Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1812-04-03
Boston, February 1871, 1912.
From the Megandria Gasette.

James Madison, Esq President of the Uni
ted States, in the year OF our Lord one thou
sand eight hundred and ten, announced to
the American people x to tne world, that Bo-
naparte's DEGREES OF Berlin and Milan were
revoked, and from and after the first day OF
November of that year, ceased to have effect
| upon American IN AS the head OF
the nation thus solemnly promulgated the as
s~ertion, it was eagerly repeated by characters
in subordinate stations, and not a few demo.
cratic governors Of states have afianced them
selves to this unhallowed fiction. Scarce a
single week has elapsed from that period to
this, which has not produced testimony in
direct contradiction to the official declaration
OF our executive and even Bonaparte him
self contradicted it, by announcing publicly
that the DEGREES were, and should continue to
be. fundamental laws Of his empire. Unfor.
t~unately, our columns are this day made to
TEEN with further and calamltous proof, that
the Galllc Sovereign does not vainly contra
dict the u~emagogues who misrule our degrad
ed country. The several cases here present
ed the reader, will no doubt obtain his serious
consideration, and induce him TO enquire,
why are we on the eve Of a war with England,
with scare a marmur at the atroeious deeds
of France?
With respect to the gentlemen whose de
positions are hereto annexed, it is sufficient
to remark that their y~eracity is unimpeachahle
ana their Statement. (yhere they are known
VIII command entire confidence, without the
additional soleninitles ct an oath. Captain
Chew is well known in New York. from
Which pore he has for several years command
ed a snip in the European trade.
The reader is particularly requested to bear
in mind the declaration, made in the docu.
ment furnished by the French commodore,
that he destroys such American vessels as he
meets, IN puFSUGnce Of has INSTRUC-
TONS from the French minister of ma
rine and colonies. This will Zone would
suppose) do away at once all possible attempts
to palliate the wrongs of France, by her par
tizans in this country. And as these hostile
snips received their Instructions and sailed
since the gracious reception given to minister
Barlow at the court OF st. Cloud, it clearly
indicates the kind Of atonement, for our long
endurance, which is to be the result of his
embassy.
Deposition Of Captain Cbeoo.
Samuel Chew, of New-fIaven, in the state
of Connecticut, on oath declares and saws.
that, as supercargo of the brig Thames, OF
said port OF New-lIaven, Elihu Hitchcock
master, he sailed in said brig, from St. Ubes.
on the l9th day of January 1919, with a cargo
OF salt and fruit, bound for New Haven that
on the evening Of the I'd day of February 1912
said brig fell in with and was taken possession
Of and taken in tow, by three French vessels
viz. the irigate Adrianne, commanded BY
commodore Feritier, Of IA guns and 325 men
the frigate Andromache, commanded BY
ca plain Morris, of III guns and 525 men-thc
Sloop of war Mamaiuke, commanded by can
tain e NJ Salabar, OF is guns and $50 men
which vessels of war, as this epenent was in
formed by the officers, sailed from Nantz on
the Sth Of january last. On board the saiC
French vessels were the crews of the Ameri
can ship Asia, of Philadelphia, Thomas Hew
EFT, master, and of the American brig Ger
shom, Jacob Smith, master, belonging tc
Duxbury, last from Boston, in the whole 8;
in number. The officers ofthe French vessels
informed this %deponent, that on the 18th. o
January, when in about lat. III, N. and long
81, w. they captured and burnt the said shiy
Asia, she being laden with a cargo of corr
and -four, and bound from Philadelphia t
Lisbon that on the esd January, in about lat
Al, n. and long 90, w. they captured an,
burnt said brig Gershom, she being bounC
from Boston to Operto with a cargo of corn
flour and rice. On the Sd February the com
mander Of the French squadron released tn,
Thames, together with the captains and crew
of the ship Asia, and the brig Gershom aboy,
mentioned, 81 in number, aud sent them al
on board the brig Thames, with a puncheoI
of water and about | l2 cwt. of bread, ans
half a barrel of -four.
Previous to the release of the Thames, tn,
French commodore made very particular en-
curry relative to the quantity of provisions OF
board the Thames, and said that it was hi
opinion that with what he gave us. we had
suliicIency to reach a port in The United States