National gazette. — Philadelphia [Pa.], 1793-08-17 00:00:00, page 2

agreement iWttricTe, 'MVcmiJ ,;c:'oe con
jfidered by every impartial person, that the
pirties were exclusively ehtitled to them ?
And should any other explanation be at
tempted by either party, whether it would
be co.ilidered as an unfair measure to evade
the performance ?
If a nation, like a man, has an honefl
fame to secure, why (liould they not have
the fime line of conduct to p.irfue?—lt
reputation is valuable, as it ' represses hos
tilities, and secures efteern,'why, if we are
Anxious to keep ourselves out of the pre
fect war, and uifh to secure theefteem o(
«ur allies, fhonld we adopt principles dero
gatory to our honor ; and thereby, ac
cording to the judge's own sentiments,
provoke other nations to commence ' hof
lilities againfl us ?
The so egoing observations arise from
the implication that is fairly dedutible
from the article of treaty. But as the
Hon. Judge has not suggested an idea that
snv law of the Unite#l States forbids the
French from fitting out privateers in our
ports, it is prefn ned that there is no le
vi l.'itive authority to prevent it. The Hon.
j udge mut concede to th s principle, ' that
where no law is, there is no tr mgreflion.'
It behoves every person in his Itation, to
<!- cide agreeable to the promulgated laws
of the states, as no man has a right to dic
tate beyond what the law will warrant.
If it is found, that by implication the ar
ticle will bear the conUi-nii on now plead
ed for, it is the duty of t : iofe who are
called upon to decide on this question. to
request the meeting of congress, that the
principles may be thoroughly investigated
by the representatives of the peop/e ; and
if neceflary, such efficient laws enacled,
whereby every citizen may know the pre
cise ground on which he stands.
To conclude, no good citizen willies
this country to become a partizan in the
present war ; but as we are in treaty with
the molt fprmid tble nation in Europe, let
us give it the mod fair and liberal con
ftr.uction. Let lis b. careful, that while
we are anxious not to i \ o ve ourselves in
a war with the other power , that we do
not difalfeit our only European ally. Lit
us not forget their ferviees, while the hand
of Britain was heavy on us ; but let us re
member, that the cause of France is the
caufeof universal freedom; and on their
success depend ihefulme liberties of the
United States.
A REPUBLICAN.
For the National Gazette.
of the UNITED
STATES.
Sir,
BEING an American by Ttirth, an early
admirer of your principles and conduit,
and feeling a conscious less of the dignity
attached to a free citizen of the United
States, I take the liberty of addrelfing you
in this public manner. Sure I am, that if
jou were acquainted with the secret re
cedes of my luart, you would excuse any
impr pr exprefF.on, and give a favourable
confti u lior. to »vhat may be offered on the
present occasion. Sir, I have watched in a
ipecial manner the conduit of your ene
mies, and the enemies of our country, from
the commencement of the declaration of
3nde|sendeiice; and the time was, when our
highly refpefted General despised their se
cret machinations, and brought to light
private intrigues ; the time was, when the
Man of the People, would make
known a Duclie, as well as an Andre,
when it had become proverbial amongst
enemies, as well as friends, that Wafliiig
ton vjns impregnable i and believe me, Sir.
my opinion itill remains the fame in refpeft
to you but jealousies have gone forth ;
permit me to observe to you upon what
ground they have taken their rife.
Our mutual enemies act confidently : —
they have endeavoured to dedroy the re
fpett, vigilance, and activity of all true
friends to their country, by reporting all
manner of evil of them falfely ; they have
so far fueceeried, that it is well known
many of our old wiiigs have been reproach
e their char?.£iers vilified, and means
Taken to ruin them ; that in consequence
100 many of our veteran , feeling the
-weight of the infuit, have loft their forti
tude, and lade* into despondency : they
have exulted at their ruin ; but, Sir, view
Their conduS in the promulgation of the
present conilitution. Their constant game
was to play federal againlt anti-federal,
jnen that had no other design than to raise
up a people, from their vociferous bellow -
jngs, to oppose them, and by that lfreans,
place their conduit to the overturning the
conflitution ; for believe me, Sir, it is
neither you. nor the constitution of Ame
rica, fht y love or admit e, but a divition of
The people—Examine their conduit: with
regard to your proclamation, and their ad
<Jre{Tc'S to you on that occasion. Eelore it
was fcarcily read, did they not run to you
•with their deceitful compliments ou the
occasion, and for the express purpose, as
above Hated, knowingthai the real friends
of tiieir country could, nor would not join
lier known and noted enemies ; and if a
fnigli individual (honk) think it his duty to
write or (peak on the fubjeft, the whole of
the great body of the people, real friends,
and uniform democrats, are vilified in ail
the public, oewfpapers, with' charges
roundly alf-i'te«l, as flnti-faderalifts, cne,
mies to our executive, overturners of the
government, disposed to anarchy, witl
every other' diabolical charge—Examine
their line ef conduct, and compare it with
those that are enemies to the republic of
France, and you, Sir, will find it exactly
limilar ; there it has been discovered that
from Dumourier down, the greatelt ene
mies have profefied to be the warmed ad
vocates for the new govern. nent, until dis
covered by the people The tenth ot
Augult, in Paris, the maff.icre at St. Do
mingo, and every general outrage has beer,
brought about by the fame kind of con
duit, and I fear the clangers apprehended
amongst us will originate from the like
canfes Much more might be added 01:
this head, were it neceflary.
Frofn what has been said, I would only
will) to impress on your mind, who yotu
real friends are, and who the friends ol
our country. Trult me, they are not Bri
tilli agents, or emiflaries, nor those among
us that are against the virtuous struggles ol
the French. Much, very much, depends
on judging aright between the parties thai
are now llruggling for pre-eminence ;
whofedependence is in drawingyou offfron;
your trueintereft For God's fake, for
the fake of your country's prosperity, for
the fake of your own hnppinefsand honour,
I intreat you, Sir, fci utinize the character;
that are cringing to yoi>, and whifpei ing in
your ear : Conlidrr that Free Men. pof
felled of Republican principles, cannol
flatter; but they are the people you have
proved, and wi'l ultimately have to reij
on. AN AMERICAN.
Philad. Augult. 14.
For the NATIONAL GAZETTE.
THE insidious characters which have
lately evinced their diiTatufaftion to the
glorious revolution of the French, have
now thrown off the ma(k which has so lonp
concealed their real thai-afters, and have
poured forth a licentious torrent of the
molt unmerited abuse upon the character
of a Man, whose conduct has still manifefl
ed him worthy the office of the repre
sentative of a free peopie, whose talent'
hive declared he peflefles ab lities equa
to ihe talk, and whefe virtues mult make
him rtfpefled by every friend to liberty.
Charges, the in»lt innocent in their nature,
and trifling in their conferences, have
been adduced to public view, blackened
with all the malevolent inferences, height
ened with the molt calumniating accufari
011s, and couched in the melt abusive lan
guage, which men, guided byperfonal re
sentment, could invent. Happy, however,
for M. Genet, he is above the reach of
those enemies who would v illi to asperse
his character, and so long as he continues
to pursue measures which are as confident
with his capacity, as he has already adopt
ed, he will experience the fatisfaclion ol
being respeCted by those who applaud the
caule of his country. Asa man of sensi
bility, however, it cannot but wound hi:
feelings to meet with a reception, among
a free people, so contrary to his own ex
pectations, and those of his countrymen.
The friends of tyranny have now triet!
innumerable resources to make the inhabi
tants of these United States difaffecfed tc
France. The aCts of vengeance whicr
have signalized the revolution have beer
held up in the molt outrageous colours:
The decapitation of their tyrant has beer
brought forth to awaken our sympathy ;
the illegitimate authority of the Conven
tion; the profane characters who compose
that tumultuous body ; the tyrannical fac
tion of the Jacobins, and finally the condufl
of their ainbaiiador, are reprobated, an<
made a fubjeit of expatiation : no doubt,
with a view of seducing us to a violatior
of those treaties, which, so far from being
annihilated, by a change of sentiment in
our allies, have received additional llrengtl;
and for the fulfilment of which, our nati
onal honour and prosperity are pledged.
It may not be improper, in contemplat
ing the subjeCt under conlideration, to ob
serve the drain of those writers who have
impeached the conduct of Mr. Genet in
declaring hisdetermination to appeal to the
people. One of the molt conspicuous o)
those characters, is a person who has rru
dered himfelf notable to the public, by
' volunteering' an address to the ambassa
dor after he had relided in Philadelphia ;
fufficient time lor the citizens of the ' mid
dle states to have been acquainted with hi
coi.duCt while to the southward.' How
his principles have been thus ' regenerated
is a problem, which many may not find
it difficult to solve. I have only to indulge
the hope that some one who has more lei
sure than myfelf, will take the 4 trouble 1
of ' answering' his lengthy publication;
which have appeared in the " New-York
Daily Advertiser' and re-publifiied in mofl
of the newspapers of this city; left, he
should again fliew track, and either run to
the other fide, or fink into ignominious con
tempt or oblivion.—'l'fhall make but a
remark or two upon his pre.lix observati
ons.
"Mr. Genet declares that if the rrefi
dent of the U. S. pursued meafHres agree
ably to his [own] construction of treaties,
he (Mr. Genet) would appeal to the peo
ple.' In a republican country, the people
Slone are the balls of the government—
All powers being originally derived from
them, can, by concurrence of a majority,
be by them withdrawn at pleafnre—'They
alone are the authors of the law, and to
them alone. Bull the ultimate decision of
the interpretation belong. An assertion,
then, of Mr. Wil'cocks, that ' all' the
powers of government have been resigned
to the representatives' cannot have any
foundation to support it. The represen
tatives are entrulted with particular pow
ers only, which are guaranteed by the
constitution. The reft still remain in the
exclulivepolfeflion of the people, to be ex
erciled at pleasure. The * sovereignty' of
our legillative, but more particularly of
our executive department, is a doctrine as
incompatible with the principles of liberty,
as it is inconsistent to be taught by one,
who profeifes to be a republican. An in
tcrpretation of the treaty by the ' Prclident'.
(Vattelismy authority) when it claflies
with Mr. Genet's, is of no more validity
then that of the anibaffador. If then the
Prelident pursued measures agreeably to
* his' interpretation, why has not Mr. Ge
net an equal right to conduit himfelf in
conformity to • his' opinion ? He chose
however to appeal to the authors of the
treaty, to whom the Prelident is doubtlef
responsible. No doubt this remonllrance
will be conveyed in the regular mode r<
their ' reprefentatives'who ' virtually ccn
ftitute the people.' Whether tlvis alfertion
Humid have been a just cause of such scur
rility, as has been vented against the author,
every candid inind is capable of judging.
The other charges exhibited against Mr
Genet, are too futile to merit a moment's
consideration. They serve, however, to
lliew the disposition of those who step for
ward to accuse him. The infiirrecfions &
tumults they speak of, are chimeras which
exit! only in the p<"ricraniums of the au
thors. Not until 'offences'of a more hei
nous nature are exhibited, can they merit
the attention of the public. But. whilst.
a coincidence of sentiment with many ref
peftable citizens of this country ; the re
fufal of complying with requests, deemed
unreasonable : and the writings of his se
cretary, are imputed as crimes to Mr. Ge
net, those who are friends to the cause in
which his country is engaged, those who
are not enemies to the progress of univer-
Pal freedom, mud applaud his conduit, and
approve of those measures which he ha
already pursued, and which are perfectly
:onlil>ent with that prudence and magna
limity which will ever ilillinguilh the ho
left representative as a free, generous,
ind enlightened nation.
ALCANOR.
Aug. ts-
PHILADELPHIA.
Saturday, August 17.
" On the principles of a neutral pow
er, our adtions as .1 nation, whatever oui
w fiiea may be in the contest, arc to be
perfectly indifferent to each party. We
have as mechanics and merchants a right
to labour for, or supply each party, at
their request. Should arms, money, (hips,
or any other things neceflary to carrying
on the war, befupplied by our merchants,
the party against whom it is to be used,
has a right to seize it on the hij>h seas,
and to make it prize as contraband goods;
but our (hipping the fame is no breach of
neutral laws. Our citizens owing allegi
ance to neither power, they have a right
to engage in the armies, or on board the
public ships of war of either.
But we Hand with France on a treaty,
which places us on a footing rather wid<
F.om a state of neutrality and indifference.
We by our treaty of amity and com
merce, are not to allow their enemies tc
jring prizes to our ports, or to find fhel
ter and Supplies in our harbours : But the
trench a med veffcls and privateers are tc
tome in with their prizes, to receivc sup
plies, and to be treated with kindness
Whethcrthe treaty allows the French re
public to build, to buy, or to commiflion
privateers or men of war here, is anothei
quel) ion— That they are to have a prefe
rence to their enemies, is clear ; and that
we have authority and right, as merchants
and mechanics, to build vefTels for them,
to fell to them,, and to all nations, vtfiels,
powder, fliot, cannon, small arms, and
every article of merchandize, is very clear,
and that our mechanics have a right to
labour for every nation, there can be no
doubt of." Ind. Chfon.
" The French will not be conquered
(fays a very late letter from London)
I hey may hjfe Conde and Valenciennes,
but their enemies must soon afterwards
feel their inferiority, and, I think, re
ceive terms from those they have so much
attempted to injure, and affected to de
spise. I think this country has received a
fatal injury to their commerce and manu
fc&ufM, and I sm afraid they *,'!! fufTe*
more than the fafety of their neighbours
require. I hope America w ill not hesitate
to comply «.ith every article of the treaty
with France."
The beautiful new French frigate Con
cord, of 44 guns, is arrived at Boston.,—
She is commanded by Citizen Van Don
gen, a French patriot of the mod tried
integrity, and fi>ft rate naval abilities.
On Wednesday lad arrived here, thu
Englilh sloop Hope, and Spanifli sloop
Alodia, prizes to the Citizen Genet,
Little Democrat, and Carmajnole. The
latter is laden with tobacco, hides, &c.
Captain Crabtree, lately from the Well;
Indies, gives the following extraordinary
account of a Sea Serpent, the authenti
city of which may be depended on.
" On the 2Cth June lad, being on my*
pnffage from the Weft Indies, in the
morning, having just made Mount Desert
island, diltant nearly ten leagues, I sud
denly got fight of a serpent of an enor
mous lize, swimming on the furface of
the ocean, its head elevated about fix or
eight feet cut of water, rather prone for
ward. That part of the body which was
out of water I judged to be ahout thefize
of a barrel in circumference, but the head
larger, having some resemblance of a
horse's head.. According to the molt
accurate computation which J made in
my mind, of his length, I think it could
not be less than from 55 to 60 feet, and.
perhaps longer. That part of the body
which was not elevated, but of which I
had a distinct view several time?, was
larger than the part out of water; the
body of a dark brown. I was within' 200
yards of it rear an hour, during which
time, as it. discovered no inclination to
moled us, myfelf and the whole crew ob
served it with the minuted attention, nor
was its attention less fixed 011 us. The
:ye was perfe&ly black, Iharp and pierc
ng. 1 was lo near it as to observe clearly
hat there were no fins or external appen
ds to the body, but that its motion
was by the writhing of the body like
:>ther lerpents. During the time it was
with us, several flocks of birds flew near,*
which it eyed very closely ; I observed in
it the greatest agility and quickness of
motion."
There is no doubt but this is one of
the two which have been seen in these
parts. All accounts agree refpefling their
!.ze and appearance. Two of them, per«
haps the fame, were seen on the shore of
[he Cr.nberry islands, but immediately
:00k to the water 011 being discovered.
1 hefe are tiie firlt ever seen in our seas,
:hat we may have any account of, though
:hey have b en seen on the coast of Nor
way more than 100 feet in length.
NEW-YORK, Augud 13.
From the Diarv.
Mc'/frs. Printers,
Certain late publ cations render it pro
per for us to authorise you to inform the
public, th _ ;t a report having reached this
-ity from Philadelphia, that Mr. Genet,
he French minister, said that he would
tppeal to the people from certain decifi
jns ot the President ; we were asked, on
jur return from that place, whether he
lad made such a declaration- we anfver
:d, that he had, and we also mentioned it
.0 others, authoring them to fay that we»
lad so inlormed themr
JOHN JAY,
RUFUS KING.
New-York, Augud 12.
Ihe EngiifVi brij hfancy, Barry, from
lair.aica to Philadelphia, was captured on
Monday 1 id, and font into New York, a
jrize to the Little Democrat and Car
magnole. The Democrat is said to be on
ter way to ihis port.
It is truly laughable (fays a correfpon
fent) to read the pompous orders i fitted
iy tlie governor of Bermuda, for the de
ence of that island—l am ti>l<l they-talk
flinch of their prowess. il.oiild our great
ind good allies attempt a defcent 1 on their
{land. I will give one or two anecdotes,
of that place, in the year r 772, being in
chat island, i went, in company with an I -
rifh officei, to fee a ; r rand review—the mi
litia, in number about /too, were drawn
up. when their colonel, in a molt pompons
manner, gave tile following words of com
mand :
" Gentlemen, you that have short knee'd
breeches and who e Iho , Hand in the front
—you that have long ti ovvfi 1 and no (hoes,
ftandin the rear." Second word <»f com
mand : " Turn your f.iics to couliti iue's
r--tatoe-patch, antl hi el"