National gazette. — Philadelphia [Pa.], 1793-01-02 00:00:00, page 1

[Numb. 19 of Vol. ll.] WEDNESDAY, January 2, 1793.
LET T E R
From Thomas Paine to the people of France.
" Paris, Sept. 25.
" Fir ft year of the Republic.
" Fellow Ciiixent !
"T RECEIVE, with affe£iion?.te grati-
A tude, the honour which the late na
tional aflemb!) has conferred upon me, by
adopting me a citizen of France : ant'
the additional honour of being eledled by
my fellow citizens a member of the nati
onal convention. Happily imprefTed, ;u
I am, by those teftimonit3 of refpt£l to
wards meat an individual, I feel my feli
city incrcafed by feeing the barrier broken
down that divided patriotism by spots ol
earth, and limited citizerifhip to the foil,
like vegetation.
" Had those honours been conferred in
an hour of national tranquility, they would
have afforded no other means of (hewing
my affection, than to have accepted and
enjoyed them , but they come accompani
ed with circumltances that give me the
honourable opportunity of commencing
my citizenlhip in the stormy hour of diffi
culties. I come not to enjoy repose.—
Convinced that the cause of France is the
cause of all mankind, and that as liberty
cannot be purchased by a w(h, 1 gladly
{hare with you the dangers and honour-.
ntcefTiry to success.
" I am well aware, that the moment
cf any great change, such as 1 hat accom
plifhed o 1 the loth of August, i 3 una
voidably the moment of terror and con
/ufion. The mind highly agitated by
hope, suspicion and apprentfnfion, conti
nues without reft till the change be ac
com.phfhed. Bu; let us now look calm
ly and confidently forward, and success i:
certain. It is .no longer the paltry
cause of kings, or of this, or of that in
dividual, that C' '• France and her armies
into action. It is the great C3ufe of all.
It is the eftablifrsment of a new asra, that
shall blot defpotilm f.om the earth, and
tix on the lasting principles of peace and
citizenlhip, the great republic of man.
" It has been my fate to have borne a
{hare in the commencement and complete
eftablilhment of one revolution (I mean
the revolution of America.) The success
and cvent» of that revolution are encou
raging to us. The prufperity and hap
piness that have since flowed to that coun
try, have amply rewarded her for all the
hardfliips (he endured, and for all the
dangers foe encountercJ.
" The principles on which that revolu
tion began, have extended themselves to
Europe: and on over ruling providence
is regenerating the old world by the prin
ciples of the new. Thediftance of Ame
rica fjom all the other parts of the globe,
did not admit of her carrying of those
principles beyond her own situation. It i:
to the peculiar honour of France, that flit
now raises the (tandard of liberty for all
nations; and in fighting her own battles,
contends for the rights of all mankind.
" The fame spirit of fortitude that in
sured success to America will insure it to
France, for it is impossible to conqlier a
nation determined to be free ! The mili
tary circumstances that now unite them
selves to France, are such as the despots o;
the earth know nothing of, and can form
no calculation upon. Tkey know not
what it is to fight against a nation.—
They have only been accustomed to make
war against each other ; and they know
from system and pra&ice, how to calcu
late the probable success of despot againfl
defpot,and here their knowledge aad theii
experience ends.
" But in a contest like the present, .
new and boundless variety of circumstan
ces arise, that derange all such customary
calculations. When a whole nation acts
as an army, the despot knows not the
ester.; of .the power against which he con
tends. New armies rife against him with
the necessity of the moment. It ;s then
that the difficulties of an invading enemy
By P. FR E N EA U : Publijhed Wednesdays and Saturdays, at Three Dollars per annum.
multiply, as in the former cafe they dirri
r.ifhed, and he finds them at their height
when he expe&ed them to end,
" The only war that has any similari
ty of circumllanccs with the piefent L
;!:e late revolution war in America. On
her part, as it now is in France, it was a
war of the whole nation There it was
that the enemy, by beginning to conquer,
put himfelf in a condition of being con
quercd. His firH victories prepared him
tor defeat. He advanced till he could
not retreat and found him.elf in the miiill
of a nation of armies.
"Were it now to be propoftd to the
Auftrians and Pniffians to efeort their
i'.ito the middle of France, and t!u*re lcaw
them to make the most of such a situation,
tl; y would fee too much into the dan
gers of it to accept the olfer; and the
lame daman's would altenu them, cor.
ihey arrive there by any other means. —
Where then is the military policy of then
attempting to obtain, that whict
:hey would refufe by choice But tr
'eafon with deipots is throning realoi
iway. The belt of arguments is a vigour
■us preparation.
" Man is ever a stranger to the way
ay whfibh providence regulates the orde:
if things. The interference of Ejrcijrt
iefpots may serve to introduce into tluii
>wo eiifljved countries the principles the)
:ome to oppose. Liberty and equality
ire bl-.IS rgs too great to be the inheri
ance of France alone. It is honour tc
:ier to be the firft champion : and she may
row fay to her enemies, with a mighty
•■nice, "O! y? Auftrians 1 nd ye Prut
liana ! ye who turn your bay >nets againll
is; it is for you, it is for all Europe, il
s for all mankind, and not for France a
one, that Hie raife3 the (landard ofliber
:y and equality !"
" The public cause has hitherto fuf
rered from the contradictions contained
n the conllitution of the former conftitu
;nt aflembly. Those contradictions hive
Served to divide the opinions of individu
als at home, and to sbfeure the great prin.
riples of the revolution in other countries.
But when those contradictions shall be
removed, and the coullitution be made
conformable to the declaration of rights :
when the bagatelles of Monarch, Royalty.
Regency, and Hereditary succession, shall
be exposed, with all their absurdities, a
new ray of light will be thrown over the
world and the revolution will derive new
strength bv being univerfallv understood.
" The scene that now opens itlelf to
France, extends far beyond the boundaries
of her own dominions. Every nation is
becoming her colleague, and everv court is
becoming her enemy It is now the cause
of all nations againil the cause of all courts.
The terrors that despotism felt, clandei
tinely begot a confederation of despots :
and their attack upon France is produced
by their fean at home.
" In entering on this great scene, great
er than any nation has yet been called to
ast in, let us fay to the agitated mind,
be calm. Let us punish by inftru&ing,
rather than by revenge. Let us begin
the new <era by a greatness of friendfhip,
and hail the approach of union and fucceis.
*" Tour Fellow Citizen.
" THOMAS PAINE.
PHILADELPHIA DISPENSARY.
To the Citizens of Philadelphia.
HOWEVER necefiary and proper it
may have been in former publications o!
this kind, to enlarge on the utility of the
Dispensary, yet, being persuaded that such
recommendations are now become ufclefs,
from the general conviction of it's advan
tages, we proceed to lay before it's bene
volent supporters the ilate of the funds
and an account of the patients who have
received the benefit of their charity during
the la ft year.
Account of Receipts and Expenditures,
Received in annual contributi
ons £ 345 '3 -
L'.i contributions for l:fe 7° ° °
A ir.f cv of Mrs. Ham;an
Morris 10 ° °
Of B-ook Smith Esq. 35 00
A donation from Edwara 1 ilgh
man Esq. 3 0 0
From James RfadEfq. 2 0 0
From a Person unknown 3 '5 °
Ballance due the treasurer 28 io <)
£• 497 18 11
Expenditures.
>louse er.pences and medi
cines £-l*° 7"
"ivufe ni.t 63 15 c
Apothecary's salary ' 100 o c
Printing and Stationary 28 14 1 1
jnllance due the treasurer last
year I*s 11
£ 497 18 11
Account of Patients admitted &c. &c
The number of patients who have brer
inder the care of the Dispensary from De
:ember id 1791 to December lit 179:
s ll 'J [
Remaining under care from lad
year 35
Admitted i i 63
3f whom the number cured is 920
Dead 62
Relieved 96
Discharged disorderly jO
Removed to the hospital and"}
house of employment X 1 2
Remaining under care 78
119?
It is with fatisfaftion we find, and il
null afford peculiar pleasure to those li
?eral minds, who have been solicitous foi
he support of this institution, to temarl.
lie prcfent more favourable condition o
he funds, and tile attention toceconomy
jbferved in the management of them
jut as it is only by a constant extension o
public favour, that the Difpenl'ary can b:
Supported, we mml remind its generoui
Mtrons, that the miseries of the indigent
till call for a continuance yf their boun
y ; and that contributions are, as usual
■eceived by Mr. John Clifford, the trea'
urer, No 4.6. North Front street, at th<
Dispensary, and by all the managers.
The election for managers for the en
uung year, will be held at the Diipenfaiy
11 Chefnut street, 011 Monday the 7th dai
jf January next, between the hours o
Lhree and five, i» the afternoon. Th<
,-otes of the ladies will be received bj
jroxy.
William White,
Thomas Clifford,
Samuel Powel,
Samuel Pleafants,
Henry Hill,
Thomas Franklin,
Lawrence Seckel,
Robert Blackwell,
Henry Helmuth,
George Meade,
George Fox,
Dec. 18. 1792. James Abercrombie
French National Convention
O&ober 11.
Letter of Lieutenant General DMon, totk
Landgrave of Hejfe CaJJel.
" 1 have the honour of fending back tc
liis fcrene highness the Landgrave o
Hefle CafTel, Lieutenant Lindau. He
may judge by the declaration I have madt
to that officer, that the French nation
always great and always generous, know,
how to appreciate a noble action, and e
deems bravery even in its enemies
« I embrace this opportunity of prcfeti
ting to your serene highness some reflec
tions, which are didated by reason anc
humanity. Youcannot deny that a nati
on, taken collectively, has a right to give
itfelf whatever form of government it may
think proper,, and that, consequently, its
will can be opposed by that of no indivi
dual. Free and absolutely independent
forever, the French nation has. resumed its
rights, and wishes to change the form
of its government. Such, in a few words,
is the sum of whajt is palling in France.
His serene highness of HeiTe Caflel has
brought into that country a body of
troops ; as a prince he is facrificing his
fubjeds to a cause in which he has no in
terell ; and as a soldier he mult be fenli
ble of the situation in which he now is—
It is dangerous : he is surrounded ; and
I propote to him to set out to morrow in
order to return to his own country, and
to evacuate the French territories. I rtiall
procure him the means of palling in fafe
ty near the F>ench armies, which are now
in pofleflioti of several points near wlicti
he mull direst his march XJoud
This proposal is made in a candid manner
and I require a formal and explicit an
swer. The French republic can excuse
an error, but it knows how to avenge
the .ip.vafton and pillage of its territo
ries.
(Signed) "DILLON."
"P. S I fend this letter by Cobert,
my adjutant general, who will wait for
your anfv.er. I request it may be sent
soon, as I am rbady to march."
Answer of the Aid-de-Comp of the Prince
of Hijfe CaJfeL
"Sir,
" His serene highness the Landgrave
is perfe&ly sensible of the particular atten
tion you have {hewn to him by your no
ole and generous behaviour towards lieu
tenant Lindau. Hig serene highness has
:harged me to return you his sincere
thanks for this action, which does honour
o your merit and to your humanity.
' « Considering, however, the e
/ents which have taken place in
France, under a different point of view
rom that of the milled people, his serene
highness has fignified to me tliat the re
maining part of your letter is of such a
nature as to render it impofiible for him
:o return au answer, Scq.
Letter from the adminiflrators of the dijlrici
of Etain, to the duie of Brunfwici, dated
OSober I.
" Mv Lord,
" We have, made bade to obey the or
ders of your serene highness, by collec
ting from our municipalities, the 2,500
Tacks of oats, which you have required.
We have engaged the municipalities to
:aufe their quota to be conducted to
your army, and we hope you will not ex
ercise severity should it arrive late. We
iiave the honour of being, wiih the ut
x.oil refpeft. See.
" Signed by the Adminiftrstors."
Circular letter of General Dillon to the muni
cipalities of the di/lriS of Etain, OOloler 5.
" I have learnt by an intercepted letter
of the directory of the diilritl of Etain to
the duke of Brunfwick, that he ordered
you to carry to the enemy's camp, facku
if oats, and quantities of bread. I inform
you that I am encamped at Sivry with
superior forces, and that I (hall treat as
traitors to their country all villages and
municipalities who may furnifh any affis-
Lance to the enemy. You roust, on the
contrary, endeavour to fend every kind
of provisions to my camp."
l'hillippeaux. —" I move for a dccree
of peculation against the base adminiflra
tors of Etain."
Lafijuinais—"An intercepted letter,
the authenticity of which, upon that ac
count even may be doubtful, 13 not a fuf
licient gjQund for accusation. I move,
therefore, that this affair may be referred
to the committee of geuei ;1 fafety.''
Decreed.
[Total No. 123.]