National gazette. — Philadelphia [Pa.], 1793-01-02 00:00:00, page 2

Litter from the Minijier at IVar.
" I HAVE nothing interelting to inform
you of to-day. General Kellerman, in
his dispatches of the 9th and 10th, gives me
an account of the iituation of his army.—
He adds that on the 3d, 4th, and 6th, his
advanced guard took 200 prisoners from
the enemy, among whom were feverai e
migrants, who were all exceedingly well
mounted. These captures, fays he, amuse
the soldiers much, and among the carria
ges we have taken, there is one loaded with
money. He bellows the liighelt praises or
his army, the conftaucy of which nothing
can equal.
(Signed) " LEBRUN,
" Minijier per interim."
Friday, October 12.
The president and fecretai y of the sec
tion of Marfeiiles, communicated a reso
lution of the fettion, demanding the repea
of the decree which directs elections to be
made by ballot, instead of open voce. The
resolution imported also, that if the afl'env
bly fliould not repeal the decree, the lec
tion would take such measures as in its wil
dom Ihould seem meet, obeying, provillon
ally, the decree, in the mean time.
Several members called for a decree 01
accusation agairtlt the prelident and the le
cretary.
The aflembly ordered, that they (houlc
be brought to the bar to answer for thei!
conduit.
Letter from the Commijfioutsr; of the Con
vention,Jent to the army of the Alps.
" Chamberry, Oft. 6, 1792.
" Citizens, our colleagues, the Pied
montefe, liiice our tirft dilpatches, have
made no efforts to recover from thLt flats
ofihipor into which they were thrown bj
the appearance of our troops in Savoy.—
We have received intelligence that the ar
my on the Var, under the command o]
General Anfelme, has fubjefled tht
country of Nice with the fame rapidity]
and we have learned from the courier ol
Piedmont, intercepted a few days ago, thai
aristocracy, notwithstanding the arrival oi
7000 Austrian troops, trembles even at Tu
rin. We have viiited the camp at Mont
inelian, which is under the command ol
General Rolli, and found the difpoiition ol
it excellent. Good order prevails in it;
not a (ingle citizen has made any com
plaint ; property of every kind is refpeit
ed; patriotism alone animates the brave
soldiers of liberty, and the (houts of Vim
la 7iation ! Vive la Republique t have beer
unanimous. The General presented to u;
two volunteers who have deserved well
of their country, by conducing the column:
to the bottom of the redoubts of the abys
ses of Myans, which they had gone and re
connoitered the evening before with equal
skill and intrepidity. We thought it our
duty to reward their zeal, by admitting
them to be officers at the head of the camp,
and we here consecrate their names to
public gratitude. One of them, called
Clermont, is a sergeant major in the com
pany of Avin; and the other, Ageron, is
a sergeant in that of Imbert, both belong
ing to the fifth battalion of the volunteers
of Ifere. The troops set out next morn
ing to march againlt Aiguebelle, and we
think we can assure you that the Taran
taife and la Maurienne are completely eva
cuated.
We have so much the more reason to
congratulate ourselves on the conduit ol
the French troops, as the General not ex
pecting such a feeble resistance could not
provide himfelfwith provisions, which might
have enabled him to pursue the enemy.—
Thefoldiers of liberty experienced at fir ft
some scarcity, either from the fear or dif
aifeition of the inhabitants, who, in some
cantons, even refufed to supply them with
provisions for money. They did not, how
ever, forget the cause for which they were
combating ; they patiently looked to the
wifdomofthe General for those necelfa
ries which they flood in need of, whilst the
Piedmontefe, flying like plunderers, rava
ged every thing in their way, cutting even
the vine (hoots, without any other view
than that of laying waste the country.
"We fliall without delay transmit tc
you the process-verbal of those devaluati
ons, as well as an account of the urgent
wants of those unhappy provinces, torn by
the hands of their pretended defenders.
The molt absurd tales, industriously circu
lated againlt the French republicans, had
intimidated the peaceful Savoyards ; but
if the mild behaviour of our troops has dis
sipated the clouds, it has also encouraged
the malecontents to carry on their private
intrigues. To put a flop to all falfe inli
nuations, we have thought proper to ilfue
a proclamation, in the name of the Nation
al Convention, a copy of which we now
fend you. We hope you will approve out
zeal, and support our principles.
" Our attention, as well as that of Gen.
Montefquiou, is fixed upon Geneva. You
know that without any provocation on the
part of France, 1600 Swiss have entered
that city ; that our resident has retired
from it; and that the provisions destined
for our ariny have been carried away by
the inhabitants. If that city isfree, it will
do us juflice ; if it is not free, it belongs to
the French to restore to its inhabitants the
power of thinking and of ailing.
" General Montefquiou has made pow
erful dispositions. He is at present at Car
rogue with a large body of troops, and to- ]
morrow we intend to join him.
" We learnt on our arrival at Cham
berry, that General Moirtefqujou had dif
iniiled the battalions of volunteer grena
diers who had joined his army, and that
four of the five battallions, sent to him by
the department of Gard, were on their re
turn home to their habitations. This mea
sure appeared to us diltreffing at a time
when France, surrounded by enemies, had
need of the greatest efforts from all good
citizens. As the General did not think
that he ought to comply with our repeated
solicitations, these generous defenders ot
their country were thrown into the great
ell consternation when they learnt this in
telligence. They requelt that they may
be employed at Paris, Soillons, or any o
ther place, where their zeal and their
courage may be of service to the republic.
The electoral body then aflembled, and
exprell'ed a delire that the wifii of these ci
tizen-soldiers might be complied with.—
The council-general of the department
join with the electoral body and the volun
teers, in begging that the convention will
point ou.t a poll for these four battali
ons."
Honorable mention was ordered to be
made of the zeal of these citizens, and the
committee of war was ordered to give in
a report on the bulinefs.
A letter was read from the commillion
ers of the executive power, dated Valen
ciennes, October 10. The letter ltatcd,
that the commillioners had palled a censure
on the battalions who had behaved so ill at
St. Amand, and that to prevent the bad ef
fects of flich an example, they had thought
proper to ilfue a proclamation. They :i!fo
informed the convention chat the Auftri
aus, after breaking up the liege of Lisle,
seemed to be advancing againlt Valenci
ennes by Quievrain, and that their pioneers
were already arrived in a neighbouring
village.
For the National Gazette-
A STATEMENT of the real amount re
ceived by all PUBLIC CREDITORS
at the conclusion of the war, estimating
Certificates at their then current -value,
viz. 2/6 in the pound, and the value paid
the purchajer, "January 1, 1791.
DUE to afarmer who fur- Dollars.
nilhed 96 bulTiels of w beat
or other property in pro
portion, 96
Interest to Jan. i > 179 r, 40
. . - '3 6
Received of the purchaser,
the current value 1 a
By a nett profit paid the
purchaser, 89
101
Relidue 3 5
136
Due to a col. commanding
a regiment for 5 years
full pay as per contrast, 4,500
7 years interest to Jan. 1,
179 1 J 1,890
6,390
Received of the purchaser
thecurrentvalue, 562.50
By a nett profit paid the
purchaser, 4,087.50
4,650
Residue 1,740
6,390
Due to alieut. col. 5 years
full pay, 3,600
7 years interest to Jan.
'> 1 79 1 » 1,512
5,112
Received of the purchaser
the current value 450
By a nett profit paid the
purchaser, 3,306
3,756
Residue 1,456
5,112
Due to a major 5 years full
pay, 3,000
7 years interest to Jan.
i> 179', 1,260
4,260
Received of the purchaser
the current value, 375
A nett prolitpaid the pur
chaser, 2,755
„ 3,130
Residue 1,130
4,260
Due to a captain 5 years
pay, 2,400
7 years interest to Jan.
i» 179', t,ooß
3,408
Received of the purchaser
the curreflt.value, 300
A nett profit paid the
purchaser, 2,204
2,504
Residue 904
3,408
Due to a lieut. 5 years full
P a y, 1,60 a
7 years interest, 672
2,272
Received of the purchaser
the current value, 200
By a nett profic paid the
purchaser, 1)5 6 9
1,769
Residue 512
2,272
Due to an ensign j years
pay, 1,200
7 years interelt, 504
-1,704
Received of the purchaser
the current value, ijo
A nett profit paid the
| purchaser, 1,102
1,252
Residue 452
1,704
Due to aferjeant as gratuity 120
7 years interelt, jo
170
Received of the purchaser
the current value, 15
A nett profit paid the
purchaser, 1 jo
125
Residue 45
170
Due to corporal, drum
mer, and liter, 88
Interelt to Jan. 1, 1791, .37
J25
Received of the purchaser
the current value, 1i
A nett profit paid the
purchaser, 73
83
Residue 42
12J
Due to a private 1 year's
gratuity, 80
7 years mterelV, 30
110
Received of the purchaser
the current value, 10
A nett profit, 72
82
Residue 28
110
When the promise of half pay to the late
army, from a variety of circuimtances, sva»
commuted—n appeared from an aggre
gate calculation, that tlie auny had ful
lered, 011 tlieir monthly wages, a diminu
tion ot 66 1-3 per cent lor lix years 011
their ltate and continental payments ; this
was relinqunlied on a prefuiaption of its
being their proportion with ether public
creditors. Admitting the iiaif pay agree
ably to the resolution of Congrels of the
22d ol March, 1753, viz— * And whereas
Congrels are delirous as well of gratifying
the reasonable expectations ot' the officers
ol the a my, as 01 removing all objections
which may exilt 111 any part of the United
States to the principle of half-pay eltab
lillinient, for which tlie faith of the United
States has been pledged—perluaded that
those objections can only arise from the
nature ot the compensation, not from any
indifpolition to coinpenfate tliofe whose
fervlees, facrifices, and fufferings have so
Jull a title to the approbation and rewaro
<>t their country : Therefore, relolved,
that luch officers as are now in service, and
i!;all continue to the end of the war, lhall
be entitled to recover the amount of five
years lull pay, in money or lecurities on
interelt at 6 per cent per annum, as Con
grels lhall think moll convenient, instead of
halt-pay proinifed for life by the resolution
of October 21, 1780.' The officers u idl
ing for tranquility, received the commuta
tion in lieu of half pay, and the lion-com
millioned officers and privates received one
year's lull pay as a gratuity in final fettlc
ments that was anticipated to relieve the
necellities that naturally would followlrom
their impaired habits and constitutions.—
But Congress and the several states in all
their public and private tranfaftions, elti
mated those ceruficates at 2/6 in the pound,
whereby the reasonable expectations of
their officers and soldiers were difappointcd.
Therefore to resume the half pay, would
be oidy the firft contract, and to give cre
dit to th'evalue of the commutation, agree
able to the funding fylteui, would place
the public debt in the fame situation as if
the intermediate transactions had not ta
ken place.
Nodoubtit was the intent ofCongrefs
then to do juitice—for on a motion of Mr.
Hamilton, seconded by Mr. Wiljoti, the
2d of May, 1783—" Resolved, that Con
gress confidently rely for an immediate and
efficacious attention to the present requisi
tion upon the difpolition ot their conttitu
euts, not only to do juitice to those brave
men who have fuffered and facrificed so
much in the cause of their country, and
whose diltrefles muff be extreme ihould
they be sent from the field without the
payment of a part of their well earned
dues—but also to enable Congress to main
tain that faith and reputation of the Uni
ted States, both which are ferioully con
cealed in relieving the necellities of a me
ritorious army, and fulfilling the public
llipuiation."
In consequence of the foregoing resolu
tions, Mr. Morris illiied his bills at fix
months credit, in June, July, and August,
to the amount of four months pay : these
bills were discounted by H L
and others sent to camp for the purpose,
at 30 per cent, below par; and also re
ceived for merchandize at the moderate
profit of 200 per cent, on the Iterling cost ;
this, however, was a seasonable relief, the
army having been so long accustomed to
running in debt for clothes, and other con
tingencies, and felling the ltate payments
at 300 per cent, discount. However, I
only beg leave to recite a paragraph in his
Excellency General Wafiiing ton's letter
to the President of Congress, dated ls Te\v
burg, March 18, 1783.
" And here I humbly conceive it is alto
gether unnecefi'ary (while I am pleading
the cause of an army which have done and
fullered more than any other army ever
did in defence of the rights and liberties of
human nature) to expatiate en their
claims to the most ample compensation for
their meritorious services, because they
are known to the world, and because tho'
the topics are inexhaustible, enough has
been said on the fubjeft."
A CONTINENTAL SOLDIER.
I Dec. 31, 1792.
For the National Gazette.
ALL efforts towards monarchy and
aristocracy being rendered abortive by va
rious circumstances, we now find the for
mer advocates of titular diftinftions de
claring that they only heretofore recom
mended such tilings inject, and never once
entertained a [erious thought that distinc
tions of this kind could be countenanced
by any conftit'Jtion in the United St3tes
while the people remain what they are.
II is aKb denied by th ejecret advocates for
American monarchy, •' that any king
makingparty exifls of the United States."
I ins is probably true : the current of
popular opinion is become so strong againtt
every idea, intimation, and attempt of that
nature, that the advocates and planners of
!ljch schemes no longer dare venture
b. oad with their proportions for giving the
government a twist towards royalty, the
eager though somewhat concealed object
of a well known faction for at least four
years by-past, it not from the very hour of
the conclusion of the war. They now lie
\n petto, have ha v ied in their horns, and
are completely astounded at the ungra
cious profpeft before them ; and are even
ailuming a tone ol language directly op
polite to what they formerly held they
may therefore be conlidered as extin£t,
and their venom almost asharmlefs as that
ot the old tories of 1776.
Materials are now colle£Kng, and there
will, at a day not very far diltant, be pub
lillied, a curious hiltory of the efforts that
were made three or four years ago to in
troduce Titles and Hereditary Orders into
the United States. It was presumed that
the popular entlnifiafm, roused as it was
on a certain memorable occasion, would
unfufpe&edly establish the much wifh'd for
powers and dignities, civil and ecc!e!:alti
cal—At this period mitres and maces were
firft imported ; and laughable, indeed, it
is to recollea when the births of the -well
born were regularly published in a certain
gazette (the editor of which, it is said, had
the promise ol being made Equerry cf the
Ilablei, in cafe the titular system had suc
ceeded) and the people in a fair way of
being taught to look up to the offspring of
their public servants as to a set of superior
beings, young matters and miftrelfes, to
whom thev were hereafter to pay court,
cap-ill-hand, and bow the knee of servile
obeisance,
Alcho' tile good sense of the people soon
saw thro',and despised those stupid attempts
at aping the nonsense and villainy of Eu
ropean courts, yet the wiley abettors of
those tinsel dignities and diftinftions were
not ealily dilcouraged. No endeavor has
been omitted, ever lilice the period above
mentioned, to poison and infatuate the
minds of the people and to prejudice thein
against that honest simplicity in the ad
ministration oi government, which ought
ever to predominate in an American re
public. The scene of affairs, however, in
France, has operated as a perpetual dif
courageraent to such high-minded innova
tors among!! us ; and the total downfall
of royalty and nobility in that country (as
has been expressed on another occalion)
will, like an early froft, utterly blast and
annihilate the germ of this poisonous weed
in America.
It is curious to observe, how the ideas
of your American monarchy-mongers have
flowed altogether in corrupted European
channels. Forinftance—ln order to fix a
precedent, "forhim that isto come after,"
the birth-day of a popular or meritorious
character cannot pals without his being
pestered with long fplny-foot odes on that
occalion. Intense is offered that is dis
dained to be fnuffed—and which yet is of
fered, and even attempted to be puffed up
thenoftrils, infpiteof the mod marked con
tempt. To prevent expreflions of disgust
in future, poet-laureats are now talked of
for this purpose, who, as being supposed
men of ability, would be able to cook up
the incense in such a manner as to make
it at least tolerable to the olfa&ory nerves.
But who ever heard of a poet-laureat in a
plain, frugal republic ?—lt is an office al
together monarchical, and when eltablifh
ed, ought (if right took place) to be re
jected with the other paraphernalia, trap
pings, and tinsel ;->f exploded royalty. If,
however, it fliould be thought neceflary,
in future, to continue regularly in this
country, the praflice of birth-day-ode
making, a proper chara"er ought in due
time to be pitched on for the purpose
That lie fliould be a sycophant and a toad
eater. and wholly devoted to men in of
fice, would be the firft great requisite. In
other refpeits, he fhcv.ld be or.e who has