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[[start left-hand column]] [[start clipping 1 of 3]] M. GARNERIN. In our Papers of Saturday and yesterday, we inserted a question or two respecting M. GARNERIN, put by a Correspondent, to which we have received the following Answer from that Gentleman. We shall insert it without any comment; as our Readers will be as able as we are to judge from the Letter, whether the questions are satisfactorily answered: Londre, le 30 Août, 1802, an 10 de la Republique Française. GARNERIN, CITOYEN FRANCAIS, A MONSIEUR L'EDITEUR DU TRUE BRITON. "On vient de me communiquer, Monsieur, les traduction d'un article contenu dans votre feuille du 28, du courant qui est bien fait pour excitèr mon indignation. Il me paroit' de'loyal et inhospitalier, que vous ayiez pu concentir, sans une verification aussi simple que facile, du rapport de mon age avec la date de événemen que vous citez, à publier une information aussi extraordinaire sur le compte d'un étranger dont le actions dans votre patrie, n'ont pu que lui donner du droit à l' estime génerale. Je n'entrerai pas dans de plus longe detaile et je ne m' baisserai par au point d'entreprendre de me justifier du Soupçon outrageant que vous avez eu l'indiscretion de faire circuler sur mon action et sur mon sentimens moraux. Je vous laisserai le regret d'avoir compromie devant de Public un homme d'honneur qui est venu dan votre patrie avec la protection de son Gouvernement et le marques glorieuse de son estime, et je vous confierai le soin de reparer le mal que vous m'avez fait, bien persuadé que vous êtes trop honnête-homme pour rien negliger a cet égare. "GARNERIN." TRANSLATION. London, 30th August, 1802, in the 10th Year of the French Republic. GARNERIN, FRENCH CITIZEN, TO THE EDITOR OF THE TRUE BRITON. "SIR, "The translation of an article contained in your Paper on the 28th instant, has been communicated to me, which has greatly excited my indignation. It seems to me inhospitable that without attending to an easy and simple contradiction of it in the circumstance of my age, when compared with the date of the event which you cite, you should have inserted so extraordinary a Paragraph respecting a Foreigner, whose conduct in your Country entitles him to general esteem. I shall not enter into any details, or degrade myself by attempting a justification of my conduct against the outrageous suspicion which you have had the indiscretion to circulate respecting that and my moral sentiments. I leave you to the regret of having traduced a Man of Honour, who is residing in your Country, under the protection of its Government, and with splendid marks of its esteem, and I trus to you to repair the injury you have inflicted, well persuaded that you are too honourable a Man to neglect any thing to that purpose. "GARNERIN." [[end clipping]] [[start clipping 2 of 3]] ^[[1802 - handwritten in ink]] We have received the copy of a letter from Mr. Garnerin to the Editor of a Morning Paper, a translation of which we lay before our readers: To the Editor of the TRUE BRITON. London, 30th Aug. 10th year of the French Republic. "I have just had communicated to me, Sir, the translation of an article contained in your paper of the 28th, which is calculated most strongly to excite my indignation. It appears to me highly ungenerous, and contrary to all the laws of hospitality, that you should, without a comparison, as easy as it was simple, of the agreement of my age with the date of the event which you allude to, publish so extraordinary a report respecting a stranger whose conduct while residing in this country has in no respect rendered him unworthy of general esteem. I do not think it at all necessary to enter into any detail on this subject; nor do I judge it requisite to attempt in an elaborate manner to justify myself from the extravagant suspicion which you have had the indiscretion to circulate against my actions and my moral sentiments. I will leave to yourself to feel regret for having endeavoured to prejudice in the minds of the public a man of honour, who has come into the country under the protection of your Government, and who has experienced unequivocal marks of the public esteem, and to you I will entrust the task of repairing the injury you have done me, convinced as I am that you have too high a sense of honour to be negligent of any opportunity of atoning for your error. GARNERIN." [[end clipping]] [[start clipping 3 of 3]] MONSIEUR GARNERIN. Having inserted the letter of our Correspondent VINDEX, respecting this Gentleman, we consider it as our duty to publish his answer, in his own words, without delay. Admiring his adventurous spirit and scientific knowledge, we are happy that he is able to give such a satisfactory answer to a report that was generally prevalent, and that materially affected his character. Much as he must have been mortified by this report, he has no reason to regret that we submitted it to the Public, since we have thereby brought the matter fairly to issue, and have enabled him to vindicate his character from a stain that all his acknowledged enterprize and talents never could have effaced. AU REDACTEUR DU TRUE BRITON. MONSIEUR, Un Ecrivain du TRUE BRITON, de Samedi dernier, se signant VINDEX, a jugé à propos de me faire trois questions, savoir: "Si je suis la même personne qui a signé le Décret de Mort de son malheureux Souverain? Et qui avec une barbarie sans exemple, vouloit porter, de ses propres mains, la tête de la Princesse Lamballe, que l'on venoit d'assassiner, pour la faire voir à la Reine de France, qui étoit alors prisonnière dans le Temple?" La troisième question, qui se trouve en Postscript-"Peut-être il est nécessaire que vous répondiez à une autre question, quoiqu'elle ne soit pas directement relative à votre propre conduite. L'on vous a demande si vous avez été accompagné dans ce Pays-ci, par l'exécrable vilain qui a effectivement coupé la tête de la malheureuse Princesse Lamballe, et si ce misérable n'est pas ici à votre service? Cette question n'a pas été répondue." Ma réponse à ces questions est premièrement, que la mort de Louis XVI fut vôtée par la Convention Nationale, que je n'ai jamais été Membre de la Convention, et que je n'ai point signé son Décret de Mort. C'est pourquoi ma réponse à cette première question est un Non formel et direct. [[end clipping]] [[end column]] [[start centre column]] [[start clipping 1 of 3]] Si cet assasin avoit consulté la Liste des Membres de la Convention Nationale, et s'étoit réferé aux relations de ces époques, il se seroit assuré qu'il n'a jamais existé de Membre de la Convention de mon nom. Quand Louis XVI fut mis à mort, j'etois à Bruxelles, attaché à l'Armée de Dumouriez. Ma réponse à la seconde question est, que je n'ai jamais vu la Princesse Lamballe, et que je ne sçaurois par conséquent avoir été accessoire à sa mort, ni à aucune autre des enormités commises à cette époque, ou à aucune autre de la Révolution. Je réponde à la troisième question, en déclarent que je n'ai pas été accompagné dans ce Pays-ci, par l'exécrable vilain qui a coupé la tête de la malheureuse Princesse Lamballe, et qu'à ma connoissance tel être n'exista jamais à mon service. J'ignore parfaitement quel est l'auteur d'un crime qui ne peut avoir été commis que par le plus grand monstre qui put exister. Ainsi, ma réponse à cette troisième question est aussi positive et aussi negatoire que celles que j'ai faites aux deux premières. Comme on a fait allusion à la personne qui est venu en Angleterre avec moi, je crois devoir ajouter que son nom est François Soulès, dont je ne fis choix que parce qu'il avoit demeuré en Angleterre avant la Révolution, et en égard à un nombre de traductions qu'il avoit faites, nomement M. Arthur Young, à qui, j'ai entendu dire, qu'il étoit connu, et qui l'a accueilli poliment à son arrivé en Angleterre. Ne m'etant promptement aperçu que ses moeurs et ses talents ne justifient par l'opinion que j'en avois conçue, je le renvoyai promptement en France, il n'a pas entout été deux mois à mon service et je ne l'ai jamais employé que comme mon interprète. Je réponde ainsi aux accusations prefereés contre moi, par la methode à laquelle je suis obligé de me conformer par respect pour le Public d'Angleterre. Quand au lache reptile qui sous un nom emprunté, a ôsé m'attaquer, je ne scaurois m'exprimer que par le plus profonde mepris, et je desirois seulement, qu'il me mit a meme de lui reprondre d'une mainere plus analogue, à ce que je resente et a ce qu'il merite. Et en verite je ne me sens par infiniment dispose, a respecter davantage, l'Editeur de TRUE BRITON, qui a souffert que son Papier circula des accusations, quil auroit pu lui meme relever en examinant, les feuilles du Moniteur, de 1792, et 1793. Ainsi que tous les Autres ouvrages Periodique de cette epoque. GARNERIN. Londres, le 26 Sept. 1802. (A Translation To-morrow.) [[end clipping]] [[start clipping 2 of 3]] MONSIEUR GARNERIN. As we find the following translation of Monsieur GARNERIN'S Letter was inserted in most of the Public Prints of yesterday, we shall spare ourselves the trouble of translating it again.- M. GARNERIN seems by no means aware of the extensive prevalence of the report which has obliged him to come thus forward, and it is, indeed, his own fault that matters have been carried so far: if he was conscious of innocence, he ought at first to have positively denied the charge which was insinuated against him, and which has been asserted in many quarters. Instead, therefore, of being angry with VINDEX, he ought rather to thank our Correspondent for having given him an opportunity of clearing his character from an odium of the most atrocious description. TO THE EDITOR. SIR, A Writer in THE TRUE BRITON of Saturday last, who signs himself Vindex, has thought proper to put to me three questions:- 1st. "Whether I am the same person who signed his unfortunate Sovereign's death warrant?" 2d. "And, with unparalleled barbarity, wanted to carry with his own hands, the head of the murdered Princess de Lamballe, to shew to the Queen of France, then a prisoner in the Temple?" 3d. Which is inclosed in the postscript of the letter -"Perhaps it may be necessary for you to answer another question, though it does not immediately relate to your own conduct. You have been asked, whether you was not accompanied to his country by the execrable wretch who actually cut off the head of the unfortunate Princess de Lamballe; and whether this wretch is not here in your service?" My reply to these questions - First, That the death of Louis the 16th was voted by the National Convention; that I was not, nor ever was, a Member of the Convention, and that of course I did not, nor could, sign his death warrant. My answer, therefore, to this first question, is a direct and formal negative. Had this assassin referred to the list of Members of the Convention, and to the proceedings of the period, he might have ascertained that there never was a Member of the Convention of my name. When Louis the 16th was put to death, I was at Brussels, serving in the army under Dumourier. To the second question, my answer is - That I never saw the Princess de Lamballe in my life, and of course could not have been a party to her murder.- I add, I never was concerned in any of the enormities of that or any other period of the Revolution. To the third question, I answer by declaring - That I was not accompanied to this country by the execrable wretch who cut off the head of the unfortunate Princess, nor is, or ever was (to my knowledge), such a person in my service. I am totally ignorant of a crime which could only have been committed by the most savage of mankind. To this third question, therefore, my reply is as positive a negative as I have given to the two first questions. As the person who accompanied me to this country has been alluded to, I think it necessary to add, that his name is Francois Soules, whom I selected solely on account of his having lived many years in England, before the Revolution, and of his having translated, from the English, several works, among others Mr. Arthur Young's, whom he knows, and by whom he was kindly received when he arrived in this country. Finding, however, soon after, he did not justify the opinion I had formed of his morals and his talents, I sent him back to France. The whole time he remained with me was but two months, and he never acted in any other capacity than as my interpreter. I have thus repelled the charges brought against me, which, indeed, my deference and respect for the English Public have principally induced me to notice in this way. For the coward who, sculking behind an assumed name, has dared to attack me, I can only express my perfect contempt. I wish he would give me an opportunity of treating him in a way more consonant to my own desires and to his own deserts. Nor indeed am I disposed to feel sentiments of greater respect for the Editor of The True Briton himself, who has suffered his Paper to be the means of giving currency to charges, part of which he might himself, by a reference to the Moniteur of 1792, and 1793, or any other periodical work, have proved to been totally unfounded. I remain, Sir, Your most obedient Servant, Sept. 26, 1802. GARNERIN. [[end clipping]] [[start clipping 3 of 3]] [[symbol - hand with pointing finger]] Mr. GARNERIN'S Letter to the Editor of THE MORNING POST, respecting the attacks made upon him, &c. shall positively appear in Monday's paper; and we think it proper thus to announce it, that the Public may read it with attention. ^[[Oct. 2. 1802 - handwritten in ink]] The request of Common Sense shall be complied with. The account of the Richmond Swindler on Monday. [[end clipping]] [[end column]] [[start right-hand column]] [[start clipping 1 of 2]] GARNERIN - HIS PARACHUTE - AND The DAILY ADVERTISER and ORACLE. TO THE PUBLIC. ^[[Oct. 1802 - handwritten in ink]] [[end clipping]] [[start clipping 2 of 2]] "I think the reflections I have just made are important to the science of Parachutes, and I consider my last experiment as the most useful of any I have made, and as the one which will render the art more perfect, though it was not certainly the most agreeable one in which I have been engaged. "All that is written upon a new science deserves to be refuted when it proceeds upon false calculations, or inaccurate data. It is on this account that I am compelled, not from a desire to criticize, nor from a spirit of malignity, to complain of the inaccuracy of the reasoning published in THE ORACLE of the 22d. The dimensions which the writer gives to my Parachute are not correct - nobody knows them but myself, and they cannot be procured but by fraud and underhand means. I have my reasons for not communicating them, and no one will think it improper that I reserve to myself, for some time, the exclusive possession of my property. This reasoning, however, is from a skilful hand. THE ORACLE has sometimes reasoned on my ascensions in the most silly and laughable manner; every one knows that it has made the verifying of the elevations, which I ascertain from the fall of the mercury in the barometer, to proceed from the skilful maker in Piccadilly, who has surely been a little mortified at THE ORACLE's having made him play the part of a fool. That gentleman, however, has been revenged, by not discovering to the water, that the difference which always exists between his calculations and mine, proceeds only from the difference between the English and the French foot. "The Editor of THE ORACLE will not be offended at the justness of my reflections; he must know that, in morals, as in physics, the re-action is always equal to the action; he might have expected that his first attacks, the continuance of his hostilities, and the innocent anecdote he has published upon my father's profession, my education, and the office I filled under the Revolutionary Government of the execrable ROBESPIERRE, would be answered on the day on which the public should pronounce their opinion. THE ORACLE must feel that the interview before a Magistrate, whom I respect, cannot deprive me of a legal justification, and does not destroy the menaces sent to me in writing by one of his writers, who was disappointed at my refusal to participate in any manner in the publication in England of the translation he had made of the account of my imprisonment among the enemies of France, after the action of Marchiennes, notwithstanding the advantageous offer he made me, preferring, as I do, the sacrifice of my interests to the reviving of resentments, which ought to be forgotten in the general Peace which has been so happily restored, and which no honest man ought to attempt to disturb, particularly from interested motives. The person to whom I allude ought to have felt that it was bad policy to publish in THE ORACLE a scandalous anecdote, after having furnished me with a written proof of his baseness. If the mania of publishing something relative to me had seized him, he ought to have done it with that delicacy and candour from which a writer who respects himself ought never to depart. "I certainly was employed by the revolutionary government of the execrable ROBESPIERRE; but BONAPARTE, MOREAU, JOURDAN, almost all the Members of the National Institute, every man in France who had talents or energy, were employed also; and it was not their fault if, whilst they were absent from the interior, employed in dissolving the coalition against France, monsters filled the bosom of their country with infamy, whilst their united efforts were surrounding her with a circle of glory. "Arts and the Belles Lettres are of the same family, and it is afflicting to see them destroying each other. The contest ought not to be prolonged. I have been unjustly defamed and attacked. I have made my legal defence, and things should return to the natural equilibrium, with more reason on my side; because The True Briton and ORACLE have been the dupes of two firebrands. Yet I have a right to require that the perfidious veil which conceals these anonymous writers should be torn aside. Nothing ought to shield them from public indignation and contempt, and to the demand the Editors of these two Papers cannot, without compromising themselves, refuse to accede for their own justification. I summon THE ORACLE to declare, whether the Anecdote respecting my birth, my father's profession, &c. which had been copied into several pamphlets, was not communicated by FRANCOIS SOULES, as soon as I had desired him to return [[to?]] France, loaded with benefits, notwithstanding his bad behaviour This wretch deserves nothing but contempt, and is a fit object f[[or]] the attention of the police of both countries. I summon[[n]] The True Briton to confess, whether a certain man who [[?]] a Noble before the revolution, and has been a great Speculat [[or?]] since, be not the author of the indecent questions put to me upon the subject of LOUIS the XVI, and Madame de LAMBALLE's death? This man did I save from being arrested in 1793; an event that would infailibly have brought him to the scaffold. It is this indeed that throws an air of improbability upon the indications that accuse him of an action which, adding ingratitude to baseness would load him with an infamy equal to that which belongs to the execrable assassin of the PRINCESS LAMBALLE, who possessed the same cruelty of heart, but less wickedness, than the author of the questions in [[italics]] The True Briton [[/italics]]. "GARNERIN." [[end clipping]] [[end column]] [[end page]] ^[[123 - handwritten in pencil at bottom of page.]]
