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plated, muchlefs in operation
nr fhaf any probable Hanger of j
the fort, is to be apprehended j
from her prefent fituation or i i
rlination. If there be reafon
for raifmg an army on that ac
count now, one equal at lead
will always exift, for it is faid,
" we Ihould always be prepared
for invafion,” which is true, but
the conflitutionhas forbid [land
ing armies in time of peace; and
pointed out “ the militia as the
ordinary means of defence."
A war to be declared by Ame
rica without hope of advantage,
and attended with certain evils,
is Curdy not contemplated; and
is it wife in America to purfue
meafures, tending to provoke a
declaration by the French go
vernment, of that fort? At a
time too when, however they j
may have injured us heretofore,
they declare they are anxious to
reftore peace upon jufl terms,
and appear in a great meafure to
have difeontinued their aggref
fions ?
The difputcs of national con
cern are few, andfeem well un
derftood, namely, the compcn
fation for unjufl captuics of
American property; placing our
commerce with Britain and
France on the fame footing—
and explaining fome articles of
the former treaty which are dif
ferently conflrued by the two go
vernments. Thefe the French
minifler, in his lafl communica
tions with Mr. Gerry, propofesj
as the bafis of negotiation, and
O 9
confiders the explanations as the
only difficult part: this bafis
coincides with the Prefident's
inftm£lions; and both govern
ments profeffmg, (I hope fin
ccrcly) to be anxious for peace,
the undoubted intereft and in
clination of the people of both
nations, it will be hard indeed
if war and its calamities mufl be
encountered, bccaufe the eti
quette of tieaty cannot be ad
jufled ; if human wifdom be
unequal to this mighty diiliculty,
will America therefore proceed
to declare, or provoke deft mo
tive war ? Or would fucli a war
difeover a mode, not difcernable
at prefent, by which the govern
ments may be brought together
to treat ? This would be to fport
with the mod ferious of all po
litical evils It is laid France
has forbid all captures, but fucli
as will place her commerce with
America on the fame footing
with the Britifti, underour treaty
with her, refpefting thefanflion
of neutral bottoms and articles
contraband of war : this is juft,
and according to the Prefident's
inllru&ions, was to be jdelded;
why then continue hoftile pre
parations, or prohibit commer
cial intercourfe with her ?
Commerce is a delicate fub
k jeft, the dire&ion of which now
9 and at all times, had better be
left to the merchants, permitting
them to arm for defence, and
affording them the proteftion of
our prefent navy in ddenftve
| operations. Perhaps this inter-j
courfe might remove jealou Ties I
j and fdfpicions on both Tides, and |
pave the wav to friendly treaty •.
at the fame time fair neutrality;
and independcncfjWOuld «ntide
us to arm for defence, againft all
other aggreffors, who may in
terrupt our trade, contrary to
the law of nations, or fubfifting
treaties; this will render it un
neceffary to increafe aimy or|
navy, or to revive the provifions
for luch increafe—willlave Ame
rican refources for real occafions,
and quiet the fears of her citi
zens, excited by thofe executive
reports: nor ought the affair of
etiquette to deprive us of thefe
bleifings, when it is conhdcred,
that although the rcfufal of the
French to treat with two of the
j envoys from perfonal obje&ion,
was unfriendly,yetitismis-ftated
to be againft the law of nations:
fincc that law “ allows to a love
reign, to whom a minifler is fent,
a right of rcfuhngto acknowledge
any one to whom he has a per
fonal diflike, or who is inad
miftiblc by the laws and ufages
of his country,' #
I cannot dilmifs the fwindlers
in Fiance, without taking notice
of their adding to the threat of
invasion, “ that it will be aided
by a powerful party here; which
has been dated as a proof of the
cxiftencc of fuch French party
in America. Are their threats
a proof of any thing, but of their
| corrupt minds? Or has any oi her
proof ever been exhibited, in
fupport of a charge, often made
againft fundry influencia! charac
ters, as forming fuch a French
party, contrary to their own in
tereft and that of their native j
country ? I call upon thofe who :
make the affertion, to produce
,an inftance of either of them,!
having propofed to unite Ame
rica with France, more intimate
ly than by the tieaty of 1778,
or to provoke a rupture with
Britain ; and I have been an
attentive obferver of public
meafures from the commence
ment of the government, and I
do not recollcdl a hint of the
fort. I have ever considered
the charge as having no other
foundation, than their patriotic
endeavors to preferve aconflim
tional, and economical admimf
tration of government; to pro
mote peace and free commerce
with ail foreign nations, but have
no political connexion with any;
and in ronfcquence, having op
pofed all mcafu es which they
judged to be unconftiiutional,
or inexpedient. If they were
miftaken, they had meiit in their
motive; but I feel too Ilronglv
the effefts of the meafures they
oppoled, to doubtof tin: wifdom
of fheir opposition.
d he gentleman who is honor
ed by being placed rst the head
of this fuppofed party,one would
* Vide Martens Summary cf
the law of Nations. 1 0. 7. Ch.
3.8.9. .
thought exempt from fuf-
Vricion, by his uniform repub
lican conduft, in and out of
office, from the commencement
of our revolutionary war ; par
ticirarly the candour and impar
tiality of his corrcfpondence,
when fecretary of (late, with the
two contending foreign minif
o o
ters: but unfortunately his merit
had turned the eyes of many of
his countrymen upon him to fill
a great office, and that merit
mull be fome way diminifhed.
Why, it may be afked, have
vou undertaken to exhibit this
/
datement to the public ? No
candid man will fearch for a mo
tive in the ambition of old age ;
ndi will thofe who know me, fay
that feventy-feven is querulous.
Had our intricate relations to
France and England operated
upon thofe countries only, I
fhould not have troubled myielf
about their confequenccs; but|
as they have already deeply ‘
afflidlrd America, it is of the
Ingheft: importance to forefee the
iffue—to prepare for reaping its 1
bleflings if it be fortunate, or
obftruft it if it be fatal, Thefe
relations ought to be explained
in an artlefs, sincere and unpre
judiced mode, that the people
may underftand them, and that
the exifting paflions which pro
duceerror may beafTuaged, since!
the people can only thus difeern !
iruth, and by fo doing preferve
liberty.
Having contributed to the
adoption of the federal conflitu
tion, and flili believing its prin
ciples to be fraught with public
good, I felt a double impulfc
yet to ferve the people, whofe
jfervant I have been for fifty
j years, by exhibiting a hif
i tory of fa6fs, as they appear to
| me, in order to flatc the follovr
: ing queftions for their consider
| ation : namely—whether there
is really any thing fo desirable in
war with France or England, as
to juflify the hazarding thofe fa
crcd conflitutional principles,
for the fake of acquiring it ? If
J it be conceded that there ri not,
it only remains to be considered
whether war—armies—navies—
great taxes—a growing national
debt—and a boundlefsexecutive
patronage, will be mod likely
to impair or to maintain thefe
principles ? And whether that
■group has not ever conflituted
, tfie nioft malignantraeanswherc
wiih to opprefs mankind ?
I cannot conclude without
earneflly recommending to my
; fellow-citizens, the forbearance
|pf ail fo ice or violence, to ob- i
ftru£l (he execution of the laws,
|or difturb the peace of liberty;
relying, to cfFe& the desirable
reforms, upon the ordinary and
proper modes of petition and
remonftrance ; and above all, to
be peculiarly cautious, and at
tentive to that object, in their
luffrages at the various elections,
which, in a reprefentative go
vernment, cannot fail of reflor
i ing things to their firfl piinciples,
if the people arc not deceived I
or cajoled, nor in a ftate of I
apathy and inattention to thofc I
fuffrages. I
Edmund Pendleton, I
Caroline t Feb. 20, 1799. I
NEW-YORK, April 22. I
Dreadful Conflagration . I
A fire broke out yefterday be. I
tween twelve and one o'clock I
in the fhop occupied by Mr I
Weft, Builder, on the weft side I
of Wafhington ftreet, between I
Cortlandt and Deyflips, which I
confumed the whole block, ex- I
cept three houfes. I
It is faid to have been com- I
municated by a boy’s impru- I
dently placing a pot juft taken I
frem the fire among Tome fliav- I
fo furious was this I
devouring element, that not- I
withftanding the extraordinary I
exertions of the citizens, the I
I whole block (except the three I
houfes abovementioned) was le- I
veiled to the ground in the courfe I
of one hour and a quarter. Se- I
venteen valuable houfes were B
confumed, and the property de- I
ftroyed is eftimated at 200,000 I
dollars. I
April 23. ■
The keel of the Subfcriptioa ■
frigate, at Salem, was laid at the I
yard near the fort, in that town, B
jon the 12th inft, (he is to carry V
3 2 g uns » I
EBENEZARjENCKES 6
Ref fretfully Informs his Friends in Jiat tuu!ur t
and the fuhlic in general, that he has lately re . Hr
ceil ed from Charleffon ,
A N EX 1 KNSIVC SUPPLY OF
Dry Goods and Groceries, B
Which renders his prefent dffot tment as complete
as offered for mle here , and which he will sell
low for Gaff or Produce ; the following /lr»
tides form p.irt of his sJffortment : H
SUPERFINE Second ami oihff Broad I
Cloths B
Ikerfeymcres and Swsndown B
Elaflic Cloths and Csflimcrc* B
Negro Cloth anti Flannels Br
Green and Olive Velvcrcts B
Do. do. Corduroys Bn
A handfome Affortment of Mullins Bl
Si* dozen of Moll in Handkerchiefs B
A handfome Affortmeut of Calicoes H
Four pieces of Curtain Calico** fl„
Twelve pieces of Linen B'
Six pieces of Hnmhums K
Sin pieces of allotted Durant* ■
Two pieces of Baih Coating B
Brown Holland fl
Wor fled and Cotton Hofe B
Clouded and Srriped Narkeen* B
Marleillrs, Dunity and Jean WaffcoSt K
Pattern} fl
Silk, TwiA and Threads affoited B -
Tapes and Ferrettings B
A general Affortment cf Rbbon* fl
Ladies Kidilon and Silk Gloves B
W orfted do. do.
Four dozen of Mens Fine Hats B ‘
Four dozen cf Ladies Fine do, B*p
Six dozen of Mens Stockings B|q
Three do~*n of Ladies do. If
1 hree dozen of Ladies Bonnets
o dozen of Mens Cravats
Six groce of fmall Buttons |B
Two dozen of large Foe Mens Shoe*
Three dozen of Ivory Combs
Three dozen of blankets
Four lbs- of colored Thread
Four lbs. of fiiie do. |B -
Two dv zen of Colton Cards, of the bfil
kind
Fifty Ids. of Powder and Shot
Sid lie Tacks Snuff *
knives and Forks B| i
Mu Hard Snuff ftaxes
Hair Powder and Playing Card* B
Mens Saddles and Bridles BPP (
Sugar, Coffee and Chocolat*. B ]
‘Jam.ary 22.
- I
BLANK DEEDS
Of CONVEYANCE , W>
For Sale , at the Office of the n
ifvilk Gazette. 9 11
April 5.