The Patowmac Guardian, And Berkeley Advertiser

PARIS, November 14.

Extract of a letter from Worms.

"To describe the terror and anguish which pervaded every breast at the entrance of the French into this city, would even baffle the powers of conception. Nothing was to be heard but confused cries and moans. The gates were immediately shut, and nobody dared either pass or repass. The enormous contribution was exacted with threats, and no one dared stay under pain of death. General Custine declared that if the contribution was not raised and paid when the clock struck six, he would plant his cannon in all the streets and batter the town into a heap of ruins. All the Magistrates, women and children, fell at his feet, and craved mercy and compassion: but the General seemed inexorable: yet he lamented, he said, that he had orders to act with such severity. Every one brought what he could raise in money, and offered to pay the deficiency in effects of value. But Custine said he wanted nothing but money, which he must have. It being an entire impossibility, he took the hostages with him.

His men dared not commit the smallest excess. He ordered thirty of them and a Captain to be shot at Spires, and one of them had only eaten a grape. We cannot lavish too much praise on the French soldiers, who mingled their tears with ours at the inexorable rigor of the General. They all declared loudly that they would not obey the orders to batter the town into ruins, though we had been represented to them as their most inveterate enemies.

The officers advised us to write to France, and that the Convention would make restitution. The French took with them 15,000 tents which the emigrants had left in pledge here, and all the provisions and ammunition belonging to the Prussians and Austrians. The value of what has been taken by them from hence to Spires, is estimated at twenty millions of Rix dollars."