Newspaper Page Text
Foreign Ne'ivs received by the Chaun
cey, Continued.
From the “ Journal de l , aris.’ ,
We reactve every day details respcctin g
the horrible catastroplie which has annihi
lated one of the finest cities in the world. —
How could a nation eminently civilised, con
duct itself at Washington with as much bar
barity as the old banditti of Attilla and
Genseric ? Is not this act of atrocious ven
geance a crime against all humanity ? Ro
bespierre, who seconded by his execrable
accomplices, the Committee of Public Safe
ty, burnt the towns of La Vendee, ordered
tiie inassacree of Toulon and Ueduin, and
demolished the city of Lyons, is devoted to
the execration of ages. The Revolutiona
ry Vandals, who devastated France in 1793 j
and took a ferocious pleasure in destroying j
or mutilating the monuments of the arts, i
were men taken from the lowest ranks of j
society, wretched Sans Culotes, agitated by
all the. fury of the Revolution. But that
from the bosom of one of the most enlight
ened nat ions of the world there should go
forth a military chief, who vi it lion t fanati
cism, without any extraordinary motive of
vengeance, w ithout any of those violent pas
sions which disturb the understanding,
should have imitated the fury of the most
savage hordes, should have carried lire and '
sword into the heart of a city whose riches
and beauty formed one of the most valuable
monuments of the progress of arts and of
human industry : that he should have made
war, not upon his enemies, but upon col
umns of temples, public edifices, and pala
tes ; that lie “liould have devastated for the
pleasure of devastating ; who can contem
plate ail this without grief and indignation ?
During twenty years Europe has groaned
under the horrors to which the frightful ge- !
nius of revolution ha* given birth. Eng
land was justly indignant at these excesses,
ami now, when sentiments of humanity have
reanimated all hearts, it is she that renews
in America these scenes of carnage and de
solation. If she believes that such conduct ,
w ill frighten her enemies mid conquer them ]
by terror, she deceives herself. Injustice j
and barbarity revolt still more than they i
att’right. They communicate to the soul an !
unknown energy, they raise the spirit of
even the most pacific, and produce bold and ;
desperate determinations which secure the 1
safety and independence of nations.”
London, October 1. j
The Loidoti Statesman asks, “ Is it quite j
clear, that the expedition to Washington j
w ill meet universal approbation ? lsitcer- j
tain, that the wanton destruction of ptib- /
lie edifices, for destruction-sake alone, is j
a legitimate method of warfare ? The edi
tor compares thesi* ravages with the conduct
of the Buccaneers of old—and says, “ Wil
lingly could we throw a veil of oblivion over
our transactions at Washington. The Cos
sacks spared Paris, hut we spared not the
Capitol of America.” lie condemns the j
ministerial papers for justifying the con
duct of Gen. Ross, &c.
October 17.
Dispatches are stated to have been re- !
eeived on Saturday front Ghent dated the
tlth instant. Their contents have not
transpired; but report states, that the lust
instructions sent thither by our Ministers
were of so pacific a nature, as to induce a
confident hope that the Negotiation would
tenniniuate successfully.
OeroßKii IS.
Failure of an attack on Baltimore.
Vupleasant tidings, they say, travel sass ;
enough; but the intelligence of the unfortu
nate attack on Baltimore, which we this day
communicate at length, did not reach us in
suflicient time yesterday to be inserted in the
whole of our impression. We w ish we
•ould like some of our cotemporurics, say
that in the details we thus lay before our
readers, we had to communicate the partic
ulars of '* a brilliant victory” to the British
arms ; hut though our gallant troops showed
their accustomed bravery; and triumphed
over thrice their numbers, there is much j
more of grief than of exultation excited in i
our minds by tin* result of this daring enter- j
prize. The momentary success obtained in
the conflict on this occasion, has been most j
dearly purchased ; and the consequences of !
the attempts to repel our invasion appear to >
be of a character likely to perpetuate disas
ter. The gallant General Ross, like anoth
er Wolf, closed his earthly career in the ad
vance of tiii* intrepid men whom he so cour
ageously led against this great depository
of the hostile spirit of the United States to
wards England ; and though others inheri
ting tin* same dauntless spirit may yet re
venge his fall ; though the sacrifices made
by the enemy may be immense, and Balti
more may be shut out from the benefits of
navigation, yet it cannot be concealed that
the failure of tills expedition greatly over
balances the advantages previously obtain
ed. Its disastrous result will have a most
mischevious effect; it w ill give heartening
to every enemy to ibis country ; it will in
deed be a consoling victory to the Ameri
cans? give a new spirit to the Government;
efla.ee, in some degree, its disgrace at Wash
ington ; and enable it to meet Congress w ith
, a triumphant air. instead of that dejection
and depression w hich must inevitahley have
accompanied the recital of an almost unbro
ken series of defeats and disasters since the
Legislative Body last met. Victories w birli
have est eels like these, we think Britain had
better be without. We presume also that
the possibility oT the example of Moscow
being followed by an invaded people, and
the waul oi naval wo-operation, always prs-
carious, should enter into the aontemplation
. of Commanders bent on desperate euterpri
ses.
We shall abstain from recapitulating the
particulars of the at'aek, as they will he
. found brielly narrated in the official bulletin
- which we gave yesterday, in a2d edition,
and re-publish to-day. The Gazette, it w ill
be seen, contains all the details as the des
! truetion of Fort Washington and the capit
ulation of Alexandria, with which vve were
already acquainted. The difficult service
of advancing to Alexandria and afterwards
securing a retreat appears to have been ad
mirably performed.
Disasters seldom come single. We have
heard from various sources, deserving of
credit, tiiat intelligence of a more unpleas
ing and alarming nature lias reached gov
i eminent. Information, we are told, has
| been received of a defeat by land and by
; water—upon Lake Champlain and at the
, arringos of Plattsburg; that on the 11th
Sept, our whole fleet on the lake was either
taken or destroyed ; and that Sir George
Prevost was under the necessity of abandon
ing Plattshnrg. If this rumour he false,
vve earnestly desire to see it offieiallly con
tradicted.
To the Editor of the London Statesman.
Blß—The recent intelligence from Ameri
! ca, chequered as it is with good and bad suc
cess to our arms, leaves the thinning mind
much to hope—and much to deplore We
may hope much from any partial advantages
gained, as they may teach the peaceable peo
ple of America that all wars are destructive to
property, and doubtful in their issue. On the
other hand, we have to deplore the loss of
blood and treasure, in prosecuting a sanguina
ry state of war with a people whose friendship
we ought to cherish, as well from political as
from private interest.
The burning of the city of Washington is,
I observe, exultingly given in some of the
public prints, though not without some loss on
our side, and God knows the loss of one sin
gle life to us is of more consequence than the
l destruction of their public buildings, which
! can have no effect on the issue of the contest
I so unhappily waging with every mark of ex
j terminating futy. Individuals in such cases
will sufl’er, and I am sorry to s.iy, that the
brother ofa great legal character, high in the
j Supreme Councils of the nation, will feel it
: most sensibly, as it is understood he has ves
-1 ted the whole of his fortune in speculations in
| that city. On the side of Canada, where we
i ought to be strongest, we appear to be the
j weakest, and from the last account it is to be
i apprehended, ere this, we are driven out of
| Upper Canada, and perhaps, the whole of our
I naval force in the hands of the Americans.
| It is not by flying squadrons, burning wooden
j houses, tobacco sheds, and attacking defence
i less towns, we can terminate the war or con
! qtfer America—,ve tried Virginia expeditious
under General Arnold and others, the last
American war, when they were poor, and not
one third their present population—but all
would not do, nor is it reasouable to sup
pose it can have a better effect now. The
present vv.ir, if continued, will i'be; ruin
ous to our commerce, our seamen will emi
grate, and our navy be left without men—and
our declaring their coast 2000 miles in extent,
in a state of blockade, is as ridiculous as
Napoleon’s paper declaration was when 1-
issued it against Great Britain and her
dependencies. In a climate so boisterous,
ask any seaman who is acquainted with the
coast of America, if he can keep his station
for one day on it from September to May, a
period of at least seven months out of twelve,
how then can such a coast be blockaded ?
Under the present contest, begun and
seemingly continued without any national ob
ject, there are many things to be considered,
and it is to be hoped the Commissioners now
met at Ghent will speedily reconcile all differ
ences—-but if accession of territory is claimed
by us, and insisted on, the Americans might
as well demand the whole of Upper Canada,
so that we may proceed in demand, reply and
replication, till our shores are swept of our
trade by their fast sailing privateers, and even
some of our towns on the coast, which are de
fenceless, may be left smoaking, and in ashes,
by their enterprising cruisers. Indeed we
have much to apprehend from the present
j contest—lor situated as Europe now is, who
will pretend to say, that America may not co
; alesce with the other Powers, and contend for
the maritime rights. She befriended England
and would not join in the ltague proposed by
the Empress Catharine—but injury and insult
m*y operate on her feelings, and throw the
bias into the scale of the Continent.
PACIFICUS.
WASHINGTON, Nov. ay, 1814.
SIR...The committee 01 the houle of Rcprcfentativea,
to which l L t bj; k hill was re-com,niued on Fri Jay lift,
hive dirtited me to requetd you to communicate your
opinion in relation to the effect which 4 conliderable issue
01 tiejfury notes ( o which fbould be attached the qual
ity or being ieceive»ble in fubferiptious to the bank)
m;sht hive upon the credit of die government and partic
ularly upon the prutpecti ofa loan fer 1815.
A« the bill, at it wai itferred to the committee, pro
videt for the lubfcnption of 44 million! of tieafuiy notes
to form *ith til millions of fpreie the etpital of the bat k,
any information which you may think proper to g, e,
either iu r«!a ion to the ptteticability of getting them in
ti circulation without depreciation, or in teg.rd to their
operation on any part of out fiscal lytdam tt.erwartii, will
be very acceptable.
1 am, Wr, very tefpectfully
boar obedient tetvant,
WILLIAM LOWNBES.
To The Honcrub'e
The Secretary of the Treafcty.
T»i*,v* v Dirairsit r, Nov. ay, 1814.
51«.... 1 have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of
your .etter, requeuing tor a committee cf the House of
IccprelcrtJtiiea an opin.on upon the following icquitie* :
l. I’he tlft t which a conliderable 'ffucof trcalury note;,
w.ih the quality et being receivable in fubtcripliane to
t s Neuuuel li* uk, #iU have opoa ik« cietliui ih: goy.
1 erament; ind particularly, upon the prefect* «f *
'2. practicability of getting forty-four million. wf
treasury notes (forming with six million* of specie,
» the capital for* Nauoabl Bank) into circulation, with
, out depreciation ? ........
The enquiries of the committee cannot be fatufactori
-1 Iv acfwered in the abflract; but must be considered in
, connection with the state ot our finances, and th« state ot
I the public credit. , ,
When I arrived at Washington, the Treasury was suf
fering under every kind of embarrassment. Ihe de
‘ mandsupon it were great in amount, while the means to
! fatisfy them were comparatively small, precarious in the
, collection, and difficult in the application. The de
mands confided of dividends upon old and new tunded
' debt, of ireasury notes, and oflegislative appropriations
for the army, the navy, and the current service...all ur
gent and important. The means confided :...Firft, Os
the fragment of an authority to borrow money, when
■ nobody was disposed to lead, and to issue treaiury notes
which none but necefiuuom creditors, or contraftun in
didress, or commissaries, quartermaders and navy agents,
adding as it were officially, seemed willing to accept :...
Second, Os the amount us bank credits scattered through
out the United States, and principally in the southern
and wellern banks, which had been rendered in a degree
useiefs, by the (toppage of paymeuts in specie, and the
consequent impracticability ot transferring the public
funds from one place, to meet the public engagements in
another place ; And, Third, Os the current supply of
money from the iropofts, from internal duties, and from
the sales of public land, which ceased to be a foundation of
any rational ellimalr, or reserve, to provide even for the
dividends on the tunded debt, when it was found that the
Treasury Notes (only requiring, indeed, a calh payment
at the didance ot a year) to whomsoever they were ’.fli’.ed
at the treasury, and almod «s soon as they were iflued,
reached the hanui of the colleftors, in payments of debts,
Jutit • and tases ; thus uisappointing and defeating the only
remaining expectation of productive revenue.
Under the-e tircumftanccs (which I had the honor to
communicate to the Committee of Ways and Means,) it
became the duty of this department to endeavor to ramose
the immediate pressure fiom the treasury ; t# endeavor
to retfore the public credit; and toendeavor to pravide for
the essences of the ensuing year. The only measures,
that occurred to my mind, for the accomplishment of auch
important objects, have been presented to the view ot
Congrels. 'I he aft authorising the receipt ot treasury
notes in payment 01 fubferiptioas to a public loan, was
pa(Ted, 1 fer, too late to anlwer the purpose for which it
was deligned. It promises, at this time, little relief, ei
ther as an instrument to raise money, or to absorb the
claims tor treasury notes, which are daily becoming due.
From this cause, and from other obvious causes, the divi
denJ on the funded debt has not been punftually paid ; a
large amount of treasury notes has already been dishonor
ed, and the hope of preventing further injury and reproach,
iu transsftit.g the business a s the treaiury, is too visiona
ry to afford a moment's coofolation.
The actual condition of the Treasury, thus deferiled,
will f erve to indicate the (late of the public credit. Pub
lic credit depends effetilially upon public opinion. The
usual test of public credit is, indeed, the value of the
public debt. The faculty of borrowing money it not a
tell of public credit, for* taithlds yovemmtnt, like a des
perate iadividual, has only to inercafe the premium, ac
cording to the exigenev, in order to secure a loan. Thus
public opinion, manifetled in every form, and in every
direction, hardly permits us, at the present juncture, to
speak of the existence of public credit, and yet, it is not
impoifible that the government, in the resources of iis pat
ronage and its pledges, might hod the means of tempting
the rich and the avaricious to supply its immediate wants.
But when the wants of to day are lupplied ; what i* the
•iew expedient, that shall supply the wants of to-morrow f
If it is now a charter of incorporation, it may then be a
grant of land ; but, after all, the immeasurable tracts of
the western wild, would be exhausted in successive efforts
to obtain pecuniary aids, and still leave the government ne
ceffituous, unless the foundations of public credit were re
ellablifliei and maintained. In the measures, therefore,
which it has been my duty to suggest, I have endeavored
to introduce a peimanent plan for reviving the public
credit ; of which the facility of borrowing money in anti
cipation of settled and productive revenues, is only an in
cidrm, altho’ it is an incident as durable as the plan itfelf.
The outline teemed to embrace whatever was tequifite, to
leave co doubt upon the power and the dupofition of the
government, in relation to its pecuniary engagements
to dimimlh, and not to augment the amount of the public
debt in the hands of individuals, and to create general
confidence, rather by the manner of treating the claims of
the present cuft of creditors, than by tke manner of con
ciliating the favor of a new clais.
With these explanatory remarks, sir, 1 proceed to an
swer, lpecifkaliy, the quedion, which you have proposed.
11 am of opinion; ihat a considerable issue of treasury
nates, with the quality ot being receivable iu subscriptions
to a national bank, will have an injurious effect upon the
credit of the government, and alfoupon the prospefts of a
loan for 1815,
Bccaufe, it will confer, gratuitously, an advantage upon
a claf, of new croditott, over the piefent creditors of tho
government, Handing on a footing of at least equal merit.
Bccaufe, it will excite general diffatisfaction among the
present holders of the public debt; and general distrust
among the capitalists, who art accustomed to advance their
money to the government.
Because, a quality of fubferibing to the national bank
attached to tteasury notes exciufiveiy, will tend to depre
ciate the value of all public debt not possessing that quality
and whatever depreciates the value of the public debt, iu
this way, must neccffanly impair the public credit.
Because, the lpecie capiialof the citizens of the United
States, so tar as it may be deemed applicable to invests,
meats in the public stocks, has already, in a great meas
ure, been so vested ; the holders of the present debt will
be unable to become fubscribtrs to the bank (if that object
should, eventually ptove defirable).without felling their
stock at a depreciated rate, in order to procure the whole
amount of their fubferiptions in treasury notes; and a gen
eral depression in the value ofthe public debt will inevita
bly ensue.
Bccaufe, the very proposition of making a considerable
issue of Treasury Notes, even with the quality of being
fubferibed to a National Bark, can only be regarded as an
experiment, on which it seems dangerous to rely ; the
Tteasury Notes must be put chafed at par, with money ; a
new set of creditors are to be created ; it may, or it may
not, be deemed an object of speculation by the money hol
der, to subscribe to the Bank; the result of the experi
ment cannot be afeertaioed, until it will be too late to
provide a remedy in the case of failure; while the credit
of the government will be affected, by every circumstance,
which keeps the efficacy of its fifeal operations in sus
pense or doubt.
Because, the prospect of a loan for the year ISIS, with
out the aid of a bank, is faint and unpromifiog; except
perhaps, so far as the pledge of a fpecific tax may suc
ceed ; and then, it must be recollefted, that a consid
erable supply of money will be required, for the pros
ecution ot the war, beyond the whole amount of the
taxes to be levied.
Because, if the Lan for the year 1815 be mide to
depend upon the issue of Treasury Notes, fubscribcd to
the Natienal Bank, it will probably for the reasons which
have already been suggested ; and if the loan be inde.
pendent of that operation, a considerable issue of Treas
ury Notes, for the purpose of creating a bank capital,
must, it is believed, deprive the government of every
chance 0) railing money in any other manner.
11. I am of opinion that it will be extremely diffi
cult, if not impracticable, to get 44 millions of treasury,
noiet (totaling with 6 millions of specie, the capital 0:
a hauonal bank) into circulation, with or without de
preciation.
Because, if the fubfeription to the bank become* an
objeft at (peculation, the treasury notes will probab'y
b* purebafed at the treasury and at tha loan offices, anti
never pats in'o circulation «t ail.
Because, whatever pouion of the treiiary notes might
pals into circulation, would be fpsedily withdrawn, b;
the speculators in the fubfcriptia.s to the bank, after
arts had been employed todrpreciate their value.
Because, it is not believed, that in the present s'a’e
of the public credit, of ueafury noter c.c
1: seat into simulation. The only ditfcr«u,~e h:u
the treafory noto* n*w iffueit, tni di&orocd
m the i'ubicribable quality , but reasons
ready aligned for an opinion, that thii ciffe, ""'“B ;
uot afford such confidence in (he ejpe.imeo- **** e,(| I
reqnmte to justify a reliance upon it, f or 4 ’
ing feme at (he most i nteiesting objects 0 f the I
mtnt. > I
I must beg you, sir, to pardon the U
with which I have written these general***■
sweis to your enquiries. But ‘‘ B
importance of time ; and feeling a desir 3
avoid every appearance of contributing ton!' I
loss of a moment, I have chosen rather to ■
upon the intelligence and candor of
mittee, than to enter upon a more labored° m I
vestigation of the subject referred to me ia 'B
I have the honor to be, very respectful] 1
sir, your most obedient servant, 1
a. j. D all as
William Lowndes, Esquire, Chairman & c * I
From the Raleigh Minerva.
Extract of a letter to in: editor, dated Cam<i I
near Buffalo, Aov. 1, 1814.
Dear sir —When I last wrote you, I ex. I
pected by this time to have it in my power to I
send you some cheering news relative to our 1'
campaign in Canada, but we remained in that I
Country not more than ten or fifteen days I
when we recrossed the Niagara and will win.’ I
ter in or about this place, greatly to n>y mot- 1
tification.—Thus you see, my friend, we have
been at war, Between two and three years,
and in my opinion, we are not so near the
avowed intention of government, as we wer»
at the declaration of it. I am, for my part,
done attaching blame to any invidual of th»
army, general, co!. subaltern or soldier.
Where, or at what point can we enter the Ene
my’s Country, without coming in contact with
a vastly superior force ? We have tried it
from Champlain to Malden ; we penetrate but
a very small distance and are driven back!! I
—lt is tru*, I must acknowledge, that th«
military character of our Country, has lately
been raised to its highest acme. We have
beat them in all equal contests, and even in all
unequal conllicta American bravery has shown
pre eminent. But what does this prove ) In
dividends have gained fame at the expense of
thousands, while tnany are doomed to the
execrations of their Country, when the blame
should rest upon the shoulders of others; but
we are no nearer the national object. The
fact is, if government are determined on the
conquest of Canada ; they must, in addition to
the regular force now in service, furnish fifty
thousand more of good troops, without which
(and the smallest calculation that can be made
too) calculations of success must and will be
defeated. The last campaign has ended very
contrary to my expectations. We have with
drawn all our for-es from the Canada side—•
Blown up and burnt every part of Eort Erie r
Which if we could have held till the commence
ment of next campaign, would have secured
to us a crossing with little or no loss —But or
ders of government must be obeyed and l
have no doubt but Gen. Izard acted under
proper oiders. We are now engaged in cut
ting timber to erect our winter quarters ; It
will be a tedious and disagreeable business.—
The snows commenced about two weeks ago
—but we are tolerably comfortable, having
erected brick chimney’s to the back parts of
our tents.
In order to let you know what our expencea
are in this quarter, I will give you the pi ices
current of a few articles.—Whisky. Brandy,
Hum and Gin g 1 per quart each.—Beef,
fresh, 12 cts. per. lb—Pork do 25 do. Pota
toes. Irish S* 25 cts. per bushel Coffee
and Sugar 50 cts. per lb each. Butter do. do.
—Bacon I have uot seen since I left Washing
ton City.
Nothing more can I say at present, in the
way of news, if you can call the above such
save that we can see the enemy daily, as our
camp is opposite to them, but they come oul
in veiy small parties as yet.
A letter received by Col. Hawkins from
Gen, Jackson, states that the Spaniards op
posed his entry into Pensacola with great
obstinacy. Having to storm their works,
and being exposed after entering the town
to a galling fire from the inhabitants in th*
tops of houses and other secret places, our
loss must have bee.i greater than we had at
first supposed. A few days will probably
relieve our anxiety on this head.
Georgia Jovrnal.
JUST RECEIVED,
And for sale by the Subscriber,
Four doors above the Post-Office,
10,000 wt. Waggon Tire and Axe
Bar Iron,
20 Boxes Windsor Soap,
100 do. Cotton Balls,
1 Box Bonnet Wire,
1 do. Saddle Tacks,
£ochineal Skins,
"Wood Red do.
Northward and Country Homespun,
Gri*d3ton<.'B, Saddles, &c.
\ Homes Tupper.
December 2*3. 3t 26
V- r
.Notice.
N1N E months softer date, application will be
made to the Hatter able the Inferior Coe> I of
IVatren County, for lea'ye to sell a part *f the
Land which Benjamin late of O' arret
County, deceased, purchased and If H
liam Few including sh: Wil
liam Latimer now lives, being a patKof the real
ettate of said defeated—told for the f ’^ e
chits and creditors of /aid derated. ’
Robert A. Beall,
December 15 qm |JE V 1 faJh
’ ,~~ *V’ {nT* \
Webster’s Spelling | VI jM 11
Pur Sale by the Gross, D.yg ' -J
est the Jufuti* t ‘ Mk