National gazette. — Philadelphia [Pa.], 1793-03-13 00:00:00, page 2

The following; ftipplementary report to the
report of rhi? committee oil the cailfes of
the fa lure of the expedition unflersGe
n~rai Sc. Clair [fee Nation.:! Gazette of
i'i y [4, 1792] was laic! before the House
of Kepiefentatives 011 the 15th of Febru
ary la.-1, by the committee to \YIIOIII the
original report had been'recommitted at
t e close of the preceding Feffion.
THS original report commences in the
following words —
" The contrail for the fnpplies of the
army on the route from Fort-Pitt, was
inide by Theudolius Fowler, with the Se
cretary of the Treasury, and bears date
the twenty-eighth day of October, one
thousand Seven hundred and ninety ; that
at the fame time a bond in the penalty oi
one hundred thuufand dollars, with Wal
ter Livingilon and John Cochran, securi
ties thereto, was entered into, for a due
execution of the contract : That 011 the
tuird day of January, one thousand seven
hundred and ninety-one, the contrail wa:
wholly transferred from the said FO.vler,
to William Duer, a copy of which transfer
was lodged in the office of the Secretary oi
the Treasury ; that by letter from the Se
cretary at War, bearing date the twenty
fifth of February, 011 c thousand seven hun
dred and ninetv-one, addrelfed to Williarr
Duer, it appears that he was conlidered a:
contractor; that no correspondence ap
pear.; to have taken place ftibfequently t<
that time between Flieodolius Fowler ant
either the Treasury or War Departments.'
From documents received by the com
mittee, iince their lad appointment, it ap
pear?, that the copy of the before-men
tioned transfer was not lodged in the of
fice of the Secretary of the Treafurv, unti
tne feveuth of April, one thousand fevet
hundred and ninety-one ; at which time ii
was received by the Secretary of the T rea
,fary, under cover of a letter from William
Duer, informing him of the circumdance
of the said transfer, and making requili
tions for certain advances of money, That
the Secretary of the Treasury, by letter in
ref>iy, of the fame date, agree., to make the
advances required, to William Duer, as
thi agent of Theodofius Fowler.
It appears, that all the warrants, iffiied
from the Treasury, for the purpoles of this
contrail, were iliued to William Duer, as
the of Theodolius Fowler.
The Secretary of the Treasury has fur
niihed the committee with the written opi
nions of the Attorney General of the Uni
ted States, and several other lawyers of e
r.r.nence, all of whom concur in opinion
chat th securities to the bond, originally
given by Theodolius Fowler, for the exe
cution o! this contrail, are now responsible
for all damages, consequent upon any
breach of that contrail.
The Secretary of War, who alone ap
pears to have been the agent, on the part
of the United States, in all things relating
to the execution of the contract, has al
ways corresponded with William Duer, as
the contrailor, and his correspondence
commences at a date prior to that of the
copy of the contrail lodged at the Trea
sury.
The original report proceeds :
" That on the lixth of March, one thou
sand seven hundred and ninety-one, a con
trail was entered into by William Duer,
with the Secretary at War, for supplying
the troops with proviiions, until their arri
val at Fort Pitt, and at Fort Pitt. A bond
was at the fame time entered into by the
said William Duer, for the due execution
of the said contrail, in the penalty of four
thousand dollars, without any security
whatsoever.
It appears, by a re-exaniination of the
documents formerly befo e the commit
tee, that the date and terms of the last
mentioned contrail, were misrepresented ;
the date tw euty-lixth, inltead ot
the sixth of April, and the terms of the con
trail being to furniih proviiions for the
troops until their arrival at Fort i'itt, b.,t
uotdiiring their continuance at that place.
The firll of these inillakes appears to have
been merely casual, the fecund appears to
have arisen from paying greater attention
to the manner in which the contract was
rev.tly exreuted, than to the terms of the'
contrail itfelf, it having been conceived by
the committee, that Col. Neville, the a
gent for supplying the troops during their
continuance at Fort-Pitt, acted under the
lad "mentioned contrail. This circuin
rtance is rendered the less material, from
the contideration, that according to the
plan of the campaign, 110 delay of tile troops
at Fort i'itt was counted upon. Tin
dateinent is otheru ife correit.
The Secretary of War, in his communi
cation, dales, that it was not the custom ol
the office, to require other security than
that ofthe contrailor, for the due execu
tion of contrails of small amount ; and it
appears by.a letter of the Secretary of the
Treasury written liuce the former report,
th it the Secretary at War confuted with
him upon the occasion alluded to, and that
he agreed in opinion, that farther security
was not neceilary.
It is dated in the original report after
(peal'iug of one of the contrailor's agents,
that
-• It appears by letters from Joliw Kean,
another of the contrailor's agents, that no
monies had been received by hini on the
eighth of May, and it appears that i>;i the
twenty-third of March there was mlvanced
to William Duer on the lart mentioned
coiuradt, the f:ini of fifteen thousand dol
lars."
Upon re-examining the letters of John
Kea:i, it appears that he had received the
film of four hundred and fifty dollars, and
no more, before the aforefaid eighth day
of May, which was before overlooked by
tile committee. And it appears front do
cuments received by the committee fmce
their report, that the lum of fifteen thou-
I'jnd dollars was not advanced to William
Duer on account of the lad mentioned
contract, on the twenty-third of March.
The committee were led into this mrftake
by a document received from the Treafnr
er, representing the fa ft as stated in the
original report, which document is Hill be
fore the committee'.—The true (late of
'.his tranfaftiou as recently stated, appears
js follows :
A warrant iffiied in favour of Joseph
Howell, on the twenty-third of March,
for the fnm of fifteen thousand dollars, for
the use of the war department generally,
and not for William Duer, as stated in the
account rendered by the Treafureri Of
which sum, were advanced to William
Duer, on the twenty-frxth of March, four
thousand dollars ; on the eighth day of
May following, were paid to James Smith,
contracting agent for William Dner, one
thousand dollars ; and between the twen
tv-firft of May and the twenty-third of
July, were paid to John Kean, another
agent for William Duer, four hundred and
thirty-seven dollars and ninety-one cents ;
making the vhole sum advanced 011 the
last mentioned contrast, five thousand four
hundred and thirty-seven dollars, and
ninety-one cents.—The residue of the fif
teen thousand dollars is suggested to have
been applied to the use of the war depart
ment generally.
The original report (fates, that—
"It appears from the correspondence of
General Butler, from the ninth of May to
the ninth of June, repeated complaints
were made of fatal mil managements and
neglects in the quarter matter's and mili
tary (lores departments, particularly as to
tents, knapsacks, camp kettles, cartridge
boxes pack-saddles, &c. all of which ar
ticles were deficient in quantity and bad in
quality. The pack-saddles, particularly,
were made in Philadelphia, which with
the transportation, amounted to more than
double tne price at v hich they might have
been procured at Fort-Pitt, and were
found upon examination, to be unfit for
use."
Mr. Hodgdon has produced to the com
mittee, a number of ex-parte affidavits and
certificates to prove, that these several ar
ticles were furniihed, in fufficient quanti
ties, and of good quality.—Molt of these
affidavits however, were made by the ma
nufacturers of the refpeftive articles, or
persons in the employment of Mr. Hodg
don, and generally written in a different
hand writing, from that of the fubfci ibing
deponents ; and molt of the certificates by
persons unknown to the committee. But
the tettimony formerly taken by the com
mittee, and the corroboration of it by the
evidence cf refpeftable and disinterested
persons, lately taken by the committee, in
presence of Mr. Hodgdon, appears abun
dantly fufficient to juttify the statement of
1 acts contained in the original report.
With respect to the pack-faddies however,
it is neccli'ary to remark, that foine quali
fication of the expressions 11 fed in the ori
ginal report, would be proper. They ap
pear to have been made of different (izes ;
thofeof the largelt (i;e are proved to have
been wholly unfit for use, the ("addles used
;or pack-horses being generally finall.
Some of the smaller pack saddles, howe
ver. appear to have been used in the cam
paign, and to have answered the intended
purpose better than was at firlt expected,
It is dated in the original report, that-—
" The arms sent forward appear not to
have been duly examined, and arrived at
extremefy out of order, and ma
ny totally unfit lor use, which circiimftince
rendered repairs absolutely necessary, and
added to the delay of the troops at Fort-
Pitt."
The committee are led to conclude,
from authentic information, recently re
ceived, that the complaint of the arms in
tended for the regular troops and levies,
s unfounded ; some of the arms appear to
have been damaged, after they were put
into the hands of the troops, from their in
experience or careleffnefj, tlio' delivered
to them in good order.
1 he committee were induced to make
the unqualified statement contained in the
01 iginal report, from the unqualified ma- -
ner in which this fubjeft is spoken of by
some of the witnefles, formerly examined
by the committee ; they not inn ing stated
with ffifficient precilion, the causes of the
arms being out of repair, nor (pecifying
the probable number requiring repairs.
i he original report proceeds with the
foil owing exprefiion :
"It appears, that a great proportion of
the powder, supplied for the life of the ar
mv, was not of good quality, tho'an ex
periment was made by Major Fergufon, at
-'art-Pitt, with a howitzer, who reported
in favour of the quality of the powder." ,
The committee are fatislied from expe
riments made lince the original report by
captain Ford, at Foit Walhington, upon
requelt of the Secretary of War, and by
samples oi' the powder from thence, a£lu
aily furnilhed th-* committee, that the]io\\ -
der was originally of good quality ; but
that a certain quantity of ir. was damaged
by exposure to the a:r and inoifUire atter
being ifriied to the troops. And it appears
to have been powder of this description,
upon which experiments were made by
tome of the officers ill the expedition,
which produced unfavourable imprellions
as to the quality of the powder in general ;
for it is certain, a belief was currently en
tertained amongst the officers,that the pow
d. r in general was not of good quality.
The infufficieucy of the powder, after the
army took the field, is accounted for from
the bad quality of the tents. It is in tefti
inony t" the committee, that great quanti
ses of the fixed ammunition were actually
rendered useless from that cause.
\Jlemainder in our next.']
For the National Gazette.
I\7HEN flagrant and notoriousabufes are
known to exist in, or be coniiefted
ivith any of*the chief offices of Hate, it be
• oraes every freeman to express his fenti
uents on the occasion, provided he pay;
rtricl regard to moderation and truth.
The failure of the late wed em expedi
tion under the command ol Gen. St. Clair,
lias not only awakened the public atten
tion, but produced scrutinies into the con
duel of certain characters, which it is ho
ped, have as yet only had a beginning. But.
without further dilating, or any unnecelfa
ry preface, I mean limply to mention the
two following very serious facts, -which
may be depended, upon.
i ft. The resignations in the army have
been so frequent, that the officers left, arc
hardly fufficient to discipline the soldiers.
2d. The army is so difrefpeftful, that
the officers, w hen in any considerable town,
are ashamed to wear their regimentals.
>.ow, Mr. Editor, there mull be a fault
in some place ; somebody does not " work
it right, n here does it lie? Surely not
with the Secretary of War, for as the a
bilicies of scholars are entirely unconnect
ed with those of the master, as the morals
of a congregation cannot be affefred by the
deportment of their pastor, as the conducl
of a governor has no influence on the af
fairs of the ltate. aud the abilities of a fi
nancier cannot affect fifcal administration,
it cannot lie with that officer.
Sid HAiMet Benengeli.
March 8, 1792.
-• -■■■!
PHILADELPHIA.
March 13.
Capt. Amiot, who left Cette, a French
port in the Mediterranean, about the mid
dle of Jan. informs, that naval warlikt
preparations were going on with great ac
tivity in the southern seaports. A fleet oi
("mail veifeis was equipping at Toulon,
intended, it was generally believed, for ai
attack on the island of Sardinia. Senti
ments were divided as to the probable is
sue of the king's trial ; but the molt gene
ral opinion was, that final judgment woulc
be referred to, and be p flld upon him b)
the primary aflemblles Apprehenlion:
were entertained for his life, from the \* el.
known anti-royal propenlity of the Parti
alis. It was however hoped, that tile-forces
aflembled in the capital from several de
partments, would be fufficient to preserve
order and secure the execution of the de
ciiion of the National Convention.
By the several arrivals of lalt week from
Europe and the Weft-Indies, the intelli
gence communicated to us may be compri-
I'ed in a few words. When the iafr ih">p
left Liverpool, things were in nearly the
ame lituation as has been reprefentcd by
the accounts already publifhed—llo decla
ration of war by Gi against
France, altho'naval preparations were go
ing forward with vigour.
By letters from Holland to this city, it
is said that the Dutch have coniproniifed
a ith the French and consented to the o
peniiig of the Scheldt; and that an amica
ble treaty was on the carpet ; if this fhotild
be the fa£t, and that the Dutch and French
are become allies, tile armaments of Great
Britain will have 110 other objeCt to ope
rate upon, than their own internal liifcoil
tents.
Accounts from Cape-Francois, fay that
the negroes were coming in every day, and
affairs wore a very peaceable afpeft : but
we are forrv to mention, that the lituation
of the country about Port-au-Prince, is
not yet in lo tranquil a lituation as could
be deiired.
Letters from Ireland mention, that
' there is a prdfpeCt of very tronblefome
times in that island the enfujng spring and
rummer. The people are incefiantly cry
ing lor liberty, a grant of more equal
rights, and a more tolerable means of fub
ljiiehce than is at present the cafe among
tile body of the people j the lower claiJes
of In Hi being wuiverfally allowed by a?J
travellers to be the mutt ©pprcti'etl oi any
people in Furope, and thai i» one ot the
molt fertile iihmds in the world. With a
view to give efficacy to their jult demand
ot more equal rights, fifteen tnoufatul men
have armed and accoutred themselves in
the north, and thirteen theufand ill and a
bout Dublin. Their general badge is the
cap ofliberty, and a motto, expieflive ot"
the genuine wi!h of every honeit Hiberni
an to be freed from tlie domination of king*
and roynlUh, w hole glory is founih don
the baiis of oppref*on, and to maintain the
splendour of wliofe families andJattllitet
(the nobility) the face of the earth is lite
rally bathed with tears."
We hear that William Pater/on, Efq
has accepted his appointment as a judge of
the Supreme Court cf the United Sn.tc-s.
The oiiice of Governor of New-Jersey
will, therefore, become vacant.
It is mentioned in a letter from a well
informed gentleman in Georgia, that the
Britiih tonnage exceeded kit year, in the
port of Savannah, that ol Charieiionby ele
ven hundred tons; & it is his opinion that
the difference this year will be at least $oop
tons in favour of Georgia. About
middle of February there were layinjin
the port of Savannah about 130 fail of leu
vefleis, American, French and Britiih.—
Cotton is now become an article of im
mense export from Georgia ; and last crip
the quaniity exported amounted toaSo.cco
weight ol clean cotton.
We hear from New-York, that a very
sudden and terrible hurricane of m ind hap
pened tkere 011 the sth in£t. It blew firft
from north, and soon afterwards N. W.—
Several boats that were 011 the oyster
banks were unfortunately loft in scudding
before this tornado; the whole number of
people drowned is not yet ascertained :
fight are known to be loft, whohave moft
-1 left diftrefled fami.lt s.
D.ed at Groton, in Conneflicut, on the
19th of February, Mrs Smith (re
lta of Nathan Smith, tfq. late of that
town) in the 88th year of her ;ige. Her
offspring are 10 children; 84 grand chil
dren; 22i great grand children; anil 14
of the filth generation—total 330.
For want of pilots, a number of vefleis
inward bound to this port, have been de
tained below. Several merchants, it is
said, have entered into a private agree
ment with the pilots to give them 15/ per
foot for all vefleis under 12 feet draft, and
20/ for all vefleis above 12 feet, as vi el! go
ing down as coming up. Under this a
greement several pilots have gone to sea
within the week past. to conduct a number
ot vefleis into port who had been fume days
in the offing.
A newinfurreftion has taken place in the
neighbourhood of Port-au-Prince, of ne
groes who had been hitherto peaceable
About the firft of February 1 jco foot troops
and 400 light horse marched out to attack
and reduce them ; but the event was not
knoun when these accounts left Hifpanio
la. Sugars, and other Well-India pro
duce were high, and American produce
uncommonly cheap.
" It is remarkable (fays an Fnglifh pa
per) that when Mr. Burke lately drew hit
dagger in the Britiih House oi Commons,
he" only flruc/t his audience with a hearty
fit of laughter. Certainly, nothing ,could
have been more ridiculous than thus aping
the whimsical devices of certain ancient
orators, of Greece and Rome, to atiraft
attention. " There ! (said he) there, gen
tlemen, is a dagger for you (brandishing it
in his hand, and then throwing it violently
011 the floor)— there is a daggi r, made ex
actly acccording to the directions given to
the gentlemen at Birmingham !! '—This
theatrical rant seems entirely to have loft
its effect by the burlis of laughter it is said
to have occasioned. With every sensible
man, modern habits, prejudices, and ideas,
w ill regulate modern oratory—lf a lawyer,
in our days, happens to be pleading the
cause of a (hip-w recked sailor, he will not
(aswas formerly done) occasionally hold
up a piSure of the fvipwreck to move the
pity of the judge—or. if he is arguing in
behalf of :r deiraitdcd infant orphan, he
will not bring the bantling into court, for
the purpose of exciting ideas of compaflion
in the jury; not only (lays Sterne) for fear
of incurring ridicule, hut left while he is
displaying his oratory —the babe fliould
befoul the orator's mantle !"
Extratt of a letter front New-York, dated
March •
" I agree with yon. that ailing out of
I character is equally rr; rehenf:b!e, whetlifr
in men or governments. Birth day cele
brations, how ever meritorious the charac
ter meant to be complimented, are not
suited to the genius (four country or go
vernment, where an i dvancemer.t to the
nighelt honors and emoluments of that go
vernment ought to be considered as the
ultimatum of"rrfpeftfi:J tribute tine from
the people. In thW opinion a number of
'rrave ai d woithy foreigners. now on this
| tide of the Atal;, :ie. perfectly concur with
me, and candidly confefs that however
I fond thev might have been of celebrations
of this nature at hotr?., they eoniider them
I as rather feurdcn>!£ ou the absurd in this