The Republican ledger — Portsmouth, N.H., 1800-01-29 00:00:00, page 1

The Republican Ledger.
" FACTS,'
Relative toTaoMAS Nash, stiias Nathan Roa
vbins. , . : . #
O&Wtffl, fc.M, 1890.
sir,
IN confeqnence of the very, great oppo
sition piade to the delivering up, under
the 17th article of the treaty of amity, &c.
Thomas Nash, alias Nathan Robbins, one
of the principal mutineers on board his
Britannic Majefly's ship Hermoine, and of
the numerous publications in this as in oth
ers of the United States, 1 wrote to Admi
ral Sir Hyde Parker, requeuing he would
fend me minutes of the court martial, mean-,
ing to communicate them to you ; but be
ing informed that a compliance with fu^h
request would have been contrary to the
rules of the British navy, I beg leave to en
close you a copy of the admiral's answer,
which I confider fully 'adeqaute to the pur
pose I intended,
' Whilst on this fubjed I cannot help re
marking, that about the time my counsel
moved for a habeas corpus, I happened to
be in the court of Common Pleas, when
Mr. Ker, a gentleman of the bar, addressed
me, and mentioned his intention to oppose
the delivery of the prisoner, under the idea
of his being a citizen of the United States
of America ; on this I expressed some fur
prize, that a person Should at so late a day
interest himfelf in behalf of the prisoner,
particularly as his Majesty's cutter Spright
ly had been here a very Short time before
for the purpose of carrying him off, and
that it was from your opinion of the tranf
aaion being an executive one, that he was
not then delivered up ; he answered that Mr.
Safportas* had spoken to Col. Moultrie and
himfelf..
I have the honour to be, fir, your most o
bedient humble Servant,
=BENJAMIN MOODIE,
The Hon. Thomas Bee, Est.
* Mr. Safportas was the agent for the French Republic at
the time their crullers were pertmtted to fell their prizes I, this
port. The records of the district court jn Admiralty cause, will
prove this. „'
Extras of a letter from Admiral Sir HrsE Par
ker, to Benjamin Moodie, Est. His Brit
annic Majefly's Conjul in Chor le(ton, dated on
board the Abergavenny, in Pert Royal harbour,
.-Jamaica, 13th Sept. 1799.
"sir,
1 have received your letter of 21st lift
month with a copy of another (not yet re
ceived) of the third of fame moth ; and in
answer to both am to acquaint you, that
Nash has been executed, and hung in chains,
agreeable to the sentence of a court martial;
and that he confeffed himfelf to be an Irish
man : and it further appears by the Her
maine's bookst that he was born at Water
ford. On the 21st December, 1792,^ en
tered a volunteer on board the Dover, re
ceived 31. bounty money, and was removed
to the Hermoine, 28th January, '93. And
with refpea: to transmitting minutes of the
trial, that is not in my power, but rests with
the Lords of Admiralty only."
t Copies of the flip's books and accounts in the Britiffi n*
vv are made up every two months, and transmitted to the Lords
of tdmiralty. rhe Admiral procured a transcript of this Chip's
books, in order to describe the persons and names of the crew.
I Jonathan Robbins's certificate was dated at New-York, zoth
May 1795.. -— — '
Chariejion, Nov, 27, '99. -
I was present at the court martial on
board his majesty's fliip-Hapnibal, at Port-
Royal, Jamaica, for the trial of Thomas
Nalh, a seaman, late of the Hermoine fri
gate, for piracy Ind murder. ,
' ' The evidences which were produced a
gainst hint (four in number) who belonged
to the Hermoine, at the time the piracy and
murder took,place, knew him always by the
name of Thomas Naffi, nor did he, tb their
knowledge ever assume any other name ;
•the witnesses also fully prove that Thomas
Nash was the person who killed lieutenant
Foreffiaw. Nalh made no defence, nor did
he at any time of the trial, call or endeavor
to prove himfelf a fusjed of the United
States of America. On the fcaffold, a few
minutes before he was run up the fore yard
of the Acaftro, he addressed the rtew of that
(hip, advifiog them to take timely warning
by his fate.
I had the command of the boats of the
fquadroh on the day of his execution, and
atanded with them to fee his body hung in
chains, agreeable to an ord^for that pur
pose from fir Hyde Parker, KC command
-er in chief, &c. at Jamaica. ^ = .
GEO.HANS BLAKE.
/1 Lite commander of his radw,
fafArarmthe.
CT — , —, :— _— _—, —— i— .—.— , . —.—, *—- - ^ *-.« —-
"WHEN YOU SHALL THESE DEEDS RELATE, SPEAK OF THEM AS THEY ARE : NOTHING EXTENUATE NOR SET DOWN OUGHT IN MALICE."
— — _———————— ===^
PORTSMOUTH, (NEW-HAMPSHIRE) PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY GEORGE ,ERRY OSBORNE, fa. MULBERRY LANE, NEXT DOOR TO ROUSSELETs MUSEUM.
/:—==+—4= '
number 23. —vol. xj WEDNESDAY, JANUARY — 1800. $ [1 dol. 50 cts. per annum.
The foregoing was duly attested before ',
me this 26th November, 1799. '
From the AURORA if December 23.
THE BRITISH SYSTEM.
From, the top to the bottom—from Peter
Porcupine to Robert Liston; thro' every gra
dation of Ambaffadote, Consuls, Clerks,
Runners, Spies and Printers, one uniform
and incellant system of intrigue and decep
tion js purfiied.
We pMbliihed on Friday last a letter from
the Britiffi Consul at Charleston, South Ca
rolina, wherein was attempted to colour the
horrid and execrable facrifices of Jonathan
Robbins, and of the laws of nations and
rights of this nation, under artifices as odi
ous as their foundation was falfe. It was
therein attempted to fix the crime of encour
aging a forgery on that eminent citizen, A-
Lxander Moultrie, and to attribute to anoth
er refpeaable charader. Mr. Safportas, of
^tfy^ place, the motive of French influ
ence & aQin^as a grand juror, and a man
of humanjtfln procuring council for that
viaigurf Britiffi barbarity. ~
We published these accusations on the
moment we received them—because, having
studied the Biitiffi system, knowing the
lengths to which, without regard to charac
ter the Britifli agents will proceed, feeing
in the statements the evidence of their falfe
hood, we expelled that the characters af
feerfed would -stand forward and confound
fehofe barefaced agents—if they were capa
ble of honest confufion.
I The letter of Mr. Moultrie which we
Subjoin, speaks too clearly for itfelf, to re-
Suire any illucidation. Mr. Safportas has
+ iewn that in his share in the measures
/which were taken to save Robbins from be
ing murrdered, he aded as an agent of the
grand jury of the country. But ne was for
merly a mercantile agent, and tranfaaed
mercantile affairs for the French, before any
differences arose between the two republics.
Would any one object to the chara^er of
Mr. John Vaughan of Philadelphia, anting
w as a grand juror, or fufpea him of French
influence in endeavoring to save the life of
an Americah citizen. Yet Mr. Vaughan
is well known to have acquired a very
thandfome fortune by riding as agent for
France, at the fame time that Mr. Safportas
a&ed in the fame capacity at Charleston.
This conduQ of. Mr. Moodie the British
foriful .is only another of the many proofs
which we daily fee of the artifices to which
the Britiffi resort. In a few days we ffiall
lay before our readers an examination of the
great project of Britain for a federal Union
of Britain, Ireland, America and Holland,
under one fovefeignty. We ihall do this
the more cheerfully now, because the ex
pulsion of the Britiffi from Holland, and the
deteaion of the British faction here, has
rendered that project, Which was looked so
so confidently two years ago, now a very in
nocent but a ufeful theory for the American
tyind to dwell upon.
To Benjamin Moodie,
& Britannic Majfy's Consul at Charkflon.
SIR >
Having difetarged my duty as a counfel
lor, in the case of Jonathan Robbins, and
having no time to bellow on mews-paper al
tercations, it was neither my expectation
nor my with to be called forth further on
this fubjed, and efpccially as the author of
a publication in a newspaper ; but fir, I
find I am indebted to your politeness and
moderation, or the zeal of your printer, (it
he is your commentator) for this occasion of
my coming forth in this publication.
In your letter of the 27th ult. to Judge
Bee, receding the case of Robbins, you
conclude by faying, that yov were informed
by Mr. Ker, that Mr. Safportas had spoken
to Mr., Ker and myfelf as Robbins's counsel ;
and with an aftenfm annexed to the word
Safportas, referring to an annotation below,
this brilliant note is in italics as follows :
« Mr. Sasportas ^rts the agent fa the Brach
fß.epublic, at the time the, were pertattql to fell
their prizes in this port. The records rs the dijtritt
court in admiralty caxjes will prove this.”
' If [undefflatid right, fir, 'and can read
right : andif I can understand the sentiments
and views of the advocates of your nation in
this country, (and I think I have contem
plated them since tty dawn of our Revolu?
tion,) this bright note ,nd those capitals, ate
intended as an insinuation to the world, that
French influence was at the bottomof Rob
biris's defence, and canfequenti, was the
mover bf his counfellors. If lam mistak
en, ft, in my sentiments, you will pardon
me and I hofe%t the fame time corre& the
error ; but lit, the 1c sentiments are the na
titfal iroprpmons bf your condu&, and I will
told them 'till properly effaced.
The cry, or pfinuation, of French influ
ence, may be an admirable engine of British
policy in this country, and serve to promote
many of their purposes : but as to myfelf,
or >any injury it may work towards me in
this case, you have loft four aim, fir. The
mens conscia sib'srecti, defies your attack ;
your fhaft has no fling, fir ; itspoifon is in
effe&ual ; and four own disappointment,
(ball be your own punishment.
When I was firft called on in Robbins's
case, I confideied it generally ; and gave my
opinion, that I thought such was the prevail
ing influence of opinions and sentiments of
thole in power, that every effort would be
vain ; he had not then been represented to
me as an American citizen, and I consider
ed the case on the point of jurifdiaion only.,
I gave it but a fliort consideration, and Soon
determined, and though no more of it.——^
Matters reeled thus for some days, 'till the
day before Robbins was tried: I was then
accidentally informed, in conversation with
a friend, that Robbins was an American ; I
was Struck and alarmed, to think I had de
serted him. I immediately went to Mr.
Ker, and desired him to prepare himielf for
the argument next morning. I went home
and considered the case, and met Mr. Ker in
court the next day.
I had never yet seen Robbins, nor had I
ever had an, intercourse with him, 'till he
was pointed but to me, and I went up and
spoke to him in courf the day of his trial ;
nor had I til then ever seen one.Qf. bis pa
pers. On try coming into court, amongst
the firft things I did, I alked the clerk for
the papers, ard amongst them found Robbings
certificate of nativity and citizenship; I exam
ined it, and found it had every mark of au
thenticity, no erasure, no obliteration : that
its colour and appearance were natural,
and correspondent with its date——and that
the hand writing of the Notary was genuine,
and can be proved here—, —But one thing
further Struck me : on enquiring of the clerk,
if this paper was found on Robbins when
"firft taken, and being informed that it was,
I was of opinion 'twas genuine, and was
clear, if 'twas not, 'twas no fabrication in
Charleston.
Under these circumstances, fir, I under
took the cause of Robbins, ; a cause, fir, in
which the sights of mankind, and those of
my country were deeply involved, a cause,
fir, which 1 held myfelf bound in duty, as an
,American, td defend and support ; which
pointed at the constitution and vital princi
ples of American independence. And give
me leave further to tell you, that in this cause,
I neither undertook it from French influ
ence or an idea of advancing their interest,
nor from the promise or explication of any
fee or reward ; and that! never have received
any such. Every one, fir, who knows me
knows my politics ; they have been uniform,
fir, Since 1775. and I hope will continue so,
to my latest hour. I honor and refpe& all
nations, but 1 hate a tyrant; I lovemy coun
try, and will protest its freedom.'
I am, fir, with due consideration, your
humble servant, % ,
ALEX. MOULTRIE.
Messrs. Frerteau& Paine,
The unexpeaed attack of Mr. Moodie,
the Britiffi coriful, in Timothy's paper of
IMonday last, I am induced to notice ; not
Ifrom any apprehension of its injurious es-
Ifeds on the public mind,fefpeaing my cpn
dua in the case of Robbins, because the pub
lication bears its own irifignificance on'the
face of it, but as he has thought proper to
arraign the motives which induced me to em
ploy counsel in bis behalf, I Shall , briefly re
late the circumstances which bro't Robbins
under my observation.
Being drawn tb serve as a grand juror for
the diftria of Charleston, we were request
ed by the court to visit the gaol, in order to
make < report 'of the state of the fame.——
llnthe exercise of this duty, I saw Robbins,
confined in irons, who communicated to me
the cause of Sis commitment, and his defence
to the charge,™viz. that of his being an A
merican citizen, impressed by the English.
From this relation, and his certificate of cit
izenship then Shewn to me, I was induced
to employ counsel in his behalf, in order
; that his innocence or guilt might be establish
ed by an appeal to tne laws of the Country.
I Ml r I nil.! -1
The world must be eg a Ibis to trace any
connexion between my conduct on this oc
tafien, and my having a&d as commercial
agent, for the Republic of France, upwards
of fix years since. Hence it follows, that
Mr. Moodie can have no other objed in
view, than a desire to establish a prejudice
against mein the eyes of my fellow citizens.
Mr. Moodie states, that he expressed his
surprise to Mr. Ker, that at so late a day he
meant to oppose Rdbbin^'s being delivered
up. The faA s, I had fpokeu to the coun
sel the very day I saw the prisoner in,gaol;
but his avocations I prefyme, did not per
mit him to attend to the case. The &fe,
quence was, that rather than the cause Should
be wholly negleaed, 1 applied to other coun
sel, with whose exertions I have no reason to
be diffatisfied. But I presume this is the firft
instance where a prosecutor has assumed to
himfelf the right of dictating to the accused
party, when, and how he Shall seek redress.
I am Gentlemen, your most obedient serv
ant.• ABRAHAM SASPORTAS.
&& No one knows better than Judge Bee, th at
I was agent to the French Republic, and no one
knows better than myfelf, that Mr. Moodie was
agent for the Bfitifh Government; by the repeat
ed vexatious impediments which were ralfed up
by him in every case, without the colour of a le
gal defence. The numerous decrees of the Su,
preme Court of the United States, in favour of
the captors, prove the faft.
O^ Republican Lap prater,
WHEREFORE EX THEIR FRUITS FE SHELg
KNOW THEM.
THAT the heart of man is deceitful a,
bove all things, and desperately wicked, up
one who has the least knowledge of human
depravity, will pretend to deny. And ^^
a great Share of& miseries of this life are
chargeable to this source is equally certain^
This being admitted, it is not to be wonder
ed at, that this deceitfulnefs of heart may be
traced in almost every character—for none
are perfect, and even amongst those, from
the profeffion of whom better things might
be expected. —The great- Teacher of man
kind is very particular on this head—he
fays, “ beware of falfe prophets, whieh coma
to you in foee,s' cioatbing, but inwardly they
are ravening wolves." —Then it Should seem,
there are falfe prophets, else, we Should not
be called upon to beware of them. Weare
not only called upon to beware of them, but
the criterion by which we are to know them
is also determined— '.'by their fruits ye fasti
know them —do men gather grapewf thorns, or
^of thirties." Even so even good tree, brings,
eth forth good fruit, &r.-= Then in a matter
of such big* moment is it not highly neceffa?
ry, that the conduct of those men, who call
therofelvfsfas df the prophets, should be cana
vaffed, in order, tp determine, 'whether the,
are, in reality, what they pretend to be, the
red disciples of the Prince of Peace, who
have only in view, the advancement of hit
glory, and the prosperity of bis real church ;
or whether they are not, in reality, raven
ing wolves, whose only aim is their own
private emolument. When we fee these
Spiritual watchmen, we naturally enquire—a
Are they Sincere—are they real friends tQ
religion ; to that religion, which is peace
;on earth, and goodwill to men—are thef
pofteffed of that meekness of temper, with
which their divine maftcr was possessed, who,
I when he was reviled, reviled not again—do
. they poflefs, in any degree, that patience,
Iforbearance, and long-Suffering, which he
did— Do they copy him in all his ways, in
iall his examples. In Short, is their ultimate
objea, the happiness of man here and here*
after. If so, then we bail them faithful
Iwatchmen upon the walls of Zion—light!
;which cannot be hid. But it is a melancho
ly truth, that we find but few, to whom the
'charader will apply and of whom it may
be said, behold an Israelite indeed! We have ‘
always been in the habit of supposing, that
no charader was more deferring of refpea'
and attention, than an boneff, upright and
;faithful minister ; on the contrary, none more'
deferring of contempt, than a hypocrite—l
mere pretender.—lndeed it has ever been
matter of furprize with vs, how a man&
this last description, could before his con,
gregation, and in the face pf his maker, ad,
dress the people of bis charge with a—&
faith the Lord ! We could Scarcely belief
it possible, did not repeated experience proty
the fad- and dll not he fay, who feake a#
never man Spake, that there are men of tiff
charader, blind leaders of the blind, who
to the uffrafol at at felfts, the faf