National gazette. — Philadelphia [Pa.], 1793-02-16 00:00:00, page 3

the prop o? public opinion .is removed, the
government is undermined.
How ta i the support of public opinion
be expected, un'efs every source of infor
mation is opened to the community ; un
less their eyes and ears are fullered to con
vey them intelligence ? TransaCtions be
hind a veil, excite suspicion. ' ris true
that the community i> eagle eyed, and th.it
a Itroke upon the public ear, will vibrate
to the molt diltant parts. But this will
only enhance the merit of boldly meeting
and del ving a di(poli:ipn so inquisitive, in
stead of attempting to Ihrinkfrom an 111-
fpeftion, whkh will finally be iuevit ble.
Rrfpo ilibility in the members of Con
gress, ought toconftitute theground of the
discussion. Is it real or-nominal? Is it
productive or barren ? The right of one
branch to seclude thernfelves from the pub
lic view, is co-extensive with the right of
the other. Is refponlibility then, only a
rotation of the agents of mifchief, through
a darkened political hemisphere, pofl'elling
the liberty of appalling the community,
with its legislative thunder and lightning?
Philada. Keb. 14.
For lb: National Gazette.
THE appeal made to the public by the Se
cretary of the Treasury in his reraon
ftrance of February the 4th, againlt the re
solutions of Congress for information re
lative to the Hate of the funds, teems with
indications to attract the public attention.
Though it be overlooked that great de
lay was incurred in preparing and trans
mitting this performance to London, whillt
thsfeiliou, and the investigation poll
ing rapidly to an end ;
Though nothing is alked touching this
solicitude and anxiety, to keep up the price
of ltock and certificates in a foreign coun
try ;
Though the indelicacy of printing the
paper in hand-bills, and in circulating it
without the permillion of Congress, is ad
mitted to be no infringement of the con
stitution ;
Yet the spirit and flavour of the piece,
ought to receive that free inveitigation,
which it Solicits by its own example.
The politic:; of such of our representa
tives a , countenance the enquiry into the
ftateof the public refonrces, have been of
ten branded with the epithet of antifede
ral. And this appellation hath been libe
rally bellowed upon them by the fifcal
faction.
It is of importance to the community to
know, to whom this epithet in truth be
longs. The cry is no criterion by which
to judge. The perpetrator of a felony, is
usually more vociferousin his exclamation:
than his porfuers themselves.
The constitution enatts, " that a regular
ftateinent and account of the receipts ana
expenditures of all public money liia.ll be
publiflied from time to time." An account
of public monies and funds is here expli
citly directed by a conltitutional mandate.
Can it he imagined, that the only individu
al capable of complying with it, and actu
ally provided by law as the iuftrument lor
it, is the only individual entitled to an ab
solution from the injunction ?
The Secretary admits that this account
hath never been produced, but riierts,
" that until the lalt refolutiops, t:o call ha*
been made upon him, which rendered i:
proper to exhibit a general view ot the
public monies and funds." He is deaf to
the voice of the constitution, altho' in this
instance its lungs are exerted in the loudell
and mod articulate tone.
Such accounts were designed as a check,
and do certainly militate powerfully againlt
monarchy and aristocracy;
First, By counteracting corruption, and
money-influence ot every kind in the le
gislature.
Secondly, By producing oeconomy, les
sening taxes, and diminilhing the number
of tax-gatherers, whose interest generally
unites them with adminiltration.
Thirdly, By obviating the acquirement
of exorbitant wealth, from the temporary
use of public money.
Is the genius of the constitution monar
chical or republican? Who are nioftfede
ral—thofe who join their voice to the call
of the constitution, or those who are deaf
to this fundamental remonltrance ? — Let
the impartial judge. The apology of the
Secretary in its belt view, is an acknow
ledgement that he has been guilty of a fup
prelfion, in violation of the constitution.
But it 'S proper to enquire, whether this
fuppreflion has been accidental or fyltema
tic ?—lf the former, a plain, placid, intel
ligible statement of the public surds may
'be expected. But if a fyftein hath been
confli£ted by the enquiry, pallion, artifice,
perplexity, will be resorted to in its de
fence.
Let a sciolist in politics and human na
ture, reflect onthefollowing indications of
this letter, and doubt if he can, whose im
age and superscription it bears.
It felefts the individual member, who
moved for the enquiry into the itate of the
Treasury, as the object of news-paper an
imadversion; altho' the tacit breach of
the constitution by the Secretary, and the
reje£tion of a proposition of like import at
the preceding feflion, conspired in ltimula
ling him to do his duty.
It i- in the Itile of a remonstrance from
a conftitnent, who "' ac ntiefcfs iri the fuf
fiiiency of motives," but yet censures the
ad itfelf.
It censures the reasons leading to the re
iolutions ; it admits of the fufficiency of
tlie motives inducing the resolutions ; it
censures the resolutions as requiring an im
practicable compliance ; it still promises to
perform this impracticability ; and having
easily effected it, boasts ofafuccefs, which
" mud obviate every idea of a ballauce un
accounted for." What is this but one tij-
Jne of contradiction ?
It amuses people,by a laboured explanati
on of an ingenious contrivance, 6y which
two millions may be turned and turned,
until the result is—o.
It endeavours to change the object of
enquiry, by soliciting the public attention
into an examination of the accuracy of a
conjectural statement :
And it concludes with an injunction up
on the members of Congress to wait up
on his olHcers for information, left their
enquiries should turn out to be infignifi
cant, especially if founded upon a " ■vo
luntary djclojurt" of the secretary him-
The motives and effe£ts of these indi ca
tions,, deserve some portion of the public
attention.
What member of Congress will in future
move for a " flatement of the receipt-and
expenditures of public money" if he is to
be dragged into a news-paper controversy,
and exposed to the odium and abuse of the
paper faction, set 0:1 by the matter of the
pack ?
When Congress itfelf is accolted in a
majelteri il (tile of condefienlioi (if the
cxpreflion is allowable) does it not e
vince a reliance upon some hidden influ
ence? Especially i iould Congress (brink
from its own act, and surrender at difcre
tion one of its own members, as a holtage
for their future good behaviour.
Are not contradictious, and uninterest
ing tranfinutations of tifcal entries, in
dicative of a delign to deceive and mis
lead F
Is not the attempt to detach the pub
lic eye from its true object, suspicious ?
The lure often decoys a whole fiockof pi
geons from their fafe line of progress, into
the net of the merciless sportsman. And
is not an attempt to avoid public enqui
ries, by a reference of individual mem
bers to fifcal officers, designed to continue
the present darkness of the public mind,
as to the knowledge of public funds?
Fellow citizens.piece these circumltance
together, and extract the result for your
selves.
Democracy delights in public know
ledge—Simplicity ought to be the garb of
her fifcal arrangements —with inviolabili
ty Ihe reveres and fulfills the couftitution,
because it is the will of the people—She is
jealous of the independence of the legifla
turc, collectively and individually—She
abhors artifice, perplexity, arid intrigue—
with alacrity and perspicuity Hie gives an
account of her conduct—and she exhibits
public funds in dollars and cents for eve
ry passenger to view.
A contrary conduit cannot be the efFett
of accident ; it is the result of political
system, and ignorance itfelf, unblinded by
intereft,cannotfiad a difficulty in difcover
ingwhat that fyftemb.
FRANKLIN.
February^.
CONGRESS.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
Saturday, Feb. 9.
Several petitions were read and referred;
and among these, one from the French in
habitants of Gallipolis. on the Ohio, re
citing a number of grievances they labour
under, and in particular a threat of ejeft
inent by another company, and praying to
be established in their lawful right to the
lands,&c. —referred to a fele£t committee.
A bill was then reported, and sent to the
Senate, relative to claims against the Uni
ted States, not barred by a£ts of limitation
—A mcll'tge was received from the Prefi
den , notifying the house that he had ligned
the bi)l for opening trade and interconrfe
with the Indian tribes. A memorial was
read from the Georgia line of officers of the
late army, for further compensation, &c.
and laid 011 the table—The report of a fe
lett committee on the petitions of the ma
nufacturers of cordage, twine, &c. in Pro
vidence R. I. and Philadelphia, was then
taken up in committee of the whole, and
after some debate, the report was difa
grced to ; which resolution was approved
by the house. A melfage was received from
Senate, that they are informed the Pre
lident has signed the bill for regulating fo
reign coins—A bill was brought in for elta
bliihing feesfor the transfer of public secu
rities inthetreafury department; read twice,
&: referred to a committee of thewhole on
next Tuesday.—The house was informed
by a meifage from the Senate, that the bill
for compensating Lewis Garanger, for fer
vices,&c. was disagreed to. The amend
ment of the Senate to the bill for Hcenfing,
enrolling,and recording velfels,were refer
red to a committee of three, who reported
their agreement; the bill as amended was
then read in the house, agreed to, and or
dered to be enrolled.
philadelp H I A.
February 16.
The General Alfembly of the ft ate of
New-York, after a full examination into
the conduct of the major part of the can
vafljHg committee, have determined, "that
the f.nd committee, in rejecting the votes
of Otfego, Tioga and Clinton counties,
have not been guilty of any mal or corrupt
conduit in the cxecut ion of the trust repo
sed in them by law—it is therefore refol
veri, as the sense of the house that the le
filature cannot annul or make void an\
of the determinations of the said commit
tee".
The French consul at Charleston [S.C-]
has notilied his wiih to the inhabitants ol
that state, that they will not afibrd any
a Alliance, in the way of commercial sup
plies, to the oppofers of the regenerated
liberties of France in Martinique and
Guadeloupe.
On the 2 [ft January a winter salmon
was dined on i:i Bolton by a number of
citizens of that capital. The New-Yorkers
will, therefore, not consider themselves
ilone in that unusual January regale.
The lat accounts from Guadaloupe
mention, that the Aristocrats in that illand
were completely difliearteneu by the late
news from France. Vtvst la Nation was
the almost univerf.il cry, and the onlv
Hug was the three coloured National. At
Maitjnico, however, they still fuppi rted
the-n/Ziite, or old despotic flag ofFraiue.
Extracts from th? Leyden Gazette (' eceiv
ed by the Portland Packet) to the 2; ill
of November.
Leyilen, Nov. 17.
Orders are received at Berlin from
Coble ice to put instantly in motion 12
jattaliio;is of infantry, 6 ditto of fufi
eers, io squadrons of regular cavalry, and
10 squadrons of Huflars. Thefeforces are
to be Rationed on the Rhine, in addition to
the i 0 infantry battallions that had previ
jully received limilar orders : the whole
ivcreto march the beginning of December.
On the 6th in'lant, the whole Austrian ar
my, under the duke of Saxe Tefchen and
general Clairfayt were stormed in their
sntrefichmetits before Mons. Brussels, the
capital of Brabant, was taken on the 1 ;th
of November by the French troops, under
Dumourier—vaft numbers of the defenders
were'killed, and not more than 30 011 the
!ide of the French. When the French en
tered the city, next day, the magistrates
thus addressed them : " With pleasure the
Brussels' municipality offer you the keys of
this city—All hearts are with yon ; receive
our liticerelt thanks for the bleflings you
ire bestow ing upon us—under the shield of
your powerful protection, receive the best
nterefts of this nation, and in particular
those of our municipality: May the law
reign under your fortunate auspices. and
may the felicity of the Belgic nation find a
new life from the fuccefsful enterprizes of
the immortal hero, whom victory and li
berty have brought to our gates 1"—To
this Dumourier replied ; "1 want 110 ce
remonious addrefles : take care of your
keys—take care of yourselves: Sutferyour
felves to be tyrannized over by no foreign
power—this is not the intention of your
jeing—unite with us in chacing away the
Germans ; we are your friends and bre
thren." There are indeed very few at
Brufleh, who wifli the reft oration of the
Austrian authority ; neither are there ma
ny who delire the French form : the far
greater part are for putting 011 the Braban
rine cockade, and declaring for the princi
ples of the former revolution ; [complete
independence] on the 6th, however, an
order was received to put on the three
coloured French cockade and no other :
in the evening Gen. Dumourier ordered
every citizen to lhut up his doors at 10
o'clock, and to place four candles at his
windows, that the street-patrols might fee
nil that patTed—On the 17th the ceremony
was performed of planting the tree of li
berty, and the red cap, when a cry was
heard from all quarters, " Down with the
States and iriftocracy I"—At this moment
the arms of the city of Brufiels and the
States of Brabant, that had been placed
over the Town-House, were torn to pieces
and abandoned to the fury of the people—
every other vestige of nobility being served
in like manner, each person retired to his
home. 011 the 18th, the People were
declared the fovcreign power, and 80 re
presentatives were chosen for the city of
Bruflels, from among the citizens, to man
age their internal concerns—Ou the 19th,
Dumourier addressed these representatives
in full convocation, as follows : " I have
put the Belgians in the way of being free—
I inuft now depart ill pursuit of tyrants, 1
till not a vestige of one of them remains in
these provinces." It is remarkable, that
notwithstanding the victories of the French,
the greater part of the Brabanters do not
relish the new mode of government intro
duced amongit them ; but rather hanker as
:cr their old constitution : many affbcia ■
tions tor this purpose werefet on foot, but
Gen. Dumourier forbade all assembling for
flich purposes, or on any pretence whate
ver, without permission of the representa
tives of the people ; but a protection has
been (ince found, declaring all reprelenta
tion to be illegal. Extract of a letter
from Brulfels, Nov. 11. " The bloody ac
tion of Mons, on November 6, which deci
ded the fate of our provinces, will always
be memorable for the obstinacy with which
the two armies'contended. Above all, the
French exhibited prodigies of valour, and
regained that reputation for bravery which
had been somewhat tarniflied in the firft
checks they met with in this campaign.
Having attacked the Auflrians, who were
entrenched in a molt advantageous por
tion, they filled the ditches which were in
front with their dead, and thus forced a
paflage to their efiehiy, who were obliged
to retire. At the attack of Mount Panifel
le they displayed an astonishing intrepidity,
in fultaining the fire of three batteries,
which at length they carried, sword in
hand. It is impoflible to eflimate precisely
tlie loss of both parties, altho' without
doubt, very considerable. For two or
three days after there palled through here a
number of carriages (more than too) load
ed with the \Vounded of the Aullrians.
There were also continually coming in
whole platoons of soldiers, flying without
their arms and half naked. Immediately
after their defeat, desertions took place to
an alarming degree, particularly among
the Germans. On the 7th the French en
tered Mons; and on the 9th, Tournay, and
a part of Flanders, which our troops had
wholly quitted. Our generals being com
pelled by the immense fuperio'rity of the
enemy to abandon their polition before
Mons, intended to fortify themselves upon
the heights of Caftiau, a league distant;
but the French having made arrangements
for attacking this port, general Beaulieu
retired to Soignies with 15CC0 men. Ac
present our :roops aVe polled at Tubife,4
leagues from Brussels, where they are busy
day and night, intrenching; we are e
ve y hour in expectation that the French
wili attack them a second time. The
French troops observe the molt rigorous
discipline wherever they come. Gen.
Dumourier has published a proclamation,
that whatever person, whether citizen or
soldier, lhall insult any one on account of
his party or {hall commit the lealt disor
der, lhall be inflantly hanged on the spot.
The cafe is not the fame in the interior of
the provinces. The Belgic inhabitants,
too much inclined to what is the disgrace
of all revolutions, to wit, plundering, had
no fooncr learnt that the French w ere vic
torious and had entered the country, than
they broke out in fevcral places. Infur
reftions of the people took place at Dirlfc
andAlolt, which is one cause of the pre
sent alarming emigration. The roads are
covered, night and day with horses, carri
ages, and people on foot, quitting their
into other countries. At An
twerp several waggons which were trauf
porting French emigrants into Holland,
have been cruelly robbed by the populace?
who not contented with carrying things to
this ihameful excess, insulted them also in
the bafelt ar.d mo(t cowardly manner."—
The taking of Mons by the French fecms:
to have been the ultimatum of discou
ragement to the emigrants. The go
vernment concealed the fatal news as
long as possible, but on its arriving, the
emigrants instantly packed up their mofh
valuable effects, and fled,fome toF.ngland,
and vail numbers to Holland : so great
were their numbers that neither boats,-
horses, or carriages could be found fuffici
ent to convey them, and even the govern
ment had much ado to get hfelf transpor
ted—as to Marflial Bender, however, he
was not much enctm.bered, having had
the forelight to fell his moveable effects by
beat of drum—The Auftrians, previous to
the attack upon Mons, had conltru'ted re
doubts 011 Mount Panifelle, Carrion, and
at Genappe, to cover the city; but the
French had before taken pofleflion of the
heights of Fromeries ; and the army un
der genera! Harville, from Maubeuge, had
joined the grand army, in front of Mons :
between 6 and 7 in the morning, Gen. Du
mourier ordered an attack upon all the'
enemies intrenchments. The tire was ter
rible on both fides, and during five hours it
continued without a minute's intermiflionj
The French soldiers were animated to a
degree of desperation, and fought enthu
fialtically for their idol, Liberty, eacoura
| ged by their genet-als, and above all, by
Dumourier, who flew from battery to
battery, and from rank to rank, Crying
out, '• Courage, my brave companions V
remember, it is for liberty you are con
tending !"—From that moment all sense
of danger was forgotten, and notwithllan
ding a molt obstinate reliftance, the two
redoubts, Carrion and Genappe, were car
ried, sword in hand, and wherever an e
iiemy was to be found, a molt horrid car
nage enfuecl : the number of killed 011 the
part of the enemy was confiderabie; and
prifonets upwards of 2co.
*»* TheLe'ter from Enlign John Mor
gan, dated Charlefloa, S. C. will be'
iul'erted in our next.