by his cowardice of those invaluable blessings. You are to contend for all this against an enemy whose continued effort is to deprive you of the least of these blessings--who avows a war of vengeance and desolation, carried on and marked by cruelty, lust, and horrors unknown to civilized nations.

Citizens of Louisiana! the general commanding in chief, rejoices to see the spirit that animates you, not only for your honour but for your safety; for whatever had been your conduct or wishes, his duty would have led, and will now lead him to confound the citizen unmindful of his rights, with the enemy he ceases to oppose. Now, leading men who know their rights, who are determined to defend them, he salutes you, brave Louisianians, as brethren in arms, and has now a new motive to exert all his faculties which shall be strained to the utmost in your defence. Continue with the energy you have begun, and he promises you not only safety, but victory over the insolent enemy who insulted you by an affected doubt of your attachment to the constitution of your country.

TO THE BATTALION OF UNIFORM COMPANIES.

WHEN I first looked at you on the day of my arrival, I was satisfied with your appearance, and every day's inspection since has confirmed the opinion I then formed. Your numbers have increased with the increase of danger, and your ardour has augmented since it was known that your post would be one of peril and honour. This is the true love of country! You have added to it an exact discipline, and a skill in evolutions rarely attained by veterans; the state of your corps does equal honour to the skill of the officers and the attention of the men. With such defenders our country has nothing to fear. Every thing I have said to the body of militia, applies equally to you--you have made the same sacrifices you have the same country to defend, the same motive for exertion--but I should have been unjust had I not noticed, as it deserved, the excellence of your discipline and the martial appearance of your corps.

TO THE MEN OF COLOUR.

SOLDIERS-From the shores of Mobile I collected you to arms-I invited you to share in the perils and to divide the glory of your white countrymen. I expected much from you, for I was not uninformed of those qualities which must render you so for

midable to an invading foe--I knew that you could endure hunger and thirst and all the hardships of war--I knew that you loved the land of your nativity, and that, like ourselves, you had to defend all that is most dear to man--but you surpass my hopes. I have found in you, united to those qualities, that noble enthusiasm which impels to great deeds.

Soldiers-The president of the United States shall be informed of your conduct on the present occasion, and the voice of the representatives of the American nation shall applaud your valour, as your general now praises your ardour. The enemy is near; his "sails cover the lakes;" but the brave are united; and if he finds us contending among ourselves, it will be for the prize of valour and fame, its noblest reward.

(By command)

THOMAS L. Butler,

Aid-de-camp.

'NO. XXI.

The following spirited order gives a sufficient account of the motives which induced general Jackson to resort to the measure of proclaiming martial law. At the same time that it served to convince the emissaries, whom the enemy might have sent among us, of the inutility of their mission, it convinced also the people of Louisiana, that the man who had come to take command of the forces, was decidedly determined to save the country, and to make use of all the means in his power to obtain that desirable end.

New Orleans, December 15, 1814.

TO THE CITIZENS OF NEW ORLEANS,

THE major-general commanding, has, with astonishment and regret, learned that great consternation and alarm pervade your city. It is true the enemy is on our coast and threatens an invasion of our territory, but it is equally true, with union, energy, and the approbation of Heaven, we will beat him at every point his temerity may induce him to set foot upon our soil. The general, with still greater astonishment, has heard that British emissaries have been permitted to propagate seditious reports among you, that the threatened invasion is with a view of restoring the country to Spain, from a supposition that some of you would be willing to

return to your ancient government. Believe not such incredible tales-your government is at peace with Spain-it is the vital enemy of your country, the common enemy of mankind, the highway robber of the world that threatens you, and has sent his hirelings amongst you with this false report, to put you off your guard, that you may fall an easy prey to him;-then look to your liberties, your property, the chastity of your wives and daughters-take a retrospect of the conduct of the British army at Hampton and other places, where it has entered our country, and every bosom which glows with patriotism and virtue, will be inspired with indignation, and pant for the arrival of the hour when we shall meet and revenge those outrages against the laws of civilization and humanity.

The general calls upon the inhabitants of the city to trace this unfounded report to its source, and bring the propagator to condign punishment. The rules and articles of war annex the punishment of death to any person holding secret correspondence with the enemy, creating false alarm, or supplying him with provision; and the general announces his unalterable determination rigidly to execute the martial law in all cases which may come within his province.

The safety of the district entrusted to the protection of the general, must and will be maintained with the best blood of the country; and he is confident all good citizens will be found at their posts, with their arms in their hands, determined to dispute every inch of ground with the enemy: that unanimity will pervade the country generally: but should the general be disappointed in this expectation, he will separate our enemies from our friends-those who are not for us are against us, and will be dealt with accordingly. (By command) THOMAS L. BUTLER, aid-de-camp.

NO. XXII.

AN ACT

To grant a delay in the cases therein mentioned.

WHEREAS the present crisis will oblige a great number of citizens to take up arms in defence of this state, and compel them

to quit their homes, and thus leave their private affairs in a statè of abandonment, which may expose them to great distress, if the legislature should not, by measures adapted to the circumstances, come to their relief,

SEC. 1. Be it enacted by the senate and house of representatives of the state of Louisiana in general assembly convened, That no protest on any note or bill of exchange, payable to order or bearer, or on any note, bill of exchange, or obligation for the payment of money, shall or can be legally made, until one hundred and twenty days after the promulgation of the present act.

São. 2. And be it further enacted, That no property, either moveable or immoveable, belonging to successions or bankrupts, or any property seized by virtue of any execution issued by the courts of justice, or justices of the peace of this state, shall be sold within one hundred and twenty days after the promulgation of the present act; Provided however, that the delay aforesaid shall not prejudice the holders or proprietors of the said notes, bills, obligations, or judgments, from demanding the interests which they would or might have legally demanded, if the said delay did not exist.

SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That from and after the promulgation of this act, no civil suit or action shall be commenced or prosecuted before any court of record or other tribunal of this state, nor shall any execution issue or be proceeded upon; and all proceedings in civil suits or actions, now pending before any such court or tribunal, shall henceforth cease and be suspended during the time this act shall remain in force.

SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That no sale of lands or slaves which may be passed during the time this act remains in force, shall have any effect to the prejudice of the rights of the creditor or creditors, of the persons making such sale. Provided however, that such creditor or creditors who may have no existing lien on such property, shall, before the first day of June next, make known to the person possessing the same, the claim or demand he or they may have against the person who shall have sold the same. SEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That for the purpose of preserving the securities of creditors under the said suspension

f

of judicial proceedings, the several judges and justices of the peace of this state, having original jurisdiction, shall have the power of granting writs of sequestration, in case any debtor or debtors, during such suspension, shall remove or attempt to remove their personal estate and slaves, or either of them without the jurisdiction of the courts; which may be detained under sequestration on petition filed by the creditor, the allegations contained in which petition shall be supported by the oath of the petitioner, his agent or attorney, Provided however, that the debtor may replevy his estate so sequestered, on giving bond and security for the payment of any judgment against him, or any debt to be liquidated by judgment or otherwise by the debtor and creditor.

SEC. 6. And be it further enacted, That this act, within the parish of Orleans, shall be considered as being legally promulgáted, on the day it shall have been approved by the governor, and within the other parishes of this state, on the day of its promulgation, agreeably to the now existing laws. This act shall continue and be in force until the first day of May next and no longer. MAGLOIRE GUICHARD,

Speaker of the house of representatives. FULWAR SKIPWITH, President of the Senate.

Approved, December 18, 1814.

WILLIAM C. CLAIBORNE,

Governor of the state of Louisiana.

NO. XXIII-XXIV.

Letter from commodore Patterson to the hon. Secretary at War. U. S. ship Louisiana, December 28, 1814.

SIR,

I HAVE the honour to inform you that on the 23d instant, while at the bayou St. John, examining the batteries érecting there by the navy, under the superintendance of captain Henley of the Carolina, I learnt that information had been received by general Jackson that the enemy had penetrated through bayou Bienvenu with a large force, and had effected a landing at general Villeré's plantation on the banks of the Mississippi, which upon application to the general proved to be true. The alarm was immediately given in