The Statesman.
London, England, 1814-10-28 00:00:00

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COPT OP A LETTER PROM LIEUT. TURNER TO CAPTAIN
A. gINCLAIR, COMMANDING ON LANE ERIE, DATED
U.S. schooner Scorpion, a Michilimackinac,
July SO, 1814.
Str.,—i have the honour to inform you, that
agreeable to your orders of the 22(1 inst. I proceeded
on the expedition to Lake Superior with the launches.
I rowed night anti day, but having a distance of 60
miles against a,,,strong current, information had
reached the enemy, at St. Mary's, of our approach,
about two hours befarerEeerived at that placer, car-
ried by Indians in their light canoes; several of
whom I chased, and by firing nn them and killing'
some, prevented thelrlllarfosier ; scene I' captured'
and kept prisoners until my arrival, others escaped..
The force undei Major liorntes preventettany thitig
like resistaece at the fort, the enemy, with their 1444
diens, carrying with them all the light valuabiporti-
cies, peltry, cloths, kc. I proceeded across the strait
of Lake Superior without a moment's delay; and on
my appearance, the enemy finding they could not get
off with the vessel I was in quest of, set fire to her
in several places, scuttled and left her. I succeeded
io boarding her, and by considerable exertions ex-
tinguished the flames, and secured her from sicking.
I then stripped her and prepared for getting, her
down the Falls ; adverse winds prevented my attempt-
ing
the Fells until the 26th, when every possible
effort was used, bat I am sorry to say without snc-,
cells, to get her over in safety. The fall in 3-4th of.
a mile is 45 feet, and the channel very rocky ; the..
current runs from 20 to 30 knots, and in one place,l
there is a perpendicular leap of 10 feet between three I
rocks ; here she bilged, but was brought down so
rapidly that we succeeded in running her on ashore.
fl
below the rapids before she filled, and burned her.—
She was a fine new schooner, upwards of 100 tons,
called the Perseverance, and will be a severe loss to.
the N. W. Company. Had I succeeded in getting
her safe, I could have loaded htir to advantage from
the enemy's storehouse. I have, however brought
down four captured boats loaded with Indian goods
to a considerable amount ; the balance contained in
four large and tsVo small storehouses were destroyed,
amounting in value to from, fifty to one hundred'
thousand dollars. All private property was accord-
big to your orders respected. The officers and men.
tinder my command behaved with great activity and
teal, particularly Midshipman Swartwout.
have the honour to be, Sir, with great respect,
Your obedient servant,
- - - DANIEL -TURNER.
s•
. .• FRENCIi PAPERS.

PARTS, Orr. 110-. The Journal de Paris, alteh
extracting from The Coirkr, of October the labs
the obselvations upon an article in the French Pa-•
pers, taken from the Journal de la Belgique, relit.;
five to the intended discussion at the Congress, Of
neutral rights, markiine freedom, &c. so evidently:,
leielled at this country, his the following corn-
;Rents :
" We do not know," they observe, 44 which
ought to eicite the greitest astonishment in this.ar:
tick., the falsity of its assertions, or the indecenk
foue in which they are expressed. The rhetoric
of Billingsgate never produced any thing more rep
Markable.

" The London libeller excuses thLwhele of the
French Journals eri44 siselgng. to sow discord ciniorit
the' itlliei ; and he dlVAgyi -no ether
_poor, of •Shits
• Sidleofaus aCcitiatton, than the care which they take
tv publish the articles extracted from the German
rapers. • • •
. " 4 But,' says he, g there are censors, and the
Vovertiment. is respOnsible ferell that is published in
the French Journals:. We have already replied to
this allegation, and. we' will now reply •to
The censorship is established- only to check whatever
iighttend to outrage public morals, or ti contrary
to the established laws. This is the circle within
which a censor is. inclosed, and from which he can.
. not depart without compromising his office. He
has no other influence over the opinions of the
V.ditors, than what they choose to admit, they being
personally responsible for their writings.
" Have the French Journalists abused. the ptivi-
iage of publishing their sentiments freely.upon mat.;‘
tern of pure political speculation ? Have they, in
fact, southt to produce dlisension among the Allied
'Powers i We do not hesitate to reply in the nega-
tive.
• " Full of respect for decorum and propriety,
which the splenetic .English neglect with so much
audacity, they have never spoken of the Allied
Powers but with that respect and forbearance which
are due to all Governments. They have always ex,
pressed•the hope of seeing realised at the Congress of
Vienna, the wishes of correct reason and humanity.
They do not pretend to penetrate the secrets of Ca.
binets, nor to dictate to the contracting parties• the
conduct• which they should pursue ; nothing cap
weaken their just confidence in the maguanimit)
and generosity of those Sovereigns who are about to
fit, on a durable foundation, the repose, the happi-
pess, and the independence of nations.
44 Does the Courier wish to reduce na to,a dis-
ivaceful silence, at a moment when the public *Bee-
lion is eicluiliely 'directed towards such great add
4mportant interests? Would it wish that we should
conceal froes the knowledge of the French people
•what is passing around them, and which may per-
haps base the most decided influence upon their des-
tinies ; Such a wish is absurd, and we have not yet
arrived at that point, that we dare not think, nor
dare write, for fear of displeasing an English. news-
piper Editor..
44 Can the foolish hope be entertained of rtnidel
log Fiance a stranger •in Europe, and placing ,ht.
...beyond the boundaries of civilized nations, which
are counted together by so many necessary ties,
and by so many relations reciprocally useful ?v./—
Such a chimera may haunt the imagination of some
':poor fanatic who is the enemy of the French name'
but happily to realise it is impossible.
44 We are more just and more reasonable than tin,
London Journalists. We do sot ascribe to the
Eng!isb Government all the dull sarcasms and violer
ravings which soil the endless columns of the British
Newspapers. That Giveroment is too enlightened
not tu.feel what it owes to others, as watinlyas what
it owes to Itself. It knows that moderation- is the
firmest support:l:ff 'poirer, or rather, that there is _
I..eitimate power but who is founded upon the nature
of things, and upon equity.