That officer has had too considerable a part of his political education amidst the intrigues of an European Court, to hazard a direct personal commitment in such a case; he knows how to put a man in a situation calculated to produce all the effects he desires, without the gross and awkward formality of telling him, "Sir, I mean to hire you for the purpose." It is impossible for a correct mind not to pronounce, that, in the abstract, a connection like that which is acknowledged to subsist between you and Mr. Jefferson, between the editor of a newspaper, and the head of a department of the government, is indelicate and unfit, and consequently of a nature to justify suspicion. A connection of that sort in a free country, is a pernicious precedent, inconsistent with those pretensions to extraordinary republican purity, of which so suspicious a parade is upon every occasion exhibited. The apology you attempt for it is ill-founded and inadmissible; there is no law, which annexes a particular salary to the clerkship in question-the appointment is under the general authority given to the head of the department, to appoint clerks with salaries not exceeding aggregatively five hundred dollars to eachthere is therefore no restriction to the sum you mention to induce, as matter of necessity, the employment of a person engaged in other occupations—and not ordinarily and regularly attached to the department. Five hundred dollars, or even more, might be legally given, for a clerk, competent to the duty, and if it was not sufficient wholly to employ him, his surplus time might be dedicated to other business of the department—nor could there have been any mighty difficulty in finding a clerk so qualified. But if there had been such difficulty, some other character should undoubtedly have been found-the precedent of such a species of influence erected over the press, ought to have been avoided. This is so obvious, that the not having avoided it is a proof of sinister design. The employment of Mr. Pintard, by the Secretary of State, was a natural consequence of particular situation. Mr. Pintard, if I am rightly informed, had been employed in the same capa city under the old government, and it was natural enough to continue him in the occupation and employment; but Mr. Pintard was not the printer of a Gazette. These strictures, though involving Mr. Freneau, it shall be confessed have been drawn forth principally with a view to a character of greater importance in the community--they aim at explaining a public officer, who has too little scrupled to embarrass and disparage the government of which he is a memberand who has been the prompter, open or secret, of unwarrantable aspersions on men, who so long as actions, not merely professions, shall be the true test of patriotism and integrity, need never decline a comparison with him, of their titles to the public es teem. AN AMERICAN. III. August 18th, 1792. The charges which have been brought against "the editor of the National Gazette," as he himself states them to be, are no otherwise personal charges, than as they designate the person against whom they are made. In their application to Mr. Freneau, they affect him solely in his capacity of editor of a public paper (which may justly be considered as a public capacity), and in relation to matters of public or national concern. It is therefore a mere subterfuge to call them personal charges, and then to say they shall not be answered, unless the author of them will come forward to support them. It was easily anticipated that he might have good reasons for not discovering himself, at least at the call of Mr. Freneau— and it was necessary for him to find a shelter. What else could he do? The charges brought against him are substantiated by facts, some of them acknowledged by himself, others proved by a reference to public documents, and to his own paper, others Of general notoriety. The inferences from these facts are the only things which remain for discussion, and these so naturally flow from the premises, that they defy the arts of sophistry to obscure them. The expedient, however, which has been adopted comes rather late, considering that Mr. Freneau began to answer even under the solemnities of an oath. AN AMERICAN. PAYMENTS OF PUBLIC DEBT. August 29th, 1792. The following authentic documents respecting the progress which has been made by the present Government of the United States, towards extinguishing the Debts contracted under the former Government, will, it is presumed, be very acceptable to the people of the United States; and it is hoped that the dif erent editors of newspapers will give the information the general circulation which its importance merits. I have the honor to inclose an abstract and statement of the debt incurred by the late Government, and which has been paid off from the funds of the present Government, amounting to one million eight hundred and forty-five thousand two hundred and seventeen dollars forty-two cents; but this sum will be increased, when the balance of three hundred and ninety seven thousand twenty-four dollars thirteen cents, remaining to be appropriated to the farther purchase of the public debt, shall be applied, and which more particularly appears by the subjoined statement. With every sentiment of the highest respect, I have the honor to be, Sir, Your most obedient and most humble servant, HON. ALEXANDER HAMILTON, Secretary of the Treasury. II. Statement of the balance which remains to be applied to the further purchase of the Pub lic Debt. By the Act passed 12th August, 1790, making provision for the reduction of the Public Debt, Section 2nd, it is enacted, That all such surplus of the product of the duties arising from impost and tonnage to 31st December, 1790, after satisfying the several appropriations therein specified, shall be applied to the purchase of the public debt. An abstract Statement of the sum extinguished of the Public Debt, also of the payment from the funds of the present Government of certain claims which were incurred by the late Government. PURCHASES OF THE PUBLIC Debt. Amount thereof extinguished $1,456,743 38 Warrants drawn by the Board of Treasury under the late Government, and which have been discharged in pursuance of the Act of Congress of 29th September, 1789 . 157,789 94 Civil List: for various payments made upon accounts which originated u der the late Government 25,768 50 War Department, being for arrearages of pay due to sundry officers of the army, and for provisions furnished 7,308 40 Abraham Skinner, late Commissary General of Prisoners, for the Francis Dana, salary on an embassy to the Court of St. Petersburg Benson, Smith and Barker, their expenses attending the embarkation of the British troops at New York His Most Christian Majesty, for military and ordnance stores supplied to American ships of war, in the French West Indies. 38,683 13 2,977 24 6,017 31 2,410 30 1,000 29,029 68 Oliver Pollock, for balance due him for supplies at New Orleans, with interest thereon, in conformity with the several Acts of Congress Mons. Gardoqui & Son, balance due for supplies furnished in Spain 108,605 502 86 $250,542 14 Bills of exchange, which had been drawn on Foreign Commissioners, not paid by them 4,185 50 Timothy Pickering, late Quarter-Master General, being on account of the appropriation of $40,000, passed July 1st, 1790. 2,077 89 Grants of Congress, viz:— John McCord, per Act of Congress of 1st July, 1790 1,309 71 Jehoakim M. Tocksin, per Act of Congress of the 26th of March, 1790 120 00 Certain Treasury Documents were lately published for the information of the community, without any precise designation of the purpose for which they were published. They were left to speak for themselves, with only a short introduction, denominating them "Authentic documents respecting the progress which has been made by the present government of the United States, towards extinguishing the debts contracted under the former government." A writer in this Gazette of Saturday last, under the signature |