The Patowmac guardian, and Berkeley advertiser — Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.], 1796-09-22 00:00:00, page 2

''•4ft. WlLL:.<,
-Of. \ j..KAL writer* appeared »f your paper of the
^ ^ £ h inlt. who certainly meant 10 reply to rue :
bowl's* tfteir efforts have kept pace with their in
rtiue'-'os, i loave to a cartel miblic to cie?“vrr.in-.
At prelent, I certainly Ihould not trouble your read
ers v/iti: »nv remarks on p red tit r ions I'o milerably
definite of even the fem' htnce of argumentation,
rWas 1 not perluaded that the vanity oi tl ele wri
•teri would induce them to piunie themfelves upon
-niv lileoce ; ard therefore, 1 iliail pay lame little at
tention to their productions.
It is rue charactereltic of faliehood and error. Mr.
Willis, when hard prefsed hy the lirthiiible pow
eifi ot troth, to fcuiU. to Unit and to prevaricate.
Tms o!i'f*r vm !<• ' iv f«• ? • > vr-rmed by the cnnouct oi
a wit; ~'vvTifo! Icribes hitnlllf, One of the People,
'and bv that or v orhe,' wh • ftybi iniHrll A true Lie
' Jnicra 'i. Tin* firll tif v- .rrhies roundly :«ir>ercs
r!Ji4t “ our immediate rrprefenra. ,ve. are ojttn cho
len under the influence a) paffmn.” i he *«rcond, in
order to (often as muck ss poilinie thts iniulttng de
■ c! .'ration, artfully endeavours to give it a different
call, by fobun .»iii ;fln-'vorc. “ iotneiiines” in place
of the word ,s ob-o.” Now as there is a wide
difference between JomeUnes doing a thing, anti often
dvi.i'» it ■ l ler.ve it 10 every mi;; ot candour to tie
termine ia what light thif, quibble ought to be view
ed. But what renders the prevarications of ibis
•writer rbe mere glaring, is, That he has the model
tv, aimotf at the lame inltant, in "the face of truth,
to charge me with a milquotation, from a publica
tion lubferibed a friend to peace. Ndw it any of your
readers will be ut the trouble of looking over that
oierc, they will find that I quoted bun verbatim.
True it is rhat I did not qucie the whole lenience
__put if I had even done lo, this man of candour
might with eon a I ‘■deice have blamed me for not re
peating the whole paragraph. The inference,
tiovvevrt* drawn’by me, from thefenrhnent (elected,
was jult and natural j hecaufr although it-may be
true that (at the time of writing that piece) he had
not feet, the relblntion of the hotife of Reprefema
tives of the yth of April, yet as the attention oi
that body had been, for more than a month, occu
pied with rhe (object, and S3 the temper of the
Honfe v/as cverv ' where well known, it mult be e
•vident tntifhis iiiiberH infimiation was levelled di
rectly at the conduct ot the 'Houle of *Repre!enta- .
lives; which conduct lie fays, was fomething “ worlc
ti:-n Algerine perfidy/'" becauie (according to a
nmher of his dogmas) it was breaking the treaty.
The truth however, happens to be, that the treaty
was at that time null and void, and forever muft have
remained lo, bad not the Houle contented to carry
it into tlfect, confequemly they could not pcfiibly 1
break what was in a It ate of ■non-exifYence. And. j
though he may now be afnsrined of the falfe and
fcandalous afset fion, yet he v/ill Icarcely be able,
with all his cunning, to elude the jolr indignation |
of every hnnel’t .nan, finer it»is impolUlde he could \
Snean any thing rife, hut to apply his abide to the j
conduct eft lie immediate reprclentatives of the peo
pie.
Bur to return to One of the people, I mult teil him
that i did not enter into a conteft with the Prefident
and Senate ; but with fuch writers as himlrlt, who,
when unable to mainrain t %>tir ground, by fair means,
immediately Icuik and Ihelter themlelves behind the
popularity of the Freftdcot. 1 entered into no con
trover y with any of the conftituted authorities. 1
did nor. (like my Opponents) commence a wanton
attack upon an individual, ard through him, on a
particular branch of the legillature. 1 have only
contended that the irnmediate reprefentarives ol the
people enjoy the right of conltruing the conltitntion
for themtelves, as well as any other branch cf the
government.
1 ncvt, cxprefsed any fears that our Frefidenr j
and Senate would turn turks and devote ihetnjcl'vts j
and their pojicritj to arbitrary power, as mv antago- !
mfc uncaoilidl) infinuates. My interrogatory was !
conveyed in tbefe words, “ but it the conltirution ,
was even doubtful on this fubject, what are we to '
rhir.! of t,isu who contend tor that conftruction,
and t La £ only, which has a direct tendency to atL- !
initiate cur government, a« much as polfible, to that
which exhibits a picture of every thing odious and
deleft ihli in arbitrary power ?” This was evident
ly aimed at inch writers as himiclf, becaufe they
have hrenuovily contended lor that coniuuction and
1 tx} efred no fear? at ail ^ but have ever placed
the itolt implicit confidence in the virtue ot my real
countrymen, which I am perluaded will ever fii
Tnulate them t ' relitt with tin energy or repnblicnn
iiin, ali tr iicroachn-ent s on their molt iacred rights.
My object has been, not to criminate any one
bram h ot our government ; but to refute the illibe
ral aiprrhons caft upon the immediate representa
tives of the people. '1 his 1 flatter myfelf l have at
tempted with tome ,itt le tuccels, and truft that it
wiii ppear ro every candid mind, that the Houfe of
Keprelentat:vef* have ftrictly done what they deem
ed to be, iridifpenlibly rheir duty. But as they
hive neverthelels been puhlidv charged with hav
ing aj>s-rued a nfitu poruier to after the conjiitutiont and
with being guilty ot a breach of truji, 1 now call op
en thefc writers tocome forward with their proofs.
Thefe charges were made in the molt unqualified
Marine'-, ami therefore the proofs necefsarv to efta
blilh them mu ft be full and explicit. No cvnfior —
No fnhtcrtuge—No general afsertions will do. Put
it is expected th.ir particulars will be adduced. That
tome authentic documents will he brought- forward
—Some r.vtolotion or act of that body from the jour
rtais of the houfe. If his can he done 1 lhall give
up the contefr, and will agree never more to trou
• b;*vou wuu another fwiltnce upon the lul^ject.
i~ Jt 1? my opponent^ are irrcapable rf doing this,
they mult fulumit to the odium of being conlidered
as common difiurbers ol the public tranquility Ca
lumniators of a free pcopL, and enemies to the liber
ties of uur country.
CIVIS.
ioa^o^C'»o>—
Mi. Willis.
AT this juncture, when fo many publications
appear in your Guardian under feigned fig
natures, 1 feel my lelf iinerefied, and think it a du
ry incumbent on every judicious and candid obfrr
ver, to treat Inch publications with lupercilinus
coni’einpr. it has been adopted as a maxim (a*
niongfr eminenF"wTiters treating of the laws of in
terpretation) when an author oinitajfm’wg his name
to his work, we ought lo beware of giving much
credit to what he relates; although there may be
times when it may be prodent, and even neceisary
tor a 'wile loan not to lbbfcrihe his name to hi»
work; as when he lives under an arbitrary go
i vermnent ; y-*t in every free government it
rmnit be a great abatement of the credibility of a
writer, when lie conceals his name, as anoninums
writers have rarelv obtained much credit, or done
any fervkce ?o -mankind and a man who either
does'not, or *.viil not tell his name, ought to be pre
fumed re be an enemy to human fdciety, and unwor
thy the leaft credit ; although many authors have
let their names to great Sallehoods, ceteris pati'w:,
an author win) gives his name re the public ought
to be reckoned worthy of credit, unlels we have ve
ry good authority for contradicting his teltimony
The liberty ot the Profs as it is underitood and
contended for in the prefent age, is more inconliit
ent with liberty and character than can be well de
leribed, as it implies a liberty of alsaftitiation or
i (cabbing the characters of innocent oerlons by lurk
! ing villains, whom it is impollible to difeover. If a
! man fhould pretend that he had a right io go thro’
the ltreec; in the dark, and to (tab any perlon that
i be pleafed, and that it was unlawful tor any perfon
! ro pUrfus hitn; or even to.carry a lamhron to dil
cover rim, he would jul\iy be corrfidered as an enemy
to iociety. Notwiihftanding, this is the very right
the<e men contend tor, who .‘Hedge that the liberty
of the Pi'eis permits them to lay anything rhiy
pleaic without tear of difeovery. Bur there coulu
not be a greater proof of the cowardice and niean
nefs of the prefent times, rhairthe fondnefs they
have teftif.ed for lurking in darknels, ant! Crabbing
characters ;-.f pleasure, as no man of honor ever is.
was, evey w’ll be, or can be delirous of Curbs pri
vilege, which belongs only to the midnight aisaffcn
and cannot be delircd by any other. But thetri:e
liberty of the prefs is, that men fhould be permitted
to pub!ifh what they can prove ro be true, and to
print only thole -fentnnents that they have courage
to own.
FRIENDLY DICK.
+++*"f-H-++++4
A URO L'l . - A ./ /V 7 LLLl\a Lis C
•AMSTERDAM, July
fix letter from Angers of June 30, not ortiv con
firms The news of the eroding of rhe Rhine by rhe
French a: my at Stralburg, hut adds that the French
were advancing in force towards Heidelberg, to
throw thernfelves in the rear of the Auftrians, and
that the head-quarters of the prince of Conde were
already in their power.
Our correfpondent at Hamburg, whole inforr.i3
tionmav be relied on as authentic, under the date
of July 8, communicates the toll owing particulars*
The French were inafters of Upper Italy, e/.cepc
the citadel of Milan, which they were preparing to
afiault. The report of the lofs of ,«°-ooo French, a:
a pals on the Adige, was a falthood propagated in
loine Imperial gazettes, and univerfallv believed for
fotne days-in Germany ; deligned probably to aid
the fpirits of the Auftrians, when marching to Weiz*
lar to encounter General Kleber.
General Jourdan feenied not to lend any afiufr
ance to General Kleber, and in the fame time Gen.
Moreau nyule a fpirited attack on ii;e lints near
Manheim, and drove the Auftrians to the Rhine
Caftle near Manheim, on the left or Weft fide of the
river. Theie were manoeuvres to aid the main
point,- that of crof.ing the Rhine at Strnfburg.—
This has forced prince Charles to tall back, with his
main body.
By this ftep the army of the prince of Conde is
entirely cut off from a communication with the Auf
rrian army ; and mult retire to the fouth-eaft or
inner part of buabia, or fell into the hands of the
French.
Suahia is a rich fruitful country, irs inhabitants
numerous, and well aff-cted to the French rrvoluti
on—it abounds alio with rich abbeys and inonaite
ries. [Good picking for Rtdublkatis ]
Great-Britain begins to Ihow more refpect to neu
tral powers. She has reftored the Ihips captured
from Denmark. An Englilh man of war w:u» lately
condemned to pay nil colts and return to their for
mer ftarion, fome French cutters and prizes lhe had
taken iu a harbour of Norway.
PARKS, July ~.
The army of tlie Sambre and Meufe on the open
i ng of the campaign made a Ikilfnl diver lion on the
Right bank of the Rhine, in order to prevent the
Auftrians front attempting an irrupt ion into Loraine
and Allace. T he Austrians in tact abandoned all
their pofuiont in the Palatinate, and in theBilhop
ricks of Spire and Worms. Jouidan then ordered
a retreat, to draw a great part of the Aultrian for
ces to the Lower Rhine, while Gen. Moreau cruis
ed the Upper Rhine, and defeated them in Suabia.
Ibis plan was carried into effect.
■GAZETTE !'RAXC01S~< jjy u
The citadel of Milan has tunerderrd to fhs
French arms, fourteen days after the trrud'.es were
opened. A letter from Gen DTpinoy it;fcrrr.s
that Ire has taker; 2800 prisoners, and 200.000 wt
of powder.
The following is « proclamation, figned nth
Meffhlor, June 2#. at-3 o'clock in the morning, at
head quarters in Milan.
“ The cit id. 1 of Milan will be given op to the
troops of the French Republic, with its artillery,
its provifions, it< magazines of all kinds, its mili
tary elicits and effects, precilely ar 5 o'clock in the
morning. As Coon as the prefent capitulation i*
ligned, four companies of French grenadiers will
take pols.TJon of -lie gate of Milan, and of the
ball ions Vclafco. Do Pietro and D nigna. The
garrifnn of the citadel ihall march out at the fame
r ime at the gare of Milan, and lhall hie along the
glare is of Varnlimes, before the French trooos,
wi*h fbe honours of war, arms and baggage only.
I Arrived at Point Naviltis, they lhall lay down
their arms, and funender tbemiilvcs prifoners of
■ war. The c r i-gnnts and deferters lhall be deliver
; <-d to the'French General. The lick and wounded
j (hall he treated with all the care due to humanity,
; and to the generous conduct which has ever diftiti
j gn 11lied rhe Preiuh nation. The gai tifon lhaii be
iturniUu'd with the means of traniporting their a-.
qoipages to the place of their deftination. If any
cliI jgTcen et.t ar'e^ in the ev« c n ion .of the above ar
| tirles, they ihali ue conftrued favourably to the
French
*• 5igaed, DESPINOY and LAMY."
LONDON, July ij..
j The Spanilh rourr threatening us vi'hwar, if
j do not comply with their wiiheg. is iilu lriatice of
' the table ot 'he Jick Lon, When he was down every
i a 1 s had a kick him To what a (iri.js.tion ere we
! red- ej by the wildon of the conductors of this lut
cetttful war 1
PEACE—OR WAR. WITH SPAIN'
Ft appears now alms.ft certain that vr dial! h-v *
peace, through the h ;ci fere net or f.paisj. orw.r
| with Spain iti-it. This cannot he doubled, if the
Madrh. stateper,-pubiiliieu h; tilia day's Tele
gr ■ nhe, be oehn ue.
From what lias hitherto trsnfpired we cannot he
fttau-iu the pronouncing the vitws of the Spanilh
court to be upon Gibraltar The ccfior. of this for
t refs is mult probnh,y whit they allude to, svlma
rhev of their legitimate rights, and cert; ;n
j !v Spain h- 1 a rigv,r as n •rrr:i! to G:or.sir0r, as F.n
| gland h -5 t 1 hr -1 .• of Wight; or ir.krd -.r: o,
:is Gibr >!tar. is tmi ftp-rated by any ami ol the tea,
but forms a pirr of rhe Spinith Corn in rit.
The demand., we have fcarcely a doubt, will fpee
di• v be made, and the only yut-lrion then v-i’l !v. ,
our government ruby 10 Imunii to the pretentions,
or ro add Spain to the number of our enemies.
Weih:’ k • bat if wo.-.iil be gr.nd and found policy
- to give op Gibraltar, rather than to involve our
j lipbev in a war wbh another omidiible rnarii tr.*
j power, and thus ha :rd nor 01 y ?h’ prolpcritv,
! bo* t ho very rxift-nce of Greet -lit it ain as an moe
j pendenr Sra<e. e nnot, hov/evor. think tHa“
ottr nnnif'crs will be < i the ta-me opinion ; or if
tbev.bould lie of tint opinion, Thar rhry will avow
it; and, aided by firo-g pr'-pidic*$ and pride of
Knplifkmcn, which the\ Jo we)! know how to turn
to their own account, there items every realon to
believe that rlw-y "ill rij cr the propose ions of
Spam, an«.i that wr (halt have to encounter tl’.r force
of the Spanilh. Munarrh v combined with that of
the French and Dutch Republics.
UNITED STATES.
BOSTON, iv ptetnber i * •
ANOTHER DEFEAT OF THE jUSTRIJNS.
Oi Satnrdav morn'ng arris ed heie.Capt Swame,
56 days from firemen*. Capt. Sw--jne is a gentle
man of reputation, and has informed os tliar tli*
following important news was relaud to him about
three or four hours before he 1c ft Bremen by his mer
chant, who i« a perfon of information and p'lpecta
bilirv,—and Cape. Swaine has nor. a doubt of its au
them icily -
Th^' on the 12th of July, about a day's march
from Frankfort, a fevere engagement took place be
tween th" French and Auftrian armies, which ended
in the total defeat of the latter, witfi the lols of
12,0* 0 killed and taken prifoners, together with
their baggage, artillery, &c.— That the French
immediately pnihul on for Frankfort, and it was
fuppoied at Bremen, when Capt. Swaine iailed (Ju
ly 1 r) that the French were already in polseffion of
that place. This intelligence arrived by exprels
from the Auftrian army, and was confirmed by the
Auftrian fuldiers who bad el'caped. It appears,
that the French effected this defeat bv frat a gem ;
having drefsed a regiment of their troops in Adm
an uniform the evening preceding the hartle, they
were made to feign an attack on the k tench, who
retreated; the Aultriars obferving the French fail
ing back, came on with £-11 their force*, and when
the French had decoyed them far enough to effect
their purpole, they turned on them, and made a
nioft complete victory.
# Bremen is about 25 German, or '-’jj Engli/b mini
from Frankfort.
NEW-YORK, September 15.
Capt. Meale of the Ihip Margaret, of Philadel
phia, arrived yelurday from Bourdcaux, having