The constitutionalist — Exeter, N.H., 1810-07-02 00:00:00, page 3

pelled this superannuated old gentleman
to eclipse all his former lustre: you
compelled him, by rqusing his passions
and representing the schisms in the
party, to abandon the dignity of his 1
office and make all intreaties to induce
the same person, he, a few hours be
fore, had, nominated, to relinquish all
pretensions to the office. The public
have compassion for him in his old age,
and sincerely regret the unhappy situ
ation to which he is reduced by a false
friend. You have sacrificed on the
altar of ambition a reputation which
has been accumulating for more than
seventy years. You have destroyed
the peace of a declining life ; and yet
all your plans have been abortive:
for the person first nominated was ap
pointed Sheriff. Wlien he was request
ed to relinquish his pretensions to the
office, he treated with contempt the
proposition, and despised your artifice.
He knew such unparalleled con
duct could have its origin in you
alone: he was soon fully convinced,
by your personal Application to him
to withdraw his claim. I will not
comment on the impropriety ofthe
personal interview. Your expressions
and treatment to that gen tieman, merit
more serious considerations. I can
forgive you, sir, for the indecorous re
marks to the present Sheriff respect
ing his personal appearance; it was a
degree of vulgarity that proceeded
from a low groveling mind; haq you
been conversant with polite or even
decent society, you would never have
represented to the Sheriff that, " his
personal appearance was so diminutive
and contemptible as to excite universal
ridicule." It is a natural misfortune;
and you, of all men, ought to refrain
from that degraded species of vulgari
ty, But, sir, I cannot forgive you
for asserting, " that you would treat
the Sheriff with the most pointed con
tempt, in whatever situation you might
meet him." Are the people bound to
consult you, sir, respecting .persons
who are qualified for that office? Must
they yield to you the power to elect
for them ? Will you treat with point
ed contempt, the first and most import
ant officer in the county, in the per
formance of his official duties ? The
Sheriff was appointed by the consti
tuted authorities of the state. Are
you, sir, to be approached as the Cen
■[f the administration
diy in the appoint-
Objects of contempt)
may be scrutinized
everity. If sou thus
ds of decency the
ty of a judge ? You knew the Governor
was far advanced in life, that the vigor
of his mind was impaired, and that his
nerves were extremly delicate; and
was it not unfeeling in you to prey
upon his passions : The Governor
made the nomination, and the Council
Concurred; and after that you com-
bion. What was the charge echoed
against the late Sheriff, to prevent his
reappointment? The shafts of calum
ny were never directed against his pri
vate character, and the most rancor
ous partizan sought in vain, the least
failure in the performance of his offi
cial duty. Your automaton suggest
ed, "that he heard from a man in
Boston, that the late Sheriff appoint
ed deputies, who promised to exert
themselves for the federal interest." Is
Boston the place to obtain information
respecting those, who are qualified for
offices? Is that the place to enquire
whether a Sheriff for the county of
Rockingham, have performed with fi
delity the duties of his office? Why
not enquire of the inhabitants of the
county ? This, sir, might have roused
the passions of those who regard your
veracity, and have a blind confidence
in your integrity. \'
I confess I was much surprised that
you had no confidence in your own
counsellor. I was astonished that he
had not sufficient sagacity to pursue
your directions without the aid of
eight or ten, during the session of
the Governor and Council : and I was
more astonished, that you should wish
to make him appear so perfectly ri
diculous as to suffer his guardians to
approach him the moment the Gover
nor and Council adjourned: and, sir,
had you possessed any delicacy of
feeling, you would not have selected,
as guardians, a band of coblers and
tinkers. This Counsellor likeafaith
ful servant pursued your instructions :
he wonld not concur in the nomina
tion of the Governor. Not having
the sagacity and cunning to assign any
plausible reason for his conduct, he
was almost overcome with mortifica
tion and chagrin, and as you hurried
him into difficulty without attempting
to extricate him. he resolved to abandon
your advice in future. The new ad
ministration had scarcely commenced
its operations when you again interfer
ed in the appointment of a Sheriff.
Here, sir, your old automaton was
moved by different hands. A nomina
tionwas made that excited your indigna
tion. What was your conduct on this
occasion ? Was it becoming the digni-
America had just arrived with nine millions
of dollars ; and thut provisions were high.
The latest Lisbon accounts say, the British
H. Q. which had been long established at
Viseu [near the centre of Beira] had been
advanced to the frontier, in a line with
Ciudad Rodrigo ; where it was expected
they would give battle to the French, if not
found to be too strongly reinforced.
From a London paper of May 19, 1810.
May 19. We have private letters from
Lisbon to the sth, when it was reported, that
Lord Willington was advancing towards
Spain, with 22,000 Britisn and 36,000 P or .
tuguese troops.
LATEST FROM SPAIN. ,
A vessel has arrived at Marblehead from'
Cadiz, which it left the 10th May. The
master informs, That after the capture of
the Matagorda fort, the French advanced
their batteries to annoy the English and
Spaniards ; —That 5000 French had attempt
ed to take the island of Leon, but had
been repulsed :—That the Patriots and their
allies were confident of being able to defend
Cadiz, in the works round which they had
700 pieces .of cannon well mounted and
served :—That two vessels from South
MR. BEALS,
I have been an attentive peruser of
your newly established paper and am
much pleased that it is so well calculat-,
cd to answer the expectations of its
'readers.-—The present alarming crisis
of our riational affairs, demands the un
remitted exertions of every friend of
liberty and good government, to de
fend our constitutional rights against
the intrigues and hostile attacks of
unprincipled invaders, who, infatuated
with the malignant phrenzy of party
zeal, and wholly controled by the dic
tates of unrestrained passion, are bent
upon nothing but the abolition of every
principle of religion and morality, and
a total subversion of the constitution
and laws of our country. —What mind,
possessing the least glow of patriotism,
can remain passive and unconcerned at
this momentous juncture? The im
portance of correct principles, order
and regularity in a republic, is inesti
mable. It is solely from these that
the happiness of the people results.
Where principles prevail which have a
direct tendency to corrupt the morals
and extenuate the religious duties of
the people; it cannot be supposed that
a happy government can be established.
The unprincipled manner in which the
transactions of our national affairs
have been conducted for three years
past, must necessarily excite the at
tention of the most superficial ob
server, and raise in the mind of every
friend of virtue and liberty the most
fearful apprehensions of the fatal con
sequences that nyust ultimately proceed,
if still continued in this manner. These
considerations ought to inspire every
one with renewed vigor and anima
tion,-to exercise all his efforts in en
deavoring to support our Independ
ence and preserve our country from
impending ruin.,
In coming forward, sir, in this lau
dable and patriotic undertaking, you
have justly merited the approbation^
and applause of your fellow-citizens,
and it is sincerely to be hoped they
will not be backward in affording ne
cessary assistance for the prosecution
of your design. From the specimen
already produced, there is sufficient
reason to believe, that should you per
severe in your undertaking, you will
render yourself extensively useful to
the public. In the selection for your
paper, I think you have been peculiar
ly fortunate in choosing such a variety
as to render it at once instructive and
entertaining.—The scandalous attack
of the N. H. Patriot, upon the first
number of the Constitutionalist,
was of such a nature as scarcely to
merit notice. It plainly discovered
the ignorance and petulant disposition
of its author, and manifested his incli
nation for contention and disturbance,
and a propagation of such principles as
are inconsistent with the laws and lib
erty of our country, for which that
paper is notoriously distinguished.
A FRIEND TO THE CONSTITUTION.
Portsmouth, June 26, 1810.
EXETER,
MONDAY, JULY 2, 1810.
peoplc have a right to complain: they
will not permit you with impunity to
cast an odium on an officer of the high
est responsibility. I cannot suppress
my indignation at your duplicity and
hypocricy. The same person, whom
you thus traduced, received from you
the highest eulogium ; in May, you
thought him a man of uncommon tal
ents, one that would be an ornament
to the National Legislature; in
June, you thought him far below
mediocrity. Ido not pretend to be
an advocate for the present sheriff ;
what I have stated is designed to ex
hibit the materials of which you are
composed ; — and you arc truly a he
terogeneous mass, without one com
mendable qualification.
For the Const/tutionalist.
PHILO LAOS.
Yesterday arrived at Marblehead,
brig Mentor, Capt. Richard Pedrick,
from Alicant and 51 days from Gibral
tar. Capt. William Fairfield, his two
mates, one seaman, and two passengers,
late of the ship Margaret, of this port,
wrecked at sea on the 21st of May,
came home in this vessel—they were
put on board the Mentor from the brig
Poacher, bound to Boston, who pick
ed up the Margaret's long-boat with
15 men on board, after being from the
wreck 5 days.
From Cupt. Fairfield we received the
following Distressing Particulars.
April 10th, Sailed,from t Naples in
the shi|r Margaret, of Salem, with a
crew consisting of 15 in number, ex
/clusive of 31 passengers, making 45
men and boys in all. We passed
through the Gut of Gibraltar the 22d
of April ; nothing of moment occurred
until Sunday, 20th May, when in lat.
40, N. long. 39, 30, W. having strong
breezes of wind at S. E,_ and E. S. E.
and rany weather, at 10 A. M. took
in royals, top-gallant studding-sails,
fore and mizen top-gallant-sails, jibs,
staysails, and mainsail—at meridian,
wind and weather continued as before
mentioned—at 1 P. M. the 21st. the
fore-top-mast studding sail haulyards
parted, thestudding sail fell overboard,
filled with water, and carried away
the studding sail, boom —we took in
lower studding sail, spanker, and mizen
top-sail, by which time it became
squally, and we immediately clewed
down fore arid main-top-sail, and let
fly the sheets—the wind shifted in an
instant from E. S. E. to S. W. and
although the helm was hard to weather,
we could not get the ship before the
wind, but was instantly hove on her
beam-ends. Every person on board
the ship being at this time on deck,
reached either the bottom or side of
the ship, and held on. We secured
an axe, and immediately cut away the
weather lanyards of theshrouds, masts
and long-boat, which being done the
ship righted, being full of water, her
hatches off, chests, water casks, &c.
drifting amongst the wreck; the guns,
anchors, camboose, and every article
on deck, we hove overboard to lighten
the ship, and endeavored to clear the
wreck of spars, rigging, &c. which
lay beating against her to windward;
but our efforts were in vain, the star
board lanyards of the shrouds being
deep under water, and fast to th'e-ship,
and the sea making a continual beach
over her : during this time the long
boat lay beating among the wreck of
spars, &e. bottom 'up, the pinnace
being wrecked entirely to pieces, ex
cept her keel, and about three streaks
of the boards of her bottom, lay in the
same situation as the long-beat, and
the stern boat laying^ a small distance
from the ship, full of water, with her
gunwales tore off, butts started, and
stern about half stove in, it was with
the utmost difficulty that we baled her
out, and kept her so far free as to
enable us to get a rope fast to the long
boat, by which we hauled the long
boat along side the ship, turned her
over and found her to be badly stove,
her gunwales and stem broke entirely
off, her wood endsand garberd streak
open, and large holes in her bottom, so
that we found it impossible to bale her
out, and we were under the necessity
of upsetting her again in the sea, with
the hope of being able to stop a part
of the holes in her bottom, which we
in part effected, by driving too the butto,
and by putting canvass, &c. into the
largest holes in her bottom, after which
we turned her over again, and by con
tinual baling with every bucket, &c.
which we could procure, we were en
abled to keep her from sinking, still
keeping under the lee of the ship. By
this time it was 7 P. M. when the boat
being hauled near to the ship for the
purpose of getting canvass and oakum
to stop the leak, as many men as could
reach the long-boat jumped into her,
and finding the boat would be- again
sunk if we remained so near the ship,
we were obliged to veer the boat to
leeward of the, ship at the distance of^
15 or 20 fathoms, being twelve in
number in the boat ; we had not lain
in this situation but a short time be
fore one man jumped from the ship
into the sea and made for the boat ;
we tool, him into .the boat, and find
ing at the same time all on board were
determined to pursue the same, plati,
we were obliged to veer, the boat fur
ther from the ship. We stated to
them on board our situation, which
was also evident to them, as it required
all our exertions to keep the boat from
sinking. During the night we lay
with a rope fast from the ship to the
boat, and under her lee, when the
people on board the ship being exceed
ingly anxious to get into the boat
(which had they effected we should all
have been inevitably lost) kept haul
ing the boat towards them; we then
bent bn another rope, and veered out
as they hauled ; but finding they were
determined to sink the boat by getting
into her, we were obliged (after stating'
Salem, JUST 20.
, About this time, casks of Brandy
and sundry other articles of the cargo
were drifting from the wreck, amongst
which we picked up the mizen top
gal't sail, 2 spars, 5 Oars, 1 cask of
Oil, 1 (drowned) pigand 1 goat, 1 bag
of bread, and they hove us a gallon
keg of brandy from theship ; we then
fix'd a sail for the boat from the mizen
top gallantsail, it being about 11 A. M.
when the people on the wreck were
determined to come into the boat and
began by jumping into the sea, at
which we veered the boat farther dis
tance from the ship and they again re
turned to her, after which we again re
peated to them our determination to
continue by them so long as the ship
held together, but if any other person
attempted to come into the boat we
should leave them notwithstanding our
desperate situation ; at this time they
had secured on the wreck 2 quadrants,
2 compasses, 1 Hhd. of water, bread,
Hour, and a plenty of provisions, as
they frequently informed us, but they
would not spare us any of those ar
ticles unless we consented to come
along ,side the ship with the boat,
which, had we have done we should
have been sunk in an instant as they
were prepared to jump, having oars,
chests, &c. ready for the purpose on
the Taffrel Rail. Notwithstanding they
knew our determination and the im
possibility of our taking them into the
boat, they still persisted in getting into
her, and one of them jumped into the
sea and made for the small boat which
lay veer'd to the leeward of the ship,
which boat he reached and finding we
would not take him into the long-boat,
he returned to the ship with the small
boat, by which time seeing they were
all determined to pursue the same plan
as this last man, we were under the
painful necessity of cutting the rop#
by which we were fast to the ship, and
row and sail from them for the preser
vation of our lives, being in hopes of
falling in with a vessel to relieve us,
which was almost the only hope we
had left, being about 400 miles distant
from the nearest land, and in the des
perate situation before stated. At
this time it was about meridian, with
moderate wind from the southward and
westward, we madeour course as near
ly East as possible, for the Island of
Corvo or Flores, and the last we saw
of the ship she was laying in the same
situation as when we parted from her ;
it was now about 6 P. Al. the 22d of
May, we continued our course for the
Eastward, having the winds variable
from S. S. E. to N. W. and two men
constantly baling, steering in the night
by the stars, when to be seen, and
when dark, cloudy weather, by the
heaving of the sea, and in the day time
by judging from the bearing of the sun,
when to be seen, and when not, by
the best of our judgment. We con-.
tinned in this situation without seeing
any vessel until Saturday,26th of May;
at i P. M. when to our great joy we
espyed a sail which proved to be the
brig Poacher of Boston, James Dunn,
from Alicant: who took us on board
and treated ns with every attention
and civility while on board his vessel,
for which we return him our most
grateful acknowledgments, and also to
Capt. Richard Tadrick, who very
generously, afterwards took 6 of us
on board his vessel, and brought us
into Marblehead, and treated us with
/the greatest politeness.
, William Fairfield, Joshua Safford,
Louis Barney, Jllerfr Thomson,
'Zerub'l Kemp, John M. Peck,
William Graves, Nahum Warren,
Robert Peele, ' Edw.Richardson '
Monday Morning, moderate breez
es and sea tolerable smooth ; at which
time the people on the wreck were
about half of them on the taffrel rail,
and the remainder on the bowsprit and
windlass, every other part of her being
under water, continually, and they
kept entreating us to take them into
the bo^t ; we then told them our de
termination was to continue by the
ship while she kept together and that
the boat was not in asituation to leave
them unless they attempted to come
into her, but if any of them once made
the attempt we should be under the
necessity of leaving them, notwith
standing our wretched situation, hav
ing neither compass, quadrant or any
instrument whatever by which we
could direct our course, nor a single
drop of fresh water in the boat, and 2
men constantly bating ; all of which
circumstances were known to them.
repeatedly to them our situation) to
tell them that provided they persisted
in getting into the boat,Ave should be
obliged though very reluctantly, to
cut the rope and leave them ; after
which they desisted from hauling the
boat towards the ship. At this time
we were 13 in number in the long-boat,
besides 2 men who were in the stern
boat laying under the lee of the ship,
continually baling to keep her from
sinking, which augmented our num
ber to more than could with any de
gree of safety attempt to leave the
ship in the long-boat in the shattered
condition she was then in.
And will shortly be published the:
following valuable works.
A Treatise on the Lavr
relative to Merchant Ships & Seamen,
by Charles Abbot of the inner Tern-,
ple, Barrister at law. Second Ameri^
can, from the third London Edition,
with Anotations by Joseph Story>
Esq. Counsellor at Law.
Reports of Cases argued
and determined in the Supreme Court:
of Massachusetts, Vol. V. containing
the cases for the year 1809, by D. A-
Tyng, Esq. Counsellor at Law.
Marci Tullii Ciceronis
Orationes Quaedam Selectae, with En
glish Notes ; Second Edition, carefully]
revised and corrected.
The Village Harmony, on
Youth's Assistant to Sacred Music]
Tenth Edition,with valuable additions]
* * Wanted as above tivc|
Journeymen Printers. None neem
apply but those of steady habits anm
the best of workmen! to whom coni
stant employ and good wages will bd
given.July/2d, ■
WONDERFUL DISCOVERY!!!!
The simple Editor of the N. H. Pat
riot, with unusual penetration, has dis
covered in the Constitutionalist a typo
graphical error. In this discovery wo
will allow him to have some knowledge:
of "first principles , but when ho
wishes to claim that knowledge respect
ing government he ought not to have
exhibited the grossest ignorance : —This
mere paragraph scribbler makes at
pitiful figure in political discussions^
List of de officers, Crew and Passed
gers of the ship Margaret, of Salem;
Wm. Fairfield; master, wrecked on.
the 21st of May, 1810, in lat. 4%
N. long. 39, 30, W. on her passage
from Naples towards Salem-—viz.
TO CORRESPONDENTS.
Several Communications unavoida
bly omitted —fhey shall appear in our
next.
Left on the Wreck, as follows,
Henry Larcom, late master of the
sch'r Mary, of Beverly ; John Janyrm,
do. do. of sch'r Syren, of Newbury—
port ; Wm. Burrell, seaman, and
Isaac Choat, cook of said sch'r Syren ;
Henry Tucker, supercargo of ship
Francis, of Salem ; George E. A. Car.
penter, clerk of ship Hercules, of do.;
George Prince, cleric of brig Romp,
of do. ; John C. Very, 2d mate and
Green Perry, cook of said brig Romp;
Ernest A. Ervin, 2d mate, Benjamin
Peele and Jepther Layth, seamen of
brig Victory, of do. ; Jas. Sinclair,
2d mate, Maybury Orion, apprentice,
and John Jones, seamen, of sch'r
Kite, of Baltimore ; Henry Gill, 2d!
mate and John Brackley, apprentice^
of sch'r Urania, of N. York ; Sam'l
Craft, mate, and Nath'l Sheffield, sea
men, of sch'r Ousetonack, of Derby ;
Jacob Fowler, seaman, of bri^ Iwo
Betsy's of Beverly ; Edmund Wingata
and John Merrill, seamen, and Georges
Gogswell, black uian, of sch'r Peace,
of Newburyport; John Brown, sea
man, of ship Trent, of Boston ; Alex'r
Marshall, seaman of brig Nancy-Ann,
of Newburyport ; John Treadwell,
carpenter, Daniel Cahill, steward,
Stephen Valpey, seaman ; Louis Jou
isas, apprentice, and Hanson Wilson,
black man, cook, of the ship Marga
ret, aforesaid, also George Jones, sea
man, shipped at Naples, his place of
nativity unknown.
Left on the Wreck 31
Picked up in the boat 15
Total, 46
The Legislature of this State rose
last Wednesday.
Nothing of. importance has been:
transacted except they have made choice
of the Hon. Nicholas Gilman & Charles
Cutts Esq. as Senators to Congress,
(Charles Cutts Esq. vice Hon. Nahum
Parker resigned.) Have appropriated
8,000 dollars to building a State's
Prison, and laid a, State tax.
Wm. Fairfield; master, Robert
Beele, mate, Edward Richardson, 2d
mate, and John Hayman, seaman, alt
of the ship Margaret ; Alexander
Thomson, late master of the sch'r Kite;
of Baltimore ; Nahum Warren, do
do. Hound, of do.; Wm. Graves, do:
do. Peace, of Newburyport ; John
M. Peck, do. do. Urania, of N. York ;
Louis Barney, late supercargo of brig;
Orozimbo, of Baltimore,; Zerubabel
Kemp; lite mate of ship Francis, of
Salem ; Joshua Safford, do. do. of
brig Romp, of do. ; John Tyler,
Rufus Wilkins, Jacob Schultz and
and Alex'r McKenzy, seamen—[All
the above were picked up in the long
boat.J
NOW IN THE PRESS
of C. Norris & Co.