Newspaper Page Text
j 8. 00. R jberi t Lift jn to Dr. I
jq. do. Jifsoes’Grant, to W. NfHont.
20. do. Dr» Romayne to W. Blount.
21. do. do. to do.
2a. do. do. to do.
2'j do. James Grant to W. Blount,
24. 30. W. Blount to Dr, Romayne.
23. do. do. to do.
26. do. Dr. Romayne to W. Blount.
27. A writing found among the papers
of Dr. Romayne and acknowledg
ed by him to be an unfiniftied let
ter to W. Blounr.
28. A paper endorsed by judge Turner,
containing an account of different
military posts. —-
. 29* W» jSlOvnt's circular letter, after
... his impeachment (which has been
publilhed).
... 30. The depofttion of Dr. Romayne
>• b fore the co nmi’ tee. Ihe deponent
ft/.tes, that he had been acquainted with
Mr, Blount since 1782 ; that he became
acquainted with Chiftioime whilst in trea
ty with Mr. Blount in land speculations;
.-ibmetime after the deponent intended go
ing to London to fell land, but the falling
in price of property prevented him ; that
' governor Blount was to have procured a
>4aw passed in Tenneflee to enable aliens
to hold land, the deponent fpeke of the
different letters which had passed between
W. Bbunt and himfclf on the fubjeft of
Louifrana, which the former regretted
■the JSnglifli did not poffrfs, and(poke of
going to England on the business, he re
gretted the Floridas did not belong to the
U, S. It was underftcod between them
that it was mod favourable for Louifi.tna
to belong to the Spaniards, but that the
Jvnglifii had much better have it than the
French ; they agreed that it was necessary
to found certain persons in Philadelphia
on the fabjeft, as well as in Virginia and
the fouthrrn states, spoke of his conver
fation to Blount about going to England j
hot that Mr. Blount neglecting to aniwer
his letters, he gave up the project:
After this evidence, follows the cross
examination of the committee. The let
ters which passed between W. Blount and
Ni Romayne bear date from Feb. to May,
and are chiefly on the project of going to
England, on the business of Louisiana.
Mr; R, frequently (peaks with great con
fidence of success, and often introduces in.
his letters the critical situation of the Eu
ropean powers, and the improbability of
peace.
jr. Next follows the examination of
Mr. William Davy of this city, which
relates to the failing of Chiftiolme in the
brig John Henderson, which he charter
*.« and which cleared out for Hamburgh,
f>ut was bound for London on the 20th of
March; that his paffrge was taken and
paid for by R. Liston, by means of Mr.
Thornton j Mr. D. repeats convention
which took place betwixt them as to his
business ; that he was to command a fqua
dron against Pensacola, and a variety of
other circumstances; Mr. D. also men
tions several interviews with Mr. Liston
ca the business. He also produced a let
ter from his brother in London, mention
ing Chiftiolme having endeavoured to get
money from him; but before he gave
him any, he applied to lord Grenville’s
* office, to know if he had got money from
itictrcc, ana Anding they hadTupptied hihi
largely, he declined letting him have
' any.
32. Evidence of George Lefher relates
to Chiftiolme*B being at his house with a
parry of Indians; of his conversation
about going to Europe, and of his busi
ness there; that whilst he was at his house
he was arrested for 400 dollais, and that
he.told him he was obliged to facrifice a
note of Mr. Pond’s for 300 dollars at a
loss of five or fix dollars in the ioo> to
fitisfy the demand.
33. The examination of William Bell
refutes what is said above about facrific
ing the note of 500 dollars, as he states
that he gave Chilholme credit, from time
to time, and that the note of 400 dollais
was not paid at all.
3si A letter from ‘the secretary of
(fate to the committee, stating, wh3t had
passed betwixt him and the Bdtilh mini
tier, in which ainongft other things, it is
affected that Mr. Liston gave Chilholme
110 money at all; that he only paid his
passage to the owner, and gave him an
order for 20b on his banker in London.
33. A note from Mr. Liston to the
secretary offfate. '
36. Lord Grenville’s note to Mr. Lif.
ton, in which the Britilh government de
clines to accede to the proposals made to
the'fi receding the Floridas,
37. Evidence of E!i(ha B, Hopkins
with r'*fped> to conversation held with
Clnftiolne.
r>r. Charles Buxton’s examination
f'htrs toeonvetfatibn betwixt him and
Dr. Rorrwyne.
39. John F&,:k in was examined with
r . • # *■ *' ' * *
rrfped to Cliilhobfit being at Lefhsr's at 4
the fume time with Him. o'i Iris
conversation refjeding Lonifi inn and Flo
tidas, W. Blount and the Bridlh .rioifter.
40. J unes Carey’s and John Rogers’s
evidence went jto the.fame effect.
The reading of the papers having con
tinued for more than two hours, and it
being three o’clock, Mr. Dent fail, as he
observed there were yet several more pa
pers to read, he should move the house
to adjourn. The motion was carried 39
to 31.
Tuefdavy December 3.
The clerk proceeded to read the re
mainderofthe documents referred tO in
the report of the committee on the fub
jnd of W. Blount’s conspiracy.
The next paper which came of course
was the deposition of James Grant, com
monly called major Grant; his evidence
confided principally of conversation
which had paffrd betwixt him and W.
Bl unt; he states that he met with him
in Washington county, Virginia, on the
28th April ; that they spoke on the fub
jed of running the line between the U
nited States and the Indians, and he
seemed to wilh to avoid any responsibili
ty with refped to the Indian treaty; that
William Biount mentioned his pecuniary
embarrassments, but that he fiid he had
a plan on foot which he exprded would
effvdua’Jy relieve him; he said that Cni-
Iholrne and the Indian chiefs had be*n ■
with the Britilh minister at Phjja lelphia,
and that Chifholme had a plan in writing
of the Britilh minister, which if it suc
ceeded, W, Blount said he (houM
i: in his power to serve all his friends,
that he seemed to place great reliance
upon Rogers and Carey, and upon their
ii flucnce with the Indians: He mention
ed that an armament was to be sent from
England, which was to be co operated
with on the land fide, by him at the
head of the Indians. The deponent also
fpeak3 of having received letters from
colonel King, about 13th of June, from
W Blount, for Carey, which he deli
vered, and mentions the conversation
which psffed betwixt them.
Mr. Sitgreavcs took the chair of the
clerk, and said the next document was
a paper communicated to the committee
by the chevaiier de Yrujo, in French.
The committee had not, he said, any
formal tranfiation ol it, but he would
read it in Englilh as perfedly as he was
able —which he proceeded to do. It
was the communication of a citizen Mit
chell, who states, that there had been
enrolled by an Englilh agent, in the
Weliem countrv, 1000 persons, for the
purpose of attacking certain Spanilh ports,
and to go against Louisiana and the two
Floridas that Chithulme had a lift of
ryoo tories wh® were engaged to fake up
arms in favour of England ; that there
were formed on the Lakes 300 regular
troops, 7000 Canadian militia, and 200
savages, to attack Fort Louis; that Chi-,
fholmtf had provided fix pieces of cannon,
the fame which was procured for citizen
Genet; that the rendezvous was to be
at Knoxville the jftofJuJy; and that
after Chilholme had ceporied the business
to the Britilh minister he would set out
for England, to lay tlie proied before
the Britilh government, ana command.*
money and veflds for carrying it into ef
fed. The chevalier also gave to the
committee a letter which Mitchell had *
received from Chilholme. It was a re
quest that Mitchell and Craig would be
in Tenneff-e in July ; with an assurance
that they might rely upon every thing
which he had said.
The next papers were the evidence of
John Phillip Ripley and Thomas Odion,
who were brought forward by the cheva
lier de Yrujo.
J. P. Ripley states, that he is a citizen
of New-Hamplhire • that he was educat
ed with captain Eaton, at Yale College;
that captain Eaton had told him, - that
several letteis were found In the poffflion
of Dr. Romayne, which proved the Brt
tilh minister to be concerned in the en
terprise contemplated by gov. Blount;
that these letters offered rewards to any '
person who would engage in the service, -
and that th<*y were difeovered under
some rubbilh ; tfiat many of Dr, Ro-,.
mayne's papers were deflroyed; that
captain Eaton had'told him that colonel .
Pickering had reprimanded him for hav
ing mentioned any thing refpeding these
letters, and had said that Great Britain
was the only friend we had ; that he saw
a letter which captain Eaton had written
to colonel Pickering on the fubjed. On
examination by the committee, Ripley
asserted that Great-Britain was at the
bottom of the conspiracy.
Thomas Odion deposed that he was al
so at College with capt.tin Eaton, and
that captain Eaton had toH him nearly
the fame circumstances which J. P. Rip.
!ev d'pofes to save heard from him. He
alfV fays, he saw the letter which the
captain had written to colonel Pickering,
as an apology for having mentioned any
■ thing resetting the letters fouud in pof
feffieii of Dr. Romayne.
Next follows the evidence of William
Eaton, taken at Springfield before judge
Lyman. He states that Phillip Ripley
was his cotemporary at college, and that
he had since been acquainted with him at
Philadelphia; but that he docs not know ,
much about Oiion. Some time after his
return from New-York, he recolleded
to have told Ripley that four or five ori
ginal letters of Wm. Blount were found
in Dr. Roraayne’s possession, at the dif
coveiy of one of which he feeme 1 a good
deal embarrafled. The deponent also
lulu the said Ripley that Mr. Ficksring j
was displeased with him for having men
tioned any thing about these letters, un
til the matter was laid before the com
mittee ; but the deponent denies that he
ever told Ripley, or that Mr. Pickering
ever said to him, * that Great Britain was
now the only friend we had." The de
ponent believes he might have given it as
his opinion, that the Britifn miniiler
would have encouraged the plan, if it
had been fcafib-e; that he had delivered
every article refpcCting the couf; iracy of
Mr. Blount which had come into his
hands to the commutee of enquiry.
Captain Eaton also spoke of a French en
gineer having been into all the feaperts
of the United States, in order to make
plans of, and observations re fpefting them.
The next paper was a communication
from the Chevalier de Yrojo, cor.fitting of
an otiginal letter from general Clarke of
Georgia, to Murphy, Esq. consul
to his catholic majesty there, in answer to
an application made to him on the fubjeft
of the conspiracy, in which he Pares,
“ that the peculiar nature oi the propefi
tion made to him by the British, prevents
him from giving that fatisfa&ion which
is required; an applica’ion, he fays, had
been made to bitn through a channel
which bound him to fiience ; he was alk
cd whether io,eoo dollais would induce
him to join the Biidfh, but that he had
rejected the offer with disdain."
Mr. Sitgreaves said that all the docu
ments which were of any importance had
now been read; what remained were not
worth occupying the time of the house to
read them—ls it were wiflied, however,
they might be gone through.
The fpenkerfaid ‘hat would be deter
mined on the motion being made for print
in 2‘ .
‘Mr. Otis moved that the report and do
cuments he printed.
Mr. Dawson said there were twodepoft
tiousol James Carey, one before the dif
trift judge, and another before the com
mittee, as one only had been read, they
did not wholly agree, he trutted, that
both would be printed.
Mr. Sitgreaves said, certainly all the
papers would be pointed.
Mr. Dawson observed that Mr. Byers
had given evidence, which, though not
on oath, he th<>*t entitled to credit, and
ought to be printed, as it corroborated
the evidence of Carey.
Mr. Sitgreaves said, it had been iifual
on extraordinary and important ocrafions
to order printed more copies of papers than
the usual number ; he thought this one of
those occasions, and moved that 6r o co
pies might be printed, as he supposed the
additional ex pence would be inconfidcra
ble.— Agreed.
E O S T O N, Novembir iq.
Captain Spooner from Bourdeaux, has
arrived at Plymouth since our last.- By
him we have received Paris papers to Oc
tober 3, which give three or four days of
later events.
It is apparent from these papers, that
the expectations of continued warfare are
{.aramount ; and that every exertion is
making to give effect to the firtt rencon
tre of the opposite armies. Notwith
ttanding this appearance, the negociation3
at Udina were not difeontinued at the
lass dates.;. and the Parts Courier of Oc
tober 3, mentions, that the French ccm
miffioners, Treilhard and Bonnier, were
going again to Lille, and that the Bri
tish government, after the return of lord
Maim; (bury to London, had difpatchcd
a courier to that place.
Paris, Sept, 30. The dire<sl ory has
resolved, that the armies of the Rhine
and Moselle, and Sarnbre and Meuse,
(hall be placed under the command in
chief of general Angereau ; and that it
(hall be named the Army of Germany.
October 3. We learn to-day from
Durkirk, that citizen. Coffin, American
vice-consul, has been arretted bv order of
the directory, as being implicated in cer
tain papers Listed lately at Calais.
General Lemoine fttecf#!* general
in the v command at-, Palis.
The lartpt is gone to take the command
or the armies ou the Rhine, which gertr
rals Hoche and Moreau iattjy com- |
manded. . i
General Bernadottc h;?3 gone to Ita ! y,
to re-afliime his command. Several o
thers have set out for the various armies.
A great number of generals and other of
ficers, have within these few days bee#
. suspended. . t
WINDSOR, (Vermont) Nov. if.. j
The general aiTpmbly of this state
closed their session on Friday evening
lift: And we may with propriety fait,
that while in session, they did theft things
which they ought not to have done , arid,
left undone tkoje which they ought ‘ to have
dove. M heir next session is to be in Vcr
geunes.
ALBANY, November to.
On Friday lali, we had a conduced
snow storm for several hours —indeed the '
whole day was storm y; lince which, th;
weather has been uncommonly cold for
this early season. The river on Same
day was crouded with ice for many miles
below—yeti on Sunday, there being a
firing fonth wind, some veflels got up to
this harbour. This morning the river is
full of ice.
November 27.
The Mohawk river is so thoroughly
frozen as to admit carriages to pass over
it wi<h fafetv.;
Lalt year the navigation of the Hodfdh
was interrupted by the dee the 17th of
November—some velPJs however got up
after that day but from the 27th the ri
ver was wholly clqfed up by the ice, and
did not again open until the r ethos
March.
For several days the ground has been
covered with snow; and, we are inform
ed there is good fldghing in fev-cral pails
of Vermont and New-Ha sup (hi re.
Yesterday a sleigh, with fix paflTengers*
arrived here from Skeenfbnrough - th*®
sleighing is said to be tolerable good.
We are told, that between 30 and 40
veflcls belonging to this port, ha*-e put
in at Loonenburgh, Coxackie, Kindet>
hock and New-Baltimore. They are
loaded with the winter goods for the mer
chants and traders of this city, and tivs<
northern and weftern country.
PHILADELPHIA, AW. 27.
A gentleman of this city hat received 1
letters from Barcelona, dated in Septem
ber, which inform that orders had been
received there by the confuJ from the.
French government, against capturing
any more American veflels whofc paper*
are regular.
November 30.
Yesterday, at the court of Oyer and
Terminer, now fitting in this city, a bill
ot indiftment was given in against the e
ditor of Porcupine's Gazette, for pub
lifliing certain matter, (said to be libel
lou ) against the king of Spain, the Spa
niOi minister and the Spanifli nation,
which bill was, by a virtuous and inde
pendent jury, returned, “Ignoramus.”
The ilritifh frigate Thetis, captain
Co hran, lately went up the Potomac
to M »unt Vernon, and cn her return to
Norfolk, with Mr. Litton, and several
other gentlemen who had visited gene rat
Washington, got aground in the Ttveh, -
when it became neceflary to hoist out
the (hip’s guns and itores, by which she
was set afloat $ Ihe now lies at Norfolk. *
Deumbcr. j.
Owing to the inclemency of the we*«-
ther, the mail due yesterday morning, •
did not arrive till this paper was going
toprefs, late in the evening. The Packet
is arrived at New-York with accounts 10
the 6th Oftob-r, we hear, but the paper*
do not even notice its arrival.
The navigation of the Delaware being
obftrufted by ice, several outward bound
veflVls-are now detained in port. *• •■- .
PETERSBURG, December it.
A few day ago Mr. William Hafkint,
of Brunswick county, while on his way
from this town to his place of residence,
was murdered on the road no wr Indian
town bridge*' Three perfonsof Diowid
die county -have since been aippredended
on suspicion of having perpetrated'thi*
horrid aft. .
On Tnurfday last the general afTrmby
of this commonwealth re-elefted Jam**
Wood, governor of this commonwealth.
CHARLESTON, Da. 20.
Yesterday arrived the sloop Betfey*
S wee Ter," Philadelphia, i g days.
Captain Sweetfer left Philadelphia on
the 3d instant. The river was then full •
of ice; he thinks the navigation w«*
stooped by it that evening, or the nex:
day.
A letter from Alexandria, dated the
6:h instant, fays, that the Potomac rivet
was so much incommoded with ice, as to
interrupt the ouvigation.
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