NOTICES OF THE ARTS AND MANUFACTURES, AND A RECORD OF THE
EVENTS OF THE TIMES.

H. NILES, EDITOR.

Hec olim meminisse juvabit.-VIRGIL.

FROM MARCH 1812 TO SEPTEMBER 1812.-VOL. II

BALTIMORE:

PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY THE EDITOR,

At the Franklin Press,

TOR LIBR

NEW-YORK

SOUTH-STREET, NEXT DOOR TO THE MERCHANT'S COFFBE-HOUSE,

PREFACE

TO THE

SECOND VOLUME OF THE WEEKLY REGISTER.

We have at length happily brought to a conclusion the SECOND VOLUME of the WEEKLY REGISTER. We cannot omit the opportunity which that circumstance affords us, of addressing a few words to the friends of the work. The year which is just concluded, has been, perhaps, more productive of interesting and remarkable events, than any period in the history of our country. The long and fruitless negociation with the British ministry; the discovery of a treacherous plot to dismember the union; the cruel and unprovoked murders on our frontiers by the savage and remorseless allies of Great Britain; the final appeal of an outraged people, to the God of battles; and subsequent and consequent don estic occurrences, have all awakened and continue to excite public attention. We were well aware, that in the record of these events, we should not give satisfaction to every reader. Some have bla med us for a cold indifference, where others have accused us of an unbecoming warmth; this, however, is evidently the effect of party zeal in our accusers, and not in ourselves. We have endeavored, in every instance, conscientiously and faithfully to discharge the duties of an editor. On the one hand, we have been scrupulously regardful of the honest difference of opinion, between the two great political parties, which divide the republic; and on the other hand, we have never failed, upon every occasion which presented itself, of expressing an indignant reprehension of all foreign partialities.

But we are defending ourselves against the charges of the few, while we ought to be emploved in rendering thanks to the many; whose candor and indulgence we have abundantly experienced.

It would be presumptuous and absurd, to think of concealing, from the judicious reader, -the many inaccuracies to which a work of this nature is unavoidably subject. Imperfections and errors, as well in matters of intelligence as in typography, must necessarily result from the hurry inseperable from such a publication; but, we trust, that none of magnitude will be found in either. Circumstances, already detailed, have rendered the miscellaneous department of our work, less interesting, than we could, otherwise, have made it; while the same circumstances have, perhaps, swelled to an undue limit, the political notices of the times,

It was our wish to have embellished this volume, with some specimens of American proficiency in the fine arts; but obstacles which we neither foresaw nor could counteract, have imperiously denied us the gratification of our desire.

We take this occasion to thank those gentlemen who have furnished us with hints towards a better arrangement of our plan. By some we have already profited; while of others, we are compelled, for the present, to appearunmindful. Upon the whole, we venture to express a hope, that the generality of our readers will be satisfied, with the present result of our la bors, that we may be encouraged to go on with a renovated zeal.

VOL. II.]

BALTIMORE, SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 1812.

Hæc olim meminisse juvabit.-VIRGIL.

[No. 27.

Printed and published by H. NILES, Water-street, near the Merchants' Coffee-House, at $5. per annum.

Imperial Parliament.

our sincere desire for peace was sufficiently evident from the settlement of the "affair of the Chesa

A summary sketch of Parliamentary proceedings-peake."

from London papers.

Mr. Ponsonby observed, "the third topic emOF AMERICA. After the prince regent's speech braced by the speech appeared to him to be of yet was delivered to parliament, on the 7th Jan. the earl greater importance than the contest in the peninsuof Shaftsbury, in the house of lords, moved an la, and that topic was our relations with America. address on the occasion of the speech. In the He had seen with pleasure the pacific spirit that had course of his remarks, he observed, "with respect recently marked the communications of this goto the pending discussions with America, they were vernment to that power-and, trusting, as he did, not yet brought to a conclusion, but he was confi-that this pacific spirit would continue to manifest dent all means of conciliation would be resorted to, itself, and pervade the future negociations, he consistent with the honor and the interests of the thought it most expedient to abstain at present from country." any commentary on that spirit, or remarks on the Lord Grenville did not like the whole of the consequences that had attended it.” Speech, he protested in the strongest terms The chancellor of the exchequer [Mr. Percival] against being included in any expressions implying said, "as to America, he did not think it desirable approbation of the past, or a pledge of persever that any discussion should take place on that subance in the same system which had of late been ject at present, and under the present circumstances acted upon-convinced as he was, that it was only of the negociation between the two countries." by a total radical abandonment of that system, that The next day, January 8, Mr. Whitbread ob. there existed any hope of safety to the country." served, "the speech contained another topic highly "He objected to the lavish profusion with which interesting and important, on which it was proper our resources had been squandered, when they for the house to demand information; he meant the should have been husbanded for a protracted war, unfortunate unadjusted differences with the United of which no one could see the end. He still re- States of America. Last session it had fallen to tained all his objections, and in their utmost force, his lot to deprecate in that house, that all the offers to that policy which had inflicted a blow on the of conciliation made by America were rejected by enemy that recoiled with greater execution on our the British government, and that the greatest disown commerce and manufactures." (Hear him, was reiterated.)

Earl Grey, speaking of the affairs of America, &c. said, "that the general system adopted had been in fact, the source of almost all our present and impending calamities."

After some further discussion, the address was agreed to sine diss.

respect had been shewn by the marquis of Wellesley to the American ambassador, Mr. Pinkney.That assertion was denied, and he (Mr. W.) persuaded of the fact, moved for the correspondence which passed between them; but it was refused, and the house concurred in the refusal; but the charge had not been yet rebutted. When any person on that (the opposite) side of the house venturA most singular and unprecedented occurrence ed to predict evil consequences from the measures took place in the house of commons. The moment pursued by gentlemen on the other side, their prothe speaker had finished the reading of the prince phesies were reviled or disregarded; but what they regent's speech, sir Francis Burdett started up, and had always dreaded was unhappily like to come to after a long speech, concluded by moving an ad- pass; for after our differences with America had dress to his royal highness. Lord Cochrane in subsisted five years, and government had reserted another speech seconded the motion, and the to every political subterfuge to avoid conciliation, mover and seconder of the ministerial address who notwithstanding the repeated efforts of America to have uniformly obtained precedence on all former come to an accommodation, we had only to expect occasions, were thrown out. The order of things the fatal catastrophe of seeing that country leagued being thus reversed, the address prepared by lord with France. (Cries of hear! hear! from the opJocelyn and Mr. Vyse necessarily came forward position benches.) America told us that the decrees as an amendment to the address of sir Francis Bur- of France, which caused our orders in council, dett. Sir Francis and lord Cochrane were appoint restricting their neutral commerce were repealed; ed tellers, but they had only one member to count our answer to that was a flat denial of the fact. and that was Mr. Cuthbert. Lord Jocelyn's ad- The house, as yet, had very little information upon dress, or rather his amendment, was carried with the subject, but when the necessary documents out a division. should be produced, ministers would have a long During the debate in the commons, lord Jocelyn account to settle, for the correspondence had a expressed a hope, that the adjustment of the affair ready appeared in the American papers. From of the Chesapeake, "might be the forerunner of the correspondence between Mr. Monroe and Mr. an ultimate arrangement, for that permanent friend Foster, it was evident that the obnoxions decrees ship between the two nations, which must equally of France were repealed on the 2d of November. redound to the benefit of America, as it will to the [Here Mr. Perceval said, across the table, "Ameadvantage of Great Britain." rica says so." Mr. Whitbread then challenged Mr. Vyse said, "our differences with America the right honorable gentleman to produce one in promised to be amicably adjusted, and at all events [stance shewing that they had not been repealed; he

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