milies, in order to promote the public welfare. All proved that the maintenance of order and a refpect for the laws were unanimoufly confidered as the duty, as the interest of every good citizen. Not a fingle drop of blood was spilt, and the general good wishes of the different parties in the United States, attended this expedition throughout its whole duration of four months.

I had been a few days at Philadelphia, when the militia of that city marched in from this expedition; and I find in a journal that I then kept of the impreffions I received from all the new objects which ftruck me, that which was caufed by the arrival of this militia. I infert it here.

"The battalions did not come back from this expedition till the beginning of December; their return was a real fête for the city; not one of thofe fêtes which we have often feen ordered in Europe by the governments, and which are fure to be attended with great expence, tumult, and diforder; but of thofe which the public mind can alone give and receive, and perhaps only on a fimilar occafion.

"The day of their arrival was announced; their brother foldiers, who had remained at Philadelphia, or had already returned from the expedition, went in a body to meet them, three

miles without the city; almost all the inhabitants came out of their houses, either to go and meet the troops, or to place themselves where they were to pafs; most of them had to see a son, a brother, a coufin, a friend, or fome interesting perfon all faw in them the defenders of the law, the object of public gratitude. The militia that had left the city, in meeting the others, formed their advanced and rear guards; those who were coming back continued their march. The crowd that preffed upon them did not difturb their order; their battalions marched by columns in ranks at five or fix paces afunder. The men who compofed them were mostly young, had a good appearance and marched well: they were clothed alike, and carried a large knapfack, with which none of them feemed fatigued. Their looks fought and received with fatisfaction those which affection and joy fent them from all quarters; but they did not quit. their ranks, and the regularity of their march was not interrupted. In this manner they croffed the city amidst the acclamations of the public.

"The prefident, whofe houfe lay in their way, came out, received their falutes, and joined his applaufe to that of the other citizens; and this applaufe alone was more gratifying to the battalions than that of all the others. Being arrived

before

before the ftate-houfe, they returned their colours, and were disbanded.

"Then their relations and friends, both male and female, got hold of thefe foldiers who were reftored to them. The recollection of the fear that was entertained at their departure of the dangers they were about to run, augmented the pleasure of feeing them again, although they had not incurred any; they were hugged, kiffed, and led to their homes; every one had about him a little groupe compofed of perfons to whom he was the most dear; and thofe citizens, who feelingly exulted in the peace and happiness which these children of the country were about to find again in the bofom of their families. Europeans or Americans, nobody was infenfible to this fpectacle, which was equally affecting and fublime. Tears fell from feveral eyes.

"Such is the exact account of this fete, where those who were prefent felt more happiness than gaiety, and where public welfare must have received the affurance of finding again, whenever there was a neceffity for it, the same attachment as that which had been thus recently rewarded."

CONNEXIONS WITH THE INDIANS.

The law whose object is to regulate the intercourse between the citizens and the United States

with the Indian tribes by whom they are furrounded, was enacted in May 1796. It is to continue in force during the space of only two years, as was the cafe with the former laws on the same subject; but it contains regulations more strongly marked with liberality and justice, and more explicitly laid down, than any of thofe which preceded it.

By this law it is provided that the prefident thall caufe the boundaries between the territory of the United States and that occupied by the different tribes bordering on them, to be afcertained and marked as clearly as poffible..

All inhabitants of the United States are forbidden to hunt in or carry off cattle from any part of the territories acknowledged by the treaty as the property or poffeffion of the Indians, on pain of a hundred dollars fine and fix months' imprisonment.

They are prohibited on pain of fifty dollars fine and fix months' imprifonment, to enter the territory of the Indians fouth of the Ohio without a passport from the governor of fome one of the states, or from the military commandant of fome of the pofts adjoining to that territory.

Every robbery, fraud, or other crime of what nature foever, committed against an Indian by an inhabitant of the United States and within

the

the territory of the United States, is punished by a fine of a hundred dollars and twelve months' imprisonment, befides a reftitution of the property taken or deftroyed, or its value.

If the delinquent be unable to pay the value, the United States become refponfible for it; provided however that the aggrieved Indian have not himself taken vengeance for the injury; in which cafe, the reftitution is not to be made.

Any inhabitant of the United States who forms or endeavours to form a fettlement for himself in the Indian territory, is to be recalled from it by the prefident of the United States, to pay a fine of a thousand dollars, and fuffer twelve months' imprisonment,

Any inhabitant who kills in the Indian territory an Indian belonging to any tribe in amity with the United States, is to fuffer capital punish

ment.

All trade with the Indians is prohibited without permiffion from the principal agent of the United States on the frontier of the Indian territory where fuch trade is to be carried on: and those who have obtained permiffion for that purpofe, are forbidden to purchase from the Indians any of the implements of household economy, hunting or agriculture.

They must not, either from the Indians or

from