Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1812-03-26
THURSDAY, MARCH 2e.


thousand eight hundred aud ten, announced
TO the American people and to the world, that
Bonaparte's DEGREES of Berlin and Milan were
revoked, and from aud after the first day OF
November of that year, ceased to have effect
upon American commerce. AS the head OF the
nation thus solemnly promulgated the asser-
ton, il was eagerly repeated by characters In
subordinate stations, and not few democra-
tic governors of states have afhanced them
selves to this unhallowed fiction. Scarce a
single week has elapsed from that period to
this, which has not produced testimony IN di-
rect 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,lnately, our columns are this day made to
teem with further and calamitous proof, that
the Gallo Sovereign does not yainly contra
dict the denagogues who misrulc our degrad-
ed country. The several cases here present
cd the reader, will no doubt obtain his serious
consideration, and induce him to enquire, why
are we on the eve Of war with England,
with scarce murmur at the atroclouS deeds
OF France?
With respect to the gentlemen whose de-
positions are hereto annexed, it is sufficient
70 remark that their peracity is unimpeachable
and their statement (where they are known)
will command entire confidence, without the
additional solemnities of an oath. Captain
Chew is well known in New-York, from
which port he has for several years command
ed ship in the European trade.
The reader is particularly requested to bear
, - l. ~Esl~o l.o
ment furnished by the French commodore,
thar he destroys such American vessels as he
meets, in hursnonce Of bis INSTR UC1IO.NS
from the French minister Of marine e colonies.
This will Zone would suppose) do away at
once all possible attempts to palliate the
wrongs OF France, by her partizans in this
country. And as these hostile ships received
their instructions and sailed since the graci-
GUS reception yivOu minister Barlow at the
court of St. Cloud, it clearly indicates the
kind of atsnement, for our long endurance,
which is to be the result of his embassy.
Deposition Of CAPTAIN Che4v.
Samuel Chew, of New Haven, in the state
of Connecticut, on oath declares and says,
that, as supercargo of the brig Thames, of
said port of New Haven, Elihu Hitchcock,
master, he sailed in said brig, from St. Ubes,
On the 10Th day of January 1912, with 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 pos
.ession of and taken in tow, by three French
vessels, viz. the frigate Adrianne, command
ed bv commodore Feritier, of A guns and
s25 men-the frigate Andromache, command
ed By captain Morris, OF a. guns and S25 men
the sloop of war Mamaiuke, commanded by
captain c. M. Salabar, Of l6 guns, and so
men; which vessels of war, as this deponent
was informed by the officers, sailed from Nantz
on the 6th Of January last. On board the said
French vessels were the crews of the Ameri-
can ship Asia, of Philadelphia ThoD as Hew-
EFT, master, and of the American brig Ger
shom, Jacob Smith master, belonging to Dux-
bury, last from Boston, in th> whole 81 in
numbcr The officers of the French vessels,
Informed this deponent, that on the l75h Of
January, when IN about lat, a.. N and long
81, w. they captured and burnt the said ship
Asia, she being laden with a cargo of corn
and -four, and bound from Philadelphia to Lis
bon: that on the Esd January, In about lat
Al, N. and long. 90, w. they captured and
burnt said brig Gershom, she being bound
from Boston to Oporto with 9 cargo of corn,
-four and rice. On the Sd February the COM
mander Of the French squadron released the
Thames, toy. ther with the captains and crews
of the ship Asa, and the brig Gershom "a
bove mentioned, 81 in number, and sent them
all on board the brig Thames, with punche-
on of water and about IL cwt of bread, and
half barrel of flour.
Previous to the release of the Thames, the
French commodore made very particular en-
quiiy relative to the quantity of provisions OR
board the Thames, and said that it was his
opirion that with what he gave US, we had
snHiciency TO reach port in the United States,
and Obliged capt. Hitchcock to sign writing
q, .hat effect The co,nmoflorf when he pc