Newspaper Page Text
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55=P!
\al IntetUg
' From the Jfotivnal Intelligencer.
A few word*:%riU_ suffice to explain (he origin of the
following' letters. In a late number of the British Quar
terly Review,there appeared a basely abusive attafck on
the character of commodore Porter, the accomplished
hero-of the Essex. This article .we did not notice, nor
did we capy the comments that had been made on it, be
cause it appeared to 11s unworthy even of castigation.—f
Mr. Cobbett, the celebrated British writer, has, through*
the medium of his Register, addressed the commodore
on this subject, in an article which we have taken the li
berty to insert below, as being the ground-work of the
letter in reply to it. We are pleased at the opportunity
of spreading captain Porter’s letter before the public
eye.
[From Cobbett’s Register of April 27]
TO COMMODORE DAVID PORTER,
OF THE UNITED STATES* NAVI.
Botley, 27th .April, 1816.
Sir—In the last Quarterly Review but one, there was
i- A very base attack upon your character and conduct. In
order to convince you, that you ought not to suppose that
all my countrymen approved of such vile publications, I
inserted in No. 11 of this volume, a letter to the author
or editor of.that work, whose name is William Gifford.
I there ga/e an account of tnis literary hero; but in mv
statement of what he received out of our taxes, I was, I
find, guilty of an omission, which I now proceed to cor
rect. I said that he had been rew rded with a sinecure
of more than 300/. under the title of Clerk of the Foreign
Ps treats, and that he was a Commissioner of the Lottery.—
But I now find that he has another place; that is, the
place of “Paymaster of the Sand of Gentlemen Pension
ers,” at 300/ a year. A most suitable office, you will say
for the whipper-in of a set of hired Reviewers! What
particular Band of pensioners this may be I do not know.
Perhaps the whole Band may be Reviewers; if so, sir, 1
leave you to guess what a chance the journal of your ce
lebrated cruize stood in their hands’
•I gave an accountin No. 11 of the conduct of this wri
ter in the cases of Peter Pindar and Anthony Pasquin, and
also of the conduct and character of the Judge Kenyon.
Ill short, I shewed wiiat the baseness of Reviewing rcaliv
was^ in England. But, sir, I must again beg of you and
your countrymen and all foreigners, to keep your eye
■Steadily fixed upon this fact that writers like Mr. Gifford,
are in this country, absolutely in pay of the government;
that is to say, they live upon the taxes, and of course as
sist in producing pauperism and misery. This is not the
case in your country. There a writer if he get richj or if
lie live by the pen, must receive his income from the peo-
f ile who voluntarily buy his works. There he need care
ittle about his readers—his payers arc the only persons
that he need care for, or that he does care for. This wri
ter must have known very well how base it was ill him
to assault your character; in the manner that he did ;'vhat
a shameful prostitution of talent he was guilty of; but his
mind had for many years been made up to that, and had
been seared against all reflections of this sort.
You will.naturally ask, how we can tolerate, how we
can endure, how we c an submit to see our money raised
from us in taxes, and earned with our sweat and almost
with our very blood; you will naturally ask how wc can
• submit to see our money given to a man like this, while
we see nearly two millions of paupers overspread the
Land. If, indeed, he had ever in his whole lifetime ren
dered any sort, of service to the country; if he had serv.
ed, at any timejof his life in the army, the navy, or in any
other branch elf public business; there might be some ex
cuse for the heaping of these sums of money on him; but,
to give this man, who was a few years ago tutor to lord
Bel grave, and who has never been in any kind of public-
•employ, an inebme to equal that of five or six Lieutenants
of the JVavy, is, you will say, an act for which the employ
ers of tliis man! ought to be hanged, it being neither more
nor less than a robbery of the people.
However, sir, 1 think I can now defy Mr. Gifford’s ta
lent at fulsehoed and deception as far as relates to Ame
rica; and if he continue to deceive the people here, those
.people are noti to be pitied - . He is one of those, whose
labors, though they tend to-keep up the delusion for a
while, will in the end, make the fall of the tyranny more
complete and more memorable.
I have the pleasure to assure you, that every one, whom
3 have heard speak on the subject, has reprobated the cow
ardly and viperous attack made on you by this sinecure
assailant; but, strange as you will think it, very few per
sons hpre know that his statement which represents the
Essex to have been captured by one English ship is a
falsehood! There is hardly any one in England, but of
the pale of theadmiralty, who does not firmly believe that
you were beaten and captured by the Phoebe alone/ But
if you could know the state of our press, you would not
wonder at this. As to all matters, relating to the war
■with America, this nation, generally speaking, are nearly
as ignorant as are the dogs and horses. As far however
as the truth has made its way with regard to its exploits,
they have received tjie admiration which is due to them,
anti there are many men in England, amongst whom I am
one, who most sincerely wish you healthy happiness and
success in your present important employment of adding
to the strength of that navy, towards the fame of which
you have so largely contributed. We, who entertain
these wishes, are very far from desiring to see the power
and fame of our own country diminished. We are for
the prosperity and honor of England in preference to
those of all the rest of the world. But, we by no means
believe, that the overturning of your system of govern
ment, that the extinguishing of the example set by you,
would tend to the prosperity and honor of England, it
being impossible for us to have an idea of national pros
perity and honor, not accompanied with real liberty. In
short; we are not beasts enough to believe, that our pros
perity, or our honor, would be advanced by our enabling
a gang of tyrants, who are continually robbing and insult-
us, to subjugate you; and, therefore, in every under
taking, which does not tend to the abridgement of the
known rights of our country, and which do ten ! to give
to freedom power to struggle against, and finally to over
come despotism, we most cordially wish you success.
I am, sir, your most obedient servant.
Wm. COBIIETT.
P. S. This very minute I have received a letter from a
gentleman in Sussex, whom I never had the pleasure to
see in my life, informing me that accident has put into
his hands, and that he has forwarded to nse, a part of the
srihled rapes, made Jise of in the vessels engaged in the
ever memorable fight on the Serpentine river, which ropes
I will, as soon as possible, most assuredly send to you.—
Perhaps you may have forgotten the piece of Naval His
tory here referred to. In 1814, when the kings, our al
lies, were in England, there was a sea-fight in minaiture
contrived, in order to give them an idea of our prowess.
The scene was a large pond in one of the parks near Eon-
don. Here vessels were erected, guns put on board of
them, and every thing else done that was calculated to give
the thing an air of reality. The English Fleet and the
.American Fleet came to action in fine style; the contest
was uncommonly obstinate; but, at last, poor Jonathan was
■compelled to haul down his “ bits of striped bunting,'’
and “submit to our gallant and magnanimous tars.” At
tilis result of the combat, not less than perhaps two hun
dred thousand voices made the air ring with shouts of
triumph: while, at very nearly the same moment, a whole
squadron of real English ships were hauling down their
colors to an inferior American squadron, commanded by
commodore MfDonough, on Lake Champlain! We who
really love our country, do not think her honored in victo
ries iike that of the Serpentine river; nor, though we are
alwavs sorry to hear of any of our countrymen being de
feated when we consider them merely as our countrymen,
can we lament at their overthrow and humiliation, when
we consider them the tools of despotism, employed in
tiie, work of destroying liberty abroad, in order to enable
that despotism more firmly to rivet the chains about our
own necks.
TO MR. WM. COBBETT, BOTLEY, ENGLAND,
Washington, July 29,1816.
Sm—Messrs. Gales & Seaton, editors of the National
Intelligencer, did me the favor yesterday to send me a
copy of No 17, vol 30, of your Register, containing a let-
ter addressed to me, which I read with much attention,
and felt myself gratified and flattered by the notice you
have taken of me.
t f lac i previously read the Review to which you would
have drawn my attention, and although unacquainted
with the name of the author until it was made known to
me by your letter, I was fully persuaded it was the pro
duction of one of those pensioned writers, who have
for sometime past been employed to blacken our nation
al character, hoping thereby to make tliat of their own
country appear by the contrast morefair. I consider my
self used m this instance only as a stalking horse.
WS? counsel or toy -- w . ^
and expressed some feelings respecting the cqnd
character Of British naval officers,- wbichhas-di
m,'
'and
character of British naval officers,- which has drawn or
me their resentment, as well as that of tiie Reviewers.—
My reasons lor making known those truths, and express
ing those feelings, have hot yet been satisfactorily explain
ed by me, and to you, sir, I give ail explanation, as the
first and only Englishman, who has ever, to my know
ledge, expressed his disapprobation of that system of
persecution which lias been practised against me,- from
the commencement of hostilities to tlife present moment.
You, sir, have seen your prints teeming with abus^
against me; you, sir, have been my only advocate in Eng
land. I have silently borne ‘the insults that have been
heaped-on me, although I have seen myself hung in effi
gy beside our venerable and highly respected chief ma
gistrate; every epithet that could disgrace and add infa
my to the character of man has been most bountifully
tavished 011 me; I have been cowardly deceived, and
basely attacked, while confiding in the neutrality of a
port, and in the word of a British officer, and while he
professed to me gratitude and friendship. I have beer,
cruelly arrested in my progress to my country, while
confiding in tiie sacred character of a flag of truce,
wantonly insulted in my own feelings, and witnessed the
insults to which my brave officers and men were sub
jected, whose wounds and sufferings became a mockery
to a cruel and overbearing enemy. I, sir, only escaped
the future persecutions and insults that were intended
me, bv flight, at the risk of my life, in an open boat.—
1 have been, since, vilely traduced by every petty wlielp
in the naval serv'ee of your king; I have been declared
by your admirals and by your captains as being beyond
the pale ofuo .or—threats have officially been held forth
toward me, and scarcely an Englishman except those
who have been in my power but Tins caught the conta
gion. My prisoners have had a different opinion of my
conduct and character, until forced to join with the
throng and to sail in the general current of defamation.
Such conduct on the part of your people produced feel
ings of resentment in my breast, and under such circum
stances it should not have occasioned surprize that I
in some instances expressed them. I have told only
’ruths, of which let those judge who best know British
officers. I have confined myself to tiie evenfts of my
cruise. 1 have; related none of those events of a domes
tic nature, the recollection of which still keeps alive the
feelings of every true American: I have not told of the
conduct of admiral Cockburn,.of the massacres 011 our
frontiers, noRrtif the various robberies, rapes, murders,
&c. which have been perpetrated by the orders and un
der the eyes of the commanders in chief. 1 have told
none of these things; 1 leave this task to some future his
torian, who while he vindicates iny character will paint
in tiieir true colors the heroes of your navy, on whom
“blushing honors” have been heaped, for practising un
equalled cruelties against our unprotected and unoffend
ing citizens. Your Cook and your Anson must not es
cape : they have been marshalled against me, and their
ashes wiil be disturbed. The Spaniard will tell of the
wanton destruction of Payta, and of cruelties to his coun
trymen on the one part, w hile other pens will tell ofthe
equally wanton destruction ofthe unoffending natives on
the other, ntil Heaven, provoked at the innumerable
outrages against humanity, consigned this man, who
“lives for ail ages,” to the vengeance of an injured and
justly exasperated people, who, by depriving him of his
life, gave to him his immortality. The conduct of all
may be strictly scrutinized, and those who have been for
a long time your nation’s boast, may prove in the end
your nation’s reproach. You have yourself given a
striking example of the change that may be produced in
public opinion, by the pen of a single individual who em
ploys himself in the search and exposition of truth.—
VVe have also pens in this part ofthe world, able to vin
dicate our national character from unjust aspersions, by
making known truths; and the book, entitedthe Exposi
tion of the Causes and Character of the late War, is a
specimen of what can be done here in that way. It has
remained thus long unanswered, and we may therefore
presume that it is unanswerable. It will be time enough
when we receive England’s reply to that paper, to notice
the abuse which has been thrown out ag:iinst us in the
critisism on my Journal. We are in no haste; we intend
to take our own time; and, should we reply, all your he
roes, shall iiave their share of notice; even Morgan, whose
name has been placed on the same page with mine, may
be found on a dear examination, to bear a much strong
er likeness, in some ofthe most prominent features of
his character, to certain naval heroes of England, whose
names are more familiar in this c uiiitry than 111 their own.
Morgan, it must be remembered, was an Englisman, and
his historian, who was also one, begs that it may not be
considered either a compliment or a reproach to say,
that the leading characters among the buccaniers were
all Englishmen. Allow me, sir, to make a small extract
from the history of the man to whom the reviewers cou
sider that it would be a disgrace to compare me. You
can make wiiat erasures you please, and fill up the spa
ces with such names as will best suit for modem events.
“They spared in tiieir cruelties no sex nor condition,
for, as to religious persons and priests, they granted
them less quarter than others, unless they could produce
a considerable sum for ransom. Women were no better
used, except they submitted to their filthy lusts; for such
as would not consent were treated with all the rigor ima
ginable. Captain Morgan gave them no good exampl
on this point,” &c. &c. Page 193, History Buccaniers of
America.
Speaking of the destruction of Panama, he says, “The
same day, about noon, he caused fire privately to be set
to several great edifices of tiie city, nobody knowing who
were the authors thereof, much less on what motives
captain Morgan did it, which are unknown to this day.
Tiie fire increased so, that before night the greater part of
the city was in a flame. Captain Morgan pretended the
Spaniards had done it, perceiveing that his own people
reflected on him for that action. Many of the Spaniards
and some of the pipites did what they could, either to
quench the flame, or bv o. wing up houses with gun
powder, and puiling down others, to stop it, but in vain:
for in less than half an hour it consumned a whole stlreet.”
Page 189.
Such was captain Henry Morgan, the “gallant" and
“disinterested” hero of the learned critic, whose attention
has been so forcibly drawn to my journal. Of Ann Bon-
ney, his other pattern of nautical 'excellence, I have not
been able to obtain any particulars. Such bl ight ex
amples, indeed, are less familiar to us on this side of the
Atlantic than on the other. I should presume from iier
name, however, that she was of English origin, and no
doubt belonged to that class of British officers for whose
actions, tiie editor of the above mentioned history says, in
his preface, he will.not take upon himself to apologise,
since even in the most regular (British) troops, and best
disiplined armies, daily enormities are committed, which
the strictest vigilance cannot prevent.
Tiie remarks ofthe editor are indeed correct, and his
whole book seems to shew, in comparison with the later
records of British heroism, that although his naval coun
trymen, of high rank, have in some respects degenerated,
yet they iiave not laid aside many of their ancient pro
pensities.
I am persuaded, sir, that you think with me, that I have
shewn a great deal of patience and forbearance. How l
iiave deserved the . resentment of Englishmen, I do not
know, unless it was by doing my duty to my country;
but, in doing it, I endeavored to make the evils of war
bear as lightiv as possible on the individuals who fell in
my power. When hostilities ceased between tiie two
countries, they ceased yith me, until my indignation was
roused by this fresh attack in the Quarterly Review, not
ed and approved of in tiie Naval Chronicle of March,
shewing the connection still existing between my oid
enemies, the scribblers, and navy officers.
I had hoped, tliat the late war, by making us better ac
quainted with each other, would have made us respect
each other the more; but it really appears, that the
breach between us grows wider and wider. We bear the
floggings we got during the war, without murmuring;
wiiy should Englishmen be less patient than ourselves?
Nay, we not only bore their triumphs on the ocean, but
we let them crack their jokes at us on the Serpentine riv
er, without complaining. We have no objection to their
amusing themselves in any such harmless sports, buffer
Heaven’s sake, and tiieir own, let them cease their abuse;
for while they labor to disgorge the venom and spleen
which are engendered in their breasts, they only proclaim
to the world the mortification which rankles there.
I thank you sincerely for the present you intend me 1 —
and Lshali not regret tiie abuse that lias been bestowed
on me, since it has been the means of putting me in pos
session of so disgraceful an evidence of the folly and im
becility of the British government. Say what they will
of me and of my nation, I shall be content,, while I
35
pOMesf- and while r
the e-rtf memorable battle of the Serpentine.
respect, yOut obedient servant, D.
rope* of
With great
PoBTEB.
SELKIRK’S PARAlMSE!
Lord Selkirk’s settlement, on Red River, neifr Hudson’s
Bay, which was broken up by quarrels between his
agents and the fur-merchants, is (we believe) to_ be" at
tempted anew. From publications on this subject, it
seems that Selkirk is more alive to self-interest than any
other consideration. He went about the country like a
recruiting Serjeant, saying “The place is excellent, the
most excellent except one,” meaning heaven, it was sup
posed. The account of the poor people’s suffering is
melancholy indeed. In the prospectus he promises good
land at a- cheap rate, and exemption from any civil disa
bility on account of religious creeds. He wishes (in
vain we think) to divert emigrants towards tiie north
pole, who are naturally inclined to come to the United
States. The following extract displays the spirit ot this
part of the design:
“As there are serious objections against receiving into
the proposed settlement any Americans of tiie description
of those who are likely to offer themselves, the settlers
must be emigrants from Europe, and the most feasible"
plan seems to be, that they should be selected from those
parts of tiie united kingdom which are most overburden
ed, with inhabitants, viz: the Highlands of Scotland, and
some parts of Ireland. A small number ot the emigrants
who now go from these districts to the United States of
America would be more than sufficient for the object in
view. Such a change of their destination could injure
no part of the kingdom, and would save to the empire
subjects, who w ould otherwise be entirely lost to their
country.”
Many of the poor fellows, who signed articles of agree
ment with “therigh honorable Thomas, earl of Selkirk,”
suffered dreadful hardships and disappointments in the
undertaking. The following documents are from the
postscript of a letter to lord Selkirk, by John Strachan,
D. D. rector of York, Upper Canada. They were ob
tained from the settlers themselves, brought down to
York, (for charity it seems) by some of the northwest
traders. H e select the two first; and, we frankly con
fess, that our motive is to prevent, as fur as a newspaper
has influence, the simple from becoming a prey to tiie
craftv; to guard honest men against being trepanned fo
a settlement and government equally inhospitable. We
cannot forget tliat tb s is the same lord Selkirk, who
wrote against parliamentary reform in England, because,
(as he alleged) he had witnessed gross abuse of free in
stitutions in America—and argued that one government
in practice was no better than another!
“1. Alexander -Watheson left Stromness about the 19th
of June, 1813, on board the Prince of Males, bound for
Hudson’s Bay, with a -number of men, women and chil
dren. They were well used during the passage. John
Lawsecre, overseer, died on board, which produced some
difficulty. After arriving at Ctiurchhill Factory, they
were placed in tents in which they remained five weeks.
They were then obliged to build ioghouses twelve miles
from tiie Factory of Uhurchhill, because the clerks were
afraid of sickness, and always kept the settlers some
miles distant. In March they travelled from Churchhili
to York Factory—the men drawing their provisions in
hand sleighs, one hundred and twenty pounds at an ave
rage, and the women travelling in snow shoes—sleeping
in the snow, with a fire at their feet, hardly able to cut
wood to make it—bleeding occasiona'ly the young peo
ple to prevent them from snow-blinding. Before leav
ing Churchhili to go to York Factory, all were bled. They
had abundance of spruce beer. They were stopped five
miles from York Factory and placed in tents. In -Way
they tried to proceed to the Red Rivtr. They had to
track the beasts, eacli getting four pair of mogazines,
which were cut walking upon the ICE in one day; after
this they were forced to waik, having their feet bare; the
ice in large banks on each side of the river. Arrived at
the Red River on the 27th of June. After remaining in
tents seven days, land was pointed out to each family,
who began to build. Alexander Matheson further says,
that at Churchhili they were threatened with irons if not
submissive, tiieir provisions stopped, and one of them
struck with a stick. Alexander Matheson says, that lord
Selkirk came round the country like a recruiting scr-
jeant, saying, “the place is excellent, the most excellent
except one;” meaning heaven. Archibald Macdoncll
read Alexander Matheson’sietters. When any complain
ed, they were insulted and told there was a new law.
All along, the quantity of provision, a pound of oatmeal,
and half a partridge per day; at the settlement, one
pound of pimican was given, per day. Alexander Ma
theson, the day before he left the settlement, asked for
his account of Archibald Macdonell, which he promis
ed; but said the balance due was only 91, though I ex-
pec ed 21/. Next morning he said, that as two had a
mind to go away, I might go, and he would keep what he
had—when they complained of illegal acts and unfair
treatment, tiie agents said they might go and find law,
there was none there. In fine, not one article of the
agreement was complied with.
Alexander Matheson.”
“2. John Macpherson, parish of Kildonan, Gaylliable,
deposeth orsayeth, That he had no contract with eari
Selkirk, but came out to look at the land, to be joined the
year following by Ids mother and six children, four lads
and two girls—he was ordered to watch on board with the
sailors. At the stra ts tiie doctor, or overseer, died; then
Archibald Macdonell became overseer: Proceeded to
Churchhili Factory, where tents were pitched tor every
twelve, and asiok-tentfor nine persons; tiieir clothes were
left at Churchhili and York Factory, with munv other
things, which were promised to be sent up next year, but
never came, and are stili there. He says tiie land cost from
5s. to 15s. per acre, according to its quality. John Mac-
pherson says he beg..n to build; made some potatoe
ground with hoes. When they got near the settlement,
yet on Lake Winipie, Archibald Macdonell • said,
they were near the settlement, but the devil will get
blind before you get out of it. John Macpherson says that
lord Selkirk promised his brother all things that a farmer
would want. Some men were employed for months,
but got no wages, the clerks and overseers promising to
put m their accounts; but these accounts were never pro
duced. Ten guineas, the passage for man and women,
and child. Arcnibald Macdonell threatened to send
those.in irons, to Churchhili who refused to work on Sun
day. John Macpherson.”
Andress M'Heath and TVm. Gunn gave similar state
ments.—sX'ew- York Columbian.
The London Courier, as may be expected from a court
paper, is filled with paragraphs in praise of every branch
of tile royal family, everv individual of whom, male and
female, are paragons of beauty and merit—he particular
ly dwells on the superior merits of prince Cobourg, and
the superlative quali'ies of his royal spouse! This lady
does not seem to be troubled with tliat sort ofbashftiluess
usually attendant on our republican maidens—shortly
afti r her marriage, she went to the theatre—she boldlv
breasted the gaze of a thousand spectators—tiie audience,
as in dut); bound, all stood up on her royal highness’s
entrance, and she made three graceful curtsies, and the
prince one respectful bow—the princess looked most
divinely, and made familiar nods to tiie ladies in tiie op
posite boxes—tiie band struck up “God save the kin.,”
which was accompanied by the actors on the stage,, and
the actors in the pit—and simple John Bull vented his
loyal feelings by three loud huzzas! What a fine effect
such a scene as this would have with the junto-men in
Annapolis!
After so flattering a picture, we are sorry to sav, that
Cobbett, in a most uncourtly style, has given us "a pair
of portraits of another kind—no wonder lie is not a fa
vorite writer with some loyal folks in Maryland—in one
of his Registers (which are a sore evil in the eyes of our
loyalists) he says “that the prince is an ugly fellow, a
most uncouth, illiterate, and ill-bred man, who" is eternal
ly smoking tobacco.” In this accomplishment, we could
match snnu|pf our cigar smokers with his royal high
ness—“to Be sure (he continues) he is as handsome--as
his wife, who is a fat, coarse-featured young woman, with
thick lips, and white,staring eyes
Mercy on us, what a hideous picture is here! After
this most uncourtly delineation, certainly no loyal man or
woman in Maryland, will encourage the sale of C'obbett’s
Register—when the prince and princess come to rule
the roast in England, Cobbett may expect another lodg
ment in Newgate—a reflection on a lady’s beauty can
never be .either forgotten or forgiven.
We observe by one of these papers* that they have be--
gun to pave some of the streets in London with cast iron
flags—several of he streets are already illuminated with
Gas Lights,—Baltimore American^ At.gust 5.
J ‘ ' -a '
a STATt OF GERMANY.
Weai« rntiebted to our-Lazaretto correspond ,
afile of Hamburgh papers, from which we subnri? * fc »
trahslutiohs of a very interesting character hi
that Germany is in a very unsettled state, and th ^
rit of political reform has spread itself over the” 1
part of thkt country. When the extensive
and reading habits of Germany are considered -nH '
influence which that literature aiid reading has" b tile
animating the people to emancipate tiieir country f :tl
the undue influence of France, we cannot but loo’-” ^
anxiety aiid interest to the progress which po i:* !,|i
principles have made and are making in all classes ,,f * c '
ciety. They now talk ofthe rights of the people u n 1* *
defining the privileges of the princes. Written consht *
lions of government are the order ofthe day „i pLi.
Wurtemberg, Bavari, Baden, and other parts of Germ*" ’
and these principles and dispositions must and tti/
strengthen and extend themselves in defiance of ti*
combinations of legitimate sovereigns.—Democratic
[Translated for the Democratic Press.
Hanburg, April 23.
The inhabitants of Berlin have presented a petitic
the king of Prussia, praying to be relieved from mil”
duty, which they say is not only very burthensonie M
self, but, from the manner in which they are treated •!'
their superior officers, altogether insupportable.
The chancellor, prince Hardenberg, has requested th ]
literary and political men of Germany to send him ti, , I
opinions and remarks 011 tiie subject of a new f'ru^ I
constitution—he is himself busily employed in cor,'!'™
ing one, and it is supposed it will be laid before the C
celebrated statesmen for their consideration, in a y .
time.
The English manufactures, particularly their w
goods, meet with a very great demand at the Fr.n; . .
fair, owing to their remarkable cheapness—the i, ; ...
and Swiss manufactures will all be ruined,if tiieir iff'
tiCe governments do not come to their assistance. 1 "
They write from Siuttgardt, that the famous r’ n , ; ,,,
Smaltz had informed his majesty the the king ofy "
temburgh, that a secret political association exis'edj,, "j
kingdom, and in Bavaria, Baden an3 other part; 0 j ijf
many, and at the same time sent him a list of the prink a
Wurtemburgers, who are members of this associatio/,1.
On this being made known, the councillors of s f ate yl
Wangenheiia and Von Neyirath, offered to jLisu,;.ji J. v ."J
take an oath that they did not belong to any secret ■
ciation—to this his majesty dictated for answer, thraH I
the minister of state, that doctor Smaltz had furnished I
him with a list of alt the members!
The distress of .tins country is almost beyond iks'-rk I
tion. Although it is now more than a year since ctpj I
ties have been appointed and assembled to deliberate 1 ^ §3
a proper constitution for Wurtemberg, and to indue-1 B
majesty to accept tiie same, but unfortunately jejuej Jr
having been created among themselves, and notiiiiit I £■
yet been done oft satisfactory 11 ture for the relief cf t ti
country.
An immense quantity of inflamatory addresses
been published here, and have spread throughout ttj. I -
many—never were the people in such a ferment as ttiv H-
are at tiiis time.—Should it now collie to a rebellion H
this kingdom at a time when no German state has u fca I
constitution satisfactory to the people,and see; nm t : c j
rights and those of the princes, there cm be no <a
but the flames of rebellion would spread over ailGcnm.
ny.
In a defence made by count Von Waldeck, one cf the
deputies of Wurtemberg, against a charge that he, u. wr
the pretence of being a friend of the people, had int . d I
to introduce a system of aristocracy more dangerous ;han
jacobinism or llluminatism itself—he answers, tliat "no.
tiling but die undeserved misery of the people h,.d mauc
him take the part he had—tnat he had long rts.>tec the
impression which their groans had made on iiim, Luttiut
at last his pity g5t the better of his former resen t; that
the unpuralied exertions of the people against the French
deserved a better return from the sovereigns than they
had met with; tliat he is pledged to the people’s
and that he will adhere to it, and that no terrors, nor the fl
cry or denunciation ofbeing either a jacobin or an urisfo- I
crat shall deter him from pursuing his duty!” IK- iissaisa ^
published an appeal in favor ofthe people of Wurtca- » j
berg, to all Germany. Since that, the king has f jrbz t
den his subjects to make any appeals to foreign so
reigns.
Augsbcrg, April 29.
Prince Eugene Beauharr.ois lias paid a visit to ha
sisters, Madame Hortensia Bonaparte, now at Constance
Madame Murat has left Vienna for Brun, in MoravL,H
where she will for the future reside with her sister, ■
Madame Bacliiohi.
General Carnot continues to reside at Warsaw.
Bavaria, Wurtemburg and Baden, instead of disbond- B
ing tiieir overgrown armies, are augmenting them ...7 I
considerably.
O11 the first of May next, the Austrians are to tie
possession of Saitzburg and other countries ceded :>
them by Bavaria.
They write from Rome, that the prince of Peace da
turned monk, and joined the Jesuites.
VI «rsliii Aagereau lias purchased a beautiful country
establishment at Offenback near Frankfort, where he
will reside for the future. It is said that he brings usk
millions with- him into exile.
Fouche is still at Dresden.
Hanau, April 28.
On the 10th inst. the nobility of the grand Duchy 0!
Baden had a meeting at Manheim, at which they agreed
to join hand in hand with the people at large, for c/not
ing- the adoption of a constitution which would estalitii
the happiness and peace of their country. 1 hey trail
ed a spiritedjaddress to his royal highness tiie Arcndaxe;
which after enumerating the causes of complaint oithe
present system, and the miserable condition in v.h;c .ti
classed ot tiie people are placed, and praying earneclf
for a convention of deputies ofthe people," for frannr;i
suitable constitution; they conclude thus—“imprti'd
with the full conviction, that this is the only me.
wilich our many fold miseries can be ameliorated amif-
ther misery prevented, the undersigned come respecn t
before the throne, and like their fellow citizens of A
classes render their most grateful and sincere thanks
your royal highness, for the assurance which your ro)d
highness has been pleased to give to convene the penr.iu
and they add their humble prayers, that your royd
highness may be pleased to assemble the represinta’i" ®
ofthe people around your august person without iitby,
that they may consult with one another on tiie present
relations between prince and people, and, by secure
the people’s happiness, secure the throne of your wyd
highness on immoveable pillars. '
Signed by all the nobles present—A great many of the
most prominent nobles have since that time been remov
ed from the court and other employs, amongst them tie
excellent and venerable minister Von Berlichingcr, thB
has produced a formal protest on the part of the nobility,
in which all classes of the people have joined.
Triers, (Treves) 6th of April.
The cause of professor Gorres (editor of tiie Rhcut ■;
Mercury lately suppressed) in which the contmiss ,ry ot
the government Sack was plaintiff, has been finally deci
ded in favor of the professor; this gives general satistV-
tion to the enlightened here, and will no doubt be had
ed as a good omen hy all Germany.
Hamburg, April 13.
They write from Lyons that a certain class of lath’ 9
(called lilies de joie) had made a patriotic gift of 8,5dJ
francs to the state and sent it to the duchess of jAng oU ‘
leme.
Amsterdam, May 9.
Nearly all the government vessels sent hitherto to our
colonies or the Mediterranean, have met with disasters
shortly after sailing. This has been the case with
line of battle ship Nassau, which lately left Flushing tot
Batavia with the officers of government on board; short
ly after leaving port she got aground on the Frenchcoss-
sprung a leak and w’as forced to put into Plymouth tort
fit.
Hamburg, May 1. .
The people of Saxe Weimar have petitioned the area'
duke for a convention of representatives of the pe°Pf
for the purpose of drafting anotlier and more suinaW
constitution; petitions for- the same purpose have brt
presented to the elector of Hesse by his people- 4®
duke of Saxe Coburg has granted the prayer oi his pe°
pie for a convention to form a constitution.
Alghuiri, (Sardinia,) April 18.
- Notwitstanding the arrangement made by lorof-r
mouth with the Barbarv powers in our favor, their cr
zers have, the day before yesterday, made a
our coast, carried 88 persons of both sexes off with t
and destroyed a great deal of property.
I