National gazette. — Philadelphia [Pa.], 1793-07-06 00:00:00, page 1

PHILADELPHIA.
July ift. 1793.
X. A. PICHON, a French Citizen at Phi
ladelphia, to M. COTELLE.
S1 n,
A S it is more than probable that your let
ter-x- to Citizen Genet will remain
unanfwtred, I conceive it to be the duty
offnch French citizens ai are acquainted
with oil! Well India affairs, to point out
to the public the sycophantic intimations it
contains, and to warn American citizens to
pay as little attention to calumniators from
the Welt Indies as they have done to the
slanderous report* of the emigrants from
Europe. ' *
I am fcnfible, fir, that a full and tho
rough investigation of fails flioukl be sub
joined. to support such a preliminary in
junction, and this I have e-jcry means in my
power to do. At the fame time, lam al
together unwilling to call out of their
peaceful tomb of oblivion, the bloody pro
ceedings which for three years pait have
disgraced your country ; and it is with the
greatefl reluctance that I take a painfui
review oi those horrid scenes, some ol
which I hare been 311 eye- witness tu : in
deed, fir, I have been so unfortunate as tc
reside in your island, and in that very town
from whence you came. Thanks to the
obfeurity in which I lived,l was allowed to
look at the epidtrmocrafnal tyranny when
it was at its zenith. Yes—l have witnessed
the murdei-ous and doieful consequences
ot a fyflem nonsensical in the extreme.
Documents of these tranfa£lioris are now
in my hands, anil poflibly the time may
coine when I shall let the world know that
our white people of the Well Indies have
out done the Spaniards in absurd and ridi
culous fyfterm, and arleall equalled them
3n baseness and ferocity.
You seem to affec) a very sincere cort
tfifn 101 llie natioital laws. which, you pre
tend, have been trampled upon by the na
tional civil coinmiffioners.—Sir, your
Jneaninjt muA be, beyond all doubt, that
they enforced the execution of those laws
ajainfl which you have waged war these
three years past. Nobody but YOU (your
colour I mean) has been guilty of an in
fringement of those very la ivs you had sworn
to support. Nobody but you opposed the
Sovereignty of the people, and the DE
CREES of their reprefentativea.
It the na.;ie oi FRENCHMAN had become
fcurdenfome to you, if after an examinati
on of your principles and situation you had
discovered that a political regeneration
"would never suit men of your cafi; then a
fair and open conduct was to be preferred :
you ought to have declared to the world
that you never meant to have aiharein the
glorious toils of Franc*, and that the feaft oi
FREEDOM was a fpeciesof entertainment
illy adapted to your degenerate ftomarhs.
You ought not, however, to advocate
our laws and oppose them afterwards.
"Whenever a coiony becomes weary ofir>
mother country, it is no more than jufi
that they should /hake off its yoke, and, il
its independence is opposed, wa<re war a
gainst it. But you add insult to injury.
You called for a separate conflitution, arid
ia the meantime set yonrfelves up for re
formers of OUR OWN !
For three years part your conduct ha:
been little else than a series of unprinci
pled pride, unsettled schemes, and un
bounded ferocity .... You have entered
the field in defence of the bloody, but
childish prejudices of -our females—yoi,
have waged war against the'pe»pl e of co
lour [mulattiiesj with poignard, wheel,
and gallows, while beari'ng the Olive
Branch of Peace, they proffered you theii
prayers and intreaties !—Your manoeuvre:
have been conflamly in the dark, and th<
wound given under the veil of secrecy
CONVINCED, at length, of the abfurdit;
of your claims, you were flill too obsti
nate to part with them. No less than foui
different colours had been displayed ji
*yotir towns: internal divisions have giver
you up, hands and feet tied, to the citizen:
ot colour who, steady to the principle;
they set our upon, and flrongly encamped
on iuaffailable mcuntains, have putfued j
fixt and energetic line of conduit, fron
wliich neither success or calamity have pre
vailed onthein tc deviate.
This being the cafe, was it not h : gh time
for the representatives of the French nati
on to put an effectual (lop to such fata! in
testine difl'ention.", particularly when the',
-were threatened by an external foe, wliofe
-* See National Gazette, No. 174,
Numb. 72 of Vol. ll.]
By P. FRENEAU: (at No. 209, Market Street) PubliJlnd Wednesdays and. Saturdays, [.Three Dollars per annum 2
invasion it was more than probable the
whites had a mind to facilitate in order to
crush fhofe citizens of colour whom, by
their own confeflion, they were always by
tnemfelves too weak to subdue. In fucii
circumflances was it not the true interelt
of the nation to secure in the island that
ciafs of Iteady citizens who would defend
it to death ; and to favour it rather than a
clafj of an other description, who, always
divided among themselves, could never
furnifh one fourth part of their number, as
men to be depended on. That part of the
white people who were patriots were al
ways floating between the interef't of the
country and that of their own pride. The
firft power that would have pledged itfelf
to re-inflate them in their unnatural rights
would have gained *hem over to their lide;
while the citizens of colour would nor have
liefirated between a revolution which allot
ted them their true place, and a counter
revolution by means of which, supposing it
to have be-en fuccefsful. they would have
been funk lower in political conlequence
than at any former period.
hrom what has 6t*en faicl it is not at all
surprizing to fee here certain Cockaded-
GentleMen from the French Weft In
dies. It is true, they were patriots, but
on condition of their pride being spared :
and although they apparently submitted tc
the law s, Hill they had sworn in their hearts
and before the great god of their pride,
that when ever opportunity should offei
;hey would take a lignal and memor; bie
retaliation. The national commifHoner
having therefore divided all oppofers into
two (ilaffes; the firit including all those
guilty of L?ze nation ; the second, ftich as
had caught the tpidermocratical mania.
Tfte former were embarked for France,
for trial; the latter inve been Pent over tc
this continent to cool their raging blood
by the respiration of the whoifome air oi
liberty and equality.
Colonics of the French Weft Irdfc;". I
accuse you before the whole world of hav
ing fill lied the name of Frenchmen. Jdo
accuse you of having ©ppofed the execution
ul the mandate f for convoking the
general, lo far as it regarded. tiie people of
-olour. I accuse you of having trampled
under foot the decree of the eighth oi
[Vic*ich, and the 4th article of the annexed
mfinittions. \ 011 loudly oppoled the law
of the 15th of May, before it came into ex
igence, and you proclaimed open war a-
it after it pa fled into a decree; and,
thro' the influence of your agents at
Paris, you opposed its being sent to the
ifiands, till you had time to kindle ti>c
Sanies of diffl-rition and frighten the
national afTembly from its firft resolu
tions. I accuse you of having put arms in.
to the hands of your (laves. When the ari
frocrats were planning a counter revoluti
on, you were always unwilling to unite
yonrfejves with the citizens of colour ir
order to oppose tliem,& the daily increaf
ing torrent ot inlurre£Hons. I accuse you of
having cut off all hopes of union by prac
ticing cruelties J contrary to the laws ol
war, and by threatening an independence
w hich you were neither strong nor harriv
enough to undertake. I accuse you of
having ligwed treaties and concordats\f« ord
111 hand, and of having meditated murders
a.id devaluations at the moment you were
giving the cordial embraces of reconcilia
tion. In fliort, lb loaded are you wits
crimes, that there is scarcely any thing ot
which I might not justly accuse you.—
Take this then as a warning, fir, and reft
aiiured that there are men here fufficientlv
acquainted with your affairs to prevent
any imposition on the people of the United
States, on tiiat score.
+J: is certain that the committee of re
cognition of the constituent afiembly
nau ackowledged the deputies from the
J'eople of colour, hut by what measure
they were afterwards rtjetfed. time will
(hew— See Mirabe ai's letter to his conlii.
tuents—and v erbai Proces of the conftitu
ent afiembly. '
i Mr. Cotelle has probably not sor P n t
Mat venerable old man whom they burnt
alive in a flow fire ?t Aux-Cayes, for bav
ing niade a gallant defence at the canir
Mercy. *
Exirati of alttterfrom a gentleman in Phi
ladelphia, to his Correfpevdent in Ne-w
---iork. dated 2tth rfjjive. 1793.
. " There seems to be a flrong inclination
infome of our e > •• utive officers of the
United States to keep, mod of their pro
ceedings fecretfrom the public; and this
lufpicjon is still gaining more force, from
SATURDAY, July 6, 1793.
tbeirlate condnft in regard to the prize fliip
William, which was captured by the French
privateer Citizen Genet, at more than 30
niiJesfrojn the American coast; although
some sailors aboard offered to fvvear that
(he wap only at 2 or 3 mil-.s distance.
"He this a-; it may,it has not been brought
in evi- i'nci Into the hue trial b'fore the
•idniir. - .nji't 'or the Pennlylvania diftriil
— the -irt would only hear the arguments
>n the i a*;le question of its own jurirdifti
an; anc by the decree of judge Peter's it
appear was expected,that the court ba>
io jvrrild ifion or powers to interfere in
.he'condemnation or refloration of prize!
aken by ;he French, &c. So soon as this
lecree was known, t,,e captors were about
o taße tf'e "lip into their own charge,
'vheiiav, ry unexpired order iflued from'
:ne executive of the United States, addref
ed to Governor Mifflin, directing him t<
call out ti c militia and put a ftron-r auard
iboaul tin-prize, in order to prevent the
raptors flop) taking pofieffion of her. The
]«,ht infantry wrre accordingly called out
ln,! iWrformed duty for two or three dayi
« ithout kr owing (or whatpurpofe, except
■•"om the ri oris of the town, which weie.
ti).;. it • js to prelerve the prize from
seing burnt or ran away with by the Brfrtfb
ailors. tAnd the infantry were so far
impofcd by public report, as well ji
"e" '" v,: "cnieilures. But hew great
was 'heir a 'oniihment when the truth was
it length '-jfcovered. viz. that they had
Je ' n gnardjiig the ftiip f, on, the cantors!
and / r taeiiritilh !- Fhey then solemnly
ietl red, at least I have heard many of
then f :y f>, that had rhey known the real
-aufe- (,'( keing called out, they would uot
lavei . eyed the governor's orders.
0 ! t ■on of tiie Executive of the
'' r — ! State? imposing this duty on Go
■erin. M>3 aii for he oslyafled under that
tuthc" ; ;; ,4 to be this, viz. that as
•he -~val.y court lind declared its own
P&i ." vto J ;fl ge of the limits of its own
uritiiiction, ic WC) therefore neccffarv for
:.ie Piei.dent to ( e p forward and seize the
irize, and detain it in cuftodyof the Unit
ed Strifes until filch time as it could be
i?teri„i -led, whether (he was captured
i\ . . the bounds of the protection of the
united States.
"This, Ijowever, is only fttrmife; for
granting it to have been the real motive
which urged the President to the step lie
ook, ftili it would have been but fatisfac
t«y to the public to have had some expla
nation of the business, without vnakinr inch
I piece of u otlcof it. The'con
equence has been, as I am informed that
governor Mifflin felt himfeif in rather an
uikward situation; and as he had been
rocrto on the duty of guarding the French
prize, he wiflied to be discharged by the
ame authority. But the President left
town on a visit to Mount Vernon, in the
niolt of this dispute, and the French Con
lul entered a warm protefl: against the
whole proceedings; declaring, "that no
power on earth has a right to interfere
between the French republic audits ene
mies that this print iple was acknowledg
ed in the late deciljon of the admiralty
court, and the prelent an eft and detention
by a guard, of ihe prize, was an outrage
agaiiill the authority of the official iunciions
of ihe miifter, & c . of the republic."
copy of the protefl: w as fc nt by Mr. Du
pont, the French Consul, to governor Miff-
In: i But before it had reached him, he had
dilpatched a letter to Mr. Dupont, inform
ing him that the flnp William, now in cuf
tocy of a party of the militia of Philadel
phia, would be delivered to him whenever
he thouK. please to apply; in consequence
of an arrangement between the Secretary
of State and the mil. e r of France by
which it was agreed, (as the fecretarv at
war informed governor Mifflin,) that the
fmp V iliiam (hall be placed in his, the Con
sul s, poflefnon,until it is determined, whe
ther l ,e was taken within the limits of the
protection oi the United States.
" 1 heguard was confequentlydifmilTcd.
and the Consul took possession of the Wil
ham, and soon after delivered her to the
owner who purchased her at public auCuoii
some time ago. ""
"From this it tr.uft be canjeSured, that
the fecretar:e> of state, war, & c . n-.iift have
o ( fcha,,ed governor Mifflin from the dutv
.'i the ahfence of the President, and it also
appeal... that they only consented to reflore
,\' e p " 7 ' e conditionally, which by some is
-..ougljt to be taking into their hands a
power of ; o ; , <h-u in ,d,e , aw, ,r rft
° . , ; for there is no law vet exitiir,,
which oejnes "the limits of the protection
t.,f I sited States," whatever Congress
may hereafter do to ena a one; and tin,'
we are led to think that both the arrest of
the vessel and the restoring her were „n
---authorized pro codings. I would be furry
■nous be iHJed Puf'Hani
'/IndeedifNEt. rnAL.TY betheGREAT
Wd wise aim of our executive, it seems
strange that any offence should have been
committed against the French of s uc h con
frquence as to foree the Consul to enter a
protest against it; and that this is the cafe
« well as that I have Hated the whole hu'
■ inefs tolerably accurate-you may rely on
H,y information. I have rend the uro'teft
and alio the governor's letter.
rhlr M he r- COrj f h,reS ,lave place
that Mr. Genet has had a negotiation „ ith
a " d :i ' at hl has - ftnted
to take bacKthe prize, on the conditions
rather too tamely. It is ,!f„ fa d l); h >
sxsafss* 6 "*—
aa with the utmost firmnefs and dignity
have not a doubt, for f mly believe h u
to or one Of the best men upon earth inde
jSXifm!" 2 '"' " l " i " " d "■
; ;;ch a such a cause as that ofTit
"erty itfelf, with the coolness, that has
oeenfn peaed, I hope without foundation
oefides u would be afling dian ouicallvin
opposition to the GENERAL 4ENi IM ENf
•America, and we are not yet, God be
prajfed, under the command of such an ar
government. 33 to have the laws
iim j° 11 f ' ai,d tlle execution of th-m
managed contrary to our folenin and d™
tcrmiucd principles. Surely, if thcre L
n° :re Solomons for
their wisdom in prefervinrr peace witL R„
tain and Spain, & c . they' ovrhl n« tShl
" the,r towards France
and yet faic things of late v'sir a ft,- '
appearance of fear or /avoritVfm m J S
ether of the ho,tile
= M ,c eand honor, guide lls %££
In the pleadings before n
on this fubje- t, Mr Lewi,, coenlei
hri 'fii, amongst oiher a ,g u ,, , nts to
ill ri fdi cti o'l'in'the ca ft"'ve< f,' 'th at were
United States had no such power therefore
mere was thegreateft reason lor the co„ r u
interference. This was the fubiiance of
v hat Mr. Lewis declared. Vol we f i
that the executive did afterwan s £ -<ercife
this power, which Mr. Lewis denied,
a right to do. Nay, they feiijed the pH™
nice, fii'ft by then- marshal, and, fecondlv
by a guard oi nuliua. The result , ,h t ,'
day known, viz. the court difchar.ee the
hrft arreff and the guard v.., s difcWed
the I.ord knows htu— by nefrociation I
are told ! ajid m the abfence"of the p'refi
dent ot the I n.ted States.-It israrlKThu
m,hating, however, to think that our !
v eminent should shew i Cs own weakneis
in grasping twice at a power which it was
not able to maintain."
E ' : ! r ,? l J r iT aPamPflietJ«/ipt'blifheden
titled Letters to the y eomenry of
the United States. f
On whatever fide we turn our eyes we
fee nothing in nature that is nor gov, - nefl
bylaw, proper to its exiflence, &\v hich ~
not organized m a manner to obey such
laws , to.acquire every succour which is
agreeable to the nature of its being, or r
ceffary to the mode of its exigence M ? „
is no negated by his Creator-the i f ts
which to him are particular, and which
give h.m the empire of the world, "
that happmefs and prosperity are defgned
or him, and an orderpr.per to ensure hha
he enjoyment of them. That heaven bora
French philanthropy which regards all
mankind as brethren, is so far superior to
the imderffandmgs of mod r n liatefmen
and final? < ers, as to be the object rather of
denlion tin,, of imitation, tut which eve
ry government mufl adopt in order to be
lomeprofpercns and happy.
The period of man's aftiye life is too
fioit, and his powers too weak to afford
Mm more than a comfortable sup; ly 0 f „e
---ciflanes ot life, therefore the Hipei fbrities
of lome men, whether acquired by a£>inl
plunder or by nnjuft laws, must iniWeon
the rights of others: this being ac'ually
[Total Numb. 176.