Daily National Intelligencer

The following letter from an American officer, late a prisoner, direct from Halifax to Portland, we have obtained by solicitation for the press—as full reliance may be placed in its correctness, and as the facts stated may be of public utility, we are anxious for its general circulation, and have no doubt it will obtain such, as the subject of fraud through neutrals is pretty generally understood, and here verified: and every real American should use his utmost influence to check such a growing evil. Notwithstanding this, if government fails, at the next meeting of Congress, in preventing a trade so impolitic, and so injurious to the present state of our country and of such vital importance to the enemy, the supporters of war are embarked in a vain struggle—whilst the base tories with their British friends will continue to laugh at our privations.—E. Arg.

"Dear Sir—With the warmest feelings of gratitude to Providence for my fortunate deliverance from the fangs of our common enemy, I can now inform you, without having my thoughts, words or actions, scrutinized by a British agent, that I am once more safe in my native land; and can bid defiance to prison ships or Melville Island prison. My health is greatly injured from their confining me in the latter place, an account of which beggars all description. I have however attempted something like it, and you will no doubt have the satisfaction of reading it. I shall at present wave all personal reflections, as to their treatment of my own person, and beg that you will join your endeavors to my own, in exposing the nefarious traffic at present carried on under the Swedish flag. I do not wish to implicate any body of men because they may differ with me on local principles—nor do I believe that what I am going to observe will apply to the great body of federalists at large—but when I state, (and I can with confidence do it) that an open and direct communication is held with the enemy by people calling themselves federalists and Washingtonians, I trust that all honest Americans will join with me in execrating the unprincipled wretches, who, lost to all feelings, are base and profligate enough, to sell their country for filthy Mammon—who, lost to all national feelings, can descend to the most humiliating conduct—the most cringing servility, the most abject meanness, added to their avowed opposition to government, and open treasonable practices, to obtain the slightest notice of the British government, in the persons of its officers or agents. Yet this is done by persons who, in the United States, value themselves on being called Washingtonians?

You will no doubt startle at this information—and British hirelings, who in porter-houses endeavor to disseminate their pernicious principles, in conjunction with apostate editors, and leading members of that precious or rather pernicious society, termed Washingtonians, will raise the hue and cry of contradiction—Let them do it—I openly and boldly affirm, that what I state is substantially true ; that there are at this moment upwards of TWO HUNDRED men, who stile themselves American federalists, in the city of Halifax in open and direct communication with Great Britain—that they ford the utmost aid to the enemy in supplying him with provisions, brought in under the Swedish flag, in vessels navigated by Americans, and by driving cattle across the lines !—this is no fiction. In return for their courtesy, the British (who love the treason, but detest the traitor) allow them to take any produce they may think proper, well knowing that they must rob the revenue of their own country to effect it. Silks, and a variety of other articles, are brought into the U. S. by these scoundrels, in the form of bedding made up in mattresses, (it would be well for our custom-house officers to notice this) and in this manner they are smuggled ashore.

In my next, I shall furnish you with more particulars; and in the mean time, beg you will give publicity to what portion of this you may think proper—and if the man, "who would sooner buy the moon, than call himself an American," will contradict it, I shall furnish evidence sufficient to establish the fact, and confront the party who palliate or defend the few particulars which I have hastily related

I remain, &c. &c."