The Providence Journal, And Town And Country Advertiser

NEW YORK, March 3.

The following important information is copied from the Charleston State Gazette of the 22d ult.

Charleston, Feb. 22.

Americans! unite, rally round your government—look on Frenchmen with the eye of suspicion, and prepare to meet them as enemies, with a word; and beware of French emissaries!

This was the caution of the patriotic Maj. Gen. Pinckney to Americans, while he was their envoy to, and was in France.

Proofs of the necessity of this caution have succeeded each other almost every day, for two or three last years; but they are now so plain and positive that they must convince the minds of all, but such as deserve transportation to France, or the gallows:

READ THIS.

His Excellency Gov. Rutledge, and the collector of the port, about five weeks ago, received a letter from Col. Pickering, Secretary of State of the United States; to the following effect:

That government had obtained intelligence that four persons were to embark from Hamburg for this port; as agents of the French Directory, with dispatches of a hostile nature to the peace and welfare of the United States.

The Secretary of State then gave the names of the persons, and their description; also of the vessel, and the passports which it was expected they would have; and informed further that the dispatches and papers of consequence would be secreted in two false-bottomed tubs, and requested that the necessary steps should be taken to secure the suspected persons and their papers; as soon as they arrived here.

Capt. Thompson, the boarding-officer of the port, was accordingly instructed to notice particularly, and report without delay, all passengers from Europe.

Yesterday he had the happiness and good fortune to board the brig Minerva; Capt. Cramp, in 18 days from Hamburgh and reported her arrival, and that there were four or five passengers on board. This brig was the expected vessel, and the collector, Maj. Simons, attended by Mr. William Crafts, agents of the United States for the naval and war departments; went immediately on board, with proper assistance, to examine and secure the suspected persons and their papers.

As soon as they got on board, they enquired for persons by names they had received, and were answered affirmatively; these were directly searched and given into custody, and the search continued for the tubs, which were found.
Fortunately discovered in the cabin; the tubs were broken open, and the papers taken out: the horrors of guilt were depicted strongly on the countenances of the guilty wretches, and their bodies shook with fear and trembling. There was a design to have thrown them overboard from the cabin window, but it was prevented by the expedition of the gentlemen who under-- mulattoes, and one of them a white person; took the business. Three of the fellows are --a woman was also taken up, who was evidently concerned in the conspiracy, and endeavoured to take care of the tubs under her arm. The four men and their female accomplice, are now confined at Fort Pinckney; their trunks and baggage are taken to the custom-house, and the important tales of the tubs are under the examination of Maj. Gen. Pinckney, to whom they were immediately delivered. The development will come out in due season.