DECLARATION
of the DUKE of BitUNSWICIC.
[Read to the French National Convention by
M. HRJSSOT.]
WHEN their Majeftics, the Emperor and
the King of PrufiVa, in confiding to me the
command of t'ie armies which thele two allied
Sovereigns have caUsed to uiai ch into Fiance,
made me the organ of their intention , let
forth in the two declarations oi the 25th and
27th of July 1792, their Majeities were far
from conceiving the pofTibility of thole scenes
of horror, which preceded and brought on tbe
imprifonmentof their Majeftics, the King and
Oueen of France, and the Royal Family.-—
[This gave rile to some murmurs.]
[M. Briflot here obJerved, that the only
anlwef he should make to this manifefto, was
that Gener-d Duinoui ier had it printed and
distributed in his army; the good eifefts of
■which were found in the increased courage
imd provoked indignation of the soldiers. He
proceeded in the reading of it.]
Such attrocious a&s, of which nations in
the least degree civilized have not yet (hewn
an example, were nevertheless not the ex
treme bounds, which the audacity of certain
£i6tious men, who had contrived to render
the people of Paris the blind initruments of
their will, had set to their guilty ambition.
The fupprellion of all the King's function*,
which had been reserved to him by that very
conditution, which has been so long cried up
as the vow of the whole nation, was the lad
crime of the National Aflfembly, which has
brought upon France the two dreadful scour
ges of war and anarchy. [F»efh murmurs.]
BriiTot.—l request silence, if it be only
through pity.]
To perpetuate these evils, there remained
but one step to be taken, which could be dic
tated only by that mad spirit, the fatal fore
runner of the fall of empires, whicfi has seized
upon those men who didinguifh themselves by
the title of deputies of the nation, chufen to
confirm its lights and happiness, upon the
mod fnbftaiitial basis. The fir ft decree which
they p.afied in their AflTembly, was the aboli
tion of royalty in France ; and the senseless
acclamation of a small number of individuals,
of whom even several were strangers, claimed
the right of overthrowing the judgment of
fourteen generations, who have filled the
fourteen centuries of the exidence of the
"French monarchy.
This proceeding at which the enemies of
France alone should rejoice, if they fuppoftd
that it could have a lading effect, is in direct op
position to the firm resolution, which their Ma.
jedies the Emperor and the King of Pruflia have
£aken, and from which those two allied Sover
eigns will never depart, to restore to his Mod
Chridian Majedy his liberty, fafety, and royal
dignity, or to wreak a judand ftgnal vengeance
on those who shall date any longerto violate or
infringe upon them.
For these reasons, the undersigned declares to
the French nation in general, and to each parti
cular individual, that their Majcdics, the Empe
ror and the Xing of Pruflia, invariably attached
10 the principle of not medling in the interior
government of France, (a pealoj laughter) perfid
nevertheless to require that his Mod Chridian
Majedy, together wuti all the royal family,fhall
be immediately fei at libeity, by those who pre
sume to keep them imprisoned. Their Majef
lies also infid, that the royal dignity in France
ihall be, without delay, re-tdablilhed in the per
son of Louis XVI. and his fucceflors : (another
and louder burjl oj laughter) And further„that this
royal dignity (hall be secured from any such af
front in future.
If the French nation has not entirely lod fight
of its true intereds, and if, free in its resolutions,
it is desirous of putting a dop quickly to ail tnc
calamities of a war, which exposes so many pro
vinces to all the evils attendant upon the march
of an army, it will not delay an indant to de
clare its opinion in favor of the peremptory de
mands which I make in the name rheir Ma
jedics the Emperor and the King of Pi uflia ; and
which, in cafe of a refufal, will inevitably draw
down upon this kingdom, hitherto Co flourifh
ing, new and more terrible disasters.
The part which the French nation may
take, in con'eauence of this declaration, will
either extinguifli or perpetuate the fatal ef
fects of calamitous war, by removing, in the
fuppreflion of royalty, the means of re edab
lifting and keeping up the ancient connexion
between France and the powers of Europe ;
or may open the way, by negociation, to the
restoration of peace, order and tranquility,
which those who call themselves the deposita
ries of the national will, are the mod interfil
ed to render as prompt as it is neccflary to
the kingdom. (Signed)
Charles F. Duke of Brunswick
Lu NENBL'RG.
Head Quarters, at "Hans, Sept. 28, 1792.
These papers were referred to the Com
mittee of public fafcty.
COMBINED ARMIES.
PruJJian Head Quaitcrs at Vouliers,
Ofluier 1.
We have retraced our steps to the place in
■which we were 15 (lays ago. Wc have been 10
days in prelence ot the Ftench army without an
aftioo, or a cannon shot on either fide. The
"time has*paflVd in negociations. Baron die
Brctcuit r epan cd t o Vetd r. 11. 1 o ihisMiniftcr
it was, thai the King o; Piufliaand tSic oilier
Primes chiefly g.ivc ctfdit, after the tetieat ot
M. C,d..-nnt ,to whose bad calcLi !a: iul it a'c
imputed, and, as appears, wiih re»ft>n,_ ail the
notions hafillv 1 ak.cn up and ili netted, on
whici. o' prompt a ( id cheap Incccfs were
too rc.idily rmrrlt'ucd. But for it,eft fj|tjc ; ous
•ifljiiances, the entraiuc in o a c.mintty planted
vith'loiiteir.-s Iruni L 1 it-r m Rutin:, would
not have been a: ictnpu <1 ; or it a<. cm p' t'd . would
have IICI.II To wttii means. M. ck Rk
tcuti •s-a.cheri event< at V.-rdnr, Hpcci.'.llv while
the French army wjs furrcunacd aimoft o
fides by the alius.
CONGRESS.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
WEDNESDAY, December 2s.
A bill providing for a reimhurfement,»fra }c*n
made of the Bank of the United States, was ta
ken into consideration. Mr. Steele moved that
the firft feAion be (truck out; this occasioned a
debate.
Mr. Steele said he made the motion, not that
he was opposed to the general object of the
bill, but on a persuasion of the bad policy oi
borrowing. He remarked, that with refpe&to
an individual it had been considered that he
was generally in the road to ruin, in proportion
to the facility with which he could borrow, and
the fame remark would probably apply to pubr
lie bodies. He had an aversion to the whole
fyllem of borrowing; he had therefore made
the motion in order to try the principle, how
far we were to proceed, and ia hope# that a
more full difcufiion of the would pro-
duce an abandoning of such a fyflem.
Mr. Madison enquired whether any informa
tion had been received if» consequence of the re
solution passed or\,Monday, directing the Secre
tary of theTreafury to report the date of the fo
reign loans.
The Speaker said, he supposed the time had
not admitted of any return from the Secretary.
Mr. Madison then said, he should bfc to
be informed what were the difadvamages whj*.h
would accrue from defering the bufiuefs a few
days. If it should appear that any lot's would oc
cur, or the credit of the government fuffer, he
should mod heartily agree to proceed in the
bill; but as it did not appear that this wis the
cafe, and much important information was want
ing, he hoped that no precipitation would take
place. .
Mr. Sedgwick replied to Mr. Madison; he
adverted to an exiding date of fa&s, in relation
to a sum of money now laying tifelefs, but ap
propriated for a fpccial purpose—he observed,
that one objedt of the bill was for the govern
ment to avail itfelf of this sum, by making a
a loan at a less rate of intered than a now
paid to the Bank of the United States.—
The design, said Mr. Sedgwick, is not the
gentleman from North Carolina has said, to e»-
crease the debts of the United States, bu&to di
minish those debts, and this has been the cafe in
refpeii to every loan that has been made since
the exidence of the present government.
Mr. Madison observed, that he had heard no
thing to induce him to suppose that any rtecefli
ty exided for a loan for the purpose of y the. hill—
*It is dated that there is a sum of money laying
useless : he knew, he said, of no motives df deli
cacy or propriety which should prevent tfie ap
plication of this money to paying the loan made
of the Bank of the United States. If anV iuch
reasons existed, he was ignorant of thenl, and
therefore Ihouldbe glad of further information :
he supposed he was not alone in this refpeA ;
many of the members, he believed, were equal
ly in the dark with himfelf.
Mr. Baldwin, after adverting to the several
aAs authorising loans, inferred from their amount
their appropriations, and the surplus of thole
loans now on hand, that there was no neceflity
for a new loan to discharge the loan made of
the Bank of the United States.
Mr. Gerry gave an account of the several
loans, the obje&s to' which they are appropria
ted, and from this statement ftiewed that there
was no such surplus as the gentleman stated, to
be-applied to the present object without inter
fering with appropriations already made Mr.
Gerry observed, that the design of the bill was,
not to increase the debts of the United States,
it is simply to provide for diminilhlng'lhfe inte
rest now paid on a debt due from the govern
ment —That this will be the operation of the
proposed loan was demonstrable; and (in this
principle the bill is moll extremely eligible.
Mr. Williamfon said he hadjnard one
substitute hinted at, for the fe&ion propfcfed to
be struck out ; and he fliould not vote for strik
ing out, for that. He fliewed that the felling of
the (lock in the Bank, belonging to the United
States, would have a most inauspicious effeA—
It would fall into the hands of foreigners; he
could have wiftied rather that the United States
owned the whole of the ilock. He doubted
whether the government could, in juftijre and
found policy such a sale of flock as to- af
fe& the value of the property, as fubfcijiptions
from individuals arose in part from the govern
ment being interefled; it would operate some
thing like an ex poll fa&o law. He - added 1
some remarks, to Ihew that <no hnmediatb neces
sity exilled for a new loan—he thought we
could do without one at present.
Mr. Madison replied to Mr. Williamfon—he
remarked that this was the firft time |ie had
ever heard it intimated, that the property of the
United States, in the Bank, was unalienable —
with refpe'dl to the money appropriated, and
now laying useless, he was of opinion that it
ought immediately to be applied to the original
purpose, i.e. to pay our debt tp France. lie tho't
that now was the time to discharge our obliga
tions to that country ; and To far was he from
confulering the present poilure of affairs as a
reason tor withholding payment —he could ra
ther wilh that the fumdue was wafted to them
on the wi»gs of the wind. He added, that if
he was arguing from miflaken principles,, he
Vihed to be set right. But the reason for
| -withholding payment from our generous allies
-2 46-
ic did not thijik fufficient: the ittfori fuggeft
■d was that the United States, by paying the i
money at the present time, might be liable to
~y it again, in cale of change in the govern
ment of France. ..
Mr. Giles denied the necessity and the policy
of making a loan of two million of dollars, to
provide for the payment of an inftalmen
100,000 dollars to the Bank of the U btates
He {hewed by an induction of particulars, that
it was at lead extremely problematical whether
there would be any saving by a loan at J per
cent, when the charges and douceurs were taken
into the account. At least, said he, it wi re
quire a considerable time to elapse before the
profits talked of will begm to accruc. On the
whole, considering the imperfect ttateof the in
formation in possession of the House, receding
the loans already made, their amount and appli
cation,-he thought tfie business Ihould be post
poned : he therefore proposed a resolution, re
quiring from the Secretary of the Treasury, a
more particular statement of fads, refpeSmg all
foreign loans, than was required by the reiolu
tian of Monday. .
Mr. Findley obferved—from the various sur
mises which had been made in the House, he
feared there was a general want of information,
in refped to the whole business; and therefore
was in favor of the bill's laying over till the re
quifite information was obtained. For his part,
he never would vote for the clause till this in
formation was received; and if the bill is not
postponed, he ihould vote for ftrikmg out the
feition. . ,
Mr. Boudinot remarked, that as the United
States need the sum now to be proviued for, and
were paying an interest at 6 per cent, the only
question was, whether we (hall borrow a sum
at S percent, to pay it off, and thereby make a
saving of 20,000 dollars annually, er continue
to pay the 6 per cent. He remarked, that the
only objeaion which had been mentioned, was
that which had been offered by the fefitfcmSn
from Virginia, that little or no saving would be
made, owing to the douceur, charges, &c.—
Mr. Boudinot said, that it must be understood,
that 5 per cent, includes the charges.
Mr. Fitzfimons observed, that the gentleman
who had brought forward the motion, had (aid
he did it to try the principle, whether we were I
to go on with the pernicious practice of loans.-—
Mr. Fitzfimons said he did not think that this
would try the principle. None of the loans
mad? by the present government have added to
the debt of the United States; they were all
made to discharge other loans, and have been
so applied to the great benefit of the Country —
and this is the objed of the loan nlw proposed
to be made.—Mr Fitzfimons stated sundry par
ticulars, to shew that a loan at 5 per cent, would
in the present cafe be an annual saving to the
United States of 16,000 dollars per annum;
even calculating on the douceur, stated by the
gentleman from Virginia, which is the highest
that has ever been mentioned.—Mr. Fitzfimons
added I'ome obserVations refpe&ing the neceility
of making immediate provision, as the<biftal
ment became due next week.
Mr. Madison adverted to the different grounds
on which the bill had been advocated; and now
the support was narrowed down to the firnple
idea of the exigency of making immediate pro
vision for the mflalment. He hoped, therefore,
that the bill would not be precipitated, but lay
on the table for further consideration.
Mr. Dayton opposed the bill's laying on the
table.
Mr. Steele offered sundry reasons to induce a
postponement. •
Mr. Venable observed, that according to the
statement which had been mentioned of the dou
ceur on foreign loans, the United States in the
firft i»ftance would encreafe their debt by bor
rowing at- 5 percent, to pay off loans on-which
, 6 per cent, was now paid : it would require a
number of years to elapse before they would be
gin to realize any advantage; so that at this mo
ment the debt of the United States were in fad
encreafed by the loans already made—and it
would take four years to place the country in
exaitly the fame ilate in which it now is, in re
lation to the loan of the Bank of the United
States, in cafe a foreign loan at 5 per cent, is
now made to pay the bank.
Some observations were made in opposition
to Mr. Venable, in which it was asserted that
the advantage of the proposed loan would be
gin immediately to accrue to the United States.
Mr. Steele's motion was at length determined
in the negative by ayes and noes, which are
as follows:
Mess. A<hej
Baldwin,
Findley,
Giles,
Greenup,
Grove,
Lee,
Madison,
Moore,
Mess. Ames,
Ben son,
Barnwell,
Boudinot,
S. Bourne,
B Bourn,
Dayton,
Fitzfiraons,
Gerry,
Gilman,
Goodhue,
Gordon,
Griffin,
Hartley,
Hillhoufe,
Huger,
Jacobs,
Mr. Madison then moved to strike out of the
firft fe<stion, the words two millions, and insert
two hundred /.Sciz/Wi, before the word 1 dollars.*
AYES.
MelT. Parlcer,
Schoonmaker,
I. Smith,
Steele,
St urges,
Sumpter,
Tredwell,
Venable.
NOES.
MeiT. Key,
Kitchelb,
Kittera,
Learned,
Livermore,
Murray,
Milledce,
Niles,
Sedgwick,
Sylvester,
W. Smith,
Thatcher,
Tucker,
Wadfworth,
White,
Williamfon,
Willis. 34
The Ayes arid Noes being otto
motion, are asicllnw :
AYES.
Mess. Aihe,
Baldwin,
Findley,
Giles,
Greenup,
Gregg,
Griffin,
Grove,
Key,
Kitchell,
I.ee,
Madifoiv,
■Millcge,
Moere,
N 0
Mess. Ames, ■
Barnwell,
Ben fun, Jacobs,
Doudinot, Kittera,
S. Bourne, Learned^
B. Bourn, Leonard,
Dayton, J'ivcrmor^
Fitzfimons, Murray,
Gerry, Sedgwick,
Gilman, W. Smith,
Goodhue, Sylvcller,
Gordon, Thatcher,
Hartley, Wadfworth. ai
The Speaker voting in this cafe in the ncga--
ive, the motion was loft.
Amotion by Mr. Williamfon, to amend the
fe&ion by adding a clause, to reftri# the pre
mium on the loan, to 5 per eent. per annum,
including all charges, was.unaninionfly agreed
to and thcnHoufe the adjourned.
MONDAY, Dec. 31,
Mr. B. Bourn presented the petition of the
corporation .of ColLy, yayttig
reparation for the damages done to said
College during the war, by the Americauand
French a rmies* and for rent for the fame—the
College wa# alternately used a- a barrack and
an hospital to the said armies Read and refer
red to the Secretary of the Treasury.
Mr. Thatcher presented the petition of Isaiah
Thomas, Printer, of Worcester, in MafTachu
fetts, praying that the article of Printing Types
imported from Europe, may be exempted front
duty ; and that bonds given by the petitioned
for the duty on a large quantity of Types im
ported by him, may be cancelled. Read and
referred to the Secretary of the Treasury.
A bill to amend an a«sl entitled, an a& for e
ftabling a mint, and regu'ating the coins of the
United States, so far as refpe&s the coinage of
copper ; reported by, Mr. Williamfon,read
twice, and referred to a committee of thef
whole for to-morrow.
The bill to ascertain the fees deman 'al)le on
cases of admiralty proceedings in the courts of
the UnitetlStates, &c. was brought in engrav
ed, read the third time, the blanks filled up. Qn
the queltion, Shall the bill pass ?
Mr. said the bill appeared to him
to be efientially defective ; one leg was cut
away, and it limped very badly on the other; he
wished therefore it (hould not pass. He wished
that the judiciary fyflem (hould be generally a
mended ; this uas the desire of his constituents,
who, under the regulations now existing were
exposed to innumerable difficulties; and with
relpe& to seizures, they had almost ceased, ow
ing to the perplexities thrown in the way, by
the regulations of the courts of the U. States.
Mr. W. Smith acknowledged that the bill
was not so good an one as he could have wished
—-he remarked that he could not conceive how
any thing could limp on one leg. But its mutl?
lated state, said he, may be attributed to the
gentleman who now opposes its passage. Mr.
Smith said, the gentleman had not, in his opini
on, give any fufficient reason against its pac-
ing. He further remarked, that it originated oft
a petition from upwards of 60 refpe&able mer
chants of the city of Charleston, who complain
ed of the enormous fees they were fubje& to in
that state. Their petition has been thought just
and reasonable. The hill will afford them re
lief, without doing injury to any other parts of
the union. He hoped, therefore, that the bill
might pass, as a temporary relief, until a gene
ral revision of the judiciary fvftem, (hall tal;e
place. No further observations being
the bill was passed.
The report of a feledl committee on the pe
tition of the inhabitants of Vincennes, praying
to be released from the expences of re-surveying
their lands, was read, which was in favour of
the petitioners ; the report was accepted, and t
committee appointed'to report a ht\K *
Mr. Gerry presented the memorial of the offi
cers of the Maflachufetts line of the late army,
in behalf of themselves and the privates of the
said army. Read and laid on the table.
Mr. White called up a motion which he laid
on the table, on Friday last, which was, that a
committee be appointed to prepnre and report
a bill co explain the a& eftablifhingthe courts ol
the United States, in refpe& to taking bail in
criminal cases.
This motion being agreed to, Mr. White.
Mr. W. Smith, and Mr. J. Smith, were ap*
pointed as the committee.
Mr. Goodhue, from the committee appointee
for the purpoft,reported a bill relative toda*** l '
against the United States, not barred by any
of limitation, and which have not already Veer
adjusted. Read twice, and committed for Tfiurf
day next. Ordered that 100 copies be printed
In committee of the whole, on the bill makiuj
appropriations for the year 1793.
Mr. Sedgwick in the Chair,
The committee made some amendments;
then rose, and reported progress. On motion
the committee of the whole was difchaTged, an*
the bill recommitted to the felevSfc committer
which reported it.
tiiit
i .
Mill'. Nile!
Parker,
bchoci.-.maker,
I. Smith,
Steele,
Stur^cs,
Sumpter,'
litSdwiH,
T utker,
Vcnuble,
White,
Williamfon,
Willis. 3j,
Mcfl.
h «^
* vv