Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1804-07-31
LETTER Or GENERAL MOREAU
TOTHE
FIRST CON SUI.
Temple, II Vent0se, gear IL.

! am detained us an aCCOmplCes OF George
F. aud Plchegru and perhaps / am destined t,
j appear before the tribunals to exonerat
myself from the crime OF an attempt agains
the safety of the state, and the chief Of TIL
/ government.
8 Twas far from thinking that after hav
ing passed through the revolution and TIL
war; exempt from the least reproach o
incivism ana Of ambition and especial,
when, at the head of the great victoriou
armies, might have had the means Of FRA
tifying those passions that it would be q
a moment when living as simple citizen
occupied with my family, and seeing yer,
small number oftriends, / should be accus
ed of such folly. No doubt but nay for
mer connection with general Plchegru nav,
given rise 90 this accusation.
Before speaking in my justification
permit me, General, to retrograde to the
source of that connection; and doubt no
but can convince YOU that the intercourse
which one may preserve with an ancen
chief and an ancient friend, though divid
ed in opinion, and having served diferen
parties, is Ear from being criminal.
General plchegru came 10 take thu
command ofthe Army ofthe Norsh in th,
beginning fthe year two. then hat
beea general 81 brigade for about 6 months
was fulfilling ad interim the functions .
missionary. Satisfied with s1.toe success
and Of my dispositions at the outset, h,
speedily obtained for me the gra. wa
nome ntarlly fulfilling.
On entering upon the campaign, h
gave me the command of half the army
and inuusted me with most important ope
rations.
" Two months before the close of the
campaign, his health obliged him to absen
himself; government charged me, at his
reconmenoatior, with finishing the con
quest ci pars OF Dutch Brabrant, and O.
Gueiders. After the winter campaign
| when rendered Us masters Of the remain
der OF holland ne passed to the Army O
The Kline, naming me for his successor
and the National Convention intrusted ms
Win the command he had Just Quilted
One year afterwards Iagain filled up hi
place IN the Army otthe Rhine, he being
| called to the Legislative Body and from
that time | ceased having frequent inter
courses with him.
/" nthe short campaign of the year FIVE
we took the chests of the general staff of tn
enemy's army a great quantity of paper:
were brought to me, which general Desaix
who then was wounded, amused himsel
in peruslng- ltappeared to Us, by this cor
respondence that general Pichegru had hae
some connections with the French Prin
ces.
6 This discovery gave us much concern
and to me particularly. We agreed to le
it be forgotten. Pichegru, in the Legisla
tive Body, could SO little injure the publ
tranquility, that peace was assured. Ihow
ever, took some precautions for the safei
| of the army, in regard Of an espionage tina
might be hurtful to it. These researche
aud the decypherins, were conhded to tn
hands Of different persons.
6 The events Of the 9th Fructido
were rumoured the uneasiness was great
! in consequence of which. two officers VIII
| had knowledge Of this correspondence en-
| gagged me TO give notice to government
and gave me to understand that it WAS be
I coming public, and that at Ssrasburgh the,
were preparing TO INFORM the Director.
I thereof.
{. was public functionary, and coul
rot preserve alonger silence but, wlthou
addressing myself directly to government
! | wrote OF In confidence to the dlrecto
Barthelemi, one otits members, request
ing his opinion and telling him that thes
papers, although genuine, were not sufiicl