Oracle post — Portsmouth, N.H., 1804-08-28 00:00:00, page 1

/Political Miscellany.
SOME subjects, exhibited by a writer, little ac*
^tainted with the beauty, correctness, and elegance
of language, acquired by the study of rhetoric can
not fail, from their nature to arrest general atten
tion. Others, displayed by the most elegant p&
make but a momentary impression. A review of
the actions of Mr. Jefferson in his character of
President, though they may seem a dreary waste
where nothing but marks of unfaithfulness to the
true interest of the nation can be perceived, will we
hope so far interest the feelings of his countrymen
-as to induce a patient perusal of our numbers, since
the tendency of such actions is ultimately to destroy
' individual happiness.
Persons who arrive at eminence by wealth or
courtly favor, frequently from a fa^e pride cannot
endure a view of their ancestry. They recoil from
a scrutiny into their origin. Whether the Presi
dent may be similarly affected by a delineation of
the circumstances of his election is unknown. The
arts of deception however, which were practiced
and the instruments, used to procure it, we are in
cUned to think, would be rejected with indignation,
it proposed to a mind, shielded with principles of
honor and recitude. However dishonorable they
may appear they must constitute our present subject.
From the answer of Mr. Jeffers n, made on
the eighteenth day of February 1801 to the commit
tee, notifying him of his election, we should suppose
that a great people had Voluntarily intrusted
affairs ofthe highest consequence to a disinterested
and magnanimous patriot. No intrigue, 4t would
seem, had existed. His modesty and virtue had nev
er urged him from the shade of retirement, unless
the good of the people had iMPEßiousLYdemanded
his services. Hisown words will best illustrate the
philosophical serenity of mind and perfect indifference
to public honors, of which he undoubtedly desired
jhe nation to believe him possessed. I receive,
" gentlemen, with profound thankfulness this testimo
",ny of coiindence from the great representative coun
" cil of our nation. It fills up the measure of that
" grateful satisfaction, which had already been der
" ived from the suffrages of my fellow citizens
" themselves,designating me as one of those, to whom
" they were willing to commit this charge, the
" most important of all others to them—ln decid
" ing between the candidates, whom their equal vote
" presented to your choice, I am sensible that age
" has been respected rather than more active and
" useful qualifications. I know the difficulties of
" the station, to which lam called, and feel, and
" acknowledge my incompetence to them. But what
" soever of understanding, whatsoever of diligence,
% whatsoever of justice or affectionate concern for
" the happiness of man, it has pleased Providence
" to place within the compass of my faculties, shall
" be called forth for the discharge of the duties con
" tided to me and for procuring to my fellow citizens
" all the benefits, which our constitution has placed
" under the guardianship of the general govern
" ment."
This election, considered with reference to the
means of obtaining it, so far from affording cause of
" profound thankfulness and filming up the measure
“ of grateful satisfaction," ought to have raised a
blush'of shame on his countenance, as it has fixed a
mark ofinfamy on his character.
It cannot be forgotten that the present ruling par
ty were enthusiastic admirers of the systems of
France, from the begining to the close of her revo
lution. After unprovoked aggression on our defen
celess commerce had been made by order of her
government, they still ardently desired to fall down^
and worship the image of directorial injustice, and
to surrender to the “ terrible republic" the rights of
an independent nation. Mr. Jefferson was the
real leader of' this party,though he had sufficient
wisdom, like a puppet mail who directs every mo
tion of his show, to keep behind the curtain. When
the country had drunk the very dregs of the cup
of humiliation from the violent opposition of the de
mocratic party to even the appearance of war like
preparation, and from the forbearance of the Fed
eral administration ; permission was given to our
citizens in 1797 to repel farce by force. In 1798 the
measures of defence adopted by our government
were more efficient. The expense necessarily aris
ing from the measures to assert our rights against
the lawless profligate,and unprincipled conduct of the
Executive Directors, who compelled cur ambassa
dors of peace patiently to wait for months “ in the
antichamber of regicide,' 'and at last opprobriousiy
drove them from the territory of France without ad
mittance to their bloody presence,were made a theme
of continual falsehood, from which in 1801 Mr. Jef
ferson was to gather the laurels of his glory. The
prejudices of the ignorant were addressed and their
passions inflamed. War was depicted by all tire pow
ers of a glowing imagination. The powerful legions of
France were represented as butchering our wives
and children, impelled only to such atrocious acts
by our resistance of her tyranny. The public agents
were said to be increasing the national debt that by
its influence they might erect monarchy on the mins
tof republicanism. Every abandoned and foreign
renegade Was enlisted either by Mr. Jefferson, or his
friends ; to overwhelm the Federal administration
bv libels' which seem to be the greatest effort of hu
than depravity. In the close of the year 1801 when
the senate of Pennsylvania were determined not to
relinquish their voice in the choice of electors, they
were denounced bv the democrats, as traitors to
their country. They were threatened with the ven
geance of the people for simply exercising according
to conscience, their constitutional rights. Here were
some of the first acts of the drama, mortifying en
ough to those, who do hot love to behold human de
generacy, which was to give Mr, Jefferson tl;e first
office of the union. Hence also arose that whirlwind
of opinion, which like the conflicts of this element,
elevating only the lightest and most worthless sub
stances, raised him till he had an obscure view of the
presidency.
With all those exertions had not three fifths of
the slaves been represented, the president must have
form a private citizen.* The number of electors,
igveu to the southern States from the representation
Vol. XIV.]
REVIEW OF
JEFFERSON ADMINISTRATION.
OF ALL THE DISPOSITIONS AND HABITS WHICH LEAD TO POLITICAL PROSPERITY, RELIGION and MOBILITY ARE INDISPENSABLE SUPPORTS.—Washington.
No. 11l
From the Centinel.
O'O AfTT^nCT
of this proportion of their slaves were ten.—This
sum, taken from the Jeffersonian ticket which was
73, reduces it to 63 votes, two less, than were given
for Mr. Adams, and one less than was given tor
Mr. Pinckney ; for Mr. Adams had 65, and Mr.
Pinckney 64 votes. Thus by the assistance of slaves
does Mr. Jefferson govern the nation.
Other obstacles still opposed his elevation. He
had procured only an equal vote with another can
didate. The house of representatives were to decide,
who should be President, Mr. Burr or Jefferson.
On the 12th of February, ISOI, they had balloted
thirty times without snaking a choice. It was not
until a few trials after this that ambition was grati
fied, and " the measure of grateful satisfaction filled
up." How was his election at last made ? Will his
friends say it was the result of a conviction, that he
was the man, best qualified for the office ? No ; —if
they regard truth. Mr. Jefferson was not chosen
till the democrats in the legislature of Virginia wait
ing the event by prolonging the session after the
Completion of all business, openly asserted, if
he should not be elected they would solemnly pk,^
NOUNCE THE ANTIE^T DOMINIOXINDE?ENDE< T
of the union. Yes, he was not c/iosc^.tih son e
of his partizans In Congress at the tune of balloting
bolds declared, they Would rather cause an intere,
num, and at once hazard the existence of the consti
tution,than his election should not be secured. Then
it was, that the Federalists, astonished at the audacity
of party, relinquished their voice in the choice of a
chief magistrate, prefacing rather to commit the
constitution to persons, who had been distinguished
for their enmity to it thep afford any pretence, for a
separation of the union, and the sudden and imme
diate destruction of this instrument of their faithful
labor.
No sooner was the person to be President designat
ed than, in the language of every demagogue and
sycomphant, he professes profound thankfulness far
the reception of this testimony of confidence, and
pronounces that measure of greatful satisfaction, de
rived from the suffrages of his fellow citizens (he
ought to have said slaves of the southern states) to
be full. But in the midst of such an effusion of grat
itude he acknowledge his Incompetence fJr the of
fice, to which he was promoted. Happy would it
have been for his own, and the reputation of Ameri
ca bad this sentiment always influenced, and seclud
ed him from public lift. The world would not then
have beheld an inhint republic, 'running the road of
corruption with more hasty strides, than the oldest
nations ; nor would it have seen the foreign hirelings
of Mr. Jefferson, vilifying the greatest and best of
men, the father of his country ; and himself at the
tomb of Washington insulting his ashes by the
h) pocrisy of mock tears.
Let the candid and impartial inquire whether
such an election displays that intrinsic worth whicli
remains in obscurity, unless sought after, Sc pressed
in public notice. So far from it, this scene of mock
patriotism presents a man, who- vistence is only
commensurate with the uncertai. .or of the mul
titude, and whose exertions are all centered in the
preservation of this phantom of night, the basis of
his fame. There is notliing of that Independence of
mind, the effect of uprightness whicli moves in the
straight litre of duty, w hether with or against the wind
cf popularity.
Americans who glory in conscious! irtueought deep
ly to reflect on the conduct we have described. Its
consequences may perhaps be important beyond
calculation ; for it was reserved for Mr. Jefferson,
first to set the example of carrying an election by
intrigue. When faction shall ripen into civil war,
and violence be the test of merit, and real merit be
banished from public life if the patriot enquire the
origin of these evils, he must be directed to his elec
tion ; an election said by his friends to be glorious,
probably glorious only for the future destruction of
our country. HUME.
Partly for the sake of amusing our readers, and
partly for the sake of informing them of the progress
of faction in different parts of the country, we here
subjoin some extracts from a long publication of Ly
on in the Kentucky Palladium. The resolutions
here spoken of are those monstrous resolutions intros
dreed by Randolph relative to the Georgia claims.
“ Although Virginia has been in a situation to dic
tate, a Kentucky member is bound to exercise his
own judgment with respect to what concerns the na
tion as well as the people he represents, and that
when a Kentucky member differs in opinion from
a Virginia inemter, it proves no more than the Vir
ginia member differs from him. It may be possible
that the Kentucky member may be right and the
Virginia member wrong. I am willing, and shall
endeavour to submit every opinion of mine that has
differed from that of a certain leading Virginia mem
ber (Mr. Duane's favorite) to my constituents and
to the public at large. 1 took the liberty to believe
that certain resolutions offered to Congress by that
leading Virginia member,£< which seemed to be sup
ported by a majority of the members of that state re
specting the claims of certain purchases from Geor-
S' a were subversive of the constitutional powers of
e judiciary of this nation, & the sacred right every
man has in this country to trial for his property by
jury, as well to consider the principle contained in
them resolutions as cutting up by the roots public
faith, both of the individual states and the United
A serious quarrel has arisen among the democrats
of Kentucky and other western parts of the Union.
It appears to have originated in a jealousy of the
overwearing influence of the Virginia faction in con
gress, particularly in the pert and haughty domina
tion of Randolph in the house of representatives. A
strenuous effort was made last winter, in caucus,
to thwart the designs of the Virginia leaders, by
procuring Breckenridge of Kentucky to be nomina
ted to the vice Presidency. Notwithstanding the
failure of this scheme, several persons in Kentucky
have publickly declared that should they; be made
electors they will vote for Breckenridge and not for
Clinton. This together with some collateral cir
cumstauces has produced much heat and ferment in
the state ; and tire part which the noted Matt, Ly
on has taken in the affray has occasioned him to be
denounced by the leading Virginians, & by the paper of
that faction in this city. As he is not a beast that
may be trampled upon with impunity, he lias retort
ed upon the denouncers with great spirit, and has ut
tered some threats, which, if we conjecture rightly,
those concerned will not willingly provoke him to
carry into execution.
—-«• *--.:^o^^ ^ *-«t— —
Democrats of Kentucky^
From the United States Gazette.
TUESDAY, August 28, 18%
States. These resolutions may beTound in page 440
;,d 441 in the late journal of the house of represen
tatives of tiie United States."
After mentioning a speech which Lyon says he
made upon this occasion, he makes the following re
marks.
", I am very sensible the speech I made gave
great offence to Mr. Dunne, as well as the members
of congress who could not confute the doctrine it
contained; many of my constituents have read it,
aid see no cau>e of offence taken by some gentle
men against that speech who seemed to express an
indignant surprize at my daring to avow sentiments
contrary to tliose of 4 majority ot the Virginia mem
bers,Was small compared with that taken on the par
ticular occ ision hinted at by my old friend Duane ; I
tm sorry Duane had not more discretion to drag
cut in this manner an exposition of that affair so
earnestly wished to be buried by those over whose
political character he has assumed the guardianship ;
sire I am, th it mv deportment in that affair (as he
^pleased to call it) will bear the strictest scrutiny
bdj^ justified bv more than nine out of ten of his
L A n sifhe should lay toe whole atErir before them.
" Tile great misdemeanor hinted at by this assu
ming, insolent printer, is no other than this: after
several days discussion in the house of representa
tives, on a bill sent from the senate for erecting
Louisiana into two territories, and providing for the
temporary government thereof, in the course of
which, against the exertions of many other members
as well as my own, the bill had been so modified as
to destroy the title and claim to the lands of all those
Who had settled in Louisiana under the sanction and
authority of the then existing government, since the
Ist of October, 1800, and subjected them to be driv
en from the land, by an armed force, and to severe
penalties if they undertook to run a line on the land
they claimed. 1 believed then as Ido now, that to
carry that law into execution, had it been passed
by both houses in the shape it then stood, would in
volve the nation in troubles and expense of a dan
gerous civil war, the horrors of which would be
more immediately felt in my neighbourhood. The
bill had been gone through on the 16th of Mat ch, &
ordered for a third and last reading next day ; that
evening intending to discharge my duty, and clear
myself from die blood and treasure that might be
spent in this wild goose chase, or if possible to arrest
the progress of the ruinous measure, 1 prepared a
speech as well calculated as my understanding, and
the little time I had, would permit.
" The delivering this speech has execited some
feeling tn Mr. Duane, who it seems bv his Comment
holds to a political creed, which would admit of a
member of Congress being expelled for delivering
his sentiments on a bill he conceived calculated to
bring destruction on his country.
“ I plainly saw the countenance of Mr. Duane and
two or thiee others changed towards me, —
but I really was too much alarmed about the difficul
ties the impoliticly and ill considered measure would
have involved the nation in, to give myself any con
cern about tile appearance they made."
The {flowing extract w4l show what Lyon sup
poses to have been the motives of the leaders of his
party, in a measure of no little national concern ; as
likewise their honest opinions as to the. real value to
the United Spates of vast territory of Louisiana west
of the Missisippi.
“ Tennessee, which divides this district from the
Natches or Mississippi Territory lies about 250 miles
along the South side of it. In commercial concerns
we are connected with all these countries, as well as
with Orleans, and my constituents have relations &
intimate connexions in all these countries, whose
interests and lights they expect me to guard and
watch over. I have no pretensions to shining talents
or uncommon virtues, but having always acted with
integrity and a due regard to the interests of ffiy
constituents, I cannot, nor will not, sacrifice that in
terest ai^ my own opinions made up on the most
mature reflection to a compliance with the opinions
of men who have not had an equal opportunity with
myself, to be informed on the same subjects merely
because they were considered leaders of what is call
ed a party that now nearly amounts to the whole.—
When I left this country last for the seat of govern
ment,great expectations were formed inspecting the
'extension of American settlements in the Louisiana
country the public mind was as much alive on this oc
casion as any I remember the mail was crowded with
letters of inquiry to me on my arrival there, respec
ting the terms of settlement of that country, and
how and when the lands were to be sold; on the
other hand l was surprised by declarations of the
Southern Gentlemen that “ Louisiana must be lock
ed up, nobody must go there ;" when a reason for
this was required, the public answer was “ our set
tlements are too scattering already," but in conversa
tion I often heard it said by gentlemen from the same
quarter," If we suffer Louisiana to be settled and
give them a government that will be agreeable to the
ideas'of the American, our poor middling sort of
people will all leave us, and we shall have nobody
left but ourselves and cuv slaves, and the Western
country people will make such on abundance of
flour, hemp, tobacco and cotton to go to the same
markets with ours, th it we shall get little or noth
ing for what we make ; we know that population,
wealth, ]>ower and government must eventually roll
that way, but we must keep that event off as long
as we can."
After the ratification of the treaty which made
that country ours and the completion of all the laws
on that subject, I have heard members declare in
the most solemn mahner that they wished there was
not a foot of land west of Missippi on this Conti
nent, and that the land was all sunk into the'ocean.
These things made an unfavourable impression on
my mind as to the wishes of many of the members
from the southern states, respecting this country,
and cawed me to mourn over the vain hopes so
many western people had formed for the speedy
growth and aggrandizement of their country, but
when I saw them determined, notwithstanding the
hue cheap acquisition of many hundreds^ millions
of acres, to hold the lands of the United States at
two dollars per acre, in the very neighbourhood
v here the state of Kentucky have been and are
new selling their lands at twenty cents per acre.
When I saw the candidate for the vice presidency
offered by the Western members, a native Virgi
nian of character, talents, and qualifications the
most shining, rejected by all but two Virginians,
find heardVir^iniansexclaiming against our having
the vice President, on account of cur youth and
small population, at the same time using every
means to entail on us these disadvantages. When
The Periodical Publications of this country have
^ei ally been marked by a national deficiency
Much is always promised bv them,and they usually
come into the world with their brightest Appearance
, Little however, is performed, and they mcnallr
sink into contempt and are relinquished as imrrac.
ticable and unprofitable. So notorious has been this
fact that a %rGsfectu & " is even yet regarded
object of suspicion.
" From the time of the first election of Goverr
our M'Kean in Pennsylvania his paper has been
gaining governmental patronage until it must now
be one of the most profitable newspapers on this con
tinent. On the change of Presidents he got a great
share of the publick printing ; if I am rightly infor
med the work he has done and the stationary he
has furnished last session of Congress amount to
somewhere about 10,000 dollars on which 30 per
cent, is a moderate calculation for profit ; he keeps
a stationary store,convenient forsupplymg the offices
of the executive department who(if he sells as cheap
as other stationers)purchase of him from 4 to 6000
dollars worth of stationary in a year ; wi h his pre
sent means and with proper economy he ought to be
hyingup from 6 to 8,000 dollars a year, yet he grasps
at every shilling the public hare to lay out in the
printing way. It was last winter proposed by Con
gress to have printed under direction of the secretary
of state an edition of the laws of the United States.
Mr. Duane made proposals to do the work with
a pompous declaration that he would do it cheaper
than any body else ; my assistance was solicited by
another republican printer in nowise related to me
in whose behalf I also proposed for the job, and did
intend to get it, or to oblige Mr. Duanefo do it on
a much less profit than he gets on Congressional
reports, &c.
Congress at length ordered the purchase of a num
ber of copies Mathew Carey had on hand, and drop
ped the printing for the present, a measure I urged
and approved of so that I coUld'not be disappointed;
this must lie the history of that speck ; if Duane with
whom I have been intimate, knows of any other,
or of any ill of me, let him out withit"
“If I have occasion to shed ink on his account
again I hope to do it in Washington, where, beside
refreshing his memory on some other subjects, l ean
let him know I have talents enough to procure and
publish pretty accurate statements of the money he
draws from the public and the real profits arising
therefrom." " M. LYON" °
——= • or
COMMUNICATION.
The MEDICAL REPOSITORY AND REVIEW
of American Publications on Medicine
Surgery, &c.'
I saw ' ir attempts to destroy the port of entry
near Natchez and refusing to that town a right,the
want of which would forever prevent its growth
and ability to purchase any considerable share of
the property which is to descend the Missippi in
our flat boats, and thereby make it necessary for
those ooats to go three hundred miles further to
Orleans, and carry our people that distance farther
from home, having to return by land through an
excessive hot and unhealthy country, Where many
have already lost their lives. When I found m*
self rebuked for the aid given me to carry through
that establishment by the federalists, and for not
abandoning the interest of my country, because
they were disposed to aid it--I felt a share of that
veneration I formerly possessed for Virginia politi
cians gradually diminishing.
The remainder of the publication is devoted to
Mr. Duane, From this we perceive what the de
mocrats think of patronage bestowed bv the gov
ernment upon this worthless renegado, and in what
language they will all speak of it if ever they should
be provoked to speak what they mav think." From
this part we moke the following extract merely for
the purpose of amusement, and not as containing
any facts either new or extraordinary.
Before I close this letter it may be well to sav
somthing about this William Duane, who talks
about my talents, and about my wishing to make
a speck as but few of the people of the Western
country are acquainted with him-—the first time I
knew him, or I believed the publick knew of hint
was taking down the speeches of the members in
congress trail in 1797, from which he was driven on
a charge of misrepresenting the speech of a mem
ber & because ho would not retract he was bv some
of the republicans at the time thought to be abused 1
I next saw him in company with his old friend
Calender at the office of Mr. Benjamin Franklin
Baclie the editor of the Aurora, the paper which
lie now publishes ; at that time that paper was
furnished daily with a correct detail of the pro
ceedings of the house of representatives, by those
talents which Duane affects to despise, and this
was within his knowledge ; probably, this has slip
ped his memory, which has become too short to
remember his recent situation and his benefactors.
The yellow fever in 1798 deprived this country of
Benjamin Franklin Bache, one of the most patriot
ick, bcuevolent,eandid, and understanding newspa
per editors in America. I believe Calender and
Duane held a sort of partnership editorship of that
paper for a while, but the latter soon succeeded to
the sole direction of it, and was very liberally en
couraged by the Republican members of Congress
and Citizens of Philadelphia. To this liberal aid my
purse was no stranger, nor was any other aid in my
power withheld, although I was afraid my friend
Billy had rather too much Calender in his compo
sition ; indeed, he has conducted hitherto with
more propriety than I expected. I will not say of
him that he is destitute of talents, he really posses
ses talents for editing a party paper and lias been
of great use to the republican party in that wav, but
now the party which had designs against the lil^er
^s of the nation have vanished, he seems to be cut
of his element, he wants to be kicking up a bobbery
some how or other. His present hobby horse seems
to be to make the people believe that democracy
consists in the sole government of the House of re
presentatives ; that legislative, executive, and ju
dicial powers must all be concentred there, in order
that by his anathamas and denunciations on one
hand, and his flatteries and praises on the other,
the power of that house may be concentred in a few
of his friends, none of whose attentions he can be
much prouder of, than he cnee was of his friend
Matt Lyon. The time has been when Calender
and Duane was as proud of the notice of the demo
cratick Matt, Lyon, member of Congress, as he
now can be of that of a Virginia Nabob. I shall
finish with my old friend Duane at this time by ex
plaining the nature of the speck he has so myste
riously hinted at, and which is doubtless the cause
of his ill will towards me."
[No. 48.