 7000 cwt.; linen 2500 pieces; lard 3000 bbls. and kegs; paper 400 reams; peltries 400 packs; pork 17,000 bbls.; potatoes 5000 bushels; soap 2000 boxes; tallow 200 cwt.; tobacco 28,000 hhds.; do. manufactured 1500 bbls.; do. 8000 carrots; whiskey 250,000 gallons; wheat 95,000 bushels; bear-skins 3000; shot 600 M.; staves 125 M., besides a quantity of horned cattle, castings, grind-stones, muskets, merchandise, pacan nuts, peas, and beans.

The schedule of the above produce is independent of what is called Lower Louisiana Proper; consisting of corn, indigo, molasses, masts and spars, planks, gunpowder, rice, sugar, shingles, soap, taffia, tallow, timber, beeswax, &c. which articles are generally brought to market in planter's crafts, or taken from off the plantations by foreign

bound vessels.

It is stated from New Orleans, that there were brought into that market, during the year ending with September, 28,000 hhds. tobacco, 190,000 bbls. flour, 65.000 bales cotton, and 250,000 gallons whiskey.

Died. At New-Orleans, on the 23d November, with the liver complaint, William C. C. Claiborne, Esq. late governor of Louisiana, and recently chosen senator of the United States, from that State.

At the entrance of Bayou Lake, in the Atfacapas, in this State, was drowned, on the 1st of October, Captain Guy Champlin. He was a native of New-London, in the State of Connecticut. During the late war he Commanded the private armed schooner

General Armstrong, and the brig Warrior. In both vessels he had several severe engagements, in one of which he received a musket ball through his shoulder; but always came off conqueror.

KENTUCKY.

The Court of the United States, during its last session at Frankfort, in this State, declared the sale of lands, for the direct tax of 1798, void.

OHIO.

In the town of Dayton, one day in the early part of November, a large mastiff and a very small cur dog entered the river at the fording a little below the bridge. The large dog soon reached the opposite shore, but the current being very strong, the small dog drifted a considerable distance, and returned to the shore he had left. He then went up the river some distance, got upon a log, which lay in the water, as if intending to make a second attempt to cross, but his courage seemed to fail and he began to howl.

The large dog seeing his distress, recrossed the river, pushed him into the stream, and plunging in at his side, they both proceeded to cross the river again. They had gone little more than half way over, when the small dog got entangled in some brush, and was in danger of being drowned; the large dog, perceiving his situation, seized him by the neck and conveyed him safe to the shore.

The waters of the Ohio, during the last autumn have risen forty feet, perpendicular height, and brought down many emigrants.

INDIANA.

In the town of Madison, a lady was deli vered of four fine children at a birth, two of each sex, and all in good health.

MICHIGAN TERRITORY.

The exports of this territory, in the ap ticles of cider-apples and white-fish, have amounted, during the past season, to $60,000.

In the Detroit Gazette of the 24th ult we find the following given as the prices current: Flour 9 to 10 dollars-pork 26 to 30 dollars -beef 6 dollars-cheese 20 cents-eggs 25 cents per dozen-fowls 75 cents the pairwood 4 dollars the cord-cider 3 dollars the barrel-wheat and corn 1 dollar 50 cents the bushel-potatoes 50 cents the bushel.

MISSOURI TERRITORY.

The Emigrant, a newspaper printed at St. Louis, of the 4th ult. contains the following paragraph:

"It is said that living mammoths have lately been seen near the Rocky Mountains."

It is stated in the same paper, that one bundred dwelling houses have been erected in St. Louis this season.

ART. 19. EDITORS' CORRESPONDENCE.

To the Editors of the American Monthly netic variation on the 18th of October was

Magazine.

I HAVE lately read the following article in

Holme's American Annals, vol. 2, p. 505, 1302, the German plan of disposing of books, by means of literary fairs was adopted in the United States." should feel much gratified to hear from some of your correspondents, whether the above article is correct, as I must own that the fact is new to me. If any one can tell where such a plan was adopted, how long it lasted, whether it lasts yet, or has failed, and why it did fail, what regulations were adopted in regard to it, what prevents its revival and success, &c. he will highly oblige those who feel an interest in American Literature.

BIBLIOPHILUS.

MESSRS. EDItors, In my communication of last month, by an oversight, A. P. in the several examples for finding the latitude by spherics, as called the complement of the declination. It should have been termed the polar distance, as the sun at that time was more than 90° from the elevated pole.

During the months of August, September, and October last, while employed in taking observations for correcting the time-keeper, and finding the latitude, I took besides, about fifty observations of the sun's magnetic and true azimuths, in order to determine the variation of the compass. By comparing these, the mag

4° 51'27" W. But the observations having been made under some disadvantages, I do not feel

confident of their correctness. It appears, however, very probable, from their general tendency, that it is not less than 40 50, and not more than 50. The foregoing is respectfully subunitted to the public, in the hope that some person or persons will undertake to determine the magnetic variations with accuracy. M. NASH.

New-York, December 15, 1817.

MESSRS. EDITORS,

Having read a communication in your last review on the progress and state of Natural Science in the United States, I observed in the remarks on Collections of Minerals, you notice, among others, that of Colonel Gibbs, in the Museum of the Historical Society of New-York.

Having often visited and examined the Collection you name, permit me to say, that the collection now deposited in the department of the Historical Society belongs to, and has been there placed by J. G. Bogert, Esq. of N. Y. and that Dr. Mitchill has also contributed very considerably to its value by the specimens he has laid upon the shelves.

This communication is not intended to take from the merit of Colonel Gibbs, who has also recently deposited some specimens, but to correct a statement, which if permitted to pass unnoticed, would rob others of the credit due to them.

A. B.

ART. 14. MONTHLY CATALOGUE OF NEW PUBLICATIONS, WITH CRITICAL REMARKS.

THE Knight of St. John, a Romance, by Miss Anna Maria Porter, Author of the Recluse of Norway, &c. &c. &c. New-York, James Eastburn and Co. 2 vols. 12mo. p. 486.

This is a tale of the Sixteenth Century. Giovanni, the Knight of Malta, who gives title to the work, is not, however, the hero of the story, according to the common acceptation of this epithet among novel readers. Cesario is the personage best entitled to this appellation, as he is the lover whose hopes and fears and fate are meant to awaken a tender concern, and whose eventual prospects of connubial felicity crown all our anxiety. Indeed it would be contrary to immemorial usage to make a novel hero of one condemned, like our Knight of St. John, by the vows of his order, to perpetual celibacy! Nevertheless he had loved, and had been disappointed, and by this means had been rendered a philosopher. But a spice of romance still

tinctured his character, and he gave a loose to that enthusiasm in friendship which he had found could not be safely indulged in love. Cesario was the Pylades for whom our Orestes conceived this sublime sentiment, and to inspire whom with a mutual regard he strove with a perseverance rarely exhibited in the cultivation of softer attachments. He had many obstacles to contend with. His father had ruined the father of Cesario, by successfully prosecuting an antiquated claim to an estate which had been illegally alienated by his ancestors to those of Adimari, and the latter had died heart-broken in consequence. Cesario therefore regarded Giovanni as the son of his father's murderer, and repulsed with filial indignation every attempt he made to obtain his confidence. Circumstances gradually compelled him to believe in the disinterested sincerity of Giovanni, and having himself been the instrument of rescuing, unwittingly, this hereditary foe from a premature grave,

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