The American herald of liberty — Exeter, N.H., 1794-04-22 00:00:00, page 2

wanders of British cru’zers in the Weft.
Indies. A complaint having been made
on this head to the British government.
Lord Grenville requested our Minister Mr.
Pinckney, to feled some instances where
the evidence was clear, in order to insti
tute criminal prosecutions against the of
fenders and promised the fulleft/ support of
the law-officers of the crown. Mr. P. in
forms our executive, that he was endeavour
ing to fix upon some strong cases where the
evidence might befufficient to ensure con
vidion : He adds in the fame letter that
he believes it to be the desire both of the
Britilh government and the people in gen
eral, to be upon good terms with ns j this
being the case, do just cause of war can
arise until it be known, that the promise
has not been observed.
4<h. The inftrudions of the 6th of
November, signed H, Dundas, and the
consequent (e zu res.
The true import of these inftrudions
mail be firft conudered, independent of the
proceedings in the Weft-Indies. The in
ftruXions dhed that our vessels under certain
crumftances (hall becarried into the Prit
ifhlilands « for certain adjudication.* What
is the meaning of the words " legal adju
dication ?” Civilians fay they imply noth
ing more than an adjudication by law
whether a vessel or cargo is or is not lia
ble to condemnation ; lawyers of emi
nence in this city have given the fame
opinion, the law officer of the crown in
Jamaica gives the fame opinion f he fays
Ko guard against the irregular con dud of
commanders of cruizers, they are directed
to carry neutral vessels lulpeded of having
enemy’s property or contraband goods on
board into port for trial, and that the in
ftrudions mean nothing more ; lord Gren
ville, who probably drew up the irftruc
tions, in a note to Mr. Pinckney, speaking
of fome‘American vessels in London, which
had been libelled in the Admiralty Court,
fays they were in a courle of legal adjudi
cation, meaning only that they were under
trial. So far then it is clear that the in
ftradions, in themlelves, do not breathe
hoftiiity.
As to the proceedings in the vice admi
ralty courts in the Weft-Indies information
varies; by, some accounts it is said, that
there have been no condemnations except
in Montierrat, by others we are informed,
that they have taken place in some ocher
Elands.
The Judges of these courts may have
proceeded co condemnation from ignorance
or corruption ; it is well known that the
persons lent out to the British colonies as
Judges, are not generally the best lawyers
or the best men ; they are frequently diffi
paced, extravagent, debauched and igno
rant persons of influential connexions who
have interest enough to get the appoint
ments. Thia was generally the case
with us while colonies, and was one
of the curses we got rid of by our indepen*
dence; it is among the curses which the
remaining colonies groan under. No one
will deny that the condud of some of these
judge-lings has been infamous and abomina
ble and that the British government ought
upon information of their proceedings, to
dismiss and punish them. But is their
conduit a cause of war ? We are precluded
from faying that it is. When the British
government complained that some of our
inferior courts had established decrees
which were an infraction of the treaty of
peace, what was the answer of our Execu
tive ?“ No nation, fays Mr. Jefferfon,
in his letter to Mr. Hammood,'page 56,
can answer for perfed exaflitude of pro.
ceedings in all their inferior courts : It fuf
fices to provide a supreme judicature,
where all error, and partiality will be ul.
timately corrected.” We cannot then
complain of a refufal to do justice on the
part of the British Cabinet, until an appeal
has been made From the Vice Admiralty
courts in the Weft-Indies which are In
ferior courts, to the Admiralty courts in
England. This is certainly a grievance of
no-inconsiderable magnitude to the parties,
and many of them will probably be indu
ced by the trouble and expence to abandon
their vessels to the captors. But in .a case
like the present, our government should in
terpose its aid and assist the fufferers. The
executive would be fully authorifed, under
such circumstances, to advance money to
the captains or owners of the condemned
vessels for the purpoft of prosecuting ap
peals : If the supreme court of Admiralty,
as Mr. J. fays, corrects the error of par
tiality of the inferior charts 8c awards res
titution and damages, we are bound by our
own doCtrines, to be content; If the in
iquitious fentenca be confirmed, and (he
The millitary Commission proceeds in a
revolutionary manner ; the heads of con-.
fpirators fall on the fcaHold. Thefufptft
ed are shut up till peace shall he conclud
ed ; and the moderate> the indifferent,
and. -art punrfhed by the pu.vß.
Lately all the a&ors of the grand theatre,*
to the number of sixty-eight, drere arrtfted.
It Was a focus of aristocracy, we hive de
ftroyed it. On the evening before, the the
atre was surrounded, when there were up
wards of 2000 perlons in it; and all fuf
pefied persons, who were re-united in
great numbers} were imprisoned; the fame
night 200 capital merchants were arreded^
and feats put on their papers ; and the milita
ry commission will Jenn de them juflice ^ —
The guillotine, and great fines, will pu
rify the merchants, and will exteminate
the monopolizers and money-changers.
Reason makes here a great progress ; all
the churches have been shut । Plate arrives
in great plenty at the mint, and on the de
cades we shall celebrate the feaft of liber
ty. The forced loan succeeds rapidly,
250,000 livres were yesterday poured into
the receivers chest. Bourdeaux will con
tribute more than one hundred millions to
the Republic— PTis thus they Chance
in France.]
Extra fl of a letter from Paris, Dec. 19.
“The horrible massacres which are daily
multiplied'at Lyons, do not abate the rage
of those to whom that unfortunate town
has been given up. Canthon has proposed
to the Jacobins to transport all the Lyonefe
to another foil, where nourished by a better
cultivated land, they may produce the sweet
fruits of liberty. D’OrfediUe, in announc
ing to the Convention the execution of 140
Lyonefe, proposed to difp.tch 500 at a Gngle
blow, and to celebrate the day of execution
as a national fete. The Convention direct
ed the insertion of it in the Bulletin.
dated Lyons, Dec. 12.
“ T X 7 HILE weare punishing the guilty,
Vy «nd demolishing all the houses in.
habited by the rich in this proud city, we
wish also to regenerate the spirit of the
inhabitants, which is far from being the
easiest part of the work. All theLyonefe,
overcome by terror, are silent; but the
sacred names of their country and the Re
public are Grangers to their fouls. Almoft 1
all rhe merchants thought of nothing in
the revolution but their private interest,
which the grand movements in this aity
enabled them to pursue. There are, how-’
ever, patriots and Sans Culottes in Lyons,
but they are very few in number, and the
greater part of those few ignorant in the
extreme. The greater body of the people
have hardly any connection with the peo
ple of the other departments. They are by
no means (uch as the Sans Culottes of Paris,
full of courage and energy, and aeqainted
both with rheir rights and their duties.*'
“ These Lyonefe muit bedifperfed into
different parts of the Republic, and the
population of the city, which it now 140,.
000, reduced to 25,000 at most. The
Representatives of the people have tub
ftituted a committee of seven Judges for
the two Revolutionary Tribunals they had
erefled. This was an indispensable mea
sure. The two Tribunals, embarreffed
and delayed by forms, did not answer the
expeflations of rhe people. The prisons
were crowded and executions, few in
number, produced no effefl. The com
mittee of seven proceeds in a summary
manner ; and itsdecifions are is enlighten
ed as they are prompt. ?
Cabinet of St. James’s, on a demand, re
fufe full compensation for the vessels and
cargoes ‘which have been unfuflly Seiz
ed, then hostility and retaliation against
that nation will be juftifiable, and all par
ties will be united in the molt vigorous ef
forts to obtain redreh for our violated
rights.
These are the measures which ought
immediately to be pursued, and while the
issue of them remains uncertain, the coun
try ought to be pur in a condition to de
fend itfeli against invaGon, and to attert
its dignity. A Moderate Man.
Letter from Peltier, Assisi ant Commiflloner at
Lyons and Prudent of the department, of
Rho*e, read in the Commune of the l^th.
BOURD EAUX, Dec. 20.
FRANCE.
NATIONAL CONVENTION, DEC. 20.
Foreign Intelligence.
By Friday s Mail.
A cprrefpondent congratulates his fellow
citizens upon the profpeil of a continuance
of the peace, commerce and prqfperity of
the United States.-Much has been said
bf the pacific disposition of Republicans
and that Republics prevent Wars by ne.
gociating mistakes. Let Monarchies con-,
tend for honor. It is the living prin-'
eiple of Kingly governments, and has long
been the only motive of duels upon a Na
tional Seale. Virtue, which excludes re
venge, (the fynoname of honour) should be
; . N E W-¥ O RK, April 7.
Letters in this city, received on Satur
day last, relate the following circumstance:
.Xhat Captain Barney, in a veflel from
Baltimore, having met with < Britiih pri
.vateer, was ordered to come to, and sub
mit to an examination. Capt. Barney
not thufing to comply with their requifi.
tio.ns, had recourse to his mulkc^ by which
'’means- he killed an officer of the privateer,
ft is (aid that the Captain was immedi.
atefy taken and .carried into Jamaica, and
confined for a pirate. It is only reported,
that a remonstrance from the inhabitants
of Baltimore has procured dispatches from*
the Frefident of the United States to that
island, to demand Captain Barney; and
that lerious apprebenfions are entertained
iu fonfequence of this affair.
The ccnfideration of Mr. Dayton’s mo
tion for the fequeftiation of Briiilh proper
ty, was further postponed ibis day.
The aflivity with which preparation to
put this country in a refpeflable date of
defence, are carried on, muff give fatisfac
tion to every friend of our rights andinde.
pendence. It is to be regretted that the
Legiffature did not attend earlier to the re
commendation of the executive at the o
pening of the feflion; but new all may be
expefled from the sflivity of that depart
ment, seconded by the efforts of our much
injured citizens.
There is a report in town, that a truce
between France and Spain has taken place.
Mr. Dayton this day gave notice, that
he (hould call up his proposition, for the
sequestration of British property, to mor.
row, v '
In ccnfequence it has been proposed to
eflabhfh new manufactories of cloth, in
which (hall be used only two thirds of the
wool of animals and one third of the hair
of men and women. A petition was made
praying the Convention to authorjfe. these
eflabliihments^referred to a committee of
commerce.
PHI LADEL PHI A, April.
ARefolution was moved in the House
of Representatives by Mr; Clark—
the purport of which is, to interdict all
commercial iatercourfe between the United
States and .Greaußritain, until repara
tion and fatisfaflion be made to the citizens
of the United States, for the lofles oc
casioned by rhe depredationsand spoliations
of British cruizers on the commerce of
this country—and until the Weftern Posts
iball be delivered up. The resolution to
take efftfl from the day of —laid
on the table.
We have fir.ee learnt from the best au
thority, that the above account is true, and
that in the fleet are seven fail of the line.
Extra fl from the J turn al de Fiance, publilhed
^jEnienne Feujllant, Fo. 394.
Every year France imported fix million
pounds of foreign Wool for the making
of cloth. She has (hut up her ports, and
mat ers of the firft necefiity are absolutely
wanting.
Letters frem New-York by this day’s
Mail, fay, that reports are received, by
vettels from the Weft Indies, that a French
fleet is arrived there.
In one of the last fittings in the Jacobins
in France, Dubois Crance proposed that
the following question should be put to all
members previous to their cleflion into the
society ; “ What have you done that would
insure you to be hanged, it a counter-re*
volution should be eflefled ?" This pro
position however, was not acceded to.
LONDON, Jan. 8,
Poland is reported to have joined the
league against France, and offered to fend
an army of 15,000 men, confiding mostly
of cavalry.
American Intelligence.
ARTS AND TRADES.
ENGLAND.
APS 1 l 8.
HARTFORD, (Con.) April 7.
Ex rafl of a letter from a gentleman, in Ne<w-
Tork to his friend in this city, dated
March 30.
“ Public affairs wear a gloomy afpefl,
and are every day changing. Five days a
gd, a war was soon expected—6 per cents
at 16/9. The last inftruflions of the Brit
ish Court arrived on Thursday evening,
and (locks rose 4or 5 per cent. Yesterday
the Philadelphia Mail brought Mr. Day
ton’s resolutions for fequtflering British
debts—and down goes stock again. The
embargo has t»ken place and business is at
a fland. I believe we shall get through
without war; but it will be because France
is fuccefsful, and will reduce her enemies
to a humiliating situation. France is now
• match for all Europe, Russia excepted j
and ihe will commence an offenfive war the
enfafog campaign. She has a million or
^more of disciplined troops and a treafory
full of specie. Our most difficult talk will
be to keep our own passions under— restrain
the spirit of licentiousness which begins to
appear among our hot-heads, and prevent
the fatal effefts of internal faflions. Tke
efforts made to strengthen opposition to our
government by eftabiifhing democratic so
cieties in all quarters of the country, breathe
a spirit of hostility which to me is alarming.
It was this plan ofunitingthe Scattered forc
es of faCtion into a system, that has enabled
the Jacobins to break down ell opposition
in France, to overturn all order end moral
ity, and fill that country with blood. In
NEW-LONDON, April to.
Tuefday evening arrived here from
Liibon, the Sweedifh (now Agneta Eliza
beth, Magnus Ofell, mailer, who left there
the 12 hos February. Capt. Grifficg of
Chai ham fold his veflel, and chartered this
frow, in which he came passenger. No
late news had bten received at Lisbon of
the tranfaflions that were taking place be
tween the powers at war ; three mails were
due from England ; one arrived the day
this veflel failed, but nothing of its con
tents had transpired previous to her depar
ture. Capt. Grilling corroborates the in
telligence which we have before received,
that the Spanifli Court had proposed to the
French National Convention, a cessation
ot hostilities, during three months to which <
the latter refufed to agree. Orders were
publ Iked in Liibon for the federation of
all the French property, which had teen
taken pofleffion of by the Portuguese, in '
fix days after the issuing of the decree, a
bout the 10th of February ; which is almost
a certain augury that there will be no war
between the two countries. Capt. Grif*
ling faj s, that at the time of his failing there
was not provisions fufficient in Lisbon to
answer the demand for more than eight
weeks. At Cadiz Hour was at fifteen dollars
per barrel, wheat two dollars and corn seven
and fix pence per bushel.
Capt. Furnes, of Boflon, was the last
veflel known at Liibon to have been carried
into Algiers; certain infoamation had been
received of 21 fail of those pirates being it
sea on a cruise, when Capt. Ofell, failed ;
one of them had been spoken with as far
nor.hward as Oporto. It was believed at
Liibon, that the combined powers would
not be able to continue a war against France
another campaign.
Last Sunday evening the new prison in
Hartford lately built at the expense of 3
or 4000 pounds, took fire by feme accident
and was totally confirmed.
By the khoor.er Nancy, which arrived
here on 7'ueiday last from Barbadoes after
a pafiage of 28 days, accounts are received
that the English had landed 10. coo men
on the island of Martinique, where they
are joined by great numbers of the ir.habi
tants,
the living principle of Republics. Time
and patience will do wonders for us. 7he
fruits of war are heavy taxes, public debts,
Idleness, corruption of morals, and fina’ly
Monarchist and Aristocratic governments.
From Bafliterre, March 10, we are in
formed, that a Barbadoes paper has been
seen, containing an order ol his Mhjefly’a
under date of the 20th of January, that all
monies arising from the sale of American
prizes, should be reserved in the hands of
the agent of the ibips of war by which they
were captured, until it Jhruld be fully
known what part the United States of A*
merica will take in the present war.
A malignant fever which rages among
the troops belonging to the King of Great-
Britain, seems to be as much deftre&ite aS
the calamities of war.
APRIL 10.