The gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1798-1799, 1798-04-23

con non cau{e wnhlle French Republic, re-
q4'ned III tie vigilance OF Government to
counlrit6t them He had lcattered bis CON
n fiOn fer tie equ' pment of Privateers through
out oar f-aports, and vefe,s were daily armed
and hted ont, to. ciuize againlf one OF the
belhge,en, powers. To defeat a llratageur evil
&c tly calcu ated to commit our neutrality, an
act Of Conpreis was paiied in June 1904, max
ing ( penal 20 iii out and arm any veiIel in our
ports 9tRfb-an intention ID cruie or commit b2f,G-
res ggSieF any Of t5s toQUer5 At pace With tie
9Hifea Slater and in the month of July follow
ing, a circular order was lrnt 10 the Collectors
from the late Frslident, in which, among other
things, it was obierved, " that the United
States beirg neutral nation, the veteis OF their
citizens in mott CAFES do not require to he arm
cd the aTming fuch veGels therefore rallies a:
pretumption that it is done with a hottie in
tent, and contrary to the prohibitions of ths
Act Of Congrefs. Some ipec ial cafes may in
deed occur in which arming may Be proper
and neceiIary, bur thefe cafes ought always to
beezamined and afceftained, kf tbey.Rouid corrr
ealafons ortiz the bo7ver5 at qpar." The collu-
hons he'e intended NUT have embraced princ.
Pally the cafes of French privateers fitted out
10 cruize againa the Biit;ff-there being at
that time, but little inducement for the BTitifh
10 fit out privateers againf the French, as the
navigation Of the latter nation was then with.
drawn from the ocean, excepting only few
veAels of war and piivateers.
After the DEGREES Of the French Directory of
July, 1896, and March, 1897, the dcpredations
ct that nation upon our commerce, which had
never been entirely Discontinued, increafed to
almot alarming extent; infsmuch that it be-
came highly dangerous to rifque voyage to
any part of the globe. The PreGdeht adhering
10 the fylte1a Of his predeceGor, Ril thought
fit to refrain the falling of armed veiTels not
bound for the Eaaindies: Not as he expreGed
II his ipeech to both Houles at the lat FELTON,
efCongre1s, from any doubts Of he propriety
ct permitting our vei1els to employ means of
defence while enga2 ed in lawful commerce, but
mereiyt to prevent colluiion with the powers at
war;" at the fame time recommending 10 Con-
greis to Prefcribe inch regulations as would
embrace both Obje6ts~ For fuch regulations,
then was, and till am, an advocate, and have
10 doubt but that they may be 20 framed as to
ebVats the principal caule Of apprehension az
hgned BY the town, which refers to captains
who are not citizens Of the United States
Congreis did not, however, think proper to in
terfeIe upon this location. At the commence
ment OF the late FELTON,, the Prefdent llill re-
Peated and enforced his opinion Of the necetTirv
for this precautionary meafilre Our loEes by.
french captures then amounting to upwards Of
fifteen mlion5 Of aoddrJ. On the z6;h Deem
Der, bill was reported to the Houfe conforma
bic 20 this view, limiting and retaining the
right OF aTming to certain cafes, the conGdera-
ton OF which has been pofponed. The depre
dations on our trade ftil incgealed, and BY a
Fate decree Of the Directory are fandioRed IN
another immenfe defctipJion of cafes, under cir
cumlta ces which dsmonnrate an intention to
proceed 10 till greater extremities, and to an
initiate our commerce.
The PrefdenI convinced as lie declares i
public, that no hope remains of a favourable
termination Of our embafy to France, aler
having fnLtruGcd OR Commifroners 10 do all
but renounce our national independence topre
ierve peace and fading that excefs of c,ltion
TO avoid giving offence produces no. othe fruit
Khan an aggraVatiQn Of injury and inIat, has
decided, with hat wifdom and prudere thar
diliinguilhes all his actions, no longer to take
the refPonibi|ity OF rearaining protective mea-
fuTes upon hmlelf but by revoking The order
TO the Collectors has placed the RICH Of arming
upon the broad and original BATS d The law Of
nature and nations. A refolution las iince been
moved N the Houle OF representatives. by thole
who were oPpoed to take any Features on this
fubjetf, to refrain the right ofpEipate arma
ment BY law to iuch cafes as hive been hefeto-
fore Prefcribed to the ColleaoS To Elcb a re-
fraiht PROFITS myielf to beoppofed, believing
thatit would be highly NITROUS to our com
merce, ruinous to our Mitigation, and confe
quently to the landed interR AMI that il would
rather inAame than apPeae the fpirit If violence
and Thrift of plunder wkch aauate the prelent
Directory of the French Republic.
The exports ofthe Commonwealth Of MaGa.
chuletts, for the lat jear amounted to feven