Gazette Of The United States, & Philadelphia Daily Advertiser

PHILADELPHIA,

MONDAY EVENING, APRIL 29

A CIRCUMSTANCE more menacing
than any that has yet arisen in this country,
has been disclosed within the last forty-eight
hours.

Though the active vigilance of the May-
or of this city, a discovery has been made
which leads to the most alarming conclusions.

A large quantity of military clothing, bear-
ing the uniform and insignia of the French
Republic has been seized, and the persons
more immediately concerned in the secret
and clandestine fabrication of it, have been
committed to prison.

Providence has once more interfered to
preserve us—once more is it placed with-
in our power to rescue ourselves and our fa-
milies from the gripe of an all-destroying
monster. But not a day, an hour, nor a
moment should be lost in pursuing the only
measure, which a regard to self-preservation,
in this portentous crisis, admits.

A memorial should instantly be addressed
to the President of the United States, re-
questing an immediate and complete enforce-
ment of the law which provides against the
injuries that may be derived to the citizens
of the United States by the agency of aliens
resident within the state.

That there are men among ourselves equal-
ly criminal with those, who are thus con-
cerned in preparing clothing, forging arms,
and practising all the preparatory steps to the
overthrow of our government, and the sub-
jugaion of our country, cannot be doubted;
but the shield of citizenship, which they
most unworthily bear, is interposed against
the same summary process, which our safety
requires, and the laws authorize towards
aliens.

The present case is one which admits of
no contradiction—and allows no delay. This
clothing is French uniform—on the buttons
of the coats and waistcoats is placed the
French military insignia, with the legend
Republique Française.

It cannot, therefore, even be said, as is al-
ready attempted, that this clothing was in-
tended for the troops in St. Domingo (which
in itself would be a flagrant infraction of
our laws)—No; the commander of that
island is determined on independence; and
he would not, in such a moment; write
"French Republic" on the buttons of his
soldiers.

We shall be safe in supposing that this in-
fernal uniform is prepared for an army
which is to start up among ourselves, com-
pletely distinguished, by its clothing as by
its designs and actions, from the citizens of
the United States. An army, which at
midnight, may realize the threat of a villain
who is still tolerated among us, and who
said, "he hoped the day was not distant
when he should enter Philadelphia at the
head of an armed force, and not leave one
brick upon another."

Has not the Late French Consul, Le
Tombe, granted his certificate of protection
as Consul General of the French republic
with the United States, to the very fellow
who has directed the clandestine fabrication
of this clothing, and who is now in prison?

Have not Le Tombe's functions long since
ceased? What does this mean? Has the
infatuation, which has prostrated Europe,
taken complete possession of our faculties
too?

To strengthen the inferences so obviously
to be drawn from this disclosure, that infa-
mous morning print, called the Aurora, has
already attempted to cover the transaction
with a veil of ridicule.

Some other circumstances, of which we
have been apprised, since writing the forego-
ing, tend to exhibit this discovery in a light
still more important and alarming. The
clothing, it seems, had been distributed in
small parcels at different places in different
parts of the city: the person at whose house
the first quantity was discovered, positively
denied that he had any thing of the kind in
his possession, and it became necessary to
burst open, the doors; when a quantity of
uniform coats, together with shirts, overalls
&c. were immediately discovered and seized.

The quantity taken at other places was far
more considerable. Two considerations of
the most serious nature, arise out of this very
remarkable fact: That the clothing must
have been distributed not less for the purpose
of eluding research, than for the more sud-
den and effectual perpetration of the obvi-
ous design; and that, in all probability, but
a small part of the scheme and of the pre-
parations for carrying it into effect, have
been as yet brought to light.