The Daily Advertiser

From the Connecticut Gazette.

Mr. GREEN.

Sir,

As I find there has been a misrepresentation of the affront offered the Americans at Aux-Cayes, and the public anxious to know the particulars, I think it my duty to communicate them through the channel of your useful paper, with the mode we took for redress; and though we received no answer to our request before I left there, yet the matter was not treated with contempt, as there was a letter from their Excellencies at Port-au-Prince, to the Commissary at Aux-Cayes, requesting further particulars. The Chevalier De Querrebars, sensible that he had taken a step beyond his or any other man's commission, has denied part of the facts.*

Your humble servant,
NICOLL FOSDICK.

* Caning

To their Excellencies the General and Intendant of St. Domingo.

To your Excellencies have recourse the petitioners for justice, having been treated most shamefully by the navy.

One of the two (Samuel Foster) commander of the American Schooner Swallow. in this road, going on board of his boat yesterday evening at about seven o'clock, and having just offered a passage to the other, (Joseph Peabody) commander of the American Schooner Three-Friends also in this port; when the Chevalier De Querrebars commanding his majesty's frigate Le Fine, who was on the public wharf, ready to go on board, came from the end of the wharf to the applicant's boat, and ordered him out of her, and he had scarcely done so, when taking him by the collar, ordered his people to seize him, and also the other supplicant Joseph Peabody; and after asking them into his boat) began to cane them, without the least cause of displeasure from the applicants.

When arrived on board the frigate, they were put under the fore-castle among the hogs, where they had been about a quarter of an hour, when the Chevalier De Querrebars sent for them in the cabin, and there having for interpreter, a young American (volunteer on board said frigate) asked the applicant, Samuel Foster, (whom he again took by the collar) if he did not know that he had forbid all boats whatsoever, to go to the public wharf, which he said was only built for him and his boats, when your supplicants answered him that they, were ignorant of such orders; he told them that the interpreter as well as the searchers ought to have informed them of it; (it appears nevertheless, that the interpreter has never had the honor to speak to the Chevalier de Querrebars, or any of his officers) at length, after that interrogation, he caused them to be told that he would keep them all night in irons, and that the next morning they might expect to be brought to the gun, and receive five and twenty lashes each.

We were taken out of irons this morning, and sent on shore; that officer had however the clemency to spare us (or if you will, himself) the humiliation of the correction with which he threatened us. One of the supplicants (Samuel Foster cannot, even at the moment he complains to your Excellency, imagine, how, at the age of sixty years, the Chevalier De Querrebars could permit himself to disgrace his white hair, which, accompanied with good conduct, had every where gained or met with quite different treatment. And as to the other, (Joseph Peabody) if coming to the public wharf where all boats whatever come, merits a corporal punishment, such as that the Chevalier de Querrebars inflicted himself, and caused to be inflicted on him, he does not think that as a passenger, he merited to be caned, dragged to irons, and threatened to be brought to the gun and whipped.

They both have however the honor to lay before your Excellencies their complaint, under the order of whom they more particularly look upon themselves as subjects and faithful allies.

'They will never cease to pray for the conservation of your Excellencies, &c. &c.

Aux-Cayes, May 21, 1788.

(Signed)
SAMUEL FOSTER.

(Copy)
JOSEPH PEABODY.

SINCE the above case has made it necessary to trouble your Excellencies, we the undersigned, commanders of American vessels now in this port, beg your Excellencies patience for a moment, while we state a few facts that may not be amiss to reach your Excellencies' ears. On our arrival here, the soldiers are kept on board. six, eight, and twelve days, according to our lading, which, when it consists of boards, cantling, shingles, or any lumber, the smallness of our crews considered, may last much longer ; and those soldiers we have been forced of late to pay two dollars per day during the whole time of their stay on board ; this late demand has appeared to us contradictory to a late ministerial letter to us communicated, where, in Art. 2. we have understood that after all entries made at the different offices, his Most Christian Majesty's intentions were, that nothing should be allowed the same soldiers.

We have been boarded by the frigate's boats in the dead of the night, in a very still manner; and it is by the breaking up of our holds and over-setting our casks, &c. that we know they are on board.

It is under pretence of fire that we are searched, (when there is not a spark on board) but for the reason we judge of finding prohibited articles, which might be much better searched for in the day than in the night, and we much safer in our persons and property; for as we are not to oppose the frigate's boats, we cannot with propriety oppose any one, which puts it in the power of any set of Ruffians under the character of an officer and crew from the frigate, to board us at their pleasure, and rob us not only of our property, but lives also.

As to the impolite treatment we receive for having a candle in our cabins late in the evening, as on extraordinary occasions (such as writing on departure of vessels, &c.) we sometimes have we do not wish to mention, but ask it as a particular favor that we may be furnished with the regulations of the port, for as yet we never have seen, and know no more at what particular hour we must put our candles out, than at what particular spot we are not to land with our. boats; nor has there been any orders that has ever come to our knowledge respecting either case.

Sensible of the goodness of our great and generous ally, his most Christian majesty, and likewise of your Excellencies, we rest assured under the pleasing idea, that some satisfaction will be given for the gross insult received by two of us; and that, for the future, matters may be so regulated, that we may have the privilege of a free port, be safe in our persons and property, enjoy that peace and unanimity, we wish ever to subsist between the two nations, and which on our part shall ever be kept sacred.

We should have waited personally on your Excellencies with our grievances, had not the distance opposed, but have the honor of offering them with our most sincere wishes and prayers for your Excellencies' days, &c. &c.

Nicoll Fosdick, New-London.
John Pitman, Salem.
Thomas Le Moyne, Boston.
Jonathan Myrick, ditto.
William Baush, Norfolk, (Virginia.)
Hugh Orr, Portsmouth, ditto.
Nathaniel Kinisman, Boston.
Israel Sheldon, Providence, (R. Island.)
Lemuel Bishop, ditto.
Samuel Foster, Salem.
Joseph Peabody, ditto.