Republican ledger, and Portsmouth price current — Portsmouth, N.H., 1803-04-26 00:00:00, page 2

The management of finances in every o
ther refect is equally prosperous and wife
ly regulated. —During the late administra
tion it was customary to leave in the bands
of public officers in the customs, loan offices
purveyors, contractors, navy agents, and
paymasters, vast sums of the public money
which were employed in private (peculation.
] his was done to procure adherents, and to
reward those who deserted their old principle
of 1776, or went the moss violent lengths in
hostility to republican government. Vast
sums lay in this way, when the public were
imposed upon to borrow money at 8 per
cent. It has not been brought completely
NATHT MACON,
Speaker of the H^fe of kebrejenlahves.
A. BURR,
Pice prejident of the United States, end
President of the Senate.
Approved, Feb. 28th, ISO 3.
TH : JEFFERSON.
*, In conjequence of a rafale in the JecadSeßion
of the f<» egoing It, the whole aft will be re pub
ifad next week.
^trc;CT:>--& # -^i dmiiinirm
(CIRCULAR.)
Washington, Feb. 28, 1802.
THE constitutional term for which I have
been elected by your fuffrages to the seventh
congress, expires in a few davs. Believing
it to be my duty to communicate such mat
ters of a political nature, in which the gen
eral welfare of the union, and of my coufti
tuents in particular,are concerned,my ufoal
mode has been to communicate concisely
what appears to me of the firft impor
tance, and to refer for the details on the su
bordinate tranfadlions to the common vehi
cles of information—the pubilc papers.
If my memory is correa, in my letter
addressed to you at theclofe o^he last session,
I noticed the very flourithing Rate of the
public revenue, and the measures recommen
ded by the President and adopted by congress
to release the people from the severe oppref
fion of taxes with which they had been load
ed during the four years of error and mad
nefs, in which our government was entrus
ted to men either of incompetent or unwor
thy of public confidence. Great alarm was
attempted to he railed by the fallen party —
ruin to our finances, and distress to our
country, were pretended to be foretold.
The event has proved these to be falfe pro
phecies. I will give you a few faffs, and
you can draw vour own conclusions. The
present administration will have been in of
fice two vears onthe fourth of March. In
the year beginning with October 1799, and
ending with September 1800, the last year of
John Adams's administration, the expendi
tures of govern.nent, exclusive of public
debt interests and reimbursements amounted,
7,180,000 dollars. In the year beginning
and ending in the fame months of 1801 and
1802, being th° second year Thomas Jeffer
fon, the expediturc was 4,045,000 dollars, —
leaving a saving in public expenecs of
3'°3s'°°° a year. In the last two years of
the former administration the expenecs of
government amounted to the enormous sum
of 22,954,930 dollars ! Taking the average
of the two years of the present to be double
the expence of the prefem year, it would a
mount only to little more than 8,000,000
which 1 resents a difference very chara&erif
tic of the parties, fay icAr^ooo of dollars
saved to the public from wJle and corrup
tion—indeed froth employment 10 the pub
lic danger and ruin. The estimate of the
secretary of the treasury of the full expenecs
for the ensuing year, are under three mil
lions.
any fean^n or mariner in a foreign port fitly
cents ; k for commission on paying and re
ceiving the amount of wages payable on the
discharge of seamen in foreign ports, two
and a ball per centum.
Sec. 7. And be it further enabled, That
if any consul, vice-consul, commercial
agent or vice-commercial agent,(hall falfely
and knowingly certify, that property be-
Jonging to foreigners is property belong
ing to citizens of the United States, he
ihall on conviaion thereof, in any court,
of compentent jurifdiaion, forfeit and pay
a fine not exceeding ten thousand dollars,
at the diferetion of the court, and be im
prisoned for any term not exceeding three
years.
See. 8. And be it farther envied, That
if any consul, vice-consul, commercial a
gent or vice-commercial agent, ihall grant
a passport or other paper certifying that
any alien, knowing him or her to be such,
is a citizen of the United States, he (hull
on conviction thereof, in any court of
competent jurifiliaion, forfeit and pay
a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars.
Sec. 9. And be it further enabled, That
all powers of attorney executed after the
thirtieth day of June next in a foreign
country for the transfer of any flock of the
United Sates, or for the receipt of interest
thereon,ihall be verified by the certificate &
seal of a consul, vice consul, commercial a
gent, or vice-commercial agent, if any there
be at the place where the fame shall be
ex outed, for which the peifm giving the
certificate ihall receive fifty cents.
'I he Spanilh intendant at New-Orleans
confirming the general proclamation con
cerning trade, as excluding us, like all other
nations, tram commercial intercourse, and
finding the period of our priviledge of depo
sit expired and that his court, which had a
lone the power of fixing another place, had
not done so — took upon him how to execute
in the molt rigid manner the general rellric
tive principle and to deprive us of that place
without another being provided for the depo
sit of our produce.
This is the fair state of the business, as it
refpeds the Spaniards. As it refpe&s us
their,jury is a very serious one, but our ex
ecutive had information of the tranfadion
and hid taken the molt aCiive and decisive
measures to procure redress and right, before
the fubjeCt had been taken up by those who
always make a noise without regard to the
merit of the case, additional infttuCtions and
negociaiions on the fubje& of the Mifliflippi
had long before commenced. D.fpatcbcs
were sent to our ambaikdor at Madrid, and
the court or Spain by the Spanish ambassador.
—Mr. Monroe is allo lent ambafiador to
Paris, with a view to arrangements with the
French government of great importance in
every view to the weftern country.
/ Mr. Monroe is already well known, and
no man is better qualified by a&ual know
ledge of the weftern country to be entrusted
with this important negociation.
When he was ambassador in France be
fore he very pointedly intimated to our gov
ernment the negeciations which were then
carrying on between France and Spain for
the re-cession of Louihana to the former ;
and I am informed from very good private
authority, that had his advice been taken at
that period, we might have had not only
New-Orleans but the whole of the Miffip-
home to the individuals, but 'there is strong
ground to believe, that a great part of the
public's own money, which was thus suppo
sed to be in the hands of public officers was
lent to the public at this enormous interest,
a complete flop has been put to this traffic &
corruption, and a system laid down by which
every individual officer is obliged to account
at short periods for the money in hands, ard
to repay it to the treasury where there are
not disbursements on the public account to
be made from it.
Seven months after the administration
came into office, the amount in the treasury
was only 2,943,718 dollars. I notice
seven months, because about that period, the
measures of the former administration had
nearly ceased to operate, and the present had
begun to go into action. In one year after
that date that is on the firft of October 1802
there was in the treasury 4,539,675 dollars.
Beside which the government has paid up
wards of nine millions of the public debt in
cluding interest. And what is highly flatter
ing to the public feeling and credible to our
country and government ; I have good
ground to believe that Reps have been effec
tually taken to difeharge by anticipation all
claims upon us for the foreign debt, unto
the month of June 1804. No man on earth
ever exhibited in so short a space, so many
evidenecs es a happy government wifely and
fuccefAuUy administered.
There is one other fiilfc& of very consid
erable importance particularly to the state
which I have the honor to represent, that
has occupied much of the attention of the
executive and both houses of congress in the
prefect session. It is already familiar to
you hy the general attention which it has
excited. The conduct of the Spanith In
tendant at New Orleans.—Much clamour
has been employed, but more pains have
been bellowed to misrepresent and mislead,
than to infirm the public correctly on this
fubjeEL I Shall endeavour to communicate
what is the true Slate of the case, without
regard to prejudices of any kind.
By our treaty of 1795 with Spain, we ob
tained through the friendly difprfition
of the Spanish government, a privilege of
Storing our produce intended for sale in
such warehouses as could be procured at
New-Oricans, This privilege was limit
ed to three years : but under this provision
that if the Spanish government Should find
it not convenient to let our produce be de
pofned at New-Orleans after that period,
that fume other fit place would be provided
in lieu of it.
While the war existed the necessities of the
Spaniih colonies compelled a relaxation of
their very rigid colonial laws—for they do
not admit any nation whatever to trade with
their colonies in peace. The period had
expired to which our privilege of deposit
was limited, about the period at which the
present adminiflration came into office, and
the ufua! fyttem of colonial law was gener
ally received. In the Spanish colonies a
fyflem of government prevails different from
all the rest of the world. Their governors
have no controul over matters of trade, their
functions are wholly of a political, juridical
or legislative character. But all the authority
for regulating and controling trade, is yef
ted in an officer wholly independent of the
governor. This officer is called the Inten
dant.
Latest by the Mails.
NJ York, April 15.
SYMPTOMS
OF WAR IN EUROPE.
Capr. Sterling, of the ship Mercury, who ar
rived yellerday in 31 dajs from Liverpool, in
forms, —that on the 10th of March, the day of his
failing, an express had arrived from London with
orders fur an immediate impressment 01 every
seaman in the port of Liverpool: in consequence
of which, all outward bound merchantmen were
instantly dripped of their hands, and a number
which had got under way were necessitated to put
back. A press boat came along tide the Mercury,
but did not moled her. Capt. S. saw a boat wan
a prefsgang on board, in chafe of a Dublin Packet,
outward bound, but did not overtake it. Im
pending war is the only rumor of the day ,in conse
quence, as was fuggelted, of foine difference be
tween England and France, with refpeCt to the
Foreign.
HAGUE, MARCH 4.
General Berthier, wil fill bis firft appominiebt
as Chief of the general Staff of the Louitiana ex
pedition.
PARIS, FEB. 22.
Amongst the late presentations 10 the Frfl Con
sul, were Mr. Bingham, of Philadelphia, and Mr.
Wilkes of New-York..
Madame Bonaparte has named as ler ladies of
honor, Mesdames Deluccay, Remuftat, Thalhuit
and Law.
The lift of emigrants made in the French colo
nies are fomally abolished, so that all the unfortu
nate colonies who fled may return to their et
tales.
Inoculation for the Small-Pox has been forbid
den in the Italian Republic, and the poor are va
cinated gratis, in all the hospitals.
The Friends of the Marquis de la Fayette are
informed that the accident which happened to
him on the ice, will be attended with no serious
consequences.
LONDON, MARCH 7.
Accounts fay, that Sir Richard Strachan put in
to Giberalter, the beginning of February ; and
that he was bound to Malta, with orders for the
evacuation of that island.
The expedition which is certainly to fail in all
March for Louisiana, is computed ot two frigates,
one cutter ?nd fifteen transports.
Mr. Erring the American Consul, gave a dinner
at rhe London Tavern, on Friday last, the anni
versary ot the election of Mr. Jefferfon. Many
patriotic songs were fang ; particularly one, with
clioru. " Health to <)nr Sachem and long may he
live ; which was received with great applause by
the feledt company which attended.
March 8.
The commander of every ship at Portsmouth has
received orders to repair to Spitbead forthwith.
The valuable printing office of Mr. Hamilton,
nearly opposite Dunean's church, has been dest
royed by fire,along w ith a ; reat quantity of paper
& books in sheers to the amount offever.il thousand
pounds. During the fire, a quantity of melted
types having fallen on the tomb of the celebrated
Oliver Goldsmith, completly incafed it ! Upwards
ot hxty perlons are said to be thrown out of eni
pto, by the! accident.
pi on both sides in our possession.
At present it appears more than probable
that the French will obtain Louisiana, and
perhaps fettle a large colony there. 1 his
has been made a fubje& of great alarm, and
attempts have been made by combining this
project with the conduct of the Spanish in
tendant, to produce a war, with whom the
proposers neither knew or cared.. —It was
not right they wished to obtain nor wrong
to redress, but a war, by which the country
might be involved in trouble and they might
expect to obtain jobs or fciamble into office.
The advocates ot war, however, have Shown
how little they know of the weftern people
for they aflerted that we were ready to vio
late our federal government —that we were
diffatisfied, and that the French when they
Should fettle in Louisiana would find in the
weSlern States numerous persons ready to
join them and to separate from the union !
Such aspersions were not fuffered to pass
on-repelled, and the authors of these calum
nies were told what every weftern man
knows to be true, that the character of a free
American citizen, who chufes his own leg
islature and lives uncontrouled but by the
laws which they make, is tco precious to be
changed for that of a fubjed to any power
on earth. s
Whatever may be the iflue of the negoti
ation, I do not fee the least reason to appre
hend danger or injury from the colonization
of Louisiana ; our population is too far ad
vanced ever to admit of their being dange
rous neighbours ; and as a friendly, sociable
and intelligent people, I fee rather great ad
vantages to our fide of the river. The only
evil that we can apprehend is from the jea
lousy which will be fought to be kept alive
by the enemies of our government within
ourftlves, in the Atlantic Slates.
It is not necessary for me to inform you
that Ohio has been added to our union as
the feventceuth state.
A circumstance took place here during
the last session in the supreme court,it was the
issuing a writ of mandamus to the secretary
ot state for the delivery of certain commi(lion
ot justice or the peace signed by John Adms
" in the Sail moments of his administration."
The court has decided a few days since that
it has not jurisdiction in the case.
I am with refpea, youi faithful servant,
JOHN FOWLER,
[Member of Congress from Kentucky ]
Extract of a letter, dated Bordeaux,
Feb. 24, 1803.
" Our correspondent at Paris writes that
a report prevails, the order is countermand
ed tor the embarkation of troops for New-
Orleans. He promises to afceitain the
truth and inform ns, without lot's of time.
This affair is altogetl^r myflcrioiis ; we
have been in expectation of the expedition
being made three months ago ; letters have
been received from Paris two months ago
announcing the squadron would fail in a few
days, + aiMl yet they arc Bill in port."
The following patriotic remarks are taken
from the Speech of Gov. Tiffin, on the
opening of the Legislature, in the New
Siller State, Ohio. They form a fine
cotitraft to federal declamation.
" The recent embarrassments to our in
fant commerce, occasioned by the irregu
larities at New-Orleans, we have every
reason 10 believe will loon be removed by
the prompt and efficacious.meafures taken
by the president of the United States, and
which has been aided by the miniflcr of his
catholic majesty, and from the embafly
which has been wifely adopted, we may
further hope that our filtration will be bet
tered,by placing our commerce on a footing
not liable to similar interruptions in future.
If, however, the just and natural expecta
tions of government should be fruftrated,
wean; consoled by the lively sensibility ex-
surrender of Malta. A London paper of the Bth
of March, mentions the depreflion ot the price of
Stocks, and speaks confidently of an approaches
change ot Ministry.
The following is a copy of a letter from Mr.
Gajcoigne. Member of Parliament so om Liver
pool, to the Mayor 0) that city, dated Lmdon,
March 8, 6 P.M.
" Dear Sir,
" War is expected—3 roeffage this day from
the King to the House ot that tendency—Milium
expected to be called to guard again;! iuv a j on
—Stocks doun 4 per cent—Mr. PITT, it is fop
puled, will return fooa to power. 1 have.time
to add no more, it being tix o'clock.
Joan Cascoicne.”
A letter from Liverpool, dated 10th March,
fays, "tre London papers received this day, men
tion a decline in the price of Stocks ; and
rumors are in circulation of a change of
Minifiry ; but so tar as cap be judged, there it
no reason to apprehend any renewal of hostili
ties,” ,
A Liverpool price. current of the Bth of Marcl%
mentions the price ot American exports as gene#
rally declining.
A letter received in town from 3 bonfe of the
firft refpeftability in Liverpool, dated March to,
fays—"We harejuft received information, which
may be depended on, that a WAR between this
country and France is inevitable.”
# * # The above are all the particulars we have
received on a fubjett, of the very firft importance
to the commerce of this country—the decree of
probability to be attached to it mull be left to the
judgment of our readers.
IMPORTANT.
Capt. Strangman, of the schooner Eliza, on his
passage from Savannah to New-York, was cast
away at Cape Hatteras on the 6th January latt.
He remained there :intil the ißih Feb. following,
during all which time there was no light in the
Light-House at that place. This is important to
the mercantile interest, as well as to mariners, as
during the time be lemaincd at Cape Hatteras
eleven vessels were caff away there, many ot
which in his opinion fi,ght have been faced, had
there been any lights to warn them of their dan
ger. Thole w hole duty it Is to cvi rest this evil,
are requested to notice this information, and the
different Printers of the United States, are requit
ed to publilh it for the benefit of the public.
Capt. Strangman, further reports, that altho there
is a capital Light House at Cape Hatteras with
lamps and wick, yet there was 110 oil while he
was there to fill the lamps.
N. Y. Gaz.
Mariette, (ObF) Feb. 16°
Yeflerday were launched at the ship yard of Ja
feph Barker, efq. a i>rig of about 150 tons beloog
ingto D. Woodbridg, jun. and a schooner 0 f
near 100 toils burthen, belonging to Edward W.
Tupper.
Two other brigs are nearly ready for launch
ing.
It is calculated that eight or ten will be set up
in this place during the coming kafon, unless our
E ropean friends should take a fancy to shut up
our outlet.
A private account from France (publish
ed in a London paper of the 2d. March)
mentions another plot to affaflinate the Chief
Consul A letter from Rouen of the 23d.
February, states on the 21H a Frenchman
by the name of Bourgais, just returned from
England, was with a number of his accom
plices, arretted by the government, in con
fequeuce, of information that they had enter
ed into a plot to assassinate the Chief Consul
and afterwards to seize on the reins of gov
ernment. A number of papers were found
upon him,which are said to develope the dia
bolical febeme, and to implicate a number
of persons inEngland emigrants from Fiance.
Mr. Bourgais went over to England in the
month of July last, with recommendations to
several . c-fpedable families to procure him
a situation as a tutor. He did not faceted
in this, and the account is, that he wasdrawu
into the confpiracv by some of those emi
grants resident in England, who (till cherish
the thoughts of a counterrevolution by the
means of tumult and anarchy.