The Mirror — Concord, N.H., 1799-04-01 00:00:00, page 2

law of nations, bv decrees affumioß the
laws of the Republic, or the alls of the
Executive Diredory, for their bases— by
decrees printed and "published, and un
doubtedly from time to time reported by
those agents to the Diredory itfelf. * Fur
ther, these outrages on the American
commerce bate for years past been the
theme of every tongue, and filled col
umns in our newspapers—those newfpa-.
pers which Mr. Bartow fays, " the office
of Foreign Affairs (at Paris) regularly
receives." I will conclude this point
with the testimony of Mr Letombe, late
Consul General of the French Republic,
and still refiling in Philadelphia. He
has long since, and repeatedly assured
me, that he colleded all those accounts
of depredations and outrages committed
by French privateers, and transmitted
them to his Government at Paris.
In relation to the depredations and
outrages committed by the French on
the commerce of the United States, I
have Gid that as great if not as numerous
abates were pradifed by the French in
Europe, and even in France itfelf, as in
her remote poffeffiDcs: And that this
f^a was but too well known to our citi-।
zens, who had felt severely their effeds.|
Among these we have seen the case of the I
ship Hare, Certain Hayley ; but never
in all its disgusting features. With this
1 ni'.l close my observations on the pre
amble of rhe Directorial decree of the
gift July.
Extra of a letter from Rufus King,
E'q. Minister of the United States in
London, dated September 3, 1798, to
the Secretary of State of the U. States.
" The pretence for this arret [the De-I
cree of the Directory of July 31ft] is of aI
pie^ with the vindication of Talleyrandl
refoe&g X. Y. and Z. and the justice
and finceiity of the Direae.-y should bel
ascertained, net by their word, but by 1
the following corernporaneous fad."
•< Hayley, an American citizen,Rafter
of the American fliip Hare, lying in the I
port of London, laden with a richcargo, I
the property of Americans, and bound
to Newyork,frent with my passport &rom
London to Paris, where, in a personal in-I
terview, not with the agents of the Min-I
ifter of marine, but with the Minister
himfelf, he disclosed his plan of bringing I
the ship Hare and her cargo into France ;
and to enable him to receive the profits
of rhe fraud, without rifting the punish
ment of piracy, he demanded and receiv
ed from the Minister, a commission nam
ing him the commander of a Privateer
that did not exist ; with which in his
pocket, he returned to London ; and
soon after carried the ship Hare and her
cargo as a prize into France.
" The (hip and cargo were both claim
ed by the American owners ; and upon
the unveiling of this infamous proceeding
before the lower Tribunals, the judges
hesitated ; and finally refuted to fanaion
so unheard of a fraud ; thought infiead
of restoring the property to its lawfull
owners, theyon some frivolous pretence|
a^jufted both flrip and cargo to be good|
prize io the nation—Lately the Tribunal
in the last resort, upon the appeal of
Hay ley,,has reversed the judgment of the
lower Court, and " decreed the ffiip and
cargo to be condemned as a good prize
to this Renegado.
" If a tfanlattion more grossly corrupt
and infamous has occurred in the Weft
Indies—l have not heard of it ; and yet
with this case of unequalled- infamy and
corruption before them, fanaioned by
the highest Tribunals of the nation, the
Dire&ory cxpe& to amuse us with a disa
vowal of the condud of a few fabaltan
agents, in a remotepart of their domin
ions ! ! !"
? Betides the communications from Mr.
Gerry, I bate received from Fulmar Skip
with, E'q. Consul General of the United
States at Paris, three letters dated the
4th, Bth and zed of August, copies of
which and of the papers therein referred
to, areberewith presen ted, excepting the
decree of July 31st, which appears a
moag the communications from Mr.
Gerry. Mr. SWpwith's letter of August
22dwith its inctofures, was delivered to
me b< r Dr. Log^n ; I bad previously re
ceived the 'original, which had been
brought over by Mr. Woodward of Bos
ton.
D^aor Logan having been the bearer
of the left mentioned communications
from the French government, and his
embassy having not only engaged the at
fentiou of the public, but been made the
fuhiea es debate in Congress, I troft it
wifi not be deemed improper to intro
duce into this report some circumstances
refraingit.
On the izth of November the Dodor
came to me at Trenton—he advanced
with eageraefb and handed me the pack.
et from Mr. Skip with. On examining
its contents, I told the Doctor that lal
ready possessed the fame papers. I made
some remarks on the Decree of the Di
rectory of the 31st of July, to shew that
it was only ostensible and illofory ; and
that it would not give any relief to the
commerce of the United Smes. The
Dodor, not contesting my arguments' or
opinion, said that more was intended to
be done ; but that toe Diredory could
not accomplish it of themselves ; feeing•
it depended on the laws whichthe Legifl
lative Councils alone could change. I
I answered, that this was eafyto be done—
that as the Directory, on the 18th Fruc
tidor (Sept. 4th, 1797] had garbled the
I two Councils, and banished some anddif
r. Iffed others of the best members—all;
I who were firmly opposed to their views;
land as on the new elections to fopply the
I vacancies and the new third of the Couh-
I cils, the Diredory sent home every new,
I member who was not agreeable to them
I —every body must fee that the Dire&ory^
I had but to declare its will and it would'
I be obeyed. The do&or said, That the
I Directory was very well disposed towards.
I the United States, and desired a reconcil-'
I iation ; that they would promote a revi
(ion of the laws in regard to privateer-
I ing, so as to put the rights of neutral na
I tions on a just footing : But' that it
I would take some time to bring this a-
I bout, “ the people concerned in privateering I
I having gained aver, great influence in the|
I tme Councils ?”■———/ ••! Isl
I it necessary to inquire how this “ very I
I great influence" has been obtained ? are I
I the leading members owners of priva-I
I teers ? Or do they receive their (hares of 1
1 prize money from those who are ? Do 1
I the legislative councils really aft indepen.
l dently of the Diredory ? Or does the I
I fame "influence" aßuate both ? Thel
I printed dispatches of @ur Envoys, underl
I the date of 0a 29, 1797 Rate, on the in-1
I formation of Mr. Talleyrand's private a-I
I gent X. that Merlin, one of the Dire&o-1
I ry, was to receive 00 part of the douceur I
I demanded of the Envoys, because he was 1
I paid by the owners of the privateers, and 1
I in refpea to the loan then demanded, on 1
I which fubjed i was suggested that onel
lof the Envoys Should go to America to 1
I consult the government, the Envoys 1
I" asked Mr. X. if in the mean time the I
I Directory would order the American I
I property, not yet passed into the hands I
lofI of the privateerfman, to be rtftored ?I
I He said explicitly that he would not. I
I The Envoys asked him whether the, 1
I would fofpend further depredations on
I our commerce ? He said they would not : I
I —but Mr. Talleyrand observed that on I
I this fubjed we could not sustain much 1
I additional injury, because the wintei sea
I son was approaching when few addition
I al captures could be made." Here we I
I fee pur Envoys inquiring not whether the I
I two councils would suspend depredations I
I but whether the Direaory would do it:
lAndI And Mr. Talleyrand's agent X, without
lintimatinglintimating that the Directory wanted
I power, or that they could only “ endear
I or to provoke In the legislature, a revi
I fion of their maritime laws" answered
Iperemptorily, that the Directory would
I not suspend the depredations. „ The
I truth is, that it was an act of the Directo
I ry globe (their decree of the 2d of March
'797) which authorised and produced
I more extensive depredations on the com-
Imerce of the United States than any oth
ler decree or law of the French Republic.|
I To effect a repeal of that decree, no ap- 1
I plication to the Legislative Councils
I could be necessary. They could also
I have repealed another of their own de-
I crees, that of the 2d of July 1796, which
I (objected neutral property, and partico
I larly that of American citizens, to the
I diferetion of their Consuls aryl (ays, so
I the European seas, as well as of their pri-
I vateers and agents in the Weft Indies,
I and on which these agents have founded
I other numerous decrees, which have oc
I cafioned those Shocking depredations and
I abuses there and on the coast of the U
I States, which the Directory by their de
I cree of the 31st of July last affect to re-
I strain.
I When the Executive Directory wiShed
Ito enlarge the field es depredations on
neutral commerce, and on the fourth of
I January, 1798, proposed to the two
I Councils the project of the iniquitous
1 I law " to declare to be good prize every
Iveffel and her cargo, to whomsoever be
1 I longing, if any part of the cargo came
j from England or her poffeffions''—there
1 I was a ready obedience. The Directo
rl ry thinks it urgent and necessary to pass
.I the kw.” The plan ofa decree is re-
I I ported to the Couneil of gooon the nth
I —and urgency being declared, is imme
r I diately and unanimously adopted. It
1 goes to the Council of Ancients—lhat
•ICouncil approves the act of "urgency
and on the 18th of January the project|
of the Directory becomes a law.
This law was aecefiy for the French
government : So many American ves
sel, had been entrapped by the Directo
ry's decree of M^rch zd, 1797, requiring
the role d'equipage, that the tefidue
were now generally provided with that
pyper: Some new pretext was therefore
„ffqbifire for " fleecing" the people of
Ithe United States of their property : And
an ordinance of one of the Kings of
France, made near a century pait, having
declared lawful prize, the vessels and
their cargoes in which was found En
g!ilh merchandize belonging to enemies"
—the Directory declare that the provi
sions of this ordinance ought to be exten
ded, to comprehend the vessels and car
goes of friends ; that is, of allied and
neutral nations. The Directory knew
that the United States, whose inhabi
tints were chiefly cultivators, required a
greater fuppiy of Engl ffi manufactures
than any other neutral country of equal
population ; and those manufactures
too, were, from the course of American
commerce, combined with almost all our
mercantile operations, and pervaded en
tirely our great coasting trade. Hence
it is evident that this law was chiefly
aimed at them.
It will be remembered also, that this
law was passed while our three Envoys
I were at Paris, where they had passed
I three months unheeded by the French
I Government, except by its indignities—
and where they had in vain foiicited to
I be heard on the just claims of our citi
zens, flundered and ruined under the
former decrees of the Republic. This
I time was preferred, in order to add insult
I to injury. The Envoys had firmly re-
Ififted her demands of loans and douceurs
I—and when speaking of their country,
I dared to intimate, that it was indepen-
I dent : It was therefore requisite, on the
IFrench system, to " chaftite," as well as
I to " fleece" it.
[Remainder in eur next.]
ILAWS of Newhampihire.
An ACT in addition to the laws relating
to proprietary matters.
I 1 DE it maedbtbe Sm
„ nd Hoste of Re
I prefeitaivn is General Court cos
voted. That from mod ifter the'
twentieth da, of May next, all
I proprietor'! clerki and coHeßori,
I and all ocher proprietary officer#,
Ifall be inhabitant! of this State ;
and upon their ceafiog to be in,
I habitant! at aforefaid, their refpec-
I live offices thall cease ; and all per-
Ifont who now, or (hail then hold
I any of the offices aforelaid, and
I who live out of this State, (hall
I cease to hold said offices from and
I after said twentieth day of May
I next.
Sec. 24 Asd be it farther meed,
\ That in every case where the pro.
I prietor'sclerk now lives without
I this State, or fha!l so live on said
I twentieth day of May next, it (hall
I and may be lawful for one fifteenth
I part, or more, of the proprietors of
I said lands, to apply in writing to
I any Justice of the Peace in this
I State, tequefting him to call a
I meeting of said proprietors, who
I (ball on such application issue bit
Iwarrant or notification according*
I I, ; and the fame notice shall, io
lalrefpelb, be given for calling
said meetings, #by law is required
for calling proprietary meetings.
Sec. 3. Asd be it farther etafled,
I'That the number of votes to
I which each proprietor at any pro-
I prietary meeting tball be entitled,
1 (ball be according to the number
I of rights or fbarei said proprietor
I owns io said land, io the propor-
I tions following, and not otberwife :
I that is to fay, for one right or
I (hire, one vote § for two rights or
(bares, two votes ; for every two
I rights or (hares above two, and
I not exceeding ten, one vote ; for
:every four lights o, filer, above
1 I ten, and not exceeding thirty, one
I vote } for every fix rights er
(hares above thirty, and not ex
ceeding forty, one vote ; and for
every eight rights or (hares above
sixty, one vote. And if two or
more perlons be the proprietors or
owners of a right, (hare or lot, such
persons or any one of them, (hall
be entitled to vote according to
their iotereft therein, agreeably to
the rate and proportion aforefaid.
Sec. 4. And be it farthen eaaßed.
That no colleger of any proprie
tary tax, (hall execute a deed of
any real estate by him fold for
taxes, until the time for redeem
ing the fame (hall be expired ;
and in case any proprietor's col
le&or (hall die, remove, or any
way be rendered incapable of
completing the duty of such of
fice, their focctffors refpe&ively
(hall compieat rhe fame. And a
ny perlons (hall have the liberty of
redeeming any lands fold for the
payment of proprietary taxes, at
any time within the term of one
year from the file thereof, the
perlon redeeming the fame, pay
ing to the collector a fom amount
ing to the real value of what rhe
lands fold for, all legal charges,
and the interest thereon to the
time of payment.
Approved December 24, 1798.
An ACT tn further p< ftpone the opera
tion of an act, entitled, " an act to
regulate fcalebeams,fteelyards,weighty
and measures," passed the izth day of
December, 1797.
BE it raffled b, the Senate and
Hoafe of Reprfatativu is
General Court convened, That the
operation of the aforementioned
a&, and every matter and ciaufe
therein, be peftponed for the term'
of one year, from and after the
puffing of this id, and no longer.
Approved, Dec. 27, 1798.
An ACT relative to the Court of Com
mon Pteas in the county of Strafford.
RE it enabled by the Senate sad
D House of Reprefentativu is
General Court convened. That the
Court of Common Pleas (hall in
future be holden at Gilmaoiowo,
io said county of Strafford, on the
third Tuesday of August annually,
at or near the Academy in said
Gilmtoto #O.
Approved, Dec. z,, 1798.,
The High, Important
Official Account of 'he Capture of the
, L'lnfurgente French Frigate.
Extraa es a later fran C,. Thoma#
Truxton,fy the Smtary rfib N^y.
dated u beard the United State; frq ''*-
fcllatien, in fight es the fond oj St.
Cbrifapbro, Feb. loth, 1799.'
DEAR SIR,
I WROTE you the 4th inst. to which
I must beg leave tv refer, and soon after
weighed from Baffaterre road, St. Cbrif
tophers, and proceeded to sea, having
made the necessary arrangements with
the merchants and matters of vessels sete 1
a convoy, to fail this day for the Unital
States, under the charge of the Norfolk
and Richmond, which vessels I direded
to cruize, in the mean time, near St.
Bartholomews and St. Martins, so as to
be at hand to proceed with the convoy at
the time appointed. As soon as I left
the road ot Baffaierre (which I did with
the Constellation folds) I stretched under
Montferat and towards Guadeloupe by
the wind, and from thence under the
lee of Antigua and Batbuda. In thia
route I only met two merchant vessels,
and a Britain frigate. I therefore tho't
it best to change my ground, which I
did, and run down towards the island of
Nevis, and on the 9th inst. at noon, that
iftand bearing W S. W. five teagto dis
tance, difcoveied a Urge (hip to south
ward, on which I bore down. She heft
ed American colours,,and I made our ptk
I vate figoals for the da,, as well as that of
I the British, but finding fheanfwered nei-