The constitutionalist — Exeter, N.H., 1810-08-20 00:00:00, page 1

^Z, To the Independent Electors of New-Hampshire.
WHEN we hear the people constantly complaining of the scarcity of
money, oppressive taxes, their rights and privileges assailed by foreign ty
rants, combined with internal commotion, the reflecting mind will naturally
pause and inquire into the cause which has brought such difficulties and dis
tresses upon them. The government of the United States is unquestionably
the best ever established in any country. The people by the constitution are
permitted to enjoy as much liberty as is necessary for any to possess. The
different branches of the government were as well arranged, as was possible
they could be at the time of its adoption. The powers and duties of each
clearly delineated, each a check upon the other, and if rightly administered,
calculated to steer between the extremes of anarchy and monarchy. This
<constitution was the result of much wisdom and reflection. And those men
who were chosen first to administer the government have given^s ample proof
of its excellency. Under the administration of WASHINGTON we were
happy, enjoying all its advantages. It would be useless to recapitulate all
the political blessings we experienced under it, and that of his immediate suc
cessor. And it must be well kno%n to every intelligent person, that our
happiness as a people, and respectability as a nation has been gradually de
clining for these nine years past. And, it now remains for the people of this
State to enquire into the cause which has brought this national degradation
upon them. If the administration of JEFFERSON has been as good as
those of his predecessors, why has not the result proved as favourable to the
people. Can any person of the smallest capacity with sincerity say, we have
been happy as a people and respectable as a nation under his and Madison's
administrations, as under Washington's add Adams' ? I submit the question
to the can did enquirer to answer.
On the last Monday of this month you will be called upon to choose
five men to represent you in Congress. The different political papers hare
announced two lists of candidates for your consideration ; each list has been
Recommended by those who probably will support them. As it cannot be
supposed you are acquainted with the merits or demerits of each individual
, composing the two lists, I shall submit a few remarks for your consideration.
The Washington List is composed of the Hon. George Sullivan, of Ex-,
cter, William Hale, of Dover, James Wilson ? of Pcterboro', Roger
VbSE, of Walpole, and Daniel Blaisdell, of Grafton, Esquires. To those
who are acquainted with Mr. Sullivan, it would be useless to say any thing
in his favor, as his conduct, moral and political eludes the censure of all par
ties. His character as a lawyer, ranks amongst the first in the State—As a
Statesman, inferior to no one—As a man of sense and candour, second to
none. In fact, all the necessary ingredients to constitute a firm, impartial
and intelligent Statesman, are united in him.
Mr. Hale has represented you in Cpngress, two sessions. Tothose who
have witnessed his candour and independent conduct, he must be considered
a very suitable character to represent the interest of his constituents. He is
acknowledged by all parties to be a man of good sense, candour and informa
tion; his knowledge of mercantile transactions, inferior to few men in the
State.
Mr. Wilson is a lawyer, of respectable standing in the county where he
resides. As a correct politician and zealous supporter of the government,
we have had repeated proof. Fora long time he represented the town where
he now resides, in the Legislature of this State, with ability. He is now one
of your representatives in Congress, and as such has supported our rights on
the floor of the House.
Mr. Vose is likewise a lawyer, respectable in his profession as a gen
tleman, a man of sense, information, and integrity, well known in the coun
ty where he resides. Such men would be an honor and a blessing to any
people, when called tb administer the government.
Mr. Blaisdell is a farmer. In the early part of our contest with Great
Britain he shouldered his musket like a firm and decided friend to his country
—marched out to meet the enemy, with a determined resolutiongo vindicate
its just rights. He is now one of your representatives in Congress. The
noble stand he made in Congress against the unconstitutional and unjust at
tempt, to abridge the right of debate in the house, must, I think, be sufficient
to convince every impartial mind of his value and worth as a statesman.
Opposed to this list is Dr. Josiah Bartlett of Stratham, John A. Harper
of Meredith, David L. Morrill of (tyffstown, Samuel Dinsmoor of Keene, apd
Obed Hall of Bartlett, Esquires. To those who are acquainted with the
characters and qualifications of the last mentioned gentlemen, nothing need be
said respecting them.—But as they are not generally known, characters like
those, when nominated to responsible offices ought to be exhibited to the
'people in all their native deformity. , . ^
Doctor Bartlett has been a practicing physician in the town of Stratham,
'for many years. As a physician, he is tolerably popular, amongst his demo.
* 1
\WASHINGTON TICKET. I
$ -^7^=^^^ — —9
I [REPRESENTATIVES for the 12 T rt CONGRESS of the |
;UNITED STATES.] 9
i Men denoted to the UNION OF THE STATES', and
>^tiie RIGHTS OF THE PEOPLE— who will preserve in-<
I VIOLATE THE FEDERAL CONSTITUTION.\
I Hon. GEORGE SULLIVAN, f
„ WILLIAM HALE,t
, „ JAMES WILSON,;
I „ ROGER VOSE, andl
, „ DANIEL BLAISDELL.,
^^zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzQ zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz^f,
Vol. I.].
THE CONSTITUTIONALIST.
AGAINST THE INSIDIOUS WILES OF FOREIGN INFLUENCE, THE JEALOUSY OF A FREE PEOPLE, OUGHT TO BE CONSTANTLY AWAKE Washington.
EXETER, (N.H.) MONDAY, AUGUST 20, 1810.
demagogue than a legislator. No cha
racter is more justly odious than an
Apostate priest.—Having deserted
that cause which he once pretended to
glory in, we have the same reason to
believe he would desert the cause of
the people, to aggrandize himself.
Mr. Dinsmoor is said by those who
know him to be a man of tolerable
good moral character and a valiant
* Gen. Peabody, fromavlrom the Doc
tor receives all his political information and
whom he'consiilts with the same confidence
of correct information that the superstitious
ancients consulted the Oracle of Delphos.
It is a notorious fact that the Doctor never
passes the dwelling house ,of the General,
that hot-bed of corrupt principles, without
calling to consult him.
I Witness the Parson's conduct with the
young lady at Newmarket which must have
cost him many bitter pangs,
1
Cratic friends. Ills remarkable volubil
ity of speech, elegant deportment, com
bined with his profound knowledge of
medicine, renders him, almost equal (in
the opinion of many good well mean,
ing men) to his learned and respectable
DICTATOR.* But as a politician,
sesses some talents, but those are bet
ter calculated for an electioneering
he is wild and enthusiastic. He has
imbibed all those principles which are
necessary to constitute, a TRUE French,
ijied Jeffersonian.
The partiality I imbibed for John A.
Harper, when young, will be a suf
ficient reason, why his character and
conduct is not thoroughly investigated,
while a student at law in Exeter. It
he is perfectly satisfied with his own
conduct, I will not endeavour to dis
turb the quietude of his conscience now,
nor injure the feelings of his friends,
A few years since this same John A.
Harper, was as loud in his anathemas
against the French party in this coun
try, as any one in the State, condemn
ing the measures of Jefferson's admin
istration; calling loudly on the people
to beware of choosing those who sup
ported such men and measures. All
of a sudden his tone is changed, and
like PLUMER, condemns all the men
and measures he before applauded and
approved. Are these the men to whom
you are to entrust all that is dear to
you? I hope in God not. Mr. Har
per k a man of tolerable business tal
ents as a lawyer, when you have said
that you have said all. Compare him
with Mr. Hale, then say with sincerity,
which of the two is the best man to re-
^both characters, enquire of those who
will give you cdk act information, and
I am sure you will give your vote for
Mr. Hale..
David L. Morrill has assumed so
many characters, it will be impossible
to give a correct portrait of him. "In
the early part of his life, he was edu
cated a physician—not succeeding to
present you. If you do not know
Priest. Had the parson remained
steadfast in this last profession, his
former acquaintance Would have had
some charity for him. But thinking
he could be more useful to the pcbple
at large, than to his particular parish
oners threw off his parochial garb and
assumed that of aStatesman. He has
for many years been constantly railing
against those men, who were consider
ed in WASHINGTON'S day firm de
cided friends to the country. He pos-
round from place to place retailing
politics with medicine until his former
iniquities, foolish & amorous miscon
duct with a yorhg lady,f pressed so
hard upon hirq, he at Onoe openly re-
his wishes in that profession he roved
nounced the world the flesh and the
Devil. Left his profession as a physi
cian, assumed a new character, that of
soldier in the wars of Tenus—Not a
man of brilliant talents, but one who
free from prejudice, would be likely
to do his duty according to the best of
his ability. His political creed, is
that Df a Jeffersonian Democrat; in.
favour of French principles, which
are ruinous to the country.
Mr. Hall is nowaJudge of the Court
of Common Pleas in the County of
Coos. He has never been accused of
being a man of much sense or informa
tion. His talents are below mediocri
ty, but as a violent supporter of French
politics, he is considered the bell
we ather of the county.
I have thus given a sketch of the
Among other evidences of this ob
ject of Federal policy, yon do not
forget the Alien and Sedition Laws,
and the Standing army.
There may be in the States (such
has been the force of misrepresenta
tion) many men, who are honest in
the belief, that these measures of the
Federalists were designed to introduce
tyranny. But it is impossible to con
ceive that you can be honest in such
an opinion, unless on the supposition
that you were heretofore very dishon
est in holding a contrary opinion.
At the time of writing your pam
phlet, these measures had ceased to
exist. They had passed away. They
had become matter of history. Every
fact mid circumstance attending their
origin, their progress and operation
were as perfectly known to you then,
as they are now, or ever can be. You
had seen and conversed with the men
who proposed and the men who op
posed them. You had a full view of
the grounds, both of support, and ob
jection. You formed your deliberate
opinion, and this opinion, and the rea
sons of it, you delivered to the public
in Qe following manner.
EXTRACT, NO. 4. /
* And what single act can be ad
“ duced under the administration of
" his successor, the great a,d pat
" riotic ADAMS, to prove him guil
“ ty of attempting to change our Con
" stitution, and introduce monarchy.
“ The acts in relation to the Aliens
^ passed under his administration,
" have been cited—they are foreign
" from the point, and so far from
" proving the charge they repel it.
" The one requires that the Foreigner
" should live a longer period of time
6' in this country, than the former law
" made requisite, previous to his being
" naturalized. This was done to ac
" quire the necessary information
" whether he was worthy of admission
"to the rights of citizenship. The
" other law authorised the President
" to confine or send alien enemies out
“ of the country, whenever the public
"safety required it. Are these pro
" visions impropor, or did he make a
" bad use of them? Most of the for
" eigners who have come to this coun
“ try were born, educated, and formed
'' habits of life, under monarchial gov
“ ernments, and of course imbibed
" opinion more or less unfavorable to
“ an elective Government.
" The^EEDiTioN Law has been
" urged against Mr. ADAMS and his
“ Administration. This act moder
" ates the rigor of the common law —,
" it authorises the defedant who is
" prosecuted for a libel to give the
“ TRUTH of it in evidence, as a jus.
characters of both lists of candidates,
Those who are in favour of such prin
ciples as governed the great and good
WASHINGTON, will vote for that
list which is headed with his name.
But those who are in favour of France
and her despotic government will vote
for the democratic list.
AN ELECTOR.
TO THE
Hon. William Plumer.
You have been recently taking
great pains, to convince the people, that
the Federalists have always leaned to
arbitrary power. &vcn from the form
ation of the Government, you pretend
to bring proofs of their propensity to
tyranny. I refer to your writings in
the Concord Patriot, both before the
last Election, and since.
FROM THE PORTSMOUTH ORACLE.
" tificatipn. Is this improper ? Is it
" aiding the cause of monarchy ? Is
" this establishing the doctrine, so fa
" vorable to royalty, that the Chief
"'Magistrate of a nation can do no
"wrong?
" But it is urged, that to enslave
“ the country an Army was raised.—
" Whoever candidly examines the
" reasons assigned by the administra
" tion for raising it, must, I think, bo
" satisfied, that their real object was
" the safety of the country. The
French government had previous to
" th^t time refused the peaceful Am
" bassador appointed by President
WASHINGTON, and had insolent
" ly rejected the three sent by Mr.
" ADAMS. French cruizers were
" making great depredations on our
" commerce, and their government
" threatened to invade the southern
" States, and arm the negroes against
" their masters. Warned by the
" mischiefs, which France had wan
" tonly inflicted on other nations, our
" government resolved, that they
" would not tamely submit to inju
" ries and insults; the twelve regi
"ments were therefore raised. But
" no sooner did the haughty nation.
" make real overtures for peace, than
“ Mr. Adams appointed new Envoys,
" and the federal government dis
" banded the small army it had raised.
" Is this evidence that the Federal Ad
" ministration sought to destroy th. ~
" liberties of their tountry ?"
On what grounds have you departed
from these sentiments ? On what pre
tences do you now lay claim either to
consistency, or integrity, of political
charctcr ? Into what refuge will you;
creep, from the pursuit of truth and
justice ? Where will you hide your
self from detection ? Will you take
shelter under the protection of the E
lectors of the second District ? That
protection may fail. They may ard
ere long they assuredly wul leave you,
to your own reflections. } You answer
them a present purpose. They help
on their party, and their cause by
your means. If their party and their
cause, fall, you will fall with them. If
they succeed, a little increase of
strength willlcad them to despise the in
strument, which they have used only
from necessity.
But let us hear you farther on the
subject of " Federal Tyranny."
EXTRACT, NO. 5.
" The charge of the Federalists be
“ ing advocates for Monarchy is not
" true; it exists only in the reports of
“ their enemies. Requifo proof of tha
“ charge from those who make it, and
“ the only answer you receive is bold
“ assertions often repeated."
Such were your opinions ofFedera!^
ism in 1804. You then saw in it no
marks of tyranny, partiality or corrup
tion. You detected no '' tory" tenets
in the mouth, or " tory? arts in the
practice of those whom the people had
raised to power. Nevertheless, wheiL
you now endeavor to fix these charges
on Federalists, you go back to facts#
and occurrences, previous to the timer
of writing your pamphlet. This iff
the point of the accusation Which i
made against you. It is very pto.%_
The dullest capacity may compreh
it. An honest man it is conty'ded
may change his sentiments — bfat he
cannot pretend that he has net changed
them, when in fact he ibas not • or
that he has not, when he has^ ft is'im
possible to believe that you have al
tered your opinion us points, on
which you pretend to; have received!
no new information, We are com
pelled to believe therefore, that in
truth, you have not changed your op^
inions at all. The Consequence is,
that your professions ; were void of
truth in 1804, or are so in 1810.
EXTRACT, *o. 6.
" Examine the measures of the pre
“ sent administration, and compare
“ them with those of the Faderalists.
“ I know Mr. Jeffetsoa and his ad
“ vocates have made many liberal
“ professions of their attachment to
“ republicanism, to Liberty and Equ
“ ality, and the Rights of Man. But
" unfortunately his professions and
" actions are at variance. Has not
"he, and his adherents, in fact, vio
" lated your constitution, and intro
" duced Monarchical principles into
" the government ? To prove this,
" look at the numerous and arbitrary
" removals he has made of worthy,
" faithful men, from office ; men who
" fought, and bled in ^our defence;
1
[No. 14.