The Enquirer

FROM THE BALTIMORE TELEGRAPH.

SPEECH,

DELIVERED BY HIS EXCELLENCY

GOVERNOR CLAIBORNE,

TO THE

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL,

ON PROROGUING THEM, JULY 8, 1805.

Fellow Citizens of the Legislative Council:

I have attended in this hall for the purpose of proroguing your session, and thus to close, perhaps forever the political connexion now subsisting between us. The occasion has given rise to the most sensations, calculated to excite on my part, great degree of sensibility. To you, gentlemen, who have participated with me the toil of legislating for a territory situated as this has been; where a general innovation throughout the whole system of government, presented a variety of legislative objects that required the exercise of a more than ordinary share of talent & discretion; where prejudice and former habits presented impediments to that progress of improvement, which experience had suggested, and reason sanctioned;—and above all, where party spirit, lighted up by restless, and occasionally by unprincipled ambition, was too successful in producing distrust and inquietude: permit me to observe that to citizens, who uninfluenced by any wayward impulse of the moment, or awed by the difficulties in view, attended with fidelity and remained with firmness at the post assigned them by their country, a great deal of gratitude is due, and my sincerity cannot be questioned, when for them I profess much respect and a sincere regard.

I have hazarded much have said, and many have been deceived into the belief, that this country being annexed to the United States under the most favorable auspices and that therefore every manifestation by the people, may in part be attributed to the feebleness or wickedness of the local administration. To what degree, of credit this statement is entitled, you gentlemen, will know. But let the truth be told that at the period of the cession, the aspect of affairs in Louisiana was not so bad as to justify an expectation on the part of those intrusted with the government. that their administration would for reasons, be otherwise than painful and perplexing.

In a territory whose citizens are for the most part either natives, or descendants of natives of France and Spain, who had long cherished a thorough French attachment to the country of their forefathers :—in a territory that had been controuled by the will of arbitrary chiefs, foreign agency, and harassed by frequent changes of allegiance where the ties of birth, affinity, and language were the influence of that aid past fate had made these more engrossing, which like roots every where produced, the man indeed must be little daunted with human nature, who had passed through such situations fituated as American government, could have been introduced without the difficulty.

or friction could have dispelled the helps y: but in such a way, as to have pi o ol al'. That the ironvenience. must he mi.i,1t That it was inseparable from the re of dominion During the first provih- mrem. probably some errors may ' 1" beu car mtted. an.d these have too often ? :ti cxn:xEr: ed.'y :he naievolent and design: 12. On this subject however, I feel no unea- tness. as the error.of a good intention will rea- dybe exonfi a generous people; but in reltin to the ca mngs to which I have been iglje&t d, an sheir gut bors. I look down upon iw with eaiten. om that eminence on schich confcaons rectitude hs nlaced me. I be- neve I mav corfidentiy ert that the proviion- al a lminifra:toti Louifiana was commenced and cordocted wit cunfftency as to the prin- vinle by whi h ife were were governed ; a princi- ple of mild and conen atory justice, refoolved an af an sn-ly period, the beft policv that could e parfucd in a dthrit, where the harinony of the citizens wisfecit.ed but byfender ties, and wh e it w as the dlaily labour of fome to rend too ties afnn ler. Armed as that adminitrati- n wxs with estenive power, it was, perhaps, diHrult to wold the harager oftur inny, with- cu! beidg ex oofd to charges of defeat on the othr extreme. S perfoial obfervers, and perverted minds a-s oen nna le to siew the arm as otherwife tn feeble, which, when clothed aith power, tefuf-s to -v-rt it. Jut the principle was ixed, a'nd if accau s did oecir tha. night have jufti- f.ed , d g r we frot it, I neverthelef, look back with, whe afur to 'be forbeyrance that was fo Lagniy perieered yn, and I feel proud in the re- f ction tha' no unwotiy pirit of reentm nt. Wa a g' rinen anileted by the go,ernmew Q fiend Eut what:ver, wpoa the whole, may have
been the defects of. that adoniniaration, this much at leaft we ind to be a act, that the country has fuffered no-mrsterial injory from them: that through the farour of heaven and the amiable dipofition of the people in general. good order waspreerveds private and public rights fecured. and the territory advanced in a- griculture, commerce, population -and real wealth.

Fellow Citizens of the Legillative Gouncil,

I now come to the periud at which your la- bours commenfed, and permit me to aflure you of my great admiration of the judgment you have manifested in felecting proper objects of le- giflation. Your code of criminal law, exhibit- ing a ytem at the ame time mild & energetic : the judicious innovations which vou have occa- fionally made in the municipal arrangements of the country : the wie acts you have paed for the convenience, encouragement, and protection of commerce, as well as for the internal im- provement of the territory : and above all, the lau Jible provilion you have made for the intro- duction of icience and literature, and for the e- ducation of the rifing generation, will remain lastiug tetimonies of vour abilities, dicretion and real patriotiin.. . With repect to the laws for the organization of the militia, I have great confidence in the r succes ; but a ufficient time has not elapfed to give the operation of them a fair trial. Within a period o limited as that of your feflions, and with fuch a diverity of duties bef re vou, more could not have been expected, and it is a ubject of congratulation that o much has been done, aud done fo well.

Another important change in the nature of our government, now awaits us. The Congrefs of the United States, ever jut to their eugage- ments, and faitbful to the interells-of all switbin their prctefion. have afligned the period at which Louiliana is to become one of tbe fovereign and independent tates of the Americanunion, in the mean time the right of felf-goverment is ex- tendedto this diftrict. under the like reftriati- ons which have been laid on our fellow citizens, in the other territories of the United States. This pecies of temporary goveroment has been found commenfurate to the protection of fociety, & the advancement of the general wea!, and is certainly well calculatedfor the graduai introduction of thofe reprefentative princinles, an which the futtire contitution of the ftate (when erected) muft necefarilv be predicated.

But poflibly there may be many, whom this new form ofgovernment will failto fatisfy. It would indeed, be a prefiumption unwarranted by experience, to calcnlate on univerfal appro- bation of anv meafure. The bet of men may occafionally differ in politica) entiments, and the invetigation of their opinions lead to truth, and may be confidered one of tbe alutary in- cidents of political freedom. But, unfortunate. lv, focietv is fometimes infefltedwith members who argne, not to enlighten, but to mifiead their fellow citizens. and wlio froin motives of difngenuous ambition, or from malice, labour inceantly to raife themelves on the ruin of o- thers. That there have been, and still are, a few individuals among us of that description, is I fear too true. Under their patronage calumny may recommence its efforts-it may diftort the mot innocent aions. and pervert error into crime--it may enter the threfhold of domeftic life, barror up private feelings, and produce private ditres : but the diftrut of the dif-ern- ing, and the contempt of the good, will fooner or later, drive the authors into obfcurity.

Felloru Citizens of the Council.

After the political change, on the eve of which we now are. there remains but one more which this territory is defined to experience, and that is, its complete incorporation into the Ameri. can Union. We hve heard idle reports of va- rions kinds. refpecling new territorial di-ifions and partial, and fometimes total retrocefions to foreign powers : but th Ce feem to me to be the fanciful chineras of u.reflecting minds. My ficm belief is, that the Mifirlgsi wilt cenfe to Bow, ere the ceafes to hehcld Lovifana attach- ed to the enpire of Amcrican Frccdon -A difoaftion to encrcach cn tbs tenitosles ofo. thers, is foreign tothe nature afour government; but the perfedl prefervarion of her own, is one of its vital priuciples. Jus to the rights oi o- thers, the Amerigan nstien will preferre her aown inviolts, or perifh with them.

Fellow Citizens of the Council.

I fear the range I have taken has been too ex- tenfivn, and that I trefpafs onon vour nolire at 'ention. Yonr duties are etofed -I dec'are you- fefion ptoro ued, Sine dle. You will re- tain ry affeCionate remembrace, and my beft wilhes accompany you,

William C. C. Claiborve.