aiediate command of a squadron deft'med
soT Halifax.
The Rrench fleet, confi fling of 17 ships, I
certainly failed from Brell water, on t the 26th
ult. and dire&ed their course 'to the -westward
—Of this moll injptfrtant fail, mmifters re
ceived accounts on Thursday lall.
The expedition to the coail of France, is,
we believe, entirely abandoned. The French
havfc 80,000 men in cantonments between
Cherbourg and St. Maloes ; and our equip
ments, from some unfortunate delays,appear
to be perfedlly known in France. Paris pa
pers have meijt.oncd them for some time
pail.
ACongrefs of deputies from the Allied
Powers is Hill talked of to afTemble at Frank
fort Upon the affair* of France. A day of
thanksgiving has been ordered at Vienna for
the many iignal victories obtained over the
French campaign.
LEYDEN, Dec. 30.
An address has been presented to the
Convention by the Lyonefe, in which that
wretched people complain of the horrors
which the representatives commit daily in
that city, especially the emiilaries of the
Jacobins, the fev<;n monsters who compose
the ci-devant revolutionary commiilion.
, " Scarcely is judgment pronounced,
(fay the unhappy Lybnefe,) when those
who have been condemned are exposed in
a mass to the fire of cannon, loaded with
grape-ftiot; they fall one upon another,
struck with the thunder ; and often muti
lated, they have the misfortune not to be
killed by the firft difeharge. The victims
wbo yet breathe, after having fuffei ed that
p.unifhment, are finiihed by sabres or muf
quetry."
The representatives have substituted
for the two revolutionary tribunals which
tjiey,had created, a committee of seven
judges. Thi» measure was indispensable.
The two tribunals, embarrafled by forms,
did not answer the wifties of the people :
Prisoners accumulated in the prisons : Par
tial executions had loft all effect upon the
Lyonefe. The committee of seven, judg
es in afummary manned; and its sentence
is as just as it is sudden.
On the 14th December 60 villains were
shot to death. On the ,15th, 208. On
the 17th, 60 were acquitted. On the
iß:h, 68 were shot, and 8 guillotined.
On the 19th, the holy and miraculous
gnillotine made 13 the head (horter. On
the 20th, 50 were set at libei ty. On the
21 ft, £3 were (hot.
Soon the guilty at Lyons will no long
er pollute the foil of Liberty ! We find
daily gold and silver, coined and not coin
ed. The quantity willaftoniih you when
you hear it.
BOURDEAUX, Dec. 20.
The milittry commission proceeds in a
revolutionary manner : The heads of con
spirators fall on the fcaffold—the fufpefted
are (hut up till peace shall be concluded—
and the moderate, the indifferent, and ego
tists, are punished by the purse.
Lately all the actors of the grand thea
tre, to the number of sixty-eight, were
arretted. It -was a Focus of Arijlocracy—
we have destroyed it. On the evening
before; the theatre was surrounded, when
there were upwards of 2000 persons in
it ; and all fufpefted persons who were
reunited in great numbers, were impri
soned; the fame night 200 capital mer
chants were arretted, and seals put on their
papers—and the military commifiion will
soon do them justice.
The guillotine, and gCeat fines, will
purify the merchants, and will extermi
nate the monopolizers and money-chang
ers.
Reason, makes here a great progress;
all the churches have been (hut; plate ar
rives in great plenty at the mint, and on
the Decades we (hall celebrate the feaft of
Liberty. The forced loan succeeds ra
pidly, 250,000 livres were yesterday pour
ed into the receiver's chett. Bourdeaux
will contribute more than one hundred
millions to the Republic.
NATIONAL CONVENTION.
December, 24.
Thomas Paine, and dll Foreigners, expelled
from the Convention.
Barrere—" The moment is come to make
known a vice which has introduced itfelf a
mong us. The People have been persuaded
that they might choose Foreigners to re
present them ; but a single fadt shall prove
now dangerous such a measure would be.
" An Italian came with some patriotie
Works: His ambition Wanted a Decree
which granted him the title of a French
Citizen ; he urged that title,' becnufe his
property had been confifcated on account
of his writings in his own country. Well !
we learn, that tills property has just been
restored. Let us decree, that all foreign
ers fTiall be excluded from the National
Convention."
Bourdon of Oife—" Since there are
no more Briffotihes in the Convention,
Thomas Paine, never came once among
us: He is busy with carrying on his in
trigues secretly."
The propolal of Barrcre betng put to
the votf, was unanimously adopted in
these words:
" Every Foreigner is, and Jhall be, it
eluded from the National Reprefe,.tatien."
Congrejs of the U>
tfouje of Rijirefeniali'oes *"■ *'
The observations of Mr. Smith oi South-
Carolina, on the palling of tilt bill for
the naval armament.
( Concludal.)
Mr. S. next reviewed the principal ob- !
jc&ions to the bill, he said—x it. That j
the force contemplated was incompetent.
2d. That fending an armed force on the
ocean would be the means of involving us
in a war with some of the maritime pow
ers. 3. That we had no friendly ports in
Europe, which our frigates could resort
to for supplies or reritment. 4_th. That
the expence would exceed the object to be
protected. 5. That our trade would be
deprived of the ieamen required to man
the frigates. 6. That it was now so late
in the season we could not protect our ves
sels the ensuing summer, and that some
favorable events might occur before the
frigates could be equipped, which would
render them unnecessary. 7. That this
was the beginning of a naval establish
ment, which would hereafter involve this
country in iramenfe debts and maritime
wars.
1 ft. To the firit obje&ion Mr. Smith
replied that he was surprised those gentlemen
who deemed the nu<'.X/cr of frigates ina
dequate to the object had never proposed
to encreafe the quantum of force ; though
this objection had been re-echoed by seve
ral gentlemen, none of them had thought
proper to move an augmentation of th?
Itrength ; the only motion of that nature,
had proceeded from a quarter which had
been always friendly to the measure.
From the documents on the table, and
from the diligent enquiries of a^large
committee, the force contemplated by the
bill, did however, appear adequate ; the
number, and strength of the Algerine
corsairs had been pretty nearly ascertained:
it had been ilated from good authority,
that their vessels were (light, and that
they did not cruize in fleets, but feattered
for the purpose of plunder. It also ap
peared that a smaller force than ours, had
been fuccefsfully employed by Portugal,
in blocking up the Streights.
2d. The second objection arose, from
the danger of being involved in a war.
It had been said, that some of the mari
time powers, whose interest it was, that
our commerce (hould fuffer frprn thele
piratical depredations, would fee with
difpleafurc, our armed ve(Tels on the oce
an ; and would insult them ; that our of
ficers would resent such insults, and thus
draw us into a war. If there were any
nation so anxious to go to war with us,
as this objection supposed, they would be
at no loss for pretexts, without this ; if
while we were exercising so just, lawful
and necessary a right, as that of ufingthe
only means in our power, 01 protecting
our commerce from ruin, and our fellow
citizens, from a most dreadful captivity,
any nation (hould wickedly and wantonly
interfere, and moled our frigates, it would
(hew such a disposition to quarrel with us,
and be such an ast of hottility, as would
juftify war on our part. Whatever nation
it might be, he (hould view such an ag
greflion as the effect of predetermined
hostility, and (hould not hesitate a moment
to consider them as much our enemies, as
the Algerines themselves. But this arma
ment would furni(h so little pretence for
any danger of this kind, that he viewed
all such terrors as chimerical; indeed it
was somewhat strange, that these appre
hensions (hould have been suggested by
gentlemen, who considered commercial
reftriftions particularly directed at Great
Britain, as of a most pacific tendency.
If irritating measures, pointedly direc
ted at Great Britain, were not likely to
excite a hostile fplrit in l)er, much less
was it to be expected that measures of un
avoidable necessity, against the Algenn
piraies, would excite ibat fpir.t.
3 d. It had been clearly sheWn, that
there were many Convenient friendly poi ts,
to which our veflels of war, wottld ha»e
accels. Spain, Portugal and trance,
had been mentioned ; it was not probable,
we lhould be at war with all thole powers,
at the fame time. Being at peace with
them all, we had a right W expect a
friendly admission into their ports. A
state of war would undoubtedly, prelent
many difficulties, but even in that event,
the proposed measure, did not appear lels
indilpenfable.
4th. The expcnce had been strongly
urged, as a weighty objection. Mi.
Smith ohferved, that the laving in inf-.ir
anee, the value of our ships and cargoes,
the ran Com ot out captive seamen, was
more than an offset against this item.
But was not the slavery ot" our fellow-citi
zens, the national disgrace resulting from
it, to be taken into the account ? These
were in his mind, goufederations, beyond
all calculation. Who could, after read
ing the affecting narratives of Captain
| Penrofe and the other unfortunates, lit
< down contented with cold calculations,
! and dry syllogisms? These nairatives onght
j to e:;cite every possible exertion, not oniy
j to procure the release of the captured,
but to preveut an encreafe of the number
of these unhappy victims. This could
only be effedted by the proposed measure ;
it was the only practicable mode ot ob
taining a peace, which would ensure the
release of the captives, and of preventing
the capture of others. Were the expence
thereof double the sum proposed, he, for
one, would not hesitate to vote for it.
sth. It had been alledged, that depriving
our merchant vefiels of the fearpen requisite
to man the frigates, would be a serious inju
ry to oir trade. No further answer was
neceflary to this objection, than barely to re
mark, that the injury was not to be out in
competition with the less of teamen, by sla
very in Algiers, or by desertion from mer
chant ships, so unprotected and so exposed.
6th. The lateness of the season, had fur
niihed another objection. Mr. Smith asked,
whose fault it was, that this measure had not
been adopted sooner > The members whose
opinions coincided with his, and himfelt had
urged the necessity of it, near three months
ago, but the opposition it had
encountered, and the intervention arid dis
cussion of the commercial rtgnlations, nai
protracted it to the present period. Late as
it was, it was however highly neceflary, and
the best expedient which had been suggested.
The very circumftanee of preparation for
naval defence, would facilitate our pegocia
tion for peace, and would encourage our sea
men to remain in our service.
States.
He wiihed it always to be understood,
that he did not rely solely on the . kacy of
this armament; he it'll looked forward to
a negociation, and was ready to provide the
mod ample means for that purpoie, but he
-was at the fame time fatisiied, triat the tirft
measure mult accompany the latter, as the
one would be nugatory, without the other.
7th. The dangers refaitiag from a large
navy eftabiilhment, and the immense debts
they have created in other countries, had been
depicfted a»d the House had been warned
against such evils. -How a bill, providing fix
frigates, which were to exist only during the
war with Algiers, could excite an yiprelien
fion of a large and permanent navy, and an
enormous debt, Mr. Smith said he ;was at a
loss to discover. The clause which autho
rized the President, in the event of a peace
with the Regency of Algiers, to discontinue
the armament, was a complete answer to all
reasoning which had been indulged on the
fubjeft of navies and debts. Adrafttting
there had been no such clause, he' did not
feel the weight or applicability of the reason
ing. This country was peculiarly fitted for
a navy; abounding in all kinds of naval
resources, wc had within ourselves those
means which other maritime nations were
obliged to obtain from abroad. The nature
of our situation, and the navigating difpofi
tiou of a considerable proportion of our citi
zens, evinced ft'ill more the propriety of some
naval establishment. Perhaps t+ie country was
not yet mature for such an eftabiilhrnent, to
any great extent, but he belt?ved the period
was not far distant when it would. Sweden,
with a population not greater than that of
the United States, and with more (lender re
sources, maintained a large navy ; he saw r.o
reason why the United States with an irrcrea
iing population, much individual wraith, and
considerable national resources, might not
without ruin, do as mueh, or why the ebtiin
ment of a Iquadron, infer or to that of any
of the petty nations of Italy, Ihould involve
us-in an insupportable e.xpenee.
Having replied to the principal obieition*
ajjaiqft the bill, Mr. Smith said, though hedul
Hot any arguments of that day,
WQitld change a linglc vote, yet as a fa-mid
and lengthy cppjfition had h;-en made, he
wished to Qi"w, that he did not rely upcm a
majority, and that "he would never <jive his
alfent to a ineaiitre, -which did not in his
opinion, reft on the balls of good peltry airi
propriety. 1
He viewed this mcafure as retting on that
bails ; he trusted it would produce ths goud
effeiits which its Meads anticipated, and tha-.
as he was confident it would be supported by
a majority of that Houle, he had little dou'tf,
that k would be fin<Jiione<i by the approba -
tion of their constituents | but that even wefe
he periuaded it would be attended with iome
1 of the mifchiefs which its opponents had
predicted, he /hould still desm himfelf war
ranted, in supporting it as a thing irreiiftaj.-!/
and loudly called for by the urgency of ex
ilting circumstances.
Apri! 4.
The, following meflage was received
from the President.
United States, 4th April, 1794.
Gentlemen of the Senate, and
of the House of Reprefentativeo.
I lay before.you three fetters from our
Minister in London; advices concerning
the Algerine in flion, from out Minister
at Lisbon and others, and a letter from
the Minister Plenipotentiary of the French
to the Secretary of State, with
his answer.
Go. WASHINGTON.
Mr.
P TNCKNEr's CO aRESPONDENCE.
London, 26th December, 1794.
Dear Sir,
This icrves to cover an additional * in
ftrudl.'on, which, though dated the 6th
of Nuvembei, was made public at the Ad
miralty, bat a few day# ago. I only re
ceived it from aur prodtor lalt evening.
I am, with fmcere refpeft, dear Sir,
Your faithful and obedient Servant,
Thomaj Pinckney.
Secretary of State,
I mention the circumstance of dates,
because it appear? to me of some import
ance.
£ * This r jje have already printcd.~\
London, 2d January, 1794.
Dear SIR
• J
At the moment when I was preparing
to go to the conference with Lord Grcn
ville, this morning,'! received a note from
him,' excusing himielf from the meeting.
1 then endeavored to fee Mr. Burgee, but
•without success; and as this is the last
hour for writing by the Packet, I must
fend the enclosed additional inltruction,
without explanation obtain from the mi
-adiry.. Tut lXii'lti Miiiiitcr in sick, and
at Bath ; but the Swedilh Minister ap
pears to be alarmed at this measure, a«, I
am informed, the mercantile interest, con
nected with America appear to be, from"
a committee of theirs having watted on
Mr. Pitt. Upon this inftru&ion, as it
(lands, it is unneceflary for me to make
any comment. If a repeal or modification
of it (hould take place, or if I can obtain
the principles, upon which this govern
ment has iflued it, I will immediately
communicate.
Toulon is again poflefled by the French
Republic : We have not the particular*.
I remain, with sincere rclpeit,
Dear Sir;
Your faithful and obedient Servant,
ThCmas Pjscese*.
The Secretary of State.
f Duplicate.)
London, January 9, 1794-
My Dear Sir,
You will receive herewith the copy of
an inftru&ion to the commanders of big
Britannic Majesty's sHips of war, &c. da
ted the Bth of this month, concerning
which I had another cotiveHation this
morning with the rnitiiller of the foreign
department. On hw faying in the intro
duction of the fubjeit, that he hoped I
saw in it a manifeitatton of the good wilt
of thi'3 government towards the United
States ; I observed, that it was certainly
much left injurious to iwth;tn the inftruc
tioq which it revoked, and might be as
favorable as the principle upon which this
government acts would admit ; but I re
minded him that our idea* di&red materi
ally from theirs on this fabjeft, and with •
out repeating she arguments I had before
adJrelTed to him, both vsrfcatly and ii»
writing in fuppoi tof our position, it was
only ncceflary to fay tost we did not ad
mit the right of the belligerent powers to
interfere farther in the commerce between
neutral nations and thsir adverforrc-s, than
to prevent their carrying to them articL'S
which by common usage weretilabJi(bed
as contraband, and any article* u) a place
fairly blockaded that cefiftqamtfy the
two firit articles, though founded upon
their principles of not {-iffmn-r in war-, a
traffic which was not admittai fey the fame
nations in the time of peace, zndoftukitff
their enemies property u'h>~is found 01.
V-, •