The gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1798-1799, 1798-05-21

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citizens from the plough. but to offend their
ova lb.rty AMI tier own fire fides. low
criminal mutt have been that. government
which could have plunged its con.tituents ~
var, to which they were n@tier lmPelled. by
duty or foIiciteIby intereft /; in which th-y
committed 70 much to hazard; IN which they
mutt illFer, in ord.r to act efficiently, aud could
only difplay rholr energy too 10 rePelling inva-
i:on Tut motives ftif more powerful than the
callnlities Of the moment, have influenced the
government Of the United States.
1t was perhaps impoiIible to have engaged
/ voluntarily in the exiting confl'tt, without
| launchinq into the slnaoa boundlefs ocean OF
European politics, without contrasting habits
of national conduct, and forming clole political
come aions which mul have compromised
the future peace Of the nation, and have in
volved Il il all the future quarrels ct Europa.
| A long train of armies, debts and taxes, check
ING the growth, dimjnihing the hapPnefs, and
perhaps endangering the liberty Of the United
States, mutt have followed the adoption Of {nch
fyl&em. And for what pur?ofe fhould 1t have
been adopted For what purpole ihould Anne
RIGA thus burthen. heTfef with the confticts Ct
Europe? Net to. comply with any engagements
| fhe has formed, not TO promote her own views,
her own Objects, her own happiness, or her own
| lafcty, bur to move as a Satellite around fome
greater Plaset, whole laws ihe NUT Of neceaity
obey. In addition to theie weighty confdera
tons, it was believed that France would derive
more benefit from the neutrality Of America,
than from her becoming party IN the war.
! The determination then Of the government
Of the United States to preferve that neutral
| n l.. l. - G1r
manifsaing Partially for the enemies of
| France, was only meaiure of jultice 10 itfelf
aud to others, and did not even derogate from
that prediction for this republic, which it has
| 70 repeatedly expreif-d and di(played. Having
avowed this determination, increaied motives
| of honour and Of duty commanded its faithful
obferyance.
1t is not principle which remains now to be
fetted, that fraudulent neutrality is no neu-
trality at all and that the nation which would
be admitted to its privileges NUT alto perform
the duties it enioins Had the government of
the United States, declaring tlelf neutral, IN
dulged its p1rtialities by granting faveurs IN
fipulated by treaty, TO one Of the belligerent
powers, which It refulcd to another, it could 10
longer have claimed the immunities Of ftua-
ton Of which the obligations were forgotten, it
would have become party TO the war, as GER
tainly as if war had been openly and formally
declared, and if it would have added TO the
madaefs Of wantOnly engaging in fuch ha-
zardous conAi6t, the dilhonor Of iniucere and
fraudulent conduit: il would have attained
circuitou1y an object which il could not plainly
avow, OF diTealy purfue, and would have trick
cd the people of the United States into war,
- n L.
1t was matter of real delight TO the govern
ment and people Of America, to be Informed
that France did not with to interrupt the peace
they enjoyed.
The undersigned have been insuced to ref
upon the hrG neceHary and decifye Rep taken
by their government, altho its propriety may
not be controverted, from a conviction, that if
the right of the United States, 70 obferve far
and houelf neutrality be elablilhe5, the general
charges Of an unfriendly difpoftion, made a
gaiuf them BY France, mutt be relinquifhed,
becaufe the facts, by which thoIe charges are
fupported, will be found to have grown ineyi-
table out Of that fituation.
This meafure was accompanied by another,
which, in repelEng 70 aaonifhng a charge as
partiality for the enemies of France, deferves to
be noticed. Soon after the government of the
United States had noticed to its citizens the do
ties which its neutrality enoined, Mr.. Genet,
the fira miniRer from this Republic, arrived at
Philadelphia ahiro his conduit had been fuch
as 70 give caufe for ferrous alarm, atho before
he was even acknowledged as a minIlter, or
had reached the authority which could infped
his credentials, he had aaunled the functions Of
the government to which he was deputed -
Yet the government relolved to fee him only
lthe representative Of Republic, to which it was
fincerely attached, gave him the Came warm
and cordial reception which be had experienced
from its citizers, without Gngle exception,
from Charlefop. 10 Philadelphia. The then
iitRation Of France deierves to be remembered.