The Republican ledger — Portsmouth, N.H., 1801-04-21 00:00:00, page 2

in support of the government, and from this I
document they could afc&tain, how far the|
revenue might have been applied to discharge
the public debt. This statement would at
\once open the eyes of the People ; and when
they looked at the amount the object would
strike them with wonder and surprise. But
the misfortune is, the Treasury accounts
have hitherto been involved in mystery ; there,
has been such a perplexity attending these
communications, that but few men knew,
after they had pernfed them the real state of
the business. In Ihort it has been so intri
cate, that in one circle, wf Ihould hearthem
boasting of the decrease of our national debt
and in another deploring its augmentation.
But if the whole revenue was explicitly
declared, and the expenditures were as
clearly dated, the People at large could as
accurately judge, what they had paid arid
what had become of the money, as the ablest
financier and the most plodding negociator
on the continent. This would be bringing
- our financial projects to a clear, defined
point, and the resources of the country
would give an evidence to the world of the
immense abilities of the United States in the
support of government.
Mr. Jefferfon being introduced to the
chair of government, by the Republican Ci
tizens or the United States, in vindication
of his administration, it is hoped that such a
statement will be made. The people will
then fee, what has hitherto been done, and
if their taxes continue, that it is in conse
quence of previous engagements. If adebt
is contraaed by administration, it is not
Mr. Jefferfon's fault : but the fulfilment of
former contrasts, is'indifpenfable on his
part. Those, then, who sneeringly observe
that the Republicans expert no taxes under
Mr. Jefferfon's administration, are to re
member, that the debt was contraaed in the*
days of his predecetTor..^
The Citizens of America are peculiarly
fond of knowing how their money goes ;
they are ready to pay their taxes, but at the
,fame time are anxious to pry into the ap
propriation of them. Like honest men,
they are desirous to answer all necessary" de
mands, but .it is a New-England fajbion to
examine accounts with a critical acutente
nefs. Millions of dollars are large sums, and
when it comes from the pockets of the peo
ple, they feel a fatisfaaion in knowing their
direaion. If it is fairly expended,,hey are hot
disposed to murmer, but if it has gone under
the idea that “ a public debt is a public bles
sing," it is apt to make them jealous of the
propriety of the principle. They love
their country, and they love their money ;
they are not found of pagantry, and are
not willing' to pay taxes, to support a few
nabobs in foreign courts, just to gratify the
pride of men who vainly imagine that the
people honor themselves by paying for their
extravagances.
The Economy recommended by Presi
dent Jefferfon, is the key-stone of Republi
canism; this i$ the consummation devoutly to
be wished by the Republican Citizens of
the United States. If this principle had
been (trial, adhered to, lam persuaded the
/Revenue already raised would have nearly
•extingnifhe'd the public debt. But the poi
son which has been infufed into our gov
ernment, has given a banefnl tendency fa
Corrupt the vital organs of the administra
tion ; it has raised a comparative few to em
inence, and thrown a heavy debt on the
bulk of the citizens. A falfe, deceptive ap
pearance of prosperity has bewildered the
public mind ; but when peace takes; place,
and the immense demands from the Banks,
Custom-Houses, &c. are cancelled, these
films which now obfeure the fight will drop
from our eyes, and we (hall not only fee,
but feel the effe&s of our political credulity
ond folly.
OLD SOUTH.
One of the Editors of a Phildelphia Pa
per congratulates his readers on' the recov
ery of King George the Third. So do we—-
for we most Oncerely hope that monarch
is reserved for a fate due to the difpofttions
he has evinced, and attrocious actions which
his. influence has instigated.
• It is certainly one of the best arguments
that can be employed against those who
doubt of a future state, that this man Ihould
live futrounded by every human luxury,and
by the obsequious attendance of every, hu
man being with whom he is personally con
ne&ed, while he himfelf has spent a long
life in contributing so far as he could to the
death, the poverty, incarceration, and in va
rious ways to the misery of millions. He
has contributed (in defiance of the religion
of which he is called the defender) to extend
War to every quarter of the globe : the war
against this country, where at least 150,000
men were facrificed, was this ' man's own
War. —The war in Europe—the combina
tion of tyrants against liberty, is this man's
own war-even the advocates of the late
changes in the British administration, de
clare that this monarch opposed the eman
cipation of one fe& &f chriltians from the
tyranny of another ; that fuch'a man .fhotild
, I have now therefore to observe that a
Treaty of Peace and Amity having been con
cluded between his Majesty of Sweden and
this Regency on this day, the third of Jan.
1801, it isNO LONGER SAFE for the
Merchant Vessels of said United States of
America to remain in these Seas, or its vi
cinity, as the Swedes have made the follow
ing conditions in consequence of their- hav
ing 131 of their fubjeas in bondage, viz.
They have agreed to pay Dr 5.290,000,
including all expences for Peace and the
Ransom of their captives and 20,000 Dol
lars annually, in consequence of their be
ing permitted to load here 3000 Tons of
Salt annually, and as 1 have- every reason to
suppose the fame terms will be demanded
from the United States of America, and
that our fellow citizens will be Captured in
order to insure our compliance with the
laid degrading, humiliating and dishonora
ble terms ; I find it my duty to request you
to take such measures as will most effectu
ally prevent any of our vessels from trading
ing on this Sea, until you are advised offi
cially by me or either of our Consuls at Al
giers dr Tunis, that this disagreeable affair
is terminated, which from its nature will
require much time, as it extends to making
the United States tributary to Tripoli, and
must firft be authorized by a particular ad
of the,Legiflature. I therefore request the
abovenamed Agentsand Consuls of the U
States of America and all others whom it
doth or may concern to communicate the
contents of this circular letter, to all mer
chants and masters of vessels belonging to
the United States, in order that they may
withdraw their property immediately from
thefe.Seas, and that our mariners may fly
the impending danger. I likewise request
them to make the letter circular, and to
transmit copies of it along the refpe&ive
coasts of their residence, and likewise to the
Department of State, and whereever they
may imagin that it will be most likely to an
swer the desired effe&, as I have from hence
but few opportunities.
In teflimony of the absolute necessity of tying the
aforofaid precaution, before it should be too late
I hereunto fubferibe my name and affix the Jtal
of my office.
Demerit the Chancy of the United States of Amer
ica at Tripoli, in Barbary, this 3d day fan. 1801,
and of the Independence of the United States of A
merica the 25th.
.(Signed) JAMES L. CATCHART.
THOMAS APPLETON, Esq.)
Conjul of the U. State, at Leghorn.,
. —(+tf+^g4Qfy»>» —
Extrafl of a letter from Mitchel's-town (near Cork)
Ireland dated 291 k Dec, lajl. to a correspondent
in Philadelphia.
" So generally is the union with Great
Britain disliked, -that the whole kingdom
world long ere this be in open rebellion a
gainst England, were it not for the im%
menfe number of British and Scotch troops
brought over hereto support the measure,
and daily landing even at present ; but not
withstanding all this, if France can throw a
few thousand men into the kingdom, every
loyalist will I feat* be destroyed.
" There would have been a famine this
year in Cork, were it not for the feUonable,
fupplies.of rice and American ,flour which
arrived there. ^^Q
" The principal necessaries of life are
treble as high as when your were
To the Agents and Consuls of the United States of
America reading in the different Ports of France
Spain, Portugal, Italy, the Barbary States and
British GarriJons in the Mediterranean, and to
all others whom it doth or may concern.
GENTLEMEN,
I had the honor to inform you in my Cir
cular of the 12th of November 1801, that
certain unjust demands having been made by
the Bafhaw of Tripoli upon the United
States of America, which I found it my du
ty to repel ; that said Befhaw had publickly
announced in an official manner that he
would declare war against the United States
of America in fix months, to commerce
from the 22d day of Oaober, 1800, if his
demands, which he purposely made in an
evasive and indeterminate manner, were not
complied with. I further informed you
that it would be unfafe for our merchant
vessels to trade in the Mediterranean, or its
vicinity after the 22 day of March 1801, as
these faithlefs people generally commit de
predations before the time or period allow
ed is expired. I likewise informed you
that I did not conclude in virtue of his pro
mise, that our Vessels might remain in the
Mediterranean until the mouth of March,
but in consequence of this Regency being
at war with Sweden, and the season of the
Year,
die peaceably in-his bed with every comfort
—with every luxury—with every external
consolation around him—is one of the im
putations which a thinking man cannot
sometimes help making against Providence
itfelf. Some state of retribution for iniqui
ties and propensities, so enormous and bane
ful as his must be. But we sincerely hope
that every tyrant now existing may be re
served for the ' public justice of the existing
generation and the ptefent world.
0e ^art)^ potoew
Aurora.
. ^titify amity.
NORFOLK, MARCH 14.
Extras of a letter from Naflau, (N. P.) dated Feb.
1801, to a referable mercantile house in this
borough.
“ ('embrace this opportunity of Rating the
grounds upon which American vessels arc'con
demned in this port.
" It would be folly to deny, that the late
conduct of the British cruisers, arises from
exceptions taken by the Court of St. James's
at the proceedings of our government.—
Some presume that it is in consequence of
the suspension of the Convention at Phila
delphia ; others, that it has arisen from a
jealous disposition, feeing thgt we have made
peace with France ; while they themselves
urge that they' are only enforcing a princi
ple of the law of nations. How reasons
like these can be advanced at this late date
(when a different condud would have so
materially annoyed the enemy since the
commencement of war) with regard to pro
priety, I leave you to determine. It seems
however, that Sir William Scoot has taken
occasion to declare it as his opinion, unau
thorifed by any particular trial, and evident
ly to advance the views of the ministry, that
" the produce of a country at war, although
purchased and imported into a neutral State,
and again (hipped to a colony of the said
power at war, although the property may
be a dozen times changed, does not become
neutralifed, but is liable to seizure and con
fifcation by the enemy." It is very eaf, to
perceive that this opinion is aimed dire&ly
at the government of the U. States, and does
not affea any other neutral. It is for that
reason it has been a£ted upon ; but as his
other important conftruaion of the law of
nations involves every neutral, it has been
thought so fafe to be governed by-it. It is
also contended, that the ports of a nation at
war; which are ihut to neutrals in time of
peace, are by the law ofnations to remain
shut in time of war, because any supplies
afforded by the neutral nation out of the uni
form channel, is held abetting the enemy.
" Sucih is the logic of Nassau, and such
the grounds upon which during the last
Week, upwards of 100,000 dollars of Ame
rican property has been doomed to the ham
mer ; and thus without the apparent inter
ference of the court of St. James's a most
lucrative branch of opr trade will be entire
ly annihilated. But there is a measure,
which, if promptly resorted to, will, so far
as relates to this Island, effeaually deprive
them of the benefit of their plunder.
" TbJir forced trade to the Spanish terri
tories is the fountain of their commerce, and
their chief support. It affords them a rea
dy market at all times for their immense
European importations ; but at the present
moment particularly, for the very goods
which they condemn in American bottoms
as illicit articles of trade: The persons
who pursue the traffic are Spaniards and A
mericans, who cloak the pr perty. The
former by a license granted by this govern
ment, which protects them, from British
cruisers. The latter to deceive the Spanilh
government, by producing a falfe clearance
as coming from the U. States. lam fur
prized that it has never occurred to the A
metican cruifert lthat those vessels are justly
seizable. Firft—lnafmuch as, being fur
nifhed with two sets of papers, fi,jeas them
to be treated as pirates ; and secondly, their
being equally out of the projeQion of Spain
and Britain, are claimable by neither party.
To destroy the means of disposing of plun
der, is at once to deprive the plunderer ot
his obje&. An assertion of what I deem' an
absolute right, in this instance will eftanal
ly do it: Privateers will no longer continue
to intercept vessels, when the profits of the
cruise are equal to the expence of the ex
pedition." This a single sloop of war would
effea,-withoutjuflly giving umbrage to the
tingle infraction of the rights of Britain.-
you will judge better by the following prices
vi 2.
Flour, current at 425. cwt.
Oatmeal, do. do.
Beef, . 40. do.
Pork, 60. do.
Butter, 120. do.
Kice, 32. da.
Potatoes, 2s. 2d. per 211 b.
" And groceries in general enormously
high. Whifky is very scarce, and the little
that is to be had commonds 17s. qd. or 245.
per gallon, as the quality may be—the dif
tillationffrom grain being prohibited."
[The person who received this letter re
marks ,hat the above extra& serves in some
measure to shew the blessed effe&s of that
policy, and system, under which the British
government have long persevered in 'what
his most excellent Majesty George 111. by
the grace of God, “ calls the just and neces
sary war" against France, for the sole pur
pose of securing the peace and happiness of
the three kingdoms, and it must be confef
fed, that this policy has had the desired ef
fe&, provided we confider a principle cor
re&, which may be expressed by an Irifh
ifm (as Luthef Martin phrases it,) that is,
that a thing can be helped forward by back
ward affiftance.]
* The writer is a warm friend to the English
adminiftration.'
BOSTON, APRIL 16.
On Tuefday arrived, sch. Samuel, Capt. Wil
liams, from Malaga, 34 days. Mr. A. Belknap,
, the Supercargo, furnished us with the following
intelligence:
" Madrid, March 1, 1801.
“ WAR was yesterday declared in the Council
of War, against Portugal. Hofl ilities will ffiortl,
commence. The French army is already withia
the Spanish lines."
Some Portuguese vessels were detained at Mala
ga. A French fleet of 7 fail of Ul^ line and 2 fri
gates, had been spoken, bound up the Mediterra
nean. A small English fleet of three fail and one'
frigate, bound up also, has been spoken.
A letter from Richard Obrien, Esq. American
Coilful at Algiers, to the Cdnful at Malaga, fays,
66 The Tripolitans have demanded a large fam rs
money of the Swedes, as the price of peace, &c.
and it was expected they would demand the fame
of the United States." He also fears “ there will
be a rupture very shortly with Tunis, and requells
the to give the alarar to the Americans; ^
and thinks that some bf our Ihips of war would « 4
be of great service that way."' 4
A decree has been issued by the Spanish Com
missioner of Finance to the President of the Junta
des Rentas Provincials of Malaga; ordering the
recovery of foreign duty (in addition to the one
already paid) on all such articles of Spanish colo- ,
nial produce, as hive been imported there froce
the commencement of 1799, whether , with or
without certificates of their being such produce ;
and the importers are responsible.
WASHINGTON, APRIL £
We understand that dilpatches have been receiv
ed fcohi oUMninifter at the court of Loodop, to
the nth Feb. and from our minifler at Berlin toX
the loth Dec. Fromj he dispatches of the forinee
irappears that progress is making, in an amica
ble manner, in the pending negociatious betweenl
the U. States and England.
Orders have been given by government tafirf
penct, for the present, all further progref. in ereft- ■
:ng the arsenal and military stores irf the vicinity
ot Philadelphia, r and the fortifications in Rhode- &
Iftnd.
The two companies of dragoons have been, by
direction of government, dismounted. Tte^w
which created these companies placed their c<m
tinuanfe at the will of the President,- wiL h*v
thenght proper fa reduce them to the rank) of iu
fantty. •/
By,this measure a considerable expeddforftof
money will be fevedin the redu&iott pf n body
vieued by the @oft intelligent military men as of
no efential service to the organization ofihe co.
my. . .
It is but a few months since it was announced
“That the King had been foot at." It is now
said that a ^ fever has seized him, and that his
life is despaired of ;'' and that great anxiety pre
vails throughout Great-Britain, left he ihould not
recover. When we retted 00 the degraded con
dition of that country, which can feel anxious to
perpetuate the existence of a tyrant who has cor
ftantly endeavoured to lay walle by fire and sword
by blood, rapin and murder, the faireft and most
virtuous portion of mankind, we are ready to ex
claim with Mr. Bishop—
" That if all the kings and emperors of the
earth, with all their minions, could be deposited
in one grave, all the republicans throughout the
earth might collect and fay, “ The Lord hath ta
ken away, and blessed be the name of the Lord ,
& all the royalists might assemble about the grave
and howl and lament, faying here lies all that was
mortal of his Turkish majesty, who was once cal
led “ shadow of God, brother to the fun and mom
disposer of all earthly crowns !" Here lies, mix
ing with common earth, the defender of rhe faitfl
with his most chriftian majesty ! Here lies the
emperor of Russia, with the king of Spain and
Denmark ! and the king of the Romans with the
king of the Goths and Vandals, the great prince
of Findland ! with the knights of the flar and
. garter, and the eagle, and the golden lion!
Here lie disregarded tl>e keys of St. Peter, with
cardinal bonnets and golden crosses! Here lies
the generalissimo's and admiraliffimo's of our
world !
It will besides afford to American citizens
the melancholy fatisfaaion, that the proper
ty of which they are uhjuftly deprived, will
benefit but in a final! Degree those rapacious
plunderers, it, may finally cau^the aban
donment of a principle which aims at the
root of our commerce, before its deftruaive
con sequences are too generally feit."
• •Was man made but a little lower than the an
gels, and yet has he funk'Jo low as tofro, to fact
flavijh mockery !
“ Sleep on ye, who when alive, by your deta
(ions, made the earth one great accidama, the re
furrettion will wake ,ou tolefTons, which you ne
ver learnt or taught on earth."
Extract of a letter from cupt. John Barton of the
brig Washington, to his owner in Salem dated
"Kingston^ MARCH
"SIR,
" IT is with regret. I inform you of my
disagreeable fituatien. I failed from Aux-
Cayes, Feb. 16th, and was chafed by afhip
Cape Dona Maria being in fight ; on the
2oth was boarded by her, and (he proved to
be the Calypso English sloop Os war, Capt.
Baker, who took out my mate and five
hands ; put on board a prize-matter and fix
hands, and ordered the brig for Port-Royal
in Jamaica, on pretence @f my running
from him, where we arrived 25th intt. Im
mediately went to Kingston and noted a pro
test, which I Ihall extend in due season. If
they Ihould libel the vessel andcargo, which
I have no doubt of, I Ihall employ an agent
to claim for the fame. The Court fits one
week in a month, which rose a few days
and there is no profpe& of my trial the next
court. Os course 1 Ihall be here 40 or 50
days at least before trial. There are now
thirty or Forty Americans under adjudica
tion, and not mope thanoue out often is ac
quitted."
Domestic information.
(Citizen.)