The Potowmac guardian, and Berkeley advertiser. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1790-1798, 1796-12-22

proceedings commenced sgalnit the French vessels,
the undc.hsned miniitcr rlenpotentiary, would be
Obliged u write volume He contents hinlelf
with aiding what lie has iuft laid, the AFFAIR of
The Vengeance and that Of the CafEus.
E6ijy ef,tbe Etngeau..
AT the beginning Of 1894, tn= predecessor Of he
nnderii2ned charged the captain of La Dorado,
French Cabot, with particular milton for ST.
Domingo. He ordered him to 60 to NV York
at Sandy Hook on board The frigate La Semilarte,
belonging to the republic, ana which made part Of
her equ pment, and to carry them TO General LIE
This Vessel had formerly been built for
war i; ihe had been bniit with port holes conle
quenty the sttraeted the particular attention of the
government. Many difficulties were III: own in her
way but finally, after having fubmitted TO all the
requllite INSPECTIONS. The failed with formal clear
ance from the collector of the cultoms of Phiiade
phia. She wen, 70 New York, where the captain
aeqnited himlef Of his milton, and thence to PORT
de Fax, where the powder was delivered to General
Leveaux. AT thar place this gslot was told to an
inhabtant of ST. Domingo, who armed her, equip
ped her completely, partly at Port de Paix, and
partly Cape Francois. She was called La Ven
geance, and given to Captain perrard ae con,man.
der, who failed from ST. Domingo, with commit
hon IN good form, aud crew entirely French, to
cruife againit the enemies of the republic. few
days after her departure, fhe captured Spanih vef
Eel, called the Princeise DIES Auuries laden with
rich cargo, and carried into the port of New York,
in the iunmer of 'os.
The Spaniih coniul, avaing him(elf of the facil-
ty given him BY the law of 9Th June "a, had the
prize arrefed under the pretext that the privatecr
had been armed in the United States, aud " e iaw
officers of the government appear defend his az
iertion-Mr. Harri(oh, attorney of the dftrct of
NewYork, and Mr.. Troup, clerk of the d(trct
and circuit courts, to which appertaihed the decf
of the canie.
1t was under ,hefe aufpices, that the prize was
arrefted, and thar the captain of the prvateer Jaw
himicf obliged defend her againft the allegation
of pretended armament bur is not fuiEcient
to have areed the prize, they mutt alto attack the
privateer. This did net fail to happen. Shortly
after Mr.. Harifop, without laying Aide his Office
of attorney for he captured bur acting in this in.
ftance in the name of the United States informed
aganh lie Tengfaate, and required her arreft under
the fame pretxt which had heeh uled for arrefting
her prize. This information not founded upon
any affidavit materialproof But Mr.. Attorney,
according his letter the iecrerary of ftate had
no need OF any; be had sen in the hands Of the
Spaniih coniul documents iuficient for having the
prize condemned In fine not content with theie
meaiures the fame attorney, Tome time after, the
two other cafes being full pending, exhibited le
cond information agant the Privareer, and had her
arreIfed anew, tor having exported arms in violati-
ofa law OF he United States, which was in force
when the Vengeance failed from New York. This
information was made upon the limple declaration
of Mr.. Giles, marihsll of the court, who was in
former, to have his part of the con6fcston. So
that all the officers of the arict court Except the
judgel nerefted in the condemnation Of the
privateer or. her prize. Ii is we'll to obierve that
during the eourle of the procels the monies arifpg
from the fale Of the prize were depoGted in the
hands of the clerk atorney for the Spanards thofe
aring from the iale ofth prize in the hands of the
marhal, Gnformer, and intereited in the conAfca-
tion) 10 thar their ntereft was to fpin out thefe
caues by means of appeal and 70 it has happened.
AS this lst information is here principally in the
queftion, it is proper to enter fome details on the
iuhjsct. 1t appeared in the allegation. that the