Minister to be delivered up by the government of the United States, which, by the mutual stipulation contained in the treaty, is agreed upon, and this country bound to deliver him. But who is the proper person to deliver up the fugitive or person described in the article of the treaty? Does not the President of the United States represent this country with foreign powers? If so, this measure solely belongs to the President of the United States, and not to the judiciary-it belongs to him, and him alone, and no court of justice can try or have jurisdiction over the offence of murder committed on board a British armed ship. Thus, then, in doing an act which the President was by law bound to do, of which a court of justice had no cognizance, the President is charged "with an interference to influence the decisions of a court of justice." The Judge thought no charge could be more prejudicial to his character than this. Your safety, Gentlemen, said Judge Chase, greatly depends upon the independence of the judiciary. A judge, unless he acts corruptly, is alone answerable to his God and his conscience, and an attempt of the President to interfere or control his decisions, would be a high crime indeed.-Can you doubt it? But the President is charged with this crime, and with very aggravated circumstances attending it; that he interfered to influence the decisions of a court of justice, without precedent, against law and against mercy. What meaning does this convey to every reader? It is published by the traverser, that Nash was an American, not only an American, but a native citizen of America, delivered up" without precedent, against law, and against MERCY,"-and that this native citizen of America was " forcibly impressed by the British," and by the President delivered up "to the mock trial of a British court-martial.”—This case is published in a manner greatly to 66 to aggravate the offence, and is calculated to rouse the feelings of every American; for, there can be no charge of a more heinous nature against the President of the United States, and the manner in which it is made, is well calculated to operate on the passions of Americans, and I fear it has already done it. It appears, then, that this is a charge on the President, not only false and scandalous, but with intent to bring him into contempt and disrepute, and excite against him the hatred of the people of the United States, for if you believe it, it will have this effect upon your minds. Indeed, this appears to have been the intent of the publisher, and the publication seems to have been designed to have an effect on the people previous to the approaching election, for the publication makes a further remark on the conduct of the President in the case of Nash, "a case," says the traverser, too little known, but of which the people ought to be fully apprized BEFORE THE ELECTION, and they shall be. The Judge observed, that the traverser should prove all he published to be true, or he would fail; he should prove that the President did interfere to influence the decisions of a court of justice-that Nash, otherwise called Jonathan Robbins, was a native citizen of America, that he was impressed forcibly by the British, and that the interference of the President was against law. He fails if he does not prove that there is a standing army in this country, and each of the charges which he makes against the President-if he asserts three things, and proves but one, he fails; if he proves but two, he fails. The Judge thought the traverser had displayed great novelty in his defence. He states that he has published this handbill, and all that he has said is true; if you are of that opinion, you will acquit him; or if you believe he has published it without malice or intent to defame the President President of the United States, you will acquit him. The Judge closed with directing the Jury, that it was with them to decide; they were to find the publication, and the intent, whether proved or justified. The Jury found the prisoner GUILTY, and he was sentenced to pay a fine of four hundred dollars, and to be imprisoned six months amongst the felons in Philadelphia jail! EMIGRATION SOCIETY. In my notes on Priestley's Charity Sermon for the benefit of Poor Emigrants (see Vol. IX. at the close), I have mentioned some facts relative to this, and other similar institutions. I shall here insert an address to the public, from the Emigration Society of Philadelphia, which I beg the English reader to peruse with great attention. "The Philadelphia Society for the information and assistance of Persons emigrating from Foreign Countries, having become a Corporate Body, and desirous so excellent an Institution should become extensively useful, have resolved the following Address be presented to the Public. "TO relieve distress, and to lessen the ills of life, from whatever cause they may arise, is a conduct worthy of every virtuous and benevolent mind; but it is more or less praise-worthy, in proportion as the objects of our regard are destitute, or otherwise. If this be so, can any objects have a stronger claim upon public benevolence than those for whose benefit this Society was instituted, viz. distressed Emigrants from foreign countries, who, if there were no such institution, would probably sink, sink, under their afflictions, into despair and death. Indeed, small as have been the means of this society, it has the happiness to believe, that it has preserved for future usefulness, the lives of several valuable individuals, who, from the complicated distress of poverty and sickness, without such assistance, must have fallen under their accumulated weight. "Nor are such scenes uncommon amongst the thousands who, from various causes, emigrate to this country; for, if a foreigner, when he arrives in this city, be possessed of a small sum of money, if he do not get into immediate employ, the very high price of every necessary of life soon consumes it; especially if he happen to have a family, or fall sick, the latter of which is not improbable, from the change of climate and manner of living.* "It was to prevent, or at least to alleviate as much as was in their power, these evils attend int on emigration, that a number of individuals instituted this society in August 1791, and which has since been supported by an annual subscription of one dollar, together with a few but generous donations, and occasional charity sermons; and though it has not been enabled to do all the good which the members wished, from the want of adequate means, yet it appears from the report of the acting committee, "That it has given such information to sixty-seven emigrants, on their arrival, as to obtain for them almost immediate employment; that it has afforded peuniary assistance to one hundred and twenty persons in actual distress, and, to many of them, advanced money to purchase working tools," &c. and from the report of the physician it appears, "That pecuniary and medical aid has * What, then, shall be said of those miscreants, who are engaged, by the land-jobbers, in inveigling poor creatures from the British dominions? been granted to between sixty and seventy sick and needy emigrants, many of whom laboured under infectious diseases, and who would most probably have been lost, but for the timely and unremitting attention which was given to them. "So much good having been effected by this yet infant society, what may it not be expected to accomplish, when it shall become more generally supported, as its friends doubt not it will, when the public shall be more fully apprized than it has yet been of its benevolent and beneficial tendency? For surely there are not many inhabitants of this country who, when they are told by a society which has made it a primary object to enquire into the subject, that there is much unalleviated distress. amongst persons newly arrived here, arising from sickness and other causes, and for which there is no adequate public provision, who will withhold their support to an institution whose object is to comfort, advise and relieve this unfortunate class of our fellow men. This society, therefore, constantly make it their business to have advertisements delivered on board every vessel cóntaining passengers, which comes to this port, immediately on its arrival, which advertisements invite all, who want assistance, to apply for it as therein directed, distress being the only recommendation to ensure to them all the good which this establishment has it in its power to afford. "The object of this institution being so purely benevolent, no other consideration should seem to be necessary to induce a general concurrence in its support. But it may be further asserted, with truth, to be closely connected with the public interests of the country, since the advantages resulting from emigration, in a national view, are great and obvious. Men of talents and industry coming here from every part of the world, add to the com mon |