Gazette Of The United States, & Philadelphia Daily Advertiser

that command under the government of France, and who shall refrain from privateering, shall be entitled to a free trade with this country--the only case is a case of insurrection and rebellion. Suppose, said Mr. G. I should agree with the gentleman from Connecticut, that if once a rebellion takes place, or any colony shall declare itself independent (but by the bye the doctrine is not countenanced by the law of nations) that we may trade there as we please. Does it result that we have a right to pass a law beforehand to contemplate such an event ? If we do, it will be speaking publicly thus. " I any persons shall, in any island, port or place, belonging to the French republic, raise an insurrection, and declare themselves independent, and shall be found to refrain from committing depredations upon our commerce, we will open a free trade with them." and yet the gentleman from Connecticut calls this a mere commercial question. The Committee have been told of a number of cases which he had been astonished to hear-cases which happened in our war. Gentlemen who have mentioned these have not attended to any of the facts of the war. Mr. G. referred to the case of the treaty made in Holland, which has already been explained in a former debate.--Mr. G. said. Gentlemen might put what construction they pleased upon this section; but certainly publicly to tell the French colonies that if they will rebel against their government, and refrain from depredating against us, we will treat with them, is to invite them to do it. A declaration of war has always been the consequence of such a conduct in other countries; and he supposed gentlemen are not ready for a declaration of war, though they tell us there is no chance in our affairs for the better; that negotiation is at an end; that no idea can be entertained of the sincerity of any professions of the French ; and not being ready to bring in a declaration of war, they are not surely ready to make it, or provoke it; and if not, why assume a principle that may have this effect? He hoped the amendment would be agreed to. Mr. Otis was apt to think, that if the gentleman from N. Carolina, whose candour and attachment to this bill are well known, could have foreseen the eagerness with which gentlemen opposed to the bill have seized upon his amendment, it would have had some weight with him in preventing the motion; and if the sagacity of his friend from S. Carolina (Mr. Harper) had not been a little surprised on this occasion, he would not have given his consent to it. This amendment, said Mr. O. contains the same principle which has already been three or four times rejected: it will necessarily lead to an examination whether the officer in any island is legally authorized, or not, whereas it is our wish to let that question alone. To say that this bill will be a cause of war is ridiculous. The gentleman from Pennsylvania had so long and so often predicted causes of war, that every body would discredit them in future; for being at peace at present, was a full contradiction of all his former predictions. The committee rose and had leave to sit again.