iwrrKx f jam vtffjrjsala '£j_ X&t ®#settc. -*• Tlieir PHILADE LPB IA , recorc TUESDAY EVEKINO, Octobfr Vi. f, t«d i A CHARGE A V 9 /-'v Grand Juries of the counties of Alley- the c< hen)i, lit'c. Publifhid at the . rcqu jl of the count G rait J Jury of Allegheny county. have [fcvrc.'ujeJ from yrfirdhy's Garrt.V."! _ But, while it may be admitted, that a competent government has been eftahlifhed -p[ for th- United States, and for this Rate ; t j l£ ] and while it may be admitted, that this state jendf is (nffrcierttly subdivided into inferior dif- Q f j t trifts, it may, yet remain a proper fnbjeft of town inquiry, whether a competent government ;fmj has been provided for the inferior diftrifls V ; £W into which this Hate i* subdivided ; and whether this is not a fubjeft proper for le- ; n a , g!(l.>tiv<- consideration : And this fubjeft is com , the more open for discussion, as, if any new comr provision be proper, no extraordinary con- t b e vocation of the- people, nor any alteration of n \ p t!it constitution is neCeffiry, to effeft it; but r j t y it may lie accompli(hed by the ordinary ex- eX pe ercife ox iegiflative authority. T It may not however be improper, for a juftii moment, this enquiry, in order g]y t ju(| to mention, that there is another division q of i.he state with a view to elisions. Several cree , counties sometimes compose one diftria, for twee the purpose of choosing one or+nore senators on a in the assembly or in con- hear grejs. Ed v Now, I believe, every county is fubdi- f one vided into election diftri&s, each composed t j on , of one or more township*, or parts of town- (hips', within the bounds of which, all the p meet at one place, to c-le&, their j county, state, or federal officers. new The powers of government are ufunlly s divided into three kinds, legislative, judi- t h o | cial, and executive ; and I consider it as j un ; f essential, that, not only the whole territo- I J ry, btyt every divifibn or diftrift, into which witl it is divided, possess, within ltfelf, full an- 3 (■ thority of the legislative, judicial, and exe- t h e cutive kind, under the controul, when any un( j of its regulations or afts have a more exten- b e five tendency, of the superior diftricl or be ; jurifdiftion, which may be affefted by them. t h e The authority of the government of the 1 n jft United States, extending over the whole to , territory of our is defined rou in the constitution of the United States. a s, The authority of the government of Penn- 0 f , sylvan 12, one of the diftrifts or members of re g the United States, extending over, the „f J whoV of this diftrift, is defined in the con- f uc ftitution of this state. Ido not take upon t h e me to futj-geft any improvement in the fede- be ra! or state government; but proceed to en- All quire, whether a competent government has f ro been provided for the counties and town ships.' into which this state is divided and Q u{ subdivided. . ere The United States is a corporation. Each a[K state is a corporation. But it has not* yet p o i been e-.cprefsly dfclared, that every county, a3 and every township. is also a corporation, bei This I think essential to be done. ex; The authority resembling the legislative, ro: for the county, is vested chiefly in the toi county commissioners, who are aathorifed Q f t•» impose and apply such sums of money, e rr a3 ncceffitry for the public service and tJtl be fit of their refpe&ive counties.* This ou authority seems to be ample, and I think it n e - proprr, that the commissioners have com- ft," pleat iegTlTatlve authority, to direst the in ternal taxe3 and improvements of the county. e ir Besides their present authority, they ought pe also to have power, to declare any naviga- CQ ble ft reams, within their counties, to be m i public highways, and to prefcribc where and m; how roads (hall be maoe and kept up at the j mi expence of the county. The manner of their co cxercifing this authority may be regulated ft; by laW,'and, like other authorities, in all, U proper cases, submitted to the eontroul of St the judic : ary . b) The commissioners come into office gene- fta rally unexperienced in their duty, and, not St seldom, with strong prejudices against a right be exercise of their authority ; and'before they di. have overcome their prejudices, or learnt th their duty, their authority expires. Thus the office of commissioners is too often filled, gr not with intelligence and public spirit, but 0 i" with jo-norance and obstinacy ; and the im- pc provement and prosperity of the counties are greatly obftruaed. This might be reme- r it died, by doubling the time of their appoint- j t , ment, and elefting only once in every t«o tic years ; unless it were thought proper, to pr double also the number of commissioners, re and eleft one yearly. , The county judiciary ls eftablillied by the ,f constitution of the state on a refpedable th footing. The legislature has not yet thought ft proper, though they have the example of c! the courts of the United States, for. tn.s tl purpose, to veil the courts with what is call- ft ed chancery powers. This is an eftential b ; improvement yet neceflary, and ealily to bi be effeaed in the judiciary department. I tl consider it as another defea in the county h judiciary, that their records may, before 0 "judgment, bC remov«d out of thes o « nn y- All the purjiofes of uniformity might be t i effeaed, by making the supreme court, as ir to other counties, while it fit* 111 Philadel- ~ phia, a court for the decision of points ot p law only, without any jury process,; and by direaing, that one or more 01 the judges of j, the supreme court, or with the president of c the county court, (hould, at stated terms, and at least once in every year, hold a cir- f cuitin each county, for the trial of all cases t removed from the county court into this cir- r cuit court. Judgments of the county com ts [ it.iVrht be examined in the circuit court on f writ, of error ; and judgments of the circuit c court, in the supreme court, which com- t posed as is now the court of errors and ap peals, fribuld be the court of la ft rcfort in , this state. . ' The executive officers of the jiidiciu. au thority are iheriffsi coroners, &c. » 1 St. L. The commissioners have power to appoint This a clerk. This is an dfficcr eflintiatly ne- th . the commissioners, for the receipt of all the ffiip county and state money. He also yugbt to pay have a fafe public office, and keep public treaf books.. For the colleaion of public taxes, over the system of townlhip officers ought to be 1 J applied to. mon The system of township government, as road ' the least important, has been the least at- app< - tended to ; and it is from the improvement E " of it, not only as it concerns the fercral be a townfhips, but as part of the general fyf- have I tem, that the chief benefit which I haye in font II view will arise. j ' At present there is no general authority | 1 " in a townftip, analogous to that of county appl s comtniftioners. The care of the roads is ' '• " committed to supervisors, and the care of " the poor to overseers. And for these feve- j {j, ou ral purposes, they have severally the autho-j 2 . rity of imposing, applying, colleaihg and lixm expending the townfliip taxes. The judiciary authority is vested in a tJV^" a justice or justices of the peace, aaing fin- c 01 !( r gly. ar, d i" an unfolcmn and domestic way. ture n Constables execute the proe'efs and de- As crees of the township judiciary. But be- fr^ )r tween the time of arresting a defendant, rs 011 a warrant for a debt, and the time of j tl]e hearing before the justice, it is not provid- | fcht ed what the constable shall do with his pri-1 ftnt< '■ foner. Other inconveniences might be men- Ihe , tow tioned. . | the! i- A(TeHors and colleaors are employed in | up| \ e proportioning and levying the county taxes. \> ' r I would have the township administration an < new modelled, so as to render it competent 'y to all township purposes, and auxiliary to those of the county, the state, and the ner 38 ! union. I I 0_ \ Every township ought to be a little state, Jto i -'h with its legislative, judiciary, and executive; l er I u " a corporation, with complete powers for I j^ 1 . e " the government of all iu internal concerns, j p ot Iff under such regulations and controul as may I out n * be thought proper. And there ought to j his or be a town-house in each towafhip, at which rn - the different authorities of township admi-1 niftration ought to be exercised. Annexed j to this theirs ought to be a town jail. A- 1 round the town-house would naturally grow I »»' es - a fmaill village, which, being under the eye I ,n " of the township authority, would be better I regulated, and more remarkable for decency I Th ; he manners than country villages, wilhout I lar 3n * such fuperintendance, too often are. There Im' 108 the eo'intry manufaaurers would naturally I de- be collefted, and much improve each other. a en * And much time, now wafted in travelling t i,. has from one to another would be saved. I bei vn- The legislative authority of the townlhip to md ought to be vested in townfliip comniiffion ers, appointed like county commissioners, er ich a[J d like them having full authority to im- t (, ; yet pose and appropriate such sums of money I ve >ty, as are neceflary for the improvement and of on. benefit of the township. They ought, for example, to have power to declare what I ive» roads shall be laid out and maintained at the ou the township expense ; to direst the regulation th fed Q f fences ; to provide for the support and to ley, employment of the poor, if they m- ftjp. lir : ' n - It has been proposed to the legislature to V tity. employ and maintain the poor at the ex- t j. ght penfe of the county. Several objeas, now iga- committed to the earc of the townships, re be might be distributed, according to their b< and magnitude, to the superior diftrias. There " the ; might be .hospitals or work-houses for each I heir county, supported by the couuty ; for eaeh al tted 1 state, supported by the state ; and for the a< •ill. United States, supported by the United dos States. There might be roads, supported by the county ; roads, supported by the tl ene- state ; and roads, supported by the United a | not States. Other objeas of public care might t] ight be, in like manner, distributed to the juiif ■hey diaion affeaed by them, in proportion to arnt their importance. 1 „ "■bus Every man must have had occasion to re- p lied, gret, that the dignity of the judicial branch w but of government is sometimes not well sup- 11 im- ported, in the domestic and unfolemn man- I " s are n ?r in which the township judicial autho ;me- r ity is exercised. For the improvement of P >int- it, I would recommend, that though jus- t< two tices may issue warrants or other original , to process, at their own houses, or as occasion lers, requires, and may there examine any inci- r dental question ; yet that the justice, and a ' the if there be more than one, the justices, of I c able the township fliould meet and hold a town- Jght ft,'p court, for trying and determining f e of causes in the town-house, and at stated j this times or court days. Every warrant or call- summons, issued ior any debt or demand, t ntial by ar.y justice in the township, ought to 0 f to be made rettiriiable at the town-house, on f 1 the next court day, and the matter there I j unty heard by the justice or justices in the town ( :fore court. | inty. At the meeting of this court, everyjuf-i' t be tice of the township ought openly to return t, as irtfo court all his domestic official proceed- ' adel- ings, relative to conviaions, or any other 1 Is of part of his jurifdiaion. ' id by When a constable has received from a 1 ;es of justice, or from the town court, any pro-j' nt of C ess, he will proceed to execute it. When I srnis, he has arrested a defendant on a warrant I » cir- f or debt, he ought to havt' authority, like cases the flieriff, if bail for his appearance at the is cir- next town court be not given, to commit I ouits him for fafe custody to the town jail. Be rt on f or <; the fitting of the court on each court- I ircuit day, the constable should return all hispro com- ce f ß at the town-house. | d ay- A clerk ought to be appointed in each ovt in town/hip to receive all the returned proccfs ftom the constable, and all the domestic a! au- proceedings from the justice or justices, en ter them in a book, and keep a record of I all the proceedings of the town court. [ This would ptetent many irregularities in to ai tht proceedings of jufticer,, ftom which prop parties before°thenl now fulfer not a little, whei The fame clerk ought -also to be a clerk to rant, the township commifiioners, and record all T their profceedings. b)i(h All taxes in the townftjip may be colleft- lar g ed by the constable, and paid over to a town- tent • ffiip treasurer, whose duty it (hould be to ceab 1 pay over all county taxes to the county men : treasurer, whose duty it (hould be to pay laws , over all state taxes to the state treasurer. near ; The application and expenditure of the ther money railed for the use of the poor, the to tl j roads, &c. may be entrlifted with officers won - appointed for that purpose. . V t Everv county town ought of course to j not, 1 be a borough, and every borough ongjht to jis a - have a separate government, for its internal tion n concerns, on the plan of a towndiip, mo- ty, I dellrd to jts peculiar circumstances. proi y j This township administration might be and y 1 applied to various ufeful purposes. of c ' s | I. Xlic'townfllip commifiioners awl jufticM fit- us ] r : tinfc together for that purpose, might have power j ' j. to fix en thcplac", ymere a town-house and jail i fliould bi; built, and direit their building. »- i 2. To them also might be assigned th< duty of r d fixing the number o.f taverns in the tewnlhip, and recommending proper persons for licences to keep er" n Jt ( 3. Public inftruit 1011 is a public duty a»n lan essential fuppor of government, well deserves pli nt I public attention and authority, to support itsmin- th( illration : and public authority mi(:ht be exertedyy e ,° j in this part of public illnruction, in the fame man- " e j ner, ae in the caf« «f schools. Public inftruflion, in these two articles, may, c ' i: e, 1 to some, appear more exceptionable, than any otn- ph e . ler foint dated in the system proposed. But lam his ■ ' I persuaded, that, in proportion as prejudice isfub- t j Q or I dued, and the attention fixod to the fubjefl, its im- . ls ' 1 portan* will maaifeft itfelf. What is man with- P . ay I out inltruflioT ! And how (lender is your hold on i' l to I his mind without religion ! 10 c jj j 4. An important use might be made of this J)] • I township administration, in conduAin? eleSion3, ru " I one of the mod inteVefting tranfa&ions iu the e( * 1 administration of the government. '' a It has been remarked, that large afTemblies are th. >W I a»t to be tumultuous ; and, therefore, and for the thi ve I convenience of the electors, counties have beep flj, ' I divided into election dfftricts. But, (rom the me- cr I th>d of conducting elections* many evils arise «y 1 Thcreisno uniformity, nor solemnity, nor regu- . u lut I larity, nor, !ometimes. honcfty, in their manage- in ;re I ment. The election officers ai e often linflcilful in 11, I that, or any kind of btffinefs ; and the places where I the elections arc holden, are altogether unfit for r| Cr- a proper or accurate manner of holding them. So . "g I that, as they ar« now heldcn, it would be much I better, that there were no divilion of a county in- 101 lip to election districts, and that all the electors affem- ftr 3n I Me at the court house, where there would be more means, and, from the habitjof solemnity, n grea- an rs ' er chance for an accurate and regular election, m " than at the place of diftriet election. The incon- an ley venience of the places of election, and the want ind of (kill and care in election officers, occasion ma- Tl f or ny errcrs and frauds in the election. It has erin pj , happened, that the election officers have not been I sworn, till the election was aver; and it isnotori the I OUP( they take no pains to enquire, whether ion those, who offer thoir votes, are qualified as elec- ev ind tors. It ought to be remembered, that election ij c< a part of the administration of the government; tj °. " and, for a man not qualifiied as an elector, to ex th" ercife this duty, isto usurp sovereign powers. For ngs this reaf»n, the law of Athens pirmffied with death ,vn- aftranger, or unqualified person, who interfered F in the assemblies of the people. And the intro a 1 dudion of a great number of strangers among the t ) citizens of Rome, Montefquiau eonfiders as one r ex " the causes of the ruin of that republic.* low EleiStions might be, at the fame time, convenient, P ips, regular, fn»ll, and solemn, if every township or CI heir borough were declared a fcparaic oleflion diftriA, a , r . and the electors of that diftriit were required to J R , C me#t at the town house, and give in their votes, a under the infpeftion of the township commiflioncrs P aeh a „d justices, who, or as many of them as (hould the attend, (houldl conduft the election. The town- g ited (hip clerk, with an assistant appointed for the pur- tl f ,j pose, by the attending commiHioners and jullices, c f f (hculd, under theit infpeflion, enter the names of , 4 e the voters in a lift, cast up the votes, and minute a ited all the proceedings of the eledion. The folemni- r ght ty of the place and the officers from the habit of p uif- the tranfaflion of important hufinef-, would secure a regular and fokmn ele&ion. The multiplicity 0 of districts would difeourage intrigue ; the preftnt j | authority, and the vicinity of the jail, would re -1 re " press tumult ; and.the" fmallnefs of the diftrid 3 ,nch wcuid enable the eleAors, in the greatcft number, c sup. and in one day, to choose all their officers, for the J lan- townflli P> the « unt y- the , ftate ' ani! the United j J j States. v tho- To prevent unqualified persons from voting, it tof ought to be required, that all the citizen* in each 3 jus- I townfllip qualified td vote, (hall, at some township a final court previous to their offering their votes, have j V ' their right te vote examined by the justice or just!- f ; . I ces, and their names infwn- isno! inferibed on th! ele&ion roll of the township: t Withont this, or a similar regulation, I fee no cf- ( llin s feflual and convenient precantion against unquali ate" ficd perfbns intruding themselves intoowr elefl ons 1 I or j When the elcc»ion is fiailhed and afctrtained, f and, the result of it, so far as refpectstownfhip oflktTS, 1 t to ought to be recorded by the town clerk ; and a co. ] py of it, certified by him, ke trasfmitted to the ( ' ° n I county court) and to the county commissioners, to " ere be inserted also in th»ir records. So far as it res- ' own 1 pected officers of the county, the state, and theU- ' I sited States, ( it weuld le,',as now, transmitted to < jus- I the county town, and disposed of as the law directs. , , turn Together with the result of the township j ced- ele^i° n > a co Py of the minut « s of proceed- , ther ings. as alfoof the rollof eleftors, the names of the ele&ion officers, the lift of voters, the 3m a number of votes for each officer and candi pro_ date, certified by the town clerk, (hould (/hen also bp transmitted to the county town, and rrant after careful examination, depoCted in the like commissioners office. t t i, e Other advantages might be stated, or oc mmjt cur in experience, from the towndiip organ- XJ e . ization. The principles of this plan might ourt- be varied and improved. The county com . pro . miffioners and judges might have authority to alter the arrapgemeuts of the townships, each and, from time to time, enlarge or lessen a - •occfs "T of And deserves consideration, neftic whether, i« teach township, there ought not ■ tn _ |tobe a feleft body of militia, whose pecu rd of l'ar duty it (hould be, to support the laws, rourt. I * Spirit of Laiut /• 2> c, 2. to any officer of which, together with the proper civil officer, any magi ft rate might, f when he thought proper, direct his war rant. Thus, on a general model, might be efta- Th blifhed, in every neighbourhood, a particu- ] lar government free and energetic, compe- 1 tent to afford instant proteilion to every pea- i ceable man, and instantly secure for punilh ment every transgressor. The force of the law 9 would be more within the view, and nearer the feelings of all. The laws would I 1 therefore be trior#" refpcdted; in proportion oat to the refpeft for the laws, the government cai would be ufeful. (table, and permanent. to Whether this system (hall be adopted, or dn not, it lies not with us to determine; but it I i Jis a proper fubjeft for the serious confidtra- A tion of us all. And it is peculiarly our du- jnj ty, at this time, in our several flations, to in promote refpeft and obedience to the laws, pi and so to promote the efficacy and happiness of our government. And for this end, let yc us proceed to enquire, whether, how, and pe by whom, any public law has £een viol :ted, ed within th« jurifdiftjon of the court. a The article signed a " Country Subfcrib- tii er" publiflied in Friday's gazette of the U- te nited States, occasioned some remarks in c { " Porcupine's Gazette" of Saturday, of C which the following is an extiaft. f e " [ Previous to mat ing any remark on this let- n! tet, it is necejfary to lay before the reader the n( offenjive paragraph, as it /lands in my gazette. ] IJ, ANECDOTE ei From the N. Y. Daily Advertiser. bl " When Franklin was on his million to h France previous to the alliance, be put up ai one night at an inn near the frontiers. Gib- rr bod, the celebrated historian, happening to j, be in the fame house, Franklin sent his com- a j pliments, requesting the pleasure of spending the evening with Dr. Gibbon. In answer tl 1 he received a card, importing, that " not- k withstanding Dr. Gibbon's regard for the a t chara£ler of Dr. Franklin, as a man and a p ■ philosopher, he could not reconcile it with j 1 his duty to his king, to have any converfa- tl tion with a revoltedfubjedt! Franklin in re- tl ' ply wrote a note, declaring, that "though r , , Dr. Gibbon's principles had compelled him v to withhold the pleasure of his conversation, t ' Dr. F. still had such a refpeft for the charac- fc ' ter of Dr. G. as a gentleman and an hifto- e rian, that when in the course of his writing ] ( the history of the decline and fall of empires, a : the decline and fall of the British empire r ' {hould come to be his fubjeft, as he expeded \ it fooH would, Dr. F. would be happy to r furnifh him with ample materials which were t . in his pofleffion." i i Upon this I made the following remarks : 1 e " Whether this anecdote record a 1 r truth or not, I (hall not pretend to fay ; 1 but it must be confefled that the expreiT- r . ions imputed to the two personages were , - ftri£tty in charafter. In Gibbon we fee < c the faithful fubjtft, and the man of candour ; and honour: in Franklin, the treacherous and malicious " old Zanga of Boston." ( t Now for the letter of Mr. Fenno's coun- ( i- try subscriber.——He hints at other | dl paflages i« -my ga«ett«, ".calculated lode- - " grade the American charaScr, &c." besides j ~ the one he has noticed ; but, as I cannot ; even guess at these, I (hall be excused for ] it confining myfelf, on the present occasion, te ) • the particular instance which he has cited. i He obje&s to my " reviving animosities ] I, which all good men desire to bury in oblivion." j :d How unjust this charge w ipuft be perceived i at once by ev»ry one who casts his eye over ,c the above. The anecdote was not of my 10 feledion ; it was published in n New-York lt ppper, and republifhed in all those of this ir city. The publication of it at this time was St. a fort of dung-hill cock triumph over Great to Britain, and could be intended for no other purpofes than that of " reviving animosities." Id The observations on this fpiteful para q. graph are such as were naturally called for : r- the reprobation of the malicious old hypo :s! crite, who is represented as the hero of the " anecdote ; and they do not contain the least refleftion on the American chara3er or.the of principles of the revolution. re Old Franklin is held up to the admiration 'y of the people, for having wantonly, and ma liciously prcdifted that the empire of Brit- ain foon fall to the ground; and be sr, cause I call him an oMZanga for this pre hc diction, I am charged with degrading the ct * American charader; as if every American it were admitted to be of the fame disposition, c h and to entertain the fame vengefulfentiments, ip as this remorseless old deist. Nay, Mr. ve Fenno's correspondent carries the thing still farther, and observes, that the observation '*• on Franklin neeeflarily applies itfelf to Mefli's. Waflu'ngton, Adams, Jay, and Ham tie ilton. But, if this curious logician expe&s 'P : to be believed here, he must firft prove each c f.~ of these gentlemen to have uttered fenti nj m,ents equally insulting, vindictive, and fan cd, guinary, with those of Franklin ; a thing, I r», believe, which it would be very difficult for :o " him to do. However, this I have nothing ;he to do with. When I am convinced that c r_ either of them, not content with obtaining U- the independence of the Colonies, was fpvage ito enough to hug himfelf in the hope that the pa :5S - rentJlate wouldpcrifh in the conflict, I will call "P him a Zanga. Nor shall Ibe afraid, in so ; d" doing, of exposing myfelf to the charge of acs inconsistency. I have thought highly, &ud ' lc I have (poken highly of these gentlemen, but, did any one ever suppose that I applaud cd them merely as revSlutionijls ? Much less as bitter, inexorable, and brutal enemies to Great '^e Britain. ■' " '"j / - 11 ■ '"V 1 •yrrf Red Port Wine. , Just arrivtt', by tlx: brig Iris, capt. from s' 1 ' Oporto, >m- Rel Port Wine in pipe»,hhJs.and quarter cafcs -ity 6o cwt. Cork, for sale by ps, Philips, Cramond, & Co. i a- Jn'y it. 5 The Medical Lectures In the University of Pennsylvania, are poft ct " poned until the lall Monday in November ws > next. O flober 14. «aW4w.. foreign intelligence" PARIS, August 24. The following curious Letter has been pub lilhed on the death of the Duke of Or leans, the Abbe Fauchet, and some Gi rondines, finned by Lothringer : " Thaun, in the Department of the Upper Rhine, July 21, 1797. " I this moment, Sir,leave aprifon where I have beefi confined for having retra&edthe oath of 1791, and for having made such re caDtation'of it as was fnfficient, according to the Constitutional Schifma, to have fe djiced all the world. On my return home I found a letter from you dated on the 25th April last, which the fear of doing me an injury had prevented from being sent to me in the prisons of Epinal. I hasten to re ply to it. " With refpe£t to the Duke of Orleans, you may inform the Duchess his very ref pe&able and pious spouse, and who deserv ed a more happy husband, that I received a letter from Fouquier Tinville, formerly the public aceufer of the infamous Revolu tionary Tribunal, dire&mg me to adminis ter the last offices of ourreligion to the Duke of Orleans. Arrived- at the prison of the Conciergerie, I found him difpoftd to con fefs .very folly, but a drunken man, whose name I do not know, and who was condem ned to fuffer with them, for having, I be lieve, thrown bread into the common few er, prevented his doing so by the horrid blasphemies which in his drunkenness and his despair he poured forth against religion and its servants. It was in vain that the guards attempted toftlence him till at length by great Providence, the drunken man fell asleep just as the Executioners had arrived. " The Duke of Orleans asked me if I was the German Priest whom the wife of the keeper of his prison had mentioned to him, and whether I entertained good religious principles. I told him that having been fe dueed by the Bishop of Lydda, I had taken the oath ; that I had long repented of it, and that I had nevet for a moment changed my religious principles, and that I was only waiting for a favourable opportunity to re traft the oath. The Dulse then knelt down before me, and asked me if he had yet time enough left to make a general confeffion.— I told him that he had, and that no one had '■ a right to interrupt him ; on which he made a general confeflios of the whole of ' his life. After having confrfled, he asked me with a peniteocereally fupernatural,whe ther I believed that God would receive him into the number of the eleft ; I proved to him by passages and examples from the Ho ly feriptures, that his noble repeutance, his heroic resolution, his faith in the infinite mercy of God, and his resignation to death would infallibly save him. " Yes," said he, " I die innocent of the crime of which I am ■ accused ; may God forgive my fudges as > I forgive them. I have indeed deserved death in order to expiate my fins. I have ■ contributed to the death of an innocent per* ' son, and thas has been my bane ; but he - was too good v not to forgive me ; God will * join us both with St. Louis." lam not : able to express how much I was edified bv r his noble resignation, his sffliftion and his ' * supernatural desire to fuffer every thing in this and the other world fot= the expiation of ' his fins, of which he talked for a fecoud and ' final abfolutrnn at the foot of the fcaffold. I Of these particulars you may confidently as s sure the Duchess. V " With refpeft to the bishop of Lydda, t I have nothing to add, except that he told s me at the commencement of the foi difant » civil constitution of the clergy, but also the - do&rines which he preached in his club, r called the Iron Mouth, refpedling the Agra rian law, the Franklin oath, &c. and that 1- he profeffed the Roman Catholic and Apof : tolical religion. This circumstance occafi -- oned murmurs among rhe guards who were >e present, who told me aloud that I should ft be guillotined as well as hfm. The Abbe ie Fauchet, after having made his confeifion, heard himfelf that'of S"illery. n " Of the twenty-one deputiep,there were 1- seven who made their confeffions to me, viz. t- Duparet, Gaudien, Fauchet, Beauvais, Le »• Hardi and Vagier ; Ido not recollect the 5- name of the seventh. " BrifTot, whom I knew, did not make others having asked him whether he believ '» ed in an eternal life in the other world, and r - in a state of reward, he answered, " yes." II Signed, « LOTHRINGER." in 0 Letter from gen. Hoche, commander in 1- chief of the army of the Sambrj and ts Meufe, to the Executive Direftory. h " Wetilaer, 29 Thermidor, (Aug. 6) fifth year, n- " You have been called on, citizen di -1 reftors, Uy a mefiage of the council of sHe or hundred, to bring before the tribunals th'e ig persons who signed the orders given to the at troops for their march into tl . interior. ig For once M. Wiiiot has spoken my vrifhes je both to the national representation and to a- you. sll " Allow me, therefore, to request of yoa so to point out the tribunal to which lam to of apply, to obtain at length the justice to id which lam entitled. It is time that the n, French nation should be made acquainted d- with the atrocity 6f the aceufations repeat :fs edly brought forward ajjainft me, by men 3/- who, being my petfonal enemies, ought at least to make their friends, or rather patrons, ~ speak out in a cause which is personal to them. om " It is time that the inhabitants of Pari», more especially, should know what is uirder ®cf ij:ood by the marking out of limits for the military ; and should have an explanation given to them how 9or 12,000 jnen ( J I will suppose a greater number) can block ade a city which, at the firft beat of a drum, or the found of a beil, if the latter be pre fer ferred, could arm 150,000 of its inhabit ants for the defence of its property and its * i law*. law^w.,