Newspaper Page Text
ten* of thoustnd*, reduced cLies to
Itses. and spread deavi and dcsola
tfar and wide. * Wi- ii his thou
•ami ship he i:a i o.nmiuc l every
out i age and cruelty, and robbery,
and murder, nianstealing and de*
predation that the most barbarous
nations have been guilty of. Eng
land hat taken from us. in time ol
|>eace, without any just provocation,
about a thousand vessels, with their
rich cargoes,. carried them into her
ourti ports, condemned and sold .them
and put tive money into her own
coder* to the amount of many milli
ons oT dollars, All this we have
borne without resistance, for many
years. We .have .complained and
.remonstrated, and plead with them
by negociation* to cease their plun
dering, -and Uk'ngour vessels, and
do us justice* They have amused
tis with fair words, but continued
the practice* (lan the annaU of his
tory furnish ad instance, where a
nation aA peace with another nation
• ul without giving any just, cause of
offence, has been plundered lathe a
tnoutrt ©wr nation has £ Not one, I
presume* ■ There never was, and I
trust there tteve-r will be, such a case
while roan inhabits the earth.. .
But this opposition, great and long,
os it has been,is not to be compare
cd to another we have endured? that
is, holding in cruel bondage, starv
ing, whipping, and sometroes put*,
tiug to death our native- citizens,
who arc seamen, For twenty years
they hyve continued the practice of
impressing our seamen out of our
merchant vessels, aboard their ships
of war; This I consider to be roan-
Stealing, which the word of God i anks
among the greatest crimes. It is im
possible to ascertain the exact number
they have rmpressud v but from the
public documents l have- seen, from
the numbers foundaboard (heirships
we have taken,, and the statement of
their own muster books* which have
fallen into our hands, from the best
i mot mat ion l have been able to. ob
tain on the subject, it is my opinion*
that in the course of twenty years,
Great Britain has impressed more
than twenty thousand of our seamen,
multitudes of whom were native
born Americans. Thus the* hijs*
bund has been torn from his belov
ed wife and children ; Thv sorb from
his parents, his brothers and his sis
ters * (he citizen from his home, and
his native land,and,been, wafted from
/ dutant held bon
dage one* .fiye> ten, and eighteen
years./ Tp hear the statemad of
some, uu4«c oath, who have lived to
return, difecribi-ng theii suftenngs is
enough* to fill the soul with horror.
Some depose apd say, when they
impressed, because they would not
enter they have bc§p put in Irons,
kept on bread and gnd water, and
whipped a dozen lushes every week,
until worn dawu by hunger anti
wcoui ging, they are forced to eater*
Cine deposed that after he was im
pressed. he to escape; but
wu* taken carried buck*, and whip
ped sixty lashes. and themim nitC»-"l
in t old water one, hour. *This is the
way our native*citizens have bee.)
tv mired aboard? their Abating
ttlcs, Who that has. blood
running in his veins*- can r hear these *
cruelties indicted oil our own citiz
ens, without indignation*?. Y»et ire
are told by some, that this small
affair, not worth, contending for
a moment; but* lot, such unfeeling
souls be placed under live discipline,
of a British for ohe year,
and they would.no longer speak, with
so much apathy about the sufferings
of our seaefuring brethren, «T.
(Tjo be conti . *
The green coastwise inland Navigation ‘
fron*, North to South.
We have the: pfeasure of stating*
on the most interesting part of this
great work so highly- favored by
Providence as to rende»> hutasmatf
portion, of art necessary* ia aid, of
what has been done by nature, that
the most important link of the whole
line (and propably the most lucra
tive) the grand junction, cut, between
shc states of Virginia and .North Car*.
«/<na, leading front Kempsville on the
Eastern branch of Elizabeth \river- to
CypressvUle at. the head of ; the North
river of Currituck , is about to be ta
ken vigorously in hand. We givethe
following extract from a letter from*
a most respectable source, dated..
NorfolkJFebuary 11,'1814. “ I have ,
delayed. replying to your letter of
the 24th-.ultimo till now from a wish
to see the. act of our Legislature,
which I mentioned to you in my last,
before I wrote*, lhave to day been
gratified witjb, this. wish. The char
ter granted to * the contemplated j
canal company U liberal in the ex- :
ti t me, worthy of oT r a
great state, anxious -for its future
prosperity* nd tempting to.the cu- \
pidity of adventure!s. - The charter (
u a perpetual one, the profits unlim
ited, the only re str ‘ ct i° lls * l ! lc com
pany, are that their canal shall, be
tett deep, and shall be iinish.-
\ It fifteen years.
present capital stock of the
at six'./ Uousand
dollar*. In abates of 3 *0 dollars each ;
but ihe directors have the power of
enlarging the capital by new sub
scriptions hereafter should .. »>« ne
cessary. *
The survey which has been nr»de
of this Canal makes the distance to
cut 9 mile's; or about 10 miles and,
a few hundred yards if a military
and naval branch of it connects Nor
folk with Lynhaveh island. The
cost of the grand junction part Is es
timated at 150,000 dollars ; ktid this
excavating is a labor of one year foV
600 men, or in a similar ratio for
any other number. . The supply of
Water for feeders is always ample,
even in the driest season % and, with
those who understand the subject,
there can be nb doubt this is, among
the most lucrative adveotwc* upon
the continent* . c k .
If Congress were to appropriate
one hundred thousand dollars to the
naval and military works of the
Kempsvide and Lynhaven canal,
or similar cuts and improvements
connected with the defence of New-
York and Lynhaven. it would be
one of the most economical bargains
they ever made* r*
It would also be one of great na
tional importance they wouldfall
upon some suitable plan, for stimu
lating the military to, industry by
ip*king it their interest to work in
the construction of canals or in such
other employments as may .afford
them subsistence, after war is at an
end.
From the Boston Patriot .
Wi should not be surprized were
rt eventually to appear that America
had some influence in producing the
present state .of things in Europe*
We know the utmost cordiality has
always existed between the Ameri
can government and. the Emperor
Alexanders YVe have every reason
to believe that the Emperor has fre
quently corresponded with the late
President Jefferson, & probably with
Mr* Madison. The residence-at
the count of St. Petersburg of the
Hon. John Q. Adams, our minister
plenipotentiary, who may be Viewed
in the light of a constituent part/of
the government itself, 8s whose abil
ity and zeal in the cause of his in
jured country no one can* doubt*
stengthens our belief* These able
statesmen have probably laid before
the Emperor, the nature of those
maritime neutral rights for Which,
we contend.—They have, doubtless,
disscused the subject of the arbitrary,’
unjust, tyrannical pretensions of En
gland by sea, and Prance by land,,
and the result may have been, the’
present combination of the allies,
for the important and holy object of
securing to themselves and the other
powers of the world. Uvcir sovereign
ty, fights and independence; Should
this really be the case, they Will have
the prayers of every good man
‘throughout the universe, for the pros-’
perky and. full success of thtir truly
great and glorious cause.
When we reflect on the documents
from. Russia lately laid, before Con
gress; when we find the noble hear
ted Emperor taking, so lively an- in
i terest in our concerns ; declaring he
is “ convmcedwe have done every thing
■ in oiir power to preserve peace y *- and
’ throwing the blame where i&belongs,
upon England\ although in her cause
he has been risking his life and that
of his people,* ,m*the field of battle ;
when the friendly mediation which
he offers is. haughtily and insulting*
ly rejected, by Britain*-wheits we re
flect on these things*, we cannot but
; ho,)e that our present, surmises will
finally prove delightful realities, and
that ihe whole worlds 'exclusive of En
gland and France, are. about- to enter
into one grand and stupendous coalition*
to curb the tyrannical pretensions of
these rival nations, and to secure to tjie
different powers of the earthy their so
vereignty and independence
From the Plattsburgh Republicans of
February 13.
THE ARMY.
During- the last week immense
quantites of military stores, 2*c
have arrived at this place from
French; Mills*’ It is understood that
several regiments have marched for
Sackctt’s Harbor, -and that the main j
body of thr army will %e located at
this place, after the public property
shalL have been removed from
French Mills*
The report relative to the capture
of a number of British troops, by
our army at the West is undoubtedly
Without foundation.
Capt. May hew came to, thisfft
lage on Sunday evening last, with a
fl*g of truce- He tarried; at a pub
lic house all night,, and >on Monday.
maiming took his departure foifCa-.
nada.
The * Virginia Regiment,*: res-,
peeling which such exaggerated /
statements - have boen published,,
consisted, when *it joined the aMpy;’
last fall, of about 550, instead of 800;
and consists of about 400. The.
statement, therefore, of 600 having
been swept away by* a destructive
rhaiady, &c* is nearly 450 from the
truth.
We are credibly informed ‘that
the British barei at the. isle Aux
N')!*) anew vessel of war. to mount
20 gbns, aiv<i a numberofrow gallic*
nearly completed/«
From iht BujfalbeG.atette of Feb . $.
• ‘ TGRtifflfrfZ'sscAPi. :
r Jtfs’Wifti pfeasurc we inform our
readers of the escape of Mr, J. A
1 Barker,'so*n of Barker, and Lt.
Jesse Warner, son of Deacon War
ner, of 4 Phelps Ontario county,
from captivity mi* Canada* Barker
1 it will be was taken at
Pierce's fa\ , t*rh t beidosseyr and War
ner waV wounded and taken at Black
Roch»s * *
Tuesday everting last. Barker
and Warner, welfe iri'the hospitalv3
miles from Fort •George ; according
to,some previous arrangements, they
left tho hospital which was guarded
and proceeded two miles, lip the ri
ver, and formed a raft of rails, and
succeeded at much imminent haz
ard, to cross the Niagara. . The riv
er being’sOnMfwhat choaked with ice,
they int a measure, to
take the current of the rivet 1 , and
landed only-about a mile and a half
above fort Negara. They .then went
on in safety to the American camp.
From Mr/-Barker we learn that
, the force assembled for.the invasion
of Black ’ Rock and Buffaloc Was a
bout 20QO, including Indian and mi*
| liti.a ; that from the best information
he could gain, the British lost in kiU
led 150, and out of between. 8.0 and
*an 100 wounded that were taken a*
cwisstKe'lHvert Hwo thitds died of
their wounds; that 00 public or pri
vate property of Uny amount Was
ken across the river /by the British”
-army from any part of oin? frontier,
save, what was taken at Fort Niaga
ra, .and what . things the sivages
carried on their backs—the Canadian
militia plundered considerable*.
The British, have removed the
pickets ofj Fort George, and are
, strengthening-Fort Niagara*—all
their wood they obtain from Canada
Vide, since, Gen. John Swift captur- 1
ed their choppers.
Major Gen, Rial commands on the
Niagara frontier ; has his head quar
ters on Qnc£pjtto.n mount aim The
tOOth regiment are stationed at pre
stmt fromXbippe.wa to Fort Erie.-*
. Lieut. Cifh. Prumnmnd ha& gone to
Kingston, and is understood to be
preparing to go against Sack-
Harbor ; he only warts the ar
rival of two regiments of Highland
Beats, which were on their way from
Qqcbec a fortnight since. A great
effort will unquestionably be made to
destroy our shipping at that place.
it to-said that Gcnerals Proctor,;
De v RoUtnburgh and .Vincent, art
ordered* home to England.
It is rumored that the 100th regi
ment with all the British Indians are
to be sSbrtt against Malden* < .
7 The British give our'militia credit
for manner iu which
- thejr cimwuhctd•the, action:; andl
had ißatc& unreservedly that had
they hcld Iftlf ftp hohr longer*
‘that*
i from* the Atbanj Argus of the sth inst .
* trial of Gen. Hull-progresses
with ali the dispatch which its impor
tance and the’’remote residence of
many of the principal witnesses-will
admit. Mr. “Van Bcureu is special
judge advocate ahd.Maj Parker assis
tant—Messrs. • Colden and Tillotson
counsel tor. .the accused. . 9
. Sojfar as the trial has progressed,
we have not heard a suggestion of
any partiality on the part
of the members or officers of the
court: Indeed, the proceedings have
been marked with such dignityr and.
impartiality us. to excite universal
approbation* The witnesses who
have been examined are Gens. Cass
and Mr Van Horn,
; Major Snellir*g and Capt. M*Cormick.
The and’ lu
. mi nous testimony of Gen. Cass ex- j
citedrin the audience an exalted op- 1
in ion of hist intelligence, candor and 1
military capacity*.■> It to expired 1
the evidence on the part of* the “gov
ernment will close in about three
wscks. • ,
Norfolk, Feb. IK
Brigadier General
appointed to the command of the ar
my at that place, >ha* resigned, in
consequence, we understand, of the
promotion over him of younger offi
cers. ■ ;
A lad about fifteen years old, be
longing ‘to Gun Boat Nb. 158, Way
run through the body with a sword, -
a few days ago* by William Krip-’
guns, master’s mate of the same
boat, and died instantly. This bar
barous’ act, We understand, was done
without any Provocation whatever.—”
Kripgiris is delivered into the custo
dy offhe ciVilauthorities.
. JOn Saturday’ night last, a tidier
of the U.’ States Army, in passing a
ccntincl at Foft NyUon, was hailed,^
bwi refusing to insurer, an! still kejtp
i ig on, the centinerfiicd and killed
b m on the spot. A Court Martial
was* held the next day on the centi*
tifcl, and lie was honorably acquitted
■ —»—■.,®v
Ams rgjtDdMi *Dec?\ 7.
<l This country become one of
■he allies of Britain. 1 The public
prints will inform you better than I
nave time to do, my whole compting
house being from time to time under
arms, and this is the case with almost
every one. Suffice it for the present
to tell you, that this country will be
again a free and independent state.
The Prince of Qrange is # a.t the
’ Hague; Jhai been here ; and has
’ been proclaimed by* all the people as
Sovereign Prince *of the Nether
lands. Such a.change wilt astonish
, you, as Undoes us, and will do the
whole 4 world. Before we bad any
assistance of foreign ti*Qops, this city
began to proclaim her independence.
The people appeared frantic, run
ning up and down the streets with
. orange ribbands; the burnt all the
custom houses, fit pillaged tho house
of the French Chief of the Police,
See. It was no easy task sos the few
; citizens who had arms to prevent
their rage from going further. The
i French, when they saw the storm
, come oh* left us, taking along all the
large aod small guns, and leaving us
unprotected against the mob. It
had however a good as we got
rid of the French without going to
battle with them. Two thousand of
our young citizens aed under arms*
1 and other old statida*di guard their
wardv Since We have received 3 as.
sistanccol foreign troops, say Rus
sians, Prussians, fcc* the French are
drove from one fortr*i* to
so that I hope, with the help of God,
they will be drov* into their own
country this winter, and the allied
powers twill in a short time march to
Brabant, where the public opinion is
( already Unfavorable to France
j M Our government is busy fixing
t rates of import and export duties;
l-until this, is done nothing can be
said with certainty oh this subject.
It is supposed that they will be. fixedfe;
at about what they Were in t795.-**
The present want of money may
howtver create a necessity of mak
ing them temporarily, say for six or
12 months, higher.'*
r-SLIVAtMt JS GOVE IVOR fOMPtLIHS.
Hew Torkj fed 2*l .
of * toft? frbm Captain Shatter,
of the privateer Governor Tonipkins r to
Hie agents in this chy* dated at Sea,
January tis, ft 14.’
% F'Vo dwys after’ dispute King the
Ntireid I took a whaleman from Lon
don, bound for the South Seas ; but
she being of no value 1 took out such
stores, he. as 1 could sto w ; and be
ing much lumbered with prisoners
and baggage, 1 put them on board
and ordered her for Falmouth.
“ The chasing'this ship’ had taken
me some distance off my ground, and
owing to calms I could not regain it
until the sSth ultimo ; when at sim
- riste 3 : sail were discovered ahead, h
we made sail in chase. The wind
beingJight we came slowly up with
f'them* Oil a nearer approach they
proved: ta Be two ships and a brig,
- One of the ships had the appear
: ante of a large transport; afidT from
their manouvre* they, appeared to
. have concerted measure* for a mu
tual defence ; and the Urge ship ap
peared prepared to take the bulk of
an action b Boats were seen passin g
to and from her ; she had boarding
netting almost up to her tops ; she
alstf ‘ had her topmast studding sail
booms out, with the sailsaTthcir ends
ready for a running fight. Her ports
appeared to be painted, and she had
something on deck resembling a mer
chantman's boat ; and, after all, what
the deuce do you think she was ?-*»
Why have a littfc patience and I will
tell yoff.
M At 3 P. M* a sudden squall struck
us from the ndrihward, and the ship
not yet having, received, it, before-1
eouhi'ger in our Tight sails,, and al
most before T could turn round; I was
Under the gpflo—not of a transport ,
but of a large FRtcATx ! an 3’ not’
more than, one-third of a mile from’
her. I immediately hauled down
English colors, which I bad previ
ously had up ; set 3 American en
signs, trimmed our sails by the wind,
aud commenced a brisk fire from our
little battery : but this was returned
with'Wbeful interest. Her first broad
side killed srand$ r and wOunded 6 others,
2of whom severely, 1 since dead It
alio blew up one -of my saltboxes,
with 2 ninepound cartridges. This
communicated fire to a number of
pistols anq 3 tube boxes which were
lying oil the companion way; all of
which exploded* and some of the
tubes penetrated through a small
crerice under the companion leaf*
and found their way to the cabin
floor j but
fire sCrebn* being up, no further ac
cident took place. , v
*♦ This together with the tremend
ous arc from* the frigatCfi assure
you, warm work on the
\ > * * * -L? J®l ’ * 1*
Tomdhfrfc 1 quarter deck ; but
to her heels, ami the exertion* of ifl}T
tpive officer* aud crew, i still b*ff
tne com.nand ot her. \
When she opened her 6re upo*
roe, it was about half past :>« I was
then a little abaft her beam. Ts
have attempted to Uck, in a hard
wqudll would at least closed
me to » raking fire; and to buVe'at*
temped it and misrtjrotild havt ueeia
attended With the inevitable loss of
the vl therefore thought it
most prudent to take on th«r
tack on which i wav* aim this l wa**
exposed to from the position wnich
I have mentioned tofctil l passed her*
how ; sh# all tlic wbiie standing our
with me and almost as fast as
selves* and such a time w» was play*
td round my ears, I assure you, £*•
•never wish to heat again in the samiv
Aey,
** At 4 her shot began tc full ‘short
of usi At half past tour the fFttitk
dying away and the enemy still htfjfdw
ing it his shot again began to reach
us got out Sweeps and turned all
hands to. I also threw over a 1 thus
lumber from- the deck, and about*
2000 wt. of shot from the after hold*
* From about * A M» all his shot fell
short of us. At abw.ut, 2$ minute*
after 5 the enemy hove aboUt *\\d 1
was glad to get so well dear- d>|uU%
of the most quarrelsome companion*
that l ever tact wrthiV
“ After the first 6 roadside fro ret
the frigate no shot strock the hull of
the Tomkins ; but the water was li*
te rally in a foam all around her.
The moment before the squall
struck us X told Min Farnum tna*
she was too heavy for us and he wrnt *
forward with, tbeglasSta take anoth* 1
er look when the squall took thw*
schooner as if by magic, arid up *rith
her before we c.»uld s<st m 6ur. light
sails. ‘ j j • r
* My offer ertf ecndHicudthi mselvet
in a way that would have dronor
to a more permanent service ; Mr*:
Farnum first lieutenant conducted’
himself with his, usual vigor Mr
Acheson sailing master performed
bis partinr the style of a brave and ac
complished seaman.. Messrs. Miller
ahd Dodd 2d and 3d lieutenants were
‘ not so immediately pnder my eye ;
but the- precision and promptitude.
* with which ail my orders were exc*
> cuted, ts sufficient proof that thif
are to be relied on. Mr. Thomas*,
boatswain, and Mr. Caswell, masters
mate wert parttculraly active and de«
■ serve ; encourage m cut.
“ The name of one of my. poor
‘ fellow* who was killed ought to be
registered on the books of fame and?
remembered with reverence as lonflr
as. bravery is considered a virtue*
He was a black rnan.by the name of v
John Johnson . A 241 b. shot struck
him in the hip and took away ail th*
lower part of his body In i this state
the poor brave fellow lay on cfcckandi
several times exclaimed to his ship*
mates* ‘‘ Fire away my boy* !
haul a color down !* i
The otherjwas. also a black mai|
by the name of John Davis, and was v
struck in much the same way. He
fell near me, fc several times reques**
ted to be thrown;overboard, saying*.
.-*■ He was only in the way of others**
•, Whilst America has such ; tars, thw
.has little to fear irofcttbt* tytaats of
, Europe.
From the circumstancC-ef ber shot
‘ibeing 24’s (which I assure you is tho
, case, as we Have felt and; weighed
them) i am opinion it was the'Lad*
; rel, anew frigate which‘l had in*
formation of. A/ gentle mAn ‘Whom l
took told me she’ was & the fleet 5
that she was built and’ manned on
purpose to .cope with our frigates a :
and that if she sig ht of me shiv
would ceetarhly take me, as she wafer
the fastestsailer hexver saw.
>« Inclosed I send you a list of tbfe*
killed and wounded. In every thing
else wd’ are in good order and higi*
spirits. Yours respectfully, .
NATHANIEL SHALEIU
To Brigadier General John FLorQ* ,
SIR* . ‘&* .v
The field, staff and'fine officers
the Volunteer and Drafted/ Militiaof?
thd State: oftieorgia, m the service
Qf the United States embrace the
occasion of yowr retrringfrom thtF
command of the army, to
the high entertain of your”
official conduct the value they place
on the services you *have rendered
the Republic fit the profound regret
which they in common with everjr
patriotic citizen, feel that causes b#£
yond your controiil should have pro**
vented the termination of the Creek
War by the troops of our own state*
We presume not to approach yon*
•MS with the language of adulation*’
fulsome praise we know isno less dis
agreeable to you-than its, indulgence*
would be dishonorable to ourselves-*?
In the spirit 1 of candor then and fair
dealing, we would say of your con*
duet what it deservep not sparing
reproach when L merited by others.
: have done every thing which ‘
human means could effect under the
samecircum’ ‘ -**** cverv mao *h the
army it cou>». dy miork”