The Rhode-Island American, and general advertiser — Providence [R.I.], 1810-12-25 00:00:00, page 2

to Utortain, it still the purchase tno
|g ney, the quid pro quo which.bpuin was to
Eve for the cession. Nevertheless, al
jh Spain carried into faithful execu-
B tion l»«r part of the contract. France af
® terward* seized upon Etruria, dispossessed
B ’ the Infanta, ani thereby violated her con-
tract. Now upon every principle of pub-
B lick law and justice the property reverts
W to the grantor, and a* *overeignty in all
B governments resides in, and emanate* from
B the people, the title is still in the people
B of Spain. Should the present government
S 1 of Spa in be subverted, and the country fall
■ tinker subjugation to France, yet if the nu
ll tion Should recover it* liberty alter the de-
B mine of her invader, she would, of right,
■ 'Claim the property upon the ground, not
■ of ft at»d or force which might avail her,
but of an unexecuted contract on the part
B of. France.
The treaty of St. Ildefonso, was never
■ published gr made known in extenso to our
B government, although it contained the ti
■ tie set up by France to Louisiana and the
I Florida*. The extracts which we publish-
I e<J our paper of Friday, describing the
I property, hot by courses, distances, line*
I or boundaries, but leaving them for future
I {dispute, was •11 that the American Minis
' toF was permitted to see: and we state
Brther, upon the high authority of a dis
tinguished statesman <f New-Jingland,
that General Ai instrong stated in hi*
presence, “ that d laughed and
‘ ridiculed Mr. Madison'* expose. or display
of qur ciaitps a* to lx uudaries; and denied
that qny such claims existed, intimating 1
nuut distinctly, that if they should be per
sisted iu, Fi mce would be obliged to de
fend the rights of Spain.” In addition to
this, when France was sounded upon the
Subject ef the seizure by the United State*
of West Florida, she said she would neither
doubt or hesitate, but would be compel
led to lake part with Sfiqin. I'his answer
* given, <>ui courageous executive, who is
Dow .marching troops to seize Florida,
abandoned the prefect.
Untler these circumstance*, how can it
be*expected, that honest, independent men
will applaud the present proceeding of the
j . executive a* a spirited and praise-worthy
DC' f We think we might safely stake our
existence upon the fact, that the permis
sion of France has been asked and obtain
ed. to invest West-Florida with an armed
force. After the relinquishment of the
project in the former case at the threat of
France, who can doubj that her content has
been given, in hopes to embroil u* with
England, since Spain is no longer her ally,
but the ally of England. But if any proof
is asked for, to that the seizure of
West-Florida is in coincidence with French
views, we refer our readers to an extract
from President, Rhea’s letter, inviting the
United States to take the country under
their protection. It is as follows: *'The
Emp roar of France has invited the Span
ish Americans to declare their indepen
dence, rather than remain in subjection to
the old Spanish government; therefore, an
acknowledgment of our independence by
the United States could not be complained
of by France, or involve the American gov
ernment in any contest with that power.”
Now there exists strong presumptive evi
dence, that Ate Majesty, who loves the
<Ariericana, and desire* to see every peo
« pie independent, finding that the exiles
from Cuba, (Spanish traitors,) and his 7't7-
K ait emissaries could not get possession of the
country, invited the United States to take
possession of It, and if not, to hold it in se
cret trust, for him—-still the motive was a
sufficient one, if this government could be
brought into collision with England. We
therefore think, that Mr. President Rhea,
and his patriotick associate*, have been set
In motion by the joint manoeuvres and agen
cy of France and our executive, and our
expectation* will be answered, if at some
future day, it shjH be discovered that all the
proceedings of the Floridan* have been ad
vised and dictated by our great men at
Washing**./! 'here is a comprehensive
ness, precision, and cautious adaption to
existing Circumstances in the term* and
manner of President Rhea’s letter, which
savours strongly of concert. If Mr. Madi
son had taken hi* present steps before the
conquest of Spain by France became more
unlikely, there would have been less rea
soq to suspect the purity of his motives.
Hear a Patriot of the Revolution.
FROM THE EVKNING POST.
The relative situations of Great-Bri
tain, France, and the United States, pre
sents to the World as extraordinary a poli
tical phenomenon as is perhaps recorded
- *n the pages of history, ancient or modprn.
In our contest for independence, the king
of France entered into our views, and gave
vs aid. To this he was not actuated, in
• the least, by a respect for the rights of man.
It was not our interest, or happiness, but
his own, which brought him to the field ;
be was governed by no other motive under
heaven, but the hope of lopping off an arm
of the B'ihsh empire. And in forming the
treaty of peace, that very king treacher
ously endeavoured to induce the British to
■ d prive the United States of all the west
ern country, and all participation in the
fv».Hrrlr«. This would have suoceeded but
for the sag icity and firmness of Mr. Jay.
However, the French did help as in our
struggle for independence against Great-
Britain, and were amply remunerated in
the fall accomplishment of the object ori
ginally contemplated. What a wonderful
metamorphose in the scene Is now present
ed. Behold Great Britain, opposed aloue,
against the mighty power of Bonaparte,
and all Europe, fighting not only for their
independence and her own, but for the in
dependence of*these very United State*!
And what is still more extraordinaiy, to
behold our government, for years, aiding
by every species of fraud and deceit, the
tyrant of Europe, and destroyer of all its
republicks, to subvert that power, which i*
standing thus alone, between u* and uni
versal subjugation ! Strange, indeed, pass
ing strange, to see a republican empire,
committing its own political suicide, to pro
mote the destructive views of the most insa
tiable Hyena that ever infested the earth.
Ambitious a* Alexander, more wicked and
ciuel than Nero or Caligula—A monster
in human shape ! greater than whom has
never existed since the creation of man
How unfortunate that a person in some re
spects perhaps the greatest in the world,
instead of being the best, should be the
worst man living! What crime is there in
ihe black catalogue of human depravity
which he ha* not pdtyrtrated ? Falsehood*,
deceit, pet jury, treachery, assassinations,
incest, adultery, incestuous adultery, rob
bery, piracy, arson, and murders with the
foul sin of ingratitude, form the prominent
features in the escutcheon of the greAt Em
perour’s character. If the blood-stained
ravages of La Vendee, who was so vet)
fitly placed by hi* master, near our iw
obsequious administration, or, if any of m>
honest, deluded fellow-democrats can in
form me which of the traits in the abovt
armorial picture Is not truly applied, thr
errour shall be confessed, and erased froii
the escutcheon. Such is the man befmt
whom republican magistrates and peoph
have for year* bent the knee, croucbin*.
like Spaniel* licking a master’s feet, and
finally by taciturnity, confessing thvmselve
to be cowards and villains ! For such is
the plain English of Cgdore’s note, whet
after most impudently dictating to Ou
ruler*, tfhat part they should take in
the concern* of Bonaparte, says, they are
" without just political views, without hon
our and without energy.” God knows the
man spoke the truth this time, if he never
did befote.
I consider it an axiom, clear as any ont
in Euclid, that the day on which Bonapai t«
should subdue Old Englund, or what would
perhaps amount to the sum*- thing, should
overpower her fleets, the sun of American
freedom would probably be set forever. I
am satisfied, could the truth be known,
that the President of the United State*,
and those of hi* administration, nay, tha
every intelligent man, (divested of thr
shackles nf party,) would subscribe to tin
above opinion. Has he not long since of
fered to invade Louisiana with a powerfu
army for the British ? Has he not proposed
to them, to invade and divide wnh them
the United States ? but more of this here
after.
In all Europe there is not one indepen
dent government or nation—not even one
man, of any political consequence, that is
truly independent.
The people of France are the most de
graded and enslaved*©! any on the face ot
the earth. On a whole continent, not one
free press, nor a soul, that dares tb speak
or write in any puhlick manner, ips feel
ings and opinions respecting this usuiper of
kingdoms. Where this is the case, surely
freedom is no more. When the truth may
not be spoken and written then despotism
must prevail. In any country where foreign
influence, and party exists, liberty there is
half extinguished. I take it, there is no l
in Montesque sounder doctrines than those ;
(But for the British fleet, freedom of speech
or of the press, would not long survive
even in these United States.) All things
are perfectly understood in the Cabinet of
St. Cloud. Nothing but a knowledge of the
influence he had at the seat of government,
and the prevalence of parlies, could have
emboldened the Emperour to demand with
insolent threats of war, millions for unde
fined territory from our nervelett adminis
tration. Toburn and fleets upon the
»n 1 *«> hwprisou and half slarua hun
dreds of our brave seamen, driving them,
with ignominy and insult through the inte
riour of France to loathsome gaols—To
decoy, seise and condemn many millions
worth of propetty upon deceitful or un
founded pretexts. After all this, surely
nothing but a perfect understanding of his
men and state of things, could havw led him
to the achme of such mortifying insolence
as to say, “ Bonaparte loves the Ameri
cans" I! Show me an avowed enemy ; hu’
hide me from the embrace of Judas—His
love, like Bonaparte's, was death.
Educated at Princeton College, (that
nursery of good principles,) I early in life
became an enthusiastick admirer of the
doctrines of liberty, and the just rights of
man. This patriotick ardour has, undevi
atingly, rrmaindlt lhc same to the present
moment. It is well M»<»wn that for a time,
I was « perfect maniack in the revolution-
A phrensy of the French. •
Tar the independence of this country I
have often faced the mu»ke< and the can
non's month, whilst wow almost the whole
of those who enjoy the honewe and foe
loates, anti are bellowing about liberty and
democracy, were either unborn or dandling
on a mother’s knee, and some of them in
the tent* of thoenemy. These egotism*
will, probably, in the view of many, par
take of vanity—Re it so—who would not be
proud ui having been at the side of Wash
ington, Hamilton, Greene, &c. fighting in
their country’s cause. They fought for prin
ciples—Most of the great ones of the pre
sent day, are fighting only for them seises
Poor democrat*, how I pity and regret
your infatuated blindnea*.
My chief object in the preceding bit of
biography, h, that those who read, how
ever they shall decide upon my head, they
may have some charity for the patriotick
purity and motives of my heart. For be
assured, it is with md, as it ought to be
with every American revolutionist, a most
mortifying reflection, that the national glo
ry and independence which the good and
true spirit* of scyenty-six had acquired
and maintained in such great lustre, should
in so short a period, be almost wrested
from u* by the artifice* and insolence, and
1 have no doubt by the bribery and corrup
tion of a foreign tyrant, and the folly and
wickedness of an American philosopher.—
If Thomas JeSrrson had • Thousand lives,
he deserves to be hung a thousand different
times as high as Haman.
As to the main body of those called re
publicans, it is due to myself, and to them
in this .introductory essay, topremise, th>t
m all my strictures now, or hereafter, I d
not indulge the minutest degree of person
d ill will. 1 have for them, all possibi*
charity; and only pray, “father forgive
hem, for they know not what they do.”—l
>m persuaded they love their country, and
would freely risk their lives in its defence
Hut there is a set of men of higher order,
vho direct their minds and actions, of whom
I entertain the greatest fear and detesta
ion, being folly convinced that their ca
rer must terminate in the most fatal con
*■ quences, unless the moderate men of in
elligence and property of that party, shall
unit* in some reason a b|od«grwe with thos<
who fold f vst to the wise precepts of Wash
ington. Thank God, that change has al
■eady begun ; nd nothing but its progress
can save th* ship of Slate from foundeifog
We have found that there are republican
members of Congress who can soar abov*
party prejudices, when they discover tha
he great interests of the nation are about
to be sacrificed to the selfishness, ambition
and indiscreet partialities of the file lead
< r» of democracy.
Every departure from the tenets of our
political bible, has be* n a departure from
i ight to wrong. fr< m publick and indhldual
nappinrs* and glory, to national and ind*
'idualdisgrace nnc|calamity; and which,
if persisted in muebjonger, must end in the
total destruction of the beautiful fubrick of
American freedom.
As to French subjects, whether here or
elsewhere, they are not to imagine, that
however my observations may savour of
asperity, wi h regard to their Emperour, 1
harbour the least animosity or disrespect
towards them, either a* a people, or as in
dividuals. ' France is truly a great nation ;
behind no other in bravery ; nor in the
great constellation of the art* and sciences
has she been deficient of a fair portion of
resplendent star*.
Wm. WILLCOCKS.
FROM THE CONNECTICUT COURANT.
Thx question, when will the sword of
France rest in its scabbatd ? is a question
which no mortal is capable of solving.—
What the future may bring forth with re
spect to that gigantick and frightful pow
er, is known to God only ; in the course- of
whose pretvidence events often have hap
pened to nations as well as individuals,
contrary to all human calculations. And
on no subject has this observation been
more remarkably exemplified than in the
steady and rapid march of the French na
tion, for the last twelve years, toward uni
versa! empire. Had an inspired prophet
foretold that the Fiench would obtain as
extensive sovereignty>over Europe, in some
ten or twelve year*, as the all-coi queriog
Romans of old obtained in as many ages—
he would have been thought an impostor
and treated with acorn. Yrt this sudden
monopoly of a m«*t enormous and flightful
mass of power, was owing to Causes which
are now visible' and plain to every intelli
gent and attentivewbserver ; and as long
as the same cause* shall continue to ope
rate with unabated fotce, so long will it m
the policy of France to extend her empire
wider and yet wider, by all the means in
her power, whether of violence, corrup
tion or fraud.
Upon these premises will we build out
calculations; disclaiming in the meanwhih
both the impious pretension to prvdiC'Mxi,
and the arr«g int claim to uncommon fore
sight. Drawing our conclusions from the
obvious principles of common sense, we
say, if France has been carried forwaid
thus far by the irresistible impetusof na
tural causes, and if this impetus remains
yet in full strength, and shall so remain for
a long series of years to come ; then it fol
lows that what hss been experienced al
ready from that power, Is but the b« gin
ning of troubles. It also follows that thew
United Stales not only uow arc, but, iu de-
Whatever were the motive* of the first.
great actors in the French revolution, it is
certain that their successors, a few year
»hereafter, and even some considerable
time before Napoleon was made first Con
-ul, had formed the project of rifling the
.reasures, and crushing the independence
■f every nation upon the continent of Eu
rope, and ehtwhere, within the sphere ol
their action gnd influence. It probably was
<t this period that they first called France
ihe Terrible Republick, and they took ef
fectual measures to make her a terrour
•wh to herself and to the world. The
Conscription, or permanent law for com
pelling the mass of the nation to become sol
diers, and to be dragged abroad wherevei
their leader* *hould call them, was the
main spring of their general plan. This
•w was such an act of tyranny as Europe
»gd never witnessed since the time of the
old Romans, nor even then to to great a
degree. It was an act of tyranny such as
>he Grand Sultan himself would not have
dared to exercise over hi* vassals. Fiom
that time forth, the blood, the live*, as well
as the treasures nf the nation, have been
entirely at the disposal of the government;
»nd from that time forth the government
■if France Was enabled to pour into the
neighbouring countries,armies so immense,
hat, like an inesistible torrent, they bore
lown all before them. For, the other gov
ernments upon the continent of Europe,
consisting of as many as fifteen or sixteen
independent sovereignties, could neither
<ll unite together in a general plan of de
fence, nor h id any one of them the power,
like that of France, of bringing forward at
once its whole military population i-y com
pulsion. Hence it was that France not
only had a vast superiority with respect to
the qualities of her officers and soldiers,
they being such as had been trained to ex
act discipline and to deeds of carnage, both
in her civil wars and war* of defence,
during the early period of the revolution;
but she had also a superiority with respect
to numbers. Secure from invasion her
self, and at liberty to choose her own time
for attacking her foe, she all along has
been careful not to attack but with a supe
riority of force; insomuch that it will be
found, we believe, on investigation, that in
every great and brilliant victory which
France has gained for the last twelve
years, her troops out-numbered those of
her enemy.
But the rulers of France, in their views
of universal conquest, did not rely on the
conscription only. They had other means
co ordinate with this, and as destestable
as they were powerful. They openly and
avowedly trampled upon the law of nations
and treated it with the utmost scorn, as
well in words a* in deeds. Every moral
-ind social tie they burst asunder. All rt
gatd to justice and humanity, all sense of
honour or feeling of shame, they banished
alike from their council* and from their
bosoms. All history they ransacked and
explored for arts of fraud, violence and
-■eduction. They studied how best to com
bine Cunning with force, to divide and cm
quer, to benumb and paralyse their victims
ere the sword reached them. They st nt
forth their emissaries into every country,
who adapted their arts to particular cir
cumstances, and to all the weaknesses,
passions and vices of human nature. The
credulous they beguiled, the ambitious
they Cajoled with flatteries and tempted
wi*h promises, those who were gretdy of
gain they bribed ; and so it ha* happened
that evety country which they have con
quered, and even Spain which is not yet
< onqtiered, swarmed with traitors. Their
work wa* more than half done before they
m de 'hr attack with an armed force.
Uftt otthdrtaMtt vigfaMZMd heat *
forut for along date will be b perpetual
daeger off befog eavehsped b the fiery trade
of the baleful comet that ha* spread feat!
lence and destruction over the whole conti
nent of Europe. For it will appear beyond
all doubt that the plana off France extend
to the subjugation of thia, as well as of
every other nation within the reach of her
arts and her arm*. That if she hate* the
British more than any nation else, it 1* be
cause that i* tha only nation upon earth
which ha* both the mean* and the resolu
tion to check her career for universal do
minion. That her pretence of giving lib
erty to the *ea is only a to her fixed
design to crush all free commerce, as in
consistent with her system of despotism
and genera! rule. And, finally, that her
object is to “ dash to pieces the whole fa
brick of trade and industry,” which has
been gradually reared during several cen
turies of civilization and partial freedom ;
and, in all countries within her control, to
make the military paramount to the civil
authority ; in short, to erect, under the di
rection and management of the cabinet of
St. Cloud, a universal despotism, after the
pattern of the ancient Romans, and to make
Pari* the centre of all power and rule, as
Rome was formerly.
In SENATE, I'uuasDAT, December IS.
Xla. Liib submitted the following reso
iu ion :
ftei'Jvrd, That a committee be appoint
ee) tn inquire into the expediency of direct
nil ths becretai / of the Treasury to de-
sat(onal legislature.
A message from the Senate wa* received
by their Secretary, informing they had
passed a bill which went from this House
to authorize member* of Congress to frank
the President’s Message, &c. \
The Chairman of the Committee of Com
merce and Manufacture* moved a resolu
tion which was adopted, that said commit
tee be instructed to inquire into the expe
diency of making Iberia, in the Orleans
Territory, a port of entry-
On motion of Mr. Gold* a resolution pass
ed for the appointment of a committee ta
inquire into the expediency of providing by
law, to ascertain and settle the controvert
ed boundary of the publick land at West-
Point.
On motion of Mr. Pbrter, from New-
York, a resolution passed to instruct the
Committee of Commerce and Manufactures
to inquire into the expediency of removing
the office of Collector of the Customs from
Buffaloe, on Lake Erie, to Blackrock.
On motion of Mr. Newton, the House re
sumed the consideration of the bill respect
ing the tender of foreign gold coins.
Mr. Quincy observed to the House, that
he was apprehensive, by recurring to the
former laws which had been passed upon
this subject, and which the bill under con
sideration was to revive, it would appear
that the effect of this would be to oblige in
dividuals to receive Spanish and French
coins, at 4 per cent less than their value.—
If those coins could be paid at their fir* t
rate, he thought the other reasons which
had been offered for passing the bill were
sufficient. He therefore moved that the
bill be referred to a select committee to
ascertain how the fact is, which he had
suggested.
Mr. Newton, from the Committee of
Commerce and Manufactures, reported •'
bill, “ authorising the issuing of debenture*
in certain cases." This bill goes to grant
relief in the eases of Isaac Clason, of New-
Toil, anff mhen.'thhllarly circumstanced,
<>n which petitions have been presented.
The House, according to the order of th*
day, resolved itself into a committee of th*
whole House on the bill apportioning the
Stedman, resigned, appeared, was qualifi
ed and took his seat.
Mr. Bacon said he wa* inclined to think
his colleague was right, that the statement
he had made was confirmed by the report
of the Secretary of the Treasury the last
session, he wa* therefore in favour of the
reference. .
Mr. Mumford presented the petition of
sundry merchants of the city of New-York,
stating, that they ordered and paid for
large quantities of good* in the British do
minions, previous to the promulgation off
the President’* proclamation, and that it
might not be in their power to have all
those goods shipped and landed in the Uni
ted States before the 2d of February. They
pray that some provision may be made by
Congress to exempt them from forfeiture.
The petition was referred to the commit
tee of Way* and Means.
Mr. Mitchill presented the petition of
sundry salt manufacturer* in the Slate of
New York, praying to be exempted from
paying duties on a number of salt pan* im
ported from Liverpool.
The House resolved itself into a Com
mittee of the Whole, on the ratio of tha
representation bill, Mr. Bassett in tba
chair.
After some considerable desultory db-.
bate, the committee rose without any deci- *
t>ion, and reported progress.
The House then took up the bill from
the Senate, relative to foreign coin*, in
Committee of the Whole. The bill was re
ported without amendment, and the House
immediately proceeded to consider it. Af
ter a short debate, it wa* laid on the ta
ble.
Mr. Bigelow, a member from Massa
chusetts, to serve in the room of William
Mr. Mitchell, said he did not believe our
predecessors had, for so many years, been
guilty of the errours suggested, but for the
purpose of knowing how it was he wa* in
favour of the reference.
pz*H IW MUttiiiOf ip Mtef Btnk* tbto*
that of the United State* and it* branehee,
the bead* ghee to the govenameot far d»-
tiee, and that the committee have leave to
report by bill or otherwise.
Sundry private petitions were presented
and referred, and the House adjourned.
Friday, December 14.
Mr. W. Alston made yesterday, to fill the
blank with SO,OOO, as the number which
should entitle to a Re presen tative, being
still under consideration—was put without
d<bate, and passed in the negative, only 37
rising in the affirmative.
Mr. She fly moved 43,000—105 t, 43 to 36.
Mr. Tracey moved 40,000—thia was ad
vocated by Messrs. Fisk and MiU.lba.ll, and
opposed by Mr. Boyd, Potter and Gould—
and on the question being put, was carried,
78 voting in the affimative.
The committee then rose and reported
the bill as amended, the House proceeded
to consider the report of the committee of
the whole, and on the question of concur
ring with the committee in filling the blank
number of Representatives amongst the se
veral States according to the third census,
Mr. Bassett in the chair. The motion of
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Txubsday, December IX