meeting in Lexington, on the following Monday. Soon after which, there appeared in the Gazette, an address, "to the inhabitants of Western America." In this, the old topics, eastern enmity, and the navigation of the Mississippi, were put in a high state of preparation; and made to run the round of popular feeling, with a new impetus, and improved tone of sentiment. From which the following sentences, are extracted, as characteristic of its temper, and indicative of its object.

"The time is now come when we ought to relinquish, our claim to those blessings, proffered to us by nature, or endeavour to obtain them, at every hazard.”

"The principles of our confederation have been totally perverted by our Atlantic brethren.'

"It is a fact, incontestable, that they have endeavoured to deprive us of all that can be important to us as a people.”

"To you then, inhabitants of the west! is reserved the display of those virtues, once the pride and boast of America, uncontaminated with Atlantic luxury--beyond the reach of European influence, the pampered vultures of commercial countries have not found access to your retreat."

"A noble and just occasion presents itself, to assert your rights--and with your own, perhaps establish those of thousands of your fellow mortals."

"Reflect that you may be the glorious instruments in the hands of Providence, of relieving from the galling chains of slavery, your brethren of Louisiana," &c.

It is known, that Citizen Governor Shelby, had with the letter of Depeau, received a copy of the French address to the people of Louisiana, on the subject of the intended expedition, which he was desired to participate with "the noble society of Democrats." It is known also that Lachaise was in correspondence with the same society-and it is obvious, that an allusion is made to the intended irruption into the Spanish territory, in the foregoing extracts.

But they are not all. The same address proceeds: "Before I close this address, I cannot but observe with what indignation must the citizens of Kentucky view the conduct of the general government, towards them in particular. In answer to their

decent and spirited exertions, they receive, instead of assurances of relief from oppression, denunciations from the executive; and are held up to public view, as the disturbers of the peace of America. And a miserable fragment of the mighty legions of the United States, is destined to awe the hosts of freemen who seck but their right." There was much more, of the same kind. Let this, however, suffice to shew "the faction of the times," as it connected itself with French affairs: its further concern with the revenuc, will engage future attention, when the account of this intrigue is closed. Which, to preserve the unity of its parts, will be continued; notwithstanding it will leave several transactions, and the legislative session, of 1793, for a time unnoticed. But this "noble society," had not yet heard the fate of its still more noble patron, Mr. Genet.

Cotemporaneous with the time alluded to by the foregoing extracts, the democratic societies had taken such hold of popular opinion, in sundry counties, and so relied upon moulding it to their purpose; that, deeming the state constitution within the scope of their views, it was assailed in print-the senate, as being an aristocracy, too independent of the people; and the criminal code, which it had not abolished, as being cruel, and bloody. Because it had retained the gallows, and permitted hanging for certain crimes. And which, it is to be confessed, very naturally led such men to reflect on the subject with disapprobation.

A correspondence was also opened by means of a committee of the society, with a similar organ of one of the democratic societies of Pennsylvania; where they were plenty, and particularly active in the holy cause of insurrection against the general government.

But wo to the projects of French democracy, in those days! involving in no small degree, at least, the democratic societies of the United States; and those of Kentucky, in particular.

Democracy in France, seems to have resembled a ferocious animal, with more hands than its many heads could employ; while those unemployed by itself, were engaged in lopping off heads, until it took a new direction, and employed them;

which threw the others out of its employ, and into the occupa tion of cutting off heads; and so on, alternately. So it was, however, that a bloody revolution took place; Genet was recalled, and his doings disavowed. Thereby terminating the mission of Citizen Lachaise; annulling the commission to Gen. Clark, and his followers; and relieving Governor Shelby, from the pain of perusing letters from the secretary of state of the United States, which, in recalling his attention to his duties, could but reproach him with neglecting the most important of them.

On the 14th of May, or thereabout, Lachaise communicated to the Democratic society of Lexington, an account of the sad catastrophe. He said, "that causes unforeseen had put a stop to the march of two thousand brave Kentuckians, who were about to go and put an end to the Spanish despotism on the Mississippi; where Frenchmen and Kentuckians, united under the banners of France, might have made one nation, the happiest in the world; so perfect was their sympathy." Consoling, however, "this august assembly," for the disappointment and delay occasioned by the late unexpected turn of affairs, by assuring them that he would make honourable mention of them to the national convention of France: to which they were referred for ulterior aid. And the fact has been disclosed, by one of its clerks, that on the day above mentioned, the society acted on this valedictory; but the particular character of the transaction has not been manifested to the public; whence the inference is fairly deducible, that it was inconsistent with their duty, and probably a violation of their allegiance, as citizens.

However much the democratic societies might deplore the change, which wrested from them the fraternity and assistance of their French friends; and deeply as they might regret the loss of so potent an agency in disturbing or obstructing the operations of the general government, they had yet all the subjects of their complaint left in full force-the navigation of the Mississippi, the Indian war, the excise; and another, yet, even more precious, which had acquired new interests, "the controversy with Great Britain,", Nor did they doubt of the

future co-operation of French agents, and of French influence. British interference with the American commerce, furnished new topics for war with England; which they not only pas sionately called for, but fomented, and ardently desired. The faction was, therefore, only put to the trouble of adjusting their batteries to the different objects of attack; which might produce a mementary suspension of their march, but by no means diverted their attention from the grand design, or diminished their hopes of ultimate success.

The 24th of the month, was published, as the result of a large and respectable meeting in Lexington, assembled from the different parts of the state, the following resolutions:

"1st. That the inhabitants west of the Apalachian mountains, are entitled by nature, and by stipulation, to the free and undisturbed navigation of the river Mississippi,

"2d. That from the year 1783 until this time, the enjoyment of the right has been uniformly withheld by the Spaniards.

"3d. That the general government, whose duty it was to have put us into the possession of this right, have, either through design or mistaken policy, adopted no effectual measure for its attainment.

"4th. That even the measures they have adopted, have been uniformly concealed from us, and veiled in mysterious secrecy. "5th. That civil liberty is prostrated, when the servants of the people are suffered to tell their masters, that communica. tions which they may judge important, ought not to be intrusted to them.

"6th. That we have a right to expect, and demand, that Spain should be compelled immediately to acknowledge our right, or that an end be put to all negotiations on that subject.

"7th. That the injuries, and insults, done and offered by Great Britain to America, call loudly for redress; and that we will to the utmost of our ability support the general government in any attempt to obtain that redress.

"8th. That as the voice of all Eastern America has now called on the president of the United States, to demand that

redress of Great Britain, Western America has a right to ex pect and demand that nothing shall be considered as a satis faction, that does not completely remove their grievances; which have a stronger claim to satisfaction, both from atrocity and continuance.

"9th. That the recent appointment of the enemy of the western country, to negotiate with that nation, and the tame submission of the general government, when we alone were injured by Great Britain, make it highly necessary that we should state at this time our just demands, on the president and congress.

"10th. That the inhabitants of the western country have a right to demand that their frontiers be protected by the general government; and that the total want of that protection, which they now experience, is a grievance of the greatest magnitude.

"11th. That the attainment and security of these our rights, is the common cause of the western people; and that we will unite with them, in any measures that may be most expedient for that purpose.

"12th. Resolved, as our opinion, That measures ought immediately to be taken to obtain the sense of the inhabitants of this state at large, that no doubts may be entertained of their opinions and determinations on these important subjects; that we may be able to communicate, as a state, when it shall be neces sary, with the other inhabitants of the western country.

"13th. Resolved, That it be recommended to every county in the state to appoint a committee to give and receive communications on these subjects, to call meetings of their counties; and when it may be expedient, to call upon the people, to elect proper persons to represent them, in CONVENTION, for the pur pose of deliberating on the steps which will be most expedient for the attainment and security of our just rights."

And thus was the vista opened to discord and revolution! Let it suffice to say, that this project, of getting up committees, (that of democratic societies having failed, except in a few