a private- :izen, it is true; let hirti
fclutler and below—rejoice when his fellow
creatures are enslaved or murdered —toast
the Baftile or the Guillotine ; words are
but wind; let them alone and they pass
harmless away: 13ut such a man is not fit
for a ruler. A ruler mull be a MAN; a
man of feeling, who can make allowances
for the frailties of human nature. He
mull be of no party, for the moment he
espouses the fide of a party he becomes
prejudiced and fees every thing by halves.
The idea of rcfentment or revenge,
Ought never to be cherished by an earthly
judge ; vengeance belongs to the Lord.
Foreign Intelligence.
NATION A CONVENTION.
March 8.
General CVtaux, in a letter complained
that he had been kept 74 days in irons,
without a trial, and requelted his speedy
judgment.—He lamented that he could
not go and (hed his blood to save the re
public—Referred to the committee of ge
neral fafety.
In the name of the commission of cus
toms, and of the united committees of
public fafety, commerce, legislation, ai)d
marine, Bourdon presented the following
plan of a decree, which was adopted:
1. The treaties of navigation and com
merce exiftingbetween Fiance and those
nations with whom (he is at peace, shall
be executed in their form and tenor,
without changing them in the lead by
the present decree.
If. All nations, v.hose govermcnt is at
peace with the republic, have a right
to the justice and friendfhip of the
French nation. All those foreign nati
ons who commit no hostilities against
France, shall be treated in the lame
manner:
111. In all those ports and places of
France which are not interfered by a
foreign territory, the fame laws, de
crees aud tariffs, shall be observed.
IV. The foreign vessels, and the Flench
vessels coming from abroad, shall not
be permitted to anchor in the islands of
Corsica, Crtfix, Bouin, La Croifiere,
Noirmoutier, Ifle-Dieu, Billifle, U(h
ant, the Island of the Mountain, Mole
Nehedic, l(k des Saints, the Isles of
Rhe, Oberon, and other great or small
islands, unless they are in flrefs, or ob
liged to come to anchor.
V. The commodities and produftiotis of
territory, of filhing, and fait, drawn
from the places denominated by article
IV. shall pay no duty in the Fren:h
ports ; but no manufactured goods shall
be imported from those places in France.
VI. French (hips may be dispatched from
the places pointed out in article IV.
from one harbor to another, the fame
as for a French harbor.
VII. Those articles, the importation of
which is lawful from the United States
of America to the French colonies,
shall not be exported from the said colo
nies to France.
The convention having ordered a writ
ten hand bill to be read, beginning thus:
" Sans Culottes, It is time—order the ge
neral to be beat and concluding with,
" Because I speak truth itfelf;" Referred
the said bill to the public accuser of the
revolutionary tribunal of Paris, charging
him to make, without delay, the ftrifteft
search after the authors, accomplices, dis
tributers or flickers of the said hand-bill.
March 9.
Bourbotte sent the Correspondence of
the rebels of La Vendee ; and adds to his
letter the following paragraphs :
" Among those papers, some are ex
tremely precious ; they show the villainy
of certain individuals who sported among
us the most energetic patriotism, and cor
refpooded at the fame time with chiefs of
the Banditti.
" Several among them have already ex
piated their signal treachery with theit
heads. If the committee to whom these
pieces are referred examines them atten
tively, it will find that there are many
more traitors to be brought to condign
punishment.
"I also fend back the Seal which the
Felrconftituted Superior council of Cha
tillon used for its a&s, and the plate with
which they fabricated falfe aflignats."
A deputation from several popular soci
eties from the southern departments, com
plained that Carras and Freron, the repre
ntatives of the people who helped so
much in promoting the fecaptiirc of Tou
lon, had been dtnounced and recalled.
Freron immediately after ascended the
Tribune, and spoke as follows: " Citi
zens, we are jull arrived from the army in
Italy: Slander preceded us to this hall ;
but we earnestly supplicate you to pre
judge nothing, till you have heard the sa
cred accents of truth from our lips, and
difcomfited the mancevres of those intrig
ing men who wanted to struggle againit
the national Reprefenfation, and to debase
it. We demand of you to be heard on
the 21 ft of March.—Decreed.
UNITED STATES.
ALEXANDRIA, May 13.
Copy of a Letter from a gentleman in Phi
ladelphia, to his friend in this town.
Philadelphia, May 1 ft, 1794.
Dear Sir,
AS you have been pleased to request
my opinion on the present state of our po-,
litical lituation, I cannot refufe to comply
with your wishes, however incompetent I
feel myfelf to develope it fully.
The transactions in Europe certainly
exhibit the most wonderful scene of things
to be found in the annals of man. They
can be measured by no events of ancient
or modern times. They form an unique
in the biftory of the world : and in what
they will terminate, no human wifdomcan
conclude. I heartily pray that the result
may be a melioration of the condition of
mankind, and general peace aud happi
ness to the human race. I particularly
pray that the storms of France may fjon
subside ; and that we may soon fee this
wonderful people in the tranquil enjoy
ment of peace, liberty, and good govern
ment, the just reward of heroes, and which
ft is our happiness to possess.
In this tremendous agitation of human
things, the United States are placed in a
most.delicate and critical situation. A situ
ation which calls for the firineft courage
and most deliberate prudence. To support
our dignity without riflhing into the in
calculable calamities of war ; and to main
tain peace which is filling our country with
riches, and every day making prodigious
additions to our (Ircngth without humili-,
at ion, is the difficult talk imposed on our
government. Happiiy we have at the.
head of our administration, a man, who
in war, having defended lis with the shield
of Mars, seems in peace, to be guided by
the wisdom of Minerva.
The conduCt of the court of Great
Britain, has certainly 'been infxplieablv
mysterious, and in some inltances, has dis
covered Itrong tokens of deep-rooted ha
tred, and hostility towards this country.
Often have my refentraents urged ir.e to
measures of passionate re*enge: Often to
favor the prohibition of the importation
of articles the growth and manufacture
of Great Britain and Ireland, and the se
questration of debts due from American
citizens to Britilh fubjt&s, measures,
which, though proposed in the House of
Representatives, seem to have been dictat
ed rather by a generous indignation, than
by calm and deliberate prudepce. But
public bodies, as well as individuals, have
their honest resentments; and it is as diffi
cult for the one as for the other* under
circumstances of extreme irritation, per
fectly to controul their passions ; nor are
either to be censured, if they sometimes
yield to their power. However, it is a
truth, of which every man's experience
must convince him, that passion is not a
good counsellor—that it frequently leads
us into errors of which we bitterly repent
for the whole course of our lives: and
when we are molt provoked, we ought
most to fufpedt its advice, and fly to the
aid of reafoo, which will, of course, al
ways give us good counsel. If this is so
necelTary m individuals, it is (till more ne
cellary in public servants, on whose con
duct not merely their pcrfonal interests,
but the fafety, the peace, and the happi
neis of the whole people depends. They
ought for ever to banish from ther hearts,
lo mdifcreet an adviser, and confuting tea
ion only, pursue in the most prudent and
temperate way, measures which ftiall ap
pear belt calculated, on mature reflection,
to guard the public peace—the greatc) of
human bleJmgs—Md to eftabliffi the gener
haPP'»f- It mult be confefled, how
ever, to be extremely difficult under the
tain «tf ° f °. Ur l3tC in j uHeS ' to Ob
tain all that patience of character which I
have defenbed to be so necelTary. Per
haps it does not belong to the nature of
I will, howevtr, endeavor in the fol
lowing observations, to give you the le
fult of my most difpaflionate . reflections
on the present ihteielting crisis of our
nation.
I have ever viewed the court of Great
Britain as hostile to the prosperity of the
United,Stites. For it may be regarded
as a fad, founded on human nature, that
thr person, who, deliberately and maliciouj
ly injures another, never forgives him, be
cause the injured party is a continual me
mento of his folly and vice, and acts as a
perpetual goad to his confciencc. Apply
ing this principle to the court of Great
Britain, I am led to believe that thair
unjust and unfuccefsful attempt on our li
berties, still rankles in their bosom. Be
sides they cannot fnppofe that we can.
heartily forget the injuries they did us.—
And it is certain that we have not forgiv
en nor forgotten them. Consequently
there exists a mutual hatred and jcaloufly
between the court of Great Britain and.
this country. Yet, notwithstanding the
unfriendly disposition of the British gov
ernment towards us ; and our antipathy
to it, it is certainly the interest of the
people of the United States, and of the
people of Britain, to maintain a peacea
ble and friendly commercial intercourse
with each other. And it is more our in
tereji than theirs.
I have never been surprised, that the
British court regarding us as a people ini
micaltoit, should view with pain our grow
ing wealth and strength ; particularly the
increase of our commerce and marine im
portance.
They must have seen with peculiar re
gret, these things effected principally by
the agescy of Britiih capital. British
gold and British fubjefts were continually
flowing in, to improve and people the U
nited States, at the cxpence of their na
tion. Observing these things and regard
ing us as an unfriendly nation, it was na
turally to be expedted, that the British
court would be inclined to check a com
merce which was undermining their
strength ; and that they would be tempt
ed to fei/.e the firft colourable pretext—
to annihilate a navigation which threaren
ed to rival their own. Having the com
mand of the ocean, it is unfortunately too
'much in their power to accomplish such
dcfigns ; and that they have meditated
such a policy, is probable from the recent
tranfaftions in the Weft Indies. But the
very reasons which may have suggested
such a policy to the British court ought
to have induced us to have permitted the
commetce to have remained in the slate in
which it was. Under this view of the re
lative interests and dispositions of the two
countries, I ever thought commercial re
ftriftions, dire&ly pointed againlt Great
Britain, impolitic. They might prompt
the court to execute plans of mifchief a
gainst us, which they probably only wait
ed for a pretext to attempt. By leaving
to the people of Great Britain the bene
fits of the commerce they enjoyed, I
wish to interest them in the preservation of
our peace, and to make them a counter
pbife to any hoflile designs their court
might meditate against us. lam appre
hensive that a systematic plan to turn our
commerce from that country, would be
considered by the people of Great Bri
tain, as a proof of implicable hatred to
them, and regarding us no longer as
friends, but enemies, they might be in
duced to support with zeal, any attempts
which their cabinet might be inclined to
make, to distress and weaken us.
" When I recoiled what immense por
tions of British capital, till the late inter
ruption of our commerce, were daily sent
to be veiled in the vacant lands of this
country, and other important and perma
nent improvements : when I recoiled how
many of the fubjeds of his Britannic ma
jelly, were not only fending their money
to add to the riches, but coming themselves
to encreafe the number and force of the
United States. I recoiled a commerce
which was peaceably and gradually under
mining the strength of the Britith empire,
and raising our own on its ruins.
iC Ihe wealth accumulated by their a -
mazing industry, and commerce Teemed
destined to improve and aggrandize the
United States. Under such circumstan
ces, if we consulted our revenge only, we
ought to desire nothing but peace, and
the commerce we lately enjoyed. The
truth is, time fights for us. Time fights
against them. If we will trust to time,
we shall find him a powerful friend, who
will render us conquerors—rich conquer
ors.
The Brittffi mtrft have too much
sagacity to.be inattentive to all these circum.
fiances ; and viewing, us as an enemy and
rival nation, they may have felt a disposition
to check the commercial inteicourfe between
the two countries, and may probably be in
clined to use the empire of the ocean, which
they poflefs, to strike a hlpw which would
put our navigation ba.k for twenty years:
It is probable, therefore, that the Britilh court
•would not have been displeased with the pas
sage of the bill lately rejefled by the Senate,
to prohibit the importion of articles of the
growth or manufacture of Great Britain or
Ireland—First, because t',;ey may wifli to
check a commerce which is more beneficial
to us than to them ; and second, bccaule
this meafiire might enrage the people of Bri
tain agaiall us so as to enable the court to
execute any plans for our injury which it
might design.
(To be Continued.)
BOSTON, May 9.
The Militia.
A we'll organized and difciplinc'd militia,
has been long acknowledged the palladium
of a free country. In that fituatiori, the
millitia are equally ready to refill any en
croachments on their rights as mun, or
exteufion of power, in their local govern
ment ; and to protedl their country from
invasion and plunder, by extraneous ar
mies.
On Tuesday last, there was a g'eneral
examination of the equipments of the mi
litia, throughout the commonwealth, and
we have the pleasure to learn, they were,
in general,- well furiiifhed, agreeaLly to
the prescription of the law. The Button
regiment, hy the unremitted exertions of
the commanders of the different wards, ap
peared in complete uniform. Too much
praise cannot be b-ftowed on those, who,
without profped of reward, and to the
injury of their private bulincfs, have placed
the militia info refpeftable a f;tuat.ion ;
apd to those who havegeneroufly fubferib
ed to this laudable purppfc. The compa
nies of Captain's Homer and Johnson,
appeared with elegant new flaftdards.
AMERICA.
PROVIDENCE, J&yW
His Excellency Arthur Fenner; iicho
fen Govenor, and >
The Honfable Samuel J. Pptter, Ef<£
Deputy-Governor, of the ttatt of Rbode-
Island. _ .
BASSETERRE,(St. Kitts) March 29.
The annals of modern history, perhaps do
not record so brilliant and glorious a eon
queft as the taking of Mart'nique ; from
the landing of the troops o 1 the 6th ot
February not 11 moment was loft, and in
less than fix weeks every quarter of the is
land was in pofleffion of the Britifli; the
fort of Calabafle was stormed, St. Pierre,
Trinite, Le Cros Morns, Cul de Sac, de
Cohee, Cafe Navire, were taken with a ra
pidity incredible ; Gener :1 Belgarde's camp
llormed and taken ; the ft rang and regular
fortified Fort Louis llormed ; and lattly,
the hitherto deemed impregnable, Fbrt
Bourbon surrendered at discretion; the
unanimi'y that has subsisted between the
soldiers and sailors, has no example in the
annals of Britifli history.
BERMUDA, April 5.
In the Southern Colonies of America
we are told the national cockade is worn
generally ; in the other States they border
nearly to madness ; clubs are held fimiliar
to the Jacobins in France ; and <ve are in
formed that some guillotines are a> a ually
arrived in the States. Town and field meet
ings have been held in many parts, all of
which breathe the greatest refentmyii to the
English, and threaten deftruflion to that
nation whom they generally suppose to be
no more than a small island, and easy to be
conquered.
PHILADELPHIA,
MAY 20,
Yesterday in the House of Reorefcntativ."!
of the United States, Mr. Sedgwick callcd
up the bill, some time since reported by him
puri'uant to orders of the hoiile tor r.ai/ingi
orgamzidg, and equipping an additional pro
•vifional military force —The firlt fetSiort of
which fpe ifies the number of men thus to
be raised viz. 25,000 —This ie£Mon after
some debite was ftruc!: out —Mr. Sedgwick
then moved the follow ..g as a fubflitulc for
the firft fc&iee —" That there fh a ll be raised
upon the terms and conditions hereinafter
mentioned, an additional proviiionr.l military
fore, to consist of non-commiP
fioned officers, privates and musicians, to-