Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1811-05-17

4
insult must be a mean.spirited and con.
temptiblr nation; aud tia, the greater the
injustice and the more outrageous the inso-
lence heaped upon such people the more
humble and submissive they will be. They
therefore treat US with more contempt and
outrageous violence than they do their
most inveteratc enemies. After the EN-.
Pefor has solemuly and officially declared
that his DEGREES were revoked, and after
our accommodating President has echoed
the order of his majesty, and after out ten.
por'sing Legislature has registered the de.
cree, still the emperor's national vessels
and commissioned privateers, continue TO
burn and destroy our vessels wherever
they can find them, provided there is no
chSnce OF getting any thing for them, But
where there is chance to recover ransom,
they sell the vessels and cargoes to the
owners, and then come into our ports to
collect the money, on the bonds thus ex.
torted from the sufferers. Here they are
protected by our laws-here the rights of
hospitality are extended to them-here
they examine our ships whisigssre prepar-
ing for sea, and after being Supplied with
| ammunition and provisions, which they
pay for with money they have taken from
our citizens, they so out to commit further
depredations on our defenceless commerce.
These things are done in our own ports
and harbors-at our own doors. In this
those pirates are supported by our own sha.
dow OF a government--and to this the peo-
pie submit patiently and in silence. But
this is not all. The atrocities committed
in France on American commerce, and
American seamen, outdoes every thing e.
yer before exhibited in the history of civi-
lized society. lie sum it up in few words,
American property is sequestcred wherever
found, and American citizens are shot
And this is the nation with which we. pre-.
tend to be in close alliance How long can
this state of things exist! How long will
the nation bear this degrading humiliation !
When will the government attempt TO de-
fend the rights of the people! Or when
will the people attempt to defend their own
rights !?
The following are the advertisements OF
the people who have been forced, by our
loving allies, to give bonds to ransom their
property.
NOTICE.
WHEREAS the ship Hebe, commanded
by the subscriber, was on the 2ist day o
February last, taken possession of by
French privateer the Diligent, commanded
| by captain Grassin, who having committed
various depredations on board the sHebe de
clared that she was lawful prize; but tina
having no cargo on board, he the said cap
| tain Grassin would have to sink the Hebc
such being the orders of his government
unless the subscriber would ransom the said
Hebe.
Whereupon and to prevent the destruc-
ton of his ship. the subscriber was COM
PEELED on the ED of the said month to give
to said captain Grsssin, bill drawn upon
and signed by the subscriber, 10 favour OF
Mr.. Hatfield Smith, payable at thirty days
sight, and bearing date at Cadiz, on or a
bout the 18th or 18th of said month, for
the sum of 900 dollars. Now all per.
sons are warned from receiving said bill, as
the subscriber is advised it was illegally ex-
torted from him, and he is not bound to pay
the same. VIM. OGLE.
April II.
NOTICE.
Whereas the Barque Gideon, command
ed by Francis Coffin, was captured on the
22d of February, 1911, by the French pr.
vateer Diligeut, commanded by Alexis
Grassin, who declared that she was good
nr;ze. and that it was the orders at his Co.
uernment to take, sink, burn or destroy all
vessels coming from besieged part, which
Lisbon was considered, and threatened
that he would sink the vessel, unless the
supercargo would ransom her--whereup-
on the subscriber, to prevent the destruc-
-. &c ~ .a;J vescAI waa comneiied TO