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BO SI ON, July 10.
Letters front admiral Be;k’.ey, for the Bri
tish minister and consul gei.t.ul, p.v-ed tin o’
our post-office yesterday.
A letter from H lifax, dated June 22, says,
“ The noted pira’e Ross, wi'h 18 of his assoc i
ates (French, Spanish and \u>erican) arrived
on Friday last in Iri. majesty's ship Driver,
which on the 12'h inr.t. captured the pilot boat
S’ hooner Id BoD ado, of 1 run. fit ed out at St.
Augustine. They may ail he hung—if no
lowi mission is found.”
July 18
S.PIP.IT OF ’75 HI.-KINDLED !
When the Hm. Elbiidge Gerry, esq. (the
Same Ethridge Gerry who si. ncii die declara
tion of independence in 1776) took the chair
at the meeting of the ciiizcijs assembled at the
New State House, on Friday last, lie atlchcssed
them in a strain of eloquence and patriotism,
v inch did honor lo his head and heart, and con
cluded with the following sentence :
“ 1 haci hoped, a; my period ol iiic. to h ive
been aide to have red ed from politic > ; but
at a crisis so momentous and interesting to our
L loved country, 1 hold n to he the doty of
eveiv citizen, though he may have hut one day
to live, todeiotc ti.at clay to the public good.”
BOSTON MLE I ING.
At a la’ ge meeting of the citizens of Boston
and its vicinity, at the .stale-Honse in Boston,
or, Friday the 10th of July, 1807, called in
consequence of the late attack made by the
British ship of war Leopard, on the U. S. Fri
gate Chesapeake, the Hon. ELBBIDGfc.GL.R
---BY was unanimously chosen Moderator, and
the Hun. PEREZ MORTON, Secretary of
the Meeting. The following gentlemen were
chosen a Committee to report Resolutions ex
pressive of the sense of the Citizens on this
momentous occasion, viz.
BARNABAS BID WELL,
JOHN QUINUY ADAMS,
Doct. CHARLES JARVIS
BENJAMIN AUSTIN,
THOMPSON J. SKINNER,
GEORGE BLAKE, and
PEREZ MOR lON.
Who after retiring to the Senate chamber for
half an hour, returned with the following Re
port, unanimously adopted by the Committee:
Whereas it appears Ivy a Proclamation, is
sued by the President ot the United States, that
a most wanton and cruel outrage has been com
mitted upon the United Slates’ Frigate Chesa
peake, by the British ship of war Leopard, in
w ich our citizens have been wounded and
murdered, and the Flag of our Naliun insulted
ami violated.
And whereas it is the duty as well as right
©f the citizens of a free Country to express
their readiness to. support the constituted au
thorities in the measures they may adopt for
rational redress ot an injury so barbarous in its
nature, anil so unprecedented in its execution
• 1 herefore,
Unsolved unanim <usly, That the late aggres
sion committed by a British ship of war on a
fugale of the United Mates, lor the avowed
purpose ol taking from her by force a part of
her cieiv, was a wanton outrage upon the per
sons and lives of our cirizens. and a direct at
tack on our national sovereignty and indepen
dence.
Resolved unanimously, That the spirited con
duct of out fellow-citizens of Norfolk on the
occasion, before the orders of the government
cmiid be obtained, was highly honorable to
tnemselves and to the nation.
Resolved unanimously, That the firm, digni
fied and and temperate policy adopted by our
Executive at this momentous crisis, is entitled
to our most cordial app obation and support.
Resolved unanimously, That with all rtlir per
sonal influence and exertions, vve will aid and
as.i .t the constituted authorities in carrying the
Proclamation of the President of the United
States, in every part thereof, into lull ami ef
fectual execution.
Resolved unanimously. That although vve
unite vvrh our government in wishing most ar
dently for peace on just and honorable terms,
yet we are ready cheerfully to co-operate in
any measures, however serious, which they
may judge necessary for the safety and honor
of our country, and will support them with
our lives and fortunes.
The Report was twice read and accepted
unanim ntsly
Voted—That the proceedings of this meet
ing be signed by the Moderator and Secretary,
and published in all the Boston newspapers.
Voted—That an attested Copy thereof he
transmitted to the President of the U. S. and
to the Committee of Norfolk.
ELBIUDGE GERRY, Mode rator.
Attest,
Pehez Morton, Secretary.
COMMUMCA riONS.
The following sentiment is from the Reper
tory of July 10, “ It cannot be difficult to as
retain with precision, the true character of
the seamen who deserted from the Iwat of the
lli lifax, and took shelter hi the recruiting ren
dezvous of the Chesapeake. If they were bona
fide Englishmen, itis certain our government
v ill not pretend i’ had a right to withhold them,
when an appeal Was regularly made, nor that
th’ Leofiard ha l a riifh to take hern, if ref us and,
under such circumstances, by force.”
The attention of every candid and intelligent
man is requested to tins extraordinary senti
ment. whi h g ies to a direct condemnation of
the princiole and practice of our gov emu ent,
both under the present and former wduunislra-
ttari, and indeed to a subversion of one of the
best established doctrines of the law of nations.
‘1 hat a public ship, not only bearing the na
tional flag, but aU> sailing in the employment
and uniter the commission and orders of the
government, is not liable to be searched ..nd to
have any oi the men onboard demanded and
taken out by the commander of a foreign ship,
on any pretence whatever, is a position too < b
vicuJy reasonable and necessary to require il
lustration or p; oof. On this principle our na
val have uniformly been fostruc*-
ed lo iciiisc, and to resist even to die last ex
tremity, ad attempts to take any ot the crew,
or to examine them, or search the ship for that
purpose. Before submitting to such impress
ment or examination, their orders have been to
defend tin ship by force of arms, and, if over
powered, to surrender her as a prize. The
propriety and necessity of tins principle, thus
reduced to practice, by our own, as well as
other governments, has net, to the recollection
oi the wiiicr of this paragraph, ever before
been denied or questioned ; and it is very ex
traordihury. on the present occasion, when
union and energy ought to be cultivated, and
| all deductions of pany should yield to consi
i derations of patriotism that for the sake of
persevering in a svstem o federal opposition,
su< h ui attempt sould be made to justify or
p lha’c the conduct of a B ihsh aggressor.—
.‘Sober Federalists are requested to think seri
ously of the pmbubie eons--quences of counte
nancing the sentiment published in the Ee/ur
tory.
To the Selectmen of the Town of Bouton.
Gentlemen,
We would wish to know whether you have
rot received the following Circular Letter, ad
dressed to ihe Selectmen and Citizens of the
town of Boston, viz.
“ NORFOLK, JUNE 25, 1807.
“ Gentlemen—We have the honor to trans
mit you a detail of an insulting and most cruel
outrage, committed on our nation, by a British
squadron, together with certain resolutions en
tered into by the inhabitants of Norfolk, Ports
mouth and their vicinities, to which vve invite
your co-operation
“ \Y e have the honor to be, gentlemen, your
most obedient humble servants, Daniel Be
dinge:,J. \V. Merclaugh, Theodore Armistead,
Committee of Correspondence.”
This letter being of a public nature, in which
every c itizen is equally interested as the Select
men, we c uinot but consider it a high neglect
of duty, not to have made it public immediate
ly oi* receiving it. This was a duty which as
citizens vve h and a right to expect iiom those to
whom it was directed; and the suppression of
so important a communication, cannot but ex
cite the disapprobation of every man who sym
pathises with their distressed brethren of Noi
folk, Btc. We cannot but call to mind the
times which tried men’s souls, when our
brethren at the southward “ co-operated” with
us in expressing then indignation at the slaugh
ter of our citizens at Lexington, and Bunker
hill, and who felt as freemen ought to feel, at
the conflagration ot Charlestown and Falmouth 1
Our southern breth en sympathized with us
when our port was shut up, and cheerfully sup
plied our inhabitants with provisions and other
necessaries. Tney did not receive our letters
with a cold reluctance. How would the: town
of Boston feel on a similar occasion, if within
their harbor the outrage had been commuted i
What would tune been their sensations if they
had witnessed the bloody scene of wounded
and murdered citizens landed at their wharves l
Boston, thank Coil, has not v et become faruiii
arized to such a sanguinary catastrophe ! The
citizens feel an indignation and ahnorrence of
all ‘murderers, whether on land or on the ocean.
Gracious Heaven ! what would have been our
astonishment, if the detail of such an outrage
had excited no other sensations than a cold in
sensihi.ity ? We are happy, however, to
| find, that the sympathy has operated with the
celerity of electiicily, and the real friends to
their country are roused to express their ab
horrence ot the B hislibarbarity, and are ready
to co-operate with their follow-citizens in ail
measures necessary for the common safety.
If President Adams dismissed Timothy Pic
kering for keeping back public official dis
patches, how ought the citizens of the town ol
1 B iston to show their disapprobation of the
Selectmen who have been instrumental in
keeping back communications from our dis
tressed fellow-countrymen, the citizens of
Norfolk l What would have been done to
Selectmen in our fi st struggle for Indepen
dence, who should have taken it upon them
selves to suppress official correspondence
from either of the then insulted colonies ? The
feelings of Bostonians, at that time, would not
h ive been very easily stilled, if they had been
treated in such a manner.
Orders have been received, for the. officers
of the navy here to repair to Portland, and to
equip the gun-boats in that port.
BALTIMORE, July 11.
IMPRESSED AMERICANS.
Wo have received a letter from Mr. Gassa
way Pindell. covering another from his son,
now on board a British ship of war, in Hamp
ton Roads. This i a case which comes so di
-1 rectiv home to the feelings ot all Marylanders,
that no fiery declaration need Ive resorted to, to
impress on their minds a due sense of the ex
i tent of Briti-.h insolence and hostility. What
must have been the feelings of a fond parent,
of an affectionate and foving sister and brother,
ou recui such a icuer, as at that time com
polled the belief, that in a few days, and at their
verv doois, the kidnapped member of a belov
ed family wa ordered to apply the match nd
deal destruction round among his country men!
Truly has it been suiil, that the present is a
case for f, ding: Reason has no authority at
such a crisis But vve will not attempt to in
crease the just indignation of an enraged peo
ple : here are the documents.
Extract of a letter from Mr. G. find’ 11. to the
Editor of the Federal Gazette, dated E'lg
Prut. ( AnnArundel couiuy) July 3.
Sib —I have seen in your paper of the 30th
June, a copy of a letter signed by a number of
Americans on board the British ship ol war
Bellona, lo commodore Barron, late comman
der of the United States’ frigate Chesapeake,
requesting his assistance to have them releas
ed. The name of Stephen Pindell is mispell
ed (Findell) he is my son : I. enclose a letter
from him, which if you think proper, you may
insert in your useful paper. He served his
apprenticeship to captain Tenant, of Fell’s
point, Baltimore.”
” Air. Gassawau Pindell, inspector , at Pig-
Point Ware-house, Maryland,
“ On board the Bellona, June IS, 1807.
Honored Father —This is to inform you,
that the schooner in which 1 shipped, at cap
tain Tenant’s request, was captured a few hours
after the pilot left her. The schooner was
sent to Halifax, and all of her crew put onboard
the Meiainpus frigate ; in about a month after
which, we were sent on board the Bellona. 74.
I despair ot getting clear, unless you can corne
down. Dear Father! you must contrive to
come to my relief : I cannot consent to remain
in such a service. Pray come down : I would
indeed sooner drown myself than continue
where I am, and where I will not grieve much
longer !
“ I am your dutiful son,
“ STEPHEN PINDELL ”
WASHINGTON CITY, June 15.
The public will perceive from the subjoined
affidavit and It ter, that thete is some reason to
distrust the pacific sentiments of the British
commodore, as set forth in his conversation
with Mr. Tazewell. The affidavit is copied
from the original, forwarded by captain De
catur to the Secretary of the Navy ; ihe extract
is from a private gentleman of respectability.
Personally appeared before me, Stephen De
catur, jtin. commander of the naval force ol the
United States at Norfolk, John Cunningham, (a
pilot lor James River and Norfolk) and sweareth
by the Almighty God, that whilst he was on
board the British merchant brig, Young Susan,
lying at anchor in Hampton Roads, the hist
lieutenant and master of his Britannic majesty’s
ship Bello; a, of 74 guns, came on hoard the
aforesaid brig; and, that the lieutenant stated,
in the presence ot tire deponent, that the
Bellona. Leopard and Melampus were getting
in order for coming up to Norfolk—that the
Bellona had been lightened by putting forty
tons of bread on board the Triumph, and had
sh fted her ballast from aft forward, for the
purpose of lessening her draft as much as pos
sible.
STEPHEN DECATUR, jun.
JOHN CUNNINGHAM.
Charles Gordon > Wit*
William Potts £ nesses.
[ The above affidavit was taken on board the
United States frigate Chesapeukej the eighth of
July, 1307. J
Extract of a letter from Hampton, dated July 9
1807.
“ It appears to be the intention of commodore
Douglas to commence Hostilities immediately.
I ne Triumph and the Meiainpus went out oi
the roads yesterday afternoon, and came iu an
chor off the Capes. Since, they have been
joined by a trigale and a sioop ol war. The
Bellona ana Leopard are still in Hampton roads.
Commodore Douglas yesterday made another
communication to the inhabitants of Norfolk—
but which was returned to him by the Mayor
unopened.”
The following article is from the American
Citizen. Wedo#oi republish it from any im
pression we have of the truth of that part of the
letter which states the intention of tne British
to send an invading army into the U. States.
Infatuated as the government of that nation may
be, they will not at this day commit themselves
by such an act of madness.
I lay before the reader the succeeding letter,
received yesterday through the medium of our
post-office, as stated at the close ; ii is printed
exactiy as written. I have no reason to believe
that it is an imposition.
Superscription.
“ Mr. James Cheeth am,
“ Editor of the American Citizen,
“ New-York.
“From Halifax, favored >
by Mr. Johnston. \
Contents.
“ Halifax, , 1807.
“ I am one of those unfortunate men who have
been pressed on board British ships of war. I
am an American born—a native of Nevv-York,
and although I never expect to get back again,
still I naturally have a love for my country
the.elore 1 take this opportunity ol letting you
know your danger. The British expect to
have an army landed in your country about the
middle of January next. They have 1200 lads
from the age of Is to 18 exercised duilv —these
unfortunate youths ere to be sent along wini
the.army. I wish you would follow their ex
ample in the fiist instance and have your young
men even from 14 and upwards fotmedinan
umtoim body and taught their manual exeuise.
lam certain the vmeiicau youth, if they have
one spark of the fire ot ’76 within their bosoms
will cheerfully come forvvaicl in support of their
country. I must conclude by saying that if
thenaiiuv.s was fortified it wouid annoy the
English gieutly, for >ew-York is the first
place they mean to land at. I wish, clear
sir, you would publish this in your patriotic
paper. Youis, Sec. I. ll****..
“ Excuse mv not signing my name, for if it
was known, I would certainly be exalted —on
the gallows.
“ I send this bv a young man who I suppose
will drop it in the post-office.
NORFOLK, July 18.
SOME RETALIATION.
Last evening an express arrived at Head-
Quaners to the Commander, Gen. Mathews,
front capt. Shepherd, of the troop of Cavalry
stationed near the Cape—The intelligence the
express brought is of great importance : it an
nounces the first act of retaliation for the out
rages of the British squadron.
‘The substance of the intelligence, as far as we
are informed, and our information may be relied
on, is, that a boat w ith fiv e men, viz. two midship
men and three sailors was seen to
Thursday evening, on the east side of the in
let ; the people came on shore, and were fired
at by a detachment of miiitia under the com
mand of a lieutenant from Kempsville. They
retreated and took refuge in the woods—infor
mation being given to capt. Shepherd of the
place to which they had retired, it was immedi
ately surrounded; in the morning they were dis
covered. and surrendeied themselves prisoners
without resistance. The boat and the arms on
board of her have been taken possession of; and
the men are now prisoners at Mr. Lemuel
Cornick’s, waiting the orders of the General.
4^
FROM THE AURORA.
The Washington Federalist states in a post*
script, that Mr. F.rskine, the British ambas •
dm , had arrived at Washington city—declared
ihe iate murderous and perfidious aggression
una ilhoi ised, and was about to forward an im*
mediate dispatch to the British naval coniman*
cler at Hampton.
On this we have only to observe—to wit:
1. VV lien the British squadron at acked the
Spanish frigates three years ago returning to
Spain, unconscious of wa-.and sunk one and cap
tured two others, that the F.nglish charge des
affaires at Madrid declared the act unauthor
ised. But the dollars in the captured frigate
were nevertheless sent in triumph to the tower
in London.
2. When in the year 1780, or thereabout,
count Byland, with a Danish convoy, met an
English fleet in the English channel, and was
fired upon by them, it was said to be unauthoris
ed—but the fleet was kept.
3. When the Dutch convoy in 1794 was filed
upon in the north sea, it was declared to be uu
authorised.
4. When Pierce was killed, it was said to be
unauthorised, but Whitby has since been pro
moted.
5- When Love, in the Driver, insulted the
port of Charleston, it was said to be unauthor
ised.
Now acts of aggression, such as these noted,
are crimes against the law of nations—if so they
are crimes against the state whose officers com
mit them, and they are therefore punishable—.
it the culprits are not punished, do ihe govern
ments not authorise what tney overlook in S4
strange a manner.
From Akin's Geographical Delineations.
“I* ‘ s a peculiarity in the American states
which has tended greatly to obviate many of
the evils and dissentions ot the governments
in the old world, that there is no predominant
religion; that is, there is no one exclusively
maintained by the state, and conferring par
ticular rights and privileges on its professors.
In the middle and northern states, religion is
left wi .oily to the will and spontaneous exer
tions ot individuals; in the northern states,
(Rhode-Islund excepted) a quota is required
from all the inhabitants for the support of pub
lic worship ; but it is left to every one’s choice
to what particular sect his payment shall be
appropriated, i his perfect freedom with re
spect to religious doctrine and worship has
produced its natural effect of fostering a great
er number ol religious sects and persuasions
in the territories of the United States than
probably exists in any other country in the
world; but this variety is not accompanied with
the smallest tendency to the breach ot peace
and good order. The common bond of citi
zens is found fully sufficient to secure that
agreement by which civil society is held to
gether. Os the different forms of religious
association, those seem to flourish most, which
in their constitution are most consonant to the
popular principles of the civil government. A
great majority ranks under the denomination
of Protestants. Maryland was originally set
tled by Roman Catholics. The emigrants
from Ireland have augmented this class of
religionists. The Protestant Episcopalians
have bishops as the supeiior order in their
church ; but without any civil prerogatives or
titular honors.
No man is excluded from any civil or mili
tary office under the federal government on ac
count of his religious opinions. The laws of
->ome particular states require candidates fcf
i certain offices to profess Christianity,