In order that nothing may Jelay the
conclusion of the negociations of citizen
Genet with tile Americans, and that he
may have in his own power all the meanß
which can aflift the pains he will take in
thecaufeof liberty, the Executive Coun
iil has given him the full power? annexed.
The muiiiter of the marine department
will trairtrrat to him a certain number of
blank letters of marque, which he will de
liver to fucli French or American owners
as (hail apply for the fame.
The miaifter at war (hall likewise deli
ver to citizen Genet officers' commissions
in blank for several grades in the army.
Done and agreed upon in Executive
Council the Seventeenth day of January,
of the year 1793, and of the French Re
public the fecund.
(Signed)
MONGE, President,
LE BRUN, Minister for Foreign Affairs,
Copy of a letter from the mint/ler of the
marine to citizen Genet, nun 'jler of the
French republic to the United States.
February Bth, 1793
\ou will find enclosed, citizen, 500
letters of marque, which you will distribute
to the Americans who may fit out and try
their chance apainft the English, Dutch,
Ruffians, Prufiians, and Auftrians.
I he means taken in France to register
them in the office of clafies, will be fup
plicd by that of regillering them in the
chancery office of the consulates of France,
lituate in the ports where the armed ves
sels may be fitted out, or in the nearest
ports to them. You will take care to
number and sign these, to keep an exact
register, and to give me an account of the
diipofal of them by every veflel bound
from the ports of the United States to
those of the republic.
I add to this enclosure twenty copics of
each of the laws of the 3 ill January and
2d of February last.
-The laws relative to the encouragements
granted to prizes and to their distribution
will be soon pafled for France, I shall
transmit them to you as soon as I receive
them.
Foreign built Tt flcls, the entry of which
had been prohibited in 1791, may for the
preient be armed in France and partake of
all the advantages granted to those built in
the docks of the republic.
This regulation is of too much moment
not to hasten you in communicating it to
all those, who knowing the law of 13th
May 1791, may think themselves depriv
ed of thepower of introducing their ves
sels into Irancc.
You will doubtless think it right to re
gulate your measures and your conduit by
the prudence and diferetion which your
chani&er requires in the existing circnm
ftances, to contribute as much as in your
power to the good of the republic, the suc
cess of itsarmamens, and the deftru&ion
of its enemies'commerce.
Signed,
Copy of a second letter from the Minister
of the Navy to Citizen Genet, Am
baiTador of the French Republic to the
United States of America.
Paris, May 28, 1793 ;
2 d Tear of the French Republic.
You will find hereunto annexed, Citi
zen, commissions for the conductors of
prices, which you will continue to diftri
luite to the captains, with the letters of
marque according to the numbers of cap
tares thcv (hailfhink they may be able to
make at sea ; yon will inferibe them under
the fame number as the letters of marque,
and mark the fame number on each of the
eommifiione delivered to each captain ; it
ha« been thought neceflary to adopt this
uniform method in all the maritime dif
tri&s, and give eotice of it to the different
ordonnateurs.
(Signed) DALBARADE.
Copy of the Credentials given to Citizen
Genet.
In the name of the French Republic, by
virtue of the law of the 19th Augull
!aft, which confers on the Executive
Council provisionally, all the functions
of the Executive power, and of the de
cree of the National Convention of the
2111 September following, which conti
nues the public authorities in force at
the la/l period:
We the citizens forming the provisional
Executive Council, to the republic of the
United States of North America.
Vrry dear, girat friends and allies,
Having rtfolved to appoint a fuccef
for to citizen Ternant, mtiufter plenipo
tentiary of the French republic, residing
with you, we have chosen citizen Genet,
adjutant-general and colonel in the service
oi the republic, to replace him in the fame
character. The proofs of zeal and patri
otism which he has hitherto given, per
suade us, that he will conduct himfclf in
a manner to render his person agreeable.
We pray you very dear, great friends
and allies to give full credit to all he (hall
be charged to fay to you 011 the part of
the republic, especially when he aflures
you of our disposition to promote the in
terests and prosperity of the United States.
We do not doubt he will give all his at
tention to convince you of the desire of
the French nation to bind more and more
the tics of friendfhip and fraternity which
ought to unite two free people formed
mutually to esteem each other, and to es
tablish between them the moll perfect har
mony.
Written at Paris the 30th December,
1792 ; the firft year of the Republic.
The citizens forming the provisional
Executive Council of the French republic.
LE BRUN, ROLAND,
CLAVIERE, PACHE,
GARAT, MONGE.
By the provilional Executive Council,
GROUVELLE, Secretary ol
the Council.
Mr. Fenno,
As the following cxtraft from a Connecti
cut paper contains the essence of the ar
guments which have been advanced in
support of (he opinion, that the liber
ties of the United States, will stand or
fall with the success or failure of the pre
sent Revolution of France, you are re
quested to republifh it.
ARE NOT OUR LIBERTIES
AT STAKE? Did not the British Mi
nister publicly declare, that it was not
the French nation, but the REPUBLI
CAN PRINCIPLES which they had
adopted that he withed to exterminate,
and to effect this he waged war? Has he
then waged war against the French nation
only ? Is it not likevvife against us ? Are
not their principles our principles, conse
quently their cause is ourcaufe, which we
trust is the cause of right reason ; which
ought to be the cause of all men ; and
which is the cause of God, against which
the kings and princes of Europe Gog and
Magog are gathered together. Is it not
then our immediate inteieft that this cause
should be supported ? And if so, is it not
our immediate and indifpenfible duty to
make use of the means that God has put
in our hands to effed it. Although Ame
rica is yet in a state of infancy, and her
resources fmaU when compared to those of
the nations at war, yet in a good cause
(he can do much, and even without enter
ing into a war, (he can withhold her com
merce, which enables Britain to carry on
the war against us. For I take it for
granted that thewar is dire&ly against us;
and that in a most pointed and dangerous
manner, although we seem not to be sen
sible of it. For it is against those PRINCI
PLES without which we cease to be a
nation. And if France should be conquer
ed, we have no reason to believe we should
not be attacked. For the present wai is
a war of despotism against freedom, and
as these two principles are diametrically
opposite to each other, no peace can be
expe&ed, until one or the other is exter
minated. But perhaps you fay, we fear
that withholding our commerce will be
the means of a war ; and you dread the
consequences of it. So do I, but I dread j
what may likely be the consequence of re
maining neuter worse, for I dread slavery;
but I cannot believe that withholding our
commerce will be the means of plunging
us in a war. If it should, JUSTICE will
be on onr fide, for we should be doing as
we ought to do in a national way, and to
do otherwifc, would be a national evil;
and is it not common for national fins to
be puniflied with national calamities ? And
is war, think you, the only calamity a na
tion has to fear ? It may be that the devot
ed inhabitants of Philadelphia thought the
fame ; but how were they deceived ?
There was a time when the Israelites were
opprefled by their enemies ; it was God's
will that they should be relieved by means
of war ; and the people were called upon
to go against their enemies, and as it was
a common cause, they ought all to have
been willing to go. But the inhabitants
of Meroz, probably fearing the calamities
of a war, went not; and although those
that went obtained a victory, and deliver
ed Israel, yet the inhabitants of Meroz,
MONGE.
for their sluggish neutrality, were cursed
with a bitter curse.
For the Gazette of tlx United States.
GRATITUDE to FRANCE. This
has been the text for the Bolton Chronicle
writers and other incendiarics to preach
against the proclamation of neutrality and
the writers who appeared to vindicate it
Our Legislative and corporate bodies have
truly exprefTed the feme of the people on
this fubjedt, by approving the conduct of
the Preiident. The war party, however,
would not allow the merit of the noble
firtnnefs of the chief magistrate in keeping
our country clear from the war. Citizen
Genet has published his instructions to
clear himfelf, and thereby leaves his tools
in the lurch. Those inftrudiions, page 2d,
tell us that the conduct of the old govern
ment of France towards America, was the
proper hibject of indignation not gratitude.
The fame inftrudlions inform us of the
proper measure of thanks due to the nezu
government for the very kind intentions
they entertain towards the United States.
Citizen Genet, rejeSing the myjlerious
secrecy of courts, and full of candor and
franinefs (fee his letter to Mr. Jefferfon
of 20th December 1793) on his firft arri
val at Philadelphia, gave public assurances
of his being a minister of peace : he did
not expect the United States would take
part in the war—it was not defiredkby
France, that they fliould behold citizen
candor and franinefs, with peace in his
mouth, and the war inftru&ions in his
pocket.
He had in his pocket, three hundred
commiflions to dijlribute to the Americans,
to try their chance againjl (that is to rob)
the English, Dutch, RuJJians, Prujfians and
Aujlriam—See page 7th —We were to
make common cause with the French—to
punijh the invading powers, and to be pro
tected by a fujjicicnt force, to put our ports
beyond insult.
Benefits in trade were also to be held
out as a lure to join France—A (hare of
the Weft India trade, which at present is
not worth a pin to herfelf, was to be 011
the condition fine qua non that the United
States would now aiTure and guarantee
the Islands to France, (fee page 6) Regu
lations of trade are also recommended It
is plain to the most careless observer, why
they are timed as they are—and what is
their tendency ? It is a truck trade that is
proposed: a bubble in their Weft India
commerce at a future day, to engage us
in war and ruin now. When they had any
thing to give us, they denied it, now they
have it not, they would barter it for war.
As long as it was pofTible, and longer
than it was decent, our faition juftified
Genet—At lalt they gave him up, when
they found he hung heavy on their cause,
but could not help it. Then their cant
was—the man is ralh and imprudent: those
who sent him are wife, jutl and friendly.
We renounce the minister—we cling with
ten fold fondnefs to his masters—Behold
his inftruftions—They tell us, and so does
the proverb, like man—like matter.
Congress of the United States.
In SENATE.
Monday, Dec. 30, 1793.
The bill making an alteration in the flag
of the United States was read the third
time.
Resolved, That this bill pass, that the
title thereof be, " An ast making an al
teration in the flag of the United States,"
that it be engrofled, and that the secreta
ry desire the concurrence of the house of
representatives therein.
The petition of James and William
Smith of the state of Georgia, for them
felres, and in behalf of the heirs of James
Smith, was presented and read, praying
for remedy and afliftance in refpeft to cer
tain losses sustained by the Creek Indians.
On motion,
Ordered, That this petition together
with the communications from the Secre
tary for the department of War, respec
ting Indian affairs, be referred to Mr.
Jackson, Mr. Strong, Mr. Burr, Mr.
13utler and Mr. Langdon t to consider and
ieport thereon.
After the consideration of the execu
tive business.
Adjourned.
Tuesday, December 3 1
The following written messages were re
ceived from the President of the United
States, by Mr. Dandridge his fecrctary.
United Stales, Dec. 30,
Gentlemen of the Senate and of the
House of Reprefentativjs,
I lay before you for your confideratio ft
a letter from the Secretary of State, in.
forming me of certain impediments,which
have arisen to the coinage of the precious
metals at the mint.
As also a letter from the fame officer
relative to certain advances of money,
which have been made on public account.
Should you think proper to fanftion what
has been done, or be of opinion that any
thing more (hall be done in the fame vt-av,
you will judge whether there are not cir
cumstances which would render secrecy ex
pedient.
United States, Dei. 1793.
Gentlemen of the Senate, and of the
House of Representatives,
I communicate to you the tranflatjoa
of a letter received from the Representa
tives of Spain here, in reply to that of the
Secretary of State to them, of the 21ft
instant, which had before been communi
cated to you.
The messages & papers therein referred
to were severally read.
Ordered, That they lie for consideration.
Mr. Rutherfurd reported from the com
mittee to whom was referred the petition
of Conrad Laub and others, stating that
the Honorable Albert Gallatin, at the
time he was eledted a Senator of the Uni
ted States, had not been nine years a citi
zen of the said United States, as is requir
ed by the conltitmion ; which report wa»
read.
Ordered, That it lie for consideration,
The Senate proceeded to the considera
tion of the executive business before thsm
—after which, Adjourned.
Wednesday, Jan. ift. 1794.
The Senate proceeded to the conside
ration of the report of the committee to
whom was referred the petition of Con
rad Laub and others
On motion,
To postpone the consideration of the
report until to-morrow.
It was agreed to amend this motion by
fti iking out the woeds to morrow, and to
insert in lieu thereof, Thursday the gth in-
Jlant.
The following written mefTage was re
ceived from the President of the United
States, by Mr. Dandridge his fecretanr.
United Staks, Dec. 3 y?. 1793.
Gentlemen of the Senate, and of the
House of Representatives,
I now lay before you a letter from the
Secretary of State, with his account of
the expenditure of the monies appropriat
ed for our intercourse with foreign nations
from the lft of July 1792 to the lit of
July 1793, and otherpapers relating there
to.
The meflage and papers therein referred
to were severally read.
Ordered, That they lie for considera
tion.
C. D.
The Senate proceeded to the considera
tion of the executive business before them,
after which—Adjourned.
Thursday, Jan. 2.
The petition of James Mathers, door
keeper to the Senate was presented and
read, stating the enhanced price of the ne
ceflarie? of life, and praying further com
pensation for his services.
Ordered, Thatthis petition lie on the
table.
The following (notion was made and fe
condcd.
Refplved by the Senate and House of
Representatives of the United States of
America in Congress aflembled, two thirds
of both Houses concurring, that the fol
lowing article be proposed to the Legisla
tures of the several States, as an amend
ment to the Constitution of the United
States ; which when ratified by three
fourths of the said legislatures, fliall be
valid as part of the said Constitution. viz.
" The Judicial power of the United
States fliall not be construed to extend to
any suit in law or equity, commenced or
prosecuted against one of the United
States by citizens of another State, or bv
citizens or fubjefts of any foreign State."
on which
A motion was made as follows,
Resolved, That the consideration of
trus mot ' nn be postponed, and that the Se
nate will on the ioth instant, take in!,»
consideration the fnbjeft of amcndcienu
to the coal'itutioa."
G. WASHINGTON.
G. WASHINGTON.
G. WASHINGTON.