Fowle's New Hampshire Gazette And General Advertiser

Portsmouth, July 13.

A correspondent wishes to be informed whether it is not as necessary that French vessels bound to the United States, should be furnished with pass-ports from the American Consuls residing in the French dominions, as for American vessels to be obliged to receive such from the French Consuls residing among us, on pain of being refused admittance in their ports. Notwithstanding the plausible pretext of British subjects imposing themselves on them for Americans--your correspondent knows of no indulgence granted to us more than to any other people; their ports (which are denominated free) being open to all nations. What necessity of our having Naval Offices established, if no credence is to be paid to them by foreigners without the sanction of their Consuls? We may as well abolish them, and give up at once, all pretensions to liberty, as to suffer such a flagrant infringement on our rights and privileges.--- Where is our (much boasted) independence, if we tamely submit to such violations? It is almost now merely nominal, and as we go on, it will be even without the name! An imposition is an imposition, let it come from what quarter it may, as such, it ought to be considered and resented. If we are indebted to foreigners, let us endeavour to pay them with honor, and assert our rights like freemen; not suffer such indignities, because we are under obligations: it denotes servile fear, which Americans ought to be ashamed of.