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NOT? TO IK, Dec. i*.
The Pilot who parried out the French
Ihip LTatrioi, left her about fix league*
at (ea on Wcdnefday afternooh. Thus
have two (hips which thejfritifb have
■blockaded for nearly lixteen month*
made their elcape. - ...
The British squadron have certain
ly quitted our waters, and which we
believe was in consequence of recent
inilru£lions from England, it having
been figmfird to the British govern
ment that their remaining here wa*
highly and (after the PicfnientVProc
lamation) justly offenfive to this go
lire Patriot .carried oiff two featnen
beiungriig to the lerVice of ihe United
Sutes,-which haddeferted and went on
boarct that ihip, atrd with the perfect
knowVdge of >the French officers.—
Thcle men it is true were Frenchmen,
but according to the American .prin
ciple, having become citizens of the
United States, a;.d actually in then
lei vice, they were to be considered as
American citizens. Is there any man
mad enough to fay, that we ought to
quarrel about tlrefe men ? The French
Ccromander having regained his men,
not byJorce f was juftified in retaining
them agatnil the claims of &is country, *
We were the original wiong doers.
The cate of the-other Raman -is dif
ferently circum (lanced, for in that in
ilance there was an open. attempt to
take the man horn, under the authority
ol his officer, by a politive refufal to
deliver b.in up .when demanded, and,
-this within our own jiirifditlion.-.Z.ri/g-.
From the New- York Gazette.
From the alarming accounts brought
bv the Revenge, just arrived from
France, we arc it lee-ms to be driven
fro-m ;>ur neutrality on the mandate of
Napoleon, who has explicitly and arro
gantlv declared TH.IT THEN E
SHALL BE NO NEUTRALS!-!”
And is it come to this, arc we brough;
so low, have we become so ha-fc and
aijjecl as-to Lubmit, even at this dij
tanccy to be dictated to by a foreign
niattci ? Are we prepared to fee our
fair cuies OiUroyed, our immenie and
unprcicfted commerce an ealy prey to
die luutucious cruizers of England,
pro merchants ruined, and general dii
trels and m.fery fin kbg with desola
ting (hides through tun devoted ai.d
dcfcnceUfs ianO ? -to gratify the bound
lei ambition of a man, who, after de
firo) ng every vertigo of freedom at
home, has brought the whole of conti
rental Euiope under his iron and def
potic (wav .? Spirt of 76! —whither
ait thou fled ? Shades of ou> departed
revolutionary licroe-! —who ? with anx
ious and trembling fbiieitude now ho
ver over thy inlulted and degrad'd
country, with what mournful indigna.
lion mult thou view the pCeient delpt
rate and degenerate hate of things, in
this ihy ante fair, promiiing and uni.
verfa-lly retpetted ioheritance ?
Our national affairs have arrived a
that crili .v whi.-n every mirfof-cohiid •
ration —every pvfty lee ting on inter,
r.ai politics—fhouid resolve itfeif into
die great q eltjoo of War or Ps-ace
with England. This is the high ground
Vvhich every man in the community h .
loudly called upon by impe ious ci
cumftauces to take without delay-. He*
fitation or apa -hy becomes criibind
when our country, as at the prefetit
moment, is in
of amity .England has lecilied Bctke ,
ley, df,*&tch*.d a mellenger of conct
ltation, arm di (avowed l e right 0:
fearch.ng our national ships; (he has
thus in advatree removed every cauft
of hostility, and by clearing away eve
ry impediment, opened thtj door to a : •
amicable d-ifeutfion of. the Jpeculaiivt,
points in cottitoverfy between the.two
governments. What more do w: 1
wain ? Woud we plunge the country
in o a d violating war at me inlUgariar
of he; fell eneniy foi the tight of ryb
bmg her of her tailor*, whole service
in this her Teaiful hour of trial, flu.
deems eflential to her exigence as .<
nation? Who will deny her.the righ
ol making such munic pal-laws a.> he
hipheft imetells and fa ety may d<c
tatc in regard to the hardy Tons of he
ll rengih—(lie rugged linews o* her l
cu tty, elpeciaify in time us wai ? Who
will contend-against the right of anv
nation to make whatever regulation fffivj
uleafes against expatriation ? If tbev •
remain on shore they are fafe, it is on I- ‘
by putting ihemlelves afloat That they.!
* are in danger. But Great Britain oni>
wants her fea-faring tnef,. which fh>
well knows jwc are in the habit of pur
loining. from her by The moss glaring,
foul and atrocfdus fteCjlHibslhat ede:
difgraccd a-ChriHian Country! Who
among us is so ignorant as hot tb khdw
that two thuds of the failhfb°fwith
j exception -of the four
, States, who have moltly their owii
-home , true-born Teamen) are by birth
Englilh, Itifh, or Scotcli, and yet, up
on <tbe simple Dollar’ oaths of wretch
1 es dragged out ol thtjfe very
foreigner* obtain certificates declaring
them id be Americans? OhJ
my country, oh America ! wbatdiead
ful scourges has Divine vengeance an
Here to cl'afiife guilt so foul and o
pen.-—Pc juries so -deep, exientive,
and flagrant?
While Great Britain, by the late
Proclamation, is determined to enforce
her >ight of taking her leam in ost of
our merchant -vefTefs, she formally -in
that inftrunretrt lecures our national
fht;is from (earch. By referring the
ma'ler -ultimately 10 ihe government
for redrt-fs, it (uppofesthat -its .officers
demanding deferers mu ft be Well aC
iorr-d that they are harpored on -hoard
our ships of war. This sup poles a
Wren if on our part, which they are po
fitivdy ? prohibited by the Proclama
tion from redressing but are bound to
leftrain their just indignation and 10
fubroit to the mortifying delay of re
piefeuting the injury to their govern
ment. Now, those grounds oT com*
p ! aint mufl be maintained by proofs
supporting fafcts palpable and ptlain, no*
conjeClnral and imaginary. -They
mutt actually know that the deserters.
.ire on board of our ships and mull
dtfignateibe.n by the name, offierw'fc
iiow can their government fujqpbrt a
demand for r-ediefs-froip us, for refu
ting to deliver up their men. To pu>
any other conflrudion upon this State
Paper, than that it efFeflually secures
Our national thips >frotn (earch (thereby
disavowing the 1 principle on wdi+ch
Bti kley aided) is a peTverfion of its
tea - ) mtenr and obvious meaning ;which
0) keeping alive public indignation a
gainit England may lead to the m-oft
u mous conlequtoces. The better 40
elucidaie the operation of this principle
I will .I'uppo'fe a-case. One of our
ships of war is hailed by a ship of his
bruatinic Nlajetly and an unqualified
demand made for Bri ifh fubjeds the
ho-d and honest anlvv'er 6f bur officer
v.tll be (if he basin the outfet.been cate
ful not to commit hirnfclf) li I have
t.one on board.” With this >he Englilli
commander mufi be fatisfied—he.e 4he
matter mud re it. What grounds has
be To complairi to his gbvernmefn ?
Wiiere ate hjs documents ?—*Where
his proo's of inqniiy. iVfheftcan
be <jbia.ned by going on board oF bur
• effclof war which he cannot do by
‘he expfefs fei ms of the Proclamation,
Even if he’mould be almoll cctaui that -
<iy wer'C on board, and be able toxie* ;
iij-n.ue them by the name, yet, he
would be reliiaiued from dema-nditig
hem fioro an apprehension of under
going the mortification -of receiving the
.ibove anfwvr of “ A have no fuch
men on board.” What American offt
cer of honor would be likely to ae-r l
knowledge that he had enlified defer- j
errs ? What Bruifh officer of spirit
would exuofe hunleT lo be irifulted ;
and his immediate object defeated. ‘ : by I
such a refufal, when his only hope pf!
ultimate ledrels would be tlirough the I
tcU-ious and dilatory process of goy.
..‘intßcntttl interference. . This vep)
:ioii head in, given in the Proclama
tion to the.right of -demanding delerte??* l|
trdui OUI (hips of war, is oUr fe*.
uti v; and is tantamount iio a rtlin-
of even that right on the
tail of Great Britain. Away then
.vuh the baleful (ophiltry that
vickedly plunge us into all the horrors
of war with that nation by ptevoting
ne p.ain meaning and express deciara;,
noils of the British government on that
imp jrtant fulijctl.
A FRIEND TO PEACE.
Congress of the United States
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
December Is.
Mr. Dana -presented a petition f om
the journcvmen Hatters of New Ha*
ven, (Con.) praying that an additional
duty may be laid on imported hats.—
Referred to the committee of coin,
tiicfce and manufaclures.
‘The house went into a committee
ofthe wboleon the bill making further
voppropriations for the more effectual
‘ proteHton of oar ports and harbors,
and for building gun-boats.
Mr. Mumford truftedthat the good
sense of the Houle would induce them
o unite in fotne plan to carry into ef
fect the i m poet ant ffibjed now under
consideration. He concluded by
noving, that the blank be filled with
1,500,000 dollars.
Mr. Cook laid that although the. se
cretary at war had recommenced 850,
000 dollars for the purpose, he did not
come thereto obey the diflum of any
department of the government. He
hoped the blank would be filled with
1,500,000 dollars.
Mr. Blount laid the committee of
aggressions had recommended the sum
of 850,000 dollars, because they hud
received information from the proper
department, and from the best engi
neers, that no more could be expend,
ed in ihe conrf<* of ayer. The com
mittee had no other loufee whence to
receive it.formation.—He was afraid
jbe gentleman (Mr. Cook) wfifhed to
gain popularity hy making large ap*
Drop nations. He did not doubt the
patriotifin, which as a citizen of the
United States, and a representative of
ihe .people, he ought to poffels.
Mr. Chandler thought it would be
better in future, instead of fending to
the heads of departments for inform*
tion, to rail on his colleague (Mr.
Cook.) He asked that gentleman
whether he could tell the colt of fortify
ing a Angle port of the United States ?
M ; Smilie wished to know whether
the gentleman (Mr. Cook) bad made
inquiries on this lubjefct from Georgia
?o Maine ? He thought it reallyim pro
per in the gentleman to set himfelf up
tn opposition to the heads of depart,
merits and fay, in fahf, that he was the
only man in the house capable of judg
ing on the fuhjcQ. He believed i
would not be prudent to exceed the
sums recommended by the executive
department.
Mr. Cook Paid, that if the doflrine
contended for, was correfcl, they might
fettle their accounts and go home;
they had nothing more to do. He con
tended that the House were acting in
the dok, for the want of information,
nd that 1,501’, 000 dollars was the
fmalletl luni neceflary. He laid he
felt no contempt for the executive,
or any other department of the go
vernment ; he preferred the present ad.
minittration to any former one.
Mr. Gardenier (poke at confiderahle
length in favor of a barge appropria.
tion. He laid, he hoped the House
would not forget that they had pledged
them (elves effcftually to protect the
ports and harbors. Every view of our
present lituation, called upon the hduTe
to put the nation in a perfect Itate of
defence to meet any event that mighi
occur. In case the threatened war
with Great Britain took place, we
ihould cerrainly have to mourn in the
hour of trial; because the more we
Ihould lubjett her to he humbled by
the. Emperorof France; and Jhe was
the only barriet between him and uni
versa!, dominion. But in case cir
cumllances should render it neceflary
to vindicate our national honour,
where would we assail Great Britain?
We might to be sure, take Canada atid
Nova Scotia, (end out privateers, and
in time of war, prohibit all intercouilie
f/itb her, which lafl measure would
Kobably injure her more'than all the
e(L Although we could injure her,
we mult no* expert to elcape unhurt.
The fir(l Ihock would, undoubtedly
be calamitous; Our commerce and
our- cities would tie at their mercy.
The iiiuation in which we Ihould place
her by a war, would render it nectffa
ry for her to make that war a predatory
one. ‘W e should, therefore, be pre.
pared to favt what wt? have. He pro.
ceeded to speak of *he different mode*
which had beeiv prrvpo(ed to defend the
city of New York; of the great im
portance of that city to the nation at
large, and of the necefTi y of aiding ra*
tlur than talking. lie remark-id,
that it nml) appear very itrange to G‘
Britain, that those who were in the ha,
hit of supporting the adininillratton,
should bethe lealt difpofecl to defend
the country, it b ing ufuaf in delibera
tive bodies of that kind, forthe minori
ty to refuse fubplies, in order to em
barrass ihe government. v -
I* had been said, that no more than one
million could be expended ir > one year on
fortifications. But in such n extent of
! country, with a population of six million*
and plenty of materials, he thought that
ten times that sum could be expended.
He hoped, that altKoun[h the House were
not disposed to increase the navy, they
would at least consent to defend the coun
try, in places where it was most vulnera
') hie. It was true, thrs could not he done
without expense; bur, h nvever alarmed
some gendemen might be to see the strong
box empty, however it might derange th
reports of ihe aecrefarv of the
or ho .’ever disagreeable it might he tfl*
th# administration, in being unable to tell
the peopl* how much money'they had
saved, he hoped these consideration*
would have no influence with the House.
1 here was money enough in the country*
if not in the treasury ; and it was not ne
cessary, lor the health of the political ho
dy, that dll the money should be in the
treasury, any more than it was necessary’
for the health of the physical body, that
all the blood should be rn the heart. Mr.
G. concluded, by moving that the blank
be filled with 2,500,000 doUacs.
Mr. Holland spoke against large appro
priations, and moved to fill the blatiyt with
750.000 dollars. ’ 1
Mr. Sturges spoke in favor of large ap
propriations, and moved ro fill the blank
with 2.000.i00 dollars.
Mr. Kelly, M r . R. Nelson, and Mjv
Wifherall, also spoke against large appro
oriations-—and Mr. Qnincey and-
liowan, in favor of them.
J he question was then taken on filling
the blank with and lost; on
2,000,000, and lost - r on 1,500,000, an;f
lost ;on 1,300,000,. and lost; on J,000,000*
and carried—yeas f0&,
Mr. Blount moved to striie out the se
cond sectiou authotrsing the President to
cause to be built a number of gumhoats
which was agreed to nem. eon, •
The committee of the whole then* rose*
and reported the bill as amended, hut he.
fore it was taken up itt the house, an ad
journment was called for, and carried—
yeas 74.
7Tumday, December 1 7*
Mr. G. W. Campbell said that.by a* law
passed at. a former session, a part of the
duty on.salt bad ceased, and the renrtaining
part of the duty being 12 1-2 cents per
bushel, and the duties consffiuting what
was generally called she Mediterranean
fund, would expire on the first of January
next. In the'report made by the Secretary
of the Treasury; this wai mentioned a*
one of the first measures which might be
resorted to ip case our situation required
additional taxation In order to bring
that suhjrct before the House, that they
might determine, whether at the present
crisis it was or was not necessary to con
tinue the Mediterranean fund and the duty
on sah, he moved the following resolution:
Resolved, That the committee of Ways
and Means be instructed to enquire into
vhe expediency of continuing for a limited
t>me the.duties now payable bi/ law on im
ported s alt; and of continuing in force for
a limited time the law imposing the duties
called the Mediterranean fund ; *nd that
they report thereon by bill or otherwise.
This resolution being under consider at’i.oir
Mr. M. Clay moved to strike out the£
clause of the resolution which V. in It-ihv.,
On .hi, motion, a lengthy debate
ed—Messrs. Lloyd, acon , M,., tflay,
Sloan, bindley, S’OU* > nar< i j Holland*, &<!.
man, -s'milie, and Lyon advocated; and;
m pbell, liana, Crowniu
shield, Uphß r n v Desha, Chittenden, ill.
BU T’i x,” 1518 ’ VVith e r eflsl>urell,
J’ ”'°ucgomery ojjposad the motion,
for am Hug out t h at p ar t which related to
; of the who opposed the
amendment, and of course advocated the
enquiry into the expediency 6f the salt tax,
Messrs. Crownffisbield, Upbam, Chitfeu
den, y/laton. VVitherell, and Montgomery
generally exp*cased their disapprobation
ol continuing a tax on salt, except from
absolute necessity.
The question on the smendent was, ei*
motion of Mr. Blount, taken by yea* and
nays—Yeas 78— -Nays 4-5.
‘7’hc question being on the remaining
part of the. resolution,'as respected the
Mediterranean fund, Mr. Randolph op.
posed, and Messrs. G. W. Campbell, W.
Wlston, Rhea* of Tenn. <imilie, J. ( Mom.
gomery and Findley, advocated R. Thu