Partiality for France.-MR. PORCUPINE, The fear of offending France, and the danger of bringing on ourselves her terrible arms, is the burden of the fong with all the oppofition members in Congrefs. Although they are fenfible that our commerce is in danger of being annihilated, and that our feamen will all defert into foreign fervice, if Government does not take fome effectual means to protect them; that protection is as much a duty as allegiance, and repugnant neither to the law of nations, nor to the treaties exifting between the two countries; they are ftill haunted by the terrors of war; they have but one answer to all kinds of arguments on the fubject; but one unvarying difmal cuckoo-fong.

These philofophers fhudder at the very thought of arms; the idea of fhedding blood, even in their own defence, makes the sweet milk of humanity ftand ftill, and curdle in their veins. It is very true, they confefs we have been robbed of twelve or fourteen millions of dollars ; our Government has been fhamefully infulted; our Minifter has been difmiffed like a spy or a vagabond; our feamen are dying by scores in French prifons; and the French ftill continue their piracies; but we had better lofe all, fay they, and fuffer all, than prepare to defend ourfelves, or even to talk about it; the Directory will hear of it, and we fhall certainly have a war.

One would imagine, that the oppofition were all converted into good peaceable Quakers, if he did not recollect the eagerness that the fame men difcovered, about two years fince, to go to war with England, for fpoliations inconfiderable, when compared with thofe of France; that it required all the addrefs, the influence, and firmness of Washington, to preferve the peace; or, if he had forgot their extravagant rejoicings for the bloody victories of France, her oppreffion and tyranny over the furrounding nations. But thefe facts, recorded in all the Gazettes

of

of the day, to the lafting infamy of these hypocritical friends of peace, furnish a key to unlock the fecret. The truth is, and it is a fact I wish the reader to remember, they have not the leaft fcruple whatever to plunge their country into a war with Great Britain, by which we should lofe more in one year, than by the enmity of France in ten; but rather than quarrel with the grand Republic, they would fubmit to any thing, however injurious or degrading. They are ready to palliate, if not juftify, all her enormities; to make treaties, or to unmake them, as fhe fhall dictate: nay, so exceffive is their complaisance, that they are willing not only to pardon all her offences, to cancel all her debts, but to transfer the guilt of her crimes to what they are base enough to call the errors of their own Government.

If this is not French influence, if it is not treachery to the United States, I do not know what name to give it.

French Decrees against the United States.-FRENCH ARRET of April 10. "The Executive Directory directs that the paffports granted by the Minifters and diplomatic Envoys of the United States of America, or paffports certified by them, fhall not be admitted, nor acknowledged of any authority. "The Minifter of Police is charged with the execution of this arret, which fhall be printed.

(Signed)

"REWBELL, Prefident.
"LAGARDE, Sec. Gen."

19th. It is ftated as a certain fact, that the Minif ter of External Relations has written to the Commiffioners of the Treafury, not to pay any fums due. to the Americans. Has Charles De la Croix had the dexterity to break altogether an alliance which Robefpierre himself refpected? He is, without doubt, ignorant

ignorant how much commerce and maritime advantage this rupture will hold out to England.

MONDAY, 19th JUNE.

Blockade of Cadiz.-Captain John Barton, from Cadiz, has politely handed us the following:

SIR,

His Britannic Majefty's Ship Captain, off Cadiz, 11th April, 1797. In confequence of the unprovoked declaration of war from his Catholic Majefty, against his Britannic Majefty and the British nation, it is found right that Spain fhould no longer have any trade.

I have therefore the honour to acquaint you, that no neutral veffel fhall hereafter be fuffered to enter or leave the port of Cadiz, without having obtained my permiffion, or that of the Commander in Chief of the British fleet, that from this moment Cadiz is to be confidered as a blockaded port.

I have the honour to be, &c.

To the Danish Conful.

HORATIO NElson.

Jofe Yznardy Efq. Pro-conful General for the United States of America, in Cadiz, &c.

It is hereby made known, in the name of the Government of the United States, that it is meet and is neceffary for the better fecurity of commerce, that all veffels now in the bay, cleared by this confulate, fhould fufpend their failing until further orders; and whatever captain tranfgreffes this notice, is to be accountable for all and every confequence which may refult from his difobedience, either against any particular American citizen, or the nation at large.

Cadiz, 14th April, 1797.

Poftfcript

Poftfcript to Admiral Nelson's Order, published in this Gazette of Friday lati.

P. S. Rear-admiral Nelfon requefts the American Conful will have the goodness to direct his letter to the Danish Conful, and make it public for the information of all other confuls.

Copy of the Letter addreffed to Rear-admiral Nelfon. Cadiz, April 15, 1797.

SIR, The American Conful refiding in this city has fhown us the official note which you have addreffed to him, wherein you mention that this is to be confidered as a blockaded port, and that no veffel will be fuffered to pafs in or out, without your or the Chief Commander's leave. We cannot but express our furprise at this unexpected intelligence, the more fo, as faid measure is contrary to the exifting treaties of amity and commerce between our refpective fovereigns and nations, and the King of Great Britain and the British nation. Appearing, as it does by your faid official note, that an abfolute power is invefted in the Chief Commander and in you, we deem it a duty highly incumbent upon us, before we commupicate the needful information to our refpective superiors, to request you will be pleafed to inform us in anfwer, whether veffels belonging to Americans, Danes, Swedes, Venetians, and Genoefe, fome now ready to put to fea, and others partly loaded, bound for neutral ports, and furnished with certificates specifying the property on board to be bona fide neutral, will be fuffered to proceed on their voyages, without running the risk of being detained; and we beg leave to obferve, that we conceive an explicit and categorical anfwer on this important head, due to the permanent friendship profeffed by our refpective nations, and the conftant defire they fhow

to

to continue in amity and good understanding with his Britannic Majefty and the British nation.

In cafe you should not judge proper to grant faid request, we have to beg your precife information thereon, that we may jointly dispatch an exprefs to the court of London, in order to folicit the just accomplishment of this application.

GENTLEMEN,

(COPY.)

Ville de Paris, off Cadiz, 19th April, 1797•

Although I do by no means admit the reafoning in your letter of the 15th inftant, addreffed to Rearadmiral Nelfon, that the blockade of an enemy's port is unusual, much lefs unprecedented; having in two inftances carried a fimilar measure into execution during the last year, in the Mediterranean, viz. Toulon and Leghorn; I have great fatisfaction in relieving the minds of the merchants of neutral powers refident in Cadiz, by giving you the most unequivocal affurances, that the fhips and veffels of neutral nations, loaded with bona fide property of neutral merchants, carrying clear and authentic documents in proof thereof, will (upon presenting thein to the commanding officer of the fquadron of bis Britannic Majefty's fhips under my command) be permitted to proceed from Cadiz to their refpective deftinations, after fuch examination as the faid officer fhall in his difcretion judge neceflary to make.

(Signed)

Neutral Confuls refident at Cadiz.

JERVIS.

M'Lane, the French Spy, in Canada.-We learn, by undoubted authority, that a certain Major M·Lane, from the State of Rhode Island, and a brother of his, a Thomas Butterfield, from this State, have lately been apprehended, and are now in irons in Quebec,

upon