"As an inftrument of power, however, and as fuch he was purfuaded gentlemen were chiefly in favour of it, it has a tendency to deffroy its other object, viz. to protect commerce, by involving us in wars, and inducing us to interfere in the political intereft of Europe. The navy will injure commerce in another refpect, by raifing the wages of feamen, which it muft do untefs we adopt the British mode of preffing men ; a practice which at prefent, he did not believe would meet with the approbation of this legiflature."

Įam alarmed, faid Mr. Gallatin, at the idea of creating a navy with a view of throwing our weight into the political feales of Europe; it is carrying our views beyond all rational bounds. The exceffes of the French revolu tion, the diflike which we have to fome of their writings, their proceedings with refpect to religious eftablifhments, and our great defire to rettore religion and order, induce us to believe that we ought to take an active part iu bringing France to her fenfes; it appears defirable to the friends of this bill, that we should spend our blood and treafare to prevent or cure thefe evils. Mr. Gallatin owned he had no fuch with. I know not, faid he, whether I have heretofore been indulging myself in a vifionary dream; but I had conceived, when contemplating the fituation of America that our diftance from the European world, might have prevented our being involved in the mifchievous politics of Europe, and that we might have lived in peace, without armies and navies, and without being deeply involved in debt. It is true, in this dream he had conceived it would have been our object to have become a happy, and not a powerful nation—or at least, no way powerful except for felf defence, He had not conceived that power was to be accumulated in the hands of the Executive and a few other perfons, in order to increase our weight in Europe, or with the view of feeding the ambition of those individuals."

To be happy, as we have heretofore been, ought in his opinion, flill to be our object; for faid Mr. Gallatin, when we enter upon the career propofed to us, do we know where to ftop? When we are told, that an increase of debt is contemplated according to the increase of our population, it is an ayowal that we mean to follow the example of the great nations of Europe.

Thefe confiderations, Mr. Gallatin faid, produced an alarm in his mind, at this bill, and would determine him to vote against it. He trufted, that, after the prefent popular fervor had ceafed, our fucceffors guided by public opinion, would put a flop to fchemes of this kind: and he did believe that if the houfe could have firmnefs enough to reject this bill, though the popular opinion might, in fome quarters, be in favour of it at prefent, when the fubject came to be feriously confidered by the people, the impolicy of the meafire would be feen, and the inafure never again be propofed with any profpeft of fuccefs. However, whatever might be the public opinion upon the fubject, he must comply with his own convictions and oppofe its paffage.

It was contended on the other hand, that the measure was founded on a conviction, that the commerce of this country, which is the great fource of our revenue and effential to the encouragement and profperity of our agriculture, cannot exist without a maritime protection: That this conviction was not only fupported by general reafoning and the experience of all nations, but was fully confirmed by the experiment which had been already made; for before we began to arm, our commerce was in a flate of depreffion, which indicated impending ruin: but, that, at prefent, it was flourishing and prof perous in a very high degree, that the faving on infurance alone was eftimated, on fair principles of calculation at nine millions of dollars per annum, independent of the decrease of captures, which had been comparitively few,

fince we began to defend our veffels and fuffer them to defend themselves. The additional armament, however, propofed by the Secretary, could not be carried. It was, therefore propofed that fix fhips of feventy-four guns each, fhould be added, and fix floops of war of eighteen guns each. This afterwards paffed into a law, and there is no doubt that the building of the ships will speedily commence.

In order to facilitate thefe naval preparations, laws were likewife paffed to authorize the fpeedy building of docks and the procuring of fhip timber. For the first object, fifty thousand dollars were appropriated and two hundred thoufand for the fecond, and towards building the fix feventy-fours, and the additional floops of war, one million, was appropriated, which was supposed to be as much as could be expended in the courfe of the prefent year.

The following is ftated as being the fums which already have been expended, and which according to this act are to be expended on the navy of the United States.

The fum expended, before the beginning of this year, (1799) towards equipping for fea, the naval armament heretofore provided for, and fuppporting fuch part of it as was fent to fea, in the courte of the last year.

Dols.

3.350.000

For completing that armament,

1,000,000

Prefent year, including the marines, the revenue cutters, and the fix additional loops of war,

2,350,000

For the expence of building and equipping the 6 feventy-fours and 6 floops of war,

2,350,000

Total 9 050 000

A confiderable land force had been voted at the fellion of 1798, and in the laft feffion congrefs paffed an act for a confiderable addition; but this is only provifionary, as it is not to take place, unless "in cafe war fhould break out between the United States and a foreign European power; or in cafe imminent danger of invafion of their territory, by any fuch power, fhall in the opinion of the prefident, be difcovered to exift." In either of those cafes he is authorised to raise twenty-four additional regiments of infantry, one regiment and one battalion of riflemen, a battalion of artillery, and three regiments of cavalry; or fuch part of the whole force as he fhall judge neceffary. The prefent army is alfo to be increased, in that cafe, to a war eftablishment-which almost doubles the number of privates in each regiment. The whole regular force, therefore, that may be raised, in cafe of war, amounts to about fifty thousand men, exclufive of volunteers and militia.

That this additional force may be speedily raifed, at any moment when it is wanted, the prefident is further authorifed to proceed immediately to the appointment of all the officers: a bufinefs which in fo extenfive a country, from every part of which it is proper to make felections, has been found, from experience, to be attended with much difficulty and delay. But the officers being once appointed, and properly organized, the enliftments may commence, when occafion fhall require a force to be actually raised. The officers, however, are not to receive pay till called into actual fervice: and the authority to raise this eventual army, is to expire at the end of the next feffion of Congress. The number of volunteers which the prefident may accept, pursuant to former acts, is limited to about feventy-fix thoufand, who are to be divided among the flates in proportion to their refpeftive populahion.

The act of making a draft of militia to be held in readiness, expired at the end of the feffion, and was not renewed; it being confidered that this draft was attended with fome trouble and expence to the militia, and did not in fact, put them in a better ftate for fervice; for which reafon it was thought beft to leave the matter to the prefident; who is empowered by the conftitution and the laws, to call out fuch portions of the militia, in cafe of need, as circumftances may render neceffary.

After having laid before our readers, this short sketch of the military and naval preparations, which took place in the United States, we fhall again proceed to the fituation of affairs, between this country and the French republic.

The

We have already mentioned the indignity with which Mr. Pinckney was treated by the French directory, and alfo the indignation which was excited in the minds of moft people, in confequence of that treatment. American government, however, whiift they were making every preparation to repel every hoftile aggreffion, were fill defirous of evincing to the world that peace was the muft fincere object of their wifhes. Accordingly Mr. Marshall and Mr. E. Gerry, were appointed together with Mr. Pinckney to relort to Paris, with full powers and authority, to fettle the exifting differences between the two nations. They accordingly arrived there acous Auguft or September 1797. What circumflances prevented their being formally received by the directory, or its minifters, it is not for us to lay. The fact, however, is this that they remained there for fix or feven months without being received in a diplomatic capacity. Two of them viz. Meffrs. Pinckney and Marshall left France about the beginning of May 1798; Mr. Gerry, however, for fome time afterwards, ftill remained. The realons which induced this gentleman to ftay after the departure of his colleagues, have been explained by himfelf in his official difpatches to the government of the United States. The French minifter Talleyrand, had from the firit arrival of the envoys endeavoured to feparate him (Mr. Gerry) from his colleagues. With him he profeffed that the French government were will ing to treat exclufively. This however, Mr. Gerry always declared as being inadmiffible and entirely repugnant to the inftructions of the American government, given to himself and the other envoys; Mr. Gerry appears to have been defirous of returning to America along with his colleagues; but as he was given to underfland, that his departure would be confidered as tantamount to a declaration of war he was induced for fome time longer to remain. The proceedings of the envoys, with refpect to this important embaffy, have been publifhed at large, in the different Gazette of the United States, and we are inclined to believe that upon due examination, it will be found that the three gentlemen concerned in the negociation, were equally defirous of peace, upon honourable and equitable terms, between the two republics. Upon the departure of Meflrs. Pinckney and Marshall, every cloit, every firaiagem was again ufed to lead Mr Gerry into a feparate negociation : but he was inflexible, he knew the orders he had received, he knew the facrifices which his country had made to fecure peace and harmony with the French republic; but he equally knew that peace purchafed upon terms of ignominy would be received with indignation by bus fellow citizens, who were willing to give " millions for defence but not one cent for tribute."

In July 1798, Mr. Gerry was recalled, and thus the negociation was clofed. In a meffage which the prefident fent to congrefs laft feffion, after ftating the indignant treatment which our envoys had received, he exprefled

his determination never to fend another minister to France, unless he should receive the most certain information, that he would be received with bonour and respect "as the reprefentative of a great, free, powerful and indepecdent nation." Without entering into a particular examination of the cirumflances, which induced the French miniflry to change their tone, a moft immediately after the departure of Mr. Gerry, we have only to obferve, that it was, in our opinion, molt probably owing to that decifion and firmnefs which was fhewn by the Americans, who, inftead, as was vainly expected, of crouching at the feet of the French government, through weakness and divifion, defpifed its threats, and were preparing with vigour and fyftem to defend the rights and honour of the country. At any rate the directory now profeffed a great willingness to treat, and an anxious defire to avert a quarrel, which, before it had fought by every poffible injury. Accordingly one of Mr. Talleyrand's clerks was difpatched to Holland, with a view to open an informal communication with our minifter refiding there. He threw himfelt in the way of our minifler and having engaged him in conversations refpecting the ftare of affairs between the two countries, wrote an account of thefe converfations to Mr. Talleyrand, who wrote him letters in reply, which he was allowed to fhew, to the American minifter. These letters of which he even gave our miniller copies, were filled with profeffions of friendfhip for the United States, of regret at the exifting differences, and of willingness and even anxiety, to enter into negociations for their removal, The copies which our minifter received he tranfmitted to the prefident.

Congress, however, ftill continued its fyllem of defence and preparation, with unabated vigour. But as thefe letters contained a declaration, that the French government, was ready to receive, in a proper and becoming manner, any minifters whom the Prefident might authorize to treat respecting an accommodation, and as Mr.Talleyrand gave permillion to fhew the letters to our minifter, and to give him copies for the purpose of being tranfmitted to our government, the Prefident thought proper to meet this advance, and for that purpofe appointed three minifters who were approved by the Senate. Thefe miniflers are Oliver Elfworth. chief Justice of the United States, Patrick Henry formerly governor of Virginia, and Mr. Murray, at prefent minifler of the United States, to the Batavian republic. They are not, however to leave the country till they receive regular and formal affurances from the French government, that they will be properly received, and that miniflers duly authorized, will be appointed on the part of France to treat with them and thus the fituation of our affairs with the French republic remains at prefent.

To this we have only to add that as the French government had lately paffed an edit, by which all neutral failors found on board Britifh fhips of war or merchantmen, though carried there by force, are rendered liable to execution as Pirates, Congrefs jufly confidering the meafure as levied chiefly at us, fince it is our failors, who, on account of fimilarity of language and other circumftances, are most frequently found in Britifh fhips, paffed a law authorizing the Prefident, in cafe the edict fhould be paffed on any of our failors, previoufly imprefied on board of British thips of war, to retaliate on any French prifoners, who may be in our power. The British had before declared, that they would retaliate, if the edit fhould be executed in any cafe whatever. This threat is faid to have produced its fufpenfion, though not its repeal. For the fake of humanity, we hope that the French will refrain from its execution.

In the year 1798, two laws were paffed, after a confiderable oppofition, which fince their paffing have created no fmall uneafinefs in various parts of the United States. Our readers will perceive that we allude to the Alien and Sedition bills. By the former of these, it is made layful for the Prefident, at any time, during the continuance of this act, to order all fuch aliens, as he fhall judge dangerous to the peace and fafety of the United States, or fhall have reasonable grounds to fufpect are concerned in any treasonable or fecret machinations againft the government thereof, to depart out of the territory of the United States within fuch time as fhall be expreffed in fuch order, and in cafe any alien fo ordered to depart, fhould be found at large within the United States after the time limited for fuch order for his departure, and not having obtained a licence, or having obtained fuch licence, shall not have conformed thereto, every fuch alien fhall on conviction thereof, be imprisoned for a term not exceeding three years, '&c.

By the Sedition bill, those who fhould write or fpeak against the President or officers of the government of the United States, with a view to excite infurrection or fedition among the people, or to throw the Prefident and government into contempt, were made liable to imprisonment not exceeding two years, and a fine not exceeding two thousand dollars.

An attempt was made laft feffion to repeal thefe two acts, founded chiefly on their fuppofed unconflitutionality, and fupported by petitions from almoft every part of the country. But as congrefs after mature examination found no reafon to doubt of their unconftitutional power to pass thofe acts, and the particular circumftances which induced them to exercife that power, have by no means ceafed, it was thought inexpedient to confent to the repeal, and the motion was rejected by a small majority. These two obnoxious acts, if not renewed, will expire of themselves in March 1800.

We have now to conclude this sketch of the history of the United States, by mentioning an unpleafant circumftance which has taken place in the counties of Northampton, Montgomery and Bucks, in the ftate of PennHlvania, viz. a combination to defeat the execution of the laws for the valua tion of lands and dwelling houfes in the United States. The Prefident in his proclamation dated 12th March laft, after ftating the oppofition to the laws, which exifted in thefe counties, and obferving that by the conftitution and laws of the United States, it was his duty, whenever the laws were oppofed, or the execution thereof obftructed in any flate by combinations too powerful to be fuppreffed by the ordinary courfe of judical proceedings, or by the powers velted in the marshalls, to call forth military forces to fupprefs the combinations aforefaid, and caufe the laws to be duly executed, he had therefore determined fo to do, under the folemn conviction, that the effential interefts of the United States demand it. He, therefore, commands all the infurgents, and all others whom it may concern, on or before the eighteenth day of the fame month (March) to difperfe and retire peaceably to their refpective homes, and warns all perfons againft aiding, abetting or Comforting the perpetrators of the aforefaid treafonable acts, and requires all officers and others, good and faithful citizens according to their respective duties and the laws of the land, to exert their utmost endeavours to prevent and fupprefs fuch dangerous and unlawful proceedings.

In confequence of this proclamation, a number of troops under the command of Brigadier General M Pherfon, marched to the feat of infurrection about the laft day of March or firft of April. On the fifth of April General MPherfon iffued a proclamation from Dell's in which he flates that

V. 4.

Cc a