Another extract, from General Wayne to Major W. Winston, or the officer commanding the squadron of horse:

"SIR: It has been suggested that there is a design of certain Frenchmen to engage in some military enterprise against the possessions of Spain on the Mississippi--to set out from Kentucky-which government are desirous of suppressing, by due course of law; but should that mode be found ineffectual, his excellency the governor of the state of Kentucky, will probably call on you and the dragoons under your command to assist in the suppression: you are in that case to receive, and obey his orders, with promptitude.

"In the interim you are to hold yourself in perfect readiness to advance to any quarter, at a moment's warning."

Rumours of these measures undoubtedly reached the cars of the emissaries, and friends of France-which, with the caution given them by Governor Shelby, induced great privacy, and circumspection on their part, in executing preparations for the enterprise. It, however, proceeded-commissions, bearing the name of the French minister, Genet, and importing the authority of the French republic, were distributed, and received by citizens of Kentucky, sufficient to command an army of two thousand men.

George Rogers Clark, once an officer of distinguished scrvices, and merit, had been induced to accept the command of this clandestine force: and in a written document, set forth its authority, principles, and objects; with the compensations, and emoluments to be expected.

The following is a copy:

"GEORGE R. CLARK, ESQ.

"Major General in the armies of France, and commander in chief of the French Revolutionary Legions on the Mississippi. "Proposals-For raising volunteers for the reduction of the Spanish posts on the Mississippi, for opening the trade of that river, and giving freedom to its inhabitants, &c.

"All persons serving the expedition, to be entitled to one thousand acres of land--those that engage for one year, will be entitled to two thousand acres of land-if they serve two

years, or during the present war with France, they will have three thousand acres of any unappropriated land that may be conquered--the officers in proportion-pay, &c. as other French troops. All lawful plunder to be equally divided, according to the custom of war.

"All necessaries will be provided for the enterprise, and every precaution taken to cause the return of those who wish to quit the service, as comfortably as possible; and a reasonable number of days allowed them to return-at the expiration of which time their pay will cease. All persons will be commissioned agreeably to the number of men they bring into the field--those who serve the expedition, will have their choice. of receiving their lands, or one dollar per day."

Thus were the Kentuckians, invited to become, invaders, freebooters, and lawless marauders on their peaceful neighbours-under a foreign standard--at which, their governor, looked, and smiled--while Judge Innis, an organ of the government, thus insulted, and outraged, was privy--and connived!!!

That Governor Shelby had seen the manifesto of General Clark, when he next wrote to the secretary of state, of the United States, is not affirmed; because no direct evidence of the fact is possessed; he had certainly heard of his commission. by the information of Governor St. Clair. That General Clark, had seen the answer of Shelby to Depeau, should admit ́ of no doubt that he considered it, a certificate of connivance, is no less probable. How long it was between the receipt of the commission, and the proposals, emanating from it, cannot be stated--yet, from the nature of the case, which seemed to require despatch, it cannot be supposed, there was the lapse of many days.

But Governor Shelby, has spoken for himself; it is right to hear him. The 13th of January, 1794, he addressed the secre tary in the following letter:

"SIR: After the date of my last letter to you, I received information that a commission had been sent to General Clark, with power to name, and commission, other officers, and to raise a body of men: no steps having been taken by him (s

far as has come to my knowledge) to carry this plan into execution I did not conceive, that it was either proper or necessary, for me to do any thing in the business.

"Two Frenchmen, Lachaise, and Depeau, have lately come into this state. I am told they declare publicly, they are in daily expectation of receiving a supply of money, and that as soon as they do receive it, they shall raise a body of men, and proceed with them down the river.

"Whether they have any sufficient reason to expect to get such a supply, or any serious intention of applying it in that way, if they do receive it, I can form no opinion.

"I judge it proper, as the president had directed you to write to me on this subject, to give you this information, that he may be apprised as fully as I am of the steps which have been, and are now taking here, in this matter. If the president should hereafter think it necessary to hold any further commus nication with the executive of this state on this subject, I wish him to be full, and explicit as to the part which he wishes and expects me to act. That if what is required of me should in my opinion be within my constitutional powers, and in the line of my duty, I may hereafter have it in my power to shew that the steps which I may take were not only within my legal powers, but were also required by him.

"I have great doubts, even if they (General Clark, and the Frenchmen) attempt to carry this plan into execution, (provided they manage their business with prudence) whether there is any legal authority to restrain or to punish them; at least before they have actually accomplished it. For if it is lawful for any one citizen of this state to leave it, it is equally so for any number of them to do it. It is also lawful for them to carry with them any quantity of provisions, arms, and ammunition. And if the act is lawful in itself, there is nothing but the particular intention with which it is done, that can possibly make it unlawful--but I know of no law which inflicts a punishment on intention only-or any criterion by which to decide

VOL. IF.

what would be sufficient evidence of that intention: (even) if it was a proper subject of legal censure.

"I shall upon all occasions be averse to the exercise of any power which I do not consider myself as being clearly and explicitly invested with; much less would I assume power, to exercise it against men, who I consider as friends, and brethren, in favour of a man, whom I view as an enemy, and a tyrant.

"I shall also feel but little inclination to take an active part in punishing or restraining my fellow citizens for a supposed intention only-to gratify or remove the fears of the minister of a prince who openly withholds from us an invaluable right; and who secretly instigates against us a most savage and cruel

enemy.

"But whatever may be my private opinion, as a man, as a friend to liberty, an American citizen, and an inhabitant of the western waters-I shall at all times hold it as my duty, to perform whatever may be constitutionally required of me as gover nor of Kentucky, by the president of the United States.

(Signed)

"ISAAC SHELBY."

A letter so singular, as to be unprecedented, will be thought to merit some animadversion. Which will be brief. It affects, to put the president, into possession of all the information which the governor had in relation to the French enterprise; and in fact, conceals from him the correspondence which the author had with the agents of Genet, and the fact, as well as the contents, of that minister's letter to him. It refers to report, and feigns not to consider, as real design, what he was assured, at least by Depeau, as early as the 28th of November, was the object and intention of the mission to Kentucky. It represents those Frenchmen, as having lately arrived-when he had their letters of the 25th of the last November, dated Knob Lick, near his own farm. And it states, that they were publicly avowing their illegal, and clandestine purpose; notwithstanding the author knew that they had received his admonitions, and declarations of what he must do in his present situation. It was

obviously intended to deceive the president, even supposing he had not seen or been informed of General Clark's manifesto-by suggesting, that nothing had been done. The delay, and lapse of forty-five days, or more-the time which the governor knew those men, had been in Kentucky-and that General Clark had the commission, &c.; furnish grounds for the inference, that it was expected, calculating on other unavoidable delays, before the president could institute other means to prevent it—that the expedition would have been on the Mississippi.

Nor does such an inference, although it implies a complete compromision of official duty on the part of the governor, do the sentiments, and feelings, avowed in the subsequent part of the letter, the least injustice. Let the moral state of the author's mind be ascertained, before, and when, he wrote the apology for the outrage, and insult, committed, avowed, and intended to be consummated by a foreign commission on the authority, peace, and dignity, of the United States, and his own state, and it will be found, in the lowest stage of degradation, on that branch of his public duties. Nor would it be any mitigation of the reproach, to suggest, that the attorney general, or the secretary of the commonwealth, or any other member of the Democratic society, had drawn up the argument for him-and that as he received it, so it was transmitted, without examination, to the secretary of state of the United States.

However the facts might be disguised, the communication could not deceive the president of the United States; either by its sophistry, or the part that the governor could be relied on to act and he gave him up to Edmund Randolph, who had been attorney general, and was by the time the letter was to be answered, secretary of state of the United States. And who, in a long letter, which is not material to this part of the history to recite, attempted to teach the governor his errors, and his duties. The exact effect of which is not known; as the obnoxious enterprise was rendered abortive from other causes, which will be concisely delineated.