No. XIV.-Page 171.

INTERROGATORIES,

Before the Bureau Central of Bordeaux.

THIS day, the first of Thermidor, seventh year of the French Republic, one and indivisible, appeared before us, administrators of the Bureau Central of the Canton of Bordeaux, the person hereafter named, whose interrogatories and answers were as follows:

Question.-His age, place of nativity, profession, and last domicil?

Answer-William Sampson, thirty-five years of age, born in Londonderry, in Ireland, counsellor at law; present resi dence in Bordeaux, at the Hotel de la Providence, in the Street Port-Dijeaux.

Q.-How long he had been in Bordeaux, and what were his means of subsistence?

A.-About twelve days: his means of subsistence, a small sum of money, which he brought from Portugal, and what he can in future procure from the disposable property which he has in his own country.

Q.-From whence and for what he came to Bordeaux ?

A. That being by his profession of advocate, bound to respect the laws and rights of his fellow-citizens, his zeal in their maintainance against the oppressions of the tyrannical government now exercised by England in Ireland, had brought upon him all sorts of persecution. He was long imprisoned his life exposed, like that of multitudes of his fellowcitizens, to hourly danger.-The details of all he underwent, would be too voluminious to be inserted in these interrogatories. He confines himself at present to the following facts, viz. that he was compelled to leave his country, and go to Portugal, with the condition of remaining there during the present war, and to give security in two thousand pounds sterling, not

to leave that kingdom. That some weeks after his landing at Oporto, he was arrested and conveyed to Lisbon, where he was imprisoned, and made to endure the cruellest vexations, and finally embarked on board a Danish vessel, as he was told, for Hamburg. But that the vessel was in fact bound to Bordeaux, and is now arrived in this port.

Q.-To relate more particularly, for what cause he was transported into Portugal, made prisoner in Oporto and Lisbon, and there embarked. What was the name of the vessel and of the captain?

A. That amongst other things from the time that the English government declared war against France, he had manifested, by his writings, and all legal means, his aversion to their motives of hostility. Conceiving that it was no just cause of war, that another nation chose to make alterations in its government. 2dly. The desire which he had manifested in common with his fellow-citizens for the reform of the parliament, the dismissal of the ministry, and peace with France. 3dly. The arbitrary, tyrannical and cruel acts which the English government practised in manifest violation of the rights of the people of Ireland. 4thly. That he had constantly demanded a trial, which was refused him, for that it was judged better to proceed arbitrarily against him, as well to prevent his justification as the exposure of the manœuvres of his persecutors. 5thly. That he presumes that it was for the same reasons he was arrested in Oporto, and conducted to Lisbon, in order to deprive him of all correspondence; and that for the same reasons, in the same arbitrary manner, he was forceably embarked on board of the Danish vessel, the Die Hoffnung (Captain Lars Jansen ;) and further he adds, that the English and Irish papers had not ceased to publish absurd and contradictory calumnies and falsehoods respecting him, and the motives of his detention. Q. Whether the Danish vessel had brought him directly to Bordeaux ?

A.-After being forty-three days at sea, and all the provi sions consumed, the captain was obliged to put into St. Sebastian. That he had often, on account of his bad health, solicited the captain to put him on shore, which he refused; that he took the resolution there to make the rest of his way by land to avoid a repetition of the same sufferings'; and that his design was merely to follow the destination of the ship, in which he had been embarked with his effects.

Being no further interrogated, and the present being read to him, he affirms the truth of his answers as therein con tained, and thereto signs his name.

PIERRE BALGUINE, Admr.

BERNEDE, Chief of Bureau.

WILLIAM SAMPSON.

INTERROGATORY OF FRANCIS RIVET.

THIS day being the 4th of Thermidor, in the 7th year of the French Republic, one and indivisible: We the adminis trators of the Bureau Central, of the Canton of Bordeaux, caused the citizen Rivet to appear before us, who was interrogated as follows:

Q.-His name, surname, age, place of nativity, and last domicil?

A. His name is Francis Rivet, age forty years, native of Nantes, lodges at the Hotel de la Providence.

Q.-Desired to communicate all he knew touching the case of William Sampson, of Ireland.

A. The first he heard of him was when he was himself in prison at Lisbon, by means of his gaoler, who had gone to the prison of the said William Sampson, to serve as his in terpreter in interrogatories which he then underwent. And the said gaoler told the deponent, that the cause of the imprisonment of the said person was, that he was Irish, and his principles suspected by the Portuguese government. Deponent fur

ther says, that about fifteen days after, he was transported with the said William Sampson from Lisbon to the prison of Belem, near Lisbon, where they contrived, by address, to speak together; then he found that he was the same person of whom his gaoler had spoken; but another fortnight elaps ed before they could obtain permission to converse freely together, and that was only on the day previous to their quitting the prison. On the day fixed for their departure, with out a moment of preparation, they were obliged to embark in a boat belonging to the government, escorted by agents of officers of the police, who conducted them on board of the Danish vessel, named the Die Hoffnung, Captain Lars Jansen, who had then already weighed anchor, and was proceeding to sea.

Q.-If he knew, on embarking, for what port the ship was bound, or at what time he came to that knowledge?

A-From what he was told, as well by the gaoler of Belem, as by the chief agent of the police, who took him, together with the said Sampson and his servant, on board the said vessel, he supposed they were going to Hamburg, and their passports being for that port, confirmed him in such belief. It was not until three days after they left Lisbon, that the captain, who, till then, had kept it secret, declared to them, that he was going to Bordeaux, and shewed his papers, which left no further doubt.

Q-If he could give any further information touching William Sampson?

A. That he, together with the said William Sampson, often insisted most earnestly with the captain, that he would put them on shore, wherever he could find it practicable, and engaged to follow the destination of the vessel, and even to leave their effects on board, as a security and proof of their intentions. This latter proposal was made in order to free the captain from the terror with which he seemed to be impressed, and the fear he was under of arriving without his passengers at Bordeaux: but that it was all in vain; for

that he never would consent to come near the land, until he was finally forced by a total failure of provisions to put into St. Sebastian. He adds further, that considering the generosity of the French nation, and the embarrassing position in which the said William Sampson stood, owing to the perfidious measures of persecution directed against him, he had been the first to encourage him with the prospects of a favorable reception from the constituted authorities and that deponent advised him, that it was now much safer for him, under the circumstances of his case, to follow the destination given him, than to stop at any other place. And being no further interrogated, &c.

Signed, Sc..

:

INTERROGATORY OF CAPTAIN LARS JANSEN. THE THIRD THERMIDOR, &c.

Q.-His name, surname, age, where born, and of what profession?

4-Lars Jansen, forty-two years of age, native of Fins. burg, in Denmark, captain of a vessel.

9. The name of the vessel he commands?

A.-The Die Hoffnung.

9.-How long he has been at Bordeaux ?

A.-Since the 22d Messidor.

Q. Whence he came last?

A.-From St. Sebastian.

9.-How long he remained at St. Sebastian?

A.-Six days.

Q. How long he had been at Lisbon ?

A-About twenty-three days.

-If during his stay there, he had not received on board

his ship William Sampson, of Ireland?

A. Yes.

Q. If he received him willingly, or from constraint? A-By force, and by virtue of an order from the Portuguese Government.