Oracle post — Portsmouth, N.H., 1803-11-29 00:00:00, page 1

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OF ALL THE DISPOSITIONS AND HABITS
WHICH LEAD TO POLITICAL PROSPERITY
RELIGION AND MORALITY ARE INDISPENSA
BLE SUPPORTS.—— Washington's Legacy
-MORALIST.
From the Literary Tablet.
—o—
MOURNFUL as the murmuring willow when ruffled
by the approaching form defined to trouble the eve of an
expiring autumn, that bendfrits pensive branches over the
dewy grave of tome love-lorn maiden ; alike mournful rose
the sigh of sorrow-stricken Matilda, abandoned by friends
and by her cruel feduccr ; forlorn, she fat ora her mossy
stone; spring foiled on her hopes; summer nursed her
doubts; autumn witnessed her anguilh; and winter was
just advancing to close the eventful year on her dcfpair and
death.—." Where, where," the exclaimed, " where is the
perfidious man, who hath rubbed my youth of its peace,
my mind of its innocence, my once fair fame of itetboqor ,
my tortured brain of its reason ?—Where is the perjured
Edward, who this fatal morning 'trod this church-yard
path ? In the sacred temple, and at the still more furred
d^r. he, &.;§£& h:., *:.;✓, '.f. fo^gV:. rinfiu^y
witn unhallowed vow#— vo^s tor his ow„ to g' ve —on
from my bleeding heart,where he once badchie lodge them !
Air, wretch! he has Rolen the depoft', and left the poor
cabinet Vacant and in ruin ;%—'hut tie tl.iv rc'erd heaven will
uot Heep; injustice uni he 7 feed by vengeance; and the
death of Matilda will not pass unmarked in the dreadful
. record of infultcd innocence."
She ipake—and beneath the almost leaflefs branches of/*
a withered tree, ihrunk from the drenclring rain. The
dawn at length arose; the advancing fun difperfcd the
clouds, and gave ufeful fpiendor to the tears of Matilda ?
rushing from her heart, they fell undiiboguifoed among rhe
gems of the morning. While life animates the form, tho°
sorrow dims the cheek and links the eye, the beams of the
East will play upon the heart,fehafing,or at lead a mo
ment the dark anguish of the troubled bosom.— Matilda
railed her eyes and blessed the reviving rays. She wan
dered to a mouldering ruin, which lent its gloomy dignity
to an embowring grove. There rtfided the genius of sol
itude, the fair friend of virtue, the gentle reclaimer from
error, the scourge of vice. The high arched windows, ivy
fringed, and time decayed, were partially illuminated, giv
ing a sombre glory to the whole.—" Power fupreme,''faid
' the wandering Matilda, " let me, in this interval of reason
confcfs the justice of my punifhmebt; let me bless the
• goednefs which has preserved me, amidst all the cruelties I
have experienced from an offended father, from impioufl^
arraigning thy goodness.
The comfortable radiance darting from the heavens to
cheer the inhabitants of the earth, revives my drooping
frame. The hope revisits the chambers of my heart, and
prompts me to seek the mansion of a recollected friend,
who may n >t, as a parent has done, deny shelter and food
to a wandering penitent.' l
Matilda, not yet seventeen, was the only child, of a •
once fond parent: indulging in every wilh, and fluttered
into vanity, her gay heart panted after the pleasures of a
dissipated world. But who Ball swim in the streams of hu
man felicity and escape the surrounding rocks of destruc
tion ?—Adulation enervates virtue. Many were the ad
mirers of Matilda ; she listened, believing all they said;
but Edward alone touched her heart. High birth, and a
princely fortune swelled the bosom of his father. Though
enamoured of Matilda's charms, the ambition of Edward
checked the generous impulses of love. He played upon a
heart Already too much in his power; he protected his
truth, and made a sacred promise. Could Matilda think
evil of the man she adored! Her own mind, pure and un
sullied, could she meanly doubt the purity of his? Alas!
she gave her faith and became the viaim of feduaion.
Convinced too late of Edward's perfidy, she disclosed to
her father the dreadful secret. He turned with horror
from his child ; and in proportion to the degree with which
he before idolized, his resentment was kindled against her.
Such are the transitions of affedlion founded upon caprice,
rather than on principle.
The hiftory of the ill-fated Matilda remains an impor
tant memento to injudicious parents—Let no child taste even
the felicities of dissipation, till religion has fortified the
heart, and rendered it invulnerable co every charm of every
uulicenfed pleafue ANTOINETTE.
Commercially Interesting.
—.o—
-— the information of such American citizens as have
claims upon the British government, we publish the follow
ing copy of a Circular, addressed by George W. Ervine,
Esq. American Consul at London, to those claimants in
whose favor compensation has bee* awarded,
CIRCULAR.
TO , OWNER OF THE .
American C^fouh, London 18 3.
Sir,
I have now the iatisfaaion to inform you, that
the Commiffiontrs under the 7th Article of our
Treaty with this country, have awarded you com,
penfation inthe above mentioned csf< ,the amount of
Sterling, to be paid by the Britifli Govern
ment inrhreecqinlanntMlinfblm-iH.ghefirft where
of will be on trie if h of July next, as directed by
the late Convention ; the award, which is affip,na
ble under the direction of the parties, but not oth
erwise, if made payable to rnyfeif as the Public
Agent of the United States, and 10 my fu, ceflers in
office, in trust for the several persons named therein.
A Clause having been interred in this and.the oth
er awards lately executed, by which the alignment
to be given to the British Government of the claims
upon the captors,is (firmed to be made by the pub
lic agent, no fractal powers from the claimants will
now be necessary for that purpnfe, I enclose for
you# information, a minute of Acceffor's eflimate
in this case, from which you will learn the particu
lars of the allowances made by the Board, and be
enabled to afeertafn the portions of the several per.
foils interested. As syn as I (ball have received
trie firft payment from the Britify Government I
Ihall fend you notice to draw on me at fight for the
amount^dedufting what may be due to the United
States for the prolecution of the appeal) which in
the mean time will be deposited for its security in
the Bank of England. '•
You will pleafc to observe that the inftruaions
given to my predecessors direct, that " no bills will
be paid without letters of advice,that no partial pay
ments can be made, and that (the Claimants,) must
draw for the ^holcJum due to them, in one let of
Exchange,
If you fall hereafter be disposed to make file of
youraward, or of the payment which may remain
Oue upon it, it will be necessary for you to join in
proper authorities to the person or persons you may
vol. XIV,]
fee fit to employ for that purpofe,whether it he my
felf or any other ; and if you should define the a
ward to be assigned and delivered over by me to a
ny agent for this orany other purpole,you wist please
to give me your explicit directions to that tffe&.
It is probable that since the commencement of
our claims, in many cases partial, or entire align
ments or tranfer of the property may have been
made, and several of the original claimants may
have deceased ; in all thele cases, it will be necessa
ry that I be duly advised by the party or parties
surviving of those originally interested of such as-
Ggnment, or tranfers, and that regular notifications
be sent to me by the legal reprftufitivq of those
decesfed. I am, fir, x °.
Your very obedient ferva-T, &c.
P .<% Though foreign to immediate purposes of
this letter, it may net, however, be improper to in
lorm you, thu the various opportunities which
this place offers for the profits He employment of!
money, as well as circQflmce, arched to the na-
^ — c^l 'rfrumQ -ra& Ti-probers that ;
your a,r, con'J he fold without abugle facritice|
in premium ordifedunt ; it is impoflible to lay,with :
any degree of accitra y, v, : StoiAa.iCts or inis'
loft it will be n.ctduy to make to a purchaser—it
mud be varied by cifcumftam e;. You may not
expert 10 convert it into cash under a discount of
from 7 to 10 per Cent betides , deduction of thein
tereft upon the lever.l installments at 5 per cent,
yu win obterve, however, that intereil at the rate
of 6 per cent, hs been al owed to you by the board,
so that adding the co nmillions on the file, you may
estimate the net deduction at the utritoft at loto 12
per cent, and Tier one inlbllment (hail have been
paid, if may be expected that the confidence of pur
chalers will be encreafed, and proporiionably better
terms be obtained.
«%•<< &4<f040q4q4«4 ph,» fofcgbfyßfyp
MISCELLANY.
From the N. Y. Morning Chronicle.
Armies of Europe.
We have already noticed a work that has recently made ite ap
pearance, giving an account of tie different armies of Europe.
It is written by an officer on the continent, and though the au
thor evinces a bias in favor of the Englife,a prejudice against
the French, yet bis work is allowed to contain much valuable
and accurate information.
We fame time ago extraßed the account of the French and Aus
trian armies, and now pursue tbefutya.
PRUSSIAN ARMY.
Amidst the (hock of contending powers for these ten
years of sanguinary war, the army es the immortal Freder
ick has been the lead affeded ; in faR it is still what it
was. The Prussian Generals have avoided partial engage
ments, by keeping their army united. They have won
every battle which they gave and never experienced a
check,* but when they fuffered themselves to be attacked..
The sieves of Frederick the Great were easily to be distin
guished in them.
The ncuh#Ht, ofßuffia has been imputed W+ariou^
reasons, but that of the French revolutionary principles as
having crept into the army, is ostensible. After much con
sideration on this fubjed, we are convinced it is equally
falfe and injurious—but to (hew that this motive, luppo-1
ling it to be true, would be an additional reason for contin- !
uing tbe war against the French, and, at the fame time, for I
making their artifiees and frauds more thoroughly known
Xenophon tells us, that it was a maxim of Clearchus,|
that soldiers ought to fear their general more than the en-I
emy. In effe&, discipline fupplie® the place of good will.
— Example, and the force of habit, succeeded in rendering
soldiers insensible to those dangers which terrified them at
firft. If, through the medium of discipline, a soldier can be
forced to expose or facrifice his life, surely his will may be
made to bend upon other occasions, Who can have any|
doubt but that the French army contains a prodigious num
ber of officers and soldiers, who arc either royalifls or ene
mies to the party or person who governs them ? It is disci
pline only that prevents the conferipts from returning to
their habitations, which constraint alone obliged them to
abandon. It is the common opinion, that Defaix, one of
the most able generals among the French and one of those
who had rendered the greatest service to the revolution
was a royalist. He loft his life to gain the battle of Mfr
rengo / and perhaps, he would have freely given it to en
sure the loss of the day.
Surrounded with terrors, isolated from mistrust, and en
gaged in adive feenes, a person mud of necessity co-operate
with those he hates ; and look upon those as enemies whom
his inclination would prompt him to join.
Supposing there are a number of jacobins in the Prus
sian army, (which is directly contrary to conviction) at
what time will they be dangerous ? It must be only when
the Icilure resulting from peace, and the facility of commu
nicating together, furniffi them with the opportunity and
means of cabal, fedu&ion and bribery. If Prussia has the
misfortune to have revoiutionifts in her dominions and ar
my> they will be dangerous only in case of the French ar
mies being on her frontiers. It is the iotereft, therefore, of
Prussia, not to consent that the French should obtain the
empire of land anef Tea. She ought to feet left Austria
should carry her refentmeut so far, as to avenge herfelf, by
fuffering her, without affording her any assistance, to expe
rience the dangers of war with France ? The republic may
gee the upper hand of those, whom as yet they have n&
been able to destroy
THE SPANISH ARMY,
Is but the Ihadow of what it once was. It bears strong
marks of the weakness and vices of its government.
In military matters the Spaniards are as backward as in
the year 1748. They are neither disciplined nor inftru&-
ed. Place one of th^ir regiments in line with another of
any nation, arid it looks like an assemblage of beggars; yet
these beggars are nevertheleG the defendants of those who
domineered over Europe and conquered Africa. Had
they leaders they might return to what they once were.
No troops are morte sober, patient of hardships, and fub- #
missive to their officers. It is not from the care which the
latter take of their soldiers, that this originates; for in fadt
they never trouble themselves abput them; it is the fer
jeant major of each company that manages every thing in
it. Their pay is very irregular, and their maintenance and
mien dcteftable ; with the exception of the Spanish and
Walloon guards. The misery of the soldiery forces them
into fcsnci of disorder and rapine. During the siege, they
have been known to destroy the trenches and the work,
that cover them, in order to tal the earth-bags, and fell
them for a few pence.
The cavalry was in great repute during the wars of
Spain and Italy. Like the infantry they have degenerated,
and inferior to those of other nations.
The liftleffuefs and ignorance which has pervaded their
other troops, are visible also in the Spajiffi corps of artillery
and engineers. Their guns are dumfy, heavy, and badly
kept up. The cannoneers are capable of improvement—
they are poffi^d of cootafs and fir^uefo.
ORACLE POST.
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TUESDAY, November 29, 1803.
, -=====—— ==^
Promotion in Spain is very flow, and goes entirely by
I iit#eft at court. The motl importunate generally fuc
<:eds, while merit, which has no credit with those in power,
raft expert to crouch in fubshrn commissions. It feme
.<nes happens, that an officer who claims the rank of ma-
, v , obtains that of lieutenant colonel, because an officious
clerk at the War Office, after making refcarches, difeoversl
samples favourable to those whole interest he wishes to|
ivance;
The Spaniffi army is capable of being brought to excel
tice sooner and more easily than many others, because it
,fftffcs in itfelf courage, high points of honour, and a
.nit of subordination, and firmuefs in undergoing hard
ih ps : at present it is every where in an evident Rate of
linferiority, calculated to humiliate a nation, at once brave,
Ihaughty, and naturally fitted for war. The ignorance and
F^tfumption of the Spaniards save them, perhaps, from ac
knowledging or feeling this lamentable truth.
THE PIEDMONTESE ARMY.
, The military spirit of the princes and inhabitants of
iriidmorit assigned it a degree of rank among other military
fevers, and by the policy of its sovereigns, and the energy
he nation, it was maintained ,in a Rate of independence.
• f : :'' to the Andrian, or the French, the dukes of
I°(v4, And Kings of Sardinia, have maue the balance >j-;
I. ]: to the party which they epi braced.
•fl^he Piedmontefe soldiery had acquired a conGderation,
far lupt^z .; iu force inferior rait was in number. Pre
vious to the war, the army had neither oru t nx : Tn--
mity ; the late king altered the constitution of it, and
fpoied rather than ameliorated it.
A toldier of this nation is lets inclined to reason,
yet not so ihonghtlefs as the French soldier; he has
neither the fluidity nor tbe heaviness of the Auf.
trian. He is the proportionate medium between
the two nations, he draws nearer*however to the
French.
A peace of forty.five years, had rafted the cour
age of the Ptedmontefe and deflroyed their truly
military ideas. The king had no longer any gene
rals in his service: his troops teftified great ardour,
but the ignorance and bad condud of his com
manders in Savoy, and at Nice, had extinguished
their enthusiasm : it appeared once again under
better leaders, and the French difeovered, that al
though the Piedmontefe had before run away, it
was not their fault.
With not more than 3^,000 men, the king of
Sardinia, notwithstanding the vices of his military
system, kept the French back on the- frontiers, till
the fifth campaign,. It was Buonaparte's good for
tune in Piedmont, at Rome, and at Naples, te have
generals the most fatallyinaftive, if we may so ex
press ourselves, opposed to him. The timid coun
sels es the Sardinian ministry, and the indolence of
the troops, owing to their commanders, facilitated
tbe occupation of Piedmont by the French army,
by delivering up their strong places.
The Piedmontefe during the late war flood some
engagemeorwith tbe French, which, though less
known, are not less honourable than those which
have been celebrated in other parts of Europe.
The Piedmontefe corps, that was at Toulon, dis
tinguished itfelf in the most brilliant manner during
fi"e campaigns, whatever ground the French gain
ed, was purchased by prodigious losses. The army
had got rid of its bad officers, and was become ex
cellent when the peace dissolved it.
I The school of artillery in Piedmont was equal to
[ tbe best in Europe, and the arsenal of Turin was,
perhaps, the most perfed and complete. The com-
Imander Antoni, well known by his writings, joined
Ia love of pradice, exadnefs, and patience to that
knowledge and superior ability which are necessary
for inventing, and bringing difeoveries to perfec
tion. To him the Piedmontefe artillery was in
debted for its inftruaion and excellence.
The cavalry was too heavy and the size of the
men disproportionate. The dragoons resembled
cuiraffiers, but the horses were not Efficiently large.
They were besides badly caparisoned, and the men
indifferently disciplined. At Buonaparte's entrance
into Italy, some of the cavalry beat that of the
French, and killed their general, Stengal.
Among the Piedmontefe are a ipecies of light
troops, known centuries ago, by the name of Van
dois or Barbets; they are mountaineers, formed in
to companies. Amongst these barbets, the moun
taineers of the counties Nice and Tende, have dis
tinguished themselves, by their heroic fidelity, cour
age, and wonderful success. It is importable to
form any idea of the boldness of their enterprizes,
and by the prodigious injury they did the French,
they alone have been able to overpower the valour
of a formidable army.
Since the peace of 1796, the Piedmontefe have
served successively with the Frehch and Austrians,
and always with a degree of courage that procured
them the esteem and jcaloufy of their allies. The
Austrians must always regret that they were net
willing to employ them for the defehce of Italy in
Piedmont. The peasantry had to the number of
xppx, take#, up arms, before the ilnttrrans enter
ed Piedmont—their enterprizes, and the formidable
light in which they appeared to Gen. Moreau, were
one of the principal causes of his retreat.
The Piedmontefe are by nature warlike, fond of
dangers, pliant, obedient, patient, inured to fatigue,
intelligent, and fufe ptibic of courage, and of im
plicit lubmiffion. All qualities which make the
best soldiers.
•Except in Champaign, and that I presume teas a golden one,
a Pont d'er. Translator.
From the Briti^ Prefa
NARRATIVE
Os the ftnation and treatment ej the En^i/h, now de
tained in Fiance,
BY W.WRIGHT.
The following account, which must be read
with great allowances for tbe inexperience of the
writer, furnifhes another proof, if such be wanting,
of the rancour towards Englishmen, the had faith
and tbe folly of him who rules republican France.
Intelligence of hostilities being likely to take
place between England and France, agitated the
grinds of every one, more particularly the English
who were in France ; for, whether pleasure, curiof
ky, trade, or necessity had placed them in that p^rt
— +et+^^Zt=^Et—ata^—^c^t^Q
of the globe, all were in a great degree interested in
the event.
The vet Tels from England in a short time ceased
to come, and thejnail packets were the only im.
porters of news we had ; these were anxiously look-
I ed for, and from the captain to the lowest on board,
teazed with questions to which the, could give no
fausfadory answers ; many thought themselves
happy to creep into the favour of the captains or
mates, to get a glimpse of the state of things on the
English fide. Day after day thus parted ; a stagna
tion of trade was the consequence of affairs being
so unleiiled ; families from a^ parts of the continent
were daily arriving at Calais; deprecating as it were
emphatically, the event of a new war.
A report was soon circulated, that the ambassa
dors were ordered mutually to return, and a degree
of credit appeared attached to it, as two mail-p^gj
ets were tlationedin the harbour to con vev ouriff- -'
bafladof and his fyite to Dover, The day of hrs ^sl
rival was often fixed, and as his non-appearanec^c
counted for by the fUppofaion that the First Consul
;had ag+J «> &. p^pofaions of the B.hit gov
ernment. Earnestly was Inch a cireumßarce
wifhedfor by the majority of the French people.
"We wUh not for war (said they) wh^t have we
gait-'G y ^ ^ ' What hav^ we gained by the
teas of blood which Itwe been^pm ? Notting, Q
that most of us have to lament a friend or relative.
That war we fought not, it came to us. Now our
rulers will not be at peace, nor let others be so.
All me devils out of the infernal regions, were let
loose among the unfortunate French at the revolu
tion ; and every man, so soon as begets into pow
er, proves he has a devil revelling in his heart, which
urges him to ravage and torture his fellow crea
tures." Such is the language I have repeated!,
heard.
Daily, nay, hourly, the postilion's whip resound
ed in Calais streets, every one hastening to his na
tive land, or waiting at the port of embarkation, the
result of what, at that moment, was only fuppofi
tious. The hotels, large as they are, were so filled,
their owners knew not where to place frefh comers.
Many, whole fears overcame every other considera
tion, hired vessels at any price, and happily saved
themselves from an unjust and inhuman captivity.
At length the ambassador arrived at the Hotel of
Dcifein, and the fame day the town was filled with
persons of the firft diftinaion. It was now ru
moured the ambassador would wait at Calais until
he received dispatches from the court of London ;
accordingly, after a few days, the dispatches arri
ved, and his Lordship prepared to fail.
All the French packets and bye-boats were hired
by the families in town, but Itfch were the fears of
the captains and crews, that none would fail with
out papers under bis lordfhip'# hand ; and the da,
after the departure of the Ambassador, a vessel which
had on board the body of Sir Robert Chambers,
with baggage and a carriage, would not proceed on
the voyage, although lady Chambers G ^ned anjo. _
ftrument to pay more than the value of the vessel,
with twenty pounds for each day the vessel, or any
of the crew were detained after the firft three. The
body, baggage and carriage, were notwithstanding
uufhipped, and put on board the English mail, cap
tain Sutton.
The departure of the Ambassador was not at
tended with any marks of relped, by the officers of
the town, or by any salute being given; but be
took leave as a private gentleman, and although
we considered the Secretaries being still in France,
as a protection, and affording a glimmering of hope,
yet Calais seemed more dreary to every Englishman
from the moment of lord Whitworth's failing. To
add to our inquietude, two French partage vessels
were detained at Dover, and it was stated the, were
condemned ; we dreaded Some thing from tbe hand
of power, but knew not what, if it were true ; how
ever, to our joy the, arrived the following day with
tbe French Ambassador and his suite, together with
about eighty other passengers.
Hopes were still cherished by the packets Sailing
regularly, and passengers, without any of the usual
refyiaions of that land of liberty, requiring pass
ports ! which even a nativemuft have in going from
one town to another, and must wait patiently to
cP ain; let bis business be ever so urgent.
^ French couriers were also continually passing—
Sometimes in open boats when the fra would ad
mit, so as to make it an undertaking of the greatest
expedition ; all these circumstances naturally led
us to suppose adive negotiations were carrying on ;
and what we wished, we too easily believed, they
would terminate favorably. Thus we were led
on, from one thing to another, to repose confidence
in the honor.of a treacherous and very deceitful
government.•
J&th&e-b _. # L^——dr or may, trie jengnm
mail, captain Hammond, and the French mail, failed about
four o'clock in the morning, both full of patfengers, bag
gage, and carriages ; they had but just reached the road,
when a boat was dispatched, ordering the French mail to
return, the passengers went on board the English vessel,
happy so to escape with the loss of most of their baggage,
and some of their carriages. Mean time the Prince of
Wales, captain Sutton, and the N^ncy, captain Latimore,
were in port waiting for the secretaries ; their crews were'
called up, a guard placed on the vessels, and about eleven
o'clock the famexmorning, the captain and mate of each
vessel were put upon their parole, and all the rest sent to
prison ; although security to any amount was offered for
these also to be allowed to remain in the town. The
Commissary of Marine was feverdy censured for fuffering
captain Hammond to escape ; and after this period we had
no mails but what came as flags of truce, when the cap- *
tain was received by a guard, the passports of all passengers
ftrialy examined, and any person found without one, con
duced to Mr. Mengaud, the Commissary Gantral of Po
lice, and probably thence to prison, without regard being
had to their country, age, sex, or condition. The captain
and crew were particularly searched for letters or papers,
and if found they were taken away, and conveyed to that
bettering bully of Calais, for his pernfai, and at his option
to be committed to the flames, detained, or sent to the party '
for whom they were defined. °
Onr troubles were now about to begin. The reasons t
have before stated, induced many to wait the final termina
tion of the negotiation, still conceived to be on the .tapis ,
and the firm bJiefthat the French government would give
(efficient time for all to return, urged* many not to* „vfs
the fetUement of their aff&b, OT ^ haftei their departure ; ,
[No. 7.