Gazette Of The United States, & Philadelphia Daily Advertiser

THE late decree of the French directory authorizing a further interruption of the commerce of their very dear allies and sister republic, has given the lie to the speculative assertion that monarchs were the only treaty breakers—That the French government would regard our interests as their own. We have been told this a thousand times, but we were not till lately let into the true sense of the equivoque. Yet while we are vexed at this ingratitude of those who learn'd of us to be free, and of our Vice President how to frame a government to preserve that freedom, let us do justice to the French by acknowledging, that they were advised to this attack by our own adopted citizens. Yes, the period which elapsed from the time of British aggression, to that of the French decrees, if taken in connection with the numerous publications of the Jacobins and their repeated assertions that the French would and ought to attack us for having made a peace with Great-Britain, will show who were the advisers to the step. Alas, to what lengths will party spirit carry these wicked men, who would ruin their country rather than see it in its mad predictions!

A very short time will show who were the private advisers, of the French directory, who to do them justice, did not readily engage in this mischievous and imprudent measure; but what shall we do with those serpents now harboured in our bosom, who under the specious name of patriotic citizens, enjoy our rights and privileges while they are seeking to destroy our commerce and agriculture, and with these the several mechanical and other branches, which have recently raised us to a rank with some of the first European nations.—Whenever these mischievous men are detected, they immediately quote their champion, who in his Notes on Virginia, page 174, says, "Let us never wish to see our citizens at a work bench or a distaff. The loss of navigation will, he says, be made up by happiness; and further, that the "mobs of cities" are sores to the body politic; in short, that none but "workers in the earth," like his SLAVES IN VIRGINIA, are or can be endued with a divine spirit, or spiritual grace; hence it follows, of course, that all the other classes of citizens are to be damned. These are the sentiments of the great Mr. Jefferson, and of his satellites; but they are not to be found in any other civilized country since the age of common sense, except in lunatic hospitals.

A MECHANIC.