The Potowmac guardian, and Berkeley advertiser. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1790-1798, 1796-12-08

10 Bear 6h>ffanee ndne, WHEN II gave 10 the iIt;
6un.ls right with has been abuied. and which
enables, thsmto decide upos prizes: why, on tee
;np the iGconvenienees Of ibis law, has it not en-
,deayoured to remedy them Should j, wait to be
iblirted on this head should it not anticipate all
claims, and when thofe were prefenred by the mi
nilters Of the republic, lhould 1t NOT do uitice
Befdes, II government had been impartial, as it
has pretended 20 be-, would not have Adopted that
n wv and crcuitous mode, 10 favourable TO the
mics Of France, for deciding the gales felafse
neutrality; Ii would have preferred the meafures
propof.d by Mr.. e rion on the rs RI of june, go,
10 the minitter Uf tie republic; thefe meaiures
were GmpIe, they were in conformity with the d.
ties Of neutrality and The interes of1he republic.
The federal government had decided fqoefsi6ns
which urereftsd its neutrality. upon infofms,ions
furnthed by the itate governors and the agents Of
the repuhci the prizes msined in the hards Of
The French conIui until ,hs decilion took place
the Populations on the T1b article Of the treaty OF
'7S, were not yidlated; and the govern at the
fame time stiss.d the obligations Of doy and juf
tice, 10 vain would it FAY, tina, il had not this pow
er notwithstanding The law o4sth June "a CIV
ing to the tribunslah he right Of taking cogu,zanee
Of cafes in which ality had been violated, did
not the Prthdcus on the Eff ofJune, '94 decide
that the hip william taken out ofthe limits Of the
waters of The United States, ihouid be delivered to-
the captot; and on the sd July, 81, did he mol de I
eide thar the Pilgrim had been taken in the waters
A''""'N
be given up TO rhe In theie cafes the Pref
dent not OILY decided matters, the cognizance
of which hail been corfgned to the tribunals, bul
likewie gave retrospective xFsct TO bis deci-
Con upon rhe protecting line the United States,
which was NOT notified TO the Mini'ter OF the Ne.
public, till the 8th.ot Nov. 'G3.
Not fatisfsd with permitting the I7th article Of.
the treaty TO be violated BY its agents and tribunals
the federal government alto fuered the EDgliih
ava,l themftives OF advantages interdcted 10 them
by tbararticle. THY armed in the ports of the
United States brought in, and repaired their pri
yes, and in word found in thtn'a certain aIyldm,
Thus The Eighth privaseer Trn(ty, capt. Hall,
was armed at Baltimore TO cruze sgaiuft the
French, and failed not withdrawing the complaints
of the con!u Of the Republic. At Charlefton, one
Bermudan Vessel, leveral E1gih velsels and one
Dutch vetsel, from the z4sh OF May TO the 9th Of
June. 'es, rock in cannon for their defence, aDd
failed without oppofition.
What anfwer did the government give to The re-
prefenFaions Of the minIiter Of the French repub-
lie In this reprcr 1t faid that theie vefses failed
70 fndden1y, il able to have them arrefted,
but rhe treaty leIs violated Some inhabanr
Of the United States hsd aidsd in fheie illegal
n,aW,snts What lut es taken saainr them
Was any iearch made to diicover them, to prole-
cate them? Never, and yet the gosernment Of the
United States, no fooner learned that, in COME
quence Of an implied liquidation which he treaty OF
Vertalles feemed TO contain, the French were
Ing IN the ports ct the UnNed States, than the mott
energetic orders lent for topping theie arma
ments. Even citizens of the Uai.ed States were
imprifoned spoa iuipicion ,lhat they badpar,eipa-
ted in them. The minifter omit citing here
the following passge Of letter from the fecreta-
ry Of itate. Eimund Randolph, to Mr. Hammond,
dated I'D June. ga On iuggeftion that citizens
of the United States had taken part in the [he
ipeaks Of the armarnens in the United S,stesl one
who was dtignaed, was nitanrly commute ed TO
prion for proIeeu,ion or two others have
been tnce named and committed in like manner,
and thenld it appear, THAT there We're itill Others
no meaures would be lpared bring them TO juf
tice."' What could the American cover nnlen,
do in favor of the Engliih, ii they had Gm,sr
treaty totbat with France, and had been fole poi
iesors of the advantages ASSURED to her by pohtve
iipulations
However, in empt Of thefe very ftipulstions
the Argoncnt, an Eighth hip of war, in January,
'9s conducted into Linnhaven bay, the French
Corvet,eL Efperance, which The had taken upon
the eoait; The there hid her reP-ired, in order TO
1cna her cruife. Letters were In conft que nee
wsitteh by the ecretary Of fate to the governor of
Virginia. and to Mr.. HaihnSond. What was the
.reiut nothing. On the 21th of'M.y, 9s, the
Federal Government had not yet done any thing
Politive as TO the acts which produced the COM
plant Of the minifter of the republic The feere-
tary offtate announced ' that thefe facts ihsl be
xsmiped. and that it they are verified, the Federal
GoseSRent will not he in the Fear of IT'S oblivati.