The Kentucky Gazette

Letters from the right bank of the Rhine state, as a certain fact, that an Austrian army of 40,000 men, under the orders of general Staader, is marching to Franconia, where everything is ready for their reception.

LONDON, JULY 6.

We have the best authority for saying that the rebellion in Ireland is considered to be so completely crushed, that Marquis of Cornwallis has written home that there is no occasion for any reinforcements to be sent to Ireland. In consequence all the militia regiments are to remain in England.

Yesterday a council was held, when a proclamation was sealed relative to aliens coming in and going out of the kingdom.

RICHMOND, August 23.

On Monday the 20th day of August, the citizens of Goochland county, convened at their court-house, it being the first day of their quarterly term, when they came to the following resolutions:

Resolved, as the opinion of this meeting, That the citizens of the United States have an undoubted right, at any time when they shall think it necessary, to assemble themselves together,—freely to communicate their sentiments to each other and adopt any plan they may think most effectual to promote the common good of their country.

Resolved, That we are firmly and zealously attached to our excellent federal constitution, which has secured to us the most invaluable of all blessings, LIBERTY: and that it is our duty as men, as citizens, and as parents to transmit it inviolate to posterity.

Resolved, That we view with astonishment and regret many proceedings of Congress during their late session; particularly two acts passed by them, the Alien and Sedition laws—which we conceive to be direct violations of the constitution, calculated to excite jealousies, sow dissensions, lessen that unanimity so essentially necessary during our present dangerous situation, and which till of late so happily existed among us; to pave the way for any future violations, when our rulers from weak or interested views shall think it necessary, and by degrees to introduce as tyrannical an aristocracy as any nation in Europe ever groaned under.

Resolved, That it is the duty we owe to ourselves and posterity, to endeavor by constitutional means to procure a repeal of those obnoxious laws, and in order to obtain this desirable end, we will instruct our delegates to use their utmost endeavors to prevail with our state Legislature in their ensuing session, to remonstrate to congress against the same, or to adopt any other legal and constitutional mode they may think more effectual.

An address and instructions to the representatives of the county was accordingly prepared and approved of by the meeting, and are as follows:

To James Pleasants and Heath Miller.

GENTLEMEN,

No people hold in higher regard rational liberty, none higher the constitution of their country, and none who higher esteem the virtue, wisdom and patriotism of the authors of it than we do—we view it as the palladium of liberty, as the shield of virtue, and the protector of the rights of man—we conceive that the framers of it calculated it for the meridian of every situation in which their country might be placed.

That they intended it as a rallying point for her citizens, both in time of peace and war, and that no foreign or domestic evil, however great, would justify a violation of it. In proportion as we hold it deservedly dear, our feelings are roused at its being trampled on.—We conceive either a restrictive or licentious abuse of it, to be an evil—But the former of far greater magnitude than the latter.—The one emanating from an intemperate (but voluntary) will of the people,—the other from an insatiable and oppressive aristocracy. We will always resist both. Let it be understood that we are willing to oppose any foreign insult, at the risk of our blood and property—But we would as soon suffer a foreign as a domestic violation of our rights to pass unnoticed—While our attention is drawn forth by aggressions from abroad, we cannot get ourselves to be hoodwinked by the unbounded ambition of our own governors. It would therefore (as freemen) be lethargy in us not to be animated by some acts passed by the late session of Congress. We conceive that a remonstrance from the state of Virginia collectively against them, would have far greater efficacy than from ourselves. We therefore, viewing you as our agents, shall offer no apology for directing you to use your utmost exertions in the ensuing session of the state legislature, to effect by that or other means, consistently with the constitution, a repeal of the alien and sedition bills. The first as being a violation of our federal and state constitutions—the latter as suppressing the freedom of the press, and liberty of speech: the fatal influence of which we are already made sensible of, by our public prints being fraught with trials, imprisonments, and all the appendages of tyranny.

Resolved, That John Dixon, and Samuel Pleasants be requested to publish the above resolutions and instructions in their next papers.