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‘NKW-YOTJK, December 21.
Extract of a letter Jeon* our'correspondent
at Washington dated Dec. 17.
“ I was last night informed by one o 1
the heads of Department, that oar cff.ii'r
looked more gloomy now than ever. That
tve should probably have to choose be
tween going to war with Fncland or with
France— lt being undetstood that France
had put fn force the Decree of November
1806, and thus given us as much ground
of war against her as we could have a
gainst England, even if she p.-rsisted in
refusing reparation for the attack on the
Chesapeake. By the way, however,
vou may rely upon it that England has
proposed to make that reparation, ac
knowledging the attack or. the Chesapeake
to be both unauthorised and unjustifiable,
I think (but of this I speak as l ought,
with doubt,) that the Administration will
prefer a war with England ! A few men
talk of going to war with both—but the
opinions of those have no chance of in
fluencing this Hou3e. Every wav I turn
1 see trouble ancldanger. And I am my
self the more distressed when 1 look a
round me and see in those who have the
confidence of the administration, so little
talents, I may say, so little common sense.
And when l look to the administration it
self, | see there nothing to console me.
Our Administration, in times of quiet,
were capable of falling down with the
tide. A Dog is as fit for this as a boat.
But they are unequal to times of troub’
and difficultv. And l do fear we shah
have but too much melancholy evidence
o’ this truth. However we can bear
much I>. for e we ave t°talU’ ruined, aoo
tl'o- people inav at last'be induced to place
more confidence in those who are canahh
of tnnnag ng their affairs wi h ability,
than in-those whose great m consists'in
flattering and thus deluding the popu
lace.
Another done for French tories. —TV
minions of th pre-id- nt n,av deny the
fact contained in the following pa>agrapb
and tty to blind us sti!!, but the time ap
proaches when the truth can be no longer
concealed.
From the Alexandria Advertiser of Dec. 17.
!)r Bulfus. surgeon of the Chesapeake,
arrived at. Washington yesterday front
France, and is the bearer of dispatches
from Mr. Armstrong, our minister at that
court- —he reports that'in a conversation
bet veen the Emperor Napdleon and Mr.
Armstrong, which took place in his pre
sence, the Emperor remarked that any
country in which a British minister was
permuted to reside. would be considered the
F.wvtoy /jJ Frnnr*
Ect us now see if “VJr. Jefferson will
dare to receive ‘Mr. /?ose,
December 24.
The Prefideru of tlv United S’ates hns
puidkly announced his intention of
rearing from his hijh oilice at the;
expranoii of ti epreiem term- This
wtereding communication has been’
made to the Legislature of of Penn
lylvania in the following handsome
manner :
‘V Dec 10, ISO7‘
GENTLEMEN.
1 received fome time ago, from the
Speakers of the Senate and Houle of
Reprelentf.ves of F- nnfyivauia, an
audrel, from the two Houles, to which,
on pul: “-c couii icra ions, it was thought
advisable that ti e anlwer ihouid be
delated a whiio. 1 now alk permif
lion to convey the anlwer through the
fame channel, and to tender you the
aiinrar.ee of mv high confid nation and
r ~i. TH. JEFFERSON.
The honorable
Pa -sir Lank, Speaker o f the Senate,
Sim ‘n i-NYBER, Speaker ol ‘.he hot fe of
Kt prtfentaiives of Pennfv Ivania.
To the General A ffanbly oj Pennsylvania
1 received, in due leafoo, the acL
dress of the general assembly of Penn.
|\ Ivania, under cover from the fpeaker
of the two houses, in which, with their
approbation of the general codr fie of
my adminiflradon, they were so good
as toexprefs their desire that l Humid
con sent to be piopofed again to tle
public voice on the expiration of my
prelent term of office ; enrertaimng as
I do, for the general affeinoSy of Penn
fp'vanit, thole fieniiments of high re
(pef.lt which would have prompted an
immediate anlwer ; l was certain, no.
verthelefs, they would approve a delay
which had for its objeft to avoid a pre
mature agitation of the public mind,
on a iobject lo iniereftiog as the eieclr
on of the shift magiff rate.
That \ should iay down mv charge,
at a proper period, is as much a duty,
as to have borne it faithfully. If Idme
termination to the let vice of the chief
m#!i'ltate, he not fixed by the con!ti <
tuiion, or lupplied by pra&ice, his of #
fice nominally for years, will in fad be
come for life ; and history shews how
easily that degenerates into an inheri
tance.
Believing that a representative go
vernment, refponfihle at short periods
of elections is that which produces the
greatelt fiinn ofhappinefs to mankind,
I feel it a duty to do no afci which
shall e'ffentially impair th?t principle;
and I should unwillingly he the person
who.-disregarding the found precedent
let by an illustrious predeeeffior, should
furnifh the firft example ol prolongatL
on beyond the second term of office.
Truth also requires me to add that I
am fenrfible of that decline which ad
vancing years biing on —and feeling
their physical, I ought not to doubt
their mental effeß ; happy, if I am the
firft to perceive and to obey this admo
nition of nature, and to folic it a retreat
from cares too great for the wearied
faculties of age.
For the approbation, which the ge
neral aflembly of PennfVlvania has
been pka ( ed to express, of the princi
ples and tneafures puifued in the ma
nagoment of their affairs, I am fincerclv
thankful, and should I be so fortunate,
as <0 carry into retirement the equal
approbation and good will of my fellow
citizens genen'ly, it will he the comfort
• f mv fu'uie days, and will dole a fer.
vice of forty years with the only rewaid
.t ever wished.
Til. JEFFERSON.
December to, 1807.
ExtraH of a letter to a merchant in this
city from his In other, dated Kingjton , -
Jamaica , Nov. 10, 1807.
41 J arlived here on Sunday the Bth
after having encountered greater diffi
cu ties on ibis lit £/e voyage than I eve r
experienced on any former; and was
sent in by a British fliip of war, for tri
al, under pretence of a breach of the
Revenue laws, by bringing beef and
pork to this ifhnd. On Friday lafi,
-titer having taken a pilot, and finding
for Port Koval, we were boarded by
nis Britannic ma jelly’s brig Goelan,
capt- C'crn-mt, who examined us very
ftriQly, broke open private letters, <StC.
j and finally put a prize on
! board and ordered us for our defined
port. 1 have gnnp through the regu
lar tedious examination, and have
great reason to funpofe we shall be dis.
charged -without being libelled
We had previous to this completely
run the gauntlet. On firft. letting fail
from St. Thomas, when almost clear of
(he port, we were fired upon from the
batteries, and brought to our moorings
again. I was carried before the com
mandant and council, who informed
ne that no poviGons could be per
mitted to be carried from the iflarnl ,
and that the government would take
ihern at the market price, which was
very low. This I objetfed to. as my
objefcl was to go to Jamaica ; hut de
manded four do!bars more than the
market price, or to be permitted to de
part. The commandant Hew into a
j rage, and declared the ship should not
leave the port; cn which 1 took the
liberty to o'bferve, he could only flop
her by laying an embargo on every vei
l'd in the hat hour; or I would abati.
Idori her, and feck for damages. The
old fellow at length,-finding it impoffi.
k hie to keep her, after two days deten
tion. was graciowfiv plealed to let us
depart. We had no sooner cleared the
port when a boat from one of the
blockading fquadr-on run along fide,
and peremptorily r.rdeied us to return
into the poo, which we refufed. I then
went on board the commander, and
offered him the flop’s papers, which he
refilled; but perilled in his order to
return, which 1 as positively refilled to
do, faying we would fee the fliip link
under us (which he threatened to do)
I raihcr than carry her into pou again ;
anti aher fome altercation the fliip was
taken poffcHion of, and order* and foi
Tortola. The capiain and myfeif were
detained on board 1 *?e frigate, and put
in confinement, and alter two days o!
mod infamous treatment, were lent on
board the Galatea fngate, where l was
( rcated very politely, and proceeded to
Tortola, wiere on a reprefcntaiion
which 1 maile to admiral Cochrane (on
hoard the Belleville of 80 guns) he or.
deied the fliip to be liberated, and per
mitted us to proceed without any fur-
J ibe* trouble. Our progrcTs tvas plea
I fi.nt and rapid, until the moment it was
I checked by v (hot from the Goelan. 1
I have, however, every txpeUation of a
favourable ifTiie.”
ExtraH of a Letter Jrom Wellington ,
dated Dec. 16.
45 This moment the Hotife ofße
prefentatives have agreed, by a very
large majority, to approptiate one
Million of Dollars for the better ford
fyit g the ports and harbors of the U.
I States. ‘The molt animated debates 1
j have ever heard in the house, took
1 place on this measure. The members
I from New York acquitted them (elves
ron this occasion with much credit to
j the State they represent, and the im
portance of obtaining a more extended
appropriation for securing the firft
commercial city in the union, was
urged with a degree of (pirit, that en.
titles them to the warmed approbation
of the citizens of their metropolis.”
COMMERCIAL AGENCY.
Na NT?., Oct. 30, 1807.
Tiie American Commercial Agent of
the United States at Nant-z, to the
American mailers and supercargoes
now in this port.
Gentlemen —1 have the honor to
inform you that I this day received a
letter from his Excellency Gen. Arm.
flrong, Minister Plenipotentiary of th.e
U. States at Paris, in which he reite
rates his advice, that the American
(hipping in this port should urge their
departure, before an avowed rupture
with Great Britain should take place.
Communications will he made of
this ietter, to those who may wish it,-
at the office of the Commercial Agent
of the U. S laies. I am, &c.
W. D. Patterson.
NORFOLK, -Dec. 15-
This day the following address from
the Mayor, Aldermen and Com
mon Council of this Borough, was
presented to Mr. Munroe :
To JAM E S MUNR OE, Esq.
The Mayor, Aldermen and Com.
mon CoUT'cil of the Borough of Nor_
folk, in behalf of their fellow citizens,
have the honor to congratulate you
upon your return to your country.
In the arduous duties incident to
your appointments to the different
courts of-Europe, you have doubtless
experienced ell those privations which
are inseparable from public employ,
ments ; whether in the acquifiiion of
an ex enfive country, by which our
Western Brethren are in pofTeffion of
an outlet to the ocean ; whether in the
difeuffion of our political or in the
maintenance of our maritime tights,
we sake plcafure to assure you, that
your countrymen have beheld your
exer'ions with peculiar partiality.
They cannot be infenuble of the
difficulties of an emhaffy, during a pe
riod w* en the rights of nations are too
often assailed upon the broad piea of
necessity. But whatever may be the
result of our dependencies with (ireat
Britain, we feel persuaded you have
brought to vour country that know
ledge of European politics, so necefTa
ry to the formation of a correfci judg
ment on our Foreign Relations.
We beg you to be a (lured that in
the important concerns intrulled to
vou, your fellow citizens have the ut
mod confidence in your zeal; ta'ents
and patriotism, and that you may long
live in their alleOions and efteeni, is
the fine ere wish of their hearts.
Notfo'k, Dec. 14, 1807.
To winch Address Mr. Muurne returned
the t’oilowii'g Answer :
To the jVayor , Aldermen, and Common
Council oj the Borough of Norfolk.
If any cir cum (lance could heighten
the delight which 1 feel in returning to
rry country, it would be the very flat
teting reception which has been given
to uie by the Mayor, Aldermen and
Common Conned of the Borough of
Norfolk, on their own part and in be
half of their fellow citizens. So kind
a welcome could not have failed to
produce under any circtunrtances its
merited rfieU, but in the present case
it has excited in a peculiar degree my
(cnftbdity.
In the high trulls with which I have
been honored by my government,
with ievetai of the principal powers i n
1 Europe, for ncarlv five rears pafl, I
| have indeed fir’ nil ihat ioliciiude which
you so juflly (©< iibe 4 Well knowing
that the honor of my government and
the happiness of mv fellow citizens were
effentiaTv involved in the re'ults of
the important negotiations in which I
partook, I am conlcious of having
done every thing in my power, to ac
quit myfeif in every inffance to their
jufl claims and expectations. Their
approbation is the high reward to
which I have looked, a’id I beg you
to be adored that it will give me the
greatest possible far is fa ion to find that
I am thought by them, in fome degree
to have deferred it.
The affuranee which you have been
so good as to express, of your confi
dence in the zeal and integrity with
which I have difeharged my public
duties and the interefl which you take
in my future welfare mefit my warm
ed acknowledgments. That you, gen
tlemen, and that ail my fellow citizens
of Norfolk may continue to enjoy the
blessings, which are so eminently due
to your merit and patriotism, is a hope
which I shall never ceafc to cherish, as
it fecks an in which I shall al
ways take the greatest interest,
James Munrok.
EXECUTIVE BIAS towards TRANCE
&
The following remarks are pf im
port at this moment, as they tend to
shew, in what light our foreign preju
dices are to he viewed, through the
mirror of Executive wisdom and pa
triotism.
44 The intelligence lately received
from France, is peculiarly interesting
at the moment, when the Legifiature
of the Union is deliberating on mir re
lations with foreign powers; and when
the result of its deliberations mult in
volve the deeifiori of Peace or War.
It is within the recoiled loti of every
one that the Decree of the Emperor
Napoleon, of Nov. 21 ft 1806, de
claring the ft ate of Blockade, was the
firft annunciation of the moft extra
ordinary principle ever railed by a
Belligerent againtl the rights of neu
tral Nations—a principle so extraor
dinary, called for the immediate resis
tance of every neutral power; and it
became peculiarly incumbent on the
Executive of the U. States, to whose
fuperintendance our foreign relations
are immediately confided, to have
withstood ibis gigantic flride of Belli
gerent pretenfion—lt was a fit occa
lion to have ex'empiificd our claims,
and to have evidenced our impartiality
towards Great Britain and France—*
To have met the declaration of such
a principle at the threshold was the
true, and the onlv effedive mean of
preventing the pradice under it by ei
ther of those powers. Was this the
condud pur hied by Mr. Jefferlon— **
was the occasion seized to evidence a
ftribf impartiality, and a dignified refis
tance to such encroachment ? Where
are the indignant remonstrances of our
Government against such rnonftrous
defpotifim ? Was not the whole reprC
fentatjon on the fubjeft, confined to a
ii JE cense” and a 44 je crois” 44 an
opinion and a belief” neither formal
nor conclnfive, between Mr. Arm
strong and Deeres, who declared hirfi
fc’f unauthorised and incompetent to
fay any thing on the fuhjeft. And hat
not the negledt of this important duty,
this dereliction of our best interests,
induced the British to pradice under
the principle, which France firft de
clared, and which she now determines
to enforce against us?—And, are we
not plunged into our present deep,
and almost inextricable embarrassment
by this weak, this wicked delertion of
duty—on the part of thole, to whom
it was specially confided ?
Let the Legifiature exanline thft
fads in the manner which its duty pre
feribes, and the people will be correct
ly informed whether the defect has been
in the Constitutional Powers, 44 of Hit
adminipration of them !
How much confidence mull it have
required, to Hate the fufiering ol our
Commerce in the Mediterranean, in
the embittered manner in which it
given to Gongrels against one of the
Belligerents, when the very cause of
complaint, was jultified by the total
