The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-11-22
TO TIE nDl7oB or TIE -,

D. = M Lord stofmont, R,.s.s. ...uo.
- complained 70 the srench government by di, : 4
ton Of his OWL that the former had given protection 10
American privateers which had committed acts Of vo-
lsnce upon the coasts OF England and directly accusing
the French government Of favorng the revolt OF the
Americans,
Count vsrlennes replied, behalf Of the Court Of
Versailles, on the 18th July, l777-"Sensble OF the
complaints which you have been commissioned TO bring
to against tho three American prvateers, the Re-
prlsal the Lexington and the Dolphin which, after
having been enjoined 10 leave the ports OF France and
not to return have, however returned there notwith
standing that prohibition, his Majesty, far from approx
ing that conduct literally shuttlng-aaocte, which
treaties forbid. is, upon the contrary, very much dis
pleased with IT, and cannot better testify his dspeasure
than by ordering as he has DONE the seduestraon OF
the said prvaeers in the ports where they may have
gut in be there detained until have sufficient
security tina. they win return directly to their
own country, without further infesting European
seas" He proceeds to assure Lord stormont that
orders had been given not 10 allow the sale in
French ports OF the prizes that had been brought that
they should be made to leave soon as the weather
would permit that prompt Investigation should BE- made
prompt investigation should be made OF the British Am
bassadors complaint that the Dolphin was French ship.
armed and equipped In France and that orders had been
addressed to Cherbourg TO look after the armament OF
the Breha which had come in from Maryland.
fu not to apply the seshness and dupcity. CIV
ing secret encouragement TO- the Americans without
Gen Il q counter Of &C.
commodation aud alliance to the Court OF London. Bur-
goynes defeat finally convinced France she could make
sure point against her old enemy Treaties OF alliance,
offensive and defensive and Of commerce and naviga-
on were promptly entered into and the King q France
l770 published an elaborate and very skilfa exposi-
ton Of the reasons which he supposed to justify him In
his proceeding in favor Of the colonies and against
This brought forth lengthy response from the Court
Of London, which discovers In every page the hand OF
e Sos n a autbcSD or lis sby but in the fact that
II formally put forth by the British ministry
ocial response TO the declaration and exposition Of the
French government. The memorial refcrs to and relies
upon section Of the treaty between England and France
Of le3 the same referred to BY vergennes Concerning
amity and friendship no stronger than
often contained in treaties Of the sort that 1t
strong definite than the treaty Of friendship
existing between England at the beginning
Of civil and that by no fair construction can II
be held to have altered the rights and duties Of the par
ties neutras or belligereDs under the maritime law
OF nations. Though vergennes admits that the things
complained Of by stormont would be prohibited BY
treaty 10 must be understood the general sense OF
being contrary to the relations and duties Of avowed
friends and that tho things complained Of were spe
And though bbon quotes the treaty to strengthen bis
case, no mainly relies upon the acts complained Of as
being Violations Of neutrality and Of international
time law as being unfrendy and offensive acts Of hos
tiy, and sufficient cause Of war He says:"As soon as
the revolted colonies had contaminated their criminal
attempts by the open declaration Of their pretended in
dependence they sought to form secret connections With
Powers the least favorable to the interests Of the mo-
succors without which it would have been impossible
for them TO sustain The war IN which they had embarked
selves the different capitals OF Europe; but 1t was
only in France that they found an asylum Of hopes and
laws cannot always prevent skiful contraband, which
Is produced under thousand different forms, and
in which the ayidity Of gain risks all dangers and
eludes all precautions but the conduct Of the
French merchants who sent to America not only useful
and necessary goods but satpcre, POWDER
munitions Of war; arms artillery, boldly that
they not only Of impuny, bur OF pro-
lection and tho favor Of the Ministers OF the Court or Yer
saiiee. The public knows the head Of the
enterprise, whose house A. Paris. Their CORE.
spondents at Dunkirk, Nantes and Bordeaux
equally well known. The immense magazines which
they formed, which they renewed daily laden
essively upon vessels which they built which they
bought and whose object and destination they scarcely
cssayed to dissimuate Those vessels ordinarily had
false letters for the French islands Of America but
the goods Of which their cargocs composed suf-
These suspicious confirmed by the direction Of
the voyages or these vessels and At the end OF fcw
into bo hands Of the officers Of the King WHO crused in
the American seas, and who arrested them In view
Of The coasts Of the reyolted colonies Speaking Of
those vessels and Of others that landed stores the
colonies, he proceeds He tho British Ambassador
Indicated tho names The number and the kind Of those
vessels which the commercial agents OF America equip.
ped 10 the ports Of France, carry and munitions
OF war 10 the rebels and French officers who bad
engaged the service OF the revolted colonies dates
tho paces the persons were always designated with
precision that offered TO the ministers Of his most Chris.
Of he Of and q Ms Sess
was time, the progress Of these illegal armamepts.
Among the multitude Of examples which imply tho slight
attention OF the Court OF Versailles ling the copdi-
tons OF peace rather it's and atten
ton TO nourshng dscord and war 1t is impossible TO
striking objects The nine large equipped and
frcgbted BY Mr. Beaumarchsls and his associates in
January, I777, not COMPOUNDED with the vessel Am
phytriie, which carried about the same time q erea,
quantity Of munons OK war aud thirty French officers
EsS S and s' % 1
Jects OF complaint, and short notice OF memorial
which Lord stormont, Ambassador OF the King commu
nicated TO Count Vergennes tho month OF November
OF the same year gave us idea, but very imperfect
OF the kind Of wrongs which Great Britain has 50 often
sustained There Al Rochcfort vessel or sixty guns
and at Orient vessel from the Indies pierced sixty
guns These two vessels destined for the the
and freighscA by Mcsus ohaumoui, Hoiken and saba.
tier The vessel Happy went from Narcotics, under
New Hampshire although IL prsrends 10 70 TO the
islands The Hppopoam,u belonging 10 Mr.
Beaumarchais, mus have on board fourteen thousand
guns and many munitions ~ for tbs OF The
rebels There pboat riy French vessels which are
preparing TO leave for North America, laden WITH nun
the rebels They will 80 fiom Nantes ORIENT 81 Malo
Havre, Bordeaux Bayonne and other diGcren, ports
cstcd incline them without pain 20 all their do
signs in the equipment Of vessels which they hayo
ssruoed or bought They arm them to go cruising in
Britain. 10 seve APPEARANCES. the captains Of
these prvarer carry the pretended nag Of
America but their crews were composed
10 great part Of Frenchmen, whom they enrolled Win
impuny under the OF the governors aud on.
GERS Of the maritime provinces numerous swsrm OF
these privaicsrs animated BY the spirit Of pne went
forth from the ports Of France, and after having oourscd
the British they return 10 take refuge in The same
ports : Those privateer- enrich ihomseiyes by
the spells Of the King, and alter having pronted by an
entire liberty OF repairing their losses providing for
their wants, and OF procuring all the munitions Of war
powder, rigging, that may serve for new enterprise
they 20 freely out again from the ports betske
themselves 20 cruising the The history q the pri-
vateer Reprsal may be cited among nnmter ~ exam.
pes. That vessel which had brought 90 Eu. |
rope Mr. Franklin, agent OF the reyccd colonies vas
received With The Two prizes which had taken 20. rvss
Notwithstanding the strongest representations
Of the Kings Ambassador and the most solemn assar-
auces OF tho French Ministers, they permitted the cap
tain Of that prvaeer remain Orient long vas
necessary 10 ront his vcsse 20 provide himself With Gly
barrels OF cannon powder and 10 reive board oil he