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T0 & HALF DLI.lV"l "' if L' i Vol.. IS GH, (ir. c'.) THURSDAY, 9tfJ808i'.. ALEI fhe Editor was not present during the greater, part yf. the debate in the House cf Repre sentatives on -the Bill for arming the- whole body of the militia of .the" United States.; lit- had, however, the good fortune to hear the following able and eloquent speech of Idr. Masters, .of Aw-rrfc, oh thatsub .' jectj'and takes a pleasure Hi presenting it to his readers. Washington Federalist. Mr- Masters said, he, wished to bring the House to the consideration of the situation in vhich we stood, with respect to France 'ami Great-Britain.- If - ever there was a time in vliich the mind of every man, who has any feeling for the present, or hope for the future Iiappiuv-js of his country, the present is the time Ib7 its exertion. Nothing can be said upon'the. subject of our foreign relations, that dots not involve questions of. the most exten sive and serious importance to this nation. -All candid "a-nd 'impartial men. will acknow Jwlgrthe undisputed justice of our cause, and the nujust and wanton aggressions on the part d Great-Britain and France. I know and ad mit, that the insults of Great-Britain are great er than l hose of France ; hence the danger 6f king associated in the war " on the side of Fiaiice ; whose military Leader,. at the head of more than one hundred million ofinhabi taiits, is fighting for universal conquest while' fifteen millions of inhabitants on the part of Great Britain, are fighting for their national cr,is:cnc'c There are symptoms on our part of going to war with Great-Britain. In order, iV-itcrc, td avoid a war with that nation and being drawn in On the side of Frarite, he would resist. I-ranceand adjust our differences with urcai-uriiaiii xj- us uevaix uku prcjuuiccs Jiave no share in deciding this question ; he trusted that sudden gusts of passion, would be; stib'lued by sober reason. France has long been determined we should ,be drawn into'ber Vortex- after the outrage on the fiigat Chesapeake, she then enforced her decree oi November. 1806, to make us the T inere-instrufnen ts of-French artifice apd -ambi tion.. She has always first held put the means of seducing other nations, and then proceeded to follow up those means by'open and direct acts of aggression, by violation of treaties, and finally by a declaration of war. Mr. Masters said, he trusted the people cf tlris enlightened nation would never be the blind and deluded Instruments to take parrjli the war on the side of France, "and doomed to be compelled to abandon the society and comforts to which fte have been accustomed. The events of war in Europe will brincr us into this dreadful alternative, shameful humi liation a"nd hopeless despondency, unless you icsisi oy every consideration ot policy, and feeling of honorable pride All governments jlike fall under the vengtance of France. Jliey wjII leave us nd choice in forrb or in substance. If you in the least akccornmov,iait her viev-smud donot resist Tier ""dtcreeTrshtT wiif loofc upon you as an abject, m . rcenary people, rnere msti umems, who would sacrifice all pride, dignity, national safety,' and superior I wtcreSts of, your selves and posterity -- i.et us take one sober view of the question. Reason and reflectfon will alwaVs lead to that knpwlecjge whiHi is necessary to the salvation tais ana an .other countries, til he demands the Emperor of France is a proof of the ab sence of all morals, of all justice, and every principle, which does honor to human-nature, arises but of. the most detestable and abo minable, military despotism. He has ou'un tlipuglit, and transcended the iitmosl imagiiia tion. He lias overturned the altar of all soca y'he hai. laid ,aMde those elements jvhich tribute to Jfbicrn the sociar state :f man an energetic; republicor mixed form of gov- ; tamest He has interfered with the govem-' Kivots of all neutral nations. He has bv.his Jords aiid actions manifested a determination wtumversal conquest and aggrandisement. ' is demonstrable it is':ndi.putabk-. His Fwt mo'Tni"Thrinrii"L ! i In ,lsipe govt'rnments by fire and iworSjtil mbiLion will allow no rest to anj established pvernmeiit on earth. We ought "attentively lfJ observe his means '.anrl rlicMcitinn. 1 T F-" ucj"umvii iquesi as,to perceive that jhat government avows il:fy toall others l the only .way to'jude a government isto judge of it fully and fayr- V ATmstrony-bid hf.rnre tb'xs. on of Jlarpaoiitams a fair Mnstrati.. rand Jtrnrcson oClhe designs of FraneerWhrr- aH ,? SU3Vel"S!on i fits fim of government:; en tells.you all;this is done by the' wil tt Je gQlsttnat will iq, fact, is the ' power -C:5rench- and all the. .world must learn 3earnF nic.;. i l,.'. HiPat tL jan.t aug iiimici ui , u- Plrcm h t'.c- js' if .Slip - u'.i;j;uiiiitir (.iiiiiiv'i'i ll 'tfirr9i om,tlon nse-eiitertainsTidoobr. Vr S'sns Ict him Iook at lhe dispatches lS1 .lie h alluded, and .the different a- ' Eurpe which they hare conquer ?; tice. ' 1 has. e'" their plans and prac: Who ? .Uunk without horror "on tH deso-- laticn of sohip nf- thp jfsV Zr.riiiptiiesJruluU ope, With are caning uiirter the gn at af flictive, scourges of'the Kmperti"of France; who has entered into impious confwiwacies to divKle without pretence, 'the kinedomsNit utf' pffending goVerntnentS,to gratify, his ambi passions for power, for blood and for con If you do hot resist his designs, this is a ruin ed and1 undone countiy., Our citizens will weep over the Temple of Liberty, reared under a governnient the noblest that human wisdom ever framed, Guilt on such a foundation as none of ms would wish to destroy." .And I am sure, that We cannot reconcile ourselves to his. de crees and Imperial edicts. " And I conjure Jrou . by every tic of interest, every motive of digni ty, and every principle of an Ameiican, ami "by all that is either dear or sacred to resist them, alidl hope -that Cod in his infinite me cy,'will jrotect this natjon againt.them. . . Every spark of public sentiment and public virtue is lost and extinguished.in the unbound ed lust for power in that tyrant. Every coun try, he has conquered have felt heavily the weight of that conquest there has been one general scene of rapine, contribution and plun der. He has violated the peace and harmony of all society and trampled upon the rights of man he has tortured the feelings, the lives and the honor of the innocent ; he has over tflrned almost' all the, governments in Europe, and has "raised hisTown brothers and minions to monajchs on thtir ruinsj And he. intends to destroy this government his eyes are up on you. Nothing in this world can read so awful and instructive a lesson as his conduct towards the people jajt ; nations he has con-? quered. ! Sir, thes'e circumstances ought to excite every sentiment of jealousy and precaution, and induce the house to effectually provide for the safety of the nation which is so indispen sibly necessaryArm the great body of the jnilitia avoid association on the side of France and you are safe. The prid-2 of this nation is so natupftl "'"and so greatri tru st They wnrhFver7 consent that any fofeign power shall attempt or even dare to nouisfi a hope of dictating'to us. Such violation of rfghts as both, France and Great-Britain have been guilty of, would be 'difficult to find in the history of tPle world. The conduct of these nations is in ..the .highest degree arbitrary, and founded Bpoh no one principle of reason or justice. One of them does not retain a just sense of the solemn faith" of treaties, and no' reliance can be placed on their explanations. You have seen all Europe attacked you have seen a system established violating all treaties and disregarding all obli gation's. ,1, If you go to war ivith Great-Britain and as. sociate yourselves on the side of France, and unite their views and concentrate their vigor, jou will endanger the libet tythe constittition, the independence and yery existence of thj$ . nation. t. ' '-'"-( "v-"7"" ' They strike "2t, the security,' peace and hap pinf ssr of all independent'pations ; and pursue their system in open defiance of every princi ple of justice, lUoderation and good faith. . .Ve have pushed to its. utmost extent our system of moderation ; which has been sight ed, insulted and abused by both nations, They have come to actual aggrtssion-bjr seizing .our vessels, not only on the high seas, but in-their very ports, without the least provocation on our part. Sir, such h the conduct they have pursued such is the. situation in which we stand ' ' J--;. It remains to be seen whetherf under divine providence - the efforts of a free, brave and Jiappy people will not be successful by a man- .ly resistance.; ; V' v - ";F-Let the house -reflect yjicther our appropri ations and plans for, defence, iave .beeiumderr ' takei,with judgment and conducted with en ergy j- and how many sailprs we have raised . to man our gun boats -and imSnt navy e shall yet have to .stem the torrent With whitli all the world is threatened to :be1Syhjmed.' Let us adojH f he salu t ai y prec auiiilis.of the rriost enliifhtered -nations ; of termer ages. Mr. Masters said he dreaded a' Warvf iih Great-Bri iau, wit nun c on atcuuii i : oi iuc uauei ura j; sociatiori, withjhe cornbihed powers j andi jtreated the house to avcid a course cf meat sure which woujd bring thcnation inWthat tlilemmat " . ' -' " ,;- .: ' . ; ' . Every, man bothin the houseiincLin the U. .States. who ia possessed cf ?ie feelings of. an American is interested m the event. ' , -MprtM asters said hAv'ar ttEffeim ined to ad-: here to w hat he conceived-to be the true'inter est of this country and the honor of the nation, and was willing1 to sland.wilh it to the last', or. perish in the ruins. : . - - : NEW-YORK, May 24. n: FY LATE Xata?B,rlse3Infem8V-Hhat the Atneri tari.'packet ship Osage, capt. Duplex, which arrived at L'Onent on the 22 of March, had hot arrived in England as late as the. 18th of April; and that the general opinion iriNEn- glalwd was, that she had been SEIZED by or der of the French government j as, notasy i- le had been head from her since' her arri- vafX L'Orient. . - . " I taptvli. turther states that petitions a gainst therders in council were pouring in from all cjUarters of England, and that two of thb ministers wo were in favour of them, Had'altered their"opinion and werel, aboiit to bring forward a motion fbr their repeal and, it was the general opinioff dh Liverpool, that the orders would be rescinded. " Wp hnv sn o Iflffni. fmm a CAcnnrt Riouse aiLiveroool. to the owner of the Drvade. stating that the British ministrjr had already been convinced, that the orders in cburictl had not ytt been productive of any single advan tage whih had been, expected from them, and the writer observed, that, in his opinion, the day of the orders feing rescinded was hot very disunt. .'' ,, , . - i LovDOi, April 11. We understand, on Saturday, the arrival of the Coquette, at Portsmouth," after a re markably quick passage of tour days,, with dispatches from Admiial Sir Charles Cotton, off Lisbon. The dispatches state that there is a famine at Lisbon.., In this dreadful situati on, a deputation ol'the merchants has been sent, in a flag of truce, to admiial Cot ton imploring a suspension ijpf the blockade as the only means of procuring provisions to save the inhabitants froiri general starvation. Various letters have been received, descriptive j of,these hon our j. The following is from one ot the gentlemen appointed to the deputation, and was written before he set off ; " Lisbon, March 21. " I have only time to inform you dmy hav jPhewjLttUjM'ized,' with 3ereialIothei'sr bj this government, to proceed to the English fleet now blockading our pert, for the purpose of prevailing on Admiral Cotton to permit provisions to be brought hither, as we are absolutely on the eve of a famine. Under these dreadful circumstances we rely on the hurq'anity and liberality of a generous nation, ' and we trust that his Excellency will toin misserale' the distressed situation of the in habitants of this demoted city and its environs, and grant liberty for provisions to enter the port, otherwise .wc must literally starve. Should we sr.( ceed in thrs objert of ctir mis sion, it Will revive the drooping 'spirits of the people, & save the lives of thousands, &c tens of thousands, w ho otherwise must meet their fate in the worst and most terrible of all deaths a death-from hifner."' The Deputation accordingly took place. Si r Cha rie Gotten -wa d eepl affextcchi ti h e " sufferings of our ancients "A llies- "but as an immediate suspension - of the bFockade would have .been an act of disobedience" to "1ms mstructions,Fecoflid,0!dy proinjst to Submit the. prayer of theun'happy Portuguese to the British Government. VYith this View he des patched the i Coquette cutter." Sir Charles Cotton lias ten" safl of the lincf with him. which are all victualled and water ed for seven months. . The Russian squadron are lay ing, in the:Tagus, ready for - sea, but there is n6 expectation of their coming out. '.'.'';-' ;" ".' ' .';';.-""' ';- i. April 12, ; . We hafe received a regular series of Dutch Papers to the second instant. ; t We .have, among-other important conimu mcations, received the Dutch King's-message tp'his Legi.l3ture, .oh the state of the Hnafii ces for trTeryear ; in w'hich heacknowledgesv the-deplorable state of the conntry, and'that they cannot hope for aa amelioration of their circumstances, until the establishment" off a -maritime peace, ' In this deplorable state of their, comoierce V'a'ndr finances, his majesty lias thought proper to acquaint them, that the French emperor has giveii'them assurances that, hi the peace to be hegociated witlrEhg land, he is to stipulate for the restoration of the ITutch colonies, particularly -of Guiana. This notice 'w'ujd seern to iniply that a negb- ciation was actually on the tapis, and that Na-; yivy,? ttn aiivtvc IT' I.UilUUClltC Ui II1C terms 4ie dxpectedTtq pblain. . .. -;. The DAitch papers contain" recent intelli gence fmm Copenhagen, .that they are pn ceedi nwithjh eau most a ctfy i t y i n their, pfe- parations to invide Sweden ; "and they even i$x sert,that a bddy, of troops has been actually able to cross oyer to. ScaiVia y but, this we 0 tally" discredit. :.'- "-' --. T he Princess Ehzabefli packet, with mails sarifteQtfrfort - squadrorr pass the bayf Pallas near Cat thegeha on the-first of Jlarch ) and it i therefore thought, tthat tlrey tnay.t;'.rs have joined the Toulon ileet, but if'ls not v - certained. . ' '; V ': ,; ... . .'','-'"---' " 1 : -V; Sr' 'J .'April-l3.';J Lord Castlereaglv lait ' night 'submiit'edj.his plan fe-the internal defence of the countpylv' He proposes? ; a local militia, as a substitute for4-jsi the present system by the' training act, to ,be - I raised by means of a ballot, in the same way " 1 as the-regular militia. h This, tjew force is tc ; -! 'consist" of 60,bQO rank apd file, to be officered by. gentlemen of' projierty throughout the r t " country. No substitution of service is to be ' . permitted except on payment of a' very largeiri sum ; and the troops thus, raised -are . tobe i- collected in the principal townsin the. country j. . there to be-trained fo the use of arms for the, space of 28 days each year; "'He'al'so propose.:' to add to. the regular and militia force an ad- - '. .ditioh of 50,000 men, by filling up the compa-V : - nies in each regiment to 100 rank and fwf- :Those only are liable to- be balloted into the . the local militia who are above tlie age of 18 jtnd under-35. ' -k ' , : ' - It appears frbm the statement of the noble lord, that the whole of ourforce, of every de .Spription, for the defence of the country, will be as folrbws : s ( ;., Regular army for .home defence, 200,00b" Mihtia. British - 330,000; " Irish - 70,000 -- -. Local militia, .; M a kin gar force for hqme defence, indeenden of volunteers, of ,,t Volunteers,. ?4C0,000' 660,00J .290,00 FROM LQKD O.V. - "' v Yesterday arrived at ihisqrnf1rom Liver' ppQl, the shi p 'Dry ade captain Ptrker. - She left Liverpool on the 20th of April, St brings London papers of the 14th ult, from which the editors of the New-York. Gazette have-made thcitrbsequcnt exmftts-' .:y. :-""v. Total of the force, for home de- fence, " -r : 950,000 ' Lqndok, April 12 The following instructions to the command ers of his Majesty's ships of war aniLpriva teers, appeared in. the Gazette of -Tuesday evening : ' - . . (COPY.) .'.," " George R. c- . Intru'ctions to the commanders of our ship'i of War and priv:,teers : given at our (ibuttf -at Windsor, the 1 1th day of April, in the; forty-eighth year of cut Reign. , - " Our will and.pleasure is, that da do not interrupt any neutral vessel laoVn with lum ber and provisions, and: going to any of our colonies, islands, or settlements in the West-. . Indies! or South America, to vyhdmsoever the property may appear to belong ; andnotwith standing suth vessel niay not hae regular clearances and documents on board ; and in case any vessel shall be met with and be in her due courste to the -alkdged port of her t destinatfpn, an endorsehient shatl .be made pn one or riidre of the principal papers of such vessel, specifying ; the destination alledgedfahd; ; the place where the vessel . was so visited. uAnd in case apy vessel so laden sftall arrive ami deliver her cargo at any of our colonies, islands or settlements aforesaid,, such vessel shall be perftutt-td'to receive her freight andL, to depart, either inballast, or with any gocdi that ntay -be legally exported ih snh vesser,' and to proceed to any unblockadedport, not-, withstanding the present "hostilities, or any future hostilities w hich may tak'e place i . and a passport for such purpose. shall be granted to the vessel by the governor,; or other per- "; son, paving tie cniei u-ivu Loraroana m sucn. colony," island or. settlement. , 'v., - . . v - - Bakksot tbe Elbe, MarchI. 1 ' . e( expedition against Sweden appears $ . be for the present abandoned. On the 27tlx; - -ult. the' French and Spanish troops received -: notice, that though they Ought to hold.them-' y -selves inconstant readiness to march, the ex-. - peditionwould not fake'placd as was intended, -V-at the beginning of the presents rcthth, buS . ; further orders from Paris was1 waiting for. some attnoue tnis to tne negotiations wnicn have lately taken place by expressed i' between marshal Bernadotte and tUe Frince,RoyaI.i rU We have heard a report here from Elsineur . v ; that 8,C0Q men of the 1 1 anoverian. Legion,, in Cyl 3 1 transports, conveyed by two1 hips of thp fine and a fncate, - had landed near Gotteri- from Sicily and Malta, h as. put an end to all doubts 'respecting the" fleet of ; Sir Richard StracjiaAiHejth joined "A dm. LoIImg'.vood and Adm. i hmborough, off Pa lermo, when the tombined'fleets amounted to sixteen sail of the lirief They had 'seen no- enemy's fleet? but it was ascertained.at Gi braltar, that the Carthegena squadron were at Port Mahon, by the"latest accounts- One of . the ships,rnnderthe cdrhmadd of-the'Siruis. burgh, and that fnore troops ore expected . " There are"-hbw, it is Said, foiir English shipsT'J of the line, four jfi i grates, andine-snjallee TesselsTiivthe.harl G ottenburgK'Can d -aCcort?rigti65ome private letters, ' fifteeni' more BtitislT ships of the" lineS and a conside- rable body of British troops were speedily ex pttiect there. , The Swedish, consiil, Grinij'; .who has beenlrrider kfl! arrest "for some ;tirne v at Copenhagen, has been Sentenced to par a ' fineof;S0OO rix loir)rs for his imprudent qoti- ;: jluct during1 the stayof the rEnglish ships-of war there -A merchant of (he riame of Lus kins has like wise .been1 condemned to a Bne onla similar charge. A very respectable commercial house - in this part of' Germany -has received advices from its correspondent, at Iarjeilles,thaOvc .Jat month all thetarriages in th Scuti ot V i 11 J I ' w .1
The Raleigh Minerva (Raleigh, N.C.)
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June 9, 1808, edition 1
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