The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1809-07-05

nothing Of the French cookadcs ostcntatious-
Iy exhibit against the American coekados !
Had French minister been seen here
with his suite, he would have been Instantly
informed OF every source and symptom ot dis
content. Almost every Frencnmen upon the
continent, and they were then nuraerous in
all the States, would have been employed in
criminatlng the American government, in ap-
plaudlng the condescension of the French
Directory, and the friendly, y,conciliaiing dispo-
sition OF the French nation. Nothing could
have been kept secret The popular GLAMOUR
for peace on any torins would have been very
difficult, ii not impossible, to resist. The
multitude in Philadelphia, as It was, were al-
most as ripe 10 pull me out Of my house, AZ
they had been 10 dethronc Washington in
the time of Genet Even the night or,he
fast day, the streets were croudcd With null
iitudmous assemblies OF the people, especially
that before mr. door, and kept in order only,as
many people thought, by military patrol, or
dercd, believe, by the Governour Of Penn
syivania.
In these circumstances, il was my opinion,
and il is so still, il was infinitely better 10
conduct the negotiation ~ Paris than in Phil
cdelphia. But if this was end is an errour,
il was certainly not of such consequences as
Hamilton Thought fit 10 represent it. If IL
was an crrour, humble conceive it would
have better become Mr. Hamilton TO have
been silent, than 10 endeavour 10 make ii W.
popular--sincc the step was taken and irrcvc-
cable, when he wrote
But the real truth Is, he was in hopes, as
well as Mr. Liston, that the French govern.
mcnt would neither send minister here nor
al,
have gone to war WITH us. If we had waited
for minister here, much time would have
been lost our little naval force under Talbot,
TriXlon, Decatur, Little, &c. was doing won-
ders IN protecting our commerce, and IN light
Ing and capturing French SHIPS OF wnr.
Some OF our citizcrs we're nor wanting IN irrh.
taing expressions of exu'taflon and triumph
particularly in parading<a French national
ship that had been captured by Decatur UP
thc Delaware, in sight Of sll the citizens oS
Philadelphia the French national colours
reversed under our American flag. Hamilton
hoped that such rroyocations would produce
an irrcconcilcable breach and dcclaration'of
war. lie was disappointed and lost the CONF
mapd OF his army. Hinc iIlr Lacrim@
There were other circumstances OF more
serious and solid importance. -ipdicaiixc Of
publick opinion, which Mr.. Hamilton, if he
hnS besu y s'si!srt ard saracions statesnrii,
could not have overlooked. The venerable
patrisrchs pcndlcton and Wythe, Of Virginia,
openly declaimcd for peace the former cams
out in print With bis name, protesting against
= war with our sister Trpublick ol France
General Heath came outwith an address 10
the pub!ich in Massachusetts, declaring thar
every man he net wac decidedly for peace.
Whoa the election was coming ON, tho lcgis-
lsturc Of Massachusetts dare not trust the
pcoplc,cithcr at large or " disiIicts,to choose
clcctours, but assumed that Office to them
selves. In New-York the great interest and
vast bodies Of people, who arc supposed TO.
follow or direct the two great families Of Clin-
tens and Livingstons, aided by all the address
and dcxtcrity cf Aarcn Bur, was decidedly
for peace with France. III Pcpnsylvauia,
Govermour M'Kcan, with his majority of THU
" thousand votes, or in cther words, at tho
head Of the two vast bodies ofGcrrnans and
Irish, reinforced by great numbers OF English
Presbyterians, Qual.crs and Anabapists,wcrc
decidedly against a.war with Frncc.
After cnumcraSing all these symptoms OF
the popular bias, xoujd lie frivolous TO en-
large upon the con Icrsas;ons Of which was
informed at taycrns end insurance Offices,
threatening violence to the President by pull
ing him out OF histrhgir, upon thc French
cockadcs that were every where pcradcd be-
fore my eyes, IN opposition to the black cock
aslc, or upon the dccIarasiops and oaths, which
know were made bykro s;nalI numbers,
that II VIC went TO vvr with FRANCE, rnd the
French should come here, they would join
them against the fedcralists and thc English.
These things recoIlect with gsicf, because
they do 40 honour 10 o.ir country ;but must
say they Disgrace ], no moro than mary more
solemn actions and declarations Of the oppo-
site party against France, and in favour ol
England, have done within the last twelve
months.
In these circumstances, it was the height
Of folly to say as Hamilton says, that il woult
have been safer to nccociatc at Philadc'phi.
sf... 90 por,a m fu. - i,fino