1
in order to putm end its cause ; and he
. , . . seizes with eigcr.iea tots occasion of renew-i
' iug to the secreta.ry(o state,- the assurance of
' hu high consideration. . ,' if,
! .-,. (Signed); . TURREAU.
r fAlTUrCLU TaANSLATKD,
J. WACNER. Chief Ueri, .
Department Stale. v''7-.'
General Turreau, minister plenipotentiary of his
imperial and royal majes'j, , a ifo AImUsoh,
' ....- secretary 0 state. ' v' , '" - .' '
1 s . " " Wabington, 3d, January,4 1806.
- :4 ' SIR. . . -, r '.. .;
,t'orrnal orders 'of. my government, oblige
, , actji insist upou the contents of my official
. ftte M lth October last, relative to the
1 $mcnerce, which some inhabitants of rthe.
'' "-&i-;V'$ uteVmuinuin with the rebels of
- y... , Notreiejyihgftnyianswer to that note,. I
X; ."ft &' hopethat the government of
- '.' tlrt Uiibn wouid' . take prompt and eiFectual
irteasut-es Jo put an encj to the ; causes which ,
, ; ' produced U tbut yckiV wiehec towards me;
especially in relationi,, St. Domingo, and
' of-your government towards congress,
impose upon mc the duty of recalling to
your recollection the; safd official note, and
; of renewing to you my complaints upon the .
- -. tolerance given to an abuse, as shctkiffg, as
contrary uuhe law of nations, as it is to the
treaties of peace and friendship existing be
tween France and the United States.' .
I will not recur, sir to the different circum
stances which have attended the commerce,
with the revvjllec! part of. St. Domingo ; tothe'
candalo'us publicity given to its shameful
U.ccss,i ta the rewards and encomiums
prostituted upon the crews of armed vessels,
wnose destination is to protect tne voyages,
-to carry munitions of every kind to the rebels,
. "and thus to nourish rebellion and robbery. N
' You ought not to be surprised, sir, that I
tt callar.evr the attention of the American go
. Vel-nment to this subject. His excellency.
Wr. Talleyrand has-ulready testified his dis-'
content to genetal Armstrong, your minis
ter plenipotentiary at Paris ; and you will be
of opinion that it is at length time to pursue
formal measures, against every adventure to
the ports of St. Domingo occupied bythere-
bels. The system of tolerance which produ
ces this commerce, which suffers it being ar
mec', which encourages by impunity its ex
tension and its excess, cannot longer remain ;
and the emptor and king my master, ex
pects from the dignity and the candor of the
government of the Union, that an end be put
to it promptly. '
laud to this dispatch a copy of the official
.note, waich has already ben transmitted to
' you. I earnestly request, sir, that you ac-
kmwled,$e the receipt of both, and receive a
Dew assurance, of my high consideration.
Oi(?nea; TUKRLAU.
' tAITHfULLY THA.VSI.ATF.D,
J. WAUNEU, Chi.f Clerk,
Debjrtmenl Stale, - - '
' From Mr, Talleyrjad to Gen. Armstrong?"
Witliout date, but received in general Arm
it ron'b letter to the Secretary of State,
of the lOih August, 180i.
Sir,
I have several times had the honor to call
?our ltc,u'ort t the coinuiLTce carried on
from the ports of the United States to those
of Su Dmino occupied by the'rebels
These commercial communications would
appear to be almost daily increased. In or
der to cover their. i-uc destination, the vessels
are cleared fr t!ic Vet-Itdie, without
nure pariicu'ard.signa-ion ol tlc plare, and
vith the aid of these tommissioas, provisions,
arms, and oilier cbjcts ot supply, of which
they stand in need, ie carried to the rebels of
Si. Domingo.'
Although thc adventures may be no
taare tha.i the result of private speculations,
th gove' 'titn' of the United States is not
the tc s engaged to put n end to them, by
cor ' .jutnee oftiiv obliguions which bind
ta:t ler all the emitted powers, all those
I j are in a sute ol peace. No government
xan second thr spirit of revolt of the suo
. jects of another pocrt and, a in this state
, of lii.n;s it cannot tiuiitsin communications
rith thr-n. itouhtjioi ti faor those whitli
its on uSj;ci iiulnuiti.
It is imp isiile thai the pove rnment of the
Un ted State. siHiuld fonder shut their eyts
to in the coMimunic!ions of their commerce
wuh Su D immgo. The advmluu fur that
Island. ar miking with a scandalous publici
ty. TttyrsupKrted by armed Sesstls'
at their return, toasts are given, in order to
taunt the uetr ii their speculations j and
the ai:knolcd,(n.cntf eten the eulogies of
the Kovernmcnl e so much rtlicd upon,
tint it i at tncsefrn's, and in the midt if
an immense contour, where are found the
first authorities f the mun'.iy, that the prin
ci.h:s .f the $v eminent of lLiti arc Celcbra
ttd,ant!,'is arc nude for it deration.
I have the honor, sir, to transmit torour
tXCcIlcnrr. fti extract of an American i..u.
Aal in wrwch aro cMtainrd sundry details of
a Uart, kWcii in the pott of NiwYork, on
ioA of a convoy which had arrived from St.
I) jiuintMt. ,
The tiinsh tot, $iren to the government
ef I Iki, cannot fail, sir, to excite yrur In.
lii4ti .n. U Is not, a(er hiring coertd
cry thm j with W I and wiUi riu.is that
the rebels of St. l) mingO might to hire
f tnd apologies in a nation, the friend of
ltancc.
Hj! Ihrf do not irp their first sprruJa.
l!.iS. The compjnf .f merchant, which
t' fft on the rrtu-n of thrlr adrenture,
l j rcpirinj a attend coovy and proposes,
to place h under the escort of several aimed
vessels. . : , . -, ' .
b the honor, sirUo give you this In"-
formation, iu order that you my be pleased
to call the roost serious attention of your go
vernment towards a series df facts, which it
becomes its dignity and candor, no. longer to
permit. The federal goveruraent, cannot so
far seperate itself from the inhabitants ot the
United States, as to permit to them, acts and
communications, which it thinks itself bound
so inieraict to uselt ; or, as to think that it,
can distinguish its own responsibility from
that of its subjects, when there is in question
An unparalleled revolt, whose circumstances,
and whose jiorrible consequences, must a
lurm all nations, and who are all equally in
terested in seeing cease. - 2 , ,
, race PUghl to expect from the amity of
vihe United States, and his majesty charges
me, air, to request in his name, mat they in
terdict every private advsnlur'eT which, un
der any pretext or designation whatsoever,
may be destined to the putts of Su Doiian.
. go, occupied by the rebels.
, Receive, general, the 'assurances of my
high consideration. "f
.-. (Signed) - ."i '- ' - .
Ch. M. TALLEYRAND.
To bj:xcellney general Armstrong,
Minister plempoieotUry of the U. Sutej.
faithfully translated,
, ; , J. VVAGNliK, L
" Chief Clerk, department Slate.
From Mr. Talleyrand to gen.. Armstrong.
Pans, 29ihTermidor, 13thyear.
, (l6thAugusl,lli05.J
Sir.
Since the letter, I had the honor to write to
you on the second Thermidor, concerning
the armaments wnich were making in the
ports of the United States for the western part
of St. Domingo, fresh information upon this
point, confinus every thing which bad been
received. The adventures for St. Domingo,
arc puohcly made ; vessels are armed for
war, to protect the convoys; and it is in vir
tueot contracts, entered into between Dessa- '
lines and American merchants, that the lat-"
ter send hun supplies and munitions of war,
, add, sir, to the letter, which I havo the
honor to write to vou. a ennir r,f
' Bi,ven.t Ha.ilax, m the'matierof a merchant
w..,w.4WlR, wuu jiauconveycu into the re
volted part of St. Domingo, three cargoes
ot gun-powder, and who was taken on his re
turn by an tngluh frigate.
If even in the EnghaU tribunal where this
prize wascondemned, the vliole island ol St.
Domingo was considered as a French colony,
how can the federal government tolerate
that the rebels of this colony, should conti
nue to receive from America, succours a
gainst the parent country I It H impossible
that that government should be Ignorant of
the armaments making in its ports. Too
much publicity is given to them, not to ren
der it responsible, and it ought io perceive
that it is coiurary to every s stem of peace
and good Inendship, to suf.tr longer in its
Doris. armaniLi.ts rtir!.-riiuiJ;i...,.i...i
I - ' run kWUU tlIUJSl
Without doubt the federal government
would no wish, in order to favor certain pri
vate speculationsto give new facilities to re
bcllion and robbery (brigandage j ) the , t.c.
.ranee cf a commerce so scandalous would be
unworthy ol it. Neither your government
nor his majesty can be anyj longer indifferent to
itj and ai the seriousness ol the facts which
occasion this complaint, obliges his majesty
to consider as good prize evsry thing whh-h
shsll enter the ports of St. Doming.., occupi
ed by the rebels, and every thing coming out,
he pursuadM himself, that the government
of the United Stales wilj taXe, on its part, a
gainMtbjfcciromaice, at once illicit and con
trary to ail tlie principles or . the law of na
tions, all the repressise and authoritative
measures proper to put an end to it. This
system of impunity and tolcraucecan nolon
Ker continue j and his majesty i, convinced,
that your government will.tbmk it dot from i
nsir.nfcnesi promptly input an tndu k. .
Receive, sir. the assurance .f m
considrraiKin. - - ------
(Signed) ... .. '
C.. M TALLEYRAND.
To his excellency, en..f Armstrong. '
' Vaithfully translated,
, . , J. WAGNLR.
Chief Curl, Deutttattnt Stale.
Ne purroit durer. davsnUge,
' CONGKESS.
. MOUSE or RErRESEtrrATirtS,
. ', Januarj 17.
Assoonaithejjumslof yesUrdsy wit rrad
Mr. J. Rsndolphiaid hehadamotiin to make
vhich tequired the gilteries previously to be
cleared. The cilleries were accordingly,
cleared, and continued so for about two
hours when the doors were opened, and a
message from the President of the U. States
was presented by his secretary. This mts
CT brio? partly of a public, and partly of a
lonfidential nature, the !!erics were clear,
ed fr a short iim. k;i. u..i.h.. .
rr.A 1 li .( . I : . . .. I
7 f; gam opened, the
tlcrk read the former psrt of the message.
had ien made, the house sorted to refer so
much or the Ke as rtlatts to spoliatiot.,
tfth ommitlee of wivianH m..n.t
much of it asrtlates to the Imprtisment f
vuri ,w arirci committee.
Mr. Gmr that he had esrfr h tl.a
ssiin rrTvred a rrsulminn. l.:,K i.
th iuht had been at the time rrirrtsl to a
cor mine ol tbe UJc Ilouc. rindin" that
tluswas not the case, he rose to move that it
should be o referred. - This resolution, as
follows, was taken into consideration Ayes
58 Noes 21 and referred to a committee of
the whole House on the first-Monday ia Fe
bruary. -- ' w: : ' -'
KesolveJ, That so much of an act entitled
" An Act regulating the grants of land, and
wr me aisposai-ot the lands ot the
United States, sdtith of the. state of Tennes
see," as appropriates any portion of said lands
for the purpose of satisfying, quieting, or
compensating any claims of the said lands,
derived from any act, or pretended act of
the state of Georgia, and neither recognized
by the articles of agreement and cession be
tween the United States and the stateofGeor,
gia, nor embraced by the twqjirst seoions df
the above mentioned act, be repeaiclh"
t ' January, 20.
Mr. Olin laid before the house sundry re
solutions relative to 'the amendment to the
constitution of the U. States, proposed by the
State cf N. Carolina, for prohibiting the im
portation of Slaves into the U. States. The
resolutions direct the senators and request
the representatives of Vermont to aid the
proposition and adoption of such amendment
to the constitution as shall tend effectually to
prohibit the further imortntinn nf Slave.
Y- Laid on the table. "
Mr. Stanton laid a resolution before the
house, requesting the President to cause, to
be laid be lure the house, a list of all the war
like stores the property of the U. States, com
prehending ordnance lor garrison and for
Hoating batteries, of iron and brass, from a
42 pounder to canister, grape, &c. with car
riages and implements, describing the con
dition of the same, whether fit or .unfit lor
service, noting the place of deposit and un
der whose direction ; mortars, howitzers,"
beds and travVllinft carriages, ammunition
waggons with harnessj shot, shells, Sec
Laid on the table.
The house went into a committee on the'
billtmaking a further appropriation to supply
a deficiency in the appropriation for the naval
service during the year 1 805. The blank
being filled with 350,000 dollars, which,
with the sura already appropriated, areoun
led to 600,000 dollars, which constituted the
entire deficiency for the last year. Agreed
to. The bill was engrossed and passed du
ring the sitting.
On motion of Mr. Sloan, the house went in
to a committee on his resolution proposing a
tax often dollars on every slave imported in--
to the U. Slates. . .
Mr. Dana moved to amend the resolu
tion, by substituting persons in the room of
slaves.
After some debate on the proposed amend
ment, the committee rose and had leave to
sit again.
. t ' January, 21.
The house anain went into a committee on
Mr. Moan's resolution rcru-rtmu- i mr,rt
t'ation of negrbes ; when, after considerable
cebate, the question waa taken on Mr. Da
na't amendment, and negatived, 32 votes
only being io favor of iu
' A debate then took place on the fesoluti
oft. The eommittee rtse alnjut o'clock
without taking the ques'.ion, andhadlcavc to
sit again.
Mr. F jr(r said he bad in Ms hand a resolu
tion instructing the committee of Ways and
Mcans to enquire into the expediency of re
quiring the Secretaries Of State, Treasury,
War, and Navy, to Uf before Congress
at the opening of every session, a detailed
statement of the expcndituie of the monies
sppropriated to the contingent expenccs of
their dep4rtmcnts. lie would briefly state
his reasons fur iTcring this motion. The
monies for, the contingent purposes cfthe
government were the only description of ex
penditures whit h were mt controlled by the
House. Over every other branch i.f ex
penditurc the House exercised a control by
specifying with definite clearness theyrenpec.
tire.objccu of expenditure when an appro
priution was made. Hut the monies appro
priatcd for contingent purposes, were Irft ex
chisively to the discretion of the d.fTerent
cfTiCcrj presiding , over, the several dearu
meats, in which they were alone governed by
their own will and jud MnenU The only check
which could be excreted over this descrip
lion of expenditures was to requite a detailed
sta'.enicnt of disbursements. It soId be
recollected that a emmniti It,) t.:. .K
pointed some time since to investigate the-
1,H"" ccri oincers tn tne govern
ment, and that they made a detailed report
tothe house. About that lime, it had been
contemplated ti take the step whirh he now
utfcesied, but for some reasons it hsd never
been tskena. Mr. Katly said he by no means
wished to be understood a entertaining the
idea that the discretion with whUUthe heads
rdepartiaent were chothed had been abused.
He knew of no fcts to justify such an opin
Inn. It wssonthcgronndofprincij lc, and
of principle only that l.e Hcicd this rtsnJu.
tion. Thro the fr.ur great dcpartmctts
h!th be had mentioned, puscd 9 tenths cf
the whole money appropriated by Ccngrrjj
ml on looking at the statement contained in
the estimates cf the secretary cf the trta-u.ry,
he found that mare than one fourth of the
whole srnouut of money estimated as ncces.
ssry for the severs! departments, wasfercon.
Jtinrnt puqwes. Ily that tutemtnt it ap.
peered that the whole espchctt ofihe depart
ment of aute were 27,0.)-) dollars, of which
IM&O dollars were for co;tinr;tr.t purports.
Undfi.tfe head of foreign Inurrwmr,
1 83,303 dollars were estimated as tcressary j
of which 76,900 dollars were for con'.inrrnt
purposes, , fhe estimates for the tressi rs
ptptrtraent wne 7j,o-j d-jlkn, of LUii
. 12,100 were fro- contingent purposes. Tle
estimates for. the war department were 29,500
dollars', of which 18,000 were for contingent
purposes.. The estimates for the now de
partment were 21,100 dollars, of which 2700
'Were for contingent purposes. The esti
mates for the naval establishment were 867,800
dollars, of which 411, 90tere for contingent
purposes. Mr. Early said, he presumed this
view of the subject would justify him in the
eI of the members f the House in offering
the resolution. The resolution,asfollows,wa3
agreed to. -
. fiesotted, That the committee of Way
and Means be inntructed to enquire into the'
expediency of making provision, by law, for
requiring the secretary of state, the secretary
of the treasury, jthe secretary of war, and the
secretary of the navy tdlay before Congress
annually, a detailed" account f the expendi
ture of the fancl appropriated for the contin
gent expences of their Several departments,
respectively.
WA SH INGTON CITY, January SO.
Extract of a letter from Lisbon to. a gentlemen
tiviv in'this city.
Lisbon, 5 o'clock, 6th Dec, ,
- " An hour sine the mail arrived. Unof
ficial advice says tome that Vienna' is tpken,
and a contribution of a million Sterling levi
ed. Venice and Tyrol, and twelve strong1
' hclds.given to the French as security for an.
armistice whilst a peace is negociated."
PETERSBURG!!, February 3.
A letter from a member cf congress, to a ' mem
bertfthe general, assembly, contains the fol
lowing information : .,
" Nothing has happened here that I am at
liberty to communicate, worth your attention,
except the conduct of the Spanish minister.
'1 he marquis, you know, hasi his residence
generally at Philadelphia. His conduct has
been so disobliging to the government, that -his
recall has been req'tested. This requisi
tion met with due attention at the court of
his catholic majesty ; but as he himself had
signified a desire to return home, his govern
ment wished, if it was agreeable to, ours, that
.it might assume the shnpe of a voluntary act ;
to this there could be no reasonable objection,
and it was consented to. Hearing he wa
'.about leaving Philadelphia for this pli.ee, it
was hinted to him that it would not be a
greeahle. Disregarding this intim ition, he
came, and upon 4Tu arrival, an official note
wa addressed to him e'esiring his departure.
To this he wrote en answer full of insolence
and abuse, and continues here ; his p;my de
claring that he is vested with full powers
to adjust all differences, with us, and com
plaining of the conduct of the executive in
not seeing him. - This course he has un.
doubtcdly adopted to render the government
unpopular; for I cannot believe it'is a, fact,
that his master would Uut to l is care surh
important negociations after the application
for a recall even if true, the dignity and ho
nor of the government forbid his reception
after what has passed. I believe it has been
seriously deliberated whether it would be pro
per, under his present conduct, to seize tnd
ship him."
WILMINGTON,
1 11URSDAY, FEBRUARY T3" toT
' ;::q:o:i::;
Wilmington again in Ashes.
On Tuesday last this truly unfortunate'
town sia 1 once more visited by that wont of
all caldiuitiesrr, which has laid in ruins its
rr,ost saluable and bcautiii.l partv about two
o'clock in the morning of that day, the btke
hou.e occupied by John R Gamache.on the
north side of Markct-S'.icct, immediately
opposite the piititingolT.ee, waidiotovercd to
be enveloped in fiumcs, and btforc the slarm
I general anu i lie citizens could assem-
1 Lie, communicated to an" adjoining two story
! wooden building, which was so fat consumed
j as to defy til exertion to check the progress
( b the devouring element to the elegant new
j brick house of John Ixirdon the esstond Dr.
r N. i I ill's on the west t fromthence iterended -
I northwardly through that whole srpiare, down
1 Market-Street to the river, up I'mnt-Strcct on
both sides to rrinccss-Strett, and tbenump
I that SlrettujLj)oth sides to Second-strVct
I I,J in ,hi extensive range the only but!-
, dings which escaped are Mr. John Martin's,
l corner of Front and !'rinamJsirM.i.
yrooden buildmg of Major Walker, corner of
I nncess and Second-streets, two fire proof
ware houses back of Market-StKet near th
uhart owned,by Mcssr.Richard Ilrsdley And
Alexander Hostler, U a ware house on Pria
cess-Street; belonging to the cslste of Ptier
Mallet. The nrfottunatc situation ef the
Court-! Iouie (in the centre ol the small square
formed by the intersection of Maritt and
1 ront-Streets, with s trwitn rtft exactly tal.
euJatcd to convey the flames to the mui quar.
ters cfthe town) required every exertion it
that point, to prevent the fire from crossir.r
.Markrt.Sirret-.We rtjoke snd sre rrsit
Iu! for the successor thn exertion, by hltH
slone nhat remains of the town to ike south
ward was saved.
The amount ef loss sustained tmtt te
computed at lest than one hundred and liftr
thousand dollars. The number or Dwtllirg
llousrs, Ware Houses and Stores destroyed,
Is ab.rtit.70, snd the toss in ! pn jtf
very f.ieal. There were tipwsrdi of 70balee
of ccit:on.(piircfciM4 ear account of a houso
In Ncw.York) and non Ixr or other i!us.
tic articles, comumrd in the fie brick iior
fWiKkirgs Scott k Co.
' .The fritnJ17 prompt ait'iitsncs rt ndcr.
ti at this d.stiessutj; 1'm.e, by tht strangtrv