The constitutionalist — Exeter, N.H., 1810-08-06 00:00:00, page 2

It has been the misfortune of the
people of the United States, that all
th|e politicians have forgotten that they
have a country of their own. They
know much about Great- Britain,
France, and all the European coun
tries, but they appear to know very
little about the land in which they live.
The dazzling glare of t)e two great
powers which wield the destinies of the
^ teastern continent, have blinded their
eyes. In contemplating the Sun of
Great- Britain, and the moon of
France, they have overlooked the Star
of America. They have followed the
ignis fattuus of foreign glory, until it
has fairly foundered them in the ditch.
It has been no common thing to hear
leading politicians, even on the floor
of Congress, lay the distresses of this
country to foreign powers. The Em
bargo was not the work, say they, of
our administration, it was in conse
quence of foreign orders and edicts.
The non-intercourse was also the effect
of foreign edicts. Our treasury has
been exhausted by foreign powers, and
the nation has been brought to the
brink of ruin by the orders and decrees
of G. Britain and France. Can this
be possible? Is it in the nature of things
that foreign powers have such an in
fluence over this country as to force
ns like a terrapin to draw our heads
under our shell? Can Bonaparte
or King George empty or fill our
treasury at will? If thisris really the
case, what a degraded situation are we
in ? commanded, enslaved and buffeted
by all nations, but under the protec
tion of none! Were this the case we
should really be, as the Due de Cadore
said, in a worse situation than the
slaves of Jamaica. Yet this is the
language of the supporters of our pres
ent rulers. Ask a Jeffersonian
why the Embargo was laid, and he
will answer in consequence of the or
ders of Great-Britain—Ask him how
it comes that our government has to
borrow money, when thev have neith
er fleets nor armies, ana while our
country is in a most miserable state of
exposure ? They will answer it is the
effects of the aggressions of the belliger
ents of Europe. Heavens! what de
gradations ! America can neither live,
nor move, nor have a being, but as the
great belligerents of Europe shall dic
tate. We rise and fall with Europe
an politics ; and by the breath of ty
rants are we blown into consequence
or into non-entity. When will this
infatuation cease? When shall we have
courage to stand on our own t legs ?
When shall we, forgetting other coun
tries, study the true interests of our
own? When shall we arrive to the
state of manhood among nations, and
learn to depend on ourselves ? Could
our rulers once rid themselves of their
foreign antipathies and their foreign
regards, America might be the happi
est and most prosperous nation on
earth. Situated at a distance from the
seat of war and carnage, and posses
sing all the enterprize and advantages
of communication and commerce,
what might she not accomplish ? When
I say we ought to study the interests
of our own country exclusively, I do
not mean to insinuate that we ought
to adopt the Chinese or Jeffersonian
policy. lam no friend to everlasting
Embargoes. It is evidently the inter
est of our country to have commerce,
and we should maintain it. Our citi
zens draw wealth from the oceans —
they bate a right so to do, and I defy
all the tyrants in the world to, hinder
them from taking advantage of com
merce, if our government does not
paralize their exertions, it is on
commerce that our government de
pends for an existence, and when that
government undertook to destroy nav
igation, it committed an act of suicide.
Had we studied our own interests we
had never quitted tte ocean. We hat
never submitted to the “municipal"
,egulations of foreign nations. But
the moment that in compliance with
the system of Bonaparte, we laid an
, unlimited embargo, ,e acknowledged
ularly entered, have been seized in mass
by Napoleon (the national ship Hero
among the rest) the cargoes sold, and
the avails, to the amount of many mil
lions, carried into his own coffers.
" In Imany ports, all this was done
not merely without notice, but in di
rect violation of solemn assurances."
To these immense injuries he has ad
ded sarcasms as biting, scornful insults
as intolerable, as was in the power of
language to convey.
Where now is the spirit of, the na
tion? We look about to find it; but
look in vain. We do not think the
bounds of truth would be overleaped by
11S,should we aver that all these injuries,
sarcasms and insults from Napoleon,
have not, as yet, produced the appear
ance of even one tenth part of public
indignation shown on the occasion of
' Jackson's supposed insult.
FROM THE N. Y. EVENING-POST.
Our ten Country.
From the Missisippi Weekly Chroni
cle, a Democratic paper.
We call the particular attention of
our readers to the despatches from
general Armstrong, our minister in
Paris, and the remarks thereon, from
the National Intelligencer, published
in this day's Chronicle. We are hap
py to find the eyes of the nation
are at length opened to the injuries &
insults of that perfidious government.
So great have been the wrongs and
aggressions of England towards
this country, that the public mind
has been so occupied with them
that it was difficult at first to perceive
the deep rooted hatred, and unpre
cedented injusticeof France. But the
letter of the Duc de Cadore will remove
the film from the eyes of every honest
hearted American ; and the apologists
of France ought to be placed in the
same rank as British hirelings. For
ourselves we see no distinction between
French and English TORIES —they
are alike enemies to the prosperity and
independence of the United States.
, There is less apology for Ameibans be
coming the apologists of France than
of England ; because the French par
ty in the United States is much strong
er than the English party. Wecannot
think so basely of native born Ameri
cans, as to believe there would be
many traitors amongst them. But it is a
fact too notorious to be questioned,
that our country swarms with British
and French emissaries—and it is a fact
equally notorious that three fourths of
the population of the Orleans Territo
ry would flock to the imperial stang
ard the moment it could be planted
within its limits. The fact ought not
to be concealed from the people ; they
ought to know where danger lurks.
We know personally many of the
leading characters in Orleans —and we
know they are enemies to the United
States, and devoted to France. Should
the existing differences with that pow
er continue, end threaten a rupture,
we will feel no delicacy in giving the
names of the partizans of Napoleon to
the public.
[We, insert the above without alter
ation ; because any variation would
have, been complained of : But we
know there is not a British Party in
the United States. There are no in
dividuals constituting a party, but
whose birth, habits, property, business,
and character give the lie to an insin
uation of their being devoted to Brit
ain. There is a party, indeed, that
use their reason in judging of the
conduct of the British, as well as a
party which yield to the dictates of
prejudice and passion, as to any thing
from the same source. There is a
party, which wish in an honorable
way to have a good understanding with
Britain, and an intercourse on equal
terms, and there is a party whose aim
appears to be to create and aggravate
animosities] — N. E. Pal. -~
" The, Affair" of the Vixen.
(fir dependence on foreign powers;
and we have been sinking in disgrace
ever since. We have now no national
character, and scarcely the name of a
nation left. But this is not the fault
of the people at large. The citizens
of the United States generally love
their own country, and have spirit
sufficient to maintain their rights.
They have no idea of abject submission
to the regulations of foreigners. But
it is the rulers who are in the fault.—
Our rulers have submitted and the peo
ple have blindly and innocently follow
ed them to the altar of degradation.
They have indeed, in bowing the knee
to the Baal of party, soiled themselves
in the filth of foreign influence. But
this they have done unintentionally. —
They had no idea of the slough into
which they had been led. They have
been deceived, but their eyes must
soon be opened. On them it depends
to yet save our country. This subject
is an important one, and shall have fur
ther consideration in a future paper.
From the National Intelligencer.
We are informed that on the 24th
June 1810, the United States brig
Vixen, Lieut. Trippe, carrying four
teen guns, on her way to New Orleans,
under orders from onr government,
near the Bahamas was, in a wanton
and unprovoked manner, fired into by
the British sloop of war, the Moselle,
capt. Boyce, rating 20 guns, 32 pound
ers—a 32 pound shot carried away the
main boom of the Vixen within a short
distance of col. Poindexter, a member
of Congress, who with his family, had
taken passage on board on his return
from Congress; and a splinter from
the boom wounded slightly Mr. Rod
ney, son of the attorney general of the
United States, who likewise was on his
way to New Orleans.
The subjoined extract of a letter
from a gentleman of great respectabili
tyon board the Vixen to his friend
in this city will give a detail of circum.
stances ; and on the conduct of Lieut.
Trippe, we will forbear to make a com
ment, because, in our war with Tripoli,
this officer signalized himself; but more
especially as we are informed that he
has been ordered by the Secretary oft
the Navy to repair immediately to
Washington, for the purpose of an in
quiry into his conduct, in not re
turning the fire of the Moselle.
" On the 24 inst. (June) an occur
rence took place which was equally
unpleasant and unexpected. The char
acter of the affair, however, corres
ponds with the treatment which we
have so often received from the British
naval commanders on former occa
sions. The Moselle, a2O gun brig,
carrying 32 pounders, was lying at
anchor under the Stirrup Bay, near
the Bahama Bank. The Vixen ap
proached her under full sail, with her
pendent and ensign hoisted. The
commander of the Moselle hoisted
French colours, and exhibited several
private signals. Capt. Trippe, on
perceiving a boat which he supposed
wished to speak his vessel, hauled up
and received the officer, who reques
ted him to go down to the British ves
sel. With this request Caph Trippe
declined a compliance, furnishing the
officer, at the same time, with the name
of the vessel, and her destination.
Captain Boyce who commands the
Moselle, fired a shot at us as we passed,
which captain Trippe considered as an
intimation, that he wished to speak
with us. Several musket balls were
fired from the boat into the vessel ;
and at the very moment the British
officer was politely received on board
the Vixen, and before he had taken a
memorandum of the reply, which was
given by captain Trippe to the message
which was delivered-—captain Boyce
fired a round shot, which came over
the quarter deck, and penetrated the
main boom of the Vixen. Capt. Trippe
immediately discharged the British offi
cer, and prepared for action. The
English brig slipped her cable, and got
under way, menacing an attack on our
vessel. So soon as she approached
within a proper distance, captain
Trippe despatched a boat, with his first
lieutenant, to demand of the British
officer an explanation of his conduct ;
who sent his lieutenant on board the
Vixen, with various apologies, which
were not understood in a satisfactory
manner; and captain Trippe addressed
p . note to captain Boyce, requiring a
written statement of the reason which
had induced him to fire two shot at his
vessel. Captain Boyce rerurned for
answer, that he recognized, with plea
sure, the exisisting amity between the
two countries, and was extremely sor
ry lor having fired at us—that the
reasons which induced him to fire,
were, he could not distinguish our
colours, and saw no preparations for.
taking in sail—that he had been in
formed that two French privateers
were fitting out in the United States,
and supposed we might probably be
one of them. He also pledged his
honour that, his shot was not aimed at
our vessel. The explanation was deem
ed by captain Trippe, sufficient to pre
vent any further conflict ; and we in
stantly made sail, and proceeded on
our course. The injury which we
sustained was trifling. Mr. Rodney's
son was struck by a splinter from the
boom, which occasioned his mouth to
bleed a short time —no other person
was touched.
The conduct of captain Trippe in
this affair was honourable to himself,
to the American navy, and to his coun
try. The Vixen was prepared for ac
tion withfhe greatest promptitude and
order, and the explanation demanded
in a manner which left no doubt, as to
his determination to vindicate the hon
our of the national flag, or perish in
the attempt. The official assurances
of captain Boyce could not be ques
tioned in an official form, but I feel
the most perfect conviction that he
knew the Vixen to be an American
man of war —-that he fired the second
shot directly at the vessel, with a view
of provoking a return of the fire, and
thereby furnish him with an excuse for
going into action with a vessel of infe
rior metal, apd then shift the respon
sibility from himself by declaring that
his shot was fired, through mistake, and
without any intention of injuring the
vessel. I was on deck and saw the
gun on the forecastle of the Moselle,
levelled directly at 4he Vilen, and was
not more than three feet from the place
:where the shot struck the boom. The
insolence of this transaction is not more
remarkable than the meanness display
ed by the British commander, in
forging excuses for his conduct."
From the Federal Republican.
THE VIXEN.
The intelligencer of yesterday morn
ing, gives us the basis upon which the
late rumours were founded, respecting
the rencountre between the Vixen and
Ithe British brig Moselle. Lieutenant
Trippe, who commands the fonder, it
Letters from Dunkirk werp receiv
ed yesterday morning, to the date of
Monday last. Bonaparte had left that
place, on his journey to Rouen ; and
a report prevailed, that his first meas
ures on his return to Paris, would be,
to declare war against the United
States of America.
EXTRACT OF A LETTER.
" Gottenburgh, May 28—I have
this afternoon read a letter from Ham
burgh, dated 22d inst. stating that
a new decree of Bonaparte's has been
published, which confiscates all A
merican property imported into France
and her dependencies, since the 20th
May, 1809 ; and orders the proceeds
to be placed in the public treasury.
The writers give it as their opinion
that it will be acted qpon in all the
Danish, Prussian, and Mecklenburgh
ports. The property in Sweden, is
considered perfectly safe.
Extract of a letter from Constantino,
ple, of the 2d of April.
" There will shortly arrive from
Egypt fresh troops, who will join
the Janksaries, lately raised in the
camp of the Grand Vizer, at Sdiumia.
Itappears that the Porte is determin
ed not to change its systems. Baron
de Hukscl, < Russian Banker, and
Charge d'Affaires to the kings of Den
mark and Saxony, has had several con
ferences withour ministers, in which
he has made propositions for peace.
We are informed that those of the
Ottoman minister have not been deem
ed admssible at St. Petersburg, and in
consequence we expect important
events as soon as the fine season com
mences." — [Abeilledu Nord,Maylß.]
Constantinople; March 25.—A
very active recruiting is carrying on
not excelled in gallantry by any other
officer in our or any other navy. We
mention this, because we believe that
the extract from the Intelligencer, has
the strongest possible colouring,
against his gallant spirit, and respect
ing the defiance of the British officer,
which he is pretended to have submitted
to. The writer is probably a Mr.
Poindexter, the delegate from the Mis
sisippi territory, a man published of,
at the seat of government, a few weeks
ago as having dishonourably eloped
from his debt, for subsistence and a
musement at Washington, and for
which he was sued at Philidelphia, on
his retreat.
SWEDEN. Helsingbough, May 29,1810.
We have just received the afflicting
news of the sudden death of the Crown
Prince, which took place this morning.
His Royal Highness was reviewing
some hussar regiments, when he was
seized with an apoplexy, fell from his
horse, and expired immediately. He
left this city yesterday apparently in
perfect health, —[c^. This sudden death
has given rise to reports that the Prince
died of poison—the natural death of
Usurpers.]
Riga, [Russia] April 19. Several
American vessels, richly laden with co
lonial produce, have entered this port ;
and will be followed by many others.
They met many British cruizers, which
in no manner whatever disturbed their
voyages.
Capt. Trippe would not, we may
confidently say, submit to be dishon
oured. If he were present, the Intelli
gencer would not dare to publish the
unfounded and malicious comments it
has. They area proof not of the pas
siveness of Lieut. Trippe, but of the
base malignity of the Editor and his
patrons, who thrive and profit by ev
ry invention and aggravation, which
may embroil the citizens against Brit
ain, and extenuate the foul misdeeds of
Bonaparte.
If we had room to day, we should
publish the deceitful accompaniment,
with which this transaction is shroud
ed in the Intelligencer, though we
should only add another superfluous
proof of the barefaced partiality and
sinister practices of that venal vehicle.
Let the public again beware of the
design of its misrepresentations. We
have often pointed them out before,
and been always confirmed by the re
sult.
Nobody was materially injured on
board the Vixen, and the captain of
the Moselle immediately gave a hand
some apology for his mistake. He
had the command of a vessel appoint
ed to watch for the French privateers,
one of which he supposed the Vixen
to be, and so many of which have been
lately fitted out with impunity, have
smuggled, plundered and otherwise a
bused our ports and citizens. When
seized, one has been restored by special
order of the Executive, out of fear and
complaisance to the author of the
Rambouillet Decree.
Foreign Articles.
HARWICH, JUNE 6, 1810.
^a all the provinces of the Turkish
Empire; the i Asiatic Pastralibs, in
particular, raise a great number of
men. The Turks appear to have
somewhat recovered from the state of
stupefaction into which they were
plunged by the late campaign. The
Grand Signior will place himself at
the head of the troops from Asia, on
which he has a greater reliance than
on those from Europe. He has cau
sed them to be exercised for sometime,
°C provided with arms on the European
model.— (Correspondent May 18.)
Marshal Massena, who now directs
the operations of the invaders of Portu
gal it is stated will be created Viceroy
of that kingdom, on its conquest. This
is probable—He already has the rank:
of a Prince, and is a favorite of Bona
parte. He is esteemed one of the first
Generals of the age.
Every thing indicates the speedy
Consolidation of Holland with the great
Empire. The country is overrun by
a ruffian soldiery, with orders to de
stroy every vestige of Dutch Independ
ence ; and the trinket King which Na
poleon sat over them has been ordered
again to repair to Papis, where a Sena
tes Consultum will easily unking him,
and leave him no other duties than that
of Constable of France./
Whatever is stretched is weakened.
Sir Francis Burditt has strained his in
surgent folly so much, that his friends
in the House of Commons are dimin
ished to a handful, and the People are
flying from his party as rapidly as the,
recently joined it.
I profess to be a friend to my
country and feel desirous that men, ,
possessing unblemished characters and
eminent talents, should be placed in
every important and responsible office.
I have no expectation of any office my
self —my great object is to support an
administration calculated to secure and
protect the rights of the people and to'
; render the nation happy. In selecting
men. for rulers, it is necessary to avoid
those whose zeal arises from the desire
of office. Office-seekers have no claim
to the confidence of the people; as
they are generally found on the side of
the majority, inflaming the passions
and using every mean however con
temptible to elevate themselves. It is
sometimes difficult to ascertain to a cer
tainty all such characters ; yet there are
many wh^ are two barefaced to con
ceal their motives. The man, who op-'
presses the poor in private life to en
rich himself, who stoops to the mean-,
est and most vicious acts to fill his own
coffers, whose integrity and veracity
are called in question by all, and at the
same time steps forward as the advo-'
cate of the rights of the people, de
nouncing the most worthy members in
society, may be markfl with certainty
as a viteoffice-seeker, an unprincipled
demagogue: Aad every friend to to
r
JUNE 6. At the Common Council
held yesterday, a Petition and some'
Resolutions on the subject of a Par
liamentary Reform, were carried by
a majority of six only, 87 to 81.
The Catholic Question has been
negatived in the House of Lords, by
a majority of 86.
June 6. Accounts from Spain state,
that Joseph Bonaparte, in his journey
from Grenada to Madrid, had a nar
row escape from the attack of a body
of armed peasantry in the Sierra More
na. Two of his attendants were kill
ed, and his carriage was pierced by the
balls of the patriots.
JUNE 7. The English and Portu
guese in arms in Portugal are estimat
ed at 100,000 men! But, if correct, a
great part of them are Portuguese mi
litia—and not of the best sort.
The would-be King of Spain, Jo
seph, has issued a decree for calling the
Cortes ; and has been making other
arrangements, in the kingdom, as if he
really expected to enjoy the undisturb
ed fee simple of it.—But King Jo finds
the opposition of his dear subjects no
Jo-Icing matter.
Gen. Furgeson sails immediately for
Cadiz. Major General Maitland will
return immediately to his government
of Granada.
ENG LAND. London, June 5, 1810.
Lerida, in Catalonia, has been taken
by the French, under,Suchet. The
garrison is stated in the French ac
counts to have consisted of 8000 men.
The report of the prohibition to
export flour from France, is contra
dicted.
MR. REALS,
COMMUNICATION.
For the Constitutionalist.