The gazette., 1799-02-18


N4ounforcnce chance lor o. ne American Conloate
FaF's' To Gen raj Pincknsy II December I796, and
winch was laid before CoDgre in Nay 1927, he ttaes,
that the tribunals ofcnpmerce cvervport OF France
take cogn zAnce, IN the t infant, OF
lative % the captures iea and thele bunas (he
adds) are cheily compolcd of merchants and IN 4 Of
them are directly INDIRECTLY, IFS intereed
II the httiug Of privateers and therefore often
concerned in the controversies they to determine
upon 4"
The fourth article requires the fPecia agents of
the Executive Directory At Cayenne, S. DUmilgo, and
GuadaouPe, Gudiouy take care, that the intereNs
and property of vede belonging neutrAs and allies,
DC icrupuiouly rripeGted
We have TOO long wi neIed the Rudious and fcrupu-
lous Gaze Of heic gntemen repeGtng the property Of
neutra and allies, ard experienced its ruinous conie
qences; and as the fame laws which authorized that
care' remain in force With freih inunGton of
a iri6t conformity TO them can expect only con-
tinuAnc- Of the ame abuies.
S. The fifth article enons the fpccial agents of the
Executive Dir cctory, Conlus and all others lnveled
with powers for that purPoe 10 caue to be arrced and
pumihed all who lhal contraveue the provon OF the
preient decree. u fortunately thele fpecia agents.
Coniss and their deputies, themlevos the GEgye.r
end Juy their proceedings der the laws Of the Re-
public andthe DEGREES ofrhe Executive Directory.
This anayhs OF the prelent decree manfelts its fulfill
~ and with fome rema ks its preamble will dem
Onnrate it 10 be bold mpoaure intended to minead
the citizens OF he United States into belief that the
French governm5 mt gong put end TO the de-
probation Of French c;uders American commerce;
while the means popoed 70 grofs to be inal.
undcrfand ngs.
The Preamble TO The decree fets forth, " that nor-
nation yeeezthy received the french colonies and
the continent of America leaves no doubt that
the french cruil fach cal themielves French,
have infringed the laws OF the republic relative cru-
ing and prizes - nd " thar foreigners and pirates
have abuled the latude allowed at Cayenne and the
n,r,I. See G,,y
md commerce in order TO cover with the French
flag their extortons aud the violation of the refpe due
40 the law at nauns, and the PrlOb and property
OF allies and neutr "a" And Mr.. Taleyrand one
OF his e'ters before noticed dated the z1d Of July la
1Peaks ofhs information having been jun received
Bu, what has betn mo.e notorious than French de-
predatOns neutral and elpecally on American
mcrce, violation Of treaties and the law Of natonsl ?
ThIfs have been coega with the exiR ng war in Eu
rope, but multp ed under the loole decree Of
the Executive directory aed July ,, I796, dec airing
thar " ne flag Of the french republic wi - at neutral
vefes, either con6lcation earche or to cap.
ture IN he fame manaer as they Fall luer the Englh
20 treat them"
This decree co-rIni:tsd the whole commerce Of neu-
trails IN the r 'nltance, the rapacty Of French phi
vateers and then the dcreion or their agents,
iuls ,ribunals- Thele had onlyo fay truy aIle
ly, that the Eugh treated neutras in any given way,
and then they 70 treat them in the fame manner
Ac ,rd n5iy we have feeu SAnthonax and Raimond,
comm IN iner Of the French government in St Domin
G > IL the adjudication OF an American vefel, the
loh January I797, declare That the reolutior (or
decrce) paled by the Executive D re6tory the I'd
Juy, 1896, precEibcs 20 al the armed ve1eis OF the
republic and the armed veGes belonging indviduA
as to neutral veIes in the iam- they
Iutfrr the Engh treat them II and that il Is IN
sequence OF the above reoilrion # the Executive Dit
Tectory and in conequtnce Of the ma lner u which the
Eugh government in the Antilles treats neutral vecls
thai The commlaon paIed their relolutor OF the 7th
January by which they declare all neutral ve- bound
fromEngli rorts, TO be lega! prize From thtre
facts All the Of the decree ic form but
one concuGon. That famsd IN feb df7te ftyz7s
szfgf g.Vs Epe arbfTay soaLfar5 arl eog qeF
" 70, unlimited obBys5Isz and v-x4ii8z
But without ting for this decree, TIE CommilTion
ers of the French government at St. Domingo began
their prscies on the commerce Of the United States
and in Feb 1871 10 the minilter OF marine land
the extract Of The letter appeared il the official Journal
Of the Executive Drectcry Of the Sth Of june) That
having found reiource in the finance aud knowing
the unfr endly diipo6tions Of the Amerc7 k, and
avoid perihng in Il els, they had armed for cruifn-
and that already 81 cruers were At ea and that for
three months precedngthe administration had fubhned,
and individuals been enriched with the produa Of
thofe Przes''-" That the decree of the I'd July was
NOT known by them until FIVE months afterwards But
Cay they the fhockng conduct Of the Americans,
and the iHars9 knowledge Of the iteasH5 Of gov
efnmest made it duty order reprilals even be-
fore we had received the official notice of the decree
They fecitle themelves that american veels were
daily taken and declare that ,hey had learnt by d.
vers perfons from ths continent, that the Anne leans
were perhdiohs, CORRUPT the friends Of England and
that therefore th vees longer catered the French
ports, unels carried in by force
After this recital before the council Of GOO PoGoret
makes the following remaTkab { reflection
On reading this letter. lhoud think that had
been dreaming; that we had been transported into
favage country, where men, ll ignorant of the empire
Of morals and of laws commit crimes without ame and
without remore and applaud themfeves for their rob
berries, as PauluS Hmiius Cato would we p ailcd
ihemieves for eminent iervice rendered to their
country. Cruilers armed sgainl friendly nation
RePrfas when Il was ourelves who attack Repri-
falls agaiha nation that has taken ugle vef1e of
ours! Riches acquired by the conflcaon Of the fhips
OF people to whom we united by treaties, and
whom no declaration ofWar had itparated from us %
The ~ho dilcourie Of the agents nay be reduced to
theie few words Having moth. wherewiyh to buy
ieze make ,felf amends for the property which
want by the piracy which enriches ne aud then
ia der thoe whom have pill aged :" This is to5bery
iufhcd by leI6hnes and calumny." Yet Santhonax
cf hefe robbers" and the chief of hofe Directo.
rial agents continued ID office and going few months
Afterwards from Saint Domingo France WI received
as member into one Of the Le9ilative Councils
Paftoret ALTO adverts letter from Merlin then
MiniteT Of nltce and now member of the Fxecutive