The Republican ledger — Portsmouth, N.H., 1800-04-09 00:00:00, page 1

The Republican Ledger.
PORTSMOUTH, (NEW-HAMPSHIRE) PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY GEORGE JERRY OSBORNE, jun. MULBERRY LANE, NEXT DOOR TO ROUSSELETs MUSEUM.
NUMBER 33. VOL. I.]
CALL THESE DEEDS RELATE, SPEAK OF THEM AS THEY ARE; NOTHING EXTENUATE NOR SET DOWN OUGHT IN MALICE."
Congees of @e 'United ^tates +
• _rfte<„mfr +> -
- HOUSE^THuta DAY, MARCH 20.:
PUBLIC DEBT. I
MR. Griswold's reflation on .his sub-.
fea,fomewhat modified, was adopted,
and a Committee of seven apposed.
Mr. Harper moved that this Committee
Should also report a statement of all the in
cidental and extraordinary expences into
which the government had bero drawn by
particular circumstances. Laid on the ta-
The House went into committee of the
whole on the unfavorable report of the
Committee of Commerce on the petition of
Scoffer, Clofs and Wallace ; when Mr. 3.
Smith gave his reason why he hoped the re
port would not be concurred inland was
followed by Messrs. Sewall and Nicholas,
in favor of the report—when the question
was taken, and the report of the committee
was agreed to, ayes 46, noes 31.
By this decision, enemy's velfels captured :
by private armed vessels of the U. States,
and condemned in foreign port, are not en
titled to a remitter, any inftruaions from the
Secretary of State to commanders of such„
vessels, to the contrary notwithftandin^
The House went into Committee of the
whole on the bill to provide for the execu
tion of the 27th article of the treaty of ami
ty, commerce and navigation made with
Britain=Mr. Parker in the chair, when the
bill having been read by the Clerk, a motion
was made and carried that the committee
fie and have leave to fit again.
FRIDAY, MARCH at.
The Speaker laid before the house a re
port from the Secretary of the Navy, re-j
fpe&ing Captain Truxton's engagement .—:
Besides Captain T's dispatches, the report
\ contained extra's of letters from the Ame
ncan Consul at Curracoa, and the dif,bled
state of Trench (hip La Vengeance— As to
any particular specimen of valour, the be-]
tary received no information, but that all
the officers and men had a&ed with the most.
unexampled bravery and decorum was at-
Med by the Captain, whose good manage
ment was evinced, by the lingularfuccefs of
the a&ion.
The Secretary notices the bravery ofJames
fevis, a midshipman, who preferred death to
quitting his post.—The report and resolu
tion, were referred to the Naval Committee.
The Committee on the petition of Gil
bert Dench, again reported against the pray
er of the petitioner. The house concurred.
Mr. Otis's resolution refe&ing the re
moval of the government to the Federal ci
ty, was referred to the suitable committee.
" „ MONDAY, MARCH 24.
An engroffe( bill supplementary to the
aa for regulating trade and intercourse
with the Indian tribes and to preserve peace
on tlte frontiers, was read and patted.
Mr. Gallatin presented a remonstrance
from a number of the inhabitantsof Fayette
county, being a counter petition to one
which Mr. G. presented some weeks part
from Benjamin Wells, who prayed for the
amount of damages foftained °& account of
the weftern infuire&ion, whiclMvas referred
to* the secretary, to whom this was also re
ferred.
Mr. Harper reported a bill from the com
mittee of ways and means, to amend an aft
providing for a second census, or enumera
tion of the inhabitans of the United States.
Mr, H. Rated this a& to be only an altera
tion to conform the bill to an amendment
made to the title of the bill which passed the
V present session. It was ordered to be en
grossed for a third reading.
Mr. Parker, from the naval committee
reported the following resolutions.
Resolved, by the Senate and House of Re
presentatives of the United States, in Con
' cress assembled, That the President of the
United States be icquefted to present to
Capt. Thomas Truxton, a golden medal,
emblematical of the Ute adion between the
' United States fixate Constellation of 38
guns, and the French ship of war La Ven
rot of 54 &% in testimony of the high
sense entertained by Congress, of his gallan
try and good condn& in the above engage
ment, wherein an example was exhibited by
the captain, officers, sailors, and marines,
honorable to the American name, and in
ftruaive to its rising navy.•
Resolved, That the condua of James
Jaivis, a midihipman in said frigate, who
gloriously preferred certain death to an a
bandonment of his post, is deferring of the
highest praise ; and that the loss of so pro
mising an officer is a fubje& of national re
'gret - 7 # :
The House then proceeded to the consi
deration of these resolutions, the firit of
which was under Confideteation.
After tonfiderable debate the yeas and
nays were called on this resolution and car
ried.—Yeas 87, Nays 4.
Those who voted in the negative are
Messrs. Jackson, Lyon, Randolph & Sump
ter.
The other resolution was adopted Unan
imously.
Mr; C. Foster made a report from the
committee of claims on the petition of Ro
bert Yates,' who prayed for commutation to
which he supposed he was entitled as*heir
of his late brother. The committee report
ed their opinion that the right of the claim
never existed, and that the petition Should
be rejected.
The house concurred.
An engrossed Bill was read for the relief
of the trustees of Rhode-I(land College, and
and after being warmly objected to by Gal
latin, and warmly supported by Mr. Champ
lin, the yeas and nays Were taken for its
passing. Yeas 14 —Nays 41.
Mr. Speaker decided in the affirmative.
Mr. Harper, from the committee of ways
and means reported a bill making further
provision for the removal and accommoda
tion of the government of the United States,
which was twice read and committed to the
whole house.
Mr. Harper direaed by the committee of
ways and means proposed the following re
solution, which was agreed to :
Resolved, That the committee of ways &
means have leave to prepare and report a
JO or bills for making appropriation for the
va^Vs branches of the public service during
the present yeari%
Mr. A. Fofteforefented a petition ofSilas
Dinfmore, whic, o twas referred to the com
mittee of claims. X
On motion of Mr. Gallatin, the petition
of John Armstrong was referred to the com
mittee refpe&ing entering caveats on land
patents. _
4 The house went into committee on the
bill for the better regulation of the courts of
the United States, which was read through,
when the hour of adjournment being arrived
a motion was made for the committee to
rife, which was carried.
Progress was reported, and on the question
'lhall the committee have leave to fit again ?'
leave was refufed. Ayes 38, Noes 40, so
that the bill was destroyed. Adj.
Foreign Intelligence.
—so o«0to& -►>--=
BRITISH HOUSE of COMMONS—! AN. 21.
Mr. Sheridan announced that he should,
on Monday Feb. 3, move for an examina
tion of the causes of the failure of the late
expedition to Holland.
JAN. 22.
4 KING'S MESSAGE.
A Message was received from his Majes
ty f f W which the following is extraded:
'L/Tis Majesty has thought proper on this
ocCTion to dire& that there should be, laid
before the House copies of communications
recently received from the enemy, & of the
answers which have been returned thereto by
His Majesty's command
“ His majesty entertains the fulleft con
fyence that those answers will appear to
this House to have been conformable to that
line of condua which was required from
His Majesty on this occafien, by his regard
to all the most important interests of his Do
minions : apd His* Majesty, having no ob
jed more at heart than that of contributing,
as soon as the situation of affairs shall ren
der it pra&icable, to the establishment of
the General Tranquility of Europe, on a
sure and solid foundation : and of provid
irig effeaually for the security and perma
nent prosperity of his faithful people, places
a firm reliance on the Continued support 0!
his Parliament, and on the zeal and perse
verance of his fubjeds, in such-measures as
may best tend to confirm the signal advan
tages which have been obtained to the com-<
mon Cause in the course of the last Cam
paign, and tb condud the great contest in
which His Majesty is engaged to a fafe and
Honourable conclufifn. ? ,f R°"
Among the papers communicated with 1
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 1800.,
this Message are the following, which have
not yet been published:
Paris, 24 NivuJe, Bth year (Jan. 14, 1800.)
MY LORD,,
I loft no time in laying before the First
Consul of the Republic the official note, un
der date of the 14th Nivofe; which you
transmitted to me; and lam charged to
forward the answer, equally official, which
you will find annexed.
Receive, my lord, the assurance of my
high consideration. (Signed)
C. M. TALLEYRAND.
To the Minist er of Foreign Affairs, at London.
The Official Note, under date of the 14th
Nivofe, the Bth year, addressed by the Min
ister of His Britannic Majesty, having been
laid before the First Consul of the French
Republic, he observed with surprise, that it
rested upon an opinion whkh is not exa&
refpeaing the origin and consequences of
the present war. Very far from its being
France which provoked it, the had, it mult
be remembered, from, the commencement of
her Revolution, solemnly proclaimed her
love of peace, and her disinclination to con
quers, her tefpe& for the independence of
all Governments ; and it is not to be doubt
ed that, occupied at that time entirely with
her own intftnal affairs, Die would have a
voided taking part in those of Europe, and
w' id have remained faithful to her declara
tions. , 1 "
But from an opposite disposition, as soon
as the French Revolution nad broken out,
almost all Europe entered into a league for
its denruaion. The aggression was real,
long time before it was public ; interne! re
sistance was excited ; its opponents were
favorably received ; their extravagant de
clamations were supported ; the French na
tion was insulted in the person of its agents;
and England set particularly this example
by the dismissal of the Minister accredited to
her. Finally, France was, in fad, attack
ed in her independence, in her honour, and
in her fafety, long time before the war was
declared.
Thus it is to the projeds 6f fqbjeaion,
diffolutioh, and dismemberment, which were
■prepared against her, and the execution of
which was several times attempted and pur
sued, that France has a right to impute the
evils which the has fuffered, and those which
have assisted Europe. Such proje&s, for a
long time without example, with refpe& to
so powerful a nation, could not fail to bring
on the most fatal consequences.
Availed on all sides, the Republic could
not but extend universally the efforts of her
defence ; and it is only for the maintenance
of her own independence that file has made
use of those means which the poffefled, in
'her own strength and the courage of her
citizens. As long as (he saw that her ene
mies obstinately refufed to recognife her
rights; ty counted only upon the energy
of her refinance ; but as soon as they were
obliged to abandon the hope of invasion, the
fought for means of conciliation, and mani
fefted pacific intentions: and if these have
not always been efficacious ; if, in the midfl
of the critical circumstances qf her in
ternal situation, which the Revolution and
the war have successively brought on, the
former depositaries of the Executive Autho
rity in France, have not always shewn as
much moderation, as the natjon itfelf has
shewn courage, it must, above all, be im
puted to the fatal and persevering animosity
with which the resources of England have
been lavished to accomplish the ruin of
France.,...
But if the wishes of his Britannic Majes
ty (in conformity with hi§ assurances) are,
in unison with those of the French Repub
lic, for the re-eflablifhment of Peace, why,
instead of attempting the apology of the war,
should not attention be rather paid to the
Seans of terminating it I And what obfta
-2 can prevent a mutual understanding, of
which the utility is reciprocal, apd is felt,
cfpecially when the firft Consul of the French
Republic has personally given so many proofs
of his eagqnefs to put an endlo the calami
ties of war, and of his disposition to maintain
the rigid observance of all treaties conclud
ed? "
The First Consul of the French Repub
lic could not ^oubt that his Britannic Majes
ty recognifed the right of nations to choose
the form of their Government, finee it is
from the exercise of this right that he holds
his mown ; but he has been unable to com-
Ifotehend how to this fundamental principle,
I upon which refls the exigence of Political
I Societies, the Minister of His Majesty could
[i dol. 50 CTS. PER ANNUM.
annex insinuations which tend to an inter
ference in the internal affairs of the Repub
lic# and which are no less injurious to the
French Nation and to its Government, than
it would be to England and to his majesty,
", '° rt °' invitation were held out in favor
of that Republican Government of which
England adopted the forms in the middle of
the last century, or an exhortation to recall
to the throne that family whom their birth
had placed there, and whom a Revolution
compelled to defeend from it.
It at periods not far distant, when tie
constitutional system of the Republic pre
sented neither the strength nor the solidity
conta ' ns at present, His Britannic
Majesty thought himfelf enabled to invite at
negotiation and pacific conferences ; how is
it impoflible that he should not be eager ta,
renew negociations to which the present and
reciprocals tuation of affairs promises a rap
'd progress ? On every fide the voice of na
tions and of humanity implores the conciu
fion of a war, maked already by such great
calamities, and the prolongation of which
threatens Europe with an universal convul#
fion and irremediable evils. It is, there
'ore? 5° P ut a "°P to tbe course of these ca
lamities, or in order that their terrible con->
sequences may be reproached to those only
who shall have provoked them, that the firft
Consul of the French Republic proposes to
put an immediate end to hostilities, by agree
ing to a suspension of arms, and naming
Plenipotentiaries on each fide, who should
repair to Dunkirk, or any other town as
advantageously situated for the quickness of
the refpedive communications, and vho
should apply themselves without any delay
to effe& the re-establishment of peace and
good underftartding between the French Re
public and England.
The First Consul offers to give the pad
ports which may be necessary for this pur
pose. I (Signed)
C. M. TALLEYRAND.
Paris, the 20th NiooJe (14th Jan. 1800,,
Bfh year of the French Republic,
Letter from Lord G remitle to the Mimfler for For
eig" Affairs at Paris.
Downing-street, Jan. 20, 1800.
SIR,
I have the honour to inclofe to you the
Answer which His Majesty has directed me
to return to the Official Note which you
transmitted to me.
I have thd honour to be, with high confe
deration, fir, your most obedient humble ser
vant. (Signed)
GRENVILLE.
To the Mini,er for Foreign Affafrs,
&c. &c. at Paris.
Note referred to in the preceding Letter.
The Official note trfofmitted by the Min
ister for Foreign Affairs in France, and re
ceived by the Undersigned on the 18th inst.
has been laid before the: King.
His Majesty cannot forbear expressing the
concern with which he observes in that
Note, that the unprovoked Aggressions of
France, the sole cause & origin of the War,
are systematically defended by her present
Rulers, under the fame injurious pretences
by which they were originally attempted to
be disguised his Majefy will not enter into
Refutation of allegations now universally
exploded, and (in so far as they refped tHts
Majesty's Cor.du&,) not only in themfefres
utterly groundless, but coniradiaed both by
the, internal evidence of the tranfaaions to
which they relate, and also by the teflimony
(given at the time) of the government of
France itfelf.
With refpea of the obje& of the Note,
His Majesty can only'refci to the answer
which he has already given.
He has explained without reserve the ob
stacles which, in his judgement, preclude,
at the piefent moment, all hope of advan
tage from Negotiation. All the induce
ments to treat, which are relied upon in the
French Official Note ; the personal dispo
sitions which are said to prevail for the con
clusion of Peace, and for the future oblerv
ance of Treaties ; the power of ensuring
the effe& of those Difpofitrong, supposing to
exist ; and,the solidity of the fyflem newly -
eftabliffied, after so rapid a fucceflion of re
volutions—All these are points which can
be known only from that test to which His
Majesty has already referred them—the Re
juk of Experience; and evidence of fads.^
With th„fincerity and plainness which
bis anxiety for the re-establishment of peace
in difpenfibly required, His Majesty has
pointed out to France the surest & speediest
means for the attainment of that great ob^