Camden gazette. (Camden, S.C.) 1816-1818, December 19, 1816, Image 2
and with that view, he wished the subject
to be icfc red to a permanent coin .nice,
to de i be rate, and regulaily report . hcieon ;
that there was a unvcrsal sentiment in
the country, in luvor of tftn^e great objects
of domestic improvement ; and ihat what
ever doubts might exist as to the constitu
tional power of Congress to lt^is!ai.e on
the subject, the states wou d never nrire
that dwjectmn. but woutd always cordially
co-operate in ohjec s so promotive of their
advantage and c^m enic!?ce, See. I!e was
not, however, anxiou* to prc*? lh?^xubjvct
at this time, in the way he had proposed,
jn opposition to the wishes of gentlemen,
and would therefore withdraw Ins moti
on.
The whole subject was then postponed
to Monday.
S rATE OF INDIANA.
Mr, Aforrow from the select committee,
to whom was referred the resolution for
admitting the stale of Indiana into the Uni
reported ihe same m an amended
shape ; which report was twice read, a?>d
by general consent ordered to be engros
sed for a third reading this day ; was ac
cordingly subsequently read the third
time, and passed, unanimously, as fol
lows
Whereas, in jKimnnce of an act of the
Congress of the United states, passed on
-the 19th day of April, 18 16 entitled ?' An
act to enable the people of the Indiana
Territory to form a State Government, and
for the admission of that State into the
Union, the peopkr of the said territory did,
on the 29th clay of June, in the present
year^by a convention called Jbi liiKL pur
pose, form for themselves a constitution
and state government ; which constitution
and state government, so formed, is re
publican, and in conformity to the princi
pies of the articles of compact between
the original states and the people, and
states in the territory north west of the ri
ver Ohio? passed on the 13Ht day of July ;
The! efore,
He it ttaolvcd by the Senate and House of
Hefireaentadvea of the (Jjtiurd Si aits ?/' A
merica , in Congrcaa aa-emblrd, That the
state of Indiana shall be one and is hereby
declared to be one of <the *U. S. of Ameri
ca, and admitted in*o the Union on an e
qual footing with the original slates in all
respects whatever.
The Rev. Glendy was elected, on
the part of the Senate. Chaplain lor the
present, sessions and then
The Senate adjourned to Monday,
y. Ji'juac of Ketireaentativea.
We'.ineaday , Dec li.
Comtitutionai Jmendmmt.
Mr. Pickens, of N. C. rose to propose
an amendment to the constitution of the
U. S on which having on former occa
sions expressed his Views, he would now
only remark"* that only once had the ques-_
lion ever been really tried in this House,
and that was at a moment of great public
embarra*sment, not favorable to a mature
deliberation on it* merits. This was the
first fair occasion of presenting the subject
fully for consideration. Several of the
states had, since the first agitation < f the
question in the House, Vgiven to the pro
position their sanction and recommtnda-^
tion, among which were Massachusetts,
North-Carolina, and Virginia ; and it had,
at one session received the sanction of tlie
Senate of the United States. If ever th,ere
was a period favorable to a proper amend
ment of the consitution, it was the pre
sent moment, when we are literally at
peace* at home and abroad. Mr. P. then
introduced the following resolution :
_i__ Resolved^ Ay the Senate at id House of
Jieftrtinjative* *f the United State* of A
merica in Congress assewbled^ two thirds of
both houses concaving therein, That the
following amendment to the constitution of
the United Stales be proposed to the Legis
latures of the several States, which, when
Mtified by the Legislatures (if three fourths
of the iaid States, shall be valid, to all in
tents and purposes, as a psrt of the said
constitution.
Fnr the purpose of choosing of Repre
sentatives, in the Congress of the United
States, each State shall t>e divided, by its
Legislature, into a number of districts,
equal to the number of Representatives
to which the State may be entitled.
Each district shall contain, as nearly as
may be, equal numbers, which shall be
determined by adding to the whole number
of free persons, including those bound to
service for a term of years, and excluding
Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other
persons. ?
In each district Che qualified voters shall
elect one 2*<?p?eeentative.
For the purpose of choosing Sectors of
President and Vice-President of the United
Statet, each State shall be divided, by its
Legislature into a number of districts,
equal to the number of Electors to which
the Slate may be entitled. Each district
shall contain, as neatly as may be, equal
numbers ; which shall be determined oy
adding to the whole number of free per
sons including those bound to serve for a
term ol year*, and excluding Indians not
taxed, three fifths of all other persons. !n
each district; the persons qualified <0 vote
for Representatives in the Congress or the
United ?>utes, shall Ciioo;?e cue Ek&ifNi
the Lc^istatune_cf ea^h State shall }??*??
power to regulate the manner of holding
elections, uiui inakid(p returns of the Elec
tors ci.ostn. In case all the E'.cc.jrs shall
not nuct at the time and place appointed
for giving thier votes, a majority of the E
tectors met shall have |>ower, and forth
with shall -proceed to supply the vacan
cy.
A division of the S ates into district, for
choosing Representatives in the Congress
of ihe United States, shall take place, as
soon as conveniently may be, alter each
enumeration and apportionments of Rtpre
sentati\es shall be made, which districts
shall remain unaltered, untit^fter the suc
ceed in;; enumeration and apportionment
of Representatives.
The resolution was read a first and se
cond time, and referred to a committer
of the whole Hoyise qu ihp state of the
nion.
Legislature of S. Craolina.
The following resolution, sub
mitted by Mr. J. L. Wilson on the
i 1 til instant, was concurred in by
b;>th branches of the Legislature,
viz.
Whereas, the highest tribute of
respect which a Republican gov
ernment can pay its officers, is the
approbation of its free men, unf^
quivocally and candidly expressed ;
and whereas James Madison, has,
with wisdom, firmness and patriot
ism, exercised for near eight years,
the -high and important office of
President of the United States, pre
serving and supporting the charac
ter of the nation, in peace and war ;
and is soon abouc to return to the
peaceful shades of retired life :
I Resolved unanimously , That the
Lc gislaiure of South-Carolina re
1 cajjed, with grateful recollections,
1 the past services of Jamss Madi
1 son, president of the United States ;
I and whilst they, in common, yield
I this favorable statesman and patri
I ot, to retirement, discharged ftom^
I those arduous public duties, so long
J faithfully, wisely and promptly ren
I dered the republic ; they request'
I he will rcc^ive their unfeigned ap
I probatiprt^ancl regard ; assuring him
I theirlervant benedictions, and best )
affections accompany him to tfitl
scenes of private life.
Res lived % That the President of 1
the Senate and Speaker of the House I
of Representatives, communicate I
this resolution to James Madison I
I President of the United States. I
I .* Immm - I
On Saturday last, at 1 2 o'clock, I
H is Excellency^AN dr ew Pickens, I
I l\sq. Governor elect, appeared in
I the Hall of Representatives, where I
I both Houses of the legislature I
were assembled, for the purpose of I
I qualifying ? pjpevioutly to which cc- I
I rtmony, he addressed them us fol- I
I lows :
I 44 Fellow Citizens of the Senate* . 1
and of the house of Kefir e^entativrs.
Called by you to a highly honor- 1
I able station, 1 take dns opportum*
I ty of offering my acknowledgements I
I for the honor conferred, and the I
I confidence reposed. If it should
I be my good fortune to gratify the I
I wishes and expectations of my.I
I friends, the measure of my happi- I
ness will be full ; but in pursuing 1
I what I believe to be my public du* I
I ty, neithef the giatification of friends, I
nor the censure of enemies, shall I
I divert me from my purposes
The public and general interest, I
I shMl be my ruling principle, and I
personal independence my constant I
I guide. I rely, gentlemen, upon I
I your candor and liberality, and the I
candor and liberality of our fellow^ I
I citi?ens, in judging of my official I
I condui t.
If my errors, for errors I will I
I most ccrtainly commit, proceed I
I from the head and not from the I
1 heart, the white mantle of charity J
I should Cover them . but if they I
? can be traced to a depraved mind ?
and :\ currupt heart, then \ci the
censure and reprobation ot a i rc^
npon me, I am Huw Fea.ty to
qualify
Hu Excellency then took the
oath of otfice, and was installed
and proclaimed with due solemnity.
Columbia, ?J ccmbir 17
Solicitors E.ected yesterday, ? For
the Northern Circuit ? Josiab~\f
- Evans ? For the Southern Ciiluu ?
Robert Stark.
Turner Ktcbardiony Esq. was on
Friday la t elected commissioner 111
Equity lor Washington Uioinct.
At the annual 'communication of the
GrunU JLud^c ot ?oui/i C uroutiu si. i*. i\ia
at Columbia, m ikecmhtr.
18lo, tnc following Gtand othcerswcie
(July elected tor the enduing year : ?
His Honor C. J. Coicock} K. \V ? Grand
Master.
Col. John Gcddcst Deputy Grand Master.
William Hurfiery Senior Grand Warden.
Klicb King mariy Junior Grand Warden,
Charles Ho lmt8, Grand Treasurer.
Alexander Hcrbrmont , Grand Secretary.
Thomas Godbcjlty Grand Marsha!!.
jlrchy A/a.vou, Grand Inspector.
Cbun Cocfi&r} Rt. Kev Grand Chaplain.
The f ollowing addkkss was delivered by
liis Honor, J . C. Colcock , R. W. G. M
Brethren ? When *1 was honored with
tli? office which I now hold, and found
that the friendly attempts to afiVci a union
had entirely faded, and that an unh ?ppv
spirit of discord prevailed between the two
Grand Lodges, I vuwed with the deepest
regie U Jftis *tate of things and rt then
was, and still continues to be, my mo?i
earnest wish to remove, if possible, the
causes of distention, and to affect ihai ab
ject which must be so desirable to e\ery
philanthropic mind. It is not mv iiuen
tton on the present occasion to take a re
trospect of the occurences which took .
place duriug -the attempt to affect a union ; I
but briefly to place before you my view*
of this subjec*. I concicve that -it wtll
not be a difficult task to convince every
unprejudiced brother that a union mty be
affected without any reference lo w huL has
passed o'l the subject. _ i f we vccor to A
those unsuccessful attempts which have I
been made* 1 am aware that difficulties
will be presented which can never be sur
mounted. Pt opositions which have un- j
dergone so muth discussion and been re- I
jecttd, will not now be acceded to ; let us I
then turn our backs upon all that has pas- I
bed ; take a view of- the present state of 1
thtngs; and determine wheather the object I
cannot still be effected. The Grind Lodge I
of South-Carolina is composed of som* oi I
the members of the Grand I odge of An- I
cient York Masons, and of some of those I
called Moderns, who have tJteen incoipora- I
ted by taking the test or oath of secrecy ; I
and this is now the most important objec- I
tion to a union* Thus constituted I am I
authorized to say that they work as Ancient 1
York Masons, and in all resptcts as we do- I
They no looker admit under the sanction I
of the test Oath ; but according to the anci- I
ent Usage, I
* 1 lay it down as a fundamental principle I
of all societies a9 well as government*, I
tliat there is an inherent unalienable right I
1 at any time when U shall be deemed necea- I
sary by the members of the body to alter I
their constitution, or those first principles I
'by which they agreed lobe governed. I
|, Nor will it be necessary, I presume, to go I
at lenth into argument to prove a position I
so perfectly self evident, and so universal- I
ly acted upon. If this were not so, it I
f would be to fix as unalterable that which 1
must be forever progiessive) the improve- I
mctit of the human .mind. What a few I
years ago was considered as beneficial to I
mankind, may now be discovered to be the I
soutce of evil ; nay, with the sai*e aenti- I
ments and in the same state of improve- I
meirt, We find that experience is the b it I
test of wisdon. If then this position be I
admitted, why may we not say that a Ma- I
son may be made by one obligation in- I
stead of three. And her# let me observe, I
that the difference between those of the I
modern and those of the ancient craft, I
is no other or greater than that of entering I
the same temple at different doors, when I
wit hit) all being worshipers of the same I
| Deity. , And on this point, every brother I
I must agree who has been propeily in* I
struct* d. It is then, not even admitting or I
making Masons under the solemnity of a I
single obligation. But it is conforming in I
those wlko have been made in a different I
maimer to our order. It is said however I
that this is contrary to the principle* arnd I
usages of our Lodge, and will be a remo- 1
val of the ancient land marks of masonry . 1
Upon this, I oonfess that I once entertain- 1
i ed great doubts, and that when the propo- I
sition was first made, I wasoppi?sed to it ; I
but after a diligent investigatiou of the sub- I
jeet and a reference to the most learned
u,-r'h*vn v. .il) w li im 1 am acqu:\nted, a*
v. . ?i u* a rccuixncv la the ?no?i appiuved
*f * iters on nxi-amiv, i am^prr^Citticd~rh:a
me conte.upl .u-d union nv.H not infringe
any of those pi t.ici,>les, and does not Li
niv. sin \ lest derive affect those ancient
land maiksso jn^ly estimated. Can the
t\uT be denied that an inlet course has ta
ken place between ihe nvo orders as ot
late ylars establish* i in our state ? It
tJim M.?ny living witness' can attest
? *
the tvuih of u> and t>> rckrencc to that
luminous aucT exceTIeui wrntr - brother
I'leston* we shali find that in Kurope at
different \u riods in the history of masonry,
there has existed occasion d division, and
occasional re-union. Will any b. other,
instructed on this subject, say that there is
n-ii in the history of mason v, i lie ino>>t
it re Tradable proof that we all sprung fron\
one source ?? 1 presume not. 1 am a
\\ a? e ch it t>y soinc.it is said th.it an oath
ha<? been administered on their admission,
for'biding them even to sit TiT a !odge? with
a modern Mason, or lo admit one to enter
a lodge, knowing hiin lobe such. Whew
a sepc ration took, place in Midland, ah that
was done was to resolve tfi A those who
seceded, (and who these wt re may adroit
a doub.) should not be admited, except on
- term* - cstu n an oath was nc vor incorf>?
ra.td in'o the constitution of Ancient Voi!;
Masons, nore\cr prescribed by the Grand
. Lod^e ; it has the re lore been introduced
without authority ; is illegal, and not bind*
ing. But as 1 *.n "disposed to meet the
scruples of the .nost com cienliuos, and to
effect the union on a basii which can never
be shaken, I w ill endeavour to obviate the
< bjection in a manner still more satisfacto
ry. L\ery obligation resulting from an
oath, may be released within a legal and
moral point of view 44 unlawful directions
are countermanded by the authority, which
declares them unlawful." Members of
Colleges in the Universities, and of other
ancient f> umta'ionx, are required to swet.r
to ?he observance of their respective statu
tes ; which observance is become in some
-case* unlawful, in others, impracuhie, Til
others* useless, in others, inconvenient."
Mr. P&ley says, they are released from
such obligations. May not then, the voice
ol a majority, or two thirds of tH^niasonic
b ?dv,now forming a union, dissolve the
obligations so imposed i It cannot We
doubted. Again i Can those who have
been admitted under the sanction of the
test oath, (if we give yalidiiy to that,) be
^*ny longer considered as motlcty masons !
Mirely they cannot* i his Auction, I
trust, may bt thus overcome* i>%low, us to
the socond objection, that it' is removing
the an ?ei ? i land marks of masonry. How
fatally have men been del tided in all eges,
by the misapplication of terms*. What
arc the ancient land marks of masonry ?
The obligations ? Surely not 1 For if so,
it may be confidently said, (hat they have
never been stable. No two niasCcfjt^eJMtf
administering them in the same worda*
? The ancient land .marks Ate the wordit
si^ns. and grips, and it is not contempla
ted to make any alteration 4n these* For
as observed at first, the Grand Lodge of
South-Carolina now work as we do, and
admit according to the 'ancient usages*
Let us ihen no longer be ^ept asunder by
an adherence to forajfr Our brethren
through" ut the world are united. Can it
be expected tfiat the CftAwM* flourish
while these disagreements fOfltinue I It
is imposible* The well disposed part of
mankind are astonished and distracted,
while the wicked laugh **' t*> scorn, say
ing how can that institution be conducive
to tbc happiness of man whilh destroys
i Ik- peare of its own membaftL Let us r*e
tuperior to all improper t^Rudicts, and
approaching in one body archi
tect of the universe, kiiciVon tnp alter
of i niversa! philanthropy evefy discordant
sentiment. ? Preston.
We regret to learn, Chat a serious acci
dent happened to Col. H*wktn*% on the 25th
ult* inlhi* pas^ag* |down the Mokawk rivet.
Himself and Major Kobar(le*uy returning
Irom Uke Superiorg embarked on board
an open boat at Utica> on account of the
convenience of transporting theii
At night the boat grounded on a
and the deck being covered with ?
H. in attempting |o g?t off, lei! and,
three of his ribs*4 Alb. Ji
It is stated by the intetoflftted papers re
ceived at the Patriot fflfce, Baltimore, that
the famous General Tide do. hat been bribed
by the Spanish Government to desert the
cause of the South American Patriot*
f
? *??
- . - ? i-1*- *
Gen. " Wilkinson'f Memoirs,'* com
mencing with events in 1776, and continu
ed to the year 1815, are neaily ready for
sate. $
The " Life of Gen* JacktOA" ia printing
in Tennessee*
Major General Gaines, of the army of
the L'nited States, and Gen. P. Pomtbr,
one of the Commissioners under the treaty
with Great Britain, are at present on a vi
sit at the &tat of government. '<?
AatiunaL Jniclligrnrnr ,