146 
Trifhmen, and of a copy of the nego- 
ciation concluded by the Irith agent at 
Lille, fo ions ago as March laft. On 
the examination of Dr. Nevin, this copy 
was fhewn him and proved to be verba- 
tim the fame as that figned at Lifle. 
It appears that fume pretended United 
Trithman, inthe pay of government, con- 
veyed this copy to the Englith agent. 
By this agreement, the Irifh revolution- 
ifts were to be affifted by an army of 
35,000 Frenchmen, and 70,c00 itand of 
arms. The naval expences were to be 
defrayed by the French, and the French 
troops were to be taken into pay by the 
Trifh, who were alfo to pay for the arms. 
Government being in poffeffion of ‘this 
plan, it was policy in them to drive the 
people into open rebellion, in order, by 
timely crufhing it, to counteract the ef- 
fe€ts which the landing of the French 
might produce. 
- AA bill of attainder again‘ the property 
of the late Lord Enwarpb FitzcGe RALD, 
Bacnat Harvey, .Mr. Grocan, &c. 
is now before the Irith Parliameat. On 
the 13th of Auguft, the Attorney Gene- 
ral nropofed that the Houfe fhould hear 
evicence on the part ef Mr. Harvey on 
the 14th; on the part of Mr. Grocan 
on the zs5th; and on the part of Lord 
EDwWaRb FITZGERALD on the 16th. 
When the evidence on the part of Mr. 
HARVEY came on, it was flrongly urged 
againit the propofed attainder, that trials 
by courts martial were not lezal grounds 
for tounding bills of attainder upon; the 
Attorney General on the contrary, ad- 
duced feveral cafes arifing from rebel- 
lions in Scotland, where courts martial 
were the foundation of bills of atcainder. 
Aver feverai. arguments were made ufe 
of on both fides, the {peaker rofe and 
appeared to throw fome new light on the 
quefticn. He jzid that feveral gentle- 
men wha had fpeken uven this fubjec, 
haa _confidered as fynonymous two ex- 
preiions which had quite different mean- 
ings, namely courts martic’—and martial 
Jaw. The firft were inftitu-ed at the 
mere will of the commanding officer, 
whe inight order a rebel, found in arms 
againit his country, to be executed on the 
{pot. or he might adopt the more ‘ormal 
mode ot jummoning his fellow offieeis to 
aid in hearing evidence and giving jude 
ment; but theit were not courts of re- 
ecrd. But the courts inftituted by mar- 
tial law were very different, and autho- 
rized by various ftatues. None of the 
pericns rained in the bill of attainder 
Were tried Dy courts martial, but were 
State of Public Affairs. 
[Aug. 
tried and executed under the authority of 
martial law. 
GREAT BRITAIN. 
The tranfactions which may be pro- 
perly claffed under the heed Public Af 
fairs, have, during this month, been nei- 
ther numerous nor important in Great 
Britain, on account of the prorogation of 
the parliament, and the paucity of intel- 
licence from our fleets and armies ; until 
near the end of the month, the moft 
Vague reports and conjectures relative to 
the fituation and fate of the Britifh and 
French fleets in the Mediterranean feas, 
occupied the minds and converfation of 
the public. 
Captain Foore of His Majefty’s fhip 
Sea-Horfe, on the 27th of June, cap- 
tured La Senfible, a French Frigate of 36 
guns, 12 pounders and 300 men, near 
the Hile of Pentellaria, in the Mediter- 
ranean Sea; fhe was commanded by 
Monf. BourbE, Capitaine de Vars- 
SEAU. This. capture was made aftera 
chace of 12 hours, and a clefe aétion of 
eight minutes. A General of Divifion, 
BAaRaGUEY D°HILLIERS, with his 
fuite, was on board, going to Toulon, 
with an account of the taking of Malta. 
The lofs on board the Sea-Horfe was twe 
killed and fifteen wounded; that on board 
the Senfible was eighteen killed and 
thirty-iix wounded. The Directory af- 
terwards ordered, that the Captain of La 
Serfble fhould be deprived of all his 
functions; for having furrendered to the 
Eneglith after one broadfide. i 
The Committee of Finance have made 
a report favourable to the adoption of a 
board of police revenue, inftead of the 
beards of hackney coaches, and hawk. 
ers and pedlars, including thefe two 
branches in the fyffem, and adding every 
other trade of a daneerous or fufpicious 
tendency, fuch as old iron-fhops, old 
ftores, pawnbrokers,® and old clothes- 
fho>s, where the loc eonduét of thofe 
who carry on fuch trades is known to 
conutbute to the cencealment, and by 
that means to the encoursgement and 
multiplication of crimes. It is intended 
to Dea kind of board to embrace, and in 
fome degree to fuperintend, under the 
executive covernment, the whole of the 
national police. 
A ttate paper has been publifhed, de- 
nominated “ An Explanatory Article, 
figned at London the xsth of March, 
1798, to be added to the Treaty of 
Amity and Conimerce, between his Bri- 
tannic Majelty and the United States of 
£imMeri€a, 
