The United States oracle of the day — Portsmouth, N.H., 1800-12-20 00:00:00, page 5

1 Supplement to tlje @1 ^ ®Macie of tbe D^.
We enjoy from a gracious Provi
dence, many blessings, which may just
ly claim our devout gratitude, and pi
ous contentment in our condition. Fa
voured with an acquaintance with the
precious doctrines and divine precepts
of the Christian religion, we are free to
exercise ourselves in the worship of God
as our best informed consciences may
dired. Favoured also with a happy
republican system and administration
of Government, we participate in its
powers, and are protested in our per
sons, property, character and conscience.
And favoured with a fertile foil, and
not inclement climate, we have the
means of health and prosperity, and
hopes of rearingour children to- great
er enjoyment of all those ble(L , and
transmitting them with increased ad-°
vantage to our posterity. We may be
happy if we will be so. All that is
wanting is a disposition to enjoy with?
contentment, and improve by honest
care, what God has set before us. But
alas, what is man ; and how is it that
the human heart is always corrupted
by prosperity ! When God has furnish
ed us all with provision for content
ment, we disquiet ourselves with vain
cares, and falfe suspicions, and turn
our best blessings into a curse and ca
' lamity. His verytgrace is abused and
turned into wantonness. When he led
his favoured people through the sea &
the defart, and miraculously protected
them from want and danger ; what
was the return they made ? Rebellion,
idolatry, and a desire to return to servi
tude in Egypt. When in spite of all
their provocation, and all their enemies,
he fettled them in the promised land
flowing with milk and honey ; what
was their return for this mercy ? When
fefourun waxed fat he kicked. Though
the ox knoweth his owner, and the ass
his master's crib, his peculiar people
knew not their Lord, and considered
not their great Preserver. They
refufed the Government of God him
felf,and desired a king like other nations.
Many a time, turned he his anger away,
and did not Rir up all his wrath. But
though, when he flew them, they
fought him, when he turned in mercy
to them they forget their calamity and
repentance, and renewed their rebellion
against him, until provoked by their ob
stinate corruption he at last abandoned
them to their own folly, cast them out
of that land which he had given, and
dispersed them over the earth, a bye
word and reproach among all nations.
These things are written for our in
ftrudion,and we ought to take warning
'y. their example. We, though less
ifibly, are as surely under the govern
ment of God, & a rejection of the bless
ings we enjoy, will, as surely bring ca
lamity upon us. A government so
good will not long be continued to us,
if we continue diffatisfied and ungrate
ful under it. A government founded
on the opinions of the people must fall,
if that opinion be corrupted. If the
principles of our government, and the
measures of our administration, be con
stantly misrepresented and the charac
ters of all whom our own choice, un
der the Providence of God, hath plac
ed in eminent Rations, be continually
afperfed by falfe Dander, and if the peo
ple ad under the influence of such nrif
reprefentation and slander, the Govern
ment must fall. Let us not flatter our
selves that we can long remain in our
present prosperous Rate, unless we
fpetdily change our condud, and cast
off our falfe suspicion. The progress
from fufpicion' to hatred, and from hat
red to deftruftion is easy—and obfti
nato discontents are the sure forerun
ners of insurrection and revolution.
That we have among us men obsti
nately bent to corrupt public opinon,
1 is obvious—and that they pursue this
'intention from felfifh motives,to obtain
public offices to thcmfelves, is equally
clear. 4
All the virtues and all the services
of the illustrious Washington, could
^ot hinder Ihamebfs and malignant
Judge Addison's
(Puttied at tie requefl of tie Grand ^fury.)
HAVING thus, gentlemen, explain
ed your duty as your oath binds
you to perform it, you being the firft
Grand Jury for the County of Craw
ford, the occasion will juftify mein
faying something on the Rate of our
country : I hope you will hear me with
patience, and such attention as the fub
jed may deserve.
[{^Every one who can read, ought to READ
the following :—lt may be perused, intire, in
thirty minutes—lt would well reward
the attention of a WEEK.)
EXTRACTS FROM A CHARGE,
Delivered to a Grand Jury, in Pennsylvania,
Oflober, 1800.
By ALEX'R ADDISON, Esq. Chief Justice.
Printed by CHARLES PEIRCE, No. 5, Daniel-ft^ct, Portimoutb, where lubicribers for the Oracle are thankfully received at 1 Dollar go Cents per Year.
CHAR G E.
They fay, that under the adminifira
tion of Mr. Adams, the public debt has
been greatly increased. —They laid the
fame of General Washington's ad
ministration. But, gentlemen, if it be
increased, it must be increased by law.
The President can expend no money,
but by law. The President docs not
make laws ; they are made by the re
presentatives of the people.
Suppose it true, that the debt has
been increased—what has occasioned
it ? Infurreftions among ourselves, and
plundering and danger from foreign
powers. When infurre&ions broke out,
were they not to be suppressed, and
could they be suppressed without ex
pense ? While Britain and France took
our fliips, and France threatened to in
vade our country, and burn our towns,
was it not the duty of our government
to equip fliips, fortify our harbours,
and raise troops ? What would you
think of a farmer, who, when his house
and fields were threatened with deduc
tion, should refufe to expend money in
strengthening and guarding his house,
The fame means, the corruption of
public opinion, and for the fame ends,
to get into office, which have been so
fuccefsful with some- demagogues in
Pennsylvania, are now exerted, with
singular and malignant industry, in the
larger theatre of the United States.—
There arc not, in the State and Feder
al Governments,offices enough for those
who desire and think they deserve them.
The President of the United States
must be displaced, that a new President
may make the fame changes in federal
officers, which have been made in the
officers of this State. It is true, this
will not gratify all expedants, and ma
ny must be disappointed—but, like ad
venturers in a lottery, each looks for a
prize, and all are eager that the draw
ing should begin, before their chances
are lessened by new adventurers.
To accomplish the change of a Pre
sident, they corrupt public opinion by
mifinformation of every kind They
fay that the Prudent is a monarebif, an
arijtocrat, and a too! to Britain. They
said the fame things of General Wash
ington, so long as his life obftru&ed
their views.
They fay, there Is a Britifo faffion,
an aristocratic and monarchical fa£tion in
America. During his life, General
Washington was ranked.in this fac
tion and party, and others who are yet
ranked in it, will, like him, when their
enemies have nothing more to fearfrom
them, be acquitted of the charge.—
Where is this faction, and by what
marks are the members of it to be dis
tinguished ? Do we fee any federalists
co-operating with Britain, to subjugate
America ? It is well known, that there
are anti-federalifts, who have openly
declared their wish to fee a French ar
my landed in America, to reform our
government. Have we ever heard of
such a wish among federalifts, for a
British army ? Are not tefe men, who
are mod censured as monarchies, zeal
ous supporters of our republican gov
ernment, laboring to inßrud the peo
ple in its excellence and use, and to
preserve their minds from the influence
of slander, and the violence of anarchy,
the word of all tyrannies. And who
are they who are moil clamorous in
proclaiming themselves republicans,
guardians of our liberties, and rights of
ele&ion ? New citizens, or not citizens,
strangers lately arrived, ignorant of the
principles of our government, and per
haps fugitives from their own country
for their crimes.
men from representing him as a plun
derer, a traitor, and a murderer, and
proclaiming the day of his departure
from office, as a Jubilee and day of re
joicing. Death came, and removed
him out of their way—he is now ac
knowledged a patriot—and all the odi
um is transferred to his successor, whom
they labour to consign to retirement,
and would willingly consign to the
gr^ve.
We all remember what arts wereufed
by some intercfled individuals to pro
mote the election of the present Gov
ernor. They said that if Mr. M'Kean
were Governor, he would abolish the
excise, the Ramp act, the land tax, the
standing army, and the alien and sedi
tion laws. Those who wrote, printed,
and repeated these talcs knew them to
be falfe, and knew that the Governor
of a State had no influence in those
matters—but they effected their pur
pole. They represented themselves as
pure difintereßed republicans, who had
nothing in view but the public good,
and represented their opponents as of
fice-hunters. What was the conse
quence : He was elected—and sudden
ly we find those disinterested, pure re
publicans, converted into office-hunters
and without regard to charafter or
qualification, incessantly soliciting ap
pointments to every office within their
reach.
SATURDAY, December 20, 1800.
and fencing and guarding his fields ?
But it is not true that our public
debt has increased, but, as was clearly
ffiewn by a report of a committee of
Congress in the last session, it has di
minithed, in spite of all our additional
expenses occasioned by our own infur
rc&ons and by the injury and dangers
from foreign powers.
They fay, that the United States have
borrowed motley at high interest and with
out neceflity Congress it seems, thought
the interest reasonable—and it was not
likely, that the money could have been
got for less. It is but little more than
public institutions receive, and far less
than individuals demand, for the use of
money for a very short time. And the
neceflity was urgent, and required fa
vorable terms to be offered, to bring
the money in for public defences
But it is said, there vas money enough
in the hands of the Bank of the Trcafircr,
of the Secretary of State, of the CclleHors,
of the Loan Officers, &C. If this be
true, what is the use of these members
of Congress who exclusively Rile them
selves republicans, who Haye been so
much extolled for knowledge of our
public accounts, have had so much ac
cess to them, and have repeatedly pub
lilhcd Ratements of them ? Why did
not they disclose all this public money
and prevent a law for borrowing ?
They were at the making of this law :
and some of them on the committee
for investigating the Rate of our debts
and finances.
This misrepresentation rests on two
errors ; in reptefenting money in the
Treasury to be at the public command
when it had before been appropriated
for other purposes ; and in charging
officers with all the money which they
have received, without taking into view
what they have paid, for the purposes
for which they received it.
In conformity to the constitution, it
is a rule with the legislature, to appro
priate certain sums to certain purposes.
These sums the Treasurer and other of
ficers, must keep for these purposes on
ly.—And in all governments there will
be sums unexpended for some purposes,
while there are sums deficient for other
necessary purposes. If any one will
look into the accounts of Pennsylvania,
published with the Journals of every as
sembly, he will fee large sums of money
in the treasury unexpended for the pur
poses df its appropriation, and large
sums in the hands of officers and indivi
duals, while other purposes compelled
the Rate to borrow money. Whoever
thought of charging the Governor or
the Assembly with this as a fault ?
It is remarkable that the fame meh
who now clamour against the present
administration for not applying, to the
public necessity, money already appro
priated to other purposes, made a ve
hement attack on the former fecrctary
of the treasury for applying appropriated
money in a very necessary and ufeful
manner. So clear is it that it is hot
principle or public good, which aßu
ates them, but a delire to get into of
fice, by finding fault with every thing
done by every man in office ; and what
they find fault with an officer for doing
to day, they will find fault with him
for not doing to-morrow. Every officer
must at any rate be blamed, that he
may be turned out, and they have a
chance for his place. This is their on
ly objed, and to this they bend all
their industry.
Not content with Wandering officers
of the federal government, they fay al
so that there are individuals who hold
in their hands large fams of public mo
ney, perverted to their own private pur
poses. Among these they have named
some gentlemen, whole character for
integrity can challenge examination, &
defy slander. But they are marked
out as the objeds of defamation, be
cause they difeern and oppose, the
wicked means and the wicked ends of
those profligate calumniators; who,
to succeed in their felfifh and perni
cious schemes, must destroy the influ
ence of all wife and honest men. While
such mifre/piefentations prevail, how is
it possible, to preserve public opinion
from corruption and our government
from ruinl
But the, fay, if the President be chang
ed, our debts <will be paid, and our expences
be reduced. The debts, whatever they
be, were inc/urred for national defence ;
and there i^ no other honest way of
paying themy but by national money
which can bet got only by taxes. Yet
those men, wtho clamor so loudly a
gainst all public debts, clamor as loud
ly W"^ everty public tax, oppose it
by censure, an d, where they can fuc
ceGfully, by (force- How can they
As to money being received, unpaid
and misapplied by the late secretary of
Rate and others now in public office ;
the most fatisfaftory proof has been
given, that this is a gross and malicious
falfehood.
In this censure ofrnen,a(hiated by felf
ifh motives, I mean not to include ma
ny honest men who really think as they
profefs, and ad according to their con
science and the information they re
ceive. I would only advise such to
watch the condud, Rud, the motives
and views, and examine well the infor
mation of the busy and the clamourous.
Be on your guard my fellow-citizens
against all arts of delusion. Confide
in those whose integrity and under
standing you have known and tried,
and whose interest is the fame with
yours. Beware of those who profefs
much ; examine their past condud,
•ad judge from anions, and not from
words. Remember the wisdom and
virtues of Washington, the father of
his country ; and recoiled that under
his administration the measures of our
Government Were marked out and
pursued, and do not hastily suppose,
that those men, who calumniated and
eppofed him, and yet oppose his mea
sures, better know or love the interests
of his country than he who loved, serv
ed, and saved ib
Will they lessen the number; or the
falarics, fees or emoluments, of public
offices ? No: that would be lessening
their own gains, and depriving them
selves of the full profits of office, just
when they got their enemies out, and
put themselves in their places. This
is not like human nature. We may
allure ourselves, gentlemen, whatever
be their profeflions now, they have no
such intentions of economy, as will
lessen their means of amply providing
for thcmfelves and all their friends.—
On the contrary there is reason to ap
prehend; that a change would bring
more waste and more peculation ; and
to believe, that the true way to pro
duce economy is to keep the adminiC
tration in the present hands ; and when
public fafety is no longer in danger,
the public expences and debts can be
reduced.
Fable re,relents the fox as wifely
refufing to drive the flies, left a more
hungry set might take their place and
more exhaust him. Have we any ex
perience, that those men, who inde
cently give to themselves alone the
name of republicans, are more than o
thers, economical of the public money,
when it is to be given to themselves or
their friends? No gentlemen; our expe
rience is the other way. Look at Pcnn
fylvania. Do our republican Sheriffs,
our republican Prothonotaries, and our
republican Regißers and Recorders,
take less fees from their fellow-citizens
than the federal Sheriffs, federal Pro
thonotaries, and federal Registers used
to do ? Do our republican Judges take
less falarics, or our republican mem
bers of Assembly less wages ? Did not
the republican members of Assembly
last fellion refufe to abolish useless and
expensive offices, held by their republi
can friends—Yet they themselves before
when they were not in power, had
clamoured against these things ! Such
men disgrace the name of republicans
by exclusively affirming it. In (beeps
eloathing, they are ravening wolves.—
They desire change, only that they may
gain by it. This is their real view ; and
their profeffions are hollow and falfe.
And were a change to take place in the
Government of the United States, as in
the State of Pennsylvania, the effed
would be just the fame. Officers would
be changed, but expenses would remain
the fame, or rather increase in propor
tion to the hunger and number of tlie
new friends of Government.
SIR,
I have the honor of transmitting herewith a
Charleston Gazette, containing a letter, copied
from a newfpapcr of Baltimore, to which your
signature is fubferibed : confeious as I am that I
never diredly or indirectly, by myfelf or by my
friends; have been concerned in any British in
trigue, or connected with British influence.—
Knowing that my nomination to the Eoglifh
mission, was not only unsolicited, but was un
known to myfelf and my immdiate friends, un
til announced to me officially by Mr. Jefferfon,
then Secretary of State ; Believing, as I do, that
no improper influence preponderated in the
mind of the ^eer by whom I was nominated,
I take the liberty o t''toe this appeal to your
justice, requeuing, if the letto. _h; c ft has been
published as yours, be a forgery, that an imme-
^, 7'he lery offing,fatisfaaor, and Loribraile
Anftocr to this Letter^ bar already occupied a
column in a late Oracle.
CHARLESTON, SEPT. 16, 1300.
But they mill lefen the public expences.
Will they during danger; fell our Ihips
bf war, remove the fortifications from
bur harbors and frontiers, disband the
few troops and seamen we have ; and
leave our commerce to be destroyed,
and our towns plundered by petty pri
vateers, and our frontiers to be desolat
ed by Indians ? This would be a fatal
economy.
promise us a diminution of public debt
but by bankruptcy or revolution, or by
an increase of taxes ?
Letter from Major PINCKNEY to
President ADAMS.
WHEREAS a Treaty of Amity and Com
merce, between the United States of America
and his Majeft,, the King of Prussia, was con
cluded and signed at Berlin on the eleventh da,
of July, and in the year of our Lord one thous
and seven hundred and ninety-nine, by the Ple
nipotentiaries of the said United States and of
his Majesty the King of Prussia, duly and ref
pcdivcly authorized for that purpose ; which
Treaty is in the words following to wit:
AND WHEREAS the said Treaty has by
me on the one part, by and with the advice and
content of the Senate of the United States, and
by his Majesty the King of Prussia, on the other
part, been duly approved and ratified: Ani
wtercas the ratifications thereof, were duly
exchanged at Berlin, on the twenty-second day
of June last past : NOW THEREFORE, to
the end that the said Treaty ma, be executed
and ebferved with punctuality and the moll sin
cere regard to good faith, on the past of the
United States, I DO HEREBY make known
the premises, and enjoin and require all performs
bearing office, civil or military, within the
United States, and all Others, citizehs or inha
bitants thereof or being within the fame, to
execute and observe the said Treaty accordingly,
IN TESTIMONY tebcreof, I have cuffed the
Seal eftbe United States of America to be affix
ed to these presents, and saned the Jame with
my band. Done at the city of Wafoington, the
fourth day of November, in the year of our Lord,
one tboufand eight hundred, and of the Indepen
dence of the United States, the ticenty-fftb.
(L. S.) JOHN ADAMS.
B, tbe PrefAeht. JOHN MARSHALL,
Secretary of State,
A warning to Young Ladies of a Ga, anl
tbougbilefc turn cf mind.
The late Rev. Mr. Evans, of Bristol, called, 2
few months before he died, to fee one of hie
people (he being the Minister of the Congrega^
ties in that city) and saw a young Lady in the
parlour, who came to the Hot-Wells for the
benefit of her health and lodged there.
Mr. Evans observing her unusually pensive,
took the liberty to afle the cause.
She answered, " Sir, I will think no more of
it; it was only a dream ! I will not be so child
ilk as to be alarmed at a dream 1 However, I
will tell it you.
" I dreamed that I was at the hall ; where 1
intend going this night. I thought that soon
after I was in the room, I was taken very ill ;
that they gave me a fmelling-bottlc ; and that;
I was brought home in this room, and placed in
that chair (pointing to the elbow chair) and that
I fainted and died !
diate and explicit declaration of this fa& may
be promulgated: But if the contrary should
be the case, I equally rely upon you/ justice to
explain how far you cohtider my brother and
myfclf to huve,bccn justly obnoxious to the fuf
picinni which you appear to have entertained
at the time the letter was written, together with
the basis of such suspicions. While a due re
gard to our heft property, reputation, impels me
to urge this claim on your justice, I entreat you.
Sir, to confider me as not intentionally deviat
ing from a due refped for your private virtues,
or derogating from the confederation to which
in your official capacity you are justly entitled.
I have the honor th be. Sir,
YoUr rcfpedful and mod obedient servant,
THOMAS PINCKNEY.
The President of the United States.
Sir, Your most obedient servant,
(Signed, OLIVER WOLCOTT.
Men, Theodore Sedgwick, Est. Spooler of &
House of Reprefentatroee.
" I then thought that 1 was carried to a place
where angels & holy people were finding hymns
and praising Ged. I thought I found myfelf ve
ry unhappy, and desired to go from them.
" My cendu&or said, " If you go, you will never
come here again."
" 1 thought 1 was then whirled out with
great violence and fell down—down—down —
through darkness and thunders, into fulphurous
flames !—With the scorching flames and hide
ous cries, I awakedf —=—
Mr. Evans made some serious remarks on the
fubjed, and advised the young Lady not to go
to the ball that night.
She said fie would; for (he was more of a
woman than to mind dreams!
Accordingly she went ; was taken ill ; a
smelling-bottle was given her; file was brought
home ; placed in the chair before mentioned ;
fainted and died !—
Thefollowing Letter mas read in the House of Referfe
fcntati.es, of the United States, Nero, 24, and
ordered to lie on the table.
TREASURY DEPARTMENT.
Warrington, Nov. „, 1800.
Sir,
I deem it pffipcr through you to inform the
House of Representatives that I have obtained
the permission of the President of the U. States
to resign the office of Secretary of the Treasury,
at the close of the present year.
I indulge a hope, that I may Without pre
sumption declare, that the different offices with
which I have been intruded fines the eflablifh
ment of this department, have been executed ac
cording to my best Ikill and judgment with the
confeientious regard to the rights of the public
and of individuals, and under an impressive
sense of refpbnfibility to the government. In
conformity with these profeffions, I now freely
submit the whole of my conduct to any inreftb
gation which the House of Representatives ma,
be pleased to institute.
I cannot omit this only opportunity which
may ever be afforded of exprcffing the sincere
sentiments of gratitude, which 1 now feel, and
shall ever cultivate for the man, proofs of con
fidence and indulgence, which I have experienc
ed in the course of my official communications
with the Legiflatute ; at the fame time 1 re
quest that if the liberty I hate now taken, to
invite their attention to a matter of personal
concern should be deemed In any degree unsuit
able, the etror may be attributed to a just and
rcafonable desire, that my conduct may, on pro a
per evidence appear to have deferred their ap^
probation.
sr AUTHORITY.
By JOHN ADAMS,
Prefdent of the United States, of America,
A PROCLAMATION.
f have the honor to he
With perfect esteem and deference,
Remarkable !