The Rhode-Island American, and general advertiser — Providence [R.I.], 1810-07-13 00:00:00, page 2

i
I V
United States, Wormed, officially, by bis
own confidential wgent, of the inflexible de
«e>mln.i*iaoofthe Empbrcnr Napolemi to
control bh< : conduct of the United States
in its foreign relations, and thus early, as
we »Ml abundantly prove, did bo submit
to such control. These facta, infinitely
momentous beyond any thing in oar recent
history, have been concealed from the
good People of the United States, from
18Of to >llO. *
The confidential message so often al*
luded to—the confidential documents which
accompanied it—the attempt of Mr. Jef
ferson to make Mr. R mdoiph, as chair*
man of the committee to whom the private
message was referred (the independent and
honest Mac ok being Men the wan who
named committees) the tool of the execu
tive to bring forward, in conclave, a prepo
sition to appropriate Two Millions of Doi
lara, with a view io supersede the mea
sures which it seemed must naturally grow
out of the message, as it contained not a
hint about money, and did contain many
hints about war—-the conversation between
Jedervoii and Randolph, involving the in*
dlgnant refusal of the latter to act the dis
honourable part assigned him—the sub
stance of Conversations between the same
gentleman and Mr. Madison, and Mr. Gal-
, UtiU, on th< same subject—the (sort of
commission, issued to Mr. Bidwell, and
General Varnum, as Managers of the
1 Laue of Representatives, and Knights of
the Reck Stairs, when it was ascertained
that Mr. Randolph would oppose the ad
ministration—the sub-caasea, and other
mar.csovres of the “new leaders'*—with
the result—will be reviewed in succession.
For the present, with the leave of the pub
tyefc, we will take a little time to fausb
APP aBFLBCT.
Life VISIT ITO RURDIJMND.
Ta Baa is something mysterious iu. the
pdh of Kulfi's visit tv Ferdinand at Valencay
Which may be beat resolved by the suppo
sition at its being a plot to entrap him in an
attempt to escape, whereby a pretext
Would be tn ken for treating him with great
er rigour or for putting him to death. Sea
sonably mistrusting the scheme, he appears
to have given it an issue, which caused it
to rapoil upon the head of the instrument
employed, by refusing tn confer with him,
and by even informing against him. Once
» fotady deceived byjjie wiles of the tyrant,
Which cost him his throne and his liberty,
he appears to have converted his dear
bought experience to the means of his fu
ture protection. The flagrant perfidy of
.Bonaparte and the state of imprisonment
and ignominy in which Ferdinand is placed
far bid the supposition, that he is satisfied
•with his lot or that he would not eagerly
grasp any feasible means of extracting
himself from bondage. He is moreover a
Prince possessing both spirit and honour,
and never Would degrade himself so far as
to betray a man, who risked his life in
bringing him the offer of his liberty, which
also, according to the story told in the
French papers, he was unwilling to accept.
He, who can believe so many absurdities as
these, must be ready for the concluding act
of the farce, and will give credit to the ap
plication snid to be made by Ferdinand for .
adoption into the Bonaparte family, and to
his congratulations on the libidinous mar
riage with Maria Louisa of
t The Paris Mooiteur is occasionally filled
With correspondences between Napoleon
and Ch tries and his Queen, Ferdinand and
has brother; but they are ail fabricated for
the purpose of leading the French to be
lieve, that the degradation and captivity
of those unfortunate personages is unfelt by
them. Nothing is in general easier than
by combining the slavery of a liscensed
press with popular credulity to render im
pressions prevalent, which are requisite -
for the views or the security of tyrannical'
power. But a more difficult task it has
proved to discipline the common sense and
moral feeling of the French into an appro
bation of the attack upon Spain, and the
scenes of perfidy and massacre, with which
jt commenced and has been followed.
Another advantage, no leas worthy of
consideration, is calculated to ' arise from
those feigned incidents. They are to ren
der the opposition of Spaniards to his usur
pation less ardent, by creating the belief,
if possible, that they are maintaining a
cause at so grout an expense of suffering
and Slaughter, in the name of a king, who
disowns their struggles and has long ago
yielded up his right to the invade/. Beside,
however, the distrust which Bonaparte's
character inspires* and the improbability
that a renunciation under all the chrcnm
statKes, could be obtained as an act of free
■will, hi* own distrust of the settled sequi
eiccnae of their minds in his usurpation is
folly proved, by the continuance of the im
'Sfoaement of Ferdinand and the precau
tion adopted to prevent the escape of the
rest. more or leas rigorous according to the
importance of the individual and the means
of rendering flight successful, peculiar to
him. jFed. Refi.
. X TJMEb PAST.
A rt W years ago, the capture of three or
four American vessels by the
and the enslaving of their crews, was suf
fif lent to excite the feelings of almost every,
man in the United States. Our newspa-
Letters received from Frankfort not only
speak of the restoration of peace between
France and Great-Britain as certain, but
which mention also that the stipulations
have been already signed. This general
opinion on the continent, must have arisen
from the industry of the agents of Bona
parte, who have bad some insidious motive
for promoting hs circulation.
Letters have been received from the
"Dutch coast, to the 12th instant, staling,
that Bonaparte and his Empress were ex
pected to visit all the principal towns in
Holland. Great prepartions were making
for their reception at Rotterdam. These
letters say nothing of the decree reported
to have been issued against the Americana,
and which, if really adopted, is likely to be
extended tn the Dutch ports.
Bonaparte has been treating his young
Empress with the sight of the launch of,an
80 gun ship, at Antwerp. The Bishop of
Malines attended upon this occasion, and
after presenting the imperial pair with holy
water, pronounced a benediction upon the
dew ship of the line. This, however, may
be considered as only a sort of half bafttiem,
preparatory to the completion of the cere
mony in a British port.
A letter from Cadiz, of the date of May
4, states as follows“ The desertions from
the French are very numerous, and many
of them enter this town, who give accounts
of the situation and state vf the enemy very
satisfactory to us. They state the force of
Joseph not to amount to 20,000, and the
whole of these, in their hearts, entertain
the greatest dislike to him. Provisions art
scarce, and their clothing at in
dependent of what they took in Seville, is
very bad. We are sorry to hear that their
treatment of the peaceable inhabitants of
the province is cruel in the extreme. The
whole of the mountains arc covered with
armed peasantry. Hostile epemtfons on
our part is talked of, but 1 doubt if > will
be wise to move from our present sitvMlun;
it will be a very hazardous enterprise to
take Matagorda. The French ate iftrv
T« loss of the enemy during the siege
of Astorga, is computed at 3000 men; that
of tKe Spaniards is represented as com
paratively inconsiderable. A great part of
the garrison, which never exceeded 2500
men, is said to have escaped, disguised as
peasants. The Governour was offered to
be contlnoed in the command of the town,
if he would swear allegiance to King Jo
seph ; which be refused, and was conse
quently sent to France with about a thou
sand of his troops. Those who escaped in
the manner we have stated, proceeded to
join Porliec (the Marquisitto) io Asturias.
The walls of Astorga were ordered to be de
stroyed ; and General Junot, after leaving
u post of about 300 men there, proceeded
with the remainder of his army in the di
rection of Ciudad Rodrigo.
The latest accounts from Portugal men
tion, that the British army had taken a po
sition nearer the Spanish frontier than it
occupied for some time back. Should the
French be serious in their intention of re
ducing Ciudad Rodrigo, a battle is inevita
ble. That fortress is too important to* be
left solely to its own strength. The enemy
are said to have been repulsed in another
attack on Badajos, with very considerable
loss.
“ Zfow io the gold become dim, and the
fine gold changed ?”
pnm groaned with the recital of the suffer
ings •( American citiaens, but then we had
wewq/ta|Rer» to vindicate th*
robbery and plunder committed by the Dey .
Then American spirit and feeling were in
their vigour, active exertions were made
to protect commerce, and to replenish the
publick treasury; our cittoens were libe
rated through the interference of the gov
ernment; and ships of war were built,
which afterwards not only kept the bar
barians in check, but at length completely
humbled them, and taught them to fear
the American Eagle.
TIMES PRESENT.
Now, the seizure and condemnation of
ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-SIX
American vessels and cargoes, and the
imprisonment and starvation of their crews,
by the /VencA, to scarcely sufficient to
move a muscle of the body politick. A few
newspapers endeavour to rouse the depart
ing spirit of Amer) can honour and cour
age, but it .to almost in vain—one goeth
to his farm and another to his merchan
dise—and there aru many French new
ftafien which endeavour by every wile and
stratagem, to vindicate either directly or
indirectly, the unparalleled robbery and
outrage committed by the French Dry.
American spirit and feeling are in their
wane : commerce is unprotected, and the
treasury is exhausted; our citizens lan
guish In foreign prisons, almost destitute
of the necessaries of life; many of our
ships of war have been sold, or suffered to
rot to dry docks; the French barbarians
treat us with contempt, and the American
Eagle cowers beneath the Gallick Cock.
foreign
Received at Philadelphia from Liverpool.
TIMES FUTURE.
jljs! mt counmr!
Cloud* and Darkness rest upon it.
LONDON, Mny IT.
| improving and repairing the fortifications
with the utmost celerity. Tbe Intelligence
w< obtain from Madrid only confirm* us In
the opinion we entertained, and which In
deed wanted pojinnflrmaiion, of tbe bar
barity nf the French to the conquered peo
ple. Tire Spanish prisoners taken are fre
quently openly butchered ; and even quiet
inhabitants, who refrain from all offence,
arc made often severely to pay for what
are caMed the crimes <4- lb«i r countrymen.
A splendid car is building for the recep
tion of Sir Francis Burdett, who, it seems,
is to ascend this triumphal vehicle at the
gate of the Tourer, on the day of his de
liverance. which will be that of course on
which Parliament is prorogued.
May 22.
The Princess Amelia, We are happy to
learn, passed the crisis of her disorder on
Saturday, and the accounts of yesterday
.state that her Royal Highness had a quiet
night.
At a common hall held yesterday at
Guildhall, several resolutions were passed
expressing the severest disapprobation of
the rejection of the. city petition by the (
House of Commons, and of the conduct of
the liverymen who signed the counter-ad
dress. A new petition was then proposed
by Mr. Quinn, assented to with great ac
clamations, and ordered to be presented
by Mr. Aiderman Combe. Mr. Dixon
and Mr. Kemble, were permitted to de
clare their sentimentsoninterrupted. The
horses were taken from the carriages of
the Lord Mayor and Sheriff Wood, and
these gentlemen were escorted to their re
spective homes by ah immense concourse
of people.
Sir Franch v. the Speaker.
The following is a Copy of the Court of
King’s Bench, for leave for the Defendant
to plead several matt ere, upon the motion
of Mr. Abbott :-~TVedne»day next, after
three weekefrom Epeter-Day, in the 50th
year of King George 111.
Burdktt, Bart, against Abbott, M. P.
It is ordered, that the Defendant have
leave to plead several matters, to wit.
NOT GUILTY to the whole declaration,
and for further plea to the breaking and
entering the Plaintiff's Messuage, and the
assault and imprisonment mentioned in the
first count, a justification under the resolu
tion of the House of Commons, that the
Plaintiff had been guilty of a Breach of the
Privileges of the House, and was ordered
by the House to be committed to the Tow
er of London; and that the Defendant, as
Speaker of the House of Commons, issued
his Warrant accordingly, to the Sergeant
at Arms, attending the House, and to the
Lieutenant of the Tower: and for further
plea to the assnult and imprisonment men
tioned in the first count, the like justifica
tion.—Upon the motion of Mr. Abbott. ••
BY THE COURT.
To the Editor o f the Courier.
Lisbon, April 4, 1810.
Sir—lt is upwards of eleven years since
I detailed the dreadful proceedings of Bo
naparte in Italy, after he was appointed
by the French Directory, General of what
they called the Italian Army. They had
proved him, in the massacre of Paris, to be
possessed of all the requisites to conduct a
predatory expedition ; and nothing which
imagination might conceive could exceed
his cruelty, treachery, and rapacity.
•The dreadfol massacre in the towns, of
Bagnasco and Lugo are still present to my
mind, not one stone of whicii'was left upon
another, and scarce a victim escaped the
fire and sword, (which was directed by the
monster hiasself.) to tell that these towns
once existed. Inhabited by a brave and
loyal people, they merited a better fate;
their only crime was the. love of their na
tive land, and attachment to that illustri
ous House uader which Lombardy had so
long flourished, and which, by every patri*.
otick effort, they had attempted to preserve
from the yoke of a ruthless tyrant.
His treachery to the Duke of Modena,
who at the age of eighty was obliged to fly
from hie capital, after having paid two con
tt Ibutkma to an enormous amount to pre
serve his neutrality, which only stimulated
Bonaparte’s rapacity, after having entered
Inta a solemn engagement not to molest
Modena, signed and sealed by his own
hand, the wax was scarce enld when he
took possession ot the gites, and plundered
Paicasor Coaw ano Fcovn in Livaarooc.
Corn Exchange, Tueeday 22d May,
1810.—The demand for Wheat continues,
and full Is. per bushel dearet. Other de
scriptions of Grain are also in request.—
Barley and Malt each 3d. to 6d. and Oats
2d. to 3d. per bushel advanced.—Beans
more inquired. for, and Is. to 2s. per quar
ter higher.—Goad Flour is scarce at a
further increase.
The disturbance in the Tyro!, mention
ed in one of our late numbers, had their
origin in the attempt to enforce the Con
scription system among those brave peo
ple.
The reduction of the Danish island of
Bornholm, in the Baltfck, it was under
stood, was the first object of the fleet under
Sir J. Sauinarez, and from the state of its
defence, it is supposed by this time to have
fallen an easy conquest. t
LIVERPOOL, May 23.
Having viewed with deep regret the
mighty strides of this A tills of modern times
to establish his empire, when any corner of
Europe attempts to resist him, I feel a
lively hope, that Providence, in its mercy,
may bring about some event to put a peri
od to his career. When Spain flew to
arms, I thought a population of thirteen
millions, (inc)uding Portugal,) might sead
men sufficient into the field to stop his usur
pation ; their success at first was most aus
picious; the defeat andcaptureof Dupont’s
army by General Castanos ought to have
produced better results—but I much fear
Bonaparte’s Agents have been actively
employed in corrupting the very sources
which might have, saved £pain from his
fangs. The Provisional Spanish govern
ment have had the powerful support of
Great-Britain; they have been abundantly
supplied with arms, qmmunhton, and cloth
ing, and with money, the very ** sinew of
war,” assisted also by a.British army, who
have performed prodigies of valour. The
chosen few, at Talavera, defeated the le
gions of France in the presence v! the usur
per Joseph ; and had the Spanish army
been suffered to exert all their force, had
the Generals done their duty, results very
different would have ensued from the glo
rious battle of that day. But Bonaparte,
by his wily policy, had bribed those he
could not subdue by his anus. The Sierra
Morena, the key of Andalusia, Was left de
fenceless, Seville abandoned, and Cadis it
self would have been at thia moment in the
hands of the enemy, had not the prompt
arrival,of. the British force, joined, to the
protection of the British fleet, preserved
this important city from certain capture,
for It was to occupy Cadiz the French pre
sented themselves before it, not to under
take a regular siege, which would require
at least 60,000 men to invest it; they will
be obliged, to abandon the attempt, but 1
trust not with imponity, for the Spaniards
have lately shewn more energy; they have
lost much ground, but not many effective
men; the losses they have sustained may
easily be repaired, and may be turned to
advantage; their men are become more
used to the profession of arms; the Gene
rals, I hope, will learn prudence even in
defeat; but treachery in che'gOVetnitierit,
or general, is fatal, all sense of duty and
love of their country is extinguished, and
the betrayed soldier abaudons at once so
hopeless a cause.*.
The object I had principally in view,
when I began this paper, having seen in
several of the London newspapers, very
injurious statements in respect to the Por
tuguese army, I have therefore taken the
first opportunity, (and I am convinced my
statement cannot be controverted,) to do
away such misrepresentatious.
Tl have very lately made a tour from this
city of considerable extent, on the banks of
the Tagus, and through the posts which
are generally known as the line of defence
of Portugal; it would be presumptuous in
me, who am not of military profession, (al
though I have seen most of the armies in
Europe,) to offer an opinion on the merit
or probable conduct 6f the Portuguese
army; but since the splendid victory of
Vimiera, which had the effect of sending
the French out of Portugal, the Portuguc-st
army has increased daily in numbers, and
improved in discipline, and 1 auger well
from their appearance.
1 saw on my tour full 20,000 men, to
whom many British officers are attached ;
they are extremely well clothed and ap
pointed. I had an opportunity of seeing at
Coimbra several regiments reviewed by
the Commander in Chief, who went through
their evolutions with uncommon celerity
and precision, and perhaps, being accus
tomed to the climate, may undergo the fa
tigues of a campaign in this country even
better than British troops. 1 beg, Sir, you
will insert this statement In your paper, in
. ustice to the Portuguese army, and to
those distinguished officers who, by uncom
mon exertions, in little more than twelve
months, have brought this army to its pre
sent state of discipline, and soldier-like ap
pearance ; their numbers, I believe, to be
full thirty thousand men, exclusive of very
formidable bodies of armed burghers and
peasants, who are regularly exercised, and
with the powerful support of the British
army, will I trust, be able to repel the
enemy, and preserve this country, so long
the faithful ally of Great-Britain, from the
fate of so many nations, who have submh
ed to Bonaparte almost without a struggle;
whose Trincrs are now his vassals, and
their subjects his slaves ; liable to be drag
ged by conscrl|rtion, from their families,
and sent to the Vistula, the Danube, or the
Tagus, at the will of th? restless Usurper.
lenting Barbarian.
But it is not to follow his progress I now
take up my pen. His steps are indcliblv
maiked by the blood of millions of huinai
beings, who have been sacrificed to hit.
boundless ambition, which nothing can
abate Whilst there is W country in Europe
unsubdued.
the city next day. The aged puke en*
t 'ped in the uigftt by a Canal into the
Adriatick, with his most preciqus effects,
a disappointment Bonaparte was not pre
pared for. It was then hie implacable
temper broke out, and Modena, the neat of
every thing beautiful in architecture, paint
ing, and sculpture, fell a prey to the unre-
SALEM, July 10. k
Froth a friend at Marblehead, July 9.
"MX. CUSHING,
Saturday arrived at thia port brig Cato.
Captain Lewis Girdler, from Corunna and
Isle of May, 35 day* from the latter, where
he tarried only one day—says a fever raged
there with the greateet violence, supposed
to proceed from want of rain, as they had
not experienced any for foux yFaxs
coqld M tell what number had died,
victims Ao it were falling every day. One
of the inhabitants informed him he had lost
9 sons, and another 3, in a very short space
of tiffie. The Island contains about 800 la
habitants.
I procured of him 3 Corunna papers, not
very late dates, which are enclosed—also
his ship news.
I convened with Captain G. but obtained
nothing man. Youn, ®tc.” ••
NEW-YORK, July 10.
We understand that the notorious Ste
phen Burroughs was lately sentenced tQ
transportation from Canada to Botany-Bey,
under a late law; but wasnfterivards par
doned on giving heavy bonds for his figure
good conduct. On the condemnation of this
ringleader of iniquity, all Ms confederates
suddenly decamped, and it is supposed are
now returned to the United States, We
hope a sharp look out wiU be kept for
them.
The representatives ofkhe French gov
ernment in thia country have made known,
through their organ the Aurora, that the
laws of the land have been violated, and
the dignity and honour of the government
insulted by the arrival in the Delaware of
the British armed brig, the Avon, This
vessel, it seems came into our waters with
a large sum of money consigned to differ
ent persons in the United States. The
money was saved from a Spanish vessel
bound from Havana to Philadelphia, which
was like to founder at sea. As saving mo
ney for the purpose of restating it to its
just owners is a thing utterly repugnant to
the principles and practice of the French
government, all the papers in the employ
of that government have been violent in
their denunciation of the officers of the.
Avon and of their conduct, and in their
calls upon the Executive to execute the
vengeance of the laW upon these violators
of our rights, and insuiters of our revenue,
officers. Notwithstanding these plain and
unequivocal indications of the will and
pleasure of the. representatives of his im
perial and royal majesty, our executive
have had the rifrontry to disregard those
indications, and have even gone so far as
to grant a special permission tp the Avon
to make entry and land the treasure of
which she had taken charge. After such
gross contumely the executive officers of
our government ought to be prepared for
every kind of abuse aod insult from the
French papers which they hgve been iq
the habff of fostering.
Jin' errour committed by the Executive
PHILADELPHIA, July 5.
The following is translated from tlfe
Reading (Penn.) Eagle.
■ A daughter of Mr. Daniel Strohecker,
near Onwigsburg, Berks county, Pennsyl
vania, about three \ears of age, had been
for a number of days to go to a
considerable distance from the house with
a piece of bread which she obtained from
her mother: The circumstance attracted
the attention of the mother, who desired
Mr. S. to follow the child and observe what
she did with it. On coming to the child
he found her engaged in feeding several
snakes, called yellow heads, or bastard rat
tle snakes. He immediately took it away
and proceeded to the house for his gun and
killed two of them at one shot and another
a few days after. The child calling these
reptiles in the manner of calling chickens,
aod when its father observed, if it contin
ued the practice they would bite her—Um
child replied—" No, father, they won’t
bite; they only cat the bread I give them.”
July 9.
NEW-ORLEANS, June 4.
The schooner Intrefitde again !
Aftxm being condemned aod the owners
having paid one thousand five hundred dol
lars, she was fined out for sea, and applied
to the Collector for a clearance, who re- '
fused giving it. Offended at such treat
ment, she took French leave in the night
of the 27th May, and it is supposed has
passed fort St. Philip, and gone to sea to re
pair her lossef.
It is with great pleasure I can assert,
that I have never observed the slightest
symptoms of disaffection in this country; a
uniform abhorrence of the French pervades
all ranks, and I sincerely believe the gov
ernment and people would spurn with
honest indignation any overtures to draw
them from their allegiance to their legiti
mate Sovereign; they may therefore es
cape the fate of these nations I have men
tioned, for depend on it, Sir, treachery hqa
subdued more than the sword of thween
qiicrour. P.O. F.
29p the mails.
yf the United States.