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plated, muchlefs in operation nr fhaf any probable Hanger of j the fort, is to be apprehended j from her prefent fituation or i i rlination. If there be reafon for raifmg an army on that ac count now, one equal at lead will always exift, for it is faid, " we Ihould always be prepared for invafion,” which is true, but the conflitutionhas forbid [land ing armies in time of peace; and pointed out “ the militia as the ordinary means of defence." A war to be declared by Ame rica without hope of advantage, and attended with certain evils, is Curdy not contemplated; and is it wife in America to purfue meafures, tending to provoke a declaration by the French go vernment, of that fort? At a time too when, however they j may have injured us heretofore, they declare they are anxious to reftore peace upon jufl terms, and appear in a great meafure to have difeontinued their aggref fions ? The difputcs of national con cern are few, andfeem well un derftood, namely, the compcn fation for unjufl captuics of American property; placing our commerce with Britain and France on the fame footing— and explaining fome articles of the former treaty which are dif ferently conflrued by the two go vernments. Thefe the French minifler, in his lafl communica tions with Mr. Gerry, propofesj as the bafis of negotiation, and O 9 confiders the explanations as the only difficult part: this bafis coincides with the Prefident's inftm£lions; and both govern ments profeffmg, (I hope fin ccrcly) to be anxious for peace, the undoubted intereft and in clination of the people of both nations, it will be hard indeed if war and its calamities mufl be encountered, bccaufe the eti quette of tieaty cannot be ad jufled ; if human wifdom be unequal to this mighty diiliculty, will America therefore proceed to declare, or provoke deft mo tive war ? Or would fucli a war difeover a mode, not difcernable at prefent, by which the govern ments may be brought together to treat ? This would be to fport with the mod ferious of all po litical evils It is laid France has forbid all captures, but fucli as will place her commerce with America on the fame footing with the Britifti, underour treaty with her, refpefting thefanflion of neutral bottoms and articles contraband of war : this is juft, and according to the Prefident's inllru&ions, was to be jdelded; why then continue hoftile pre parations, or prohibit commer cial intercourfe with her ? Commerce is a delicate fub k jeft, the dire&ion of which now 9 and at all times, had better be left to the merchants, permitting them to arm for defence, and affording them the proteftion of our prefent navy in ddenftve | operations. Perhaps this inter-j courfe might remove jealou Ties I j and fdfpicions on both Tides, and | pave the wav to friendly treaty •. at the fame time fair neutrality; and independcncfjWOuld «ntide us to arm for defence, againft all other aggreffors, who may in terrupt our trade, contrary to the law of nations, or fubfifting treaties; this will render it un neceffary to increafe aimy or| navy, or to revive the provifions for luch increafe—willlave Ame rican refources for real occafions, and quiet the fears of her citi zens, excited by thofe executive reports: nor ought the affair of etiquette to deprive us of thefe bleifings, when it is conhdcred, that although the rcfufal of the French to treat with two of the j envoys from perfonal obje&ion, was unfriendly,yetitismis-ftated to be againft the law of nations: fincc that law “ allows to a love reign, to whom a minifler is fent, a right of rcfuhngto acknowledge any one to whom he has a per fonal diflike, or who is inad miftiblc by the laws and ufages of his country,' # I cannot dilmifs the fwindlers in Fiance, without taking notice of their adding to the threat of invasion, “ that it will be aided by a powerful party here; which has been dated as a proof of the cxiftencc of fuch French party in America. Are their threats a proof of any thing, but of their | corrupt minds? Or has any oi her proof ever been exhibited, in fupport of a charge, often made againft fundry influencia! charac ters, as forming fuch a French party, contrary to their own in tereft and that of their native j country ? I call upon thofe who : make the affertion, to produce ,an inftance of either of them,! having propofed to unite Ame rica with France, more intimate ly than by the tieaty of 1778, or to provoke a rupture with Britain ; and I have been an attentive obferver of public meafures from the commence ment of the government, and I do not recollcdl a hint of the fort. I have ever considered the charge as having no other foundation, than their patriotic endeavors to preferve aconflim tional, and economical admimf tration of government; to pro mote peace and free commerce with ail foreign nations, but have no political connexion with any; and in ronfcquence, having op pofed all mcafu es which they judged to be unconftiiutional, or inexpedient. If they were miftaken, they had meiit in their motive; but I feel too Ilronglv the effefts of the meafures they oppoled, to doubtof tin: wifdom of fheir opposition. d he gentleman who is honor ed by being placed rst the head of this fuppofed party,one would * Vide Martens Summary cf the law of Nations. 1 0. 7. Ch. 3.8.9. . thought exempt from fuf- Vricion, by his uniform repub lican conduft, in and out of office, from the commencement of our revolutionary war ; par ticirarly the candour and impar tiality of his corrcfpondence, when fecretary of (late, with the two contending foreign minif o o ters: but unfortunately his merit had turned the eyes of many of his countrymen upon him to fill a great office, and that merit mull be fome way diminifhed. Why, it may be afked, have vou undertaken to exhibit this / datement to the public ? No candid man will fearch for a mo tive in the ambition of old age ; ndi will thofe who know me, fay that feventy-feven is querulous. Had our intricate relations to France and England operated upon thofe countries only, I fhould not have troubled myielf about their confequenccs; but| as they have already deeply ‘ afflidlrd America, it is of the Ingheft: importance to forefee the iffue—to prepare for reaping its 1 bleflings if it be fortunate, or obftruft it if it be fatal, Thefe relations ought to be explained in an artlefs, sincere and unpre judiced mode, that the people may underftand them, and that the exifting paflions which pro duceerror may beafTuaged, since! the people can only thus difeern ! iruth, and by fo doing preferve liberty. Having contributed to the adoption of the federal conflitu tion, and flili believing its prin ciples to be fraught with public good, I felt a double impulfc yet to ferve the people, whofe jfervant I have been for fifty j years, by exhibiting a hif i tory of fa6fs, as they appear to | me, in order to flatc the follovr : ing queftions for their consider | ation : namely—whether there is really any thing fo desirable in war with France or England, as to juflify the hazarding thofe fa crcd conflitutional principles, for the fake of acquiring it ? If J it be conceded that there ri not, it only remains to be considered whether war—armies—navies— great taxes—a growing national debt—and a boundlefsexecutive patronage, will be mod likely to impair or to maintain thefe principles ? And whether that ■group has not ever conflituted , tfie nioft malignantraeanswherc wiih to opprefs mankind ? I cannot conclude without earneflly recommending to my ; fellow-citizens, the forbearance |pf ail fo ice or violence, to ob- i ftru£l (he execution of the laws, |or difturb the peace of liberty; relying, to cfFe& the desirable reforms, upon the ordinary and proper modes of petition and remonftrance ; and above all, to be peculiarly cautious, and at tentive to that object, in their luffrages at the various elections, which, in a reprefentative go vernment, cannot fail of reflor i ing things to their firfl piinciples, if the people arc not deceived I or cajoled, nor in a ftate of I apathy and inattention to thofc I fuffrages. I Edmund Pendleton, I Caroline t Feb. 20, 1799. I NEW-YORK, April 22. I Dreadful Conflagration . I A fire broke out yefterday be. I tween twelve and one o'clock I in the fhop occupied by Mr I Weft, Builder, on the weft side I of Wafhington ftreet, between I Cortlandt and Deyflips, which I confumed the whole block, ex- I cept three houfes. I It is faid to have been com- I municated by a boy’s impru- I dently placing a pot juft taken I frem the fire among Tome fliav- I fo furious was this I devouring element, that not- I withftanding the extraordinary I exertions of the citizens, the I I whole block (except the three I houfes abovementioned) was le- I veiled to the ground in the courfe I of one hour and a quarter. Se- I venteen valuable houfes were B confumed, and the property de- I ftroyed is eftimated at 200,000 I dollars. I April 23. ■ The keel of the Subfcriptioa ■ frigate, at Salem, was laid at the I yard near the fort, in that town, B jon the 12th inft, (he is to carry V 3 2 g uns » I EBENEZARjENCKES 6 Ref fretfully Informs his Friends in Jiat tuu!ur t and the fuhlic in general, that he has lately re . Hr ceil ed from Charleffon , A N EX 1 KNSIVC SUPPLY OF Dry Goods and Groceries, B Which renders his prefent dffot tment as complete as offered for mle here , and which he will sell low for Gaff or Produce ; the following /lr» tides form p.irt of his sJffortment : H SUPERFINE Second ami oihff Broad I Cloths B Ikerfeymcres and Swsndown B Elaflic Cloths and Csflimcrc* B Negro Cloth anti Flannels Br Green and Olive Velvcrcts B Do. do. Corduroys Bn A handfome Affortment of Mullins Bl Si* dozen of Moll in Handkerchiefs B A handfome Affortmeut of Calicoes H Four pieces of Curtain Calico** fl„ Twelve pieces of Linen B' Six pieces of Hnmhums K Sin pieces of allotted Durant* ■ Two pieces of Baih Coating B Brown Holland fl Wor fled and Cotton Hofe B Clouded and Srriped Narkeen* B Marleillrs, Dunity and Jean WaffcoSt K Pattern} fl Silk, TwiA and Threads affoited B - Tapes and Ferrettings B A general Affortment cf Rbbon* fl Ladies Kidilon and Silk Gloves B W orfted do. do. Four dozen of Mens Fine Hats B ‘ Four dozen cf Ladies Fine do, B*p Six dozen of Mens Stockings B|q Three do~*n of Ladies do. If 1 hree dozen of Ladies Bonnets o dozen of Mens Cravats Six groce of fmall Buttons |B Two dozen of large Foe Mens Shoe* Three dozen of Ivory Combs Three dozen of blankets Four lbs- of colored Thread Four lbs. of fiiie do. |B - Two dv zen of Colton Cards, of the bfil kind Fifty Ids. of Powder and Shot Sid lie Tacks Snuff * knives and Forks B| i Mu Hard Snuff ftaxes Hair Powder and Playing Card* B Mens Saddles and Bridles BPP ( Sugar, Coffee and Chocolat*. B ] ‘Jam.ary 22. - I BLANK DEEDS Of CONVEYANCE , W> For Sale , at the Office of the n ifvilk Gazette. 9 11 April 5.