gazette marine list.
PokT of P HILAbELtHIA.
ARRIVED. days.
Ship General Wathington,Moore, Cadiz 42
Brig American, Town, Port de Prix 14
Patty, Coffin, ' Bolton 8
Schr. Dolphin, Tice, Alexandria 8
Fair American, Logan, Virgininia 3
Charles, Gladden, Rhode Island 5
John, Pease, North Carolina 8
Sloop Patty, Mitchell, Alexandria 10
Rody, Roden, £>t. John's, N. B. 13
Industry, Jackson, New York 5
Harlequin, Cropfy, do. 5
CLEARED.
Ship American, Shallcrofs, St. Kitts
South Carolina, German, Charleston
Raven, Reilly, Bordeaux
Brig Bride, Quadrille, do.
Elizabeth, Baifs, Madeira
Lovely Lass, Dominick, Amsterdam
Molly, Kilby, Jeremie
Gratitude, Clifton, Cape Francois
Schr. Flying Fifb, Maxwell, Jamaica
Hetty, Mason, Savannah
Three Sifters, Smith, New York
Eh'za, French, Norfolk
Hannah and Nancy, Tice, Alexandria.
Hawk, Brown, GonaiveS
Patty and Nancy, Mackie, N. Carolina
Eliza, Stevenson, Wilmington, D.
Adventure, Shackleford, Charleston
Betsy, dowdy, Edenton
Polly, Welket, " do.
Sloop Randolph, Barker, Nantucket
Lark, Burrows, St. Thomas
Hiram, Thornton, Port au Prince
Katy and Polly, Green, Snowhill
Willing Lass, Gault, do.
Laura, Bunker, Newprt
Maria, King, New York
Pomona, Bliss, Alexandria
Polly. Seaman, Norfolk
Diana, Pearfon, Alexandria
Anna Corbin, Watson, Folly Landing
NEW-YORK, MAY 30.
ARRIVED. DAYS
Brig Julia, Harrifon, St. Croix 15
Sloop Hercules, Colver, Norfolk 4
Mars, Minor, N. Providence 15
CLEARED.
Brig Goliali, Hath way, St. Thomas
Fox, Howe, Gonaives
Schr. Bayonne, Green, St. Johns
CHARLESTON, May 16.
Yesterday arrived the brig Harriot & Ann,
Rider, Port-de-Paix, 10 days.
On his pafiage from Port-de-Paix, capt.
Rider was twice brought to by the British
frigate Quebeck ; the treatment he received
from her was friendly, except in taking from
him one man, a Swede by birth.
Nothing of any moment has taken place
lately, either at the Cape or Port de Paix.
Provisions were scarce and dear ; the British
fleet of eight fail of the line, and several fri
gates, are cruising close off the Cape ; and
it was reported that an expedition was go
infi against Monti Chrifto, but there was
nothing positively known refpe&ing it when
captain Ryder failed.
Just Received,
From Batavii (via Providence)
170 Sacks of Java Coffee of firll quality
300 half sacks do. do.
a few Box«s of Spices, confiding of
Nutmegs. Cloves and Mace
For sale by
KILLINGS & FRANCIS,
Penoaftreet.
way 3a dtf
For Sale or Charter,
Fair American,
Virginia built—burthen about 70c barrels flour
two years old—and can befent tofea immediately.
1 homas Iff JoJhua Fijher,
No. 5, Dock-flreet.
May V). ■ dlw
For sale, or to r be let,
A new three Jlory brick bouse.
AT the Merchants' Coffee-houfe, on Friday
next, the 2d of June, at 8 o'clock in the
evening, wjll be lold by public vendue*, a genteel
three story house. It is pleasantly situated on the
south fide oi Arch-street, the fourth house above
Fourth -flreet. It may be viewed any time before
the sale. Terms are one fourth in approved notes
at 60 days, and the remainder in seven years on
security and interest annually. If not fold it will
be put up to be let oh a lease of seven year?. Im
mediate poficflion may be given. Further parti
culars will be made known at'the time of sale, by
Richard Footman Sff Co.
Außiontcrs.
May 19. djt
Do£tor Perkins
INFORMS the citizens of Philadelphia, that he
has taken lodgings for a few days at the sign of
the Indian Queen, south Fourth-street. He will
be happy x» wait on those who wiih to fatisfy
themselves of the efficacy of his
Patent Metallic Points;
And will operate gratis for tlfe relief of the poor
at his lodgings, where he has lor sale the inflru
ments, with the ncccffary iaftru&ions for using
them.
« May 39. dtf
Lailson's Circus,
South Fifth-Street*
The Performances at the NEW CIRCU3
TO MORROW EVENING, June i,
Will bfgin by a Giand Parade fii Equestrian
Performer* of bpth foxes.
4 ——
A grand difptay of Horfemanfliip,
By Me firs. M'Donald, Herman, C. Vaodeve dc,
Nicholas Corre, M'Dooald, the Clown, and Lail
for,
(£/■* Particular® Jn the bills of the d<»y.
To be bold,
A large anil convenient
Three Story Brick House;
SITU TE at the nortk-eaft corner of Arch and
*»urth-ftri.-e'«. 'lt contains eighteen rooms—
and it in every r«fpe& well ficifhcd. For particu
lars enquire oi
M. Keppele,
No. ij3, Chefnut-ftrect.
May 31. §
%f)t©alette.
PHILADELPHIA,
WEDNESDAY EVENING, MAY 31.
The Comtniffioneri appointed uoder the
treaty with Great-Britain, proceeded, oh
Thursday lad, to choose the fifth Commif
fioncr by ballot, and the votetbeing between
Mr. Ames and Mr. Guilleitiard, the latter
was chosen.
Capt. Moore, of the Blip Genera! Wash
ington, arrived at this port frottt Madeira,
le f t there, April 25, the ship Eagle, Dales,
of Philadelphi a loading for Cadiz, and the
(hip Portfmo'.ith, Monk, to fail next day for
this port. Capt. Moore, on the 26th April,
fell in with a Britilh fleet of 4 (hips of the
line and 2 frigates, one of which, the Revo
lutionnaire, boarded him. The officer treat
ed capt. M. with the'greaieft politeness.
This fleet was under the orders of admiral
lord Hugh Seymour j and theoffieet wha
boarded capt. W. informed him that ano
ther squadron, und«r admiral Nelson, was
cruifin/; off the Weflern Islands, for the
protection of the British and the Ameri
can commerce ; and that they had re-cap
tured a number of the vtffclsof the latter
fiwm the Freoch.
The "reporter" of the debates of
Congiefs in the Merchants Advertiser, has
been heard to fay, that he deduced the two
extra votes from the noes instead of the ayes,
because the Chairman was more certain of
his being right with refpeft to the ayes, hav
ing counted them twice over, than he was
with refpeft to the noes which he counted
but once—nor did the Chairman change his
opinion until a few minutes before the house
met yejlerday.
Some days ago the British Minister in
leaving the lobby of the House of Repre
sentatives was observed to touch Mr. Har
per, whose feat is near the door, and in a
moll familiar manner, reminded him of an
engagement to dinner the next day, This
was noticed by the Editor of the Aurora,
that watchful guardian of our political pu
rity, who was greatly and justly scandali
zed by this public appearance of good
, understanding between a Representative of
the People and a foreign agent. We ap
plaud this zeal ; and having heard it whif
peped that Mr. Harper has received an in
vitation to dinner from another British A
gent, the Consul General, we think our
selves bound to mention it, that it may not
escape the animadversions of our said guar
dian.
Indeed we do not wonder that our said
guardian (hould feel indignant at these open
attempts by British Agents to corrupt our
Representatives : Nor can we help in some
decree partaking of his indignation. As
however it is the manner of corruption
which gives him offence, and not the thing
itfelf, at least we suppose so from his known
impartiality, and his love of reciprocity,
we recommend it in future to the said
agents to manage the matter by means of a
fubfeription for three or four hundred copies
of some newspaper, and of nightly meet
ings at their houses. In this cafe it is pre
sumed, that neither the Editor of the Au
rora nor its partizans, can take offence.
Indeed the British have always been ve
ry bungling hands at corruption and in
trigue : These being among the number of
those accomplishments which they have ne
ver been able to acquire from their neigh
bours across the Channel.
PRICES OF STOCKS.
PniiADKiTBiA, MAT 22.
6 per Cent. ibfia -
Deferred 6 per Cent, iifyhtf
pe» Cent.
4b per C«nt. r
j per C*nt. zo/j a 6
BANK SHARES.
Bank United States, 18 a 10 per cent, advance.
Pennsylvania, if al7 i-»
North America, 47 4 50
INSURANCE COMPANY SHARES.
I. C. of N. A. 3J a 37 4 P er cettt ' advance.
Pennsylvania, at par.
COMMUNICATION.
At a time when it is fo'nectffary for the
fafety and independence of the United States
that the French government (hould be taught
that all the branches of our government arc
in union and that the people are resolved to
support their government, we find, on the
contrary, intriguing charafters, hostile to
our liberties, resorting to every expedient to
keep alive the hopes and expeftations of the
French tyrants. The efforts of some of the
minority in the Heufe of Representatives of
Congress,' cannot fail to Simulate the Direfto
ry to profecnte the plan of subjugation and
plunder.
Barras (in his infelent bombastic speech to
the meek and suppliant Monroe, who truly
teprefented, not the good people of America,
but a set of debased and crouching fatellitet,)
fays, that " France will not degrade heifelf
to calculate the consequences of the conde
scension of the American government to the
suggestions of its antient tyrants —on this
text, the official Redafteur, by order of the
Directory, in a paragraph written no doubt
by De4a Croix, fayi, " France will never
forget that, in fpitc of the most wicked in
iinuations, there palled only by a majority
of tnuo votes that fatal treaty, which has put
the Americans under the guardianship of the
Fnglifh." Attempts are now making by
French partizans, to pcrfundc France that
there is only a majority of two votel against
a propofuion, which has for its avowed ob
jefts the meanest acquiescence in the unpro
voked outrages of haughty France, and a
humble tender of advantage* to which (he
can have no just pretentions until (he hasof
fered an apctogy ftr her inrultt ai.J compensa
tion far her piracies.
If Franca can b* thus perfnaded that there
is within a few votes of a mejority of the Re
prefcntativu of the people, devoted to her
interests; with tlie Vice-Prefiieit'. at their i
head, c»n it be any longer duub'eil that (lie |
will perfitt in attempting the fubvfriiou of I
oar conttiiU'.ion and the dcftiuttion of our
liberties! 1
E)etra3 of a Utter from a gentleman in Virgi
ilia to hit friend in this city. i
" The present appears to me to be a cril>6 ]
in the fortunes of jhe human race. France
evidently seeks to govern the world by plac- ■
in % power in the hands of men who will be i
subservient to her for the preservation of that
power. Thus Holland in the Form of a Re- |
public il, and mud be as obedient to France ;
as a French Province. That Government i
can only be preserved by the proteSion of t
France, and ihofe who govern can only keep \
their placet by the fame protection. So in lialy
you perceive a Republic or two is now form- i
ing. It is by no means impoflible that the i
Austrian dominions in Italy may be loft du- t
ring the present war and converted into one
or moie Republics. If the pecuniary aid of
Britain is withdrawn they mujl be lojl. These (
; Republics can only preserve their existence
j by the aid of France, and they will confe
qnently be er*irely under her controul. j
Should his dominions in Italy even be refto-
I ted to the Emperor, a French party will be
found there, which will not easily be extirpa
ted, and which will be ready in another war
to take up arms for France. It appears to,
me that an effort is making to govern the
whole world either by conquest or by placing
power in the hands of men who will ule it so
as topromote the views of France. The only
effort which ha« ever been mad<t in this conn
try by a foreign nation to influence our elec
tions and to place power in the hands of the
partizani of such foreign nation, hat been
made by France, and she has made it secretly
and openly. She has made it by the immediate
injlrumentality of her public agents, and by
that of American citizens devoted It her.
The fame plan which is incefTantly pursued
in Europe is pursued in America also. It is
to place power in the hands of these who are
indebted to France for it, or who will use it for
her aggrandizement. In Europe it is enough
to establish a republican foim efgovernment,,
in America it is nectjfary to do more. Pof.
! feffing already a Government purely Republi
\ con it is necefTary to calumniate it, to excite
jealoti/ies of the Republican dlfpofitions of those
who conduit it, and thereby to bring them into
disrepute with the People and by doing so to
fill all our departments with men who being
defied by a passion for France mud keep up
that passion to keep their places. The effort I
to universal dominion is plain and itsprogrefs '
is rapid. It seems to be impodible that the
French party in our country can be blind to
this danger. They must fee it—jet they
court it. They keep the people blind by talk
ing of a Briti/b influence which they know :
does not and cannot exifl. Of this the letter
ascribed to Mr. Jefferfon if really wtitten by 1
him, is a Itrong instance. 1 hope and have
heretofore believed, that he did not write it.
1 wait with eagernels for his denial of it. If
it jhall not be denied, I own that my opinion
of the moral charader of that gentleman, as
well as of bis polities will be much dimi/ii/hed."
To THOMAS JEFFERSON, Esq.
IT is now no longer a doubt that you are 1
the author of the abominable letter to Maz- (
zei, which ha« made so much noise rtkl fxci- 1
ted so much indignation throughout the U. I
States. '
Your silence, after being publicly and re- c
peatcdly called on by numbers of your fellow I
citizens to disavow it, is complete evidence £
of yqur guilt. Had you been innocent ef 1
the charge, all who know your keen fenfibi - '
bility at every thing which appears in print to > J
implicate your cooduA, and who have heard '
your profeflisDS of refpeft for public opinion . '
are fatitficd that yoa are fileiit, because you
dare not contradict it: Gonlidering you then
as the avowed author ef that indecent libel
agaioft the Government and chara&er of j
your country, I shall animadvett on it with 1
that freedom which the magnitude of the a
fubjeft requires. f
The effeds intended to be produced by you
in Europe are apparent from the writings of c
a French journalifl: ' £
The following comments are made on y»ur t
precious letter in the r
PARIS MONITEUR : f
"The interesting letter from one of the F
molt virtuous and enlightend citizens of the 1
United States, explains the conduct or
the Americans in rfgard to Francs. n
It is certain that »fall the neutral and friend- r
ly powers, there is Rene from which France si
had a right to expert more interelt and sue- il
court than from the United States. She is G
their true mother country, fjnee she has as- jj
fured to them their liberty and independence.
Ungrateful children, inttead of abandoning
her, they ought to have armed in her de- p
fence. But if imperious circumdances had
prevented them from openly declaring far the
Republic of Fiance, they ought at least to a
have made demonstrations and excited appre-
henfions in England, that at some moment ®
oi other, they would declare themselves ?
This fear alone would have been fufficient to a
foice the Cabinet of London to make peace. 0
It is clear that a war with the United States v
would flrike a terrible blow at the commerce f<
of the English, would give them unealinefs h
for the preservation of their pofTeflions on the *'
Amerisao Continent, and deprive them of
the- means of conquering the French and e
Dutch Colonies: o
Equally ungrateful ani impolitic, the Con- k
grefs hastens to encourage the English, that o
they might pursue in tranquility their war t'
of extermination against France, and to.in- "
vade the colonies and commerce of France. n
They sent Ito London a miniller, Mr. Jay,
known by his attachment to England, and I
his personal relations to lord Grenville, and
he concluded suddenly a treaty of commerce
which united them witb Great Britain, more
than a treaty of alliance. t
Such a treaty, under all the peculiar cir- o
cumQances, and by the consequences it must 1
produce, is an of hostility against France, *
The French Government, in ftiort, has tef. h
tifird the refeotmcat of the French nation, I
by breaking <j(F communication with an da
grateful and faith.cfs ally, until {he fliall re
turn to a trior* jnft and benevolent conduit.
Juitice and found policy, equally approve this
m?afure of the French Government. There
is no do«!*t it will give rife, in the United
•States, to dtfeuffions which may afford a tri
umph to the party of good Republicans, the
friends of France.
Same writers, in dif-tpprobation of this
wife and necessary meafurc of the Diredtory,
maintain that in the United States, the
French have for partizans only certain dema
gogues who aun to overthrow the exilting
government. But their impudent falfehoods
convince no one* and prove only what is too
evident, that they use the liberty of the press
to serve the enemies of France."
The effects intended to be produced by
your letter in the United States,, and .the ef
fects which it must inevitably produce, -will
be hereafter examined.
A FFLLOW-CITIZFN.
[There being some talk of inac&uracy in the tras
lation which bat appered in the papers, »f the
following letter, <we lay it before our Readers
in the French.
From the " Gazette Nationale ou le Moni
teur Univerfel." Paris, Sixtidi, 6 plu
viofe. (January 25.)
FLORENCE, le ier Janvier.
Lettre de M. Jefferfon, ci-devant miniftre
des Etats Unis en France, et Secretaire
v au Departement des Affaires Etrangeres,
a un citoyen de Virginie.
Cette lettre (literalement traduite) eft ad
drefieCa M. Mazzei, auteur des " Recher
ches hiftoriques et politiques fur les Etats
Unis d'Amerique", demeurant en Tof
cane.
" Notre etat politique a prodigieufement
changd depuis que vous nous avez quitte.
Au lieu de ce noble amour de la liberte et
de ce gouvernementrepublicain,qui nous ont
fait palTer triomphans a travers les dangers
de la guerre ; un parti anglican-monarchico
ariftocratique s'eft eleve. Son objet avoue
eft de nous impofer la substance, comme il
nous a deja donne les fbrmes du gouverne
ment Britannique ; cependant le corps prin
cipal de nos citoyens refte fidele aux prin
cipes republicans. TouSles proprietaires
fonciers font pour ces principes, ainfi qu'une
grande mafTe d'hommes a talens. Nous a -
vons contre nous (republicans) le pouvoir
executif; le pouvoir judiciaire ; (deux des
trois branches de la legislature) tousles of
ficiers du gouvernement, tous ceux qui af
pirent a l'etre. tousles hommes timides qui
preferent le calme du defpotifme a la mer o
rage-ufe de la liberte, les marchands Bretons,,
et les Americains qui trafiquent avec des ca
pitaux Bretons, les fpeculateurs, les gens
intereffes dans la banque et dans les fonds
publics. (EtablifTemens inventes dans des
vues de corruption, et pour nous alimiler au
modele Britannique dans fes parties pour
ries.)
Je vous donnerais la fievre si je vous nom
mais les apoftats qui ont embrafle ces here
sies, des hommes qui etaient des Salomons
dans l£ confeil, et des Samsons dans les com
bats, mais dont la chevelure a ete coupee
par la catin Angleterre.
On voudrait nous ravir cette liberte que
nous avons gagnee par tant de travaux et de
dangers. Mais nous la conferverons ; notre
mafTe de poids et de richefle eft trop grande
pour que nous ayons a craindre qu'on tente
d'employer la force contre nous. II fuffit
que nou3 nous reveillons, et que nous rom
pions les liens lilliputiens dont il nous ont
garrottes pendant le premier fommeil qui a
fuccede a nos travaux. II fuffit que nous
arretions les progres de ce fyfteme d'ir.gra
jitude et d'injuftice envers la France de qui
on voudrait nous aliener pour nous rendre £
l'influence Britannique, etc."
NAUTICAL IMPROVEMENTS.
THE Subscriber, Captain of the brig Schuyl
kill, of this port, having in two voyages to the*
Weft-Indies, experienced the salutary effeiflsof
a patent machine, for expelling the foul air
fr«m the holds cf (hips, invented by Benjamin
Wynkeop, and conftrudled in said brig ; doth
certify that the fame machine, worked by the
motion of the veflel at sea, sorted a conftaßt
current of pure air into the {hold, from whence
the foul air was thereby expelled : that the sea
men were remarkable healthy, no disagreeable
fmellwas perceived from.the bilge water, or
provisions ; the veflel's stores, particularly the
liquors, were much cooler than common, and
the paint in the cabin not discoloured asufual in
Welt-India; voyages. A» a friend to trade and
navigation, the fubferibtr thinks it his duty to
recommend the machine to general use, and
from the fifls, as ftatefl above, he fully believes
it may be the means of preserving the timber
of ships and their perishable cargoes from the
definitive effedls of foul air confined in the
holdj of (hjps, and of contributing to the health
and comforc of paftengers and seamen on board.
(Copy( JOHN IRWIN.
Philadelphia, May 2j, 1797.
I hi ve examined the principle of cenft-u<sUon,
and witnessed the operation ef Mr. Benjamin
Wynkeop's ventilators on board of several ves
sels in which they have been conftru&ed, and
am of opinion they will be of great advantage
in preserving the health of the people in lhip»,
and the timber from rotting, by the expulsion
of foul, and the constant circulation of freih air
which they produce :—Several matters of vef
fcU have informed me, that these ventilators
have also prevented the flaining of the paint in
the cabin, which they frequently observed to
take place from the exhalations arising from
bilge-water, sugar, or molaffts. I therefore
earnestly recommend their conftm£)ion on board
of every veflcl, and candidly declare I do not
know any cf the late improvement* in the art
of preserving health on board of lhips, of half
the impoitauce, whether they refpeft oecono
my, ease in execution (being worked by the
motion of the vessel) or efficacy.
JAMES MEASE, Resident
Physician of the port.
Health-Office, State Island,} ,
May 36th, 1797. 3
DIED, lately, and was buried in the B»p
---tift burial-ground, Eleanor Harris, a woman
of refpe&able chstadter, and ■ well qualified
Tutoress of children ; in the inflru£tion of
whom she spent feveial of the last years of
life, in this city. She was a Native
African.
RICHMOND, May 2+ .
At a court of the United States fur the mid
dle circuit ia the diftrift of Virginia, at
the cafiitol in the city 0 f Richmond, on
Monday the tweaty-fecond day of May,
'79).
PRFSENT,
JAMES IREDELL, Efq, one of the jufli
res of the supreme court of the United
States, and CYRUS GRIFFIN, Esq.
Judj>e of the diftrift of Virginia
JOHN BLAIR, foreman, Thomas (J.
Peachy, Otway Bird, Thomas Thotopfon,
(Sorbin Griffin, Richard Randolph, John
Gtbfon, John M'Crea, Thomas Newton,
Edward-Hack Molby, Robert Pollard, Jo.
feph S-elden, Robert Burton, Andrew Don
aid, Callowhill Minnis, Thomas Tinfley and
William Vannerfon, were sworn as the grand
inquest for the body of the diltriift, who
having received their charge, retired fi'em the
bar and retu/ned with the following present
ment :—■
We of the grand jury of the United States
for the dillrift of Virginia, present an a real
evil the circular letters of feveial members of
the late Congrtfs, and particularly letters
with the figHature of .Samuel J. Cabell, cn
deavoring at a time of leal public danger, to
difTeminate unfounded calumnies against the
Jiappy government of the United State*, and
thereby to feparatethe people therefrom, and
to * increase or produce a foreign influence
ruinous to the peacr, happiness and indepen
dence of these United States.
JOHN BLAIR, Foreman.
A Copy
T»(le, WILLIAM MARSHALL, elk.
———w« iiiimwun—Hiw—i'
CONGRESS.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE^,
Wednesday, May 24.
Mr. Liviripfion's fpcech continued.
It had been aflerted witii lingular confi.
dence that France was the firft aggr<lpjr in
spoliation, and that the Btitifh order of
council of June 1793, had been precede] by
one from the French government to the faine
purpose ; he need not enter into a refutation
of that aflertion ; the gentleman from MafTa
rhufetts (Mr. Freeman) had yellerday com
plutely exposed the fallacy of that artifice,
the French, have throughout the pvefent war
been compelled,in her own defence, to follow
the unusual measures adopted hy Britain, and
in this inflance the order iflued by the French
government, expressly Hates the British or
der in its preamble as the sole and necessary
cause of her adoption of similar jpeafures in
her own defence ; but we have ttftimony Hill
Itronger if any stronger were neccflary, it it
the declamtion of lord Grenville to Mr. T.
Pinckney—" Lord Grenville, on being alked,
" said Spain would pursue the fame line of
" conducS, and upon its being objedied, that
" even their late convention with Rufiia, did
" not extend to this ohjedt, he afifwered,
" that though it was not expressly mention
" ed, it was fully understood by both parties
" to be within the intention of it," —and
thus it is, that gentlemen endeavour to elude
the ttuth, and to descant upon fubterfuge
where the peace and happiness of out country
is at (lake ; that such a privilege or concession
fliould be granted to Britain in a time'of war,
was'remarkable enough to excite the jealouly
of the French government ; but that it fliould
be objefted to extend the fame privileges to
France by.negotiation is more extraordinary
am J we are told that Vattel is mistaken in
his do£lrine —he is in one cafe no authority
to be relied on, he mnft be utterly abandoned,
Dut in another his authority is sacred ; all
that had been said on the fubjeft ef this ar
ticle will equally apply to the disregard of the
neutrality of goods on neutral bottoms, ;s
declared in the inftruraent of the armed neu
trality.
Having offered his free opinion 011 these
several articles, he was willing now to de
clare as freely that there were many of the
circumstances of complaint urged by the
French Republic, which they were not
founded in carrying to the extent which they
do ; and it was on this account in an espe
cial manner that, he considered the amend
ment proposed, to deserve the most decided
support of the committee ; he had little
doubt of their being wrong, he had little
doubt of their being open to conviftion ; &
as they no doubt think themselves as much in
the right ia these cases, as they thought this
government in the wrong ; it became us to
use towards them a'language suitable to that
liberality which benefits a wife and prudent
nation ; it becomes us to examine our own
conduit and not rely on our own infallibili
ty : to enquire difpaflionately, and not rufli
into war before we have considered either the
cause or the eonfequences ; he appealed to
every gentleman, which would be the con
duit most consistent with true dignity, to
' obstinately persist in error at every rilk of cha
racter and disaster, or to examine our con
duft, and if we have erred to acknowledge
it manfully ; she does not require our humi
liation as gentlemen declaim, and if' (he did
we Ihould never submit to it—from a single
stipulation into which we have entered with
any nation we ought not and will not depart,'
(he does does not demand it; and therefore
we ought to fay to her we will place you
on a footing with every other nation—you
have been mistaken in some matters, we have
been mistaken in others—we will difcufst(>em
and this unpleasant difference ; would this be >
abjeft, would this be humbling us in the
dust—or would it be the most consistent wjth
true dignity ? Which is it more noble tt»
repair a fault or to persist in error even with
success ?—but where are the means to secure
success even if we Ihould persist ; but this is
a delicate fubjeft, he would not dwell upon
it; let us enquire whether wejiave maintain
ed that impartial conduft towards all nations
which we ought to have dor.e ?
Tkere are tome of those things which if not
founded in right, might without any violatioa
ef virtue have operated more 5n favor of France .
than any other nation; gentlemen would per
ceive that he alluded to our connexions with
that people in trying tien*s of our revolution : .
he was one of those wfcofe number appeared to
bedecriafing every day, that retaining his r«v
trence foro'ttfe/hioned notieii*, hi ronfideted