against with all possible care. The profit on pleasing. The city of Washington is rapidly the rise of the value of our lands ought to be-improving; it must become a place of considerlong to the nation, or to those individuals by able importance. ts population is al early whose settlement and improvement of the large; but the city shews to much disadvancountry such rise may be caused-not to spe- tage from the scattered position of its buildculators. The president's attention to this ings, forming several smart towns, as it were. subject merits the thanks of his countrymen. The plan of the city requires that many vacant There is one thing, however, that some have spaces should be ieft-these may beautify it thought might as well have been omitted---a and conduce to its healthiness, but will always declaration by the president of his intention to subject it to serious inconveniences for the put his veto upon any bill passed for internal transaction of business, and retard the growth improvements. "It is not contained," he says, of its population in the useful classes of socieamong the specified powers of the constitu- ty. The public buildings, we hope, will be tion"--where is the specified power to autho-completed as soon as possible; congress is verize the establishment of a bank? The one ry badly accommodated at present; the house must be as lawful as the other, and events may of representatives is jammed into a room not shew that the straining of the constitution half large enough to permit the members to sit, about the bank, will be inore productive of in- and pass and repass, at ease--the "national li jury than the digging of canals or making of brary" is essentially lost to them---being distant roads can possibly be. But the resolution in- almost a mile and a half from their ball and in troduced by Mr. Tucker, on the 5th instant, the third story of the building occupied by the will cause the subject to be discussed at large General Post office, &c.--- The repairs anil fitby the representatives of the people---and we ting up of those great piles, the two wings of rejoice to see such an expression of what we the capitol, are going on rapidly: the "presicertainly believe to be an honest difference of dent's house," now occupied by Mr. Monroe, opinion. though still unfinished, is in a much better state

The other points of the message appear only than it was before its Gothic destruction, and to require to be read to be approved-each sub- the other public offices that were burnt have ject is fully and plainly elucidated. The re-been rebuilt or repaired, with considerable imcommendation about our manufactories we provements. Events shew, the waste of mc should have been glad to have seen enforced ney excepted, that the burning of this city by more strongly than it is. They a. e of immense the Goths, to destroy it, has done much for its interest-many of them are exceedingly de-improvement. They consigned themselves to pressed, through the smuggling already men- the execration and infamy of ages without pro tioned, and by other deceptions and frauds of ducing any effect, except to rouse a feeling foreigners, especially in respect to those of they would have depressed, and to beautify the iron, the most important, perhaps, of them all. city of WASHINGTON that they would have The iron manufacture is one of those things destroyed, because of its "rebel" name. that immediately belongs to our independence The repeal of the internal taxes was expectas a nation: IT MUST BE PROJECTED. There ed---they are vexatious and produce a less sum are many of its items that we may refuse to to the revenue than the examination of a few receive from abroad, without raising the home-hundreds of packages of British goods. per manufacture above its fair and honest value, anuum, entering for duty, would do. If we compared with the inferior foreign product; should want their proceeds, the people will and in every case of this sort the foreign arti- cheerfully pay them again.

Compensation of Congress.

ele should be absolutely prohibited.-Self inte- The message, in the whole, shews a sound rest requires this of congress---who will also intelligence faithfully devoted to the best insoon become sensible of the necessity of really terests of the republic and will do much to supporting our manufacturers generally. The rivet Mr. Monroe to the affection of his fellow ideas of many as to competition in respect to citizens, and exalt his character, with that of them, are delusive and untenable. If the com-his country, abroad, merce of the world were free, and we could send our products to other countries on the payment of duties such as we ourselves impose on the products of those countries, there night be The house of representatives, it appears some ground for the objections that are made to have refused to consider a motion made by Mr. the encouragement of domestic manufactures. Bassett, to fix the compensation of the memBut this is not the case--and, in this twisting bers, until further provided by law, as it was in world, we must sometimes do to others as they 1815-i. e. at six dollars per day. At predo unto us. The strictest morality does not sent there is no law on the subject, and it is require that we should extend an advantage to probable that a higher per diem will be fixed any one that refuses the like advantage to us. upon. The president's observations about the public buildings at the seat of government are

The late famous compensation law was rather objected to an account of its manner than

for the amount of compensation which it al-Balance in the treasury, Nov. 1, 1816 lowed.---Every reflecting man believed that Amount received to Nov. 1, 1817 that was insufficient to command the talents of

1, 1817

Deduct the appropriations

any gentlemen who had business of his own to Expenditures for the year ending Nov.
attend to---and to induce him to leave his family
to transact the affairs of the nation. It could
not have been an object to one in a hundred
of those of the people who were fitted to the
performance of the interesting duties of a mem-
ber of congress. A respectable mechanic would
not leave his workshop for it, much less would Journal of accounts for pre-
an extensive merchant or manufacturer, or
practising attorney, &c. quit his employment
for it. If such went to congress, it was not the
expected compensation that led them there.--

due to the 1st Nov. 1817,
and then remaining un-
paid

sent year

57,515 1S 151,144 77

208,659,90 170,530 34

38,129 55

55,343 28

35,000,00

-90,343 28

52.213 72

96,564 18

44,350 46

100,776 84

They were influenced by other considerations The probable receipts for the ensuing

---those of patriotism, or of ambition, or by

year amount to'

desires to gain a public character that might
be of use to them thereafter. If a man lives Probable demand on the

treasury.

at Washington as a gentleman should do---if he
receives his friends there as he would do at Journal of accounts, 1818 35,000, 00

his own house, and incurs his proportion of the
numerous extra expenditures to which his situ-
ation renders himʻliable, a very small part of
the 1500 dollars per annum heretofore allowed
would be left for the support of his wife and
family at home---though his business there
might go to ruin from his absence.

Deficient

-135,776 84

91,426 38

It is thought that ten dollars per day may be closed on Saturday, the 29th of November last; and fixed upon as the amount of compensation that no receipts or payments have since been made at will be voted for. The sum is a reasonable one this office. From the impression that it will occa---the least that we can do is to support a mansion a shorter suspension of the business of the trea and his family, in moderation, for his public sury, and that it will be more convenient to my successor in office, as well as to myself, to retire services. Cheap legislators should be as care- from the station now, than at any future period, I fully avoided as cheap school-masters. But do hereby resign the office of state treasurer. their compensation ought never to be so great It has been ascertained by the auditor general, that the balance in the treasury is $191,862 $6 as to make it an object worth contending for. Which I am ready to deliver to my successor, as soon as he is appointed, in the following manner, viz.

Nominal amount of the debt and temporary
loans, 1st Janurry, 1817,

Deduct amount reimbursed in the payment of
8 per cent. per annum on the old 6 per eent
and deferred stock

Statement of the public debt of the United States, an ive per cent, treasury note stock 7,000,00% 00

128,007,170 64

19,261,352 25

Dis. 108,745,818 29

amount 332,984 60 at 106 51 354,561 83 nominal amount 400 95 unrd, amt. 31 04 at par do. 72 66 Deferred do. do. 158 98 at 65 1-16 S6 3 per et, do, do. 225 94

3:04 72 86 14635

354,012 45