Never did the imagination of a traitor conceive a more formidable chain of obstacles than is presented in this letter, which failed not to produce its effect; for the Prefident, had he at once iffued his orders to affemble the forces, might have extinguished the infurrection long before the time that it was finally effected, and might have faved all the expenfe and toil with which the expedition was attended.

Now to trace this advice of RANDOLPH, and the fluggish conduct of MIFFLIN, to their true caufe, we have only to recur once more to FAUCHET's difpatch, paragraph 16.-" As foon," fays he," as it "was decided, that the French Government purchafed no men to do their duty, there were to be seen indi"viduals, about whofe conduct the Government

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might at least form uneafy conjectures, giving "themselves up with a fcandalous oftentation to its "views, and even feconding its declarations. Then "were feen coming from these men harangues without "end, in order to give a new direction to the public "mind, &c." By looking over the Report to the Legislature of Pennfylvania, it will be seen, that, till after the end of Auguft (when the money overtures were, for want of cafh, rejected), the Governor of Pennsylvania made no exertions to affemble the militia; but, after the overtures had failed, then he began his "tour through the counties." On this tour he made" harangues without end, in order to give a new direction to the public mind." RANDOLPH'S change of conduct was more remarkable ftill. He wrote a series of effays against the infurgents, which effays were industrioufly circulated through the country, in the public papers. Having failed in their project for obtaining the pecuniary aid of France, thefe men were anxious to remove all ground of suspicion, by appearing to entertain an extraordinary degree of anger against the infurgents. Hence the "Scandalous oftentation" of which Fauchet fpeaks, and which

did, indeed, excite, at the time, no fmall degree of amazement in the people of Pennfylvania.

The army marched, and the infurrection was quelled. The New Annual Regifter takes great pains to propagate the belief that this event produced no evil at all. According to the account which it gives of the expedition, one would imagine, that the troops had a very pleasant excurfion of about two months; that they found their deluded countrymen full of penitence for what they had done; that both fides were inftantly reconciled; and that peace was restored without violence or injury. I fhall quote its words:

"In the beginning of October the Prefident in "perfon joined the army at Carlisle, of which Go"vernor Lee of Virginia was appointed Commander "in Chief, and Governor Mifflin fecond in com"mand. From Carlifle the army proceeded to Fort "Bedford. In their route they experienced no op"pofition, and feveral of the leading infurgents were "apprehended. On the approach of the main army, "amounting to 7000 men, who expected hourly to "be joined by a reinforcement of 6000 from Cum

berland, the infurgents fuddenly difbanded, and "their leaders difappeared. On the 25th of October "a refpectable meeting of the principal planters and "inhabitants of the western counties was held at "Pittsburg, where they entered into a folemn refo"lution to fubmit to the laws of the republic, and "to promote order and good government by every "means in their power. Though every appearance "now manifefted the return of peace and good order, "General Washington judged it prudent to station

a small force for a certain period in the disaffected "counties. Thefe measures had the defired effect; "the infurgents who were taken, we have under"flood, were all pardoned; and thus, by a happy "mixture of firmness with moderation, an infurrection, "which, under a rash and intemperate adminiftration, might

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might have had the most fatal effects, was quelled "without bloodshed, and almoft without violence or lofs."

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This compliment the Hiftorian of the New Annual Regifter would have beftowed on no Government but a republican one. It is my business, however, to state truths, and to ftrip off the difguife with which this artful promulgator of falsehoods has conftantly endeavoured to hide the weakneffes and crimes of that fpecies of government, or rather that species of anarchy. The infurrection was put an end to, he tells us, "almoft without violence or lofs." Your little qualifying words are very useful to a writer like this. Almoft, hardly, much about, and the like, are words on which the Hiftorian of the New Annual Register places his chief dependance, in cafes of detection. He knows very well, that nineteen twentieths of his readers are totally uninformed as to the matter on which he writes; and he alfo knows, that, amongst thofe who are able to detect him, very few will ever take the pains to do it. If any one fhould give himfelf the trouble to drag him before the public, then the crafty and malicious liar has recourse to his faving phrafes; he makes out a plaufible defence, and the ftupid public not only pardons him, but again places confidence in his ftatements.

Almoft without violence or lofs." The loss to the Treasury of the United States, and that of the particular States which fupplied troops for the expedition, amounted to one million and a half of dollars, which was one fourth part of the whole revenue of the United States for that year. In men the lofs was four hundred and forty-one of the troops, who died before the return of the army. Some of these would, undoubtedly, have died at home, during the fame time; but I think we may fairly place three hundred deaths to the fatigues, hardships, and diffipation occafioned by the march. I faw the Pennfylvania troops enter Philadelphia

Philadelphia on their return, and never did my eyes behold fo deplorable a fight. They were dirty, ragged, and lean, except the young men of the city, who had clothed and equipped themfelves, and who had expended thirty or forty pounds cach to purchase comforts on their march: they looked more like a proceffion of paupers going to a workhoufe, than like an army returning triumphant from the campaign.

But it is neceffary to give some account of the conduct of the army towards the people. This I fhall take from CALLENDER, who has given a sketch of the hiftory of the campaign, and who has brought together those facts related by FINDLEY and BRACKENRIDGE, the only perfons who published any thing on the fubject. The reader will have no very high opinion of the veracity of CALLENDER (fee vol. ii. p. 5, and feveral other parts of this work); nor will he, when he shall be acquainted with the characters of FINDLEY and BRACKENRIDGE, place implicit confidence in what either of them may fay, or fwear: but these men have related facts, they have published them, and they have hitherto remained uncontradicted by their opponents. I could relate fome curious things refpecting the expedition, which have never yet been noticed in print; but, whenever I can do it, I love to refer to the republicans themselves. I fhall now infert CALLENDER'S fketch, obferving that the author entertains an attachment to France, and to republicanism, full as warm and as fincere as that of the Hiftorian of the New Annual Register. It appears ftrange, at firft fight, that the partifans of France, who are in America, fhould be oppofed to the Federal Government, while thofe of her partifans who are in England, are continually loading that government with eulogiums; but, from a clofe view of the fubject, we shall perceive that the conduct of both is perfectly confiftent, and has a direct

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tendency to the fame object. In England the moft effectual way of injuring the caufe of monarchy, and of ferving France, is to make the filly people believe that out of the American rebellion has grown a government infinitely better than that which that rebellion destroyed; but in America it is neceffary to decry this fame excellent government, in order to prepare the way, for its deftruction, and for fhifting its power into the hands of France. Thus was it with refpect to Switzerland. Till that country was overrun by France, its policy, its government, its laws, its religion, and its cuftoms, were the everlasting theme of applause with all those who wifhed to deftroy the monarchy of England. But no fooner did the infernal nation lay their rapacious and bloody hands on her, than thofe very fame men, and women too, who had before painted Switzerland as the paradife of freedom, began to discover that it was the very hell of flavery; and were France to overturn the Federal Government, and all the State Governments in America, we should foon hear the Hiftorian of the New Annual Regifter, and other writers of the fame ftamp, representing thofe governments as the worst of defpotifms. With them the interefts of the French Republic outweigh every other confideration; they regard her as the greatest and most powerful patron of rebellion, and they ferve her with fidelity, zeal, and enthusiasın.

A Sketch of the Hiftory of the Western Infurrection, by James Thomjon Callender, published at Philadel phia, 1798.

The money for defraying the expenfe of the army was fupplied in direct oppofition to the Conftitution. That inftrument, Article I. Section ix. Clause 6.

fays,