National gazette. — Philadelphia [Pa.], 1793-07-10 00:00:00, page 1

French Si. Domingo Affairs.
[Continued from our lalt and concluded.]
PROCLAMATION of the Natf«nnl Civil
Commifiioner POLVF.RKL, piveu tit
Aux Cayes y the c,th of March r 7V3-
(With remarks.)
IN the NAME of the NATION'.
rOLVFRrt, National Cm'
C ommifliojier, delegated to the Frcich
American leeward ifiands to re-ellablife
public order aud tranquillity.
"HA> INO foen the copy of a decree
parted on the 29th of January lafl by the
eitir.ens affemblcd in the parish church of
the town of Ciyes, signed Rolls,lN, preli
dent ; Efuault and Cotellc, secretaries,"
&.c. \Rernark :—A dictator, it seems, ts at
liberty to regulate every thing by his own
Vill, and adjttfl all laws to bis own lik
ing : for, only observe, commiffioier Pol
■verelin order to palliate his odious des
potism. does not dare to reuognize this
afiembly of united citizens as a commune
legally convoked and authorized by the
municipality. 1
" Artcl eonfidering (continues the procla
mation) the obligations which the united
citizens have laid me under rd denounce to
the tribunals of the colony fiich persons as
ft all ft.it>d ar b? guilty'''' [fynohi
mius wrdi, itietms. in the new French
refi' blica'! aifiionarv~\ "of difaffeftion or
reliOam-e r n th& I ? w,' 1 s again \
"or fufpeftect of being the authors of the
troubles in the colonies 1 * fit it a urpnder
the thovght did not »ccj< rto aim to accuje us
&y name~\" which is a formal difubedience
to the law, a criminal attempt againlt nati
onal authority," fbig worth to of
fended dignity of tke riiHatbr~\. ''finre tTiy
Jaw declares tliat all crimes ef that nature
are those of Lcze nation, ami that it enjoins
me to fend the guilty to the lejitlative body,
to whom alone it belongs to decide whe
ther there be or b<? not can't of acdufatio'n
fcertainly the law has acted very wrongly ;
for it would hav£ been much k-fs absurd
to have sent out tllefe national civil con
ciliating commidioners accompanie«f with
She gitilletine, t™judge ill Hie most fumina
ry manner, and 011 the spot those that
fliotild appear to them to be guilty. In
this view a guillotine and a judge are fyno-
Tiimous terms also]
" C oflfidering furcJier that .the pretence
they have made of obliging me to give an
account of my conduct to the citizens of
the several diftrifts of St. Doratngo, and
my motives for orders of arrett. or for
thofr fufpenlions which the fevertty of «u
---jniniffry may require me to make, is an
offence againll the law, which commands
,vne to account to none except to the ley,if
Native body; ar.d considering also, that it is
a deliberate 3ttack upon the sovereignty of
tie French nation, whose reprefencativet
Jiave referred to themselves the exeluftve
right ofre-judging my proceedings.and that
the contrary would be the readiest mean:
to render ineffectual all the powers with
■which the law has invelted me
Considering again. that according to thf
old monarchical conflitutjon of France, the
public functionaries cannot fuffer depriva
tion but by forfeiture duely adjudged, thai
they ran only be suspended by an admittec
nccufation; &that a law adapted to circum
funces(and which the events of the 10th oi
August had madt neceflary) has authorize
tRe civil commiifioners to fnfpend provifi
onally the public functionaries, and ti pro
vkie for their re-inftatement on conditio!
that the legislative bodv should be forth
with informed thereof."—[Under the ol<
jrovernment Lettres de ca.het were alft
laws ofcirttimflance ; or rather is this pre
tended fort of law any thing more th-it:
merely'a republican Letter de cachet, wh'u I
delivers up all the colonifh to the sole hi--
will and plrafure of Mr. Stephei
polverel—bow absurd to suppose so 1] '
Considering moreover that the nation
al convention, which is not at all bound ! j
the monarchical constitution since a rrpub
lican confiitution has bem. formed"—[Bur.
captiou' declaimer, confefs nlfo, that until
tilio conflitut'on was marie, the < <»n ention
deK.lired that all such articles of the firti
conftitHtion, which were not cxprefsly a
bolished hy particular edi.-.5. fiu/t.ld he in
fore* 1 ; and do not make the convention a
creature as violently monOrous a,~d absurd
as yourfeir] ''the convention (you go on;
has authorized the minister of the marine
not to suspend provifioiially, but to ttirs?
out of office, and replacewith others, fuel,'
«f the public functionaries ui the leeward
N-jMfi. 73 of Vol. ll.] WEDNESDAY, [uly 10, 1793.
By P. FR£ N E A U : (at No. 209, Market Street) Publijked. Wednesdays and. Saturdays, [Three Dollars per annum.~\
iflaneh wjiofe fide vy m~y be ftifpeQed ;
and that on this fnbjedt the niinifter has in
verted the national civil commilfioners with
c 'ipetent powers"
[Alas ! instead of seeking to juftify. as
you do in the succeeding paragraph, a prin
ciple Co absurd and (hocking in legislation,
that the Turk himfelf would rot venture
to reduce it to a written la%v; instead of
letting the law in this odious point of view
'.vhich a ill forever disgrace ihe memory ct
your infant republic, aud will be aJUmiing
evidence to all future a'res of the fname
lefs tyranny of certain hot headed charac
ters, who preferred to force upon us, rather
than apologize or, a law evidently pro
ceeding from the gloomy hearts 01' those
lame men who have as much dilhonoied
the facrtd c'iara£ler of as in
their private lives they have forfeited the
reputation of iioneft men—irdlead of a£feng
luch a part, I fay, you fiiouid out of re
fpeil to the whole body, (loathe yourfelf
ill mourn,ng, as a token that under liic:;
law, vl ; fn.iil foo:i fee the empty phantom
of French ii-berty dilappear. line out
of refpsil to a people that are really free.
I pass over fevcra! more leav
ing what I have fa:d to their judgment.]
" Oonlidering also (proceeds tlie procta
mati'ii:) thatthe signature oi the prelideni
and the two Secretaries of the alfembly are
appended to the decree and petition ; i: '
a lull proof that they arjr the thjee person:
moll criminal, anil that therefore there i
no neceflitv of our increasing the numk/
EECL AKf D, chat as far as respects pub
lic I will ~pi permit a lingle
one to remain in the toTixiy whole attic/i
---ment to tiie French rcpiiblic is not cleai
and unequivocal. I have not ordered the
ftifpenfiou of one of them ■sutlhout
notwithtlanrlinjj the litis o£_
anrl r,r)twic!.rt:tn<' , i: g the urgent wilhes ol
tlijf-fctizens, expreded aloud"—[Good God
what a government nmfl that be, where
thegenerat of the citizens is collect
ed froin profcripMijjl lifts, and a man muf
he convicted v, klwtit being a!!o\vc.' to en
rer a plea against and, wirhoui
i hearing or proof, nmft ).e' from hi:
habitation and sent off, and charg.
:d yvith the crime of treason ■:he
lacion " Altho' the decree did noi
mthorize me to suspend from ofhee with
out proof, yet it now authorizes me to pal!
sentence of deprivation upon all .public
?ancV;on#ries whose fidelity is fiifpected. v
which 2bfolves from the troublWome ie
ctffity of proof— what a law 1 uy ;gaio!
Gut does it really mean that a man lhali
ae fa lieu away from his affairs & fenr gooo
miles upon a charge of fufpicioii ? It wa:
agfinft this unprecedented tranfpcrtatioi:
■>f citizen Marfolai that the commune ol
C;jes principally rertlUnftrated : aud it
was in tjonfequence of this proclamation
that the officers of the aflen.b'y of the com
mune, lire theinfelves accused of the crime
of Leze nation-—bt t let us go on with the
procn nation.j tl 'l lie new powers with
which lain inverted are pofitivc, f.rifllj
impartial. mid know no refpeef to person: ;
and they do n»t deny me the privilege oi
fatisfyinji the withes of all true republicans
at the fame tiim- that I exercise the pow.
etsthat have been delegated tome, wit!
tirmnefs.: —I <lee.Ure therefore, that citi
zens Rnlloin, K f l uiit, and Corelle appeal
tome guilty" Us the guillotine, he n eaus'
"of attempt- agviisft the n.-.tiona, 1 sove
reignty, and of pl<As tending to diftityb the
peace of the colony ar.c! excite a civil wai
againrt the republic, by arming certain ei
tizens againrt the ex&.uti'oii of th« lawfu.
authority of the delegates t>f the nation
In consequence of which'l hereby deprive
the fa.el h-fnault cis liis office at attorney ir
the Senechsl jurifdiition aijd admiralty 01
Csyes. I ORDAIN that, as veil he u
the laid Rolloin and Coteile flia.'l be V.\,l
under arrert and sent on board rite frigate
ol the republic, Le -Surveillant, there to bi
fafely kept imtill t!» earfieft opportuiiM\
fiiall offer (or (hipping them off for France—
and on their arrival, to be put into the firll
i'ood and f. ffirient prison that mt \ 'je con
v ar.;ent to the p l ate ef the A If.oiio ol the
national convention.- eat Cav
es, Jlu 4' hof March, 1-93, the- lirlt ytai oi
the v epubhe.
(Signed) POLVERFL.
(A lit\le Tvwer was written by the n. ti
onalcivii coiiMmllionei,) Polverel, jtin.
I certif tl.is iopy to be a true extract,
and agreeable ti the pvilirtcl copies which
I forwarded to the national cotuention.
J. L. COTI.LLE.
Che/lertown, (M(iry4wd) June 9, 1793. '
For the National Gazette.
Mr. FnfcNEAt?,
r THE day is tome when every American
x fhoiitd rouse from the lupine lethargy
sf fen years ; tlie tijne when every repub
lican fhou.'d (hake off that (loth and indif
ference that has for a season enveloped his
.enfes, and turn an attentive eye to li
tuations, perhaps critical to liberty, and to
:hara£ter.>., pei iiups dangerous to republics.
How uimilpiuous were we but yeftcr
ilay of the integrity und principles of Come
men, and how far were, we from fiippof
ing that there was a (ingle resident in rinit.
"icy. that was a friend lo despots, or inimi
:al lo tlie breffiug of a iree government 1
France, tliu' her thrill clarion of liberty,
las scarcely been able to penetrate the dens
'ars of Americans, and invite them to a
.■ie.v of tlie horrors of that precipice, t'j
which the foes of nature & of man,uii.kr ihe
netendedfunction offriendlhip,were lei d
ng them blindfold-, the victims o/incaution
md inexperience.
The perilous lituation, however, of our
rieiul and benefactor in the days of atlver
ity, has uripped off the malk from these
ecret work.rs of iniquity; & from her
t> uggles are we taught to know anddiltin
;uilh who are the enemies of mankind.
But !■■■■ifwiicftanding, we (Till appear
ignorant, in ;• great il--gree. of the cir liens,
LHid are to;> inattentive to tlie busy aftivitj
of these tinbluOiing enviiaries, wh« pre
fumeto come forth In the face of United
America to oiuVininate the?.- peftileotial
Joetrines. and to poilon tlie very vitals ol
iliat government, which the choice of a
11 ee people has eitabtilhed for their protec
tion, and which »i,gkt to diftlain the (belter
of c/„;adtjj:»e operation. Tbrfe emifli
ries have already Capped the principles ol
pure republicanism as far as their inlluenre
eould go. They scruple not to declare a
lotid their weight in the governmental feale
of influence, and have set republicans a!
defiance by theinfulting exhibition of the
laitreat adui ition of,Go<l/ave king George!
( oilld that heart be of American texture
which did not swell with indignation pud
horror at the unparelleled degree of info
ience wiiicht dared to tell us in our own
prints, that they had publicly celebrated
tlie anniversary of monarchy in the very
".ei.tre of a republican comury, and that
they touted the monarch on the Very spot
where bis sword h;,d but recently (l:td a
deluge cfb'ood, ami among that people
who e lives had paid the forfeit of his dif
pleafnre! Ti? thus we are ififitlted with
adoration paid before our faces to that be
nevolent author of the late war, whose
wifli it was to teach his American Juijeiti
the duties of son-refinance by the delibe
rate methods of rapine, blood ord murder.
'Tis those (laves of tyrants Who openly
avijw the wiihes, and perhaps the inten
tion of their matters, who, fhoitld they
vanquilh The foes of'monarchy in Europe",
hope to exterminate the liberty of mankind!
and chain the generous democratic Ameri
can with the vile ariltocratic (lave 5 ol i'.n
rope.
Nothing but the psfrie spirit which the
power of neutrality enforces, and a full
confidence iH the fuccefsof the confederated
legions againd France, could produce filch
wiac.hWfs pivfumption or encourage agents
ami-: g us to ofeer fuchanopen infuit to the
feniijiients of a nation that has so lately
fn itched its neck frcm iheigriominiousyoke
Ot royalty, ami lipped the sweets of tree
ilo:u unmingled with the gall of slavery.
Were such characters only infiguificant
PA ty-puffers, or unprincipled persons,
p i. 1 in led with the gold of foreign despots,
Itiil they are ofcje&s of suspicion, and call
for more attemion than tonfifts with (j,n
---pl» i 'iffidenee.—Never did our independ
enoe know a time more critical than at the
prt ft i t day, and never were the time;
lliore \ rolilic thaii that at present, in gjvinj
birth t '•> political incendiaries. Caution,
circuit I peilion, ar>d the ntn.oft pridcnct
ffliould France f ill) v. ill feared/ (ave m
frevn tlKVfe gorf 011 munfters, or us ii:
that r"et!ii.m iter, l.y w luth we may efcapc
the gi\ «!y fangs of ambitious a: A avaricious
tyrant;.
Now i the time that our farrcd palladi
njn i . tri (. - fecc.rcd: no v i> the time ill. 1
■ilerty is I.ffet on all (ides; in rr ncel -
tue Imoi.li of dcf| ots ; in America, bv
intri ne, i; a hination, •• nd the pandemonic
councilv of emifiaries : now there
ire is the tirtS to feenre the veilal purity
wfour cqpnny.'Vom the rapacious power
>f her enemies.' by guarding the a\ enue<
t-i her tcpij. W V.iri'i '.he spirit cl' free me:;
brandifhinp the sword of vengeance over
guilty intruders; or by expelling the vise
iiKfiollors trom a land in which they have
no (hare, no inrerel), no deftre but that cr
enslaving its inhabitant 0 , deluding its ruleri,
and infilling into the very vita!s of the £c>
v eminent, the deftruclive vencin of cou#t
influence.
Americans! arotife from the dull lan
at arcomp ' ties feenrity, learn to
Mtingu lh ycur true friends, and watt It
with p jealous eye the sycophants of the
prefect hour, and the duplicity of those
who pretend-a friendly regard for Ame
licaand are butchering the friends of free
dom. Should goverr.ment ih.nk j > oper to
hear with the infinit* ai.d abuies of a h-.iifh
iy toe, and connive at their oppu-iin e acts.
Ji.dc r the of nentraiky, let us N
i'.Ke !reen:en, individuality li.tw the fpiriu
ut firiilnefs and reiolution. by un;inimonffiv
letting ourselves to counteract the conufei's
11 t "°, fe . court-fed minions, by expofinc
-ie vi.luny of their dt%i s by pt blilhi;."
.o tne woi Id the diftintlive marks by which
hey may be known, and by defeating thoU;
nany artful inlinimions and wiles by which
ey feck to bewilder and millead all those
i*oiri the light of reaioii, have a pro-
Jeulity to lepubticaniim.
Poliefied cf this diagnostic spirit—the
p.l it of i.jvefiioation and difcernineut we
nail at once discover the myilerious ma»-
let that attracts theft iron-hearted friends
rom the abodes of monarchy : we (lw.ll be
eel to form a proper judgment of the cha
■atter, ajli} fufpett the visit of him, uhofe
ove for royalty catifed him to desert Ame
i a in her llruggle for liberty, and to tl/c~
ate such coi.dwft to the immortal Walli
rigtaii, as none but Arnold. Di ckc, or Du
mouner could Hoop to follow !
Be hoTdjfit /.g od -1 iic s champion of moner
.•hy, tins cfflcftial intercefibr. has returned
among those whom he once called '-the
Iregs of America,,-"the lowed of the
jeoplc —among those who, according to
lim, were "without principle, without
:bnrage —for what ?-Not, I hope, from
imilarity of priniiple-for I would fain
h:nk mere charitably of the fervan's cf
: fnrefy not for the love of cowardice :
rue, religion forbids the thought. If he
neans once tnjre to inculcate thole holy
marines which marked his departure froni
imtricii, he will find more infidels than
hat general\ w hoJe inpiety refxftcd this
i;illr. ;:ary of political fantfity. He will
ind thoufanrls equally bigotted to that hoy
id caj rom of refilling oppreflion, and com
jatiDg iniquity, and paying their adoration
ather to the rights of man Chan to thole
>f delpsts.—Americans; lctjuftice attend
fflltr fci u r tu;y : but lot that scrutiny feiett
or you proper objccls ol'friendfnip and
ritiijiat:o|i.
VJRGIKIUS AMiIRICANUS.
June 27th, 1793.
oi'i the NCKFOLK Advertiser ~
are informed that MefTrs. Weji and
Btvvai will in a few days open the
Sew Theatre ; as a friend 10 the Drama;
Mt'» « e!l wither to the managers, whoso
attention ; n contributing to the amusement
sf the public, h is always merited the moji
liberal patronage, I (hall trouble )ui wkh
a few remarks.
In every age the flag? has been the school
of instruction, as well as feme of atnuf.'-
ment. At on? time vice and folly are ex
pofetl for the bentfic of moral improve
ment, at another time the heart is fofteiud
and humanized by the representation of
pirtne in diflrefs. Sometimes the ftzre
becomes the fcheol of patrrotjfrii, when;
the virtues of our ancestors are revii...,
and tl;e political creed of a nation is n -
liearled. On thejudprm :it of managers in
felefling proper fui.'jefls for representation,
the appiopciatiou of the public mult ex
pend— great attention fliould be
nothing which is adverse to the geuins and
government of a free country (liouUl be ex
hibited 'n a meritorious 1 ght: — For exam
ple, the ancient Romans would hav? cOn
ceivcil thf mfelves much irifuUed hadtKv
been colieihd to ha\ e (een the expul/icii
us the Tarquins repreferted as a of
-ompcflion ; nor would the modern French
be flatter, (I in Jiearing the decapitation of
I.oui-, and the ini|-riiohment of Maria
Antoniette, trag (ally lamentfd, and
then selves cal'ed inffisns and murt'erers.
Repi blican Americans would be very iiule
gratiiiec! with the 1- ombaflickl rhapli dies of
loyalty for kin;;s and princes, or their ima
ginary diftrefies; and democratic \ rrv,9
■vould. illy suit a roy«i audivuff at l-'ruiy
iane-.
[Total Numb. 177.]