The Rhode-Island American, and general advertiser — Providence [R.I.], 1810-11-09 00:00:00, page 2

TMta now thp fatfelscttogte give some
W Wr«t of the performance «f Mr. Fftv
Urues, one of the first masters of the art ot
vkncrfloquismj who it? addition to hie very
tanking powers aa a opdakst and an actor.
|has the candour and liberality to explain
“the nature of his performance to his audi
-1 tors. I was present a few evenings ago at
a pablkk exhibition, which continues to be
repeated at Dulewfo, In Boho-square ; and
though my account of what f saw and beard
cannot but be very imperfect, and far from
exciting the surprise which the actual per
formance produces, h may, nevertheless,
be of utility to establish a few principles,
and remove some enours respecting this
art.
After a comick piece had been read by
Mons. Volange, Mr. Fit* James, who was
sitting among the audience, went forward,
ribd expressed his saspioion that the ventri
loquism was to be performed by the voices
of persons concealed coder a platform.
Which was covered -with green cloth. Re
plies were given to bis observations,' ap
parently from beneath that stage; and he
followed the voices* with the action and
manner of a person, whose curiosity was
•feflefe excited, making remarks in his own
voice, and answering rapidly and tanmedi
**»*• a voice which no one Would have
fariribed to him. He then addressed a bust,
Which appeared to answer his questions
Ik character, and after conversing with
another boot in the same manner, he turn
ed round, and fa a neat and perspicuous
speech, explained the nature of -the sub
ject of our attention; and from what be
qtated and exhibited before us, it appeared
that* by long practice he had acquired the
faculty of speaking during the inspiration
ef the breath, with nearly the same articu
lation, though not so loud, nor so variously
modulated, as the ordinary voice, formed
by expiration of the air. The unusual
voice being formed in the cavity of the
fangs, is very different in effect from the
Other. Perhaps it may issue fa a great
Measure through the trunk of the individu
al. We should scarcely bo disposed to
ascribe any definite direction to it; and
consequently are readily led to suppose it
to come from the place best adapted to
what was said. So that when be went to
the door, and asked—“ Are yoa there ?” to
a person supposed to be in the passage, the
answer in the unusual voice was immedi
ately ascribed by the audience to a person
actually in the passage; and upon shutting
the door, and withdrawing from it, when
he turned round, directing his voice to the
door, and said—“ Stay there till I call you.'*
The answer, which was lower, and well
adapted to the supposed distance and obsta
cle interposed, appeared still more striking
ly to be out of the room. He then looked
up to the ceiling, and called out in his own
voice—" What are you doing above F* to
which an immediate answer was given,
which seemed to be in the room above, “ I
am coming down directly?’ The same de
ception was practised on the supposition of
a person being under the floor, who an
swered in the unusual, but a very different
voice from the other, that be was down in
the cellar, putting away some wine. An
excellent deception of the watchman, cry
ing the hour in the street, and approaching
nearer the house, till he come opposite the
window, was practised. Our attention was
directed to the street, by the marked at
tention which Fitz James himself appear
ed to pay to the sound. He threw up the
sash and asked the hour, which was imme
diately answered in the same tone, but
clearer and louder, but upon his shotting
the window down again, the watchman
proceeded less audibly, and all at once the
Voice became very faint, and Fitz James, in
his natural voice, said, “He has turned the
comer.**
In all these instances, as well aa others,
which were exhibited tq the very great en*
tertkinment and surprise of the spectators,
the acute observer will perceive that the
direction of the Bound was imaginary, and
arose entirely from the well studied and
skilful combinations of the performer.—
Other scenes, which were to follow, re
quired the imagination to be too completely
misled to admit of the actor being seen,
fie went- behind • folding screen in one
corner of the room, when he counterfeited
the knocking at a door. One person called
from within, and waa answered by a per
son from without, who waa admitted, and
we found from the conversation of the par
ties, that the latter waa in pain abd de
sirous of having a tooth extracted. The
dialogue, and all the particulars of the
operation that followed, would require a
long discourse If 1 were to attempt to de
scribe them to the reader. The imitations
of the natural and modulated voice of the
operator encouraging, soothing and talking
with hie patient; the confusion, terrour and
apprehension of the sufferer ; the inarticu
late noises produced by the chairs and ap
paratus, upon the whole constituted a mass
of sounds, which produced a strange, but
comick effect Loose observers would not
hsve | hesitated ;o assert that they heard
move than one voice at the time; and
though thia certainly could not be the case,
and it did not appear so to me, yet the
transitions were so instantaneous, without
the least pause between them, that the no
tion might very easily be generated. The
removal of the screen satisfied the specta-
tory that cm pirfaww M tlw I
*bole. . J
The actofr then proceeded to show us
.pecimena of his art as a mfatfek, and here
.he power he had acquired over the
muscles of his face was full aa strange as
he modulations of his voice. la several
instances, he caused die opposite muscles
to act differently from each other; so that
while one aide of his face expressed mirth
and laughter, the ether aide appeared to
be weeping. About eight or tea faeoa were
shown to us fa succession aa he can* from
behind the screen, which together with fas
general habits and gait of the fadfaiduaL
totally altered him. la CM matonce he
was tall, thin and mrianctooiy: and the-in
stant afterwards, with no grease* interval,
of time than to pass round behind the
screen, he appeared btaafafl with ehwtysi
and staggering with fafatto. The cease
man another time exhibited hiafeMahnfile* i
unaffected and void of cherMtw. and the
next moment it was covered with wrfakfao |
expressing slyness, mirth, apd whtas et
different descriptions Mbw far tMadioair
plioe may be easy or difficult. I know net,
but he certainly appeared to use tube far
superiour to the meet premised masters ta
the countenance I hemo ever seen. k
During this exhibition, ha imitated' the
sound of an organ, the riagiagof a befa.
the noises produced by the great hpdaaniidt
machine, and the opening and shutting ef"
a snuff-box.
His principal perforates 00, however,
consisted in the debates al Naatarre, to
which there were twenty dlflumK apetab
ers, as is asserted fa his adswttouteiiUL
and certainly the number of different voices
was very great. Much entertainment was
afforded by the subject, which was tahsa
from the late tisane of anarchy and con
vulsion in France 5. who* the lowest, the
most ignorant part of society was called
upon to decide the fate of a whale people,
by the energies of feffy and brutal violence.
The same remark may be applied teMhis
debate as to other scenes, respecting
drawing; namely, that the qaick and oofl
den transitions and the great diflferencain
the voices gave the audience various no
tions, as well with regard tn the number of
speakers, as to their positions and the di
rection of their voices.
Extract <f a letter to the Editor from
JVeW'Orleano, dated Sefit ember 26.
(t You have probably seen in the Orleans
Gazette, an account of the French priva
teers, (or rather the pirates sailing under
the French flag,) and their prizes which
have been in this port: It is short, but its
correctness may be relied on. A great
out-cry has been made here as to the se
verity of our courts against the subjects of
France. Its correctaess may be judged of
by the circumstance I have mentioned, for
no sooner was the Montibello, which had
been fitted out at Savannah, condemned,
than her owner had procured another ves
sel fa this port, in which he has been com
mitting fresh depredations against our own
commerce in the Gulph, sails under the
flag of France, and doubtless has a French
commission. The truth is, all the cruisers
ou our coast under that flag, are imfiotlore,
and pirates in reality, who procure old
commissions, and alter the dates, fee. to
suit their vessels, or who obtain commis
sions in blank, and fill them up as occasion
requires. fegtfy one of the French priva
teersmen, who have been here, would have
suffered dteath in a French Court for viola
tions of the ordinances of France.
** I exfiect these pirates will now double
their depredations, for they are permitted
by Christophe to land their prizes and sell
them at his newly named city of Cape
Henry, (Cape Francois,) and although it is
impossible that there should be any thing
like even the form s of condemnation to make
an ostensible transfer of the property, yet
the American merchants are base enough
to purchase their prizes and send them to
the United States. A cargo was entered
at the Custom-House on Saturday last, con
sisting of prize goods purchased io this
manner at Cape Henry, and valued at
30,000 dollars. It was taken as probably
from American as from Bri'ish or Spanish
vessels. There is no British Consul here—
it is a pity that claims are not entered, on
the part of that and the Spanish govern
ment, for the purpose of stopping this vil
lainous trade.
“ Smuggling is Carried on here, on an
extensive scale, and the Custom-House of
ficers are such sleepy headed creatures, it
is eminently successful. There are too
great facilities afforded here to frauds on
the revenue, by the vast number of Bayuns
which intersect the country.”
As far as the River Perido was claimed
by our Administration, as part of the pur
chase of Louisiana, previously to the con
clusion of the purchase, France held out
the idea that the title was thus comprehen
sive. but no sooner had she touched our
money, than she maintained that the Mis
sissippi was the boundary, and declared
her determination to support Spain by force
BALTIMORE, November 1.
WEST-FLORIDA.
RICHMOND, October 27.
25p tjje JriallA.
Should the government of Cuba, to which,
by the eotaufal regulations, Florida to at
tached, make any considerable effort to
-regain its control, a trying period will ar.
rive, in which the impartiality and integ
rity of the executive will undergo a severe
trial; Without the support of the citizens
of the United States, the conquest must be
easy, but volunteers and supplies from our
territory may be so abundantly and sea
sonably poured in, as to disappoint the as
sailants. Will the United States therefore
pass laws, as they did respecting St. Do
mingo, to prevent it, or will the Executive
bona fde exert all the means which the
existing laws place at their disposal, for
the same purpose ? We think they will do
neither, unless General Turreau should
signify his master’s pleasure, in the man
ner he formerly did with respect to St. Do
mingo. But this he will scarcely do. For
we observe the Whig and other papers,
which never hold a language contradictory
to the policy and intentions of France, ex
ulting and applauding the progress of in
dependence in Spanish America. Bona
parte has moreover in his own person de
clared, that hk would favour its indepen
dence. Whether this sentiment had birth
in any solid calculation of interest, or was
adopted as a cover under which to spread
his emissaries with less suspicion, it is found
to coincide with the course adopted by bis
rival.
Wafsta io cmsfafagthalimita to fast river.
Thu country la Mt very valuable fee Its
sail er gmifaettons. fast ft *a now tbe Subject
of feuradverse elataM: IK, that of Joseph
Boueporto as King of Spate. M.Thedaim
of the Spanish Regency fa the right of
FcrdUmd, M The claim of the United
Staten, aa purchasen of losteofana; and
4fa. to fan mhabhama, who have declared
their independence. The pereecotod arid
tamedMMutaref fan Jentatoflorifr. uma
empowered m yield the. atotaa to Bwdk*
naod. bus ho was net permitted to
any overture. Thia sppstosnity of pvw
ouriag the ceoalon, to what we asooo«*ori
earrigka, wfel never perhaps vecue. But
to tai sfaorK the preteeofane to Joseph Bo
naparte uuhtte eye to the mncaclve
’thana wfefafa ase to ba mam tnuiilfafr
OMtodU Mi them ba trifled wife, they
.torn* the abater efl Napeteen wotadfaaatab-
My aßgfa- upon them. But If we ufafoft
.take thn Mbesty to supposing-Mas to act
wfeh stage* to Weat-Ffarlibh anisdhg to
their mm> machfevtalan. poficy, fe aright
be stapomadthat they have nevirthofaoo
totorfasodhy secretly eeonuragfag thero
votaotenaoyspirit, which has jnK exploded.
Be shte, however, rib It may, every thing
tom brim gptoodby the daotaesd today re
donee at ths sinewy. gMoidsd fa.voaaefa
pamnaoaet, fastt<a ipirahasi or cession
could have conferred upon the United
- Stctao, except rife ueeppvepriatcd territo
/ry.wkishisef no greet value, and we have
• mote than we want to Louisiana. The in
habitants are eaerly all citizens of the
United Stefesj or descended from them, on
1 which accpuat aawall as the natural de
psndimv bf a contiguous territory of such
sosalt eatpii and slender population, they
wW be as completely swayed and coutrol
et by our ynvernaiont, as if they had for
mally become pert of-the union.
As it must here been foreseen that the
new government of Florida would yield
without hesitation the long desired naviga
tion of the Mobiim frem the line of the Mis
sissippi territory to the Gulph, we can the
more readily give credit to the National
Intelligencer, when it asserts, that the late
expedition of the inhabitants of Washing
ton County to seize upon the town and
garrison of Mobile, was contrary to the
viewsand precautions of the executive.—
Whether regarded as it affected the Eu
ropean claims to the country, or ae an ag
gression upon the embryo independent
State, it must have disagreeable conse
quences in its train, whilst it can be pro
ductive of no benefit to the United States,
and none to the inhabitants of Washington
County, except those who live as plunder
ers and banditti.
At 12 o’clock on fUs evening of the 20th
ult the Powder Manufactory, belonging to
Messrs. Tildxm, Avaar & Patterson,
of this place, was blown up. Two of 'the
buildings, the drying and glazing houses,
contained about a ton and an half of pow
der, most of which was unfinished, were
totally destroyed, and the other buildjngs
materially injured. The loss to the pro
prietors is a gevere one. No pains or ex
pense bad been spared to render the works
complete, and by their exertions and indus
try, they had acquired the knowledge of
manufacturing powder far supcriour to
most of that in the United States, and very
little inferiour to any imported.
Whether the fire was communicated by
the hand of a foreign or domestick incen
diary, or otherwise, is impossible to state
with certainty. The proprietors had taken
every precaution in the construction of their
works to guard against fire, and at the
time of the explosion they can conceive of
no possible way in which the fire could have
originated within the buildings. Be that
as it may, the loss is much to be regreted.
The Manufactory bid fair to be of great
national utility ; it was the only establhh-
ALBANY, November 2.
TERRIBLE EXPLOSION.
ten days previnM to her tailing. The let
teen to theconaigriOM do not contain any
political news, end ae to the markets, they
roasafaed an per oar former advices.
' The Upfeed States sloop of war Hornet,
sailed from Cowes on the 21st September,
with despatches from Mr. Pinkney, and
was to stop 24 hours at a French port, and
proceed immediately for the United States.
As Wr. Armstrong wan to sail from Bour
deaux about the 10th ult. for this port, it to
not likely the Hornet will be detained.
mentof tha fetodla thtottate.aafltoriKlit
a puMlfar totoraat wm felt for Ba prmpeti
ty. *HO VI SW wuslwa greWfiUO IRJr •
to VMMwhat flampud by M ■tofcrtMs
They, however, have flotormtoedto robuild
immediately, end it to hoped thar every fa
cility wIH be tendered to aM thna fa their
tohdable exurtiono.
NEW-YORK, November 2.
Yhsumfay the Bestow ship Luefa, Cap-
SiilNmmiu, errlved.fa M days ftbm Uv
erprnt She tailed the Vth of Baptotebyr,
ond box peoaage fremkwdwland rias only
21 days. Caputo Norman brought only a
otogfa London pnpor o< the 24th, arid kt
taro only far bar conoigAees. It to to ba
itforiif, that we have not Liverpool pa*
pom and Lfayd's Lfol, far there had been a
noaober of twrlvato at Liverpool during the
At no former period, if our recollection
is accurate, have we known so many Eu
ropean arrivals in one day, as we had yes
terday. With those which came' within
the reach of our boat, and those reported
by the pilots, the arrivals stand thus:—
Ships 20—barques 2—brigs 6—schooners
s—total 31, 10 of which (and probably
more) are from Liverpool.—News may be
expected by the India, from Liverpool, as
late as the first ult—and probably later
from Lisbon by the brig Sumatra.
The celebrated Dr. Logan has Come
home in the Golconda.
The following article is copied from the
Times, of the 24th of September:
Londox, September 24.
Arrived at Falmouth, the French cartel
schooner Eliza, from Morlaix, which place
she left on the 14th instant She landed at
Fowry, on the 17th, Mr. Ridgeway, Ame
rican Consul at Antwerp, his family, and
several passengers. Mr. Ridgeway was
charged with despatches from General
Armstrong to Mr. Pinkney—General Arm
strong had left Paris, and was expected to
embark for America at Bourdeaux on the
17th instant. It to said Mr. Pinkney has
received official accounts of the rupture of
the negotiation between France and Ame
rica. This news was posted at Lloyd’s,
and occasioned a considerable bustle.
A violent snow storm from the north
east, set in at an early hour last evening,
and Kill continues with unabated fury.
The snow is considerably drifted. Had it
fallen level, it would have been from six to
eight inches deep. Every thing wears the
aspect of severe winter. We are much
afraid that some of our sea-faring brethren
are suffering, as there were many vessels
in the offing last evening, previous to the
commencement of the Korm; and there
must be many others on the coast. Such a
storm so early in the season has scarcely
been remembered by the oldest of our'cßi
zens; and considering the Iflgh price of
fuel, and the little which hqs been laid in
by the poor, a more dreary time, for the
contemplation of the benevolent heart, was
never witnessed.
It is much to the credit of our merchants,
and we state it with satisfaction, that a
liberal subscription was made up, early
this morning, and two Pilot-Boats have
been sent down, with assistance to the ves
sels now in the offing.
By the PazsiDZNT of the UxiTin Statzs,
Whereas by the fourth section of the act
of Congress, passed on thq first day of May,
1810, entitled ** An act concerning the
commercial intercourse between the Uni
ted Statesand Great-Britain and France
and their dependencies, and for other pur
poses,** it is provided “ that in case either
Great-Britain or France shall, before the
third of March next, so revoke or modify
her edicts as that they shall cease to vio
late the neutral commerce of the United
States, which fact the President of the
United States shall declare by proclama
tion, and if the other nation shall not with
in three months thereafter so revoke or
modify her edicts in like manner, then the
third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth,
ninth, tenth and eighteenth sections of the
act entitled, " An act to interdict the com
mercial intercourse between the United
States and Great-Britain and France and
their dependencies, and for other pur
poses,” shall, from end after the expiration
of three months from the date of the pro
clamation aforesaid, be revived and have
full force and effect, -so far as relates to
the dominions, colonies and dependencies,
and to the articles, the growth, produce or
manufacture of the dominions, colonies and
dependencies of the nation thus refusing or
neglecting to revoke or modify her edicts
in the manner aforesaid. And the restric
tions imposed by this act shall, from the
REMARKABLE STORM.
A PROCLAMATION.
IMPORTANT.
It also follows that if Gveat-Britain shall
not, on the 2d day of February next, have
revoked or modified in like manner her
edict violating the neutral commerce of the
United States, the 3d, 4th, 6th, 6th, 7th,'
Bth, 9th, 10th, and 18th sections of the
Act to interdict the eummercial inter
course between the United States and
Great-Britahi and France and their depen
dencies, and for other purposes,** shall, its
conformity with the act fint above-mentita.
ed, be revived and have fall three and efe
feet, so far as relates to Great-Britain and
her dependencies, from and after the said
fid day of February next. Unless therefore
you shall before that day be officially noti
fied by this department of ouch revocation
or modification, you will, from and after the
saldday, carry fato effect the above-mem
tioried sections, which prohibit both the e*.
trance of British vessels of every descrip
tion into the harbours and waters of the
United States, and the importation fate tfea
United States of any articles the growth,
produce or maqufaeture of the dominions,
colonies and dependencies of Greabßritalfi,
and of any articles whatever brought -from
the said dominions, colonies and farioniloa.
cies.
date of Mt pocferiMoo, qsflMMdkri
discontinued fa relatloqte natton fa.
Ov IVv£ 41 Wz wßm
wutener afafataM
And whereas it has been ofltofafly
known to tkfo government that fan
of France vlblatfag the neutral eomufafll
of the United States have boon so revoted
as to cease to have effect oa the firm of th*
present month: Not, therefore, I, Jatafa
Madtoca. President of foe United States, fig
hevohy proclaim thqt the said ridfeta of
France have been so revoked as that they
ceased on the saM first day of the pretout
ntMrib to violate thy neutral cetateofteof
the United States; end that, from the date
of these presents,, all the restefcitoos im
posed by the aforesaid act shall soriw and
be discontinued fa relation to France and
her dependeuclm. *"* ’ T ‘
, In testimony whereof, I have cawed
the seal of the United States to b$
. hereuntqaflbced, and signed the samil
(l s) with my hand at the city of Wash
ington, this second day of
in the year of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and ten, and of the
Independence of the United Stated
the thirty-fifth.
JAMES MADISON.
By the President,
R. SMITH, Secretary State.
(CIRCULAR.)
ThXASVXT DarAXTMriXT,
Mvember 9d, 1810.
Sib—You will herewith receive a copy
of the Proclamation of the President of the
United States announcing the revocation of
the edicts of France whicl^ violated the
neutral commerce of the united States,
and that the restrictions, imposed by the
Act of May IK last, accordingly cease from
this day in relation to France. French
armed vessels may therefore be admitted
into the harbours and waters of the United
States, any thing in that law to the con
trary notwithstanding.
What deeper misery could Sweden have
experienced by the most disastrous war
fare, than she Mfo experienced by the
peace, that has given her a French Gene
ral for her Sorereign ? Under the gallant
Gustavus she would have had the consola
tion, under all her misfortunes, of knowing
that she was fighting in a good cause, that
defeat was without disgrace, and misfor-
The London Courier of the 28th of Sep
tember, after giving the report of the
Death ef the King of Sweden, observes,
that “ it b a matter of indifference wheth
er the report be true or not. The moment
of hie elevation to the throne of the men
arch who was to him M in double trust** as
sovereign and as kiasman, waa the moment
of hb disgrace—themoment that gave him
Bernadotte as successor, was the moment
of his dethronement—A monarch more
criminal, wish less motives to be so—more
sillily ambitions, without any of those in
citements and objects that render ambition,
if not less guilty, ut feast more altering, is
not to be found in the annals of history.
tune without dbhonour—But she has made
peace and has none of the repose of peace ;
she has made peace without experiencing
any diminution of the burdens and priva
tions of war—She has surrendered her law
ful monarch into the hands of Bonaparte,
not to procure forbearance, but to invito
dbhonour—not to escape hb power, but to
fix his foot more firmly on her yielding
and suppliant neck.
What a picture of national degradation
does Sweden present! It is but a short
time ago we beheld her engaged in an hon
ourable contest with the invaders of her
soil: with Russia, whose iniquitous attack
upon Sweden is about to be justly punished
by the sam*power who instigated hey to
forget all that waa due to honour and jus
tice. The struggle in Finland was for a
lime glorious, and it must have been suc
cessful If the population of Sweden had ex-
I am. respectfolly, Sir,
1 Your obedient servant,
ALBERT GALLATIN.
The Collector qf the Ctorioeu
/br dh| Dtarfcr of
November 6.