Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1816-06-22


gainst US (Amcrica) popular prejudices.
'he' emissarles are every where, and We
y active. They speak openly to make !
var upon US anew, whenever the affairs |
1T France are finished. One fact, which
ought not to be doubted in America, is,
that the royal family of France is not our
friend, and that she is entirely devoted to
Observations Of the Bordelais critic
" There exists at Bordeaux no English fac
ton. There is not in this city any other
emtssaries than those Of an invisible aren-
cy, whose mysterious man9uvres have no
other ann but to sow trouble and inquie-
tude in the cities and country, by propa-
eating ridiculous stories and in predicting
Imaginary events. Other miserables en-.
deavor to weaken confidence among the
merchants, and to perplex their specula-
tons, in expressing fear. as regards the
future. They all are the enemies Of order,
OF peace, and of every species of indus.
try; they labour, without cessation. to
create discomfort, in order to deliver Eu-
rope to new commissions.
8" 1t would be superf1uous to reply to that
phrase in which the correspondent of the
Boston Patriot accuses the royal family of
France to be the enemy of America, and
absolutely devoted to England. Neither
the past nor the present offer in France
any fact which might Justify this inperti.
,,ent assertion , bit the scenes of,chich the
netc ,cortd is the theatre at this ,non,ent-
the affected ,oarnmh sciih ,chich vILEyA-
GABoNDs, the outcastS of France and
tte disgrace Of nations are aceicomed in
tiie principal cities of .4merica-the eulo.
gams, the honorable names, ,chich then la.
Dish on hcm--the scandalous Joy of aohich
their presence In public places becomes the
signal /; this conduct, in fine, compared to
that Of France IN the first days of the .Gme.
r,can rerotution, presents contrast too
extraordinary to escape the notice Of histo-
ry. The day aoiH arriue ,clen its annals
shall tell to PoSterity, that Louis the XVI.
aided AMERICA to fling off the woke of
England-that, some years after, En-
GLAND, received and consoled in their mis-
fortunes, the brothers and the children of
this unhappy king; but that America be-
came refuge Tor his EXEcUTIoNERs."
Inns IS lair sample by which our readers
may judge of what the other observations,
comprising more than whole pare of the
paper consists. In the first paragraph of
these observations, in the very first ten
words, the writer exposes himself to con-
tempt: there is no English faction whate-
yer, says he, existing at Bordeaux. He
might have said, with equal truth. and with
equal chance of being believed, that there
was no such river as the Garonne. IF eve.
ry account we have received from various
quarters is not utterly false-if vessel af
ter vessel, which arrives from that port,
brings any thing but cargo of lies, then
there does exist knot of English and
Scotchmen at Bordeaux, who not only in.
trigne against the resident American mer.
chants IN that city, but against all those
who are not in the English and Aneouleme
interest. The h1uter and insolence
which has been shewn to Mr.. Lee, the A.
merican Consul, and the representative of
the commercial dignity of the U. States.
merit the notice of our government, parti-
cularly, as the insults and menaces which
have been offered to him and his family
appear to meet rather the appreciation
than to excite any repressive sentiment on
the part OF the Bordetais government.
AS to calling Bordeaux France-it NAV.
to be sure, be considered as forming one of
the many departments, Of which this kins-
dom consists, but at present, from every re-
port we have seen, it presents picture of
the most complete slavery and submission
to the desires of its royal mistress, and
those who dare go so far as not to bend the
knee to the royal duchess, and sing no.
sannas to her royal virtues, are similarly
situated to those who formerly received
the anathemas Of the sovereign pontiff.
The Bordelais critic shows his ignorance
OF the manner in which the great men of
France, whom he honours with the title uf
uite ungabords and other courtLy names,
have been received in America. From Jo.
seph, himself, the ex-king of Spain. to the
least celebrated of the emigrants, either as
soldiers or statesmen, no distinction, what
ever, has been shown. They have all
been received, not with enthusiasm and
the tumultuous joy which this garulous
Quixote would impose upon his readers,
but with that diguified cordaIity which dis
tinguisheS our nation, and which opens its
bosom to receive, without discrimination
the oppressed of all countries, whether they
come in the character of deposed mo-
march or in that of an untitled, simple ard
obscure citizen. Our theatres aud public
places have never, in any instance, demo-
ted any expression of either Joy or sorrow,
on their entrances. They have passed
without hindrance, without annoyance,
and without ceremony, wherever their in
have led them. Ia the true spi.
rit of hospitality, they have been made well
come without being told of it, and their
stay amc1g US, or their departure from our
shores, will excite no sensation, except
among those with whom they make a per-
sonaI acquaintance.