gence whatever refpecting it; but he gave it, as a fpeculation of his own, that if fuch an enterprise ever proved true, it probably must be to take revenge of the beys, and to annoy and attack the English fettlements in the Eaft Indies. In anfwer to this, it was circumftantially stated to him, that the fmalleft attempt, on the part of the French, upon Cairo, on whatever pretext it might be founded, would be taken as a declaration of war, and thereby the friendship fubfifting between the two courts fince the most ancient times, would, both in a legal and political fenfe, be, converted into enmity; and the Ot toman empire would not fuffer the lofs of a handful of fand of the Egyptian territory; that the whole Ottoman fect would fet itfelf in motion for the deliverance of thofe bleffed lands; and that if the chaftifement of the beys of Egypt was neceffary, it behoved the Sublime Porte to inflict it on them as her dependents; that the interference of the French in this buliness was inconfiftent with the rights of nations; that the court of Great Britain being the dearest friend of the Ottoman empire, the Sublime Porte would never confent to the paffage of French troops through her territory to act against their fettlements; that in fhort, fhould even their expedition to Egypt have no other object but this, it would be equally conftrued into a declaration of war: of all which he was charged to make the earliest communication to the directory in this very language. Difpatches, bearing inftructions to the lame effect, were at the fame time written to Aali Efendi, the Sublime Porte's embaffador at Paris, who was moreover directed to 1798.. demand officially an explanation of Before the communications fent. by Ruffin to the directory, and the difpatches tranfmitted by the Subline Porte to her embaffador be. fore named, a letter of an old date was received by the faid Ruthin, expreffing that Buonaparte's expedi-, tion to Egypt was true; but that the object was to fecure fome commercial advantages, by bringing the beys to an account, and to hurt Great Britain; that an embaffador had been appointed to prefer feveral propofitions favourable to the interefts of the Ottoman Porte, and to adjuft the affair in queftion; with this further ridiculous hint, that were the Porte to declare war for this against the republic, both courts would lay themselves open to an attack on the part of the emperor; all this the faid chargé d'af faires delivered officially, and he alfo prefented a copy of that letter. Upon the other hand, in the anfwer received meanwhile from the Ottoman embaffador above mentioned, it was stated, that, in conformity to his inftructions, he had had an interview with Talleyrand Perigord, the minister of external relations, in which he had produced his difpatches, explained their purport, and demanded, officially, a categorical antwer: that the faid mi-, nifter (forgetting, as it is to be fuppofed, the tenor of the letter which had been written to Ruffin fome time before) pofitively difavowed the expedition against Egypt, and faid that Buonaparte's commiffion had no other object but the conqueft of Malta; that the abolition of the order there being a measure conducive to the benefit of all the Turks, the Sublime Porte ought to feel even obliged by it; that the directory had nothing more at heart (Q) than than to maintain the peace exifting The wide contradiction between the above two communications being visibly a fresh artifice by which to mislead the Ottoman Porte with her eyes open, and to gain time until intelligence could be procured refpecting the affairs of Fgypt, the refult of which had not then come to their knowledge, muft not this most extraordinary event be taken as a palpable demonftration, that the directors of the French government, to fecond their own ambition and arrogance, have actually lost all recollection of thofe laws obferved and maintained in every regular government, and that no faith whatever is to be placed in their words and profeffions? From the tenor of their arbitrary proceedings and defpotic conduct, as too well witneffed from first to laft, it is clear and evident that their project is no other but to banifh every orderly inftitution from the face of the world; to overfet human fociety; and, by an alter nate play of fecret intrigue or open hoftility, as beft fuits their end, to derange the conftitution of every eftablished independent ftate, by creating (as they have done in Italy) a number of fmall republics, of which the French is to be the parent mother, and thus to fway and to conduct every thing after their own will every where. Now Egypt being the portal of the two venerable cities, Mecca and Medina, and the prefent operations in that quarter being of a nature affecting all the Mahomedan fet at large, the Sublime Porte, confiftently with her exprefs décla rations to the above French charged'affaires, and through her emballa compelled, by every law, to refift dor to the directory at Paris, feels fions and hoftilities committed by the fudden and unprovoked aggref the French as above, and, with a full confidence in the affiftance of the omnipotent God, to fet about repelling and deftroying the enemy by fea and land. Thus to wage war against France is become a precept of religion incumbent upon all muffulmen. fore-named chargé-d'affaires, toIn confequence whereof, the agether with the officers of that miffion, have been fent to the Seven Towers, to be detained there as hoftages until fuch time as Aali Effendi before named, and those of his retinue, be arrived from Paris: and the confuls, merchants, and French properties in Conftantinotoman empire, fhall alfo be kept in ple, and in other parts of the Otdepofit, and as a fecurity, until the merchants, dependents of the Sublime Porte, with their fhipping and properties, as alfo the public hips, with their equipages, detained in the province of Egypt (prifoners of war excepted) be fet at liberty. ufurpers, who have raifed the ftandTo repel the perfidy of these ard of rebellion and trouble in France, is a measure in which not the fafety and tranquillity of the Sublime Porte alone, but also that of all the powers in Europe is concerned. Wherefore the best hopes are entertained of the cordial co-operation of all friendly courts, as well as of their difpofition to fulfil, by every means in their power, their duties of friendship and of affift ance in the prefent cause. 1 Rebuilakir, 1213. (11 September, 1798.) Imperial Imperial Decree, promulgated at the To you, Kaimakam-Pafha, thefe Ever fince the fupreme vizir, time. When the unhappy tidings from thence came to our imperial ear, a full month after that infufferable event had come to pafs, fuch were our grief and concern, that, we take God to witnefs, it drew tears from our eyes, and deprived us of fleep and reft. We have, therefore, immediately depofed him from the office of grand vizir, and have appointed, in his place, Youffouff pafha, governor of Erzerum; until whofe arrival at our fublime gate we appoint and conftitute you, Muftafa bey, to be Kaimakum. Now, it being incumbent upon all true believers to combat those faithlefs brutes the French, and it being become a pofitive duty for our imperial perfon to deliver the bleffed territories from their accurfed hands, and to revenge the infults which they have offered to muffulmans, no delay whatever is .to take place for the arrival of the new vizir; but the moft vigorous measures must be pursued to at- Wherefore, by a deliberation with the illuftrious lawyers, minifters, and chieitains, our fubjects, you must (with a full confidence in God and his prophet) fix upon the effectual means of freeing the province of Egypt from the prefence of fuch wretches. You will acquaint all the true believers in the refpective quarters that we are at war with the French; and, turning night into day, will apply your utmoft efforts to take revenge of them. You will adopt the moft vigilant conduct towards defending the other Mohamedan provinces, and our imperial frontiers, from the plots and malice of the enemy, by the due reinforcement of every port and place with troops and military ftores. You will likewife direct your zealous attention towards the due fupply of daily provifions to the inhabitants of this our imperial refidence; and will watch over the affairs of all perfons in general, until the fupreme vizir do arrive. We shall obferve your exertions; and may the omnipotent God ordain his divine favour to attend our undertakings, and render us fuccefsful in the vindication of our cause. The following Melage from the Gentlemen of the Senate, and The difpatches from the envoys extraordinary of the United States to the French republic, which were *Original, Swine. (22) meu mentioned in my meffage to both houfes of congrefs, of the 5th inft. have been examined and maturely confidered. While I feel a fatisfaction in informing you, that their exertions for the adjustment of the differences between the two nations have been fincere and unremitted, it is incumbent on me to declare, that I perceive no ground of expectation that the objects of their million can be accomplished on terms compatible with the fafety, honour, or the effential interefts of the nation. The refult cannot with juftice be attributed to any want of moderation on the part of this government, or to any indifpofition to forego fecondary interefts for the prefervation of peace. Knowing it to be my duty, and believing it to be your with, as well as that of the great body of the people, to avoid, by all reafonable conceffions, any participation in the contentions of Europe, the powers vefted in our envoys were commenfurate with a liberal and pacific policy, and that high confidence which might justly be repofed in the abilities, patriotism, and integrity of the characters to whom the negotiation was committed. After a careful review of the whole fubject, with the aid of all the information I have received, I can difcern nothing which could have infured or contributed to fuccefs, that has been omitted on my part, and nothing further which can be attempted, confiftently with maxims for which our country has contended, at every hazard, and which conftitute the bafis of our national fovereignty. Under thefe circumstances, I cannot forbear to reiterate the recommendations which have been formerly made, and to exhort you to adopt with promptitude, decifion, and unanimity, fuch meafures as the ample refources of the country afford, for the protection of our feafaring and commercial citizens; for the defence of any exposed portions of our territory; for replenishing our arfenals, eftablishing founderies and military manufactures; and to provide fuch efficient revenue as will be neceffary to defray extraordinary expenfes, and fupply the deficiencies which may be occafioned by depredations on our commerce. The present state of things is fo effentially different from that in which inftructions were given to collectors to restrain veffels of the United States from failing in an armed condition, that the principle on which thofe orders were iffued, has ceafed to exift. I therefore deem it proper to inform congrefs, that I no longer conceive myself juftifiable in continuing them, unlefs in particular cafes, where there may be reafonable ground of fufpicion that fuch veffels are intended to be employed contrary to law. Saturday, December 8, 1798, the Prefident of the United States met both Houfes of Congress, in the Reprefentatives' Chamber, and addressed them as follows: Gentlemen of the Senate, and While with reverence and refignation we contemplate the difpenfations of Divine Providence, in the alarming and deftructive peftilence with which feveral of our cities and towns have been vifited, there is caufe for gratitude and mutual congratulations that the malady has difappeared, and that we are again permitted to affemble in fafety at the feat of government, for the difcharge of our important duties. But when we reflect that this fatal diforder has, within a few years, made repeated ravages in fome of our principal fea-port towns, and with increafed malignancy, and when we confider the magnitude of the evils arising from the interrup tion of public and private bufinefs, whereby the national interefts are deeply affected, I think it my duty to invite the legislature of the union to examine the expediency of eftablishing fuitable regulations in aid of the health-laws of the refpective ftates; for thefe being formed on the idea that contagious fickness may be communicated through the channels of commerce, there feems to be a neceffity that congrefs, who alone can regulate trade, fhould frame a fyftem which, while it may tend to preferve the general health, may be compatible with the interefts of commerce, and the fafety of the revenue. While we think on this calamity, and fympathife with the immediate fufferers, we have abundant reafon to prefent to the Supreme Being our annual oblations of gratitude for a liberal participation in the ordinary bleifings of his providence. To the ufual fubjects of gratitude, I cannot omit to add one of the first importance to our well-being and fafety; I mean that fpirit which has arifen in our country against the menaces and aggreffion of a foreign nation. A manly fenfe of national honour, dignity, and in dependence has appeared, which, if encouraged and invigorated by every branch of the government, will enable us to view, undifmayed, the enterprifes of any foreign power, and become the fure foundation of national profperity and glory The courfe of the tranfactions in relation to the United States and France, which have come to my knowledge during your recefs, will be made the fubject of a future communication. That commuuication will confirm the ultimate failure of the meafures which have been taken by the government of the United States towards au amicable adjustment of differences with that power. You will at the saine time perceive that the French go. vernment appears folicitous to imprefs the opinion that it is averfe to a rupture with this country, and that it has, in a qualified manner, declared itself willing to receive a minifter from the United States for the purpose of reftoring a good underftanding. It is unfortunate for profeflions of this kind that they thould be expreffed in terms which may countenance the inadmiffible pretention of a right to prefcribe the qualifications which a minifter from the United States fhould poffefs; and that, while France is afferting the exiftence of a difpofition on her part to conciliate with fincerity the differences which have arifen, the fincerity of a like difpofition on the part of the United States, of which fo many demonftrative proofs have been given, fhould even be indirectly queftioned. It is alfo worthy of obfervation, that the decree of the directory alleged to be intended to reftain the depredati, ons of French cruifers on our commerce, has not given, and cannot give any relief: it enjoins them to conform to all the laws of France relative to carrying and prizes, while thefe laws are themfelves the fources |