Gazette Of The United States And Daily Evening Advertiser

By this Day's Mail.

NEW-YORK, May 21.

The attention of the town was yesterday much engaged by the circumstance of the removal of the French Flag, which had been attached (with the American) to the Liberty-Cap that was replaced on Monday evening, in the Coffee-room of the Tontine Coffee House.

By examination of James Durham, a waiter at the Coffee House, before Mr. Alderman Van Tuyl, it appears that circumstances strongly concurred to fix the act on Mr. Anderson, who arrived within a few days from England.

A whaling boat, manned with 16 hands armed, left the city about noon to overtake him; but returned last evening after having boarded a vessel in which he was supposed to have embarked for Halifax. He was not on board.

It was readily and justly supposed that no friend to this country had committed the act. The impolicy, and insult attending it are unpardonable. For altho' it is far from being right, that the Peace of this city should depend on the fixture of an emblematical figure in a Coffee-room; yet, being there by the consent of those citizens who are interested in, and support the house, as well as of the citizens at large, the removal of it was an act of indiscretion and wickedness that should meet with the highest contempt.

It were to be wished that the peace and harmony of our citizens, should not be liable to be interrupted by circumstances which, tho gratifying to our national pride, are certainly not of the first consideration or importance. Viewing the rapidly growing state of this city ; where every man, from Chief Magistrate to the daily labourer, who attends industriously to his business, may enjoy the advantages of a country, unexampled in prosperity, it is certainly of the greatest importance to preserve its tranquility.
Extract of a letter from New-York, dated May 21.

"This City is all in a ferment on account of the loss of a large French flag from the Tontine Coffee House. On Monday some Englishmen who lodged in the House, in a drunken frolic, stole the French flag which was erected on the left of the Tomahawk, and new Liberty Cap lately fixed in that building. No sooner was it known than the whole City was in an uproar-the demos left their occupations and repaired to the place ripe for vengeance--the merchant's goods were left on the wharves in the rain-the house was filled, and those who paid for it, crowded out.

The thief had fled-he was pursued by water, but could not be found.

What will be the end of this affair it is hard to determine-All business at the Coffee House was yesterday interrupted- Mr. Hyde's lodgers have left him-if things go on in this way, the House must be shut up.

So much for a Cap--Men must have something to worship--and no good man can object, if the public peace is not destroyed thereby.--If Liberty Poles, Caps and Flags were planted in our Streets as thick as the trees in the forest, they could do no harm, if they were not made the rallying points of sedition and disorder.- But to see the peace of a City exposed, and even life and property sported with, on such despicable accounts, affords but a miserable picture of mankind. The puppy who stole the Flag deserves a Coat of Tar and Feathers-but it is impossible not to despise the folly and childishness of the men, or rather boys, who insist on licking up a Cap in a place where men of all nations resort, and where they have a right to resort without any occasion of offence."