Vatlel fays pofltively that " effe&s belonrmg 'to " an enfcmy foun I .on board a neutral (hip, are " fcizable by the tights of wai 1 ." Agreeably to i his long efta.lifted rule of the law of nations,' France herfelf, in her marine laws, has dire&ed tha' the rnerchandiv.it ami rfftfts belonging to her ene mies -which Jhall be found on board neural vej/'els jhall be good prixe. By a former law, indeed, the neutral veflels ihemfelveg, as well as the effects of her enemies on b«ard, we> e declared to be good prize. Valin remarks, however, that this regula tion was peculiar to France and Spain ; and that e4fewhi?re the goods of the enemy were alone fub jefted to confifcation. And in the treaty of France with the city of Hamburgh in 1769, it was sti pulated that " all effefls, provisions and merchan " diic whatsoever belonging to her enemies, and found on board the veflels of Hamburgh (hould be coi.fifc#ted." Mr Artet remarks, that one of his predecclTors, in July 1793. applied on this fubjeft to the govern nrent of the United S'ates, but was nnfuccrfsful. He mult refer to Mr. Genet's letter to Mt. Jt-ffer -8f«, dated July 9, 1793, [the fuhjeA was resumed in terms Hill meie extraordinary in his letter of July ajth, 1793,] to which Mr. jefferfon answered on the 34th, declaring " bis belief that it cannor be " doubted, but that by the general law of nations, *' the goods of a friend fpuiid in the vessel of an " enemy are lawful prize. It is true that sundry " nations, desirous of avoiding the inconveniences " of having their vefTels stopped at sea, ransacked, «« carried into port and detained, under pretencc " of having enemy goads on board, have, in many " inflawces, introduced, by theirfpecial treaties, ano " ther principle between them, that enemy bottorrts «' (hall mak« enemy goods, and friendly bottoms " friendly goods—but this is altogether the cffedl " of particular .treaty, controling, in fpetial cases, " the general principle of the law of nations, and " therefore taking effect between such nations only " at have fa agreed to control it." And it is plain, that it was to avoid the inconveniences re* fulting from this general rule of the law of nations, that France and the United St/tes stipulated, in the 23d article of their comrriercjfcl, treaty, " That free " (hips should give freedom to goods ; and that " every thing (hould be deemed fret which (hould " he found on board the Slips belonging to the " fubjetis of either of the contra&ing parties, al " though the whole lading, or any patt thsreof, " (hould appertain to the enemies of either, con " traband goods being always excepted." It is alto slain that this ftipulatiou was intended to ope rate (indeed it was its sole objeA, and otherwise could have no operation at all) when one of the parties fliould be at war with a nation, or nations, with whom the other at peace. France, therefore, has now no right to complain if the goods of her enemies find protection on board American (hips, or 1o pretend, that,in order "T» " reflore the balance of neutrality to its equilibri. " um, 1 (he may feiie on such goods : the jurt equi librium between her and the United States will be reftorcd when we are at war and (he at ; at which time the geodiof our enemtes.will find pro tection on board the veflels of her citizens. 2d. It is alledged that we have abandoned the modern public law on contraband, and by our trea ty with Gieat-Brftain granted to that pawer exclu fively the free carriage of articles for the equipment and armament of veflels. Here, as in the former ease, the question recurs, what is thr law of nations on the point in dispute ? Vaitel defines contraband goods to be " comkjiodi " ties particularly ofed in war--fuch are arms, mi " litary and naval Mores, timber, horfee, and even *' provisions in certain juoitures, when there are " hopes of reducing the eftemy by famine." In the treaty between France and Denmark, conclud ed oh the 23d of August, 1742 —"Tar was de " clared contraband, together with resin, fails, " hemp, cordage, mails, and timber fsr (hip biiil ;"ding.'* " Thus, on this account (fays Valin) " there would have been no cause far complaining 41 of the crinduit of the English, if they had not •• infringed particular treaties ; for of right thefc *' things are now contraband, and have been so since " the beginning of this century, which, howevc, 4 * was not the cafe formerly." " The modern pub " lie law on contraband," mentioned by Mr. Adet and his predeceflora, probably refers to the princi ples declared by the armed neutrality? during .the American War. This tranfa&ion is too remarka ble to be passed unnoticed. During that war/ Gieat.Britain and the other belligerent powers, exercising the rights adored to them by the law of nations, made prize of enemies property on board neutral veflels, and of contraband goods belonging to neutrals. Eageras neutial 11a- j tions must be to seize the opportunity which war presents, of becoming the tarrieis for the bellige rent nations, where (hips and mariners are wanted for military cpeiatiens, it was petfeftly natural that the former (hould deiire to establish as a rule, that frce(hips (hould made free goods ; or in other words, that neutral bottoms (hould protest the goods on board, to whomsoever these belonged ; and it was equally natuial.for them to deflre to diminish the lilt of contiabaßd. In refpeft to the latter, it must have been particularly interesting t® the three nor thern Bioiitime powers, ftoM dominions chiefly the other maritime nations of Europe re n. smith, R. Sprigg, S-wanwici, fin Allen, Van Cortlandt, ''enable, IVilliams.—tf. NAYS.' , n^. e J rS> ' mej ' Bailey, Bradbury,. Bryan, Burgess, Lbriftte, Dana, Davenport, Dearborn, A. Foflcr. D. Fojler, franklin. Freeman, GiUtfpie, Grifauold, Harper, Henderfon, Holland, /!. Jack/on, G. Jackson Locke, S. Lyman, W Lyman, Maclay, Macon, Mal bone, Potter Read, Sherborne, Smith, N. Smith, Strudavtck, Sa,ift, Thatcher, Thomas, Tbumofon, Varnum, WadJworth, Winn. ■ 391 After a considerable debate on the latter part of the resolution, viz. " for laying a direct tax on (laves with certain exceptions," the question was take* by yeas and nays 1 , as follows : Yeas —Messrs. Ame <, Baldwin, tlount, Bradbury, Brent, Rvck, "Cabel, Chri/lie, Claiborne, Coles, Copp er, Craik Davenport, D,nt, tge, Findley, A. Fojler, Franklin, Gallatin, Gillefpie, Gil man, Glenn, Green up. Gregg, Grove, Hnmptcn, Hancock, Harper, Har rifon, HartJey. Hathorn, Havens, Hindman, Holland, A. Jackson, K.ttera, I.oek, S. Lyman, Maclay, Ma con, Madison, Milledge, Moore, Muhlenberg, Mur ray, New, Nicholas, Qrr, Page, Parker, Patten, Prejlon, Rutherford, Seiuall, Sitgrea-ves, Israel Smith, IJaac Smith, S.Smith, If. Smith, Sprigg, Strudzuick, Swanwick, Kan Allen, Fan Cortlandt, Venable, Wadf worth, Williams, ffinit. —68. Nays Mejfrs. Bryan, Burgess, Ccit, Dana, Dear born, D. Fojler, Freeman, Goodrich, Grifivold, Hen derfon, ft. Jackson, W. Lyman, Malba t, Potter, Read, Sherborne, Jeremiah Smith, N. Smith, Swift, Thatcher, 'Thomas, Thompson, Varnum—l j.. The main quefton was thert put on the resolution together, aad the yeas and nays, thereupon, when it was carried 49 to 39, the fame members voting in the' affirmative and negative as upon the firft question, ex cept that Messrs. Baldwin, Cooper and Livingfton, who voted in the affirmative on the firft question, wers absent when this was taken, and Meflrs. Claiborne. Gregtr, Parker, and S. Smith, were present and vot ed in the yeas on this question. In the nays, MK Strudwick who voted on the firft question was absent on thii, and Mr. Hampton was present in this and aD fent on the firft call. The refolut'ion was then referred to the committee of ways and meins to bring in a bill accordingly. The houfc went into a committee of the whole on the bill for carrying into efTeft thf laws of the United States in the ftatc of ! enneflee, and after some debate, the committee rose and had leave tn fit again. Adjom ned to Monday. By this day's Mail. CHARLESTON, December 30. Arrivals yesterday. Days. Ship George, Rice Philadelphia 7' Dauphin, Barklay Cape-Nichola Mole 29 Brig Clinton, Norris Surinam 33 Schooner Amity,-Aammond' Ma hias 20 Sloop Joana, Briggs Norfolk 6 Capt. Rice (aw the South-Carolina at anchor in the rivci on the 2 ill, where he had lam from the 15th. The extremity of the weather was so great, as to leave no doubt in Capt. Rice's mind of the river being ckded. Mole.Si. Nicholas, 27th November, 1796. Lift of American veflels now in this pott, a;id wishing for aconvoy to Poit-au Prii.ef, viz. Snow H umonv, MatlhaH, from Charleston Sckoo'ier Venu3, Hazard, da. B'ig Hannah, Ha'ton, Norfolk Schooner Eliza, M«ffat, do. Bri» Gruger, Tinkei, v Philadelphia Polly, Rolth, do. Emilia, Huttings, do. Ship Delena, Skinner, New-York Sihooncrjohn, Lambeth, Norfolk NORFOLK, Janua.iy 12. The fchoener Sifters of Baltimore, artived here on Monday evening last, in 19 days from Cape- Francois, we are informed, that the cOmmiilioneis from the French republic at the Cape have declar ed, all'the southern par s of St. Domingo in a Hate of revolt, ainj thai the refpefiive ports are eon(ider«d in a state of blockade. All veflels and eargoei bound to or coming from that pa 11 of the I island are conlidered liable to capture and condem nation. BALTIMORE, January 19. Yeft« r day arrived captain Webb, »f the fchoo ner after a paflage of 28 days (rum Boftan, vis Norfolk and Aanapulis ; he informs that the Prevoyante was (on Monday last) lying in Hamp ton R®ads, and that commodore Bai aey's frigates were at Norfolk ; onp of which was heaving down. NEW-YORK, January 20. The canvass of the voles of this state is now finifhed, and the following gentlemen are eledled to represent this state in the Congrefi»-of the Unit ed States, for two years from the 4th of March next. •James Cochran, £)avid Brooks, Henry Glenn, * Lucas Elmendsrph John Williams, P. Vail Courilandt, Jiihn E. Va-i Allen, Jona. Ha*en, •Hezekiah L. Hofmer, TlioPe marked thus * are new members. ARRIVALS. Days. Btig Gen. Warren, Rice Gottenberg 97 Schooner Liberty, Buckley Hifpaniola 17 Anny, Woodman Cape-Francois 25 Sloop Polly, Boardman | do. 21 From the log-book of the schooner Hawk, Capt. Hunt from Barbadoes. On Friday, 23d December, at 4, P. M. the island of Defeada bearing E. S. E. saw a 1 nail fail to windward, 10 company with a large brig, who immediately bore down upon me, and after running about an hour, finding it impoflible to es cape him, I hove two — Upon her coming along fide, I was bailed, and in.broken Engliih, defircd to hoist out my boUand come on board, with my papers—Upon my atrival on board the piivateer, hey rie ained rae, and sent the boat to the schoo ner( with fix men, armed with pistols and cutlafles, a examine her. In the intermediate time, the aptainoverhauled my papers, examined and re timed them, without faying any thing to me. I fljed him what that brig was to windward—he infoimed me (he was a -biig from Portland, laden with provifionSj bound t» Martinique, which he a hid taken and ffnt for GuadaAwpe. I aflted the name of the veflel and captain, hut h? would in form me (if neither—would give me no intelli gence relative to the Situation of Guadalovpe,- but said t(iey had five American veffeli at Point-a Petre Under condemnation. Upon the return of the boat, I found they had brought with them a French gentlen#in, who had been taken at St. Lucia, wat then upon hi* parol#, and had taken his passage with me to Philadelphia for the reco very of his health : they detained him on board, but deiired me to depart with the reft, and make the belt of my wiy. Upon ipy return 011 board,! I found they had examined the trunks of two pas sengers, and overhauled every thing, but taken no thing—onlv threatening to carry them into Gus daloupe as Englilhmen, and put them in jail. Late Foreign Intelligence. Frcm tht London Gazette Extraordinary. from our !aft. J Admiralty Office, November 3,1796. Difpatehes, of which the following are copies, (bro't by Captain JobH Aylmer, of his Majefty'a Clip Tre mendous) were this day received from the honorable Vica Admiral, Sir George Keith llphinftone, K. B. Monarch, Saldanha Bay, Auguji 19,1796. Sir, I have the honor to inrlofe a lift of a Dutch fquad on under the command of Rear Admiral Enijelbertus Lucas, lent hither for the reduction of this colony, but which were compelled to surrender by eapitulation, on the 17th inftaut, to the detachment of his Majesty's Clips undtr my commind, named in the margin*, on the terms also inclofeit, For further particulars I beg leave to refer you to the accompanying detail of the proceedings of the squadron from the 4t)vto the Bth inft. and I hope the Lords Commissioners of the Ad miralty will approve the measures I have taken, so es sential te the Britifli commercial interest in the East. Ihe ships are all coppered and in good condition, except the Caflor, wliofe rudder is defective. In juft'ice to the officers and men I have the honor to command, it is iny duty to observe, that, in conle quence of the mod violent tempestuous weather I eyer beheld, and the very unpleasant fittution in which the squadron was at limes placed, they chearfully, and much to their credit, underweul a degree of fatigue hardly credible. Caprain Aylracr will have the Jionor of presenting thei'e difpatehes. I beg leave to mention him to their Lordfliips, as a rei'peiSable Gentleman and an a ( i ifoi m me thai a number of fails had been seen the preceding night in the offing, near False-bay j, I theq refpjve ito ftecrto the Couth ward and weft, in" expedition of their having taken tfiat eourfc. i he fqjnlro; continued eruiling in the m»(l temj rftupiti wea'her I have evei experienced, which damaged many ot the fhip3, and at one time the Ruby had five feel water in her hold. We were joined at sea by his majesty's (hip Stately, Rattle snake and Echo fiopps. Oil the 12th L returned, with a frslh breeze blowing .frcm the fpuih east, upon anchoring in Simon's Bay, the master attendant Come ofF with information that the ships seen, consisting os-nine fail, had put into Saldanha Bay on the 6th, the fame day 011 which I had pro ceeded to sea ; that they remained there by the last advice, and that four ships had been difpaiched in quest of mq to communicate this welcome intelli gence. 1 immediately made the signal to fail, but the Crcfcent had got afhorc ; the wind blew strong and increased on the following day to a perfect tempest, in which the Tremendous parted two cables, drove, and was in great danger of being 1011, so that, not withstanding every exertion, and the n*jft anxious moments of ray life, we could not get out until the 15th. On the 16th the squadron arrived olf Saldanha Bay at sun-set, and the Crescent, which had been ordered a-head, to discover information and 10 re port, made the (ignal for the enemy, consisting of three ships of the line, three frigatti, and other (hips, being moored in the bay. The squadron Hood on into the Bay in the order of failing, but the night coming on, and the rear being too far extentjud for action, I judged it ex pedient to come to an anchor within (hot of th# euemy's (hips, and perceiving their numbers very inconfideraWe in comparison to the forces under my command, T confidcred it my duty, and an imam bent aft of humanity, to address the Dutch offieer in command, and consequently forwarded the lcttef to him, of which the enclosure, No. 3, is a copy, by lieutenant Coffin, of the Monarch, with a flag of truce; to this I received a verbal return, that a politive leply should be sent in the morning at day break. I was fearful the enemy might attempt to injure the (hips, and therefore ordered lieutenant Collin to return immediately with my letter No. 4. to which he brought back the reply No. 5. On the 17th, at nine in the morning, a Dutch officer came on board with a flag, and presented proposals of teims for capitulation, which you will observe in the correspondence, with my remarks and definitive letter ; and at five P. M. the terms contained in the inclosed copy were ultimately agreed upon, but it was impofiible to take pofTef fion of the (hips until the 18th, on account of the (lormy weather. It affords me the highest fatiifaftinn, therefore, to communicate to my lords eommiffioners of the admiralty, that a squadron of (hips belonging to the United States, under command of his ex cellency rear admiral Engtlberttis Lucas, has fur- to the Britilh force utider ray command, confilting of three fltips of the line, swo fine In fjates, tw« of 28 £Uns, and a flonp of (8 jfans, all completely coppered, stored and victualled, toge ther with a large laden store (hip, the names of which are described in the inclofure No. 6, and the Britilh ships, to whom they are prizes, in the in elofure No. 7. The consequent joy of this fortunate event it much augmented from the eonfulatory reflcAion on it's accompli'hmeitt without effufion of human blood, or injury to either of the enemy's or Britilh (hips, n«t a single shot having been filed. T must, however, beg leave to observe, tVat any refiftaace on the part of the eneiwy could only have occasioned the wanton facrifite of a few lives; and I doubt not, that had their numbers been adequate to contention, their eondu& would have confirmed the acknowledged merit at all times reeorded to the martial spirit «f fubjefls of the United Stales ; and I can with similar confidence afl'ure you, that the officers and men under my command would have exhibited a conduct equally ereditable to tIK-m ----felves. The repeated advic»s communicated in your let ters, refpefiiiig'the enemy's force* dettined to this quarter, agreed so corre&ly with the intelligence I obtained by other means, that I have lo'tg been ex pe&ing this arrival, and was thereby enabled to be perfectly prepared to receive them, and contLantif to keep a vigilant look out. I have the honor to be, with great sfteem, Sir, Your most obedient humble servant, G. K. ELPHINSTONE. Evan Nefiah, FJj. fTobe continued.^ t Mr. Fxitr/o, Please to insert for the consideration of the Stockholders, the following r.ames in your paper, as suitable characters for Directors of the Bank of Pennfylv*»ia—And oblige A stockholder. Samuel Howell, George Pennock, Robert Ralfton, Matliew Lawler, Jftfeph P. Norris, • Andrew Bayard, Godfrey Haga, Joseph Ball, George Pluroftead, Henry Pratt, William Sarfon, Thomas Norton, .Thomas L. Moore, John Craig, Wm. Montgomery, Robert Wharton, Philip Nickli*, Jacob Douning. John C. Slocker, NOTICE. Persons having Goods on board the Ship Persever ance, James Williamfon, matter, bound from Ham burg to this Port, and lately put into New-York, where the VefTel is discharging, will please apply to THOMAS and JOHN KETLAND. Philadelphia, Jan. 11, 17;';, tf Hibernian Society. Such of th« Members ol this society as are entitled to Diplomas, are rsqucftcd to apply for them to Mr. Hugh Helmet, Vice President', - Mr. David M'Cor mid, Treafurtr } Mr. Robert H. Drinker, LonnfelUr f Mr. Jojefih Bra