Gazette Of The United States, & Philadelphia Daily Advertiser

Norfolk Borough, June 29, 1797.

Sir,

The letter which I had the honour to receive from you of the 27th instant, I considered it to be my duty to lay before a court of Aldermen, summoned especially for that purpose; I have now to communicate to you the result of our deliberation.

We consider it as an evil much to be deplored, that when jealousies arise between nations, however consequential the first aggressions may be, circumstances light in their nature shall in future be magnified as proofs of disaffection; permit us to observe, the charges in your letter are, we think, somewhat of the latter description: and while we approbate the sensibility excited on the appearance of an affront to an individual of your nation, we lament the cause which brings that sensibility into birth.

The circumstances relating to Commodore Barney were duly investigated, and we thought had been settled much to the Commodore's satisfaction.

The affront offered to the Secretary of the French Consulship was never known officially, and permit us to assure you that if it had been known, every effort would have been used by the magistracy to punish the offenders.

With respect to the outrage committed on the captain of marines of the Medusa, a complaint was lodged with one of the Aldermen, by him and the surgeon of the ship: The Aldermen who heard the complaint sent for the commonwealth's attorney, and in consultation with him, left to the option of the injured officer the choice of binding the offenders to their good behaviour (the only punishment which the laws of this state, can inflict for breaches of the peace) or a prosecution for the recovery of damages; the latter was the choice of the officer, and such suit is now under prosecution.

As to the disagreeable difference between the officer of the French Republic, and an officer of the American army, the magistrates, however they may lament such disputes, do not hold themselves bound to interfere in the quarrels or private individuals; they will ever show a promptitude to act as conservators of the peace, but do not consider their interposition as necessary to enforce the laws of politeness: So soon as we understood that hostile purposes were in meditation, an arrest was sent forward against Mr. Saunders for the purpose of preventing disagreeable consequences.

Conscious of that rectitude of conduct which has ever governed the magistracy of the Borough in the relation between them and the citizens of your republic, we feel ourselves hurt at the expression, that, "Justice for injury has been demanded, and not granted." Permit us to say, we know of no instance in which justice has been demanded and withheld.

While in your endeavors to keep up a good understanding between the citizens of our own and your republic, we keep in a view the necessity of enforcing an obedience to the laws over those persons more immediately under your jurisdiction. We conceive an equal exertion on your part as a necessary step thereto, and submit to you the expediency of a limitation in the license granted to the officers and sailors of the Ships of the republic in coming ashore.

The translation of your letter, added to the court being in their quarter sessions, has rendered a delay in the answer unavoidable.

I am, in behalf of the court of Aldermen, with respect,

Sir,

Your most obedient servant,

GEO. LOYALL, Mayor

Citizen Duhail, Vice-Consul of the French Republic, Norfolk.