The Rhode Island American, And General Advertiser

On the mails

PHILADELPHIA, July 29.

MORE SQUALLS RISING

[From the Democratick Press, an administration paper.]

From Washington, July 31, 1811.

"You know it was intended that Mr. Lee, our Consul at Bourdeaux, should have gone out to France in the frigate Constitution with Mr. Barlow; but a circumstance as extraordinary as it was unexpected, compelled him to leave this place and sail for France in a fast-sailing brig from Baltimore, a few days since. The activity, zeal, and knowledge of Mr. Lee, as a publick officer, is too universally known, and too generally acknowledged to make it necessary to say any thing of his conduct since his introduction into publick life; and it is sincerely to be regretted that such an officer should, from attachment to his government, suffer persecution from men who appear to have united only for the purpose of injuring those who enjoy that which they fain would have, the publick influence. Mr. Lee, during his residence and the discharge of his Consular duties in France, had frequent opportunities of knowing things more of the conduct of General Armstrong than has come to the publick eye; and he had not been scrupulous, nay, he had rather embraced occasion of making known the conduct of the General while in France, and had perhaps said something of a correspondence maintained by General Armstrong attacking and defending Chancellor Livingston in a country paper in the State of New York. The general nor lofty views could not bear that such should circulated, and accordingly the necessary steps were taken, and marshal of this district has issued a writ against Mr. Lee, for defamation against General Armstrong, damages 100,000!!! To avoid the necessary detention from his family, after having been here a year, Mr. Lee having intimation of the writ, took French leave. He expects to get to France, settle his affairs, and be ready to return with his family in the Constitution frigate, having, as it is here said, resigned the Consulate. On his return, he intend to embody his opinions and publish a statement of the conduct of General Armstrong in France, so that that gentleman may reply by pamphlet or by a writ claiming of 100,000."