"2, | 
' party to the executive directory of France, 
has returned to the United States. Ina 
letter from Bourdeaux, jut before his de- 
parture, he faid, he fhould « bring with 
him difpatches calculated to reftore har- 
mony between the two iiates.”” Imme- 
diately on his arrival from Paris, he is 
faid to have waited on Prefident Adams 
and the fecretary of flate; but both refufed 
io attend to his reprefentations, the moft 
important of which, it is rumoured, was 
an offer of the directory to fund the debt 
incurred by depredations on the commerce 
of the United States. 
The legiflative aflemblies were: opened 
on the zoth of December by a {peech from 
the prefident, in which he. congratulated 
them on the opportunity they again en- 
joyed, through Divine Providence, of 
meeting in the capital fo lately defolated 
by a dreadful difeafeé. Refpeéting the 
fubdfifting differences between the Repub- 
lic of France and America nothing de- 
cilive had been effeted; and though the 
former clearly indicated a with to imprefs 
the public with a notion of its readinefs 
tg adjuft the fubfiting differences, it had 
mot taken moft effeétual fleps to that 
purpofe ; he therefore recommended: to 
the United States a farther continuance of 
thofe meafures of defence which had been 
purfued for fome time, particularly that 
of augmenting the American navy. 
WEST INDIES. 
In our laft, we' noticed the difagree- 
ment which had taken place between Ge- 
neral Hedouville, the governor of St. Do- 
mingo, and the black general Touffaint. 
‘rhe latter has fince written to the repre- 
fentatives of the people in France, fiating 
the impolitic meafures, and the arbitrary 
atts, which the former had exercifed ; and 
defending himfeli againft the impudent 
charge which he had brought againft him 
of endeavouring to feparate the colony 
from France, by the aid of troops in the 
pay of England, and declaring its inde- 
pendence. He trufts in the juttice of the 
directory, and the impartiality of the two 
councils; and declares, that he will con- 
tinue to facrifice every moment of his*life 
to fecure the prolperity cf St. Domingo. 
An authentic account has appeared ‘of 
an unfuccefstul attack made by the Spa- 
niards upon the fettlers of Honduras, on 
the rith of September, by -a “orce ccn- 
fitting of a-flottilla of 31 veflels, having 
en board 2000 land forces, and 500 fea- 
men. Arthur O’Neil, governor-general, 
of Yucatan, commanded the. expedition, 
and cominenced his operation by attempt- 
ing to force a pafiage over Montego. 
- 
i, 
tite 
tha 
edi 
State of Public Affairs. 
: panne 
Bay: they were, however, finally de- 
feated, and driven back by the Englith, 
under Captain Mofs. 
! ' FRELAND. 
The propofed union with Great Britain 
has lately occupied the attention of the 
Trifh nation ; and it may be faid of the 
oppofition to that important meafure as 
the poet faid of Fame— : 
“* Virefgque acquirit eunde.”” 
S-veral public meetings have been al- 
ready held forthe purpofe ef taking into 
confideration that fubjeét, ene of the moft 
remarkable of which was that of the gen- 
tlemen, clergy, and freeholders, of the 
city of Dublin, on the 4th of January. 
The refolutions entered into on this ec- 
cafion fiate, in rong terms, that fince 
the renunciation of Great Britain to 
legiflate for Ireland, and the eftablifh- 
ment of her independence in 1782, her 
progrefs in trade, manufactures, and pro- 
{perity, has been rapid and unexampled ;- 
that the quefiion of an union appears to 
have for its bafis the extin€tion of the 
feparate independence and legiflation of 
Ireland; ‘that too high an opmion ought 
to be held of the Irith parliament, to 
fuppofe that it would betray the truft 
repofed in it, by furrendering the free 
legiflation of the country. But if, con- 
trary to expectation, the parliament fheuld 
entertain the queftion, of am union, - the 
reprefentatives fhould be inftructed to op- 
poie the bill in every ftage of its pregreis. _ 
That in eleQing the reprefentatives to ° 
ferve in parliament, the people had-not 
invefted them with a power of deftroying 
the conftitution; and that the parliament 
is incompetent to entertam the quefiion 
of a legiilative union between Great Bri- 
tain and Ireland. 
The rebel Holt has lately been ironed, 
and put on board a tranfport for Betanye 
Bay. : 
GREAT BRITAIN. ‘ 
In the parliamentary preceedings of 
our lafi number, notice was taken of the 
bill introduced by Mr. Pitt for the fur- 
ther fufpenfion of the Habeas Corpus act. 
In the fucceeding difcufliens upon this 
fubject, the treatment of the prifoners 
confined in the new prifon m Cold-bath- 
fields occupied the attention of both 
houfes for a confiderable time. Some of 
the members fated, upon their own ob- 
fervation, that the unfortunate perfens 
confined there were treated. with a feverity 
beyond what either the fafety or tran- 
guillity of the prifon required; fuch as 
clofe confinement in fmall and gia 
cells 
