May be created during the war. To this object, then, they lent their principal attention. It has been deliberately but speedily accomplished; and the Session was not protracted a moment after the several bills on this subject were perfected. There was considerable difference of opinion, even among the majority, on the proper objects of taxation; but these differences were not permitted to interfere with the public interest, or frustrate the measures it required; and those who could not obtain such a variation or modification of the system as they wished, gave their support to that system which was proposed by the Committee of Ways and Means, rather than defeat the measures necessary to support the credit of the government. The laws on this subject, therefore, notwithstanding the opposition (habitual on all occasions) of those who clamoured most about the necessity of taxes, were passed by commanding majorities. These several laws, besides containing the general provisions for the assessment and collection of direct and internal taxes, and for establishing the office of Commissioner of the Revenue, embrace the following provisions, viz. to lay duties on licences to retailers of wines, spiritous liquors, and foreign merchandize; on licences to distillers of spiritous liquors; on sales at auction of merchandize, and of ships and vessels, on sugar refined within the United States; on bank notes and certain negotiable paper; and on imported salt. These laws to continue in force during the present war, and until one year after its termination.

Besides these several laws, in number ten, providing a system of direct and internal taxation, a law was passed, authorising a loan of 7,500,000 dollars, a part of which is to be appropriated to the service of the present year, for expences (of militia principally) not before calculated on, and the remainder for the service of the first quarter of the next year, which it is supposed could not be provided for in time at the next Session of Congress.

These are all the measures taken for raising a revenue, or providing the ways and means for the support of Government.

Besides the passage of these laws, however, Congress adopted many provisions for encouraging the prosecution of the war, and to render it both offensively and defensively more efficient--Of this character, we may pronounce the acts which were passed, to authorise the raising a corps of sea fencibles to authorise the purchase and sinking of hulks for the further defence of the ports and harbours of the United States; to authorise the building of barges to protect our bays and rivers; to continue in force the

several acts authorising the employment of mounted rangers on the frontiers, and to explain and amend those acts; to prolong the term of enlistment of five regiments of the twelve months' men authorized by the act of the last session, to five years or during the war; to amend the act establishing the ordnance department; to regulate the allowance of forage to the officers of the army, &c. Besides these military and naval preparations and regulations, two acts were passed, the first of them unanimously in both Houses, which having an important bearing on our military operations, we also class under this head. We speak of the act to provide for thewidows and orphans of militia slain, and for militia disabled in the service of the United States; and the act making compensation for waggons and teams captured and destroyed by the enemy at Detroit. The first of these acts assures to the militia-man who is called out under his country's banners, that if he is disabled his Government will secure him from want and that, if he falls, his country will take his family under its guardian care; the last assures compensation to the citizen for his property destroyed in the public service.

It has become notorious, and the fact was established by the woeful experience of many who had engaged in and suffered by it, that privateering on the ocean, that mode of warfare which we believe more than any other harasses the enemy, by distressing his commerce, had languished and had almost ceased from the want of encouragement from the Government, the absence of which, together with the obstructions thrown in the way by those opposed to the success of their country's arms, had discouraged and smothered the enterprizing spirit, under the impulse of which, on the declaration of the war, privateering so vigorously commenced. Congress took this subject into their mature consideration; and during the session, passed several laws, having for their object to release the claims of the United States to certain British property captured by private armed vessels; to reduce the duties on prize goods captured by private armed vessels; to allow a bounty of 25 dollars for every prisoner captured and brought in by them; to extend the Act allowing pensions to the wounded ia action on board private armed vessels, to such as shall be accidentally wounded during the cruise. Under these salutary provisions, it is hoped and believed a new spring will be given to enterprize, and the ocean will again swarm with our hardy and adventurous seamen, who have already signalized themselves in every sea by their bravery and skill wherever they have encountered an enemy.

The

"The only law passed of a general commercial nature, is one very important in its effects on the present state of our commerce, and which had become necessary to prevent our trade from becoming wholly subservient to the interests of the enemy; we mean the Act prohibiting the use of British Licences. This will put an end, we trust, to the disgraceful intercourse carried on with the enemy, under this guise at least, though we fear that a neutral character is as easily purchased as a British licence, and that many of our vessels will assume the former, which cannot now take the latter. Still much will have been done to remedy an evil, which could only have been cured by a general cımbargo.

The proposed amendment to the naturalization law, which has been for two or three sessions handled about between the two Houses of Congress, has at length passed in an imperfect shape; we believe that the only form in which it could meet the views of a majority of both Houses, and in such a form too, as will materially amend and improve the existing provisions on that head.

In consequence of the first Session of the 13th Congress having been held in anticipa tion of the period prescribed by the constitution as that on which the first Session of each Congress shall be held, unless otherwise directed by law, it became necessary to provide by law on what day Congress should again assemble. A law was accordingly passed, fixing the next meeting of Congress for the first Monday in December, the day on which Congress would have assembled,.had no law passed authorizing an extra Session.

The above statement comprises all the laws of a public nature which were passed during the Session. Several other measures of importance were proposed, and received their quictus in one or the other branches of the Legislature, among which was a general cargo, the fate of which is too recent to require any particular remarks from us. The subject, besides, is pretty well understood by the people at large, who are quite as competent as ourselves to judge of its expediency. Our intention was merely to offer a statement of all the measures of a general nature which passed the Congress; and all the laws of that description, we believe, are comprised in the above recapitu lation.

FRANCE.

NEW CONSCRIPTION.

In a sitting of the Senate at Paris on the 4th October, a series of documents were read relative to the negociations between France and Austria, Sweden and Depmark.

Bonaparte accuses the Empero: Francis of treachery and duplicity. He avers that Prince Schwartzenberg, by facilitating the advance of Admiral Tchichagoff's Army, ensured the ruin of the French force in Rus sia--that an Armistice was afterwards concluded with Russia, which was kept secret, -that Austria had determined to join the Allies last spring, but was prevented by the inefficiency of her military force, and the disorder of her finances-and he concludes by an appeal to the French nation on the necessity of making fresh efforts, equal to those of the Allied powers, to oppose what he terms their immeasurable ambition.

On the 7th the Empress proceeded in state to the senate, and delivered the follow. ing speech :---

"Senators The principal nations ir Eerope, indignant at the pretensions of Great Britain, last year united their forces to ours to obtain peace for the world, and the restoration of the rights of all nations. Upon the first reverses of the war, dormant pas sions were roused. England and Rusa have dragged Prussia and Austria into their cause: our enemies are desirous to destroy our allies, and to punish them for their good faith. They are eager to carry the war into our fine territories, to revenge themselves for the triumphs which our armies have b tained. I well know what our people would have to apprehend, if they should ever allow themselves to be subdued. Previous to acending the throne, upon which I was placed by the election of my august husbard and the will of my father, I had the highest opinion of the courage and firmness of the great people; this opinion has been con firmed by every passing event. Partaking for four years the most secret thoughts of the emperor my husband. I know would be the agitation of his mind upon throne dishonoured, and to wear a cUFE without glory. Frenchmen,-your emp ror, your country, and your honour s upon you."

A Senatus consultum was immediately passed, ordering a New Conscription et 280,000 men into active service. 120,000 from the class of 1814, and previous years; and 160,000 from the conscription of 1815

THE NORTHERN WAR. Since the great battle before Dresden a the 26th and 27th July, no serious operatia has been attempted by either of the m belligerent armies, although several of the French detached corps have sustained d feats; but without apparently leading any very important results. On the 3stant, Bonaparte's head-quarters were sti

The allies,

one of these occasions it is stated in the French papers, that being pressed by the allied army of Silesia, which had advanced on the right bank of the Elbe, by Camenz, Neustadt, and Bishoffswerda, he left Dresden on the 224 for Hartau, causing the corps of Generals Lauriston, Macdonald, and Souham to march forward. however, declined a general engagement, and retired fighting all the way to the Spree. General Lauriston then enterd Neustadt-Macdonald took a position on the heights of Weissig-the Court de Lobau occupied Gieshabel-St Cyr, Pirna, and Victor the position of Freyberg. Dresden is thus encircled on the south-east side by the French armics, which form an irregular line of more than 100 miles on the right and left of the Elbe.

Dispatches from Sir Charles Stewart and Lord Cathcart bring down the accounts of the military operations in Bohemia to the 13th September; and detail some partial fighting in that quarter. On the 12th, they state, that the Austrian army, amounting to 100,000 men, and with 800 pieces of cannon, was in position, and offered battle to Bonaparte, who declining it, commenced his retreat, breaking up the roads, to prevent the allies from pursuing.

On the 25th August the Silesian army, commanded by General Blucher, defeated the corps of Lawriston, Ney, and Macdonald, near Goldberg, who after a contest which lasted from three in the afternoon till night, were obliged to seek safety in flight across the rivers Neisse and Katsbuck, leaving most of their artillery in possesion of the allies. The allied army under the Crown Prince of Sweden appears to have been engaged in operations of more consequence; having on the 6th instant obtained a decisive victory over the French army commanded by Marshal Ney near Juterboch. The object of the Crown Prince was to advance to Leipsic; the success of which plan would have placed him in the rear of Bonaparte. Ney, however, who had assumed the command of Oudinot's army, attacking the Prussians on the 4th and 5th, at Zahne, finally obtained that post, as also that of Suyda. In the mean time, the Crown Prince having learned that the French were marching upon Juterboch, came up to the assistance of the Prussian army, and completely defeated the enemy at Donnewitz, who fled in the direction of Torgau and Dresden, vigorously pursued by the allies. On the 7th, a small corps, proceeding for Dresden, was overtaken at Dahme, and de

were other slight affairs in the retreat, in which, and the great battle of the 6th, the loss of the enemy is estimated at 16,000 men, 50 guns, and 400 baggage waggons taken. Marshal Marimont, who was on his march to join the French army in that quarter, arrived at Dennevitz only in time to witness the defeat of Ney's division; in consequence of which, and of a movement by Blucher's right wing, he retreated precipitately to Dresden on the 9th. Being briskly pursued by Colonel Figner, his baggage was taken, with 1000 prisoners.

About the same time, a detached corps of Davoust's army, under General Pecheux, was defeated on the Elbe by Count Walmoden, and most of his troops, to the number of about 5000, either killed or taken prisoners, the General himself narrowly escaping. Davoust had retreated from Schwerin, across the Elbe, in the direction of Magdeburgh.

One of the Swedish bulletins states that a Spanish regiment had come over from the French to the allies, and had been taken to head-quarters, from whence they were immediately to be sent back to Spain. It is also stated, that since the conclusion of the armistice the prisoners taken by the army under the Crown Prince amounted to 28,000; and the whole loss of the French, since the opening of the campaign, is estimated at 100,000 men, and 280 pieces of

cannon.

THE ALLIES' ACCOUNT OF THE BATTLE

OF DRESDEN.

The following extract of a dispatch from Sir Charles Stewart, gives a very different account of the result of the battle of Dresden, from that of the French contained in our last number. The dispatch is dated from the Emperor of Russia's head-quarters, at Altenberg, on the 29th of August.

"The enemy having abandoned the ground surrounding Dresden, called the Grossen Garten, and having withdrawn into their works, and into the suburbs of the town, on the morning of the 27th, it was deemed expedient to make an attack with a large force upon the place, the possession of which became of considerable importance. Count Wittgenstein's and General Kleist's light troops, on the right of the town, had sustained, during the morning of the 27th, in the attack of the gardens, some loss; and indeed the enemy had so much improved by art the defences around the town, that it was evidently an enterprise of considerable difficulty to carry it.

"The troops moved to the assault at four o'clock in the evening; Count Wittgenstein's

genstein's corps, in three columns, on the right of the Grossen Garten; General Kleist moved one column of attack through these gardens, and two on the left. His left column was headed by Prince Augustus of Prussia; three divisions of Austrians on the left of the town, under the immediate direction of Count Colloredo, and Prince Maur rice of I ichtenstein, joined the Prussians on their left; the Prussians forming the centre attack. A tremendous cannonade commenced the operation: the batteries being planted in a circular form round the town, the effect was magnificent; the fine buildings in Dresden were soon enveloped in smoke, and the troops moved forward in the most perfect order to the assault. They approached on all sides close to the town. The Austrians took an advanced redoubt with eight guns, in the most undaunted and gallant manner; I never saw troops behave more conspicuously; the work was of the strongest kind, not above sixty yards from the main wall, and it was flanked by cross fires of musketry from the various loop holes that were made in every part from projecting buildings; but nothing could surpass the gallantry with which it was stormed: the enemy fled from it only to shelter themselves behind new defences, manning the thick walls of the town, in which it was impossible, without a long and continued fire of heavy artillery, to make breaches.

"The enemy, with the aid of those means which a strong town affords of resistance, held the troops in check who had so gallantly carried and entered the outworks. The night was fast appreaching, and the enemy now attempted to make a sortie with a considerable force of all his guards, at least amounting to 30,000, to separate the allied troops, and take one wing in flank and rear. This was immediately perceived, and as it appeared evident that it was not practicable to carry the place that night, orders were sent to draw off the troops, and they returned to their several encampments. Prince Maurice of Lichtenstein made an admirable disposition on the side where the enemy made their sortie, by which all disorder was avoided. This enterprise, in proportion to its being of moment, was one of great difficulty; no troops could signalize themselves more, and, in my humble opinion, if it had been physically possible to carry the place under the circumstances, they would have accomplished it; but there were no breaches for the troops to enter; and the artillery, altho' brought up at the close of the evening to near 100 paces of the wall, were not able to batter it, or make an impression.

"From the best calculation I can make,

I should estimate the loss of the allies at under 4000 men in this attack. The Austriang chiefly suffered.

"The sortie of the enemy was a prede to a more general battle, which took pizes on the following morning, the 28th. Baaa. parte had arrived in Dresden, froin that part of his army in Lusatia, on the night of the 22d, and having a very large force in Dres den, at least 130,000 men, he appears t have determined on attacking the allies, who occupied a very extended position on the heights surrounding it.

"The enemy had great advantages in their disposition for attack. Dresden, Ined with guns, was in their rear; the communi cations were not intersected; if they made an impression, they could pursue it ; if they failed, they could withdraw in security, and our troops could not follow them under the guns of the place. One of the worst days that ever was seen, added materially to the difficulties of the allies, who had arrived, by rapid marches, through bad roads and defiles, at their positions; and whose sp plies of every kind it was difficult, i' not impossible, to get up. Availing himself of

the advantages above stated, Bonsparto de played an iminense number of pieces of artillery; and heavy cannonading, or bu sides, formed the chief feature of the battle. Charges in various points were made, bath with the Russian, Prussian, and Austrian cavalry, and they distinguished therascives highly; but the main bodies of the infantry, in both armies, did not come in entaThe weather was so hazy, and the run s incessant, that the action was sustained at all points, under the heaviest disadvantages

"Towards the middle of the day acti trophe occurred which awakened more than ordinary sensibility and regret thro the allied army: General Moreau, in carnst conversation with the Emperor of Ruster the operations, had both his legs carried of by a cannon shot, the ball going through his horse. An equal loss both to the good cause, and to the profession of arms. It is impossible not deeply to lament his fate;

he is still alive.

"The enemy continued his efforts of the position of the allies, till finding be could make no impression, the action cased

The battle may have cost us 6000 7000 men. The enemy must have suffered more; in one charge of Russian cavalry against infantry and a battery, a great num. ber of prisoners were taken, though the ga were not not brought off.

"I have already detailed to your Lar?, ship the general difficulties in which the allied army was placed by the large terce opposed to them, and by the opinion

Br

Bonaparte would pass a considerable body of troups across the Eibe at Konigstein and Pirna, to possess himself of the passes in our fear. The orders for retiring, to the allied army, were issued on the evening of the 28th, and the army is now in march in different columns.

"It is impossible nos to lanent that so fine and so numerous an army, perfectly entire în all its parts, should be under the necessity, having once advanced, of making a retrograde step, as miscalculations may be made on the event, and the enetny may sup pose he has gained an advantage: I can only pledge myself to your Lordship, that the army is as esger as ever to meet the enemy, and the same determined spirit exists, though a partial change of operations may be deemed necessary.

DOCUMENTS RELATIVE TO THE IATE

CONGRESS AT PRAGUE.

In French papers recently received are various documents, arraigning the motives of Austria in proffering its mediation at the Congress at Prague.-They commence by declaring "that Bonaparte put unreserved confidence in the Austrian Cabinet, and informed it of the immense means he was collecting, and of the disposition of his forces, down to the period of the battle of Lutzen. That victory deranged the plans of Austria, which was aiming to recover the Illyrian Provinces, obtain possession of the Duchy of Warsaw, establish a new frontier upon the Inn, and break up the Rhenish Confederation. Dissimulation being still necessary she proposed to France the assembling of a Congress at Prague, and at the same time urged the allies to continue the war. The Congress was agreed to." The documents conclude:

"The choice of Russia had fallen upon a man, who, born a Frenchman, and convinced of his incapacity for so honourable a mission, had only acquired in matters of business the character of an agent of England, and who in 1805 was her principal instrument to induce Austria to war.

"The Emperor might have been indig. nant at such a choice, and rejected a man who had rejected the laws of the Empire, but his desire for peace made him pass over these considerations. He appointed, to discuss his interests at the Congress, persons the most worthy of his confidence, and whɩ, by the rank they held with him, and in the state, as well as by their personal qualities, enjoyed in the highest degree the public esteem and consideration.

"Count de Narbonne had already recei ved his full powers, which authorised the Oct. 1813.

Plenipotentiaries to treat separately or jointly. He, in consequence, proposed to open the negociations when the Duke of Vicenz arrived at Prague.

** It appeared that nothing could oppose the immediate opening of the Congress, and there was every reason for hoping the negociations would proceed rapidly ; but that system of incidents and obstacles incessantly arising, followed till then by the Austrian Cabinet, received a new developement.

"The French Plenipotentiaries hastened to derband, on the 29th July, of the Minister Mediator, that the opening of the Congress should immediately take place by a first conference, in which they should proceed in the usual manner to the verification and recip rocal cornmunication of their full powers.

No objection could have reasonably been expected respecting an affair of form so simple and founded on immemorial custom. Nevertheless, the Plenipotentiary from the mediating Court refused this demand. Desired to explain himself upon the motives which at the beginning could induce him to create an obstacle so unexpected, he only replied by proposing a mode of negociation which excluded all direct communication between the respective Plenipotentiaries, and confined the part of the negociators to transmit, by writing, their propositions to the Austrian Minister, who thes constituted himself an arbitrator. M. de Metternich forgot the notes he had transmitted to Drese den, and the declarations which had been made to him, and to which he had acceded, that the French Government accepted a mediation and not an arbitration, and that it did not mean to negociate but in the usual forms, and by Plenipotentiaries who should assemble with those of other belligerent powers, to enter upon explanations.-The French Plenipotentiaries declared they could not consent to any other form than that of conferences, in which they would be held to the Protocole; which would unite, to the incontestible advantages of verbal discussions, those which are considered to be found in negociations by writing.

Notwithstanding this previous explanation, the Austrian Minister insisted in his pretension; and, founding himself upon this proposition, made it the object of a note, which he addressed to the different Plenipotentiaries. In this note he supported himself by the example of Teschen. However, no person was ignorant that nothing could be less applicable to the circumstances than that example: for, at Teschen, there were conferences, and the pretension had never been raised there, any more than at any other Congress, of negociating without seeing, and without speaking to each other.

In