Oracle post — Portsmouth, N.H., 1803-12-06 00:00:00, page 2

to the Flemish and French coast for the last fix
weeks. Our cruizers occasionally go near enough
to fee encampments on Shore, and including the
French troops in Holland, which has been Stated at
Y go,ooo,we may fairly foppofe that along the line of
coast which extends from the Scheldt to Havre, there
afe between 80 and 100,000 men, Bonapartewould
find no -obstacle, with relpe& to the alfembling a
large military force—his great difficulty would be
in building and equipping the gun and flat bottom
ed boats. Dunkirk and Oftend are the grand de
pots. Dunkirk contains the greatest number. The
following are said to be the amount in each of the
following ports:
^Dunkirk, : '6o
.<Oftend, 15°
Boulogne^ 5°
.Calais, 5°
Dieppe, Fecamp and Blankenberg, 30
Flushing & the Weft Scheldt, 5°
, Bast Scheldt, Goree, Helvoetfluys 1 g o
$ and the mouth of the Maefs, J
It must be obvious to every one, that we cannot
'pledge ourselves for the accuracy of the foregoing
Statement. We gave it as we heard it. The Oftend
boats are laid to be in complete readiness, and as
we have already mentioned, rumour States that 150
of them, with troops on board, are expeded to come
ou| next tide. Whether the boats in the other parts
are in a State of equal preparation we know not.
Our cruizers on the alert, and the whole of the
French coast is most narrowly watched.
It is said that Bonaparte's determination to at
tempt an invasion has been quickened by our re
cent attacks upon the French eoafts, and by the
havock we have made among the gun-boats. He
wishes, it is fyppofed, to make the attempt immedi
ately, feeling, that if he delays it much longer, we
ffiall have destroyed the major part of that flotilla
which h to convey the troops.
Os the preparations in the ports ofFrance Situated
to the South of Bteft,we know nothing. It has been
conjeaured, that it is from them Bonaparte would
fend an expedition agaiuft Ireland. It is with plea
sure we can now state, that any assistance from
France is viewed with horror,even by the men with
the rape round their necks, on the point of fuffer
ing death for treason to the conflitution and govern
ment of the country.
Here, one foul, one spirit, one heart, prevades all
Classes; and the bands of concord and courage, u
nanimity and vigour encircle the whole island.--Let
him come then—this Tyrant Corsican !He has nev
er yet felt the steel of freemen.
On this day our thoughts are naturally turned to
former invasions of England. This is said to be
the day on which William the Norman landed.
One of the great hnfes of fuccels which the French
entertain is founded Upon the circumstances that
the majority of the invasions of this country have
been fuccefsful — But what comparison can be
drawn between the Rate of England then and now ?
Then, the ^over^q^ts were weak, the people dil
[ contented, iffie nerote^difcontented, factions ffiook
the land, and the nations had neither vigour nor
tefources.—Now we have, "a Monarch whom we
love," a government that is rooted in the hearts <>l
the people—our nobles are brave and patriotic —
the whole nation is but one party, and the love of
the country burns with as much ardour in the
cottage of the peasant as in the castle of the peer.
eThus vigorous, thus unanimous.
Pride in our port, defiance in our eyes.
Fighting for all that can be dear to men,for freedom,
for the precious ties that cling round the heart, for
our native country, for such a country as England,
isit prefumptious in us to fay, that no human pow
er can conquer us?
It was a curious, novel, and pleasing fpeaacle
yesterday to fee so many city magiftuves in uni
form ; aye, to fee the Sheriffs of London and Mid
diefex sworn into office in military dress. It thews
the spirit of the times. Even the greatest contem
ners of the volunteer affectations must allow that
they have produced a military ardour new in this
country, and that they have trained to a tolerable
dexterity in the use of arms, multitudes whose occu
pations were most foreign from such a pursuit, but
who now may he counted upon as men who would
be employed most ufefuliy in defending thrircoun
"y-
A private letter from Paris, dated September §,
fays " It is cetain that Bonaparte has now in his view
two diftinft objects one is to make a defeent on the
Coasts of England, Ireland, and Scotland, and the
other to get possession of certain points in the Med
iterranean, from whence he may dispatch a part of
the troops now apparently destined to a& against
- England—ls he is forced to renounce his plan of an
invasion, or if bis prujed be defeated by a reverse
in the firft instance, then he will endeavour to occu
py the attention of the French people by another
attempt, and will pretend that the menace of an in
vasion of England was meant only to mask his de
(ign of a defeent upon Egypt. His generals are al
lowed to fay, that he will employ 300,000 men in
the arm,,as it is termed, of England & that the at
tack is to be made on five different points —namely
one on Scotland, one on Ireland, and three upon
England, The multitude swallow these aggrega
tions, but men of sense know that it is impossible for
the Corsican to fend more than 100,000 men, and
that he has not as yet collected transports for more
than half that number.
TQBtrtQettPC
,AMSTERDAM, SEPT- 20.
Russia it is Bated has remonstrated at Paris
against the occupation of Hanover, but without
success. Bonaparte lent a written answer ob
serving that the measures which had been adopted
with regard to that electorate could not be alter
ed, as such compliance with the with of his much
refpeded friend Alexander, would materially de
range his system of operation for chastising and
humiliating a power which usurped the sover
eignty of the seas, and trampled on the rights of
nations. In the mean time the effects belonging
to the Ele&or, are daily transported to France.
The rarest vegetables are taken from the royal
botanick garden at Herrenhaufen : the most beau
tiful horses in the country are carried off: the fin
eft flags and hounds are to follow ; and all the
maffy old plate which was found after the true
old Dutch taste, was to pass through the mint
that it might aflame a more commodious form
fa tranfportatioa ..
Congress of the United States. i
House of Reprefentatives. i
FRIDAY NOV. If. 1
The bill for repeating the law allowing draw
backs on goods exported to New-Orleans, was on
motion postponed.
The President, by message informed the House
that he had signed the Louisiana Treaty bills.
Amongst the petitions, was one from Block Idind
R. I, which was referred. CT The petitionersfated
that they were employed in the f/heries, and cured,om
10 to 1-5,000 quintals annually, hut ufag wffels under
ten tons were not entitled to bounty.
= Q
MONDAY and TUESDAY, NOV. 14th and igL
A bill was reported by Dr. Euftice, for the fur
ther proteaion of the seamen and commerce of the
United States ; whereby the President is authored
to issue inftruaionsto the commanders of the armed
vessels of the United States to capture the ships and
effeas of the Emperor of Morocco and his fubje^s,
also to issue letters of marque to private vessel—
Read twice and referred to a committee of the wide
to-morrow. „
The bill entitled, An Aa to repeal the but
tled an AR to allow a drawback on duties on gcods -
exported to New Orleans, and therein to amendthe
att entitled an A&, to regulate the colleaior^tf Du
ties on imports and tonnage, paffed.*
The report of the committee of Commerce And
Manufa&ures on the petition of the inhabitants of
Nantucket was fubftautially adopted in the fhapeof
two refolutions,the one giving the petitioners leave
to withdraw their petition* under an impression that
depening the harbour is impracticable, and the se
cond cooftituting a committee to inquire generally
into such measures as may be expedient to promote
and fofter the fiflieries.
„ _ 0
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 16.
The American seamen and commerce preteaion.
bill, which autherifes hoflilities against Morocco,
was read a second time & ordered for a third reading
to-morrow. Adjourned.
THURSDAY, NOV. 1,.
The Heads of Departments Salaries Bill was re
ported, debated and referred for to-morrow.
The engrolfed American Seamen and Commerce pro
tection bill was read a third time ; when Mr. Crow
ningfhield moved to recommit it, for the purpose
of introducing a feßion to recognize th^ principle
" that free ftps male free goods."
Mr. Nicholson supported this motion, on the
ground, that it became the house to embrace so 'fa
' vorable an occasion of giving their fanaion te this
important principle.
Mr. Dana observed, that the alfcdged objeaion
did no, lie against rhe bill, as the nature of the in-
I ftruaicns td commanders of American veffels,was
Iconfided to the President, who nodoubt, would a
loprfch re, ulations as should be proper.
Ah Euftice oppoled the recoommitment on the
gr<urw the provisions of the bill were an exad
rnni#ipt of those contained in an a& palled two
year,hnce in relation to Tripoli, and on theground
;:tpiration of the propoftd amendment might
led to.afta the principle of the law of
oduce coufiderable inconveniences so
%as related to the Barbary powers. The motion
forrcummit wa< loti—yeas j,—noes 6g.
' The q ueftion recurring on she passage of diebill
—Mr. Dana observed, that it had been hitherto u
ual to require the yeas and nays to be taken to mark
the disagreement of the members of the house; he
moved that they flmuld be taken on this question
1 to fliew their cordial agreement.
The quefiion was then taken by yeas and nkys
on thr passage of the bill, and carried unanimous, in
the affirmative-- yeas 117.
A Revolution for difeontinuing the off.ee of Cem
miffie^er g "Leans in the different States, and to trans
fer the duties of those offices to the Secretaryop the Tiea
fury was fold on the table.
Another Refoltition fir repealingf much of tie Ptf-
Offce law as charges a poflage on the tranmoffion of
newJpapers, was allo laid on the table.
; Me. Campbell the mover, made a number of re
'marks to fliew the importance of liberating from
any tax the vehicles for diffusing political informa
tion, on the prevalence of which so intimately de
pended the prefervatton of the liberties of the Amer
ican people.
1 TI 1 11 1 " ''i'i" lll'l^■l^l .--^-rrr.iig
Byjth^latest Mails.
[ Kingston, oct. 8.
[Three negro men slaves were on Saturday last
)convided of the murder of Mr. and Mrs. Rudd, of
.the parish of Portland, their master and mistress.
. ,They were executed the fame day, Severally after
r each other. The firft having hung a (bort time,
his head wasfevered from his bod, by thefecond; and the
fecond's was in like manner by the third.
p t—_
I CHARLESTON, NOV. 8.
The la r e regulations of Bonaparte, forbidding
, American vessels laden with Britiffi merchandize
I to enter any of the ports of France, appears to
us a direct and manifeft infraction of our treaty
of 1801, with the French government. By the
I 14th article of that instrument, extracts from
which may be observed in yesterday's Courier, it
was stipulated “ that free JbipsJhoald give a freedom
to goods, and that every thing shall be deemed to
be free and exempt which shall be found on board
the ships belonging to the citizens of either of the
contrasting parties, although the whole lading or
an, fart thereof shall appertain to the enemies
of either, contraband goods being always excep
ted." We trust that this flagrant breach of faith
will produce an energetic and effectual remon
strance from our chief magistrate.
The harbour of Charleston may be considered as in a
state of complete blockade. A, French vessel has chafed an
American vessel into ^rt, and even run up beyond the bar,
coming in by ong channel and going out by another. Every
vessel that goes ode is overhauled, 'wk^hq this is right
or wrong depends on circumflauce,. The vessel has 60 men
on board. For such a jiumbe?fhe cannot carry provisions
for many days, if therefore she remains long in|her block
ade, it will be fair co infer that the will have been via
alled, as it is fufpe&ed she was manned— tab now, shall
be the fubjed of future observation.
Mr, Joseph Bafley, of Huntingdon Connecticut,
(an eccentric character) has z 2 children, to whom
he has given the names of George Washington,'
Samuel Huntington, John Letter, Selah Benton,
Jonathan Trumbull, John Adams, Thomas Jeffer.
son Louisiana, Marian, Alphidina, Lovely Harriot,
Catharinetiza, and Delia.
0-
LOUtSTILLE, OCT. 29.
Capt. Clark, and Mr, Lewis, Eave left this
place, in the prosecution of their expedition to the
westward. They have been Tent thereon by the
President of the United States.*-The object df
their travels has not tranfpired^ They will it
is said, afeend the Miffifipi and Mifonri astir as
-possible.—They have an iron frame of a boat, in
tended to becovered with skins, which can, by
Screws, be formed into one boat, or four boats,
as may bed fait their pUrpofes. About ^o men
will compote the -party. .
• —o—- „.a
PHILADELPHIA, NOT. -21.
"sh commericedf'fa, the editor; of the United
States Gazette, “ a perusal of the official, geography
and flatijheal account of Loufqna with an expecta
tion of finding a simple and fuccinQ account of such
important fads, relative toAthe- country,>as bad come
to the knowledge ofth^executi^e. It was not, there
fbre, WithoutJome surprise that we found in this grave
presidential message the foliowig poetical description
which we at firft thought was toppled from Mrs.
Rndelif's Mysteries of Udolpbo. Speaking of one part
of this newly acquired paradife, the compiler Jays ;
“ Some of the heights exhibits a feme truly pifturefaue
They rife to the height of least 300 feet faced with
perpendicular lime aud freefone, curved into va
riaus foapes and figures,, the band of nature and af
ford the appearance of-a multitude of antique tow
ers !— it may be said with truth that for fertility of
foil, no part of the world exceeds the borders of the
Mississippi the land yields an abundance ifthe necessaries
of life, and almost spontaneously; very little labour
being required in the cultivation of the earth. That
part of Upper Louisiana, which border; on North
Mexico is one immense prairie ; it produces nothing
but grass it is filled with buffalo deer, and other kinds
°f g ame ; tbe land is represented as too rich for the
growth of sorest trees.
Having proceeded thus far, car imagination became
in some degree seasoned jor the following :
“ One extraordinary fall relative to salt mtifi not
be omitted. There exifs about 1000 miles up the
Missouri, and not fat from that river, a Salt Moun
tain ! The existence of such a mountain might well be
questioned, were it not for the tejlimon, of fever al re
fpeaable, and enterprizng traders who have lifted it
arid who have exhibited several bushels of the salt
to the curiofty of the people of St. Louis where some
of it still remains ! Afpecimen of the famefalt has
been font to Mariette. This mountain is said to be
180 miles long, and „ in width, composed offolid
rockfalt, without an, trees or shrubs on it. Salt
springs are ver, numerous beneath the furface of this
mountain, and they flow through the crevices and cav
ities of it."
New-York, Nov. 25.
# Extras of a letter from Lexington, Kentucly, of Nov. 8.
" On Thursday last the Eastern post rider ar
rived at this place without themail. He related,
that about 4 miles on this fide of Paris, a man
on foot celled to him and requeued him to flop,
as he wished him to do some business. The rider
halted, and the man coming along fide frized the
bridle with one hand, and with the other present
ed a pistol and ordered him to dismount, which
he refufed. The villain then dropped the pistol,
and pulled the rider off the horse which he
mounted, and rode about half a mile from the
road, where he tied him, and where the rider
found him without the mail bags. On Saturday
the bags were found in a hollow log near the
place mentioned by the rider, with the strap cut,
the contents emptied out, and the seals of about
a dozen letters broken. The Post Master at this
place, on behalf of the Post Master General, has
offered a reward of 200 dollars for the perpetra
tor of the above crime."
tie ,
Good Nelss-. —Captain Hodges, who arrived here
yesterday from Leghorn, informs, that he left Tan
gier-Bay on the iith ultimo, at which time the fri
gates New-York, and John Adams, and febooner
Enterprise, were there. Commodore Morris was
then at Tangiers, far the purpose of adjusting the
differences between the United States and the Em
peror of Morocco, who was also at that place.—
The Commodore had sent in his proposals relative
to the exchange of prisoners, prizes, &c. and the
probability is, that an accommodation actually tock
place —as the brig, which was appointed to convoy
the American vessels 20 leagues to the W. of Cape-
Spartel, was ordered back off Tangier-Bay, and the
fleet desired to proceed, with an assurance that there
was no danger to be apprehended from the Moor
ifb cruisers, they having been called in and laid up
at Tangier#.—o—
— NOV: 18.
Mr. Rembrandt Peale, has arrived at Philadel
phia from England ; and has brought back with
him, in fafe preservation, the Skeleton of the
Mammoth which he had been exhibiting in Eng
land. 0 -
Mr. Robert Emmett, lately executed in Dub
lin, convicted of High Treason, when called up
on to know, if he had any thing to fay why sen
tence of death should not be passed upon him,
seized the opportunity to vindicate his character
from the aspersions which had been heaped upon
it, particularly that of his being an femiffary of
France, which be denied as follows, 'fl did not"
fays he # ". wi(h to deliver up fay country to any
foreign power, and least of all, to France.
“ Did I life" the continued "to fee a French army
approach this country, I would meet it on the
fliore with a torch in one hand and a sword In
th^other ; I would receive them with all the
deftru&ion of u^r t I would animate my coun,
jrwvin to immol&e them in their very boats
and before our native foil should be poleted by
a foreign foe. If they succeeded in landing, I
would burn every blade of grass before them ;
raze every house ; contend to the last for every
inch of ground, and the last spot in which the
hope of freedom should desert me at the spot I
would make my grave I—What I cannot do I
leave a legacy to my country because I feel con
feious that my death were unprofitable, and all
hope of liberty extirft, the mnrent a French
army obtained a footing in this island,"
After feme further matter, he concluded
thus—" My lamp of life is nearly expired; my
race is finished ; the grave opens to receive me,
and I fink into its bosom. All I request then
at departing from the world is the charity of its
silence. Let no man write my epitaph ; for as n@
man who knows my motives dare vindicate them,
let not prejudice er ignorance afperfe them : Let
them and me repose in obfeurity and peace, and
my tomb remain uninferibed, until other times
and other men can do justice to my character."
All the articles of the Britiffi Treaty, excepting
the firft Ten, expired the ift Odober last and are
null and void. The expired part relates to our
commercial intercourse with the British posses.
lions; and the admittance of American vessels in
to the British ports in India, &c. until a new trea
ty is fettled will be by courtesy. It will be fees,
who are the kbleft negotiators, Mr. Munroe, or
Mr. Jay. -o-(
MIDDLEBURY, NOV.
A pedlar has lately been murdered by an In
dian named Jacob La France, at the village of
St* Reg's# on the St. Laurence. The indians
have been anxious to bring the murderer to juf- ]
tice ; and have apprdb ''l
the inn^ceot will not be. ^
the guilty ; and though AM?
have been killed among ie, this
is the firft white man that has been kilted a
taongft them,
the
_. Boston, Nov. 30.
We are informed, that the auniverfary of the
landing of our Forefathers at Plymouth will be ce
lebrated the 2zd December, by the inhabitants of
that ancient town; and that the Rev. Dr. Kirkland
has accepted the invitation of their,committee, to de
l:®er an address on the occasion.
On the 28th of Sept. Hawley, who, the pre
ceding day, had been convicted of High Treason,
was executed at Dublin. This man was not one
of the ordinary class of offenders. He had a&ed
as store-keeper in Emmet's rebel depot, and pre
viously to his death confeffed that he was the per
son who (hot Col. Browne. He addressed the
people at the place of execution ; when he ex
horted them to desist from all treasonable purfaits,
and to relinquish al! animosities. He admitted
the justice of his own fentenee, and died in appar
ent penitence.
JUDGE MARSHALL.
he following delineation of the Chief-Juftic, of
the United ftate±j,extraaed from a series of let
ters, which have ztyeared in the "Virginia Argus,"
under the title of "the British Spy." It is a faith
ful portrait of a great man, by the pencil of genius;
and we rejoice in its affording us an opportunity to 1
present a just tribute of refpea to the biographer of
him, who was "firft in war, firft in peace, and #ft
in the hearts of his countrymen."%
"He .Writes one original anil iteeA foftt^tes,
ral faculty ; the tacah of developing @tut ty
'^ogle gr ^ CT >fr. KiA^i %'^he,
the very point otojyhtyli at cry ccHuroverfv di; .-da^
No matter, what 'the fefera • though ten ties
more knot ^ tfofafe oak," the i^ht^ng
of heaven is not more rapid nor more refiftids,
than bis aftonilhing penetration. Nor does the
exercise of it seem to cofi him an effort. On
the contrary it is as easy as vision.
I am persuaded that his eyes do not fiy
over a landscape, and take in its various o^jefy with
more promptitude and facility, than his mind cm
braces and analyzes the most complex fubjea. Pofi .
feffing this intelkaual elevation,which enables
to look down and comprehend the whole ground at
once, he determines immediately and without diffi
culty, on which fide the question may be most ad
vantageously approached and assailed. In a bad
cause, his art consists in laying his premises so re
motely from the point dire&ly in debate, or else in
terms so general or so fpeciots,that the hearer, fee
ing no conference which can be drawn from them,
is just as willing to admit them as not ; but, his
premises once admitted, the demonstration, however
distant, follows as certainly, as cogently, as inevita
bly, as any demonstration in Euclid.-- All his elo
quence consists in the apparently deep felf-con vic
tion and emphatic earnestness of his manner ; the
correspondent simplicity and energy of his fye ;
the elofe and logical conneaion of his thought ;
and the easy gradations by which he opens his
lights on the attentive minds of his hearers. The
audience are never permitted to pause for a moment
There is no flopping to weave garlands of flowers,
to hang, in feftoons, around a favorite argument.
On the contrary, every sentence is progreffive—ei
ery idea (beds new light on the fubjeft —the liftec
eris kept perpetually in that sweetly pleasurable vi
bration, with which the mind of man always re
ceives new truths—the dawn advances in easy but
unremitting pace—the fubjeß opens gradually <Q
the vtew—until, rising, tri lrt|s relief, in all its na.
tive colours and proportions, the argument is cob
fummated by the conviction of the delighted beared
"The success of this gentleman has rendered it
doubtful with several literary charadera in this
couotiy, whether a high fancy be of real use or ad
vantage to any one but a poet. They contend,
that although the most beautiful flights of the hap
pieftfancy, interspersed through an argument, may
give an audience the momentary, delightful fwcll of
admiration, the transient thrill of divinest rapture ;
yet that they produce no lifting effed in forward
ing the purpose of the speaker: On the contrary
that they break the unity and disperse the force of
In argument, which, otherwise advancing ih elofe'
array, like the phalanx of Sparta, would carry ev
ery thing before it."
Salem, Die.n
FIRE.—On Monday night between 12 anti 1
o'clock, a fire burst out from the house occupied
by Mr. Abner Stone's and three other families, jm
Beverly, near the fouth meeting house, and in a
fbort ti<ne it was reduced to ashes. It#as so sud.
den, that the penp r of the house could only escape
naked from tWi# I^% without faring any thing;
but their lives. Happily none were loft fg
from the dead cb r^ch prevailed, the inhabitant,.