IS J E!< EST IMG COR k ESI'O KUENCE, relative to ti:» AH : AIR3 or FK ANCE andtiie UNITED STATES. TJf foltwzving correfpondenee, mmprifing the nvijl important of the ducuments contained in the Prefdent's mrffage to Ccngrejs cf I Cj'.h ''January lafl, if perused with candor and attention, mufl fatisfy every independent A mrtc.in cf theJincere, allive and unceaftng ejfurts of our government to maintain invio late the rights of France. reft thing from the duties of neutrality, the laiv of nations and c.\ij!ing treaties, andmofl completely vindicates our nation from ihe uyu/l 1 i'proac:;et and complaints of th: French -Directory and its agents. " A g.'vernmspt which required only a know " of the truth to jullify its menfurcs, could " not l>ut be anxious to have this fully and Irankly " difpluycd." tRESIOEN T'S MESSAGE, JAN'. 19, '9?. Mr. Haxiison > s Letter concluded. Mr. Harrifon, Di/lricl Attorney of Xeiu-Tork, to Mr. Pickering, Secretary cf Stale. New-Tori, \lth December, 1796. With refpeft to ths second prosecution, which Mr. Adet fays, " is principally in quef (ionthe fads are these. During the course of the examinations in the firft cause against the privateer, it appesred that a quantity of arms and ammunition had aftually been ex ported in her from the United States at a time when such exportation was prohibited, and though I had been led to suppose from fame of the testimony, that th«fe had formed a part of the privatser's equipment, yet as this was contetted, 1 thought it-my duty to file another libel or information, stating the exportation as a breach of .the prohibitory law. Mr. Adet is plezfed to fay, that •« this information Was made upon the Ample decla ration of Mr. Giles, marshal of the court, who as informer was to have his part of the confifcation." In the firft part of thisafler tion, Mr. Adet is certainly mistaken. Th» information was foanded upon the evidence appearing in the other causes, not upon any declaration made by Mr. Giles; and as Mr. Giles was not the informer, but merely the seizing officer, I do not know that he would liav« been entitled to any (hare of the prop etty if confifcated. After the filing of the second information, it is remarkable th it capt, Berard (who could bed have contradifted the allegations con tained in it, if thfy were not true) does not appear to claim upon oath, as in the other causes 5 but rtiia ■ tartc is devolved upon .the French Consul, who could only speak from information. In the progress of the cause, however, the exportation of cannon is denied ; the muskets attempted at one time to be made fowling pieces, and at another the property of pafiengers ; and the powder, with f me ball which accompanied it, is alledged to have been part of the equipment of a French fri gate, and to have heen afterwards replaced ; but without explaining wh«nce or in what manner the supply to the frigate was obtain ed. Under these circumstances, the judge of the tliltriit pronounced fer.tence of condim nation againil tie privateer, founding his de cree upon the exportation of the inufquets, but without giving any direst opinion ar to the powder, which in my judgmant formed the most iiiiportar.t and fetious question in the cause ; because, it foreign veflels of war might supply the (hips or colonics of their nation with ammunition, from their equip ments, and again replace the fame, probably by purchases within the United States, ev ery prudent and nece(Fary precaution to pte ferve among ub tlie means of defence, might at the pleasure of foreigners de rendered ■abortive. The sentence of the Diftrift Court in this cause having been pronounced, an appeal as ilated by Mr. Adet, was interposed by the French Consul at New Yoik, and about this period a sale of the privateer took place by tonfent. If the faities intercfted suppose that this vessel would fell for no more than a " tenth part of the cod of her armament," it was optional with them to have re.'used their confeßt. I knop mo law of Congress such as Mr. Adetjjjkides to, requiring veflels to be given uprup'on security, under the cir cumstances dated. No such law was prodti ced bv the Consul or his attornies, and it would have been. palpably improper, that a privateer condemned by the sentence of a Court of jnftice," {hould by any aft of an offi cer of the Executive Government go into the handi of one of the belligerent parties completely equipped to cruise against its,ene mies. Such an aft would probably have been ctfhfidered as a deviation from ftrift neu trality and might have been productive of serious coofequences. In the month of April .last the appeal in the cafe of the privateer came on to Re heard before Judge Chafe, in the Circuit Court of the Diftrift of New York. Whatever might hate been the expectations of the consul or his attornies, they did not choose to reft their cause upon the evidence taken in the Diftrift Court; but upon the fir(t day of the hearing produced nc w witnefles. Af tet these had been heard the argument was commenced for the appellant ■ and answered on th« part «f the respondents ; but as the' judge plainly intimated his opinion for con firming the former fenter«e, unless further evidence could be produced to a particular point, the appellant's coi:ful applied for and obtained a delay of two days, and in that in terval, by some fortunate eafualty met with a \vitne£s,who had only be»n a few months a: rlew Yoik, and was able to remove every difficulty. Ip confequeiiet of this new evidence, julge Chaie thought proper to revcife the fei.tt.nce cf the Diftrift Cuutt. condemning the pri vateer but" ht net only certified that tbet« was probable taufe for the piufecutton, but as the inroeenct of the party had not been maoiftfted in the early stages of the cause, he iircfted all the fees of the off.ceis <<f the«ourt to be paid by the claimant. As this decree of the Circuit C-urt had beefl Obtained uuder exttaordinary circum fiances, and as the quediou rcfj>c£tlnjf the powder fttll appeared to me of the uimoS importance, I thought it my dutjr to enter an appeal to the Supreme Court, and to pre pare a (late of the cafe, that the superior of ficers of (jovernment judge whether It (hould be proftcHtcd or abandoned. If any further information as to this caufc (hould be deemed neceltary, 1 mull refer to the (late of the cafe abovementianed, and which was tianfmitted by me to the Secretary of the Treasury. I fiave only further to ob fefve that I am ignorant how the officers of the Didrift Court were " interefletTiti the condemnation of the privateer or her prize." 1 believe that that the fees of the Clerk arid Marshal were the fame, whether they were acquitted or condemned : arid I am certain that as to myfelf, the charges against the United States did not at all depend upon that circumstance. 1 hope indeed, that I (hall at all times be incapable of commenting or carrying on a prosecution merely with a vi<w to my own private emolument. lam ready at any time, to meet enquiry upon this fubjeft, and I am fatisfied that any person who in -this free and enlightened country, could fa far be blinded by mercenary mo tives as to profticute his office for the gratifi cation of them, would be soon temoved from it with ignominy, if he fhotild even cfcape aqy other punishment. 1 have only to add, that with the highell refpeft, 1 have the honor to be, Sir, Your mod ftbedient servant, RICHARD HARRISON. [TRANSLATION]. Philadelphia, 29'h Floreal, 4th Year of the French Republic one and indivisible (18th May 2796, O. S.) The Minijlcr of the French Republic near the United States, To Mr. Pickering Secretary of State of the United State/. Sir, I HAVE just been informed indireßly,* that the House of Reprefentstives hR6 palfed a Bill for preventing the sale of the prizes which (hall be brought in by the (hips of war of the Belligerent powers. If this law did not appear to me to dedroy tlie efltfts of our commercial ereaty ; if it did not appear to me opposite to the duties of an impartial neutrality, I (hould remain silent ; but th» interefi of my nation and \he positive orders I have received on the fubjeft from my govern ment, oblige me at present to transmit some observations which seem to me calculated to merit your attention. By the 17, and 22, At tides of their com mercial treaty, the United States and Franc* agree in an explicit manner, that in cafe one ot the two powers (hould be at war, its ene mies (hould be excluded from the ports of the other, when they (hall have made prizes on its citizens. When they mutually guaran tied a free admission of their (hips of war, of their privateers and of their refpeftive prizes into these ports,it is clear that they implicit ly aflured to each other the right of there felling these prizes. In faft, France having no continental podeffions in America to wards the latitude to which English veflels must go on their return to England, it was to her of extreme importance to have friendly ports into which her veflels might conduft their prizes and fell them, without exposing them anew to the rid: of the Sea; which would be the cafe if they were obliged to fend them to France or to her colonies. It was also interefling to the Americans engaged in a war with an European power, to have ports into which they might conduft and freely fell their prizes made upon the coall of Eu rope, without being forced to cross the At lantic. These considerations leave no doubt that by the 17th and 22d Articles of the treaty concluded between the United States and France, each nation had implicitly secured to h'erfelf the right of felling in the ports of the other the prizes which her snips of war or privateers (hould have made. This right which the two nations (hould enjoy has been acknowledged by our enemies, by the courts, and by the government of the United States. Whenever our enemies have a;tacked a prize made by a pirvateer, it has been only under the pretext that the privateer had been armed in the United States, and that (he had therefore derogated from both the laws of neutrality and the Presidents proclama tion. The American courts have never con demned French prizes but upon the faft of having armed in the Uniterl States; and when the contrary has been fully proved, the privateer had the right of felling the piizes without any obstacle. Yet in virtue of what aft could (he fell her prize ? Of the i2d article of our commercial treaty. This article has already afforded a vail field for difcuilion upon the implied right it appears to grant to one of the two nations to arm in the of the other. The American go vcrrment conceived that this condruftion could not be given to the 220 article ; it ex plained itfelf formally in this refpeft ; but did not objeft to the right of felling prizes ; it has even expressly acknowledged it, since it has conltantly permitted the French (hips of war and privateers to enjoy it. * This Bill had pafled the House with little opposition, and by a great majority, being sup ported by members of all parlies, as founded in principles ot true national policy./ The patriots in the Senate, unable there to defeat it inicrted a trifling amendment, which sent it back nectflarily to the lleprefentativei, where;.to the alionilhmcntof those, not in the ftcret, which this letter now explains, Mr. Gal latin, who had been its advocate, moved to poflponc it to the next fef&on, for the most friv olous reafori, (in which France was cautiously omitted :} The friends of the Bill, some of whom were absent, not thinking it poflible so sudden a change could have occarred, were off their guard, and a majority, properly mtijud, pdfloticd, and thus defti uyed the bill. This letter now unfolds the mystery. Tlit enemies of Fiaace could not accuse yo jof violating the rules of neutrality by leaving to her the free exercise of .this right, a 1! it resulted from the Cafus federis, aud the obligations prefctibed by a treaty do not lead a neutral nation from the line of neutrality whenever (he acquits herfelf of them. There fore, Sir, the English cannot for that; icsfon bring i'u their prir.es here. The Secretary of State afTured me in his letter of 6th July 1795, '* iat ''" 3 Ilipulation of our treaty fliould be faithfully observed in this tefpedt by the American government. Since not withllandiiig the similar right afTuretl to the king of Great Britain by bis treaty withvhe United States, it is stipulated tbat it fliould not derogate from foimcr treaties entered into by the United States. It is clear there fore from this, fhat during the whole course of the present war, we should, i» virtue of our treaties, enjoy alone she priviledge of bringing in and felling our prizes here. But if at present a law existed, prohibiting, in general terms, the sale of prizes, it would bear upon France alone ; and at the fame time, that it deprived her of an advantage granted by her treaty, it would tend to af feft the balance of neutrality. la faft, Sir, French (hips of war and pri vateers having alone the right of bringing in and felling their piizes here, it would be the interest of England, in cafe (he could not procure the fame advantage, to deprive France of it: for to take an advantage from our enemy is a real benefit to us, even tho we could not enjoy it. Betides, would not England by tbat means have new chances in her favor ? If ou- prizes could nolonger"be fold in your ports th»y must be conducted to the colonies or to France ; and, would not the English then have greater opportunities for intercepting them ? It is evident there fore that the law procured for preventing the fa!; of prizes is entirely in favor of the En glifh,and to our difadvantagc. But if it be the duty of a neutral nation neither to grant no» refufe more to one of the belligerent powers than to another, when there d» not exist particular ftipulatiop.s provided for by treaties previous to the war, it follows that the law in quettion being in favor of Great Biitain cannot be conformable to the rules of neutrality. I venture to hope that you will feel as 1 do the jullnefsof my obfervatians ; and that the povernment of the United States, will take thenecejfary meafurei\' for preventing the ef fe&s of a law contrary to the treaties and to the duties of a neutral nation. Accept, Sir, the aflurance of mv refpeft. P. A. ADET. f See the foregoing note. - 1 11 ■ 1 0" A meeting of the Merchants is rcquefted at the Coffee House, at 12 o'cldck, on Wednesday, the 14th inlt. on business parti cularly interesting to owners of ships. May 2*. Just Arrived, In the schooner Dove, Captain Paul, from St Thomas, and for sale by the fubferiber. Muscovado Sugar in hhds- tierces and barrels. St! Croix Rum in hhds. And Laguira hides. ALSO ON HAND, Imperial, Hyson, and Sherry and Malaga Hyson Skin Teas. Wines. Yellow Nankeens. Holland Gin in pipes. Canton Cloth. Do. Cheese. Lutestrings. Do. Glafs s ware. Silk Hankerchiefs. China Ware. Sewing Silk. Window Blinds. Cotton in hales. Rheubarb. Peruvian Bark. Quiekfilver, &c. JOSEPH SIMS. May aad. dl4t. A few hhds. N. JE. Rumi Of a SUPERIOR QUALITY, HYSON -) YOUNG HYSON >T E AS f ia quarter chefls, And IMPERIAL J FOR SALE BY A. Marple & Israel W. Morris, No. 60 t)ock-ftreet. May mw&f9t "Jonathan Harvey, No. 106 SOUTH FRONT-STREET, HAS FOR SALE, A general assortment of Dry Goods —Amongst which are— A few boxes Irish Linens. May 22 > wfim Lailson's Circus, South' Fifth-Street. TO-MORROW EVENING, the 13d inilant, A Variety of Equestrian Exercises. After which will be presented a favorite interlude never performed here, called THE F'USILIER; Or, The Clown Outwitted. Written by Dibdin. To conclude with a new Pan tomime, called HARLEQUIN'S WHIM; Or, The Doftor Outwitted. Box, one dollar. Pit, half a dollar. - The doors will be opened at half past five o'clock, and' the performances begin precifsly at seven. N. B. No person can be admitted in the centre of the Circus, which is exclufivcly appropriated to the Equcftrian Exercises. No perion can be admitted without a ticket, which will serve for the day only. Days of performance, Thurfday, and Saturday. Divertimenti ; Or, Familiar LcJTotis for the PIANO F<JRTE. To which is prefixed, A Grcund for the Improvement of young Fr.icli tioners: COMPOSED by R. Taylor, rnuflc proftffor, Philadelphia, publifhtd this day. price two dollars, printed for the author, No. 96, North Sixth-ftrcet, and fold at Carr's tcufical ripfcfitorie* Philadelphia and New-Yoik, and Ormrod, No. 41, Chclnut-ftreet ; where may he had by the fame author, a var ety of feriou;, comic and paf aoral songs, rondo for forte piapo, leflon for two performe/s on o«t iaflrumrr.t, &c. &c, See. May I*, L O N O O N. FORTUNE-TELLER On Friday last flie woman who has'long advertised her (kill by the nameof Mrs. Wil liams, was brought before Mr. Narei, at the Shadwell Policc-Office, for the purpose of having in her turn, Iferfortune told. A young lady, who had visited her, having had fufficient penetration, notwithflanding V>er previous weakiiefs, to discover that she was imposed upon, was advised by her friends to apply to the above Magistrate, who, by virtue of an aft made for punidiing rogues, vagabonds, soothsayers, fturdy-beggats, See. granted his warrant, and the itnpoftor was fo»n after brought before him : she was-f/f ----gantly drejfed, aud was accompanied by a per son who fnid his name was Redhead, arid that the lady Was his wife. The magilliate, indulged her with a chair in which, she fat down, and instantly fell into violent hvjieric Jits, from which fns fuon, by virtue of her art, tecovered herfelf, and Mr. N. proceeded to his duty. He hea-d the evidence against the pnfoner, and was about to commit her for further examination, but she fell again into fits at the thoughts of be ing sent to goal, and, on her recovery, prayed she might be indulged by sleeping' on lier own bed, and that the matter might be again heard next day. To this the magiftratc con sented, on condition that one of the Police Offi cersJl'tp in theJame room. This was agre«d upon, and they returned to Store-ltreet. The next morning the parties came ag?in before the magittrate. Mrs. Williams was attended by her Counsel and Attorney ! The cause was again clearly made out, but Mrs. Williams waß discharged on her promise nevet again to afTume the business of a Fortune teller, and on her engaging to advertise in all the papers, that (lie had declined business 1 Calculations of the quantum of human misery occajioned ly the <war. Died by ficknefsand the sword 2,000,000 ! ! Each of these unhappy person s had, upon a moderate calcula- « tion, four persons relative to him, and either dependent on him for fnpport, or deriving comfort or confutation from him. The number of human beings rendered miserable by the death of these two millions will a - mount to 8,000,000 ! ! Of the two millions we may fair ly suppose. that one in four had a wife and child ; there will thcrefote have been left orphans 500,ceo 1 I and widows 500,000 I 1 Nor is this all: upon tbofe who have nei ther loft relative nor friend by the war, the load of misery imposed will not be found to small. We will confine our remarks to En gland alone, requefling our readers to recol lect, that all other countris engaged in the war have fufTered, at least an equal propor tion. We have added by the wat too milli ons to our debt, and five millions a year to our taxes. The necessaries of life are at least increased one third ; for example, a poor man, with his wile and fi/e children, who earns fifteen shillings a week, can now pur chase about as much as he eould for 10s be fore the war. Thus he is forced to maintain seven persons at one (hilling and five pence per week) We purposely leave out of our calculation the manner in which our liberties .have fuffered and been curtailed during the war, though we are not uimindful that every particular that is taken from our liberties is is so much taken from the dignity as well as the happiness of men, [Cam. paper.~\ VIENNA, March 11. Our Court will now, it is said, 110 lon ger receive any English subsidies. The re port has given occasion to many conje&ures ; but at present it requires further confirma tion. Field Marshal Wurmfer is arrived here. . It appears to be confirmed, that the Ve netians will make a common cause with the Auft-ians ; on which account the Venetian Envoy Grimani, has frequent conferences with our minister Baron Thugut. The Arch Duke will (till retain the chief command of the army on the Rhine ; and all dispatches from it, will in consequence be sent dire&ly to him. Besides the army of the Arch Duke,— which in the whole, will be reinforced to 120,000 men, a corps,of refervc, of 25,000 men,will be formed in Carinthia and Carni ola, which, should neccflitv require, will march at the fir ft orders from the Arcb Duke. ARMY OF ITALY, Head Quarters, Mantua, 16 Ventofe, (March 6.) The Gen. in Chief of the Etat Major. Bulletin of the army. The Gen. of division, Guien, retook on the 14th Ventof; (4th March) the position of Trevifo. Gen. Walther, commanding the advanced guard, came up with the enemy in front of Lovidina, defeated them, and pur sued them to the intrenchments on the Piava, 18 men were killed, and 30 made prisoners, adjutant general DufTaux, and the chief of biigade, Barthelemy, were {lightly wounded. 0.1 the sth Ventofe, Gen. Murat got pofi feflion of the enemy's entrenchments of Foy, took 25 prifosers, and killed 20. He after wards fell upon a corps of Tyrolean chafleuts, and killed about 50 men. Gen. Beillard, commanding the right of the division of Gen. Joubert, has been at tacked at Badola ; but he defeated the enemy completely, killed 30, and wounded a much gieater number. Adjutant gen. Kelleiman, crofled the Pi ava at Saint Mamma. He engaged an ene my's post of hufTars, and put them to.flight, having killed two men, and woundethone. On tht 2d,in conformityto the ordeis &jin ftruftions ofthe commander in chief, gen. Jou bert, marched to attackthernemy the moment they attempted to establish themfel.ves on the left bank of the Lav is, gen. Beillard attack ed the cr.csiy'* corps of Monte-de-Sevaro— m 3t He took frpm the enemy one standard and forty oxen. Gen. Murat attacked the advan:ed poff of the enemy, and made 100 piifoners, the brave carabineers of the iith demi-brigade particularly dilliiiguiflied themselves. (Signed) ALEX. BERTHIER. LONDON, April 3. The P.!(hop of Rochellcr jullly remarks, that Parlfament ought not to have been term ed the. People's Parliament. While the fub (lance of the Conllitution has been gradually impaired, and the fpiiit has been withdrawn from the lifelcfs forms, the technical language which (tiles the Parliament his Mnjefty'sPar liarnent, speaks a melancholy truth, that the different branches of the Conllitution are in reality swallowed up in one, and that Parlia ment is nothing mora than a minilteiial engine to perform the ungracious talk of laying bur dens upon the people. It used to be said in Holland of a man who failed in bufineft, that •' he had not kept tiue accounts." If bankruptcy be uaturally connefled with falfe or partial accounts, we can fca»cely be surprised at the present (late of public credit, since it has been the uni form system of ministers to squander without attention to r our resources, and the pra&ice of Parliament to vote supplies without con trouling the public expend.it nre. The phil«fopher's (tone, so much fought by crazed Ch'ymffts for several centuries, was thought to possess the power of converting every thing into gold. It has never been found that this notable difcoveiy has been made, but Mr. Pitt may boast that he hag made very great progress in the.art of tranf rtmtation, as he has very dextroufly convert ed almost all the gold of thiscountrv into pa per. The profpeft of an expedition to the coafl: of Spanish America, gives much fatisfac tion to a number of army and navy Contrac tors, who in calculating their profits, set no value on the shedding of human blood.—- They think only of yellow coin,, not of the yellow fever. Louis XVIII, it appears, exercises his prerogative in difmifling his feivants. When a German Prince ordered Voltaire to depart his dsminions within three days, "Howkind he is," said the wit, " to give me three days to do that, which may be done in three hours !" ■ Louis the XlVth inferibed upon his great guns the motto, " Ratio ultima regnm."— This species of argumentation has generally been a favourite with crowned heads, hut, to the shame of the Old School, they seem of late to have been baffled at their own weapons by the disputants of the New Philosophy. Should the Emperor Paul join the nejir partition confederacy against Germany,he will afford a melancholy, illuflration of a faft which ought to be particularly impressive oti the people of this country, that it is not a change of men, but of meajures which bene fits a Ration. Marshal Wurmfer has been appointed Commandant Generatof the kingdom of ..Hun gary. HOUSE OF COMMONS, March 30. Mr. Pollen said, he vviChed mod sincerely not to embarrass minillers, but to gain the co operation of his majefly's fubjefts*, to call on them to renew a negociation for peace, or to proceed with spirit and energy in the war, if war lliould be unavoidable. He therefore gave notice, that on Friday next he fho«M have the honor to make a motion to. adiJrefs his to renew a negociation for peace, or for declaring explicitly the reason for con tinuing the war. LONDON, March ?7 . At the late meeting of the Livery of London at Guildhall, alderman Combe having received their thanks for hisferviccs, made the following fpeeck : Mr. Alderman Combe then advanced, and heartily thanked his coriflituents for the ho norable notice they had taken of him. The condutt which they so kindly applauded, was no more than he had promised at the time that he solicited their tavor. It was always his opiuion, that public situations were only dcfirable, in order to give greater support to private principles, as they publicly unfolded the private man. On this opinion, and on these principles he had hitherto a£ted, and could sincerely allure them he would always aft. He congratulated them on the circumilan cesof being now aflerrAled, notwithstand ing the opposition n*.tde to it by their Chief MagHlrate, whose coaduft on the occaGon'it was not easy to explain, nor to divest of the charge of partiality and influence. His lord ship's own explanation was by no means fatis faftorv. It was plain, that it was not prin ciple which induced him to consult the Cumt of Common Council onthe present occalion ; as he did not think it neneflfary to do soon a former occasion exadtly similar. He advised his fellow citizens to be firm in the mainte nance of the fame principles and spirit they had roanifclled on ibis. An attempt, however, to prevent the people of this country from as sembling to consult oh the redress of their grievances, and a parallel attempt to enforce the fame prohibition upon them had .fortu nately failed. They mud be warned by the experience they have had. In proportion as they loft their vigour, they felt more ftioilg the hand of'calamitj ; in proportion as they loft their independence, the more severely did they feel the iron hand of oppr«ffion. He concluded with thanks and that whenever they weie pleased to inllru£l him, he should be always ready to obey their com mands. Buonaparte,*the Prufiian envoy, the mar quis de Lucchcfiui, and prince Augnftu d'Ahrenberg, are said to have had a confer ence near Bologna. A Treaty t>f Commerce between Ruflia and Pruflia is leady to be figncd, and an alli ance will, it is said, be concluded between the new emperor and Saxony. So general and so strong is. the public in dignation, at tWfe refufalofhis majelty to re ceive the petition of the livery todifmifs the
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