leging that the conftitution of the United States has not given the president the right which he affumed. "If," faid this great diplomatic luminary, "it is an act merely arbitrary, it is amongst the class of acts of aggreffion, and becomes a caufe of war. I do not recollect what the wormeaten writings of Grotius, Puffendorf, or Vattel, say on the subject; I thank God I have forgotten what these hired jurisprudifts have written upon the rights of nations at a period when all were enchained."

On the 5th of December the president sent a message to the two houses, containing a formal complaint of the behaviour of the French minifter, but at the fame time acknowledging, in very explicit terms, the friendly attachment manifested by the French republic in the general tenor of its conduct towards America-" that they had given advantages to the commerce and navigation of the United States, and made overtures for placing those advantages on permanent ground; and he expreffed his firm conviction that the government of France will not fuffer them to remain long expofed to the infults of a person who has fo little respected the mutual difpofitions of the two nations." He takes notice, however, of the feizures of American veffels with enemy's goods on board, both by the French and English, in violation of what he apprehended to be the true principles of neutrality, and that representa tions had been made to the belligerent powers to obtain redress for the paft, and more effectual provifions against the future. Also, that on the subjects of mutual interest between America and Spain, negotiations and conferences were at that time depending.

The outrages nevertheless committed by the British armed veffels and cruizers on the American traders, in confequence of the famous order of council dated November, 1793, were so enormous, the encroachments made by the governments of Canada upon the American territory were so flagrant, and the indifpofition of the court of London to

deliver

deliver up the forts upon the great lakes, conformably to the treaty of 1783, was fo openly manifefted, that the president, in a meffage to congrefs, dated April 16, 1794, declared to the American legislature, that the aspect of their affairs with Great Britain was very ferious; and he at the fame time communicated to them the appointment of Mr. Jay, who held the high office of chief justice of the United States, as envoy extraordinary to his Britannic majefty. "A miffion like this," faid the prefident, "while it corresponds with the folemnity of the occafion, will announce to the world a folicitude for a friendly adjustment of our complaints, and a reluctance to hoftility."

Several cireumstances at this period concurred to excite the strongest fufpicions in the minds of the Americans of the evil defigns of the British court, which, with impotent' malignity, refented the good understanding uniformly kept up by the republic of America with the republic of France, notwithstanding the occafional abufes and excefles of the French government. In a TALK or conference held by lord Dorchester, late fir Guy Carleton, with the Indian chiefs of Lower Canada in February, 1794, the governor declared, that he fhould not be furprifed if the king their father were to be at war with the people of the United States before the end of the year-" You are witnefs, children," faid he to the chieftains, "that on our part we have acted in the most peaceable manner, and borne the language of the United States with patience; and, I believe, our patience is almost exhausted."-An infurrection having broken out in the western territory in confequence of the recent introduction of the excife laws among that rude people, the infurgents threatened, that if the tax in queftion was not repealed, they would place themselves under the protection of Great Britain. In the course of the fummer they were, however, reduced to fubmiflion. With a view, as it appeared, to co-operate with thefe infurgents, the Indian nations to the northward made a defperate in

curfion

curfion into the western territory. General Wayne, being fent with an armed force to repel this attack about the middle of Auguft, penetrated to the Miami river, on the banks of which, to his utter furprise, he discovered a fort erected and garrisoned by the British fettlers of Detroit and Canadian militia; and under the cannon of this fort the Indians routed and purfued by Wayne fought and found refuge. Major Campbell, governor of the fort, wrote to general Wayne to know the caufe of his hoftile approach to a garrison appertaining to his Britannic majefty. The American general in reply, afferted, “that he knew of no act of hoftility excepting that committed by the major in erecting a fortification within the acknowledged boundary of the United States, which he fummoned him forthwith to furrender, and withdraw within the limits of the British territory. Major Campbell. with laudable difcretion, informed general Wayne," that being a military officer merely he had no authority to enter into any discusfion of right, but that he was confident the difference would be amicably adjusted between their feveral governments;' and on this affurance general Wayne, with equal moderation, drew off his troops.

In the fouthern colonies alfo the American government had strong ground to fufpect that the Creek and Seneca Indians had been tampered with by the British agents, to engage in a war against the Americans; but all thefe caufes of difference were referred to the well-known addrefs and management of Mr. Jay.

Nearly at the fame time the prefident nominated, as minifter-plenipotentiary to the French government, Mr. James Monroe, a man of a cool and difpaffionate temper, of excellent parts, and a fincere friend to the cause of Gallic as well as of American liberty. He arrived at Paris immediately after the fall of the Robespierrian faction, and at his first audience (August 15, 1794) he was received with the most cordial tokens of esteem and affection. "The

French

French people," said the prefident of the Convention, in his answer to the speech of Mr. Monroé, " have not forgotten, that it is to the Americans they owe the beginning of liberty. It was by admiring the sublime insurrection of the American people against Albion, once fo proud, now fo degraded, it was by taking arms themselves to fecond the courageous efforts of that infurrection,-it was by cementing the independence of America with the blood of their bravest warriors, that the French people learned to break the fceptre of tyranny in their turn, and to erect the ftatue of Liberty on the ruins of a throne founded on fourteen centuries of corruption and crimes."

BOOK

BOOK XV.

Wonderful Acquifitions of France during the War. Seffion of Parliament, 1795. King's Speech holds out bold and fallacious Hopes of Success. Defection of Mr. Wilberforce, and other Partizans of the Miniftry, from the Syftem of the Court. Causes of the National Delufion. Sufpenfion of the Habeas-Corpus Act renewed. Loan granted to the Emperor. Statement of the National Finances. Motion of Mr. Grey refpecting Peace-Infidiously counteracted by Mr. Pitt. Similar Motion of the Duke of Bedford---Rejected by the Peers. Refolutions moved by Mr. Grey and the Duke of Bedford alfo negatived. Motion by Mr. Fox to inquire into the State of the Nation evaded. Motions respecting the Recall of Lord Fitzwilliam from Ireland negatived. Pacific Motion by Mr. Wilberforce negatived. Marriage Eftablishment of the Prince of Wales. Motion for the Abolition of the Slave-Trade rejected. Acquittal of Mr. Haftings. Termination of the Seffion. Proceedings of the Irish Parliament---Appointment of Earl Camden to the Government Catholic-Emancipation Bill rejected---Diftracted State of the Country. Military Tranfactions. Shattered Remains of the Duke of York's Army embarked for England. Peace between France and Pruffia---Aljo between France and Spain. Surrender of Luxemburg. Indecifive Operations on the Rhine. Naval Engagement off the Conft of Corfica. Skilful Retreat of Admiral Cornwallis. French Squadron defeated by Lord Bridport. The lands of St. Eufatius and St. Lucia recovered by the French. War against the Maroons in Jamaica. Cape of Good Hope captured by the English. State of Affairs in France. vengeful Proceedings of the Gironde Faction. Difaftrcus Expedition to La Vendée. Death of the Dauphin. New Conftitution

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