The constitutionalist — Exeter, N.H., 1810-08-06 00:00:00, page 1

, z ~~ ^^^^^ q
^, To the Independent Electors of New-Hampshire.
WHEN a nation becomes embarrassed, its government gradually declin
ing, viewed wit!/jealousy at home and treated with contempt abroad, we are
naturally led to enquire into the cause. There are men now living who took
part in the conflict which separated the United States from Britain, and
caused us to take our rank amongst the nations of the earth ; and some of those
are now living who aided and assisted in the formation and adoption of our
excellent constitution of government. When our contest for freedom was
ended, and we had assumed an independent rank with other nations, and our
constitution was adopted by a majority of the States, we placed at the head
of the government that man, who stood forth as the champion of our lib
erties, and defended our rights at the risk of his life and expense of his for
tune. We chose for his assistants, some of those men who fought by his
side in that glorious contest for liberty. Those difficulties which attended
old confederation were removed, public credit was restored, confidence
between man and man renewed, commerce fostered and protected, our farm
ers again returned to the cultivation of the soil, and the fruits of their indus
try commanded a price—We had food for man and beast. By the industry
of the people we were decently clad —Schools for the education of our youth
were established and encouraged—Our taxes were not burthensome—Our
attention was frequently attracted by the commotion of the contending pow
ers of Europe, but their contest did not affect us. If our neutral rights were
invaded by any-foreign foe, satisfaction was made by negociation, or our
triumphant little navy was sent forth to redress our wrongs and protect our
rights. Our farms were rapidly improving, and farmers increasing in wealth
and respectability. Villages were rapidly increasing to towns, and towns to
cities. But these brilliant prospests have rapidly passed away—Our nation
al councils are distracted with the politics of Europe, and the necessary qual
ifications for rulers now are, whether the candidates are in favour of the
French Qr the English. Our national revenue within three years last past
bps suffered a diminution of between twenty and thirty millions of dollars.
We were informed by Mr. Gallatin, last session of Congress it would be ne
cessary to borrow four millions of dollars to defray the expenses of govern
ment, notwithstanding public lands were sold to the amount of thirty-two
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
Is our commerce distroyed ? Have a million and an half of dollars been
expended in building gun boats which are useless, and justly the objects of
ridicule? Have the United States lost nearly,one million of dollars by frauds
of men appointed to office by Jefferson? Are many places of honour and
profit filled by foreigners and hirelings, men who have no other qualification
but a willingness to defame the characters of those who aided in our revolu
tionary contest? Has every man whom Washington appointed to office been
( dismissed for no other reason than because he was a lover of him and his
principles ? Are the tillers of the soil soon to be called upon to give up their
hard earnings to support such men and measures ? What has become of that
national honour which America possessed under the administration of Wash
ington? How came our government to be placed in this deplorable, this dis
graceful situation ? Who are they which have brought these evils upon us?
I answer, they are those and the descendants of those who were opposed to
the adoption of our national constitution— French partisans, men who have
, laboured to blast the American name, and palsy the national arm. Misera
ble wretches, who, like Satan, envied those who were above them, jealous
and malicious, would destroy those blessings which they could not create.
>Freneau, Bache, Callender and Duane, were paid for traducing the character
of the great and good Washington. Slanders were fabricated and industri
ously circulated against those men, who risked their lives and fortunes for our
national independence. The naval & military establishments were held up as the
instruments of tyranny. Men whose young families, property and daily bread
depended upon tranquillity and pface, were accused of endeavouring to estab
lish monarchy. Those who were guilty of these base acts,obtained £heir ob
ject—Our rulers were changed, and we now see, we now feel and our chil
dren's children will feel the effect of those measures which have been pursued
for these nine years past. +'
If then, Fellow-Citizens, you wish to ^ relieved from your present
,embarrassed situation, come forward one and all at the next Congressional
Election, and take your stand.' It is of infinite moment you should see your
situation, before the chains of despotism are rivetted upon you, or your
situation will be irremediable. Give your suffrages for the men composing
the above list. Only compare those men with the men composing the de
mocratic list, and I am sure you will not want the spirit cf prophesy, or
power of divination to decide, which of the two lists are preferable. O^&
in favour of Washington and his principles, the other is in favour of Jefferson
and the pernicious principles he has for many years been endeavouring to
inculcate. ' AN ELECTOR.
Vol. I.]
WASHINGTON TICKET.
[REPRESENTATIVES for the 12th CONGRESS of the
UNITED STATES.]
Men devoted to the UNION OF THE STATES, 4ND
the RIGHTS OF THE PEOPLE— who will preserve in
violate the FEDERAL CONSTITUTION.
Hon. GEORGE SULLIVAN,
„ WILLIAM HALE,
„ JAMES WILSON,
„ ROGER VOSE, and
„ DANIEL BLAISDELL.
THE CONSTITUTIONALIST.
AGAINST THE INSIDIOUS WILES OF FOREIGN INFLUENCE, THE JEALOUSY OF A FREE PEOPLE, OUGHT TO BE CONSTANTLY AWAKE... Washington.
EXETER, (N. HQ MONDAY, AUGUST 6, 1810.
to alterations ofits terras, which would
have affected our claims against her,
for spoliation^ by French subjects car
ried into Spanish ports.
" To obtain justice as well as to re
store friendship, I thought a special
mission adviseable, and accordingly ap
pointed James Munroe minister extra
ordinary and plenipotentiary, to re
pair to Madrid, and in conjunction
with our minister resident there to en
deavour to procure the ratification of
the former convention and to come to
an understanding with Spain, as to the
boundaries of Louisiana. It appeared
at once that her policy was to reserve
herself for events, and in the mean
'time to keep our differences in an un
determined state. This will be evident
from the papers n^ communicated to
you. After pearly five months of
fruitless endeavour to bring them to
some definite and satisfactory result,
our ministers ended the conferences,
without having been able to obtain in
demnity for spoliations of any desrip
tion, or any satisfaction as to the
boundaries of Louisiana, other than a
declaration that we had no rights east
ward of the Iberville, and that our line
to the west was one, which wouiu have
left us but a string of land on that
bank of the river Missisippi. Our
injured citizens were thus left without
any prospect of retribution from the
wrong doer, and as to boundary, each
party was to take its own course.
States during the preceding war, by
persons under the authority of Spain,
are sufficiently known to all. These
made it a duty to require from that
government indemnification for our
injured citizens. A convention was
accordingly entered into between the
minister of the United States at Mad
rid, and the minister of that govern
ment for foreign affairs, by which it
was agreed that spoliations committed
by Spanish subjects, and carried into
ports of Spain, should be paid for by
that nation, and that those committed
by French subjects, and carried into
Spanish ports, should remain for furth
er discussion. Before this convention
was returned to Spain with our ratifi
cation, the transfer of Louisiana by
France to the U. States took place:
an event as unexpected as disagreable
to Spain. From that moment she
seemed to change her conduct and dis
position'towards us. It was first man
ifested by her protest against the right
of France to alienate Louisiana to us,
which however, was soon retracted and
the right confirmed. Then high of
fence was manifested at the actof Con
gress establishing a collection district
on the Mobile, although by an au
thentic declaration immediately made,
it was expressly confined to our ac
knowledged limits ; and she now re
fused to ratify the convention signed
by her own minister, under the eye of
his sovereign, unless we would consent
committed on the commerce of the U.
APPENDIX-rNo. 1.
On the 6th of December, 1805, the
following confidential message was re
ceived from the president:
" The depredations which had been
To the People of the United States.
[The body of this letter contains the
writer's justification which he con
sidered proper as introductory to
the developement of political scenes
of peculiar delicacy.]
A political informer is an odious
character. The boy who tells tales
out of school is always despised.—
To bring into public view the mere
peccadilloes of one's party would cer
tainly be very contemptible.—But to
publish secret machinations which tend
to the destruction of the character and
honor, if not the independence of the
country, ought not to be considered
as otherwise than honorable.
Appended to this letter is the con
fidential message of President Jefferson
to Congress of the 6th of December,
1805. Some publicity was some
years since given to it, by a writer in
The Enquirer, who called himself
" Decius." It is necessary that it
should now be read and reflected on as
the foundation of statements which are
soon to follow.
LETTERS UPON FRENCH IN
' FLUENCE.
AN EXTRACT FROM No. VIII.
From the Freeman's Journal.
POLITICAL.
* Coalitions between Austria, Rus
sia, and Great Britain, it is presumed.
+ Leaving Mr. Talleyrand "to in
fer," that it would afford him asecond
glorious occasion of dipping his hands
into, our pockets.
+ Our ministers had proposed to
surrender our claims to compensation
for the withholding of the right of de
posite at New Orleans, and for spoli
ations, Spanish as well as French, and
to establish the Collorada as the wes
tern boundary of Louisiana. Although
the Collorada is a vast distance to the
west of the existing limit between the
two nations, it was evident, from the
face of our dispatches, that our min
isters in agreeing to establish that river
as the boundary, had been obliged to
exceed the authority of their instruc
tions ; (the government of the United
States claiming to the Rio Bravo) —
This proposition, (the ultimatum on
our partj was rejected at the court of
Madrid with disdain ; and thus ended
the negotiation. Yet France,it seems,
was disposed to a settlement 6h " anal
ogous terms;" although Mr, Talley
rand had, in the most dictatorial style,
declared that our claims on Spaintfor
French spoliations carried into Spanish
ports, " mud be abandoned?
That which they have chosen to pur
sue will appear from the documents
now communicated. They authorise
the inference that it is their intention
to advance on our possessions, until
they shall be repressed by an oppos
ing force. Considering that congress
alone is constitutionally invested with
the power of changing our condition
from peace to war, I have thought it
my duty to await their authority for
using force in any degree which could
be avoided. I have barely instructed
the officers stationed in the neighbour
hood of the aggressions, to protect
our citizens from violence, to patrole
within the borders actually delivered
to us, and not to go out of them, but
when necessary to repel an inroad, or
to rescue a citizen or his property ; &
the Spanish remaining at New Orleans
are required to depart without further
delay. It ought to be noted here that
since the late change* in the state of
affairs in Europe, Spain has ordered
her cruizers and courts to respect our
treaty with her.
''The conduct of France, and the
part she may take in the misunder
standings between the United States
and Spain, are too important to be un
considered. She was prompt and de
cided in her declarations, that our de
mands on Spain for French spoliations,
carried into Spanish ports were includ
ed in the settlement between the United
States and France. She took at once
the ground that she had acquired no
right from Spain, and had meant to
deliver us none eastward of the Iber
ville ; her silence as to the western
boundary leaving us to inferf the
opinion might be against Spain in that
quarter. Whatever direction she might
mean to give to these differences, it does
not appear that she has contemplated
their proceeding to actual rupture or
that at the date of our last advices from
Paris her government had any suspi
cions of the hostile attitude Spain had
taken here. On the contrary we have
reason to believe, that she (France)
was disposed to effect a settlement on
a plan analogous to what our ministers
had proposed,]; and so comprehensive
as to remove as far as possible the
grounds of future collision and con
troversy on the eastern as well as the
western side of the Missisippi.
" The present crisis in Europe is'
favorable for pressing such a settle
'ment, and not a moment should be lost
in availing ourselves of it. Should it
pass unimproved, our Situation would™
become more difficult. Formal war is
,not necessary, it is not probable that
it will follow: but the protection of
our citizens, the spirit and honor of
our country require that force should
be interposed to a certain degree. It
will probably contribute to advance
the object of peace.
" But the course to be pursued will
require the command of means which
it belongs to congress exclusively to
yield or deny. To them I communi
cate every fact material for their in
formation, and the documents necessa
ry to enable them to judge for them
selves. To their wisdom then I look
for the course 1 am to pursue, and
will pursue with sincere zeal that
which they shall approve."
NOTES.
Hartford^ July 25.
Last Year and this Year. —Last
year an event happened, which seem
ed like to have thrown the nation into
paroxisms of rage, and to terminate in
blood and carnage. Rumour spread
it abroad that the British Minister had
insulted Mr. Robert Smith. The thing
was in every body's mouth. It en
grossed the conversation of the day.
It filled the columns of the news-pa
pers. The holy fire of patriotism,
which is always kept alive in the hearts
of our '76 men, instantly burnt into &
tremendous , flame. What? has the
the British Minister dared to insult
Robert thescribe? Vengeance !; Ven
geance!—Some cried one thing and
some another. Many thought that
the stain on the nation must be washed
away in the blood of the Canadians.
Congress met together. Public ex
pectation was on tiptoe. Never did
the Senate of old Rome, in the day of
her power, talk half so boisterously, or
half so b^. —War, ''open or under
stood," was the order of the day. The
dire bolts of forensic eloquence were,
darted against the offending natron.
Killing resolutions were adopted.
Presses groaned as it were under the in
^ult. Pens of ready writers were em
ployed every where, to point it out, &:
to paint it in, all its native hues of atroci
ty. ' But as, in general, what is violent
cannot be lasting, so it happened ini
that particular case. The public mind
at length settled down to rest, like tba
troubled sea after a storm.
This Year, another great event ha#
"happened. The American .vessels at
the ports 'of France, Holland,' Den
mark, Italy, && after they were reg.
This is ,a question which is very
frequently asked. The Democrats:
say, in answer to the cutting reproach
es of the Federalists. We agree with
you that the situation of things is re
ally desperate, but as you object to
our pitins let us hear what you hava
to propose. No, reply the Federalists
(and with good reason too) —No gen
tlemen ; contrary to our advice and
warnings, you have run the vessel of
state upon a sand bank, and it is your
business to get her off, you drove us
from the quarter deck, while the ship
was tight, well provisioned, in th^
latitude of Good Jlope, with fine
breezes, and a sharp look-out kept for
breakers ; you degraded us before the
mast, advanced land-lubbers to &
station on the quarter deck, altered
the ship's course, and let the rats into
the provision room ; here shd is out
her beam-ends, and every thump sho
gets loosens a plank. It is true, if
she sinks we share your fate, but what
matters it whether we perish on this
sand ,bank or the next, for we are now
surrounded with them, and if we wcra
even to propose a plan and succeed io
righting her, you would immediately
run her aground again,not understand
ing navigation.
To this no answer is returned. The
present quarter deck men take another
swig of grog, resolving to live merrily
as long as they can.
But WhXt is to be done? The
crew distrust each other, and there is
no longer any confidence. The writer
of this is aware of the difficulty, but
yet he will venture to propose &
plan.
Let the Captain take the helm, call
the crew together, and make known,
to them in the fullest manner the exact;
situation of things, having no conceal
ments, and endeavouring to restore:
confidence by summoning to his coun
sels the wisest, most experienced and
honest seamen without reference to
party. Let him kick the land-lubbers
from the quarter deck, expel the rats
from the provision-room, and scrape
off the barnacles which have attached
themselves to the ship's bottom. Let the
heavy French iron guns, which strain
the ship very much, be thrown over
board and replaced with American
brass which are light and safe. Let all
this be done, with sincerity and good
faith, confidence will be restored,
" the long pull,the strong pull,and the
pull altogether, will be cheerfully
made, and the chances are a thousand to
one that the ship will either be safely
moored in a good harbour, or else ren
dered sufficiently strong and tight to
weather any storm. Let the exper
iment be made —LET THE WASH
INGTON POLICY ONCE MORE
BE RESORTED TO — and mark the
result. —[Free. Jour.
What is to be done ?
[No. 12.