Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1809-07-01

indemnify me against any hazard that Nigh,
arise from the voyage. | expressed my e1.
trelne surprise atthis offer, and told the mi.
mister plainly, that after what ! had lately
heard Of his conduct, relative to the ship N.
Jersey and other circumstances, could not
repose sufficient confidence in him to place
the least reliance on any guarantee he could
make me. !" If you refuse (said ne ina
passionate tone of voice | will not consider
you as under my protection, and will de-
nounce you. will not even sanction your
having passport" told him | should
adhere to my resolution at all hazards /; up
on this we parted. I proceeded to Mr.
Skipwith's where I found Mr.. Vail OF the
consulate department at Orient, and MIR.
Bernard, consul at Havre de Grace, to
whom / related what had passed between
general Armstrong and myself. They adj
pised me to protest against him, and declar.
ed their belief that Mr.. Armstrong was not
friendly to the American interest, and stat
ed that an American ship commanded
think by captain Waterman, had been lately
burnt at sea, and the captain and crew had
passed near Paris, on their way to peraas
or Arras, and that general Armstrong had
refused to afford them the least assistance.
Finding was not likely to get any thing by
any longer residence in Paris, I again re.
turned to St. Maloes, where remained till
September. On the Goth of that month,
Monsieur Petit, ,commissary of police, sent
a gems dp'arms who commanded me to fol.
low and took me before him. He demand.
eel my passport and told me that the emps.
ror had ordered all ,the Americans taken uu-
der the Berlin or Milan DEGREES to be dena-
tlonalised, and putin prison, after which
was dismissed. Soon after an actual order
for my departure for.ths prison OF Verdun,
300 miles from St. Maloes, was made and
signed. There | should probably have
been to this day, had my wretched life been
olong spared, had l not Effected my escape
by stratagem. At that critical period three
generous friends, whose zeal and services
shall always remember with gratitude
cannot describe, enabled raeto escape from
the iangs Of these marauding, unfeeling bar.
barians. BY their assistance small boat
was procured, and four nlen took ME on
St. Maloes the night preceding nav intend.
ed fatal march for Werdun, and after many
disaters, landed me the next DAY at O'Clock
P. M. on the English island of GUERNSEY, !
where | was Hospitality received, and from
- -, wnere embarked for A merna.
and once more landed on my native shore,
IN the month of December last.
thus returned after an absence Of near
two years during nine months of which i
time had wrongfully been prisoner IN Z
France, and been robbed Of a considerable
property which | had long and arduousy I
tolled for, to support young, growing aud !,
beloved family. Yes have returned q
them in state Of indulgence and wretchsd D
health occasloned by my long con6nemen, h
IN French prisons, and after suaerings Of :
nina winch no tongue can tell. Ifeel hum. 81
Died sir, as An American, to think that this b
simple tale is but one link IN the long cata. 4
io.gue OF lndlgnities which Americans; have b
OF late and still do receive from France. |. Il
is sufficient to be known there as an Amer. "a
can TO be treated with the utmost scorn and q
disdaln byall classes of people. There are
now great number.of American prisoners 81
IN France, including six of my own crew u
VINO could not suffer more if the two con. n
tries were IN an actual state of warfare.- ps
This recital, sir, conveys but faint sketch e
OF what underwent in France but, slight b
as 1t is, DEFY any Of those whose names | ~
have mentioned to contradict it in any ma "a
terial particular.
S. FOLCER. Dc