The gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1798-1799, 1798-07-16

=
ment Il vii be proper to take into view the
public audience given to tile late minjRcr Of the
y. S. on bis tax ng leave OF the executive ii
Ttttory. The 'p-ech Of the Pref 1ent dtclofed
tenriments more alarming than the relulal Of
mlniter, becauf, more dangerous 70 our indie
Pendarce ana union, and At the fame time flu
di2uAy marked with indignties towards the
government Of the u. 5. It evidences dit
petition to feplrlte the people Of The U. S. from
the gov = perfuAde them that they have diff
ferent affections, principles and intere4s from
thoie Of their fellow citizens whom they them
f-l7eS have choicn % manage their common
concerns, and rhus to produce diyiGon, fatal TO
oGr peace. Such attempts ouaht to be repeled
with d-ciion which ihan convince France and
the world that We arc not degraded people,
humilated under colonial fprit Of fear and
fenie OF meriori'y-ft:ed TO be the mderabe
inhr mcnts If foreign Influence, and Regardless
Ct national honor, character and intere9.
ihould have been happy to have thrown
veil over thele tranfadi1ns, If il had been Podl-
bic to conceal them /; but they have Pahed on
the great theatre Of the world, in rhe face Of all
Europe and America, and with fIch circum-
frances Of publicity and folemnty, that thsY
cannot be dfguiGed, and will not foon be for
gotten they h.~e inflicted wound in the A
merican breaR. 1t is myGncere deGre, however,
that it may be healed"
1t is hoped this communication will be viewed
in its true light, that it will no longer be con-
iidered as a denunciaton of the Executive Di-
Teaory, but as the 1atement Of an all important
fact by one department of the American gov
eminent to another, the making Of which was
enjoined by duties Of The highelt obligation.
The undersigned have now, citizen minRer,
pahed through the complaints you urge agsinR
the government of the u. S. They have en-
deavored to confder thole complaints impair
italy, and TO weigh them in the lcaIes OF jutice
and truth If any cf them be well founded,
France herfelf could not demand more readily
than America would make reparation for the
injury flfaned. -The Prefdtnt Of the U. S.
has faid-" If we have committed errors, and
thefe can be demonRrated, we thall be wiling
20 core1 hemJ if we have done injuries, we
ihall be wiling on conviction to redreis them"
The.e dipohtons on the part OF the govern
rnent have been felt in all their force By the
undersigned, and have contantly regulated their
conduct
The undersigned will not reflme, citizen
rninifler, the painful talk Of re urging the null,
tiplied injuries which have beel accumulated
on their country, and which have been in fyTe
degree detailed IN their memorial Of the 18th
January laR. They cannot however, decline to
lemonitrate againt meafure which has been
announced Gnce that date. The legislative
councils Of the French republic have decreed
that
III. The condition Of Hips in every thing
which cor Germs their character as neutrals or
enemies, lhall be determined by their cargo,
III Z r.. LII, -,
whole or in part with merchandise coming out
Of England or its pohelions, fall be declared
good prize, whoever may be the proplICtors OF
fuch commod ties or merchandise.
ably. No foreign vefel which in the courfe
Of its voyage ihal have entered into an Engith
port, fhall Be admitted into any port Of the
French Republic, but in the cafe of necelty, in
which cafe the veftl fhall be obliged to depart
from fuch port as foon as the cauie Of entry ihall
have cealed.
This decree too deeply aff,6s the interefs Of
the u. S. to remain unattended 10 by their rHin
ilers. They pray you therefore,, citizen min
liter, TO / eceive Iher relpe6ttul approximations
concerning il.
The obiea Of the decree is to cut OF all d.
req intercourse between neutrals and Grcatbri-
tain or its poGeiIions, and 10 prevent the &C
quilltlon, even Oy CHCullOus COHIHelCe, oL 'hOIe
articles which come from England OF its de-
minions'
The right of one nation to exchange With
another The furplus produce Of its labour, for
thofe articles which may fuPPly its wants OF
adminiler 10 its comfort, is too edential to have
been ever claGed among thole admitted to be
in any degree doubtful. Il is rightin ccdng
which ma ion would cede the privilege Of re-
gnlating its own intereRs and providing for its
own welfare. When any two nations fall
chufc to make war on each other, they have
never been conGdered nor can they Be conGder
ed as thereby authsriGng themlelves to impair
The eGentiaI rioht of thofe who NAV choole to