J
FROM THE ARGUS. " thc )
" tnb
THE DEFENCE—No. XXIV. "Ho
[OOVCLUD«».J " e®" l
Mr. Genet at this time had to outraged our Go- «« in i
vernment a. to have compelled them t* request his « pa i,
recall, he mnft tl»eref«re have been convinced, that << i„d,
no conference would be held with him except on .< dra
points oT urgent importance, and such as would ,« Fra
not admit of delay—He was therefore anfweredby .« t ha
Mr. Jefferfon on the sth of November, that his «< cac
letter had been laid before the President, and would «« clir
. be considered with all the refpeA and intcreft that « e f
■ its tijeas neceffariljr required i and in Mr. JefFer- this I
. son's letter to Mr. Morris of the 23d August, we .. ry
' are informed that our Government were desirous « car
' to go into a commercial negoeiation with France, «« a pj
- and therefore requested that the Powers given to « t hi
Mr. Genet on that fubjeft ihould be renewed to «< o fej
hisfucceffor —It has not appeared that this was «« to
ever done—His immediate successor Mr. Fauchet, «« g rt
it is believed, gave no evidence of his having any << to
,f powers relative to a commercial Treaty ; and if " go
:e teports, which arrived with the prefaot Minister, << G«
r- having great marks of authenticity, may be crc- « as
11 dited, he has power only to digejl the articles of " fin
such a Treaty not to conclude one. " tin
Notwithstanding the internal evidence contained " E:
in the two letters of Mr. Genet was fufficicnt to « ric
have fatisfied a sensible people, that something be- " co
yond a commercial treaty was connected with the •< ne
proffered negotiation, and tho' this conjecture ac- " fei
quired strength from the cautious procedure of our " th
government on the occasion : yet tliefe letters, and I
' that procedure, have been pressed upon the public eoun
as condufivf .sTiieMe-, that Frapce had offered, and a ne\
r- our to enter into a new treaty tizen
of com«aercj9,]thflt jyo»ld have been highly benefi- Recr
're E ial to our trade and navigation. _ tonn
The refutation of this opinion so injurious to a Frcn
_ reasonable and salutary confidence in the integrity comi
j and patriotism of our own executive government, , son a
and which the agents of its propagation, had spread it is
Jay far and wide ; might have been more difficult, had wou!
'of ndt the minister of France, for the purpofeof jufti- Hon
A- fying his own condudt, publiflied his hitherto fe- Frar
aid j cret inftruftioifcV ' aß^
' f . a ' By thtfafcifrnKfitrns it appears, that the essen- frotr
m tialobjeft of flyis proffered negotiation, was to en- ers \
n » gage 'States to make common cause sam(
Jnj. with France in War then forefeen, and which , tual
lent soon broke out *fth Spain and England—That j fpe6
arts the advantages to be yielded by a new commercial pofi
c 0" treaty were to be purchased by our uniting with tic!<
France in extending ihe tmpire »f liberty, in Irealing tial
v . u p the colonial aud mompolixing-fyflem: of aUnations, exe<
'" and finally in the emancipation of the new world*-— earl
This was laying out a large and difficult work, in , poit
the accomplishment whereof arduous and numerous afn
„ nd perils muit be met, to encounter which we weie ing
called by no obligation to others, to avoid which the
we were admonilhed by all the duties which require a p
7'• us to cherilh and prelerve our own unparalleled | Ra
, freedom, prosperity and happiness. our
However contradi&ory this extraordinary pro- mei
D f n " jest may appear to the friendly communications wil
lifl'es that 1,3(1 beeß made ,lie rench government to tioi
' ' ours, however repugnant to the soothing declara- cor
urth- tions pronounced by Mr. Genet, of the fraternal the
" d - and generous sentiments of his country towards in
ours, and of the republican franknefs and sincerity ig»
that should charafterife his deportment. Let the me
«hich extraSs from his inftruAions published a 1
ms on by himfelf in December 1793, be consulted in con- for
done firmation of this statement, and as an authentic ex- Fr
Barn ' position of the genuine views of the French execu- lay
Mca- '' ve council in the million of Mr. Genet—viz. I inj
:n the " The executive council have examined the in- (hi
r will « ftruftions given to the predecessors of the citizen ci!
' Nef " Genet in America, and they have seen with in- Fi
3W. " dignatien, that while the good people of Amen- tai
1 «< ca have exprejfed to us their gratitude in the mojl G
" lively manner, and given us every tejlimony of their in
sixths " friendfhip, both Yergennes and Montmorin have in
d Old I 11 thought that the inicrejls of /Vance required, that th
«p°P" 11 t i, e United S"ta!e'i ( /Z'ouW not obtain that political fu
herfof " or^cr oi which they were capable, M
,orch- " because tH«y thereby quickly attain a of
elphia, " strength, which they might probably be inelin- I F
1 lead- 11 e( j toabufe. These ministers therefore enjoined te
labour" "' c u P on tbe Reprefentativei of Louis XVI. in fu
lv*avy " America, to hold a passive conduct, and to speak fe
11, and " only of the personal vows of the King for the
rrying 11 prosperity of the United States. The fame Ma- F
d into () c hiavelianifrn. operations of the war p'
a rock " f?me duplicity presided tl
Lce'cf " in the negociatjeftf people. The depu- C
rs, two " ties of Congress, hf a desire that the n
• (lones « C.binet of Verfai)le» ; should favor the conqdelts ft
els and (( 0 f ,j ie G f Canada, of Nova* Scotia: p
ffi'r. an it " ® ut Louis and his ministers constantly lefufed u
also, " their countenance—regarding the poffeQisn of t:
ieat or- " those countries by Spain and England, at ufeful n
ing the «« sources of difqnietude and anxiety t* thc Amc- tl
J- » ricans." ' •
' Vi"u After declaring that the Executive council pro- d
The poses to itfelf a different course and that it ape
o bu(h proves of the Overtures, wliich had been made as f
at this vve H j,y General Walhington, as by Mr, Jefferfon, p
3 f' tv' to r " ernant » "elative to the means of renewing c
-d alto- ancl consolidating the Commercial Regulations be- t
eady at tween the two Countries, they proceed to declare t
dam, as further " that they are inclined to extend, the lati- i
:on the ic /ude tf the proposed Commercial Treaty (observe I <
juity ot ~ fi,ft proposal of a new commercial treaty I «
reatid- " came from its, and not from France) by cori- j 1
mad be " verting it into a national Conapad, whereby]
" the two People should combine their commircinl I
wfllbe 11 mil/) their Political Interejls, and should cftablifli I
" an concert to beiriend under all cireum- I
" ffances.the Extention of the Empire of Liberty I
miles of " to guarantee the Sovereignty of the People](ind I
t I.cwik, " to puniftl the nations who shall continue to ad- I
Natua- 11 here to a Colonial Syflem, and an exclusive Com-I
•v<cf " roerce > b y declaring that the vessels of such nati-1
——— " ons (hould not received into the Ports of the I
" two contradling Parties. This agreement which J
Tenth- 11 t (, e French People will support with all the I
E, about I
1, white • scheme the joining in which was to I
iimation t hc pricc of the proffered advantages, has since I
Third- l»een renounaed by Franc* herfclf as a political J
§iw. chimera. 1
1 * * t, iftwhl l'i • "
u energy thit distinguishes them, rind of which
ii they have given so many proof? will quickly con
« tribute to the Emancipation of the New World.
" However vast. this project may appear, it will be <j e
« easily accompliflied, if the Americans will concur a pp tsrc ,
it in it and in order to convince them of this no tj 0(1 Q f
«' pains must be spared by the Citizen Genet. For tution ;
ii independent of the benefits that Humanity will d ecre es
" draw from the success of this Negotiation— pi C)
it France at this momvnt has a particular Interest on t h e ,
" that requires us to be prepared to aft with effi- Jt Via
1 " cacy zgainft England and Spain, if as every cir- t idor, a
" cumflances announces, these Powers in hatred 0 f t he
' "ef ovyr principles shall make war upon us. In Royalif
■ this state of' things we ought "to employ eve- signing
•• ry means to reanimate the Zeal of the Amen- Odious
' " cans, who are also interested that we fliould dif- ev ery 01
> " appoint the Liberticide Defigrs of George the The
> " third, of which they likewise may peffibly be an p] a
» " ofejett." "The Executive Council has rtajon t ; zens f
s «« to believe that these Refle&ions, joined to the t he sam
> " ortat Commercial advantages, which were difpofsd faithful
1 "to grant to the United States, will decide their t j, e p ec
f " government to agiee to all that the Citizen f ]on t0
', « Genet (hall propose to them on our part —But known,
- " as from the Rumors refpedting our interior, our f c &; on ,
'f " finances and our marine the American Adminiflra- J^ ouvf ]
<1 i' lon may observe a wavering timid conduct ! The to ever
d ♦« Executive Council in expectation that the Ame- w hich
0 " rican government will finally decide to make ters Bre
:• " common cause with us charges the Citizen Ge- ca tj o ns
ie #< net to take such steps as (hall be mod likely to
interce
" serve the caufc of Liberty and the Freedem of c f our
ir " the people." _ tion :
d In a supplemental inftruftion.r the executive corn ,p
!c council fay, as soon as the negociation concerning c r ; ma
d a new of commerce shall be pradicable, ei- The
y tizen Gens( nAVift not omit to stipulate a positive R 0
i- Reciprocity ofWfc exemption from the American 0 f ha\
tonnage duty." The mutual naturalization of r j s
# Frcnch and American citizens, fa far as refpeits t j,is is
:y commerce, that has been proposed by Mr. Jeffer- ma4 J e ;
t, son and approved by the executive council, (This ( 0 prir
id lit is prcfuroed in the eyes of certain charadlers ] e tin c
id | would be free from objection, tho* the naturaliza- ag j
ti- ' tion by treaty of the fubjedts of any nation but M a y,
"e- France, woukl be treason against the Constitution fcripti
and agai»ft. Liberty) 'will render this exemption vernm
n- from ihe duties less offenfive to the pow- t inue
n- ers wbabiv«<»<rifcht by their treaties to claim the torSj »
ifc fame exemption, for the Cafus faederis by this mu- r jght.
eh , tual naturalization will be entirely changed in re- Qh
lat; fpeft to them—The reciprocal guarantee of the namc
ial pofleffions of two nations, stipulated in the XI. ar- rctciv
ith tide of the treaty of 1778, rauft form an eflen- t h e tr
fng tial clause in the new treaty to be concluded ! the fa
ns, executive council therefore inftrudls citizen Genet t h e f r
early to found the American government on this The
in point, and to make it an indispensable condition of c j*ics
OU3 a free trade to the French We'l Indies so interest. quit/j
ere ing foi the United States to obtain. It concerns
ich the peace and'profperity of tbe ( French nation, that royal
lire a people whose refaurces and ftrengtli increase in a t h e ,
:led | Ratio incalculable, and who are placed fe near to The
our rich colonies fhouldbe held by explicit engage- time
iro- ments to the preservation of these lflands Theie prevt
ons will be the less difficulty in making these propofi- thc {
tto tiorts relished by the United Stntea, as the great (( e nil
jra- commerce which will be their price, will indemnify peop
rnal them before hand for the faciifices they mud make w [ lo
jrds in thc sequel—Besides, the Americans cannot be trine
,-ity ignorant of the great disproportion between their rorm
the I means and thofc of the French Republic ! that for comi
shed a long time the guarantee will be merely nominal t h elT
:on- for them, while it will be real on the fide of t ],eft
: ex- France. And moreover that (hall without de- cr
ecu- lay take measures to fulfill it on our part, by fend
ing to the American ports, a force fufficient to 1 p eo j
: in- I (helter them from all intuits and dangers, and to fa- Q f t
izen cilitate their intercoufe with our iflancls and with t j, f
1 in- France"—" and to the end that nothing may re- t ] ie
nen- tard the conclusion of the negotiations of citizen vtnl
mojl Genet with the Americans, and that he may l ave «
their lin his bands all the means which may be employed j C gi
have lin forwarding the success of his exertions to serve w ;ft
that the cause of liberty, the council in addition to the j t
itical full powers hereunto annexed, has authorised the p H l|
able, Minister of Marine to supply him with a number t j, a ,
a of blank letters of marque, to be delivered to such ot h,
itlin- Frenchmen or Americins, as (hould equip priva- gen
>in<fd teersin America—the minister of war will likewise w ; t
I. in I supply him with commiflions in blank for the dif
peak ferent grades in the army.''f COl
r the These were extraordinary means to enable the
Ma- French minister tp c;onyl»de with our government a ,
: war I pacific treaty, The above extracte, rrc
sided thmigh not a| of the whole of Mr. p rc
lepu- I Genet's iiiftruaiors, many parts of which are so- p OI
it the I'eign to the point in difcuflion, is a faithful ab- t j ol
jliells ftrafk of such parts of them, as relate to the princi- ant
otia : J pies and condudt of the French monarchy towards
fufed us, and are as explanatory of the views of the execu
»n of tive council on the fubjeft of a new treaty of com
iifeful I merce—lt will, 1 think, ptove, if the assertions of t o
Ame- that conucil are to be credited, that the gratitude,
I»f which we have heard so much, ought not to be nQ .
I pro- I demanded on account of the principles that influ
it ap- I enced the monarchy of France duriug our or
ide as I subsequent to the peace—and furthermore it will
:rfon, piove that thc real view of the French executive ( 0 ,
cwing council in the miflion of Mr. Genet, was toengage w(
ns be- us by advantages to be conceded in a new com
eclare mercial treaty, to make common cause with France, t j,
e lerti- in thc expc&ed war with Great Biitain, and thc an
bferve coalesced powers. If then the established footing of
treaty 1 o»r trade with the French Well Indies, like that |j (
' con- los our trade with the British lflands, has been di£ta- a {]
lereby I ted by that colonial fyflemof monopoly, which forms _
nercinl \ a fundamental lawin Europe—and if moreover, the
Üblifli I opinion that could have procured a new and more
ireum- I liberal treaty of commerce with Francc, without
.iberty I plunging our country in the present war is anerior,
lejjmd I that has been artfully imposed on the public. By
to ad- I exposing these truths, the examination of the trea
: Com- Ity with Great Britain is at once freed from the ob- j
h nati-1 jc&ions and aspersions that have proceeded from
of the J these errors. CAMILLUS.
: which J ~ " ~ 7 . ,
all the I T '"is mcafure countenances a conctujicn, that it I
I <was the intent if thc inJiruSions, he fl;ou!d tale the mea- r
was to \furts be lit J with regard to privateering and military (
is (ince 1 expedition! from our territories, to force us into the i
iditical I war in spite of the " wavering and timid londut! of :
1 our udmini/lralionj' -
TRANCE.
NATIONAL CONVENTION.
Septcn i er 13.
A deputy from the feftion of Donee Nouvelle
appeared. " The Primary AfTembly of the feu
tion of Bonne Nouvelle has accepted the Conlti
tution almoll unanimously and it has rejected the
decrees as attempting the sovereignty of the peo
ple, (the assembly murmur. The great Tribune
on the right applauded—the left keep silence.)
It hasalfo rejected the degree of the 21ft I'ruc
tidor, as deftruftive of the amity and imlivifibility
of the republic. It has not in its bofomt either
Royalists, Leaders, Septembrifeurs,, or other de
signing pevfons, as has been represented. No per
fidious insinuation has been made to any of us, but
every one ifl voting has followed his own conscience. j >
The feftion has feea only the ill will which, ha* t»-
1 ken place in endeavouring to divide The toKTimci-" 7 ''
1 tizensfrom the citizen soldiers. (Applanfe frtm
' the fame tribune—silence of the aficmbly.] Bur,
' faithful to the great principle of the f'-vercignty of
r the people, it will give the firft example ps fuhm.T-
I fion to the majority, when it (hall be exa&ly
' known. So that the calumnies vomited aganft the
r fe&ions of Paris, cannot reach those of Bonne
" Nouvelle. We,hope it will be the fame in refpeft
e to every other. It denounces to you an outrage
" which is committed in silence—the fecrcts of let
c ters are violated (fame applause.) Ourcommuni
" cations with our brethren of the departments are
® intercepted ; poifori alon?, paid for by the enemies
' of our liberty, obtains an easy and prompt circula
tion : thus, the public mind is attempted to be
e corrupted. It is time that this struggle between
[3 Crimes and Virtue should cease."
The fad of letters being interrupted was denied.
e Rcveillere Lepaux. " Government is accused
° of having hindeied the communication betwixt Pa-
J ' ris and the departments—the assertion isfaife j but
ls this is true, that certain evil disposed persons have
[' made a difhirbance amongfl the printers employed
18 to print the Bulletin of the Laws, fothat the Bul
rs letin could rot be sent to the departments.* "Such
a " as I have been on the 10th of March and 31ft of.
II May, such I (hall be at this moment. A new pro
m fcription is preparing againtt those whs mjj'lJ the go
vernment of the law. If the citizens of Pariscoo.
v " tinue to fuffer themfelvcs to be Jed by their conduc
,e tors," —(Hootings irom the large tribune oil the
U " "g ht -) . .
e " Chenier flew to the tribune. " 1 demand, in the
name of the French people, for the injury it has
lr " received in the persons of its Reprefentativcs, that
n " the tribune be evacuated.
' le Tallien menaced by his voice and gesture one of
the small tribunes on the right of the Prefideut
118 The tumult continued ; at length thoufaniW of
cries are beard of " Live the Republic—Down
with the Royalijls !"
•ns Reyeillerc Lepaux continued. " The furies of
iat royalifm intimidate me no more now, than did
1 a the vociferations of anarchy on the 31ft of May.
to The fedtions of Paris may proscribe me a second
? e " time (a thousand voices, no, no)' but they will not
e,e prevent me from doling my duty. At this moment
'ft" the fame gjr emfJ.-y-J. u""**
eat ftomfhing difference ; the words fovemgnty of the
ify people, are now found in the mouths of' those men
I ' tc who were formerly the most.opposed to this doc
be tr ; ne- They accuse government of intercepting
ie »' communications, whilst they who complain have
f° r committed the crime. Their cmiflaries fpicad
' Bal themselves in the departments. Mans was tranquil,
these men departed hence, and anived there in
e " crowds. At fight of them the arilWcrats raised
nd- t i, e ; r heads, and preached the sovereignty of the
t0 people, to cause the inhabitants to reject the decree
fa " of the sth Fiuftidor. Thus the fyltem is always
'"h the fame, that of concentrating the sovereignty in
re- fame Bumber of hands, and to enslave the co»i*
zen vention.
:ave << These men would hinder the formation of the
>yed legislative body, while the true friends of liberty
erve wish it convoked to-monow.. (Gieat apfslaufe.)
t^ie It behoves the Convention to remain calm, to re
l^ie pulse calumny, to make known facts, and to fay
nber t j iat « whatever happens, they are ready to do to
such others even as to themselves ; and that whea-ti* \
riva- g en ei al will (hall be known they will submit to it
wife w ;,h all good citizens.''
d'f* The fc&ion of accepted of the
Constitutional A ft, but rejected the decrees of the
l^e sth and 13th Fiu&idor.
cnt a Genmaire, in the name of the Committee of De
a&6, made a new partial report, viz. that 1662
"Mr. p roC es s verbals have been opened since the last rt
: f°" pore: 1364 of whieh have accepted the Conilitn
' tion and the decrees—29B rcjedkd the decrees,
'inci- and accepted the Conttitution. Applause.
/ards
cecu- OPPENHEIM, Sept. 5.
com- Yesterday at 12 o'clock the conflitution was ferit
ins of to a ]] t he troops composing the aimy before Mem 7.
tude, The conlfitutitm was unanimously adopted. But
tohe not so of the decree of re-eleftioß.
influ- The French soldier, who hopes with reason,
or that the constitution will remedy the evils which
; their country labours under, feared, not without
:utive foundation, that 500 cf the former physician*
would kill the patient.
com- Their vote as to this decree and on the •onititii
ance J tion was as follows : "We declare to our families
ld thc and country, that in accepting purely and folcly
' B R os the constitution, our wish on the mode of re-elec
: ll,at tion will be that which a majority of the primary
dicta- jfTemblies in our departments shall announce.
forms
:r > thc NORFOLK, Nov. 9.
. more On Thursday a sloop from Martinique came into
ithout the Roa(Jg in a d ;fj re ffed fitnation ; the captain a»d
er, ° r ' two of the hands lying sick of the yellqw fever ;
y wc are told that the Capt. died on Friday morning.
Saturday last arrived in Hampton Roads, the
!"; British frigate Thetii, Capt. Cochran.
d from m
mtjfrs. IVillett ana 0 Connor,
Phase inform the public, that the sloop Betfr,
that it Capt. Shays, from Martinique, is now riding qua
hemea• rantinc with a yellow flag hoisted, in the bite ui
military Craney Island. All persons are cautioned from go-
Uto the ing on board her as an infe&ious fever is raging a
dvfl of moug the crew.
THO. NEWTON, lufpeflor Quaranti^