if then Great Britain, (hall have com- ■ Butted acts towards the United .States, j which furnifti just cause of war, the Uni ted States possets the right confidently with the laws of nations, to exercise any act towards Great Britain, which would be juftifiable in a state of war. The U nited States having received the injuries, are authorised to feleA such measures and means as they may deem the molt expedi cnt f#r felf-prefervation and indemnifica tion. Reprisal is within their power All other means of redtefs, are without their power. In such a state of things, reprisal is a right—reprisal is a duty• An obje&ion more plaulible than solid, has been made to this course of reasoning, that the individuals who will be the immedi-.j ate obje&s of the reprisal, have not been the immediate agents of the aggteffion. The laws of nations state, that the pro perty of individuals, is as much a subjeCt of reprisal, as the property of the aggres sing nation ; but as the nation is the im mediate agent in the wrong, the individu al who fuftainsan injury thereby, becomes intitled to recompence from his nation. The nation which commits the wrong, by this process will ultimately sustain the lois. Hence in the present cafe, the innocent and unfufpe&ing vi&ims of the United States, have received losses from the law less aggressions of Great Britain, and the question is, whether they shall finally sus tain these.losses, without any clear claim of indemnification upon the government of the United States ? Or whether the losses (hall be transferred to Britirti fub jc£ts, who will thereby poflefs the cleared claim for recompcnce, from the Biitifh government ? He thought the law 3ot God, the laws of morality, the laws of reason, the laws of nations, would all pro nounce, that thr British Government which had done the -wrong, Jhouhl ajford the re camping. Mr. Giles said, that if the losses were to be ultimately borne by the individual fubjefts of Great Britain, the remedy would feetn to be a lrarfh one ; but even in that cafe, the only alternatives left to the United States would be to fay, whe ther their own citizens, to whom they have promised proteft'on fho ild finally sustain the lofles, or the Briti/h fubjcßs, f> whom they have promised no projec tion. But the situation of the individu als, who may be the fubjedts of reprisal, is greatly meliorated, by the coniidera tion of their just claim to recompence from their own government ; which he had no doubt but they would ultimately obtain, if they were put into a situation to de mand it; but if they (hould ultimately be denied justice, it would be a confutation ■ to reflect, that it was the in just ice of their own Government, not of the Uni ted State?. He observed, that a reprisal in the way proposed, flood upon the fame ground as the invafton of the property, in every o ther cafe did, and was juftified upon the fame principle, to wit, Self-prefervation. He presumed if there existed an acknow ledged state of war, letters of marque and reprisal, commiflions to privateers, &c. would be deemed juftifiable and ex pedient, and that no discrimination would be made betweeu the property of indivi duals and the property of the nation ; yet the -invasion of the rights of property in that cafe, would be as palpable, as in the cafe of the reprisal proposed, with this aggravation", that in that cafe, the indivi dual sustaining the loss, would not be in titled to ultimate recompence from the go vernment—in the cafe proposed he would be intitled to recompence. He observed, that the British nation had not discovered this delicate discrimination between na tional and individual property, in their late inftruftions given to their privateers and {hips of war, although they had sus tained no wrong ; and he thought their conduit an example in point for the Uni ted States, who had received the injury and committed none. A gentleman (Mr. Smith, S. C.) yes terday attempted to make a diftin&ion between vessels at sea, and other pioperty; although he acknowledged that at the firft blush he could discern no dittinction in principle 1 . Mr. Giles said, that every species of property, flood on the fame principle, the promise made by the government to afford protection to all property—the fame rights are attached to every species of property, and the government is bound to afford an equal security to all. A sentence read yesterday, by a gentleman (Mr. S. Smith) from a writer upon the laws of nations, clearly lhews the fight, of nation to inake rcpriinl ilpjn nil the effetts of i individuals of an aggfcffiog nation indil | criminately, Jfock in the public Jutih ; which has Ikl*ii exempted, undev the idea of its being a pledge in the hands of go vernment, —the wi*h}K>kl:nfc of which, would be a breach of public faith. He believed that the practice and policy of some nations, might have given rife to this diftindtion, b<it be doubted whether the practice had been uniform and univer sal, and he was 'clear that there was no rational diftindtion in principle. The idea that the public funds are a pledge in the hands of government and ought slot there fore to be touched, is equally applicable . to every other species ot property. In the cafe of contracts between individuals, the government guarantees the perform ance upon the refuial of one party to pay, or comply. In ths cafe of lands or per sonal chattels, the government guarantees the exclusive enjoyment to the proprietor; - it would be equally a violation of faith, for the government to deny its obligation ; in the one cafe, as in the other, and no- j thing could juftify an invasion of the j rights of property, in any cafe, but Seif- ■ preservation—the JirJl of all rights, and , the highest of all duties. . i He positively denied that any pre-emi- , nence was due to one species of property, j over,another. He said, however, that tins j discussion was not immediately necelfary, , as the resolution under consideration, did not embrace the stock in the funds of the United States. (To be continued.) Foreign intelligence. PARIS, December 14. Yefteiday Anacharfis Clootz, and Dll - both deputies of the C.invention, ■ were expelled from tlie Jacobin Society ; j Roberfpierre chiefly prompted their ex pulsion, and was much applauded. All of the officers and crew of the snip ' l'Apollon, sent from Toulon to Rochfort, by permission of lord Hood, h.lve been accused of an intention to corrupt the pub lic mind, and delivered up to the revolu tionary tribunal eftablUhed in that place. The act of accufatton pafied against them contained the following cbargts: " That it is proved by the diaries kept by the prisoners, that they cali the most distinguished patriots, anarchifls, ruffians, hangmen, cut-throats, wortty children of Marat; that they drained ever)- nerve to dissolve the Popular Society ; that they trod the national badge under foot, hoifttd the white cockade,cried Vive LouisXVll. and datad their writings in the firft year of his reign ; that it had been in their power to save the French squadron, and that they preferred to deliver it up to the English ; that they reiteiately rtfufed to quit the harbor and engage the hoflile squadron, by which Toulon would have been saved ; that they furnifhed detach ments to light against Carteaux; that they received and dillributed among the crews considerable sums to corrupt them ; that they corresponded with the emigrants; that they contributed to the infamous ar rest of the Representatives Bayle and Beau vais : finally, that they demanded certifi cates, attesting their good conduit of the traitors of Toulon." They were all found guilty, and fuffer ed death by the guillotine. The commissioners at Bordeaux, in a letter dated Nov. 30, slate, that the guil lotine is busy in decapitating the rich, the merchants and monopolizers. On the 28th all the a&ors of the Great Theatre were put under arrest as aristocrats. A great number of fuipecied persons were also taken into custody the lame night, out of the number of 2000 pcrfans who were at the theatre. The female citizen Marbenf, a mer chant, has been committed to the priion of St. Pelagie, on a charge of monopoly. In her cattle at Champ, a small village, the officers found 18,000 swt. of soap, 15000 weight of sugar, between 15 and 16,000 chaldrons of charcoal, 30,000 faggots, and a great quantity of coffee, kali, and other articles of merchandifc, which has been put in circulation. In the night of the 30th ult. 200 of the most principal merchants of Bourdeaux were put under arrest, and will be deliver ed up to the revolutionary tribunal to be guillotined. December 17. For some days pall the Parisian bakers are lo afraid of the guillotine, that the people are served in due time with all the tilde fliops can affbtd, Their (hops are nevsr opened before nine o'clock, and this in the presence of a commiffiouer of ' polic*. December 19. The revolutionary tribunal hasjuft con demned to d(jath the following peflons, viz. Anthony Machi, grocer, and James Louis Tonnelier, mercer, both commifii oners of equipment ; and Bernard Le monier.and John Baptist Giblin, taylors ; —all convidted of dilapidation of the funds of the Republic by fraudulent purchases. FRANCE. NATIONAL CONVENTION. Sunday, Nov. 10. " We have long," said Seyes, " wished to fee reason triumph over fuperttition and fanaticifm. The day at length arrived, and I rejoice at it as one of the greatest. bk'flings that could happen to the French Republic. Though I have for many years laidafide the ecclesiastical character, let me, however, be permitted to declare at present, that I know no other worship than that of liberty and equality, and no other religion than the love of mankind and my country. I have lived victim of superstition, but I was never its inttrument. , None can fay he was ever deceived by me; | and maily are indebtd to me for the truth. ! At the moment my reason was disengaged from the fatal prejudices by which it was fettered the energy of infurrefltion entered mv heart. Since that period I have been retained in my facredotal habit by the fame force which retained other free fouls in chains. These were all destroyed on the day of the revolution. " I have been known only by my ef forts for liberty and equality It was as a plebeian, a Deputy of the People, and not as a Priest, for 1 was then no longer one, that I was called to the National Aficm bly. I cannot, like many of my colleagues, deiiver to you the paper or titles of my for mer Hate ; for a long time they have not been in existence. I have no relignation to gi?e in to you, because I have no eccleli a(lleal employment; but I have ftiil an of fering to make my countiy, that of an an nuity of 10,000 livres, which the law gave me as an indemnification for my for ukv be»e6cce. Permit me to depolite oa your table my formal renunciation of that pension." The Convention ordered this speech to be inleited in the minutes. Thursday, January 2. Roberfpierre, jun. from Toulon, as cended the tribune, and spoke as follows : " You know the exploits of the loldiers of the Republic. The capture of the Eng lilh redoubt has decided the fate of Eu rope. The enemy had exhausted all the resources of art and genius to profit by it Well, the defenders of liberty wanted to take it, and they became matters of if."— He now traced the pitture of the cruelty of the Englifli, who threatened the patri ots with cutting out their tongues, and pouring.boiling lead into their brains, so escape such cruelties, Bayle made away with himfelf. Beauvais, who survived, fuffered such fnocking treatment in his dungeon, that the features of his face are so much altered as to render it difficult to know him again.—' 1 have now,' conti nued Roberfpierre, ' to speak to you res pecting the army of Italy, to which you sent me. That army encamped on huge rocks, in the midst of the snow, tar from the woods, havirig every where frefh ob stacles to conquer, and redoubts to carry, flew, for these five months pad, from one victory to another. Its valour has been too little celebrated : too little lias been said refpe&in'g the affair of Cillat, where 1000 Republicans, commanded by the brave Dugomier, conquered 4QOO men, and took 800 prisoners, and where a poll, defended by too men, liood an attack of 12 hours againtt rooo assailants. That army has not only the enemy to combat, 1 but it is also surrounded by thousands of 1 alLffins : The peasants kill our brave ibl t diers, and instances of this kind are daily [ renewed." Roberfpierre having informed ; the Convention that it had been the ene my's deiign to seize Provence, and having " unmafted the treachery of Kellernian, : who left the town of Entrevcan destitute of troops, cannon, and ammunition, con ; eluded by,mpving,, that the Afiemblv at trft by a decree, that the army of Italy had well deforced.. of the country. De j creed, and his report ordered to be insert : sd in the bulletin. * '■ Birrere read the following letters: From Dentiel, ReprefentatWe of, he P , . % at Landan. "P* " Landau, Dec. 18, I 7„. fc or the French Rq, u b®t divfible, Srft y J r of I Con Caution, firfl hour ©f Ac of the blockade. "^Maing " Vidoire ! Vive la ReMfcem,, O my friends, my dear coUe^.a" nerators of all polterity, once " The blockade of Landau is raised are free ; our slavery is at an rn(L Oar'w thers, our saviours are here. WlmtranWr prevails among us! I am carrirf beyond felf! Omy country, thou art fired ; 1 aj-7 with my brother ioldiem, lave a»<J th£ place, so important to the republic. We ha™- braved the bombardment and the Tain toe naces of these audacious combined tvrants - the bearers will inform you of particular. I wait your orders, to fly hn o your inform you of the fucctfs of the Frrnchlnd the total defeat of tyrants. (SignedJ « j. p. DENT7.PT « Citizens," continued Barrere, "Surhis the result of the courage of your armies, such are the fruits of your labors. Fort iJ is blockaded; tyranny will not long nor it. What remains to be done for the Re public ? Forthwith to enfranchife the P-rea nees, who have forgot the viacru-s of Ren cevaux and the siege of Barcelona. Then to chafe away the difereet Cobcum f rom Conde, Valenciennes and Qucfnov, and to give him once more a Belgie lefim. In fine to strike and punift London, that haujjhtr' banking, mercantile, rr.inifleriaj, aad r ov ii city, that devours the earth, tyrannize* the seas, plunders Europe, and debafc the morals of every people.—lt is, Above all, on this courageous garrison of Landaa that the committee think it their duty to fix yoiir re gards. Locked within the eiitmy'* country, abandoned almost to themfdves for more than four months, ignorant of what French valour was meditating for their d lhnrance, imagine what constancy it must require, and with what courage they must arm themfeWes from day to day ! they refitted ail kjids cf corruption. The enemy was desirous even, by urgent felicitation, to make them dtfpiTe i their General, and to name a Chief devoted to himfelf." UNITED STATES. BOSTON, April 2. FROM CAPE-ANN, April 1. " Yesterday arrived here a vcffel frcm St. Vincents, in 13 days pillage, confirm* _ ' tfae~ agreeable intelligence, Thar the nevA orders had arrived there from Eisgknd, not to molest any American veflcls; and all processes were to cease against those already taken. This vcffel fpofce with a droger from Grenads, which confirmed the fame news. Before the veHel {ailed from St. Vinccnts, intelligence lad been received from Martinico, that the Engliih forces had attacked Fort Republic, and had beeu repulsed with the loss of krrcn hundred men." yl CorrefponAeht ajfcrls, That the orders for the release of A merican vefiels have actually beea received in the Wrft Indies, and that they ha«-al tered the countenances of the plunderer* very much. Several Captains at St. f .u ---ftatia are said to have repaired to St. Kitts to receive their vefiels. Heaven grant the intelligence may be true, and that the fails of our vefTels may speedily whiten the harbors of the United States. If true it is to be lamented thai so many oflEcttsand seamen have been forced to leave the Xflaods. On Monday last arrived here, Captain Crocker, in the schooner Ann, from Mar tinico, which lie left about the sth of March. Captain C's veflel was of those taken when that part of the iCand was captured where he lay. He with all the itiafters of neutral veflels, were felt on shore to live at their own cxpettce; the rriatps and sailors were put on beard a large (hip provided for that purpose; they were not under a guard, and had two boats provided for them to go on fiwre when they pleased ; that they ltad only two thirds of an allowance; that a ntsn ber of the American seamen, abont 40, were prefled on board the Britifli ibijjs cl war; the vefTels had all their fail* unbent, yards and toprnafts ilrnck, with a gcaro onboard, "who plundered them of whate ver they pleased. This veflel vns est here to bring M. Bellegarde, a genera! ot colour, in the service of the-Republic, who capitulated to the English, and i S ret ' able tu capitulation, was fe"t here to ao American vcffel. Capt C's cargo all taken on fiiore, or the head* <* casts stove in ; His adventure him, such articles only excq>tec» St
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers