Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1812-05-14

ttat general Matthews will now see that ne
has been deceived, If he ever thought, the
inhabitants Of Florida were, to man, dispos-
eato Join the rebellion, as they have been OPP
posed wherever the least opposition could be
made, and the major part ii the inhabitants
have been forced into the measure by threats
of .con6scation of property, but the innocent
and guilty are now equally involved and must
go through whit: they viii be ruined II un-
successful, which is probable, as, should the
United States disayow the act OF their COM
mission, and withdraw their troops, these un-l
fortunate people must fly the country, with
such part of their property as they can carry
with them, and on the other l'and should the
garrison of St. Augustine receive reinforce
ments, they will attack and dllye the Revoiu-
tionists out Of the province. The government
Of the United States has much to answer ior'
and should they ever d!sayoW the act, thelr
frmnest supporters must acknowledge them
highly reprehensible for having appointed
such a man as general Matthews, who has con-
verted a aourishing cou,3-sy into wilderness.
This man has !,ccn employed for II months
nast IN ea5f,,cino the subjects Of his CATHOLIC
maiesfv from, 1bcir allegiance, in whlchhe has
been assisted by J. II. M'!ntosh' RESTLESS
man, without however an portion o. inc sPl-
rit requisite for suca an undertaking after
mich persuasion the latter induced LodoVlck
ASHLEY. an ignorant man, whose character has
already been given in the Charleston Courier,
Georre Cook, formerly confined IN the fort of
a. A,,onsfiDe for rebellion, and two or three
cbaracfers OF minor Ualue, to JON In the en-
ternrize. aud to induce tie citizens Of the y.
States to engage in it, bounty OF i've num-
dretI acres of land was otfcaed to the lower
classes, while it was held out to the higher,
that the inhabitants Of Florida were TO naan
ANXIOUS for the change, and the government
of the United States were principals III and
would give effcctual assistance; while such
,ancuaoe rs this was held out to deceive those
who should have known better, 1t was roundly
asserted by the 7yorthy general Matthews that
the United States had no concern IN the trans
action & would not interfere, as wall appear
hereafter in the documsnts relative to tram
sactions at Amelia 70 insure success to
lhe enterprise, It was proposed to send com
panv Of the United States rifle corps IN dis
guise, from pudla, TO seize the governor OF
ST. Augustine, and Get possession OF the fof'
in the night, and these men were TO be guided
by DR.. ]. Hall formerly d subject OF the pro-
vince but expelled some time slnceJ whlie
the sci disanl Patriots passed over to taEe pos
session of Ameha. The very honorable con-
duct Of major Laval frustrated the infamous
attempt against St. Augu&tlne: and the uAsX~
nccted resistance at Amelia, Obliged The gene"
raj TO order tho gun boats OF the y States t.
anchor abreast Of that delenCeleSs place, IN a
menacing attitude, and three guns being ed
.by the commodore, the RevoiutonlsIs en-
barked at Loves and got peaceabie possession
of the island, and in rather less than twenty
four hours it was surrendered to George Mat
tbews. ESQ. commissioner OF tie y. States.
The Reyoutiopists have since been employ
ed in beaeigiag ST. Augustine, that IS, laying
within four or five miles of it, and keeping
ont Of the range of their guns, their force
consists By iAer o7pn account OF ABOUT 'oo
men Of whom four-ftths are citizens OF the
United States and their commander, general
Mcintosh, a citizen and officer OF the Georgia
militia. arrived from thence about ten days
ago. This is a hasty but correct statement OF
the SO called Florida revolution, but which
honest men will be apt to denomlnate an IN
vasjoD BY the United States, as the mask is
thrown of, aud the ostensible actors displaced
for an American general. VIII not the no.
norable part Of your citizens blush Tor their
country when they hear that General Com,
missioner Matthews with body of United
Stotes troots, follows these men to receive
such part Of The country as they can seize wlth-
out opposition; viii it not call to mind the
DAYS of Robcsperre, of revolutionary France,
when commissioners were sent by the Con-
vention to fraternize, that Isl to subvert, to de-
stroy all regular governments The writer
will feel much regret should he unintentional-
lv have given offence to Mr.. Matthews by at
taching to bis name the word General without
knowing from whence the worthy Commis-
sjoner received that rank, but he conceived 1t