The American herald of liberty — Exeter, N.H., 1793-06-18 00:00:00, page 2

that he is utterly unacquainted with any thing •
that 1 have written on chols fubjccU: When
have 1 made any boast of my Services, what
ever they be, or intimated any expectation of a
reward ? though every man who gives his time
to wy important lubjea staves the took,
of bis countrymen, whatever may have een
his fu«e(s. However, far from expeStog
,oy reward, 1 ft* ‘bink mrWf very happy
if I efcapk without further ptimfhment. But
that Ipirh, which it so m»oh snflan.M by the
writing, and lpe«h« of Mr. Burke, give. m«
but little encooragrmeht to wail so much.
Submitting thele pblervauons to the cooler
chough" o'M'-
and of your numerous readers, among some
of whom 1 hope to meet with candour, I re
main, Sir, \ Clarion,
Ycur very komble servant
J. PRIESTLEY.
•ANS WER.
©<F SIXTY PARISHES IN BRITANNY, EN
CAMPED AT SORIMIERES, TOTHE PRO
CLAMATION OF THE COMMISSIONERS
OT TH E CON VEN T J O-N .
** In the name of the only true God whom
te you have abjured P*
•' WE are forced to return an aniwer to
your third Proclamation, the only intention
of which, like that of both the preceeding,is
a disarming, which good sense and reason
will not permit us to comply With ; nor to
submit to your laws, which we will never ac
knowledge,were we even to lose the last drop
of our blood.- Your sanguinary charader,
well known by your massacres with which
you have had the audacity to reproach our
Chiefs, does ndt permit us even to doubt re
ceding your deceitful pWmife. Your in
veterate declarations against our Chiefs
merit only the most profound contempt.
Our moH arfcnt desire is W give battle IQ
X** • \
The Madrid Gazette has of late been filled
with a register of patriotic offers, .which still
continue to be made with great alacrity and
zeal. The duke de la In fanta do has
prelented the King with a regiment of 1200
men, cloathed, armed, and equipped in every
refped—They have 8 battalion guns, 2 field
pieces, and 4 howitzers, with the necessary
ammunition and baggage, waggons and
mules, and the Caiffe du Regiment flocked
with a large sum of ready cash.—
Another Grandee has also railed a regiment
on bis estates ; and teveral have paid into
theßoyaiTreafary a voluntary gift of to,oool.
in hard and flefHng money.—
The Q^ieen, and all the Ladies in the
Court are busily employed in making lint.—
LISLE APRIL 5.
Gen. Dumourier having put under arrest
the four commissioners sent by the Conven
tion to feizehim and bring him to the bar,
addressed his army in the following terms: —
Companions, four* commissioners, ac
companied by the minitier at war, from the
national convention, are come to arrest me,
and conduit me to the bar. I remember
what you have promised, that you will not
fuffer to be carried away your father, who
has several times saved his country, who ha«
led you on in the road to viltory, and who at
last has still made an honourable retreat at
your head; I have put them in a place of
fafety to serve as hostages. It is time ior our
army to difeharge its vow, to purge France
of aflaffins and disturbers, and to restore to
our unhappy country, the repose which she
has loft by the crimes of her representatives.
It is time to regain a constitution to which
tve swore 3 years fucceffiveiy, which gave us
liberty, and which alone can preserve usfiom
the licentiousness and anarchy in which we
are plunged.
I declare to you, companions, that I
will set you the example of living and dying
free. We cannot be free but with good
laws, if otherwise, we fliall be the slaves of
crimes.—
THE Ein press of Ruflia is (aid to have re
quired of our court, no hrther inter
course, direst of in direst, witn France.
The D«kc Regent has given orders to e
quip a fleet of twelve fhipa of the line and
four frigates,ro serve as a convoy to the march
antmen durii^j the present war.—His Royal
Highnds is determined to observe the ftrifteft
neuirality ; but these peaceable fenciments are
not quite agreeable to the Ruffian court.
The Abbe de Verninac is expelled here as
Ambassador from the French National Con
vention. ' ,
A few days ago Count Horn, President of
the College of war, died here, in the 72d year
of his age.
** General in chief of the French army,
DUMOURIER. 0
Near St. Amand, April 1, 1793.
11 o’clock at night.
AUSTRIAN NETHERLANDS.
HOLLAND.
STOCKHOLM, MaRCH, 15.
' SPAIN.
ARANJUEZ, APRIL 10.
Foreign Intelligence.
FRANCE.
The government of the Netherlands, it is
{aid, will undergo a total renovation, in
which the various foggeftions of the patriots
will be candidly canvafled, and as far as
may be consistent with due fuboidination,a
dopted.—
APRIL 18.
Extraß of a letter from Egalite, to bit Father 9
dated Four nay, March 4.
** I fee that Liberty is no more- I fee that
the National Convention have loft France by
a renunciation of principle. I fee every where
a civil war. I fee every power leagued a
gainst us, and nothing to appose them ; our
troops of the line are almost annihilated, and
the volunteers have deferred. Can the Na
tional Convention fuppofe'that with such an
army they can continue the war ? If they do
they will shortly be undeceived. What e
vils have they not heaped on unfortunate
France.”—
MARCH JO.
Abridgement of the State of Polity for ibis
week.
It is an obfervatiorr of Lord Bacon’s, that
4< the belt things of nature, when corrupted,
become the worft —Corrutio optimi fit pefli
nra ” There is not a more noble or more
animating passion that fires the human breast
than the love of liberty. But even this pas
sion, when it bursts the barriers of reafon.and
lays prostrate every other consideration, degen
erates into a torrent of licentioulnefs,bold and
irrefiftable in proportion to the vigour of that
ere& sentiment of which it is an unfortunate
perverfion,which sweeps before it the gradual&
Seifurely monuments of humanity, refinement,
and political and civil government, and restores
and threatens the reign of anarchy, commonly
followed by that of despotic power. The
truth of Lord Verulam’s position with refpeft
to things moral and political, is fatally verified
by the present disastrous state of France.
A moderate and not unreasonable share of
liberty was offered to the French nation by
the late excellent King t a greater was assum
ed, without opposition on the part of the mon
arch, by the firft National Aflembly, without
due consideration of all the mutual dependen
cies of the French monarchy, and how. ihong
a head & hand it required to keep together so
vast Mid so complicated a fabric. The political
infignificance of the King, unfuppqrted as he
was by an intermediatory power between the
throne and the general aflembly* was quickly
followed by tumult and not a little- bloodshed.
The second N.Aflembly aflumed more liberty*
and blood began to flow a pace. This demo,
cracy, according to a very just though nice dif
crimination,was soon changed into a Laocracy.
The mob of Paris gave law to the Aflembly
and the nation. Horrors and mafiacres were
multiplied, and are still increased. 1 nfurrec
tion 1 begin to appear at Bourdaux, Lyons,and
other places in France, in opposition to the sud
den and ill-digested government of the ufor.
pert. Civil war is kindled in the interior,
while the worlds combined in arms, prefles
on the frontiers of France. The miieries of
that unhappy kingdom verge faft to the ex
tremity otpolitical diffrefs, that knows no
eonfolation save only thia that it cannot be
laftmg; and contemplates the alternative of
quick recovery or speedy dissolution.
But the ills of thia dismal state of affairs
ire not confined io one country or one age—
your invincible army of patriots! Our surest
Ihieid again ft your arms is a God, the a
venger of crimes, as is proved in different
attacks in which we have loft only two men ;
and instead of fearing their fury, which, you
fay, you are unable to reftrain,we desire that
you may add to it yonr own personal courage.
We fee too well to fuffer ourlelves to be se
duced by your deceitful speeches, of which
we have been neither afteded nor intimida
ted by any of your threats. The mafic is re
moved, the yoke is (haken off, and even if it
were not, we should do it at present. We
adjure all submission to your laws and pro
tection.—
** It is needless for you to make any more
mention of Diftrifts, Depaitmcnts, Munici
palities, the armed force of which we are
in no dread of.—After the abuse which the
firft Deputies made of our iniiruftions and
petitions, so often rejefted as not being con
formable to your laws, we declare in the face
of the univede that we will acknowledge
none of them, and that we adopt only the
ancient laws which we propofeto re-establish
by the sword, and the effufion of democratic
blood, if the Patriots do not abjure their er
rors ; and, as the firft proof of compliance
with our wishes, begin by setting at liberty
our Clergy, and by occuring to raise that
throne which you have overturned. You are
wrong if you think that the cause of the No
bility is the only end of the infureftion of the
people—it is their own cause which they de
fend at present. Numberless afts of oppref
fion.the decree of the Conftifuent and Legif.
lative Aflemblies, and those of the Conven
tion, have forced them to take up arms.which
they are determined never to lay down until
you have dissipated their frars by a procla
mation. Toaccomplifh this, grant the pray
er of their petitions. Such is the will of
all the united parilhes.—
April, the firft year of the reign of Louis
XVU.” (Signed) &c. &c. &c.—
ENGLAND.
LONDON, April 154
Liberty is wounded by her votaries ran mad—
the csufe of jufticeand freedom is hurt by rhe
injustice of those who only a flume her name,&
whole moral conduit, unrestrained by moral
principle, coincides exaftly with brutal appe
tite and phyhcal neceflity.
Os the National Convention, pafled on the
6th inst. refpefting the Austrian officers, de.
termined as hostages for the fafety of the
French Commissioners.
The National Convention considering that
every principle of the right of nations is vio.
lated by the detention in the army by the
Prince of Cobourg of the four Commissioners
sent to the army of the North, and General
Bournonville, who in no refpeft can come un
der rhe denomination of prisoners of war, and
that if the Generals of the Austrian army had
xefpefted those principles which still conrreft
nations, even when they carry on war, they
Would have restored to these citizens, public
functionaries, that liberty which they have
been basely and treacherously deprived of by a
rebellious General :
Considering, alfo,that the Prince of Cobourg
can have no pretence of excuse for such dis
gusting conduft, since all the prisoners taken
from the enemy have been treated with every
refpeft which humanity requires; and, besides,
that reprisals ought never to be made on citi
zens who are the representatives of the people,
or who are public funftionaries, and have
been given up by the most infamous treache
ry :
Considering, lastly, that justice and human
ity require that the National Convention
Ihould pursue all the means in its power to
prevent the Jaft excels to which those may
proceed who now have these Commissioners
in their power, decrees as follows:—
I. Francis Xavier, Count Averfperg, and
Augustus. Count de Linange, both the fami
ly of Cobourg, and having votes and feats in
the Diet of Ratifbonne, now prisoners of war,
and detained in the town of Rheims; the two
brothers Cabarre, nephews of General Clair
fayt, at present detained at Valenciennes;
Charles Oldemoc, reigning of Sinange-Wifter
bourg, Ferdinand Charles, his fan, Hereditary
Count, and Frederic, Count of Linange, hav
ing all three votes and feats in the Diet of
Ratifbonne, and now detained at Landau, fhali
be removea to Paris, to serve there as hostages
to the French nation, until liberty be restored
to the four Commissioners of the National
Convention, and to the Minister Bournon.
ville.
11. All those who, having votes or feats in
the Diet of Ratifbonne, may now be in France,
fliall be removed to the fame city, to serve also
as hostages ; those However being excepted
who are at present serving in the armies of the
Republic.
111. These hostages fliall be treated in the
fame manner as the Commissioners of the Con
vention, and the Minister Bournonville, are
treated by the Austrians.
IV. The Executive Council is charged to
put this decree into immediate execution, as
far as it concerns the removal and imprison
ment of the hostages. It is charged allo to
take care, that all the prisoners of war continue
to experience that treatment which is afliired
to them by the laws and capitulations.
In the following Sketch may be seen some
of the prominent features of a Portrait of
France, exhibited to the Convention in the
reports transmitted from the different Provin
ces.
At Nancy, bread is very often deficient,and
the people have only that of the very worst
quality.—At Lyons,the price i* double, 30,000
workmen,without fubfiftence,are thereby com
pelled to exchange the fliuttle for the musket,
and reoair to the frontiers for a livelihood.
Robberies and assassinations multiply in that
superb city.—At Limoges, grain is suddenly
increased from 4 livres 10 sols which is the
common price, to JJ livres. The utensils of
the church, which had escaped the rapacity of
the nation,.are now the spoil of plunderers.—
At Dorat, at Montmorrillon, at Pbiton, the
people by fo'ce have fixed the price of com.
—At Louvier, in Normandy, 6000 workmen
endeavoured tocompel the JWunicipaiity of the
diftrift to head them, and force the granaries.
—At Pafl'y, they have torn up the trees in the
neighbouring forefts, tor firewood.—At Cha.
tillon, the Municipality in the exercise of its
funftions has been insulted, dispersed, and per
sonally ill treated. The gendermerie, who co
vered their retreat, were pelted with stones,
and underwent the most imminent danger.
The insurgents uttered seditious exclamations
against the confliiuted authorities, against the
taxes, the new laws, and the lifting admin
istration. , .< ,
These scenes are daily renewed through the
whole extent of the Republic. The Tribunals
dare not punish the guilty, and, to complete
this climax of misery, Paris is torn io pieces
by faftion. The Convention resembles a stor
my sea, whose foaming billows dafli against
each other with inceflant violence. Continu.
al vacancies are occasioned in the army by de
fcrtion, and the foldiera perish by epidemical
difttmpers. The combined armies are again
preparing to aflembleon the frontiers; and all
the comfort which the French enjoy—is Lib
ertyand, Equality , and the permission to fing—
fi[bt exiirßation of Kingi'^-War *witb tht
• ;> f ’r-- -A ■■■ .. •* * ,
DECREE
The Marefchal Prince Os Sa^e Coburg Gener
al and Commander in Chief of the Armies
of his Majesty the Emperor, and the Empire^
TO THE FRENCH
THE declaration which 1 made from my
head quarters at Mons, dated the jth April,
1793, is a publick testimony of my perfon.l
sentiments to restore, as fcon as pofiible, peace
and tranquility to Europe. In it I manifefted
in a sincere and open manner, my particular
desire that the French nation might have a so.
fid and durable government, founded on the.
unshaken basis of justice and humanity, which
might insure peace to Europe,and happiness to-
France.
Now that the re fol t of this declaration is fa-,
eppofite to the effeds it ought to have produ
ced, and which proves but too plainly that the?
fentimenta which didated it have been mifun
detftood, it only remains for me to revoke it
entirely, and to declare formally that the state
of war which subsists between the Court of Vi
enna and the Combined, powers, and France, ut
from this moment unhappily renewed#
I find myfelf, therefore* forced, by the pre
dominating influence of the circumflancea
which the most guilty men persist in direding
to the overthrow and deftrudion of their coun
try^ta annul entirely my former declaration*;
*
and peace with tie cottage r—end ca ira^ ca iraf
It was ft a ted in the Convention, that news
.of the utmost consequence had been received
from Calais, Which had been communicated
only to the Secret Committee.
* This letter is very lengthy —and is addrefled to
the French Nation, under the date of April 2. It
contains among others, the following paragraph:
“ Frenchmen I we have a rallying point, which
“ can stile the monlter of anarchy j ’tis the conftitu
“ tion we swore to maintain in 1789, go, and gi :
“ ’Tis the work of a free people ; and we fliall re
“ main free, and fhali recover our glory, by.rcfum
“ ingour constitution.”
The Marefchal Prince of SaxeCcbovrg, Gene
ral in Chief of the armies of his Msjcfty the
Emperor, and of the Empire.
to THE FRENCH.
THE General in Chief, Dumourier) has com.
municated to me his Declaration to the French
Nation.* In it I find the feniimer.ts and prin
ciples of a virtuous man, who truly loves his
country, and who wishes to put an end to the
calamities and anarchy by which it is desola
ted, by procuring for it the happinels of a
Constitution and a wife and permaneni govern
ment. I know this also to be rhe unanimous
wish of all the sovereigns whom some laftious
perlons have armed against France, and parti
cularly that of his Majesty the Emperor, and
his Prussian Majtefty.
Filled at this moment with efleem fcr the
bulk of so great and generous a nation, to whom
the immutable principles of honour and justice
were held sacred, until, by the repetition of
outrages, dilorders and impostures, that part of
it has been cllranged and corrupted, which,
under the rnafk of humanity and of patriottlm,
speaks of nothing but aflaffinations and puig
nards.
I further declare upon my word of honour,
that should the military operations require one
or more fortreffes to be given pp to my troops,
I will keep them merely as a sacred trust ;
and I engage in the most express and positive
terms, to restore them, as loon as the govern
ment which fliall be eflablifhed in France, or
the brave general with whom I am about to
make a common cause, fliall demand such a
concession. • I also declare, that I will give the
most ftrill orders, and will take the most xvigo
rous and effeftual measures, that my troops
fhali not commit the least disorder ; not allow
ing the fmalieft exaflion or violence ; and re
fpeiling,every where on the territory of France,
persons and property. Any one belonging to
iny army, who fliall disobey my orders to this
effefl, fhali be immediately punished with the
most ignominious death. '
Given at the Head Quarter} at Mons,
the ^th of April, I 793.
The PRINCE de COBOURG.
Knowing also that this is the wish of all vir
tuous people in France.
Profoundly penetrated with these great
truths, and desiring nothing but the prosperity
and glory of a country torn by so many con
vulsions and misfortunes.
I declare by the present proclamation, that
I will support, by ail the force in my power,
the generous and beneficent intentions of the
General in Chief Dumourier, and his brave ar
my.
I declare besides, that, having lately fought
us on several occafior.s as a valiant, intrepid &
generous enemy, 1 will join a part of my
troops, should General Dumourier- desire it, or
even all my army, ft that of France, to co op
erate as friend, and companions in arms wor
thy of reciprocal esteem, so as to restore to
France her constitutional king, the constitution
she has chosen, and,as a necessary confequencc,
the means of perfelling it,if the nation Ihould
find it imperfect j—thus to retlore to France,
as well as to the rest cf Europe, peace, confi
dence, tranquility and happiness. I iherefore
declare on my word of honour, that I will not
enter the territory of France to ma Ke cor,quells
but limply and purely for the purposes above
mentioned.
Impor/ant Papers.