The Republican ledger — Portsmouth, N.H., 1800-05-13 00:00:00, page 2

in evidence, that Mr. sßawle replied, he did not
confider newspapers as legal testimony ; and that
in<onfequence of this reply, he had applied to
Mr. Pickering; the secretary of state, for copies of
certain addresses and answers, from and to the
. president of the U^States ; and to this application
Mr. Pickering replied, that these papers were not
deposited in his office. The defendant,obferved,
that he considered he had a right to copies ofthofe
papers, from the officers of the government, and
read the cause of Rex vs. Holt, in support ofhis
right—and upon this he applied to the president
of the U. S. for copies of the papers. He inform
ed the court that he made application to the presi
dent by a letter which he read. This letter Rated,
that being indifted for a supposed libel, he found
it necessary to apply to the President for official
copies of certain addresses to him (the President,)
and his answers to them ; and requeued the Presi
dent to confider his letter as a legal written appli
cation for copies of the papers required by him.
\To this letter the defendant obferyed, he had re
ceived no answer ,iq consequence of his not re.
V ceiving' an answer, he purchased a volume, pur
porting to be addresses to the President, and his
^nfwere, published in Boston, that he lent his son
With the volume to Mr. Shaw, the secretary of the
President, with a note, requeuing Mr. Shaw, to"
examine the publication in the volume with the ]
originals, and inform him if they were correct; :
to this Mrtyhaw made the following answer :I
“ Mr. Shaw informs Mr. Cooper, that he will not
receive any information concerning answers to
addresses from this hotife.” The defendant then
observed,' that he regarded this as an official an-,
Twer from the President of the U. S. and be did
; not fee how he could preceed when that testimo
ny whicl^was necessary to his defence was with-/
% held' from him, "by the person who may be con
sidered as his accuser or profetutor,,.;
Mr, Rawle opened the case by^nimadverting
ton the feleftpaffages in the indictment, and called
Mr. Buyers, a jnßice of the peace bf the country,:
to prove Mr. Cooper tlye author ; who said, that
Mr. C. had called at his house with the paper ; ,
said that was his name, pointing to it in the pa
, iper, and that beava# the author of the piece.
Mr. .Copper then addressed the jury in a foeech
" "Os @put three hours and an half, in which he at
tempted to juftify the publication, by endeavour
•lng to shew that it was truest all its parts, and
„ the conduct of the Prefiaent of the,V. States, me
- rrited the centres which were passed upon it. .ML
*C. continued his speech until gQDfled with fa
tigue, and/the indulgence of the court, which
-manifefted itfelf through the whole trial, was here
confoteuotiL Judge Chafe declared he would pa
tiently Wait until the^efendant refreshed tiimfelf
and was able to resume his defence. This very
liberal propdfrfion of the judge, tfe defendant de
clined.—MK Rawle addrefa th^]ufy;after which;
Judge Chafe summoned up the evidence; and the
jury in about twenty ^inutesieturnedityeir ver-1
&A GUILTY.
Circuit Court of the United States,
Sitting at Philadelphia;
On Saturday morning last, the cause of the U.
States versus Thomai Cooper, was called up for,
• trial. The attorney general, Mr. Rawle, opened
the cause by dating the nature of the offence for
which the defendant was indifted, aud read the
indictment, which charged the defendant /Thomas
Cooper, with having printed, uttered & published
a falfe, scandalous, and malicious libel against the
Prefidenf of the U. S. intending to injure th, offi
cial character .of the said President, and to bring
on him, the said President, the hatred & contempt
of the good people of the U. States. The papers
on which the indictment was founded,was a hand
bill, an address. to the people of Northumberland
county, Rating, that tinder-rhe auspices of the
President, a permanent navy, aflanding army,a
loan of 8 per cent, in time of peace had oeen re
solved on ; that he, the President, by the violence
of his official expressions might have provoked a
just Avar againß this country ; that he Mhd projeft
ed embaflies to Russia, Pruliia, and the Sublime
Porte, that he had interfered with the judiciary,
contrary to all law, precedent and mercy, and de
livered up Jonatlian Robbins, aq American citi
zen, or native American, forcibly impressed by a
British fl)ip of war, to the mock trial of a BritHh
court martial, a stretch of power at which the
monarch of Great-Biitain would have ffirunk
from with horror.
Plea filed by Thomas Cooper.
The above named defendant (prQteßing against
theinfiouations & confttudions in the said indict
ment alledged against him) pleads not guilty—
and of this he puts himfelf upon his country, and
Will give the following tads in evidence on the
trial, in jollification of the supposed libel, Rated
in the aforefald indi&ment :—
Ift. Mr. Adams, either by himfelf, or officer of
Rate anting under his authority,has giventhe pub;
lie to underhand, that he would bestow no office
but on persons who conformed to his political o
pinions.
2d. Mr. Adams has declared, that a republican
government may mean any thing.
3d, Mr. Adams did fan&n the alien law, and
thereby the abolution of tne'trial by jury, in the
cases that fall under the law.
4th. Mr. Adams did fanttion the' sedition law,
& thereby entrenched his public character behind
the legal pfovifions of that law.
sth. Under the auspices of Mr. Adams, the ex
penceof a permanent navy is saddled on the people.
, 6th. Under the auspices of Mr. Adams we are
threatened with the exigence of a standing army.
7th. The government of the United States has
borrowed money at 8 per cent in time of peace.
Bth. The unnecessary violence of official expref,
fions used by Mb. Adams, and thofe'in authority
under him, and his adherents, mightjußly have
provoked a war.
9th. Political acrimony has been foftered by
those who call themselves his friendly adherents.
loth. Ms. Humphries after being convifted of
an bfTault and battery on Benja. Franklin Bache,
printer of the Aurora, merely from political mo
tives, was before his sentence was expired, pro
moted by Mr. Adams, to a public office, viz. to
carry dispatches to France.
iith. Mr. Adams did projeft and put in execu
tion, emb:ffies to Prussia, Russia, and the Sublime
Porte.
12th. Mr. Adams in the case of Jonathan Rob
bins, alias Nalh did interfere to influence the de
cision of a court of Justice.
(Signed) THOMAS COOPER.
On Saturday last this cause was called up for
trial—the defendant informed the court that he
had applied to Mr. Rawle, the attorney of the U.
States for the diftrift, to know whether he would.
admit the Gazette of the United States to be read
We have another party in favor of War, who
confider the fubjeft only as it refpeds their pri
vate interefl—they are the feeders of office. Mili
tary eflablifhments naturally create a variety of
appointments— agents, contractors, generals, col
onels, &c. may in future bring forth an immense
body of expectants—a great variety of ch-ratters
who are deftitute-of employment Rand tip-toe for
military favors—many who do not feel disposed to
work for a maintenance, are willing to be eloath
ed in Jcarlet and fine linen at the public expence
—they are anxious for the habiliments of gentle
men, when they can obtain them through io con
venient a medium. This being the faft, we can
not wonder we have so many individuals clamor
ous for war—who wish to baffle the President in
his late embassy, because if it ihould succeed, their
projects would be fruftrated—agents would be
deprived of-their commissions, & the needy would
be baulked of theit expectations. This is the
character of the Speculating War -Hatch,
In opposition to these two parties, the real'
friends to the happiness and prosperity of Ameri
ca are now contending—they wish for Peace, and
take measures to obtain it—they are unwilling to
involve the country in a heavy debt, of distress
the citizens with exceffiyb taxes—they" are more
desirous to fee our farft cultivated by the yeo
manry, than ravaged by soldiers—they are far re;
trenching the expences of government, rather
than for encreafing them. In*a word PEACE as
it refpetb Europe, and ECONOMY as it" Wpefts
ourfeives, are the objects of their purfuit.'-
Now, Fellow-Citizens, judge ye between these
refpetlive classes of men. Is it more for our hap
piness to join iflue with the Tory War Hawks and
the Speculating War Hawks, or the ^Friends to
Peace ? The two former are opposed to the Pre
sident in his late mission, while the latter are ur
gent for its accomplishment. Can you be led a
way with the unmeaning terms of Jacobin and
Diforganizer ? After you have been so often de
ceived by pretended Tub-Plots, &c. can you be a
ny longer duped by such impositions ? Impossible !
the good sense of the Americans will rife superior
to the wicked defighs of their enemies, and we
trust on the ensuing Election will vote for such
Reprefehtatives as will elett Mr GERRY for Gov
ernor, in case no choice is made by
THE PEOPLE.
• Mr. Trumbull,
IN your paper of the 18th inflant, (No. 14.)
you published a very important piece of news,
with which you were furnifhed by Capt. p. Elli
ott, and I am informed that t^s gentleman is will
lingto certify to rhe particulars printed, as being
fatts, and the well known character of British
fubjeas, will, I conjecture, remove every doubt
from a candid perfon^mind.
\. Let us for a moment confider the evil Conse
quences of the impressment of our seamen by the
British—let us likewise turn our attention to the
conduit of a nation who has promised reforma
tion in mal-condult, and restitution for property
Unlawfully captured. I aik, what opinion will
an unprejudiced person form of the British, after
taking these requests into serious consideration ?
f " Three hundred American Seamen are now
forcibly detained on board the British squadron
Rationed in this port," fays Mr. Savage the Amer
ican.agent at Kingston, Jamaica ! ! ! Citizens of
the United, States, permit me to enquire whether
this is amity, commerce, &c.” to impress, enslave,
abofe, torture, imprison our fellow countryman !
—if they have, their conduct is juftifiable, and we
have no business with the idea of being Independ
ent, or free men ; if they have no right, why do
we remain inactive ? Why are the people regard
less of injuftiliable and inhuman treatment of a
.pretended amicable nation ?
If we may be allowed to estimate the number of
Americans impressed and now in the British navy,
by those on board Admiral Parkers fquadrbn,
there are at least 3 Thousand ! Here let us
ma^ a momentary pause— ; Perhaps most
of these unfortunate men fought and bled in de
fence of the liberties of their country ; and man, ,
have families left destitute of means to obtain a
comfortable support ;—aged and infirm matrons
robbed of sons who were their only support and
comfort. "Yet, when our merchantmen are car
rying the produce of our country to the fubjefts
of Britain, the poor sailors, like a bullock to the
slaughter, are dragged from out. their fliips into
the service of his British Mijefty, where they are
treated, like Raves and beasts of burthen.
..1 again ask, Why slumber ye Americans ? Will
not the treatment received by captains Teffop,
Giles, Pollard, &c,'awake you ? Will not Capt.
EMiot's informhtibn put you upon thinking? Will
you any longer endeavour to juftify tpe ' infernal
The terms Jacobin, Dif< organizer, &c. have teen
Co often used, to effect particular purposes, and to
deceive the People, that they have now loft their
force and influence. They have become as una
vailin,to operate on the minds of the judicious
and considerate, as Tub Plots, Ocean Massacres, 0 &
such like idle stories. In short, the well informed
citizens, begin to fufpeft the badness of a cause,
which can only be supported by such ridiculous
epithets.'.
The politics of this country are now brought to
a fpecific point—and the whole controversy is re
duced to the quellion of PEACE or WAR. The
.War Party are those, who are anxious to defeat
every measure which may lead to reconciliation
with France —they have always been endeavour
ing to involve the two countries in a controversy,
and they feel highly chagrined at the profped of
returning friendship. The individuals composing
this party consist of the enemies of our Revolu
tion, who are more particular ly designated under
the appellation of Tories. These men have on
their minds the old grudge against France, for af
fixing us during our war with Britain—their at
tachment for England, is Rill warm & affectionate
—they view the Independence of this country ,with
that fame disgust and mortification as corroded
their bosoms, when Washington was contending
for the-rights and liberties of America—they pre
tend to rejoice at our prosperity, and boast of
their federalifm, but their whole conduct clearly
evinces that their objeft is, to counteract every ef
fort to unite fancied the United States, and to
connect us with Britain in an open declaration of
war against France. Every exertion is making
for this purpose, and while they can carry their
mcafures under the deceptive terms of Jacobinifm
and Diforganizers, they will practice them with
the utmost assiduity. This is the character of the
Tory War-ha wks.
CITIZENS of MASSACHUSETTS, READ & JUDGE.
Fronfth^ Independent Chronicle,
Americans why sleep ye ?
From a Connecticut Paper.
Admiralty Court.
The adjudication of the present judge of the
court of Admiralty having been repaid, as they are
admitted to have been correct ; but the cases left
by his predecessor were fufficient to occupy the
life of an ordinary person; added to which, upon
an accurate calculation, it would require a dozen
years to difyofe of the cattles at present before the
council ; where, if we do not greatly err, there
have been but five causes determined in as many
months. Nor can it be otherwise. . Nor should
censure attach to that department for delay, whilH
those by whom the judicial part of it is constituted,
are so immense in other important bulinefs.•
It may admit.a question whether it would not
be expedient to appoint vice admiralty courts
at the great seaport's, for the determination
of particular cases ; but in all events we conceive
it highly eflential to appoint what by being devot
ed to that business, we may be allowed to call an
efficient court of appeal of which the admiralty
judge if he could be spared from his present Situa
tion, would make a most competent and desired
member.
The following is given as an estimate of the
population of Europe, in order to being contrast
ed with the population of China, which' was efti
rnated by the suit of lord Macartney, at one
hundred and fifty millions :
Russia in Europe 25,500,000
Denmark 2,800,000
Sweeden 2,500,000
Poland '3,000,000
Germany. 22,000^)00
Hungary ft 8,900,000
England 11,000,000
Holland 3 000,000
Turkey in Europe 2 000,000
Italy . ' 13,000,000
Switzerland ~2,000,000
Frances; • 28,000 600
Spain '. 8,000,000
Portugal 2,000,000
The Dublin Mails rof the.i&h, r,ti) & 2otl iinft.
have arrived since our fy tlie lalt of these we
learn that fume serious affrays have taken place in
W'
behaviour of the British ! I anfWb No ! That is',J
for those that are real Americans. You are toldl
that the British government is amicable. &c. &c.I
but pray from what source does the British admi
'rals, commodores, captains and inferior officers,
receive their orders, if not from government ? The
fatt is, they conduct agreeable to their orders, if
they do not the government would soon displace
them.
After being robbed, inflated, and enslaved by
British fobjefts certainly no man of reason will
call them friends ; on the contrary they are our
enemies, and have been ever since the memorable
revolution, in which we gained our freedom, con
sequently we ought to support our dignity by re
senting with spirit the conduct of that haughty &
infotent people.
But a Farmer, living in the vicinity of Groton
Fort, where many tears have been shed by the
relatives of those who were there inhumanly
butchered. . \March the 28th, 1800.
2. The quartern loaf felling at seventeen pence.
3. Shops opened by private fubfeription to pal
liate public misery, by felling soup to the indus
trious at a penny a quart.
4. An army of 192,000 mercenaries living in.
barracks in idleness and vice—and the country
cultivation falling short of its annual produce of
grain a full half.
5. A laurexiting, reftri&ing the labourer from
demanding an increase of pay proportioned to the
encrea fed price of the necefl'aries of life ; but no
law interdicting the encreafe of price on the pro
perty of those who do not labour.
6. An igtffrus punishment inflicted by law
for demandnKgnereafe of wages.
7. A law |rcd in addition to former laws pro
hibiting the emigration of artists, when they are
in a Rate of Rarvation and reftriftion of equal va
lue for equal- work.
Thefe^are a few of the actual blessings which
chariaerifesj^e British government at this time,
and whi^bave grown out of the extolled form of
government, after a practical experiment of the
amended form of more than a century.
Let any American who, is capable of appreciat
ing the value of peace and liberty ; who feels a
scintillation of joy break upon his mind when he.
fees and enjoys the Contrail of all this misery, in
his native land ; when he conliders that it is by'
refilling and conquering that oppressive govern
mhit, we have become possessed of the most envi
able country and the most generally diffufed hap
piness that any people ever possessed, let us be #
careful how we encourage those who extol a sys
tem so fraught with misery and slavery as that
which Britain exhibits at this awful moment.
England is said to-be in a most prosperous Rate,
because,
1. Borrowing 20 millions of money at 17 per
cent, to carry on a war. ~
Let us confider this awful picture of a flarving
nation and a profligate spend thrift government,
a little further ; and as the only use of such consi
derations is not mere curiosity, but an application
of the example they hold up to our care, let us
apply them.
We are not at war —we have by the happy and
timely intervention of the popular will and the
exertions of such virtuous individuals as Dr. Lo
gan escaped that ruinous gulph, into which Brit
ain had been laboring to plunge us for the grati
fication of her revenge and her rapacity.
Our bread on an average of the Union fells for
penny per pound or 7-8 of what the fame article
fells in Britain. During our revolutionary war,
bread fold at 4d per pound, and .we Should thank
Providence and the virtue that laved our citizens
who live by manual labor from such consequences.
No charitable Joup Jhops are necessary in this a
bundant country, no beggars are seen prowling
our Greets nor wounding the,afflicted ear with the
moans of hunger or disease. ' Happy people shall
we be, if our forefight aid true estimation of na
tional happiness and prosperity, propels .us to
watch constantly and guard Redfallly and vigilant
ly over the contest of those whom the infatua
tion of deputed power, may lead to prostrate all
this good at the footflool of ambition.
FEATURES OF BRITISH PROSPERITY.
Foreign Intelligence. A
— <.<"<% Cgg^^fc,.,-,-—
London, feb. 21.
From the Aurora.
(different parts of the country, in c onfequfnre of
the extraordinary degree of irritation winch the
dilcuffion of the fubjeCt of tne Union has caused in
the public mind. At Drogheda, a town about 25
miles north of the 'metropolis, a Eritifti corps is
Rated to have been attacked and beaten by a re.
giment oflrilh militia ; at Calomel, in the fouth,
an affair of a similar nature is said to have happen
ed ; and the county of Down is also underitood
to be in a very perturbed Rate. We trufthow
ever, that these accounts will prove to have ma
terially exaggerated the fads, and the question
will ultimately be decided by the fair convi&oa
of cool difeuffion, and not by the outrageous force
of hostile arm's. Nothing particular had occurred
in the house of commons since Tuefday morning.
The next debate on the articles of the Union wax
fixed for Friday,,
Liverpool, diarch 14.
The Bred fleet is no -longer in the outer-road of
that harbor. It is either at sea or in the inner
road. The latter is moll probable.
March 15.
By the report of the Committee appointed to
examine the condition of the poor in this town,
it appears that nearly 11,000 persons are at this
time in actual want of the most essential necefla
ries-of life.'
It is reported, that Parliament will be dissolved
in September.
Paris, march 10.
• A Journal announces tlie death of the king of
Denmark. It will produce no change in the po
litical relations of the nation . „,
Ratisbon, FEB. 23.
Gen. Suwarrow is to fer out immediately from
Cracow for Petersburg. Tlie Ruffian troops are
marching homewards.
Berne,fee. 9.
The Official journal has presented in one of its
last numbers, the following picture of the military
situation of Europe. " Let us augment ourconf.
dence, (fays the authof of this most excellent ar
ticle) on examining our fituatlon, and since we are
perhaps on the eve of reftuning arms, let us take
a general survey of the w hole line of the enemy."
He begins his survey ct the north sea, foas to finilh
at the Mediterranean. He does not believe that
Suwarrow commapds in chief the combined ar
mies in Germany. He assigns as the reason of this,
the pride and distrust of Austria, which is afraid
that Russia will form an eflablifiiment in the heart
of Germany, and deflroy in it the influence of the
court of Vienna. After having run along the
whole lines, the political observer adds, " Otte
may fee in passing through the midst of these arm
ed hosts, that the ambition of the one fide and the
necessity of defence of the other, have raised them
from tire Mediterranean to the north sea, that the
Rrength of those who defend tbemfelves is not lefi
tlian the strength of those who attack— that if am
bition and fury of war animate tlie aggressor, in
trepidity, the sentiment of glory, the conlcioufoefi
of their strength, the love of their territory, and
the desire of bringing back peace, will put the na
tion attacked in a Rate to resist tire aggreffion^aod
in their turn to invade the territory of the enemy,
while it will be necessary for it to put an end to so
many facrifices, massacres and alarms.
-MARCH 14.
The French Government has ordered all the
conferipts to join on the iff of April.; and the
soldiers who have received their difeharge have
been fummoried to rejoin their flantlard; by the
fame period. They have ordered the creation of
an army of 60.000 men at Dijon, at the head of
which the Chief Qonful will 'march.
Sunday evening last, was felecled ;/ove all e
thers, for throwing this city, into a Rate of alarm.
About ten o'clock at night, feyeral bodies of arm
ed men were seen parading tte principal Streets,
and bustling in every direction. The peaceable
citizens, could obtain no information concerning
the ambiguous & alarming proceeding at an hour
so unusual, and on a day usually devoted to quiet
a# peace.
The armed bodies it appeared; were the federal
corps called Macpherfon's Blues ; and by a morn
ing paper of yesterday, it appears the praended
cause fop this midniglit armament, was the most
terrible and horrible attempt of one of the pirates
now under Sentence of death in the cify prison, to
refeafe his legs from the fetters in which he was
bound in the cell of his prison, and in which he had
nearly succeeded ! This most horrid attempt was
communicated to the Marfoal, who in consequence
thereof “ thought proper to request a guard
“of fifteen or twenty men from Gen. Macpiierfoa
“ until the affair Should be investigated I"
Such are the alledged motives of this alarm and
this midnight armament., However, as there if
nothing that gives great eclat to adrama, whether
serious or comic; than incident and flage effect,
care was taken to produce incidents in abundance ;
in the course of the night, it was said that a body
of insurgents- from Northampton^ were coming
into town with their pitchforks, determined to
refeue Fries, and the red of the Germans from that
quarter.
Capt. James Stewart, .of Chatham, in the brig
Sally, arrived at New-London on the 4th ihlt.from
Jamaica, brings the most unpfeafant accounts from
that quarter. He Rates that the Brit' ,ft)capture
all American vessels that afford the flsreft pre
text for condemnation, and impress all their feac
men without difcrimmation.< Captain Stewart
was taken by his innjeßy's ship Acofto, of 44 guns,
the commapiler of which, Edward fellows, came
on board tlie"Sally himfelf, ordered Captain Stew
art's theft open, and with his own hands took out
of ic 4250 dollars, beffdes plundering the Capt. of
other articles. OiHhe arrival of the brig at King
ston, every man on board except the captain and
boy, all natives of Connecticut, were impreubd, &
are left there. Capt. Nathan Allyn, of Grotton,
had all his people imprefled, with their protec
tions ip their hands' Capt. Waterman ot New-
York, was.treated in the fame manner, with many
others. And Mr. Savage the American agent in
Kingßon, informed Captt Stewart, that he had
forwarded to the secretary of fete, by commodore
Truxton, an attested lift of the names of one thou
sand and one bona fide American seamen who have
lately been impressed by the British in that Gugic
port. # American vessels and cargoes Were con
demned la tUktplaces fail account dfwhich must
Domestic Intelligence.
M-<4<stfMg^to>^H§|+H&te,
Philadelphia, APRIL 2,.
'MORE FEDERAL PLOTS.