Jenks's Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland [Me.]) 1799-1802, 1799-07-15
DECLARATION.

CURACAO JJNE ~, 1900.
WE the fubfcribers, matters of American vefels now
IN this port do declare, that Sunday evening the 9Th
inf a number Of feamen belonging vefels. were.
without proyocation wantonly attacked, and fome OF
them cru lily wounded and beaten by fome French peo-
pie, armed with knives, piios &c. We thGir captains
and officers. hea ing of this to aff in reltoring
peace; when we got 10 the ieene OF action general
fcutiie took place the Burger guard then arrived,
bringing 18th them number of armed Frenchmen Mu-
lattoes, and 0ave owned in this lanA MO reiltance
~as made to the gsard, who conveyed the whole Of
10 prlfon flfering the negroes and others to wound
beat and abule cafure whl priioncrs, without
giving the projection ituaton demanded.
Msatay bs IIs5. The governor waited on by our
friends and the circumstances of the attack oned,
~ alto Burger guard armng the nuartoes French &c
10 deftroy which by him denied but the captain
ct the guard being prefcn iaa IN nuting manner,
that hi did and would do il agsinin the evening of
this day reeafed from prfoo (our people ill
semaining) upon iecarty being given tor our appear.
anee
Wsare/1sy fIs ratb. This day two OF the American
Ssels being ready for fea their Captains Conhgnees,
and other Americans waited upon the Governor, and
Ta have the feanen thea in confinement releaied,
which reisled; it was rsqueted to iib.rate them
on iccurity being given which was reiued rermiiion
10 fail rcqueed and keep the people for traths
alto reluled finding the government was dfpofed
diftref and take objectionable advantage Tour itua
tion and satisfactory asiwer to be obtained we left
thsms
afternoon
The Governor, cndesvcufing to imprcfs him with the
improprety of OBTAINING their vees when every thing
had been offered that reAionAhe and JUL aud in-
formed him he detained them ongcr the States mutt
isek rcdrefs for her ci,izens from the Dutch govt
the governor got into violent PATTON fad dcrTed
10 be Lung that he would keep them long as he hos
propert5at. F,eab GsaiaiOap. b~a complained egaif
bin and many other exprenions highly mprop r, and
equally foreign from the ubjeet In fhort time after
lie laid in the preience of Mr. Phillips the American
4 oh l. G., h..
hind we anfwered that all we wanted butup-
on aEatcn, found his meaning a,d nent,ons
not as he then decla ed the whole OF the crews inno
cent guilty mul remain and others be got IN the
places.
TbuI2ay tie Ist5 1t was limited ,his morning from
government, that il a petition proered to the
Government and Council acknowledging we had acted
rather impudcntIy calling the guard, the bune
fhouid be immedia ely fed 10 our fati.iact on and
leave given usto depart
willing to ia,isfy him fpofible, petition fen
him
In the evening the petition returned, with re-
quc from the government then in council. that IL might
he altered from the way then food and pointed out
what part Of it they wihed fupprefed and their
fons given, expedite the bufnefs-,ha theywere
our friends and whed much to fcrve for fad they,
ihould the burgher guard, be impeaehed OF fuferng
you to nc I'll ufcd they nun all be examined and thi,
wi take up five months al iea0-iuppoliag they
10 rerve us fuffered to be altered as follows
The council then ftt u,on the bufne6, and deter
mined the cap aims and officers 1ould pay each 500
dollars with court charges, amounting to SO dollars
each man, and the money DC pard or frcury given
before the veirtls left the port
We do nov one and all declare and think that per-
faane US to fulf.r fuch pet tion aad then allow it
A. he altered to their with, was trick calculated
entirely their Infamous proccedn gs' by
forced acknowledgements have been imprudent when
every proof and witnsfs they could bring proclaimed
our innocence and do now reclaim the itustion in
whcs we food befors the petitions. were prefented,
and inGft hat it was ihsneful and Infamous, for the
government take advantage of QUO confederation,
cover This Infamous, method and earching themfelvss
81 our expsnce Sgn.i ly fss Aasrsaai at Cp,'ssaa