The gazette., 1799-02-18

the event OF war; Whpe We aI"0Ae -
ed by warm but empty proieiilons q me Paclhc
views and wilhes of Fr2nce and BY INFORMAL
conferences" might wait in fPrIEiei' toTPorr
hoping for peaceful relult and
That by this courfe Of proceedlng-ths Of
tentatious difplay Of zeal 10 adult differences,
and re1ore harmony and a friendly Intercourie
| between the United States * France, the French
government intended, in CAFE Of rupture, to
throw the blame on the forn1r
It's necefary to make few obiervations on
the decree of the Executive Directory OF the 3lit
July, 1898.
This decree was fent after Mr.. Gerry to Hav-
re, and he fuPpofes that the oaitial imPediments
which for feveral days prevented his iai6ng' are
to be afcribed to the miniaer's deiire Of Tending
the decree BY him. The mimter introduces
it as :" a part Of the meafures which he had an
nounced to Mr.. Gerry % the 2zd of July." In
his letter Of that date to Mr.. Gerry, the minif-
ter fays " By information which the govern
ment has juf received, it indeed learns thar
violences have been committed upon the COM
merce and citizens Of the u. s. in the Victim
dies, and on their coats. Do Il the iuflice to
believe that it needs only 70 know the facts 10
diiavov all acts contrary fbs hzUs ef ne yebub-
IL and H5 oqon decrert. remedy IS preparing
Tor It, and orders viii foln arrive 10 the Wet
Indies, calculated to cauft every thing TO return
within its Jun limits" This 4" remedy" is the
the decree Of the 3la ofrIy.
1. The frA article ofhs decree confines TO
the fpecial agents Of the D efory, he right of
ilIuing commidious to cmilers; and requires
hele 10 ccnfo m themfelyss 70 all the laws Ella
i've to cruizing and prize, and Especially 70
thoie IF the it Of Oaobs, 1893. Although
the inlur don 70 conform to al tie laqyJ of the
Republic relati to cruizng was ON nous, as
the laCv5 mott recently Promulgated and belt
known were themle.ves h lources of the de-
Pred4tions and evils OF which we comp aimed
yet no, imagining that decree introduced viii
10 much iolemnty, of which ore copy was fenr
60 Mr.. Gerry, another to Tie American Conlul
General At Paris, and Z third to M. Lerombe,
late Conful General of France-atl to Be- ON
municated to the Executive Of tie Unied
States, and all of which have been received
could be a mere parade Of qpmd5, was dfPoled
to conclude that he law of the Mt of Of 1903,
! to which all cruilers were gPscialy enjoined to
conform, might contain regulations t.at would
afford fome relief from French dePredations-
By the favour of Mr.. lie ombe, obtained z
copy a chat law and my atoniamcnt found its OBJ
lect couormaby 10 It's title, was Io determine the
mede Of dividing prizes made by French veeIs on the
enemies of the Repubhc."% And the only reitriGhons
in this lengthy law OF x-and-forty ARTICLES lmpoed
the individuals, officers and all others competing the
Of their armed vefes is that htY fhall ieL
beforehand their eventual flares Of prizes"
:. The lecond article declares that all cemmilions
granted by the agents the French colonies ii Amer-
ca, 20 hg veels foe crufers or FOR wsr and
merce ihal DC void in thirty days ster the publications
Of the decree in thoe coiOnies
i has been fuppoied thar IVY his regulation the AGENTS
f.. n
and thai this would be It's only ete,a The agents
however had before taken Of this; they had been
accultOmed TO lin the duration Of privateer commit
hons AM they continued cruire after their eKpra-
q on, iuch Privsteers ihoud have been c3uGd red
deRtuJe OF c0mmtlhOns, and fequen;lY they made
any captures pirates but the agents knew their
inteIctt better they did punh the piracal cap
tOr--they did declare their captures void ana re-
tore the property the neutral but declaring
iuch captors have title the cap ured ves and
caTgoes took the whole them elves. A remarkable
inance occurred in the Ial year. il the cafe Of the
Eainda ihIp Nt1yigley, elongng 70 Philadelphia TO
redeem which the owners have paid 70 GENERAL HE-
DoUvILLE, Special Agen OF the ExearrVs Dye7oyy il st.
Domingo, upwards Of two hundred huuland dollars in
caih. Whether any, and what portion Of iuch prize
money goes into the chef of the Republic, am in
formed.
The third article declares that all agents and 9TH
er deputies 10 the aenrai f9ioaf, appointed decide
there on the validity Of prizes taken by the French
indirect ntereft il the crulers, fha be immediately
recalled
It Is remarkable that this article apparently dehzned
10 correct the montrous abulc Of public officers fitting
IN Judgment their own canles, ihould he limited 70
iuCh of the agents and their deputies Il were appointed
10 reGde in PLACER. do not know that AZ
initance Of the kind exits. For although The French
Privateers and their prizes find aylums in the Swedi(n
and Danh lands yet the papers carried heuce TO
Guadaloupe and there the captured vees receive their
doom under the upernendance Of another bssa agent
of the Executive Directory, VIcTos HUoHEs And even
the captured American vefes carried nto the Wenndia
ports Of Spain and Holland do not there receive len
tence thee cafes decided by sgent or bis depu-
les, or other French tribunals etabhed ID the ifland
Of ST. Domingo, frequently, If generally IA the ab-
| fence OF the matters and furercargoes The French
agents and judges 6nd difficulty IN this mode Of
proceeding jyiee being adm inferred with more f1siAty
and dgfab when only OF The bir it's preient at the
trial efpecally when the agents or oher Judges are
II