Western Sun, Volume 2, Number 14, Vincennes, Knox County, 4 March 1809 — Page 2

who, by erery crt of fophiftry, attempt to varuifli the iainr, with the pleafmg appear- i ancc of patriotifm, I mould little dcierve the name of citizen. Suih being my prefent view of the fub. ject, now before "the people, I mean, the admillion of flavery into this territory, I hope my fellow citizens will excufe the warmth which I may have maniferted : Jefferfon fayi, It isimpofiible to be temperate, and to purfue the fubject.' When the firft two numbers of Slim Simon appeared, I anfwered, and I think, clearly refuted all fuch parts of his arguments as merited pubric attention : in two weeks this redoubted champion of flavery, has not denied the truth of my ftntements. from which I infer a tacit acknewledgement on his part of their correctnefs. It would appear from his laft eflay, that lie is heartily lick of the controverfy, he feems to be bewildered and loft in his own conjectures, he laborioufly endeavours to ftart a new fubject equally intereftinj, but difpairs of fuccefs. Why docs he not execute his threats againft the Citizen ; If I miftake not the man, he is accuftomed to promife much, and perform little, to the truth of which the

whole territory would fubferibe, were I but

to name nun. In writing my hrft eflay, 1 ceuld not let pafs unnoticed, the demralifed Rate of the country, my own obfervati-

, ons led me to afcribe it in part to trimming, and the Chefterfieldian politics,' which are practifed by that high circle of politicians to which he belongs. Here Slim Simon felt the bullet, and exhibited to the public a degree of rage

nti:c to the credit oi ins mgn nanaing in fociety. Once more I will take my leave

of Slim Simon, and do allure him, and the public, that I will never envy him all the

liberty and political fame, to which his late refulgent publications entitle him. v As I have been very politely anfwered by mr, Randolph, it would be unpardonable rot to return my acknowledgements. As he wifhes much to avoid entering into a contcft on the fubje ct of flavery, I will not prefs it upon him, and will only obferve, that flavery is acknowledged by every flatefman, to be a moral and political evil, fo enormous, that I mud moft folemnly proteft, againft the patriotilm of the man who wifhesto extend it. A Citizen of Fincennes. For the JFcstem Sun. Mr. Srovf, IN your lafl paper I am called upon by Slim Simon, to give my opinion on the fubject of dividing the territory;' which rvqueft i3 reiterated by Jeremiah Jingle, in the fame paper, with the additional ones of the embargo, and our relations with France and England.' It is with the greatest pleasure, and the fame promptness with which I anfwered the Citizen, that I mill now proceed to ftate that my opinion, with refp?ct to thfirft query; is now, as it was at the lift feinon of our legifliture, tht is, againft a divirion. That as to the embargo, I am not fufficiently informed cf its good or ill ef fects on our mtionil treafury, to undertake to fpeik deei'Jrdly on that, or the non-in-1 tercoiirfe act, (that part cr policy in the gener.il government to which I fuppofr Jingle alludes when hr fpraks of our relations with France and F.ngland) but (lull candidly Ture my fellow citizens, that being board as a good citizen, to refpefV the coniVituted nuthorities, and fupport tlx laws of my country' I freely fubferibe iy afTent, and will zraljufly fupport, as far as Comes within my 'province, any regulations which th" wifdom ef the national ltgifltture may tliink advifeable to adopt. Slim Simon, in the 11th number of your paprr. Ins admitted that an enquiry into the conduct of public officers i the right cf every citizen, but that it fiiould be done with fiirnrfs and candour ; furely Jeremiar' Jingle cannot think it fairness for a public nilitrr to he obliged to give fuccinct anfwrr to points which may be, and I fee ate wrckly, Qarted by fcticiaus perfons, for although thev mav call themfrlves Ci ttZftis, yet, not bring poflVfiVd f their real names, ' cannot know whether thev have a cttiztn's right of ei. quiring into the conc?ucot public officers, and (hall therefore refrain from n-zttcin? a number cf his erro neous fUtementi. Should J errmiah Jingle ap-ain addref me, he had better, as he certainly would he acting more like achrillian ai,4 a osd citi

zen, ufe a little more eandour than I fee he

has done in his fir ft eflay, and not misre present my expreflions, (taking nothing from inference) for the good and virtuous part of my fellow citizens will fee, and fay, its done maliciously. gkll. wvjohnston. February 25th, 1809. ? 8 o'clock, P.M. J P. S. 1 have but this moment been informed that a report is in circulation in the county, that at the laft fcfljon of our legiflature, I voted for a divifion of the territorythis is certainly unfounded ; for the fait is that I loft my election as delegate from the territory to congrefs, in confequence of my oppofition to, and vote againft the divifion. G. W. J, Thurfday morning, 2d March. TO GENl. W, JOHNS TO YOU will pardon me Hr, in not accept, ing the title you have been pleafed to confer on me ; I have neither an M. D. or an L. D, attached to my name. I am not 4 feeking the bubble, reputation,' from a newfpaper controverfy with you ; but it will not be ufelefs to examine your opinions. Having come before the public with your fentiments in reguard to a particular queftion, they, together with your publick conduct touching that queftion, properly become fubjects of inveiliation. I examined your piece in the fpirit of candor I profefled ; I drew no inference which was not warranted . by your premifes ; and if you felt any soreness from the refutation of your arguments and opinions, you may blame yourfelf for having fo inconfiderately, advanced them. I had 110 idea of di verting your attention from the legitimate object of enquiry ; no fir, take your own courfe ; I (hall never wifti you to be in

leading firings ; for whilft you are left free

to aft, you will, in every ftep, furnifh ano ther toil for your enthralment.

I faid that from the productirenefs and

low price of lands, every man might ac

quire a fumciency for his fupport and I

tepeat it again ; but inftead of anfwering me fairly, you introduce the fubject of the

public fales, huh) money, Sec. I know nothing of the tranfactions of that period

but from report ; and will therefore afk

you, whether you did, or did not, receive

hush money yourfelf 1 Your anfwer will

enable the public to appreciate your prefent

very tender confideration for the poor. 1 neither faid, nor did 1 infinuate, that you were acting in concert with the Citizen ; neither did I fay that you were owner of flave.' I faid, and I now repeat, that vou 1 have blacks in your employ, whether for life or years, I know not, nor do I care in a moral point of view, it is the fime ; a 1 will you, by a miferable quibble upon words pretend to cieny it, vhen rvery man who vifits your houfc will teftify to the truth of the fact ? and yet you ire the man, who is in vulgar rhapfodies, inveighing againft the propriety of holding (laves? admitting it to be improper, it ill becomes you to fay any thing afeout it.

until you have difcharged thofe you have,

from your kitchen. But 1 fuppofe you will lay, that your blaeks are mere fhepher3 !' I am forry you appear to know fo little of

your Bible. Abraham was authorif-d to

traffic in fervants ;t and the Jews had a

law from God, refpecting ferv; its for life and for years. t 1 will not quibble with

vou about the terms servant and slave ; in

the Old Teftament, in many parts at lead they are fynorymous, as may be fcen ii

the books to which I have refered. Rut

vou fay, that you 1 was never publickly called upon to avow your 'principles upon

that point. I do not know that any court-

ly explanation, fuch as has lately occurred

in regard to the Citizen, took place ; but I will Hate a fact. Some time before the

election, you unequivocally avowed, to

certain resectable and influential perlonin this county, that you were in favour ol

I Inve always underflood, that dearer? s evidrncc of the proficiency in fciencr md the learned profeffions, were conferee;

by learned inftitutious ; but what degrer

of merit do the initials L. 1). import ? and

who contred it on the learned gentleman ? Solomon muft have been wrong in faying 4 there h nothing new under the 6un ;' tor this is perfectly f but it muit I fup-

ife he lomcthing 4 rhetorical and elo-

P

Hirntia!.'

tGencfis, chap. 17, v. 12, 13.

Kxodus, chap. 2 I Leviticu?, chap. 25,

v. 44, 45, 46

9 w

PROCLAMATION Whereas it is enacted by the laws of tfco Indiana Territory, that all general elections for reprefentatives tolVrve inthecneral aflembly, (ball beholden in the feveral townfhips in each county on thr firft Monday in April bi-annually. Therefore in conformity thereto the electors in the county of Knox, are notified to attend each in his own townftiip st the place of holiing townfhip elections on Monday the 3d d-y of April next, and then and there proceed according to law to vote for two reprefentatives to reprefent the county of Knox in general afiembly of the Indiana Territory, to wit Thofe of the townfhip of Vincennnes, at the Court houfe in Vinccnnes. Thofe of the towrfhip of Bufroe, at the houfe of John Hadden Efqr. Thofe of the townfhip of Palmyra, at the houfe of capt. Noah Furcell. Thofe of- the townfhip of Harrifon, at the houfe of capt. WalterWilfon Thofe of the townfhip of White river, at the houfe of James Kobb. Thofe of the townfhip of Wabafl:, sat the houfe of capt. Jacob Worrick. Thofe of the townfhip of Ohio, at tho houfe of Daniel Grafs Efqr. Given under my hand at Vincennes tho twelfth dav of February, one -tbfjfand

eight hundred and nine.

Parmenas Beckes S. K. C. FOR SALE.

orality kc. refembles the growth T JPQN reasonable terms the following 00m; and like meteors that ftart W trades of land, 400 acres in - the old

UUlldklUJI i. U 17 1, I11U A 111.1 Ul I OJ 1J arpents joining mr. , Laplante, on the

W. fide of the Wabafh ; for terms apply

in Vincennes to, .

HYACINTHE LASSELLE.

the further introduction of (laves. It is unneceflary to enquire whether you were

elected by the friends or the enemies ot mi. Harrifon fniTice it to fay, that had it not been for the intereft and fupport of theft who have always thot' well of the governor, 11. 1 1 j . 1. 1 r ,

you wouia never nave nau uic nuuur u

feat in the legiflature. But it ictms that in 1807, 4 viewing the fubject in a moral

point you was againft the admifTion ot

flaveiy, but in a political point oi view' you ' was in favor fit (I quote your own words) and will you talk to us about morality and religion, when you gravely avow that you mde that abominable declaration in the houfe of reprefentatives I am willing to believe that you never entertained fuch an opinion, and that you, inadvertantly inferted it in your piece ; for the principle that the end juftifies the means would overturn every piller which fupports fociety. But you have reformed ; you have feeri the error of your ways, and fud-

denly changed your opinion ; and new talk

about weathercocks I moft certainly hr, 1

do not wilh that 'a mui fiiould peifift in

error' No, God forbid I lam in favor of

a fiee, candid and general expreffion of

fentiment and opimen ; and I even refpect the errors of men when thev are the refult of an honeft conviction. It is however, to be lamented, that your fudden fit of devotion fiiould have driven you into fanatacifm. It is but the other day that, according to your own confeflion, you were

yourfelf a heretic and your evtraordinary

zeal for m

of a mufhroom

from our marfhes, and blaze with momen

tary combuftion, it may vanifb the next moment. Violence is no teft of iincerity. Had you ftated, that from a careful examination of the queftion, you were convinced that yon had been in an error ; that altho' 12 or 18 months ago, you had been in favor of the further introduction of laves, ycu now thought it improper, and fiiould therefore oppofe it, I fhould haverefpected you for your candor and magnanimity, and fo would your fellow citizens ; but was it

juft, was it generous, was it trn1)' for you,

PKOPOSALS GENERAL W. JOHNSTON L. D. - (of Vincennes, L T.J For pubh filing by fubfeription A vorA to be entitled 4 The Indiana Juftice and Couftables guideV This work fliall embrace a lrrral r!-

as you had juft come to a 4 knowledge of fertation on the life and progrefs fonder thl tmtM trk fall f.il f U n,!U ...1 i 1 r r- i i . -P .

the trutlr to tall loul of thofe with whom

you fo lately thought and acted with grofs afperfions, charging them with a want of moral rectitude ; being engaged in a ne. farious policy and accomplices in theft, and at the very moment the blacks in your kitchen were groaning under your yoke. Sir, it will not do. Before I conclude, permit me to compliment you on the improvement in the compofition of your laft piece, if your name had not been fubferibed to it, I fhould not have fufprcted it to have been yours ; it is really quite 4 rlieforical and

eloquential,

SLIM SIMON.

What does the learned gentleman mean by the word eloquential ? Should he commence Lexicographer, he would outdo Noah Webfter, himlcif.

Extract of a letter from Kingfton, (Jm.) dated 5th Dec. received by the Friends, arrived at Philadelphia. 44 We have juft time by this opportunity to inform you. that owing to the fudden prorogation of the tollonial aflemhiy, no duty has been laid on American produce, nor can the attempt be renewed for fix months." A report from Wafhington, of a pretty nipofing nature is in circulation, that mr. :;.t lkine has informed our government that the expedition htely fitted out at Halifax, intends in the full pl.ue to vifi: Baton Rougv, in pofTellion of their friends and allies the Spaniardi, Report further adds, that fince this intimation wis given, Wil. kinfon has been ordeied to New Orleans, vherc he is to take the command of 4OOO

troop?, and is to be and 40 gun beats.

aided by two

inmates

N. V. Pap.

We wndcrftand a letter is ia town, from

Mavanr.t, cated 1 5th nit. winch mentions

that the port has been dofed to American fuppliej, and that vefTels, then there, was r fufed perniiffion to unload. The prohibition was hid at the inftance f the people of Vera Cruz, who nropofe to fupply the iiland themfclves. North American.

BLANKS OF ALL KINDS

Xcat'j and

accurately OJicc

Printed at this

the laws of England) and prefent refpectivc

powers and duty of Juftices of the Peace and Conftables under the ftatute laws of Indiana it (hall likewife contain all tie neccfTary forms for their refpective offices and be prefaced with the Conftitution of the United States and the ordinance of the Terriory. . ' The utility and efientiality of fuch an undertaking and publication, efpecially in Indiana, cannot indeed it ought not, for a moment, to he doubted it is thertfore hoped tint44 what is generally good, will be liberally encouraged." CONDITIONS. 1. It will be comprifed of one voluma oftayo, of between one hundred and cim hundred and fifty pages. It ftial! be printed on good commrt paper and ftitched.' , 3. It will be put to prefs as fodn as four hundred copies are fubferibed for (which amount, it is fuppofed will barely defray the expenfes which muft nccefTarily be in. curred for materials, a copiaft and printing.) 4. It will be delivered to fubferibers, in Vincennes at one Jollar per copy. 5. The number of copies fubferibed for, muft be paid npon the fubferibers being publicly notified that the work is reaay for delivery. 17 Subfcriptions for the above work .vil! be received by thefeveralPoft-Maftera in the Territory, by tther Gentlemen to whom fuhfriptibn papers may be forwarded and by others who may fed favorably difpofed towards the undertaking. EDITOR.

The Miami nation of Indians, have brot' in and delivered up to the governor, one brown mare,?foppofrd to hiivr Keen ftolen, about 9 years old, U hands hig'h, branded on the left fhoulder, Lut not lrdgible, a. little white cn her eff fide fore and hand foot, heavy with foal, has been with the Indians fince laft fall the owner h defired to ccme forward prove property, pay charges and take her awav. JOS. BARRON, Ir.t.

j

NOTICE. hereby forwam all perfons from truftinp my wife Sllv on mv account, as I

am determined to p-y no more debts of her contracting. BENj. BLCKES Jr. February 8, IBOV. 1 1 tt