JohnTarris, matter.
AOREA 1 part of her cargo is engaged, and
iht will fail in ten days. For freight or pas
sage apply to capt. Tarris, at Latimer's wharf, or
to GURNET Sc SMITH. '
May 35 §
Lailson's Circus,
South Fifth-Street.
The Performances at the NEW CIRCU3
This Evening, May 2 J(/>,
Will begin by a Gtarid Parade of Equestrian
Performers of both sexes.
The Lofty-Tumbling Group,
Corapofed cf Meffrt. Langley. Sully, M'Doa
ald, the Clown, and Rcano, will execute several
difficult exercifeson the Stage— wiil beplca
fantly decorated.
Mr. M'Donald, in the charafler of Clown, will
perform a variety of Comic Feats.
Mr. Lailfon will perform several new and difficult
exercises, too tedious to insert in an advertisement.
' rn comjili'nce with the general requcft, will be gi-
ven THE DUEL ON HORSEBACK, in a new
and forcible manner.
The trick of the THREE HOOPS, and tha- of
the OLOVE.
Mr. Laihov will leap over a Ribhon in a manner
which ha* never been attempted by any £queftri
an but himfclf Being on his Kneel on the fad
rile, he will pass the Hat under him at the fame
time he leaps over the Ribbon, which makes
thcfc three very difficult feats become one.
After wAich will be presented a French Opera in
one a3, called
La Melomanie.'
In which an Amateur will perform in the charac
ter of Gercnte, the Mclotnane.
The Evcning's£otertainment will conclude with
TJiE TAT I,OR AND HIS HORSE.
W In rehearfal—L'AM ANT JALOUX, a
French Optra imhree ails, in which the fame gen
tl-man who performs in the charaitsr of Geronte,
the Melomane, will perform in that ef Don Lopez.
Box, one dollar. Pit, half i dollar.
The doors will be opened at half pafl five
o'clock, and the performances begin precisely
at seven.
N. B. No petfon enn be admitted in the centre
of the Circus, whitfh, is exclusively appropriated to
the Equestrian Exerfifes.
No person can be, admitted without a ticket,
which will fervefor the day only.
Days of performance, Tuesday, Thursday,
and Saturday.
13ush Hill.
Messrs. Bates and Darley,
Of the NEW THEATRE,
T3 £fpe>3fully inform the citizens of Phi's delphia
ox. and its environs, that they lave taken the
manor h»ufe and grounds of Buffi Hill (the pro
perty of William Hamilton, Esq.) and are now
preparing to open them by Sulfcription, for the
general accommodation and amnfement of the pub
lic, under the name of the.
PennfylvanlaGardens and Hotel.
Particularly duringth« Susiaier foafon, will "b;
given per week)
CONCERTS
Of Vocal and Injlrvmcntal Mvjic %
After the manner o£ the Public Gardens Pari*,
V-nxhall, London, &c. &c.
The Entertainments for the ensuing fummerfsa
for, poji;tuely to commence
IHE FIRST IVEEK IN JUNE. .
TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION.
One Hundred Subfcriberi, at one hundred dollars
each. The money to be r?paid the fubferibers at
ten annual payments of ten dollars each.
And each fujbfciiber to hold a free ticket of gen
eral admifliuu to all public performances in th«
Gardens, for the term of ten summer seasons.
The tickets to be made transferable at the option
of thefuhfcribera, by g ving timely notice to the
Managers, previous to the commencement of v
f«afon, and having the fame registered accordingly.
Subl'criptionsreceived by Messrs. Bates and Dar
ley at Bufli Hill, where tickets the season only,
may be had at twelve dollars each.
Nr B. Admittance to non-fubferibers on each
Concert Nigh:, Half a pollar.
Du: notice will be given of the commmce
*ncnt. May 1$ 5p
Advertisement.
PURSUANT ia an Order from ihe Orphans' Court,
iviULs fotJ at PUBLIC S ALE, at Cranberry, on
IVnlrtcfJjy, tie 14lb day of fune next, all that valuable
SEAL F.ST A lEy late belonging to the Rev. Gilbert
7. Sno-wdtn, tlece fed, lying in and near Cranberry, in
the county tf A/hdlhfc*, torvnjbip of South Brunfocici,.
/late ej Nnu Jersey, upon the loner sage road leading
Jrorr. Philadelphia tj Nerv fori. A very elegant J~rante
bcufe in tz beaut.Jul and healthy situation, pair.ted white,
tenth Vtnetian window thirty feet front and
thirty eight feet deep, two rooms with a bandfawe hall or
eniry on the frfl ftoor t three rooms on the second floor and
two well'fin/jhtd garrets. In t\r rear e>f the hotfe is an
exeellent two-flory building corjifling of a diiirg-tocm fjr
work people, fpatious pantries and a large liltlen % with
every e.nvenienee, and over tbefc are three chambers for
servants. To the right is an additional building confining
tf a chamber below aid a library above—under the while
are very fine cellars paved with brick. The h»ufe is en
tirely new and fmfhed with tajle. Every room is hung
with bells that lead both to tie kitchen aud the fervunts'
apart.nents : there it a pump in the yard; and a flone
and brick pavement round th+whnle hotfe, which is
td MJtib m iandjomt three gatct in front.
The farm itnjijis of cne hundred and fxty frwn acres t
viitb a froftrUm of woodland ar.d metdru/, under excel
lent feret ,■ a garden with sale fence ; a Urge barn, fa
ble:, etrrmgt-knf,, utnu-loufci, allnrw, andbuiU
in tie bejl manner : vtith a ywv orchard of 100 grafted
tre.-i. Nearly adjoining fx,d firm u a lot if 1} i<xtljnJ
ef the left quality, containing j; acres. A'fo a trrif of
had within from miles of Cranberry, cv.t-i--ing one bust,
dsedamd fft] a:,ei, tbrei-fiurtbs mceJcw and tie reft ex- \
etllent timber. Ibis -Will be JcU in Lts or together, as
' will befl fmt the purcbafcrt.
t The payments, cne third tosjb—onc third in cm year— '
Htd the remaining third, one year Joilowing, with enteral
cn tie two last payments, Aid apptoved feevrity.
For further particulars enquire of Nathan,! Hunt,
Ijq. or Dr. Ralph LoU, Cranberry ; cf Jfcae Srowden,
at Princeton ;or of IJaac Smwden, Jam. No. 141 Souti
Seotml freet, Philadelphia.
*5 <jlmiifiS
To be Sold,
7he time of a Nr*ro Mmn,
WHO hat about fix years and an half to
fervr. He it 1 onoft and sober, a toler
able waiter, and underline, driving » carriage.
For term 1 apply at No. nj, bouih Third
Street.
May »i- eod6t-
CH AKLtS I'U.N, May «.
Last Tuesday the following iijdrefs wla
presented, by the Charletton Volunteers, to
their Captain, on the occasion of hia bcin;
about to leava this city, to take hit feat it>
the Congrefa of the United St ites.
To JOHN R UT'LEDGE,jun. Esq. Capt.
of the Charltjlan Volunteer Company.
SIR,
THE members of the Charleston Volun
teer Company, under the painful idea of be
ing feparfcted from a commanding officer who
pofleflea the esteem and confidence of every
individual of that corpt, would be nnjult to
their own feelings, as well at to your merit,
were they lilehtly to past over that event.
It was therefore unanimoufiy tefolved, af
ter you retired from the last meeting of the
company, that a Committee (hould, in their
name, make their acknowledgements to you
for the propriety of your conduit in the com
mand of the company, ever since its firft in.
ftitution, and for your polite attention to ev
ery member of it.
Nocitizens would mors deprecateany unwar
rantable measures being pursued, that might
tend to involve thiscountryin a war, than the
( Volunteer! ; but should the independence of
America ly infringed, or herJawt violated,
they pledge themselves to be amonglt the
foremoll t» fuppott the present Federal Gov
ernment and its laws, against any set of men
or country that may attempt to overturn the
one or trample on the other.
While we finccrely regret the loft which
we ftiffer by your absence, it affords us much
consolation, that the fame patriotism and abi
lities, to which we now pay a just tribute, are
fiill to be employed in the public ferviee in a
poit of mare importance ; and we anticipate
with pleasure the moment wheu thousands of
our fellow-citizens (halljoinwithus in applau
ding your fcrvicea.
Attaehed to you as an officer for the rea
sons we have assigned, and as a citizen for
qualities ire have observed, but which it
might appear adulatory to make mention of,
we take leave of you with thefincrreft wilhe6
for your future liappinefs and honor j and we
trust you will believe us equally sincere when
we declare, that none in the circle of your
connexions will be more happy to welcome
your returu tt> Carolina than the Charleston
Volunteers.
W. Wightman,
James Scott,
S. Magwood.
J. D. Vale, }> Ccmmittce.
J. S. Harbowfki,
James Miller, |
Samuel Theus, J
Chailelton, May 2, 1797.
CAPT. RUTLEDGE'S ANSWER.
Gentlemen,
I THANK the Charleston Volunteers
mod sincerely for their very affeftionate ad
irefs. Although clrcumftanccs have placed
the affairs of the United States in a fituatidn
peculiarly embarraffirig, yet I trust the wis
dom and pradence of our government will
speedily efleft jn honorable adjustment of the
differences which unhappily fubfilt between
us and the French Republic. But it Ame
lica (hall not be permitted to continue a.t
peac», vrrthout fufTeripg a violation of. her
rights, I flatter myfelf her citizens will be
unanimous and zealous in supporting their in
dependense and felf government. They are
too wife not to prefer their interests to those
of any other nation, and much too brave not
to protest with republicao valour and enthu
siasm the liberties for which mod of them
have fought and many have bled to cftablith.
In ihe event of any attempt beißg made to
inhinge or subvert them, I anr. perltaded the
Zealand patriotism of the Charleston Volun
Steers will equal that of any of their fellow
i citizens. Accept, I beg of ybu, gentlemen,
my thanks for the very ready obedience
which every individual of the corps has paid
| to my otders during the fix years I have had
the honor of commanding ir, and for the
j alertness with which they have assembled in
J the firft moments of alarm. The kiad wiß
es you express for my health and happiness
are extremely grateful to me,, and I recipro
cate them very sincerely to every officer and
private of the corps.
J. RUTLEDGE, juß.
Capt. Charleston Volunteeets.
To the Charleston Volunteers.
Chailelton, May 2, 1797.
SAVANNAH, May 9. f )
arrived —ship Sally, Webber, 52 days f£om
Liibon, with whom came pafTcnger Mr. John Mil-
Un of this place, who was a paffcr.ger in the ihip
Diana, capt. Ingraham, bound from Liverpool to
, this port, which was talcon by the French piivateer
!Le Vengeur (owned by Captain William C«w
. ell, of Bcflon) carried into Brcft and condemned
on the bribed evidence of George M'Kenzie, a ne
gro, who had been in the capacity of (leward on
board fail! (hip* The ihip and cargo was Ameri
can property, and principally owned by captain
Edward Shirbreck of this place.
Mr. Milieu, together with the mate and the reft
of the passengers, were confined several days as
Britifti prifor.ers.
' 4
The fo'lowing is a lift handed by Mr. Mii Jen, of
AnuricLns who at present reside in France, and
arc owners and fitters cf Privateers, who are
faiil to be cruising lor the express purpoie of cap
turing American veflels.
Wm. Cowel, John Coffin Whitney, —— Ellis,
Jame* Callender, Samuel Hatch, of Boston ; Tho
mrs Lewis of MarbJehead ;• - Elery, of Cape-
Ann; Samuel Turble, of Taonton ; Piatt,
Gilfon, James Taylor, of New-Rork;
Cooper, ef Virginia ; Peter Wiricfidesof Noriolk.
Saturday cveiAnglaft, arrived in town from FOl t
Fidius condt.dlcd by a troop of dragoons, under the
command of captain F. Webb, William Yaiboiough
Obs'diah Morris, Ephraim Moore and Miel Monk,
who \ ad crofted the Ocouee iwo the Indian lerrito
nes, for the purpose of hunting, contrary lo the
lawsct ;he United State*, they weic taken on the
22d utt. and carried ai prisoner* to the fort, from
whence they were ordered hv the ccmmacding offi
cer, to this placr,to be tried before the federal judge.
Previous to tbeir marching from Fort Fidiui, a con
fidtublt r.amber of the inhabitants of Hancock
c"unty,collcfted in arms, with a lion to
liberate thrm from the guard which was to conduit
them ro if ij place ; b'jt by the inteipofi:ion and par
ticular requft rl the pri [oners, and owing to the ac
tivity of colcnel l.amare,this mob desisted from such
an unlawful pioceedmg and dispersed.
W c arc iiiiormed that his excellency the governor
and col. Gaiter have both written 19 the fedrraj
J®age in their behalf.
NEW YORK, May 21.
From Capt. Bunker's Log-Book.
Tk:following vtffels and Captains •aitre bttit
into different ports in the Iflandof Guada•
loop; during my Jlaj there ;
SHlP—Adolph, Billings, of Philadel
phia, from Surinam bound hom«, 7 days uh
der adjudication, not yet determined.
BRlGS—Abigail, Kerr, of Dover, car
go feqtieftertd, capt. sent home for his natu
ralization, veflcl detained until hit return.
Virginia, Bush, of Alexandria, vcffel and
cargo condemned, from Alexandria,bound to
an English island.
Nancy, Himmo, of Richmond,ditto, from
Richmond to Aniigua. '
Eliza, Simpfon, of New York, ditto, trom
New York to -do-
Six Brothers, Needham, of Salem, ditto,
in ballast fcom Martinique bound home.
Joseph, Taylor, of Alexandria, veUe! clear
ed cargo conderriued, bou«d for Barbadoes.
William, M'Lcllan, of Portland, captain
brought in, vefTel not heard of fincc captur'd,
supposed to he retaken.
cleared, being bound hither.
Hannah, Jeffery, of Niw York, ditto do.
ditto, cleared being bound hither.
SNOW—lfabella, Helms, of Baltimore,
vefTel and cargo condemned, fram Martinique
bound home.
SCHOONERS—Adventure, Compton,
of Baltimore, vefTel and cargo condemned—
from Deraerara bound home.
Milton, Brooks, of New Yoik, ditto,from
Batbadoes to Martinique.
Felicity, Homes, of Baltimore, ditto,from
Norfolk bound to Martinique.
Molly, Millot, of Salem, vefTel cleared,—
cargo condemned, from Demarara bound
home.
Polly, Willis, of Alexandria, ditto, clear
ed, being bound hither.
Those veflels that are cleared, arc deprived
of provisions, stores, books, quadrant, cloths,
&c. and no redress made.
May sth, in fight of St. Martin's, boarded
by an English privateer, called the Barton,
of St. Kitt's, and very handsomely treated.
CONGRESS.
HOUSE of REPRESENTATIVES,
Monday, May 22.
In a committee of the whole, Mr. Dent in
the'chair, on the answer reported to the Presi
dent's speech.
(Mr. Nicholas's Jpetch concluded from our lafl.)
The difference, Mr. Nicholas said, be
twixt the address reported, and the proposi
tion he had brought forward was this; the
former approved all the measures of the Ex
ecutive, and the latter recommended an en
quit y relative to the operation of the British
treaty. It was this queflion upon which the
committee would decide, and it was of im
portance, he said, that they (hould weigh
thecaufe of difference betwixt us and the
French republic, and hot decide that we are
right, without examination, because if after
beisg brought to hoftiiity, we are obliged to
retradl, it would fitew our lormer folly and
wantOßnefs.
Mr. N. said he would enquire into the
rights of France as they refpefted three prin
cipal fubjeds, which were particular causes
of complaint between the two countries.
Tbefe were the right of our'veffels carrying
English goods, the article refpediing contra
band goods, and that refpedting the carrying
of provisions. He knew no better way to
determine how far we could funport those
articles of the Britilh treaty, than by extract
ing the arguments of our own ministerial
charaflers in support of thtfe measures.
With refpedl to the question of free ships
making free goods, his impreffiuiis were very
different from those of the Secretaiy of
State. He said with refpeft to the regula
tion of free ships making free goods it is not
changing a right under the law of nations ;
that had never been pretended to be a right
and that ourhavingagrced to it in one instance
and uot in another was no just cause of com
plaint by the French government. He ad
vocates this tranfaflion in his letter to Mr.
Adet lafl winter. Mr. N. said 'he knew
not what was the origin of the law of nations
upon the fubjeft ; he knew not how it came
into existence ; it had never been fettled by
any convention of nations. Perhaps, how
fver, the point now under confederation came
as near to a fixed piincipaf, as any other of
what are called the .laws ol nations ever did,
as only one nation in Europe could be ex
cepted from the general underflanding of it.
Mr. Pickering, he thought,-feemed not to
have given full force to this circumstance ;
but seemed to have weakened the evidence.
[He referred to what Mr. Pickering had said
upon the fubjeftj It was Mr. P's idea that
the stipulation of free ships making free
goods, was a mere temporary proviGon ;
that it was not an article in the law of
nations but a new principle inttoduced by
the cantradling parties. In order to prove
this was not the cafe, Mr. Nicholas referred
to the provisions entered into by the armed
neutrality of the north of Europe; to a treaty
betwixt France and Spain, to a note from
the court of Denmark, and to the declara
tion of the United States themselves on the
fubjedt.
In his mind therefore, Mr. N. said, it be
come in some degree certain that this fljpu
lotion was an article of the hw of nations,
and that an abandonment of it, as a neutral
power, was 20 abandonment of neutral
ground.
But, said he let us cpr fider the circum
(lances under which this treaty was made ;
let us fee whether it is the law of nations
or not. It was the intention of the parties
to make the bw of nations as free as in theit
power ; and if we chufe to abandon the'prin
cipal of free ships making free goods, shall
we call upon France to do the fame ? This
did not appear confident with justice.
[uftice seemed to require en oppofne course
If we could not maintain this stipulation with
all the world, we are bound to allow France
the fame privileges whii'j we allow to any
otl-tr nation. It was not for the interest of
this country to irfift upon the fulfilment of
bad treaties, to do which would be a greater .
lofj than benefit. In the treaty with Great !
Britain, we had denied the r!«h r that free
(hips make free goods. it was indeed wholly
up, but we agree that it fhou'id be sus
pended during tke prif.'nt war. He thought
this wrong, and asked if any country, who
granteed a privilege tc one nation which they
refufed to another, could pretend to any
firmnefs in their proceedings ? He thought,
they could not.
With refpedt to contraband articles he had
little to fay. It was aflerted that the arti
cles stipulated in the Britilh treaty as contra
band, were made so by the law of naions.
Where the dedtrinc was found he conld not
Ly. It had been quoted from Vattel; this
authority might be correft ; but he never
found any two writeis on this fubjedt agree
as to this article. In a late publication oil
the law of nations (Marian's) he found it
diredlly afleited that naval (lores were not
contraband. But he said, if the contrary
were the law of nations, they were bound to
extend the fame privilege to France which
they gave to England; they could not have
one rule for the one nation, and a different
one for the other.
The 18th article of the British treaty, re
fpedUng the carrying of provifioni, always
(truck him as a very important one. It had
heretofore been contended that this article
did not go to any provisions except such as
were carrying to befteged or blockaded place*;
but he believed the British had constantly
made it a pretence for seizing provisions go
ing to Fiance. Indeed, if he was not mis
taken, the British minister had publicly de
clared in the House of Commons, that the
provifionson board the vtflels intended for the
Quiberon expedition, has been supplied from
what had been captured in American veflels.
Mr. N. contended that this was the opini
on' of the Executive of this country, as pub
lished in all the public papers, and of course
known to the government of France. In the
letter of Mr. Jeffarfon to Mr. Pinckney in
1793, he declares that there is only one cafe
in which provisions are contraband, and (hews
the ne'eeffity of a neutral nation observing the
fame rules towards all the powers at war.
But, in the present cafe, the right was ceded
during the present war.
It was an unfortunate circumstance againfl
the neutrality of this country to find a doc
trine so differently applied at different times.
It was a strong proof of the progress of the
palllons. It might be confidercd as a frau
dalent thing, in one instance, to give up a
right for a ccmpenfation to ourselves.
But Mr. Pickering, in his ebfervations
upon this circumstance, fays, that thi* flipu
lation is really a beneficial thing to France,
as it encourages mercantile adventures ; Lit
this Mr. N. deried, and said, that TF it en
couraged adventure,it would rffo increase the
facility of captures.
In considering the tendency of the amend
ment he had piepofed, he had not
spoken of the possible operations of agreeing
to the answer, as reported, cfpeciallv when
carried, by a small majority of that house, and
contrary to the wishes of a great part of the
people of the United States. If the measure
were carried by two, three, £ve, 01 ten votes,
did gentlemen expedt that this would answer
their purpose! However the people may
have the virtue to go with the decision of go
vernment, he believed, in a mafute thus car
ried they would obey unwillivly. Yet how,
was this division in opinion to be avoided ?
He did not believe the conduft of the Ex
ecutive of our government had always been
equal to the different powers at war, and
therefore could not fay so. Indeed, he could
not conceal his fentitnents upon the business;
they had frequently been expressed, and were
he now to hold a different language, he might
bejuftly br inded with infamy.
Let fometliing, then, said Mr. N. be
brought foi ward which does not stare in the
face the established ©pinions of many mem.
bers of that House ; but perhaps it maybe
thought of little conlequence what are the
opinions of those members ; but he believed
the people at large were not less divided in
their opinions than the members in that House
—and a measure so carried, he conceived, was
net calculated to intimidate an enemy. He
knew his constituents would go into the war
if direftecj to do so, but they would exercise
the power which the constitution has placed
in them, of difplaeing from their feats the
men who had involved them into such difficul
ties. He knew that if a war was to take place,
that t(ie discontents of the people would in
crease every day. He knew they would aban- 1
don the delisacy and nicety of feeling which
was now urged. He knew it was his duly
to take as moderate ground as was confident,
because he knew the public opinion, though '
now irritated above it, would come down to '
it.
If it were of confcquenee that the people '
(hould enter unanimoully into any hoAile mea
lure which eventually might be found neceflary '
(though he hoped and trulted it would not) he !
thought that unanimity might be l'ecured by a- 1
greeing to thepropofition which he lud moved. ! ■
In making conceflions to England it was not 1 !
considered as difgraceful; what was now wish- ,
ed, wai thai England and France might be pat ;
upon the fame footing with refpeit to this eoun- 1 {
try. To do this was the only way in which :
unanimity could be obtained, and it appeared '
to him that there cou}d be no serious ol>'eisHofi
to it.
It may be said, and probably will, that this
proportion interferes with the business cf the
executive, and that we ought not to diflate to
him wi»h refptil to the proper ileps to be tak- r
en. He vas so well accuitomed to the business '
of the House, that he knew gentlemen would C
entrench themfclves under the pretended reflrie- '
tions cf the conflitution ill this refpcdl ; but it
was his opinion that the measure which he pro- F
poled was ftriftly conftifjtional. The Prefi- v
dent was to negotiate, but it was the duty of the -'
legislature to deliberate on the proper measures 11
to be taken. Government, he said, could neverbe '
carried on, unless the executive and legislature 3
were influenced by the fame fpirii. The Prefi- '
dent might go cn forever to negotiate, if he did c
it contrary to the views of the other branches :
of government, without coming to anyconclu- ''
fioif. It «as ahfolutely neccfeiry, therefore, 1
that such a power (hould tx;A, a in) it w - s n „j
poiTible that any danger (hould arise from it 3
And if i propofhioa of tbis kir.d v.-;; not agreed
. to. they had no evidence toiuppofe very c. nci-
I liatory steps would be taken, they had tial'cn,
, indeed, to suppose the contrary.
He was afr.»id lie might be charged with go
ing into irritating circumstances, but he did not
cx;.c<a, from the persons with whom the Prefi
den: might be l'uppofed to advise, that very mo
dejate iteps would he taken. It was not to be
fuppol'ed i hat tliey would abandon the opinions
they had so ftrenuinfly maintained. He tho't,
therefore, it was the bulinelvof that House to
' fay that- in rheir opinion, it is proper that such
and such steps (hould he taken.
Mr. Nicholas concluded with observing.that
he hid gone over the fubjtft he feared, net
without being considered tetiiousby the commit
tee ; but he felt himtelf greatiy. interelted in
the present decision. He believed any addition
al irritation in their measures, woii'.d place peace
out of our reai h j he believed, therefore, it was
their business to avoid it ; he believed it would
be for the honor and the happine& of the coun
try to do so.
Mr. W. Smith said, a« the pentleinan, last
up had taken a wide range ot arguipent, he must
excuse him, if h? contiued hin.felt in reply to
those parts of his observations only wjfich ap
peared to him effcntially to relate to the iubjeit
uuder consideration.
He believed the quefiion was, whether they
fhculd alter the report in the manner proposed j
that is, whether they ihouid strike out words
which exprefledthe sensibility of this houfe'at the
unprovokedinfults offered by the French Repub
lic to our government and country, or adopt the
gentleman's amendment, which he read.
If they agreed to this amendment, they must
necessarily expert from the French Kepublic freih
insult and aggreflion ; for it seemed to admit that
hitherto no insult had been iatended»
The amendment might be divided, Mr. S.
said, into two parts. The firft went to vindi
cate the French from any intentional insults tow
ards this country ; it even held out an idea that,
the Executive ought to offer some concessions to
France, and even detonated the kind of concef..
fion. He should, therefore, without taking no
tice of what the gentleman had said about the
political parties «f this country, or what he had
said refpeAing himi'elf perfonaily, confine liia
observations to the points in qutftion. ,
The firft point was whether the condudt of
France was juftifiable in refufing our minister,
and ftnding hi ai from the Republic in the man-,
ner they had done ?
He thought the committee had abundant ma
terials before them completely io refute the firft
propofitiou ; and he was furpnzed, knowing
that these documents weie in the hands of every
member, that the gentleman from Virginia cojld
expert to impress their minds with the idea'that
no indignity whatever had been offered by th«
Fremh government to this country in that trant
artion.
Mr. Smith said, that it appeared rroft clearly
that the French Dirertory intended to treat this
Government with marked indignity ; for the'
the gentleman from Virginia fuggetted an opi
nion, that their refufal t» receive Mi. Pinck
ney, was owing altogether te his not being in
veiled with extraordinary powers ; this was e
vidently not the cafe, as the Directory had been
well informed as to the chararter in which Mr.
Pinckney came, before they received his letters
of credence, as appears by the Jetters or M. De.
la Croix to Mr. Monroe, ltiling Mr. Pinckuejr,
bis Succrflhr, and by other documents commu
nicated by the President, (which he read.)—•
There was no doubt, then, with refpert. to the
Dirertory being well acquainted with the cha
rarter in whjch Mr. Pinckney went to France,
viz. as Miniiter Plenipotentiary, or Ordinary
Minister; but after keeping him in fufpence
near two months, on the day after the newsar-"
rived of Buonaparte's fucreffes in Italy, he wai
ordered by a peremptory mandate in writing, to
leave the French republic. This mandate wa»
accompanied by a circumfUftce which was cer
tainly intended to convey an insult; it was ad
dressed as an Anglo-American, a term,
it is true, they sometimes use to diftiuguifh the
i inhabitants of the United States from thole of
the Well-India iflaeds, but, in his opinion, here
evidently designed as a term of reproach, as he.
believed no other similar instance could be men-,
tioned. Upon this circumftanee, however, he
laid no stress, the other indignities which our
minister had received were too great to require
any weight to be giyen to this circumftanee.
But, fays the gentleman from Virginia, after
the Dirertory had l'een his Letters of Credence,
end discovered that he had no power to make
concisions, they lefufed to acknowledge him.
What would he have required his letters of cre
dence to have said ? were theynot " faithfully
to reprefetit the difpofitiou of tiie Government
and People of the United States, cheir difpoliticn
bcing;one, to remove jealcufies and obviate com
plaints, by Clewing that they were groundlefj,
to restore that mutual confidence which had
been so unfortunately and injurioully impaired,
and to explain the relative interests of both coun
tries, and the real sentiments of his own."
W hat raore than this could have been fjtidin
letters of Credence ? But, adds the gentleman,
his InJiruHions did not authorize him t® make a- •
ny concefiion.or to fatisfy their complaints with
refpert toexifting treaties. How dots he know
this > Will the gentleman undertake to fay that
his. inftrurtions uid not give him this power.?
It certainly would not have been proper to have
stated in his letters of credence what he was au
: therized to concede ; or to exhibit to the French
Government his inllrurtions until it was known
what they were difpofrd to do. We had com
plaints to make as well as they. They had
committed fpolhtions on our commerce to a
great amount. Was it right, then to fay in
stantly on his arrival, « I am come to offer von
all these coiiceflions," without knowing what
I they were difpof-d to offer in return ? Will the
gentleman undntaks to fay, it would have been
right to have communicated h s private in
luufltons to the Dirertory even before he was
! received ? If we were a Colony of France, indeed
it might have been expected that he would have
laid not only his n.»rurti6ns, but pro it rated
himftrlf at the feet of the Directory, bu: 4r.de»
pendent as we are, he truftcdno gentleman would
|ay this was proper ir. any man, much Ids was
it to be exported from Mr. Vinckuey. What
were his private inftrurtion, was unknown. A 1
thousand conjerttires might be formed refueling
tnera, but they were vague and uncertain.
This being the state of the tranfartion, he
thought it clearly eftablilhed, that 'Mr Pmck
ney was not refufed becaufc he bore -'he charac
ter of minister Plenipotentiary, without extra
ordinary powers ; the queition then was, why
was he lent away I 1
Wc all, said Mr. Smith, remember the com
plaints of Mr. Adet again!! our government. It
wasnot necessary to go into a ininute recapitu
lation ot them : It fuificed to lay that they fell
under the folio.vip? heads'; rft. compl.iinu of'
violations of our commercial treaty with France,
ad. of the treaty we had ui.-dl with Great Bril
tain, sd, of the proceedings of oar Federal
courts, and 4th. ot the irt of Cong, ess ofjm.c,
1794, which ail this lioul'e, after it had heard
his complaints, hadrt*r,i:RcJ without ounofi.
tion the last feffiou. 1
Now what dc-.-3 Mr. Do la Crix f.» „„ t |ie
arrivji c: Mr.Pinckney f lie clidno: condtfceind
o fay .it w *:a11-1/that wo*ld have been p?y.