Other inestimable advantages will follow our produce will be augmented to an incalculable amount, in articles of the greatest value, for domestic use and foreign commerce. Our navigation will, in like degree, be increased; and, as the shipping of the Atlantic states will be employed in the transportation of the vast produce of the western country, even those parts of the United States which are the most remote from each other will be further bound together by the strongest ties which mutual interest can create.

The situation of this district, it is thought, requires the attention of Congress. By the constitution the power of legislation is exclusively vested in the Congress of the United States. In the exercise of this power, in which the people have no participation, Congress legislate in all cases directly on the local concerns of the district. As this is a departure, for a special purpose, from the general principles of our system, it may merit consideration whether an arrangement

better adapted to the principles of our government, and to the particular interests of the people, may not be devised, which will neither infringe the constitution, nor affect the object which the provision in question was intended to secure. to secure. The growing popula tion, already considerable, and the increasing business of the district, which, it is believed, already interferes with the deliberations of Congress on great national concerns, furnish additional motives for recommending this subject to your consideration.

When we view the great blessings with which our country has been favoured, those which we now enjoy, and the means which we possess of handing them down, unimpaired, to our latest posterity, our attention is irresistibly drawn to the source from whence they flow. Let us then unite in offering our most grateful acknowledgments for these blessings to the Divine Author of all good.

Nov. 17, 1818.

JAMES MONROE.

CHAPTER

are on their march to Nagpore from several quarters, and that a considerable British force will shortly be assembled there.

Lieut.-General Hislop then addresses the Governor-General for the purpose of giving him a particular relation of his late engagement with Holkar, and all the events of that day. A return of the heavy loss with which it was attended, with all the com pliments due to the several officers who distinguished them. selves, fill up the remainder of his letter. The Mysore horse, who acted with the British, and well supported them, are handsomely spoken of.

Brigadier-General Doveton, to whom this business was finally committed, writes on Dec. 30, for the information of the Commander-in-Chief, that the Arab Chiefs, in the city of Nagpore, having communicated their willingness to evacuate the place on certain conditions, and having sent out their principal Chief to conduct the negotiation, the whole was satisfactorily settled, and the whole evacuated the town at noon whilst the British marched in and took possession, hoisting their flag on the old palace.

By a despatch from the Governor in Council at Bombay to the Secret Committee, dated the 14th of January, 1818, it is asserted that the Peishwa was at Sapar, about 30 miles S. E. of Poonah, moving, as it was supposed, towards Sattarah. The approach of Brigadier-General Smith seems to have led the Peishwa to prosecute his flight to the southward.

Another despatch from the

same

same body to the Secret Committee, dated the 23rd of January, gives a letter from the first Assistant to the Political Agent of the Governor-General, dated Mundissoor, signifying that the victory over Mulhar Row Holkar brought about a treaty between that potentate and the British government, relieving the latter from the anarchy which has lately prevailed in that state; and also that all the Pindarries have been driven into one quarter, and are now in the vicinity of Johud. A letter from Major-General Sir W. G. Keir to the AdjutantGeneral, dated Camp, Dewdah, January 10, was sent for the information of the Commander-inChief, which informed him, that the division under his command was detached by Sir Thomas Hislop for the purpose of attacking a Pindarry chief who had encamped in the neighbourhood of Johud. Sir W. G. Keir moved towards the spot, and heard of the fugitives at a considerable distance. At length he was informed on the 7th that a large body of the enemy were at Dhiruh, eight miles south of Sodree, with their baggage and families. He got within sight of Dhiruh on the next morning, but found to his great disappointment, that the enemy had decamped on the preceding day on hearing of the approach of the Bombay division of the army, leaving their guns, and a considerable quantity of baggage to follow them across the hills.

The last reports at Bombay from the Major-Gen. on the 21st and 26th of January, mention that he had succeeded in surprising a

body of Pindarries at the village of Mundassee near Veera. The same authority also speaks of a letter from Lieut.-Colonel Macmorine to the Resident, in which he reports the entire defeat of a body of the Rajah's troops at Sreenuggur, by the detachment under his command.

A letter from Brigadier-Gen. Lionel Smith, to the Hon. Mountstuart Elphinstone, Resident at the court of the Peishwa, communicates some curious intelligence respecting that sovereign. It is dated Camp, Kurkumb, Feb. 21. The enemy having on their route turned upon Kurkumb were pursued thither, when it was learned that the Peishwa, had encamped the preceding evening near Ashta. General Smith pursued, and about half past eight on the morning of the 20th had the satisfaction of hearing their drums beating below a hill which concealed them from view. On their descent from the hill, the enemy descried them, and Goklah took the resolution of risking an action. It was maintained on both sides with great spirit; but after much difficulty, the dragoons and horse artillery succeded in making a fair charge, in which Goklah, the chief of the Mahratta army, fell fighting bravely to the last. The whole were now broken and pursued, and our troops were soon brought upon the enemy's baggage and followers. The Peishwa abandoned his palanquin early, and took to horse, but our men were unable through fatigue to pur

sue.

Twelve elephants, fiftyseven camels, several palanquins, and a few horses, fell into our

hands.

hands. I have not been able to trace the course of the Peishwa's flight, nor can I follow him till I have disposed of the Rajah's family in Poonah; and as he has made earnest entreaties for an early interview with you, I beg you, if possible, to meet me on my route there, that I may the sooner proceed in quest of the

enemy.

A despatch was received at the India board, dated August 26, from the Governor in Council at Bombay to the Secret Com. mittee, dated April 11, in which there are many recent documents. The greater part of these are of little consequence in the present state of events, but some of them will be found of importance.

A Letter from Lieut General Hislop to the Governor General and Commander in Chief, dated February 28, will probably be thought a curious exemplification of the laws of war in this country. "Having descended, says the Lieut. General, the Sindwah Ghaut without molestation, on my march I received an intimation that the Killedar of Talnier had determined upon resisting the occupation of his fort by the British troops; and this, on my arrival before the place, I found to be correct, as he had already commenced a fire from a few guns, and a number of the matchlocks from the walls upon our advanced parties. On this I directed a reconnoissance to be made by the quarter-master-general, Lieut.-Colonel Blacker, and the officers of engineers, with a company of light infantry, the deep ravines round the place pre.

venting its accessibility on the service by the cavalry picquets. I sent at the same time a letter to the Killedar, warning him of the consequences which would ensue from his rebellion if persisted in; to which I received no answer, but I afterwards learned that it had been delivered to him.

A

The reconnoissance being completed, I directed the ten sixpounders (including the horse artillery guns), and two five and a half inch howitzers, with some 12 pound rockets, to be brought into position, so as to knock off, in as great a degree as such limited means would admit of, the defences of the gateway. These opened with admirable effect about 11 o'clock from the heights on which the Pettah is situated, from about 100 to 300 yards distant from the walls, the enemy keeping up an occasional fire from his guns, and a sharp one from his match-locks, by which several casualties occurred. second reconnoissance having been made by Lieut. Blacker, who advanced to the outer gate for the purpose, I determined upon storming it, in the hope that at all events a lodgment might be made within: two 6 pounders were accordingly brought, under cover, close to the gateway, and the flank companies of his majesty's Royal Scots and Madras European regiments, under Major Gordon, of the former corps, supported by the rifle battalion, the 3rd light infantry, and the picquets, under Major Knowles, were brought from camp for this purpose.

Meantime the Killedar, alarmed at these preparations, and at

the