The Republican ledger — Portsmouth, N.H., 1801-08-25 00:00:00, page 2

»■M »W^» li»—^—^|»— ^»»<^—«W***—^»l
,<^ From TF $ CHRONTCLE.
' / ON
RECENT APPOINTMENTS
PRESIDENT.'
FROM the survey we bafelaten, it was
'endeavored to be thewn, that th^late alter
ation of officers, was not a fault that might
be palliated bv precedent, or extenuated as
Jibing the copy of the lad admihiftr^tion ;
but that if kept within due limits, was a right
which the Conftitation h^d judiciously vest
-4 and which popular opinion now called on
the President to perform,
It'is not intended to juftify 'political intol
erance.' We have fuf ciehtly ex perienced
.he evil, and should dead a return. It is
not desired that the former feene should a
gain be represented. , Tjhe war-worn veter
an, “ the patriot of 'k" are characters,
which demand refped {nor would we that
any dihihguiihed in that eventful moment,
should ever be neglected and despised.
Detested be that policy, which will fuffer
the foldie^ once returning from the victori
ous camp, to pass unnoticed, or be ridiculed
for his poverty ; that would make him,the
^mere fpe&ator of the peace and tranquility
of others, and which himfelf had enabled
them to obtain, while ", political intoler
ance," far worse than any religious persecu
tion, had ordained that the sentiments, in
defence of which he firft tttew the sword,
should be an impregnable barrier to his for
tune, happihefs or political tranquility.
The present administration, we hope, does
not intend that worth shall oafs neglected ;
and while it detests that any particular pow
ers should monopolize places, Rations, or
offices, is determined that they shall be fur
theft removed, who for twelve' ;years, have
exclusively obtained every honor, and all the
emoluments which it was in the power of
government to bestow. ' %
The right of the Executive to appoint to
office, those whom he may choose, is one
guaranteed by the Constitution. Nor is
power here given merely for the name.—
If this glorious ihftrument, this Magna Char
ta of our liberties ; if this monument of the
genius, liberality, and abilities of man ; if
this fortification against infectious friends, as
well as declared enemies, b.e in any manner
defective—let the place be pointed out ^nd
amended in a lega] way ; until this be done
" the man of the people's choice" ought to
pass, no; uncenfure^ only, but commended
for the moderate exerlife of that right, which
is declared to be unalienably his own ; but
as the venom of disappointed ambiton must
be disgorged, it is fortunate+hati^^^m&
as not to do any harm.
On the right of removal tfen no question
can be made ; nor can it with greater pro,
priety be objected that these changes are un
necelfary or inexpedient. The election of
Mr. Jefferfon shows that the )eojle deemed a
change necessary, and when they did all that
the Confutation made their cluty, constituted
the person of their choice an agent to carry
as far as he thought proper this popular o
pinion, through all the variety of subordinate
offices. - It being necessary, t^e meafuie Was
}ikewife expedient.
If a man, the moment he undertakes the
-duties of an important and responsible of
fice, loses those rights, which he might claim
ds a private citizen ; if the dependants on
his bounty then affiime the liberty to insult,
vilify; and abuse ; if his reputation is liable
to be (tabbed by every 'affaflin, and his char-,
a&er muff lie defencelefs, and at the Mercy
of every vile calumniator —the honor of the
place will no longer exist, and the advanta
+ges will be more than balanced by the evils
and mortifying circumstances, which conti
nually occur. But to this,dilemma would the
PreJident of the United States infallibly be re
duced, if those, who drew their support from his
bounty, were like feme of his countrymen, de
firons of drawing the blood from bis heart.
Altar the portion. Who on his own
farm or in his own family, would employ
men, that continually abtifed his confidence
and endeavored to destroy hjs fortune 1
Would any make his,enemy his,Reward i
Who so little regards their own interest as
to employ a waiter in his store, that cbnftant
,iy infuhed the customers, or decried the va
lue of the articles to fell? And can it be
fnppofed that an officer Would appoint *to
places of tefpea and importance; persons
who continually vilify his conduct, and seem
ready to violate their trust if it could tend to
the ruin of their employer! Is public and
private service so dissimilar, that a man must
pass for a political inquisitor, who takes this
care of hjs own interests, arid the general
welfare of the nation, while the fame con
<iua in an individual justly passes for pru
-deuce, economy and virtue I in arguing thus
we do not intend,o favor 'potitical intoler
ance.' With refpe& for the good mOTofc all
parties. We do not with th deprive any of
"the blefling of fet£ government but if
any °dce pdfldled the confidence which both
majority and minbrjtyhad a right to demand
they most now be concerned with the influ
ence which a minority alone can expe&rt
I Fortune is the particular object of a great
Iproportion of mankind'; next to the love of
life happiness is the greatest concern & with
many pecuniary emoluments are considered
as tending in a great measure to obtain it.
The slave dealer, who riots on the miseries
of a defencelefs t,ibe ; the pensioner, who
obtained his place by viltany ; and the man,
who would willingly participate his crimes
for the fake of sharing his riches are alike
the seekers OT fortune, and pu'rfue her with
all the ardor of a country fox-hunter. If
their dogs will not bark they must do the of
fice themfelvqs, until they start the game
from the bushes. The deference which the
friends of the people always pay to their senti
ments, the refe& which from them popular
opinions always receive, and the consequent
negle& of these fna^lers, always fubjea them
to their calumny and abuse. These men
who make so much disturbance when con
cealed, openly usurp the title of "the
friends of order !" and stigmatize their po
litical opponent as diforganizers and Jacob
ins! ,
When any individual or any class of the
society become infatuated with ideas of their
own importance, and though without the ti
tle assume all the arrogance and hauteur of
nobility ; when pride or ambition bids them
aspire to dignity and honors, while at the
fame time conscience must induce them to
suppose every smile is c/cafioned by their
ignorance ; when ridicule, is anticipated be
cause it is deserved, and reproof gains a dou
ble force because exa&ly timed ; when rich
es with them is fynonimhus with virtue, and
impositions hnd deceit erffred with the man
tle of religion passes fee the fanaified devo
tee ; the person who has Ithuriel's spear must
possess likewise the armour of Achilles, or
he will inevitably perish in the unequal en
counter. The lion may be vanquished when
he endeavors to destroy the wafp's nest. If
characters like these have not, or do not ex
ist, in our country, whence comes the abuse,
the Hinder and unjuftifiable calumny which
has ever been showered down on the head of
so many great political characters ? We ad
vert not to the general conduct of any party,
merely to the hoarse clamors which attend
the present administration. If Rations long
filled with the greatest profit and advantage
(with what honor it is impossible ,6 fay)
are to be examined into, and an exa& ac
count of “ the stewardship" required, those
who " cannot dig, and to beg are afham^d,"
must contrivefome way to .maintain th^m
felves in that luxury which mefe offices s o
kindly supported. When a person has fen
for a long time in any particular office w|ch
with little trouble has been adequate qhe
; support of his family in an expensive nL
ner, when this office has been the mean, of
introducing him to those who pretend tothe
privileges and claim the refpeci and atten
tion of nobility, and given him a right t@be
enrolled in the order, it is eafjly,fuppofe! he
must be attached to the place,arl feel aJe
fire to continue, in it proportionate to die
profit he received./ He looks tln< c „.^..
spent with little trouble and great emoru
rnent, and fears left a difipiffal ffipuld oblige
him once again to draw a hand-cart or trun
dle a wheel-barrow. ! He furyeys his official
conduct—allow that here he can fee no im
morality, that his accounts have been just,
his statements accurate,.and always to have
met the approbation of his superior officers ;
(till is there- nothing which can justly de
prive him of his place, which the chief m,-
giAr^cy has put, into different hands?, Can
this man fee 'nothing of the fycopharit in his
comdu& ? noinftrnce lvln re, following w^h
blind zeal the opinions of his employers, be
has been induced to circulate reports detri
mental to 'the reputation of others, with
whom, perhaps, he wss not acquainted, and
;repeatedly to echo the unjiiftifiable ffand&s
' which were circulated' agaipß some of the
best men in the United States—against men
whose charaaers could not be sullied by his
or ^any other foul mifrepryferitations, and
whose Worth, unobfeufal by the clouds
which continually fpre^Laround, shone re
fplendant on the mind§ of a,majority of the
people who were induced to place them at
the head of government, and enfruft to their
judgment the management of the molt im
portant national concerns.. When a change
in me firft magistracy so important and in
teresting takes place, can these subordinate
officers complain if th^ir agency Mould no
longer be wanted r Can they find no simi
larity with Meir own conduct in certain re
fpeds r Will they fay that liberality and
candor were their chief charadteriftics 4
Must they not bluth to acknowledge that
whenever they could impart one ray of hon
or, it always shone on the enemies of Jeffer
fon. That when business out of their imme
diate line was to be tranfafted, the fame de
;fcription of men alwajs obtained it—that
enWuragemeht and patyonagewas ^eftowed
r exciufivelv on these characters. As in the
g @aft:the Dutch obtained liberty to trade be
cause they trampled onnhe cfofs of Chriß—
i so for Americans^ obtain the most trifling
I offi& under government, itfeenhed a pre-re,
. quifite to vilify the name of Jefferfon.—
{When therefore certain^ of this defc'ription
were desired to withdrawn-others, Coufeicus
that the fame policy and fame justice which
reduced their companions to a level with.the
people, would shortly disrobe them of their
power, it was natural thr^rlfore this event'
took place, the public p/Crs might be a
witness of their anger, and if foffibly the"
President “ wanted firmnefs," or mould be'
deluded by their complaints, mistaking them
for those of 'the People, {hen happily .they
ihoulp continue in Situations which they so
much admired. But if it is unjuff to beffow
places on one class exclusively, how comes
this to have been the case ?—Scarcely can
we find an office but What was filled by
“ one of a certain fe& of politics." Was
not this " political intolerance"? Was not
this undue favor ? We shall soon be con
vinced that on one fide is to be found as
much honor and as great abilities as can be
mustered by the other. Monopolies are dif
graceful, and they never will be fuffered by
our present Executive. ORION.i
For the REPUBLICAN LEDGER.
Obrmmtor, 00. 4.
>,- —
THERE is an ancient command, which, in
point of comprehension, clearness and authority,
will appear, hereafter, a great commandment,
however despised it may be at present. It runs
thus ft' Render to Cxfar the things that are C^-
far's, and to God the things that are God's."
These words once amazed and silenced men
vety unreasonable anq perverse. If any having
more time to recolleft themselves and less struck
witty fear, should break silence, and fay ; we are
not clear that any thing belongs to Cafar —We are
neither fatisfied, that he came rightfully by his
power, nor pleased with his administration of it ;
Inllead of reasoning on these points, they would
hear nothing from the Lawgiver, but this, or
a like voice of command —“ Render unto Cxfar
the things that are Czfar's."-
, This like the other laws of Christ is directed to
the conscience ; and delivered with authority.
And it is not without some pain, that men treat
them lightly, or set them aside. And it is not
without Jame fear that men hear the great speak
er to the conscience, declare that he will call them
to account another day ; faying “The word that
I have spoken the fame shall Judge in the bit
<|ay-"%
There is also a firain of high command and art.
thority in the laws of Christ as delivered by the
apostles, whom he fuflained as the authorized
speakers of his mind. Do>we not hear something
authoritative, and in a high tone, befitting the
One Lawgiver, when we ,hear Him speaking by
his apostle, and faying preremptorily ;—" Let
every foul be fubjett unto the higher powers ; —
for there id no power but of God ; ; the powers
that be are ordained of God. Whosoever there
fore, refifteth the power,refifteth the ordinance
of God ; and they that refill shall receive to them
selves damnation."
Surely it does not become finfnl mortals who
have no powerto avoid the penalty, to think
lightly of the commanding authority ! ~
- ~ sr cvery jout^ro ne tubjeft, then every one
who does not obey the truth, does evil. And the
awful issue of this is again exprefled in these sim
ilar words; “ indignation ^nd wrath, tribulation
and anguish, upon every few ts man that doeth
eoih"l
Among the positive requirements of this Chfif
tian law, Honor to Rulers is one. This is no less
demanded than tribute. Honor to whom honor
i. dpe_.lt has not been denied that honor to rul
ers isfare commanded. But men have wickedly
judged the law, and set it aside , •by pretending
that if Rulers in their opinion, misbehave, or do
not rule, as they would have them ; there is no
honor, due to them; Like those who deny that
there are things of CaJar's to be rendered to him.—
But so did not the ,apostles, whose practice is a
comment on the Law >Paul said concerning Nero,
rh@ then ruling power ordained of God, I stand at
C^far's judgment feat, where I ought to be judged.
And appealed to him in the iaft resort as the min
ister of God, for good, lor the.jnftice denied him
by. his own Country fnen; And addrefled even the
Governor feht by him the supreme head of the
Empire, by the title <£ "mod Noble Feftus" —
And we bear hint quoting the command by Moles,
as binding on the conscience ; “ Thou shall not
speak evil of the rtl tiler of thy people."
, To what a high pitch of corruption, and con
iemiMUof the law, of Christ have men arrived un
deettheaabufed nalme of Christian !—Withholding
the 'coufn&anded honor teems a small thing with
them.: They load their rulers, with abuse, re
pio^h;tfn4 difhohour. They have reduced this evil
speaking io a kind of rfyftem. They labour hard
in the hard way of disobedience. And cruel sar
casms, taunting reproaches, and accusations 4 of
wickedness agairift the Rulers,, fly like fwift mefl
engers, on'wings of paper thro' the land! There
is no need of being particular ; proofs and Exam
ples abound every where. The evil has been long
growing. High Partizans Save alternately con
demned and prattifed it. It is not easy to con
ceive how it can be carried much farther than it
is,~MThere is'that fpeaketh like the piercings ofa
fword,"—Againft the ordinance of God—and a
gainst Rulers, to whom he requires Honour as
their Que, —.The divine word has drawn this char
~a^ter of fsch evil speakers thus, " prefamptuous
are they, felf-willed, they are not airaid to speak
evil of dignities." What ever more be included
here, one thing doubtless is, speaking evil of those
in authority. Yet men" are not afraid to bring
railing accusations agaiuft these ministers of
God for good, though an Arch-Angel did not
dare tpbrihg foch againtt the Devil!—
1A man can scarcely expect to ^void reproach
and hatred fat speaking , Zain Truth on fitch a fob
ject. The world has ^arnifhes and veils for it,
conduct, and often flrikesat the hand whichWoold
remove them —yet what fhoul< Fhinder fhewlng
things as'they are ?—as they ftapd in the light of
revelatiop? Thefewill be a time; when they will
appear, in their naked natures.
R< ligiors leaders fee and know this evil speak
ing in contempt of the plain Laws of Christ. Have
they borne tedimenv against it? D^ they not,
(to fay the lead,) bear with this wickedness in
their people, which no chriftian would 'bear With
inn m<m called a brother? Yea, do not some pa
-1 per's, kealoufly and profeffedly advocating the
llcaufe UfThe Clergy, encouraged and spread by
theta, if hot dir,Ml, nr erhdr&d by them, z
bound in abuse of those in authority?
May we not fee-in these things a fulfilment of
phophecy, which* (peaks of the lafl as perilous
,times, and describes the characters that arc to
Imark these times ? May we not fee that myilcry
of iniquity that man of tin, that,wicked one, w hich,
thinks to change times and laws,\hich are given
into his hand, until a time and times and the di-,
rviding of time ? Some may fee, tremble at, and
fly from the dreadful evil ; while the multitude
“ will not underhand" but moil be expected to
go on, until the times of the Gentiles shall be ful
filled, and that catastrophe take place, which is
described in these words, “ But the judgment
shall fit; and they shall take away his dominion,
to consume and to destroy it unto the end."
©je Republican Ledger.
H^Qty^H.!
Portsmouth, August 25,
-'-^Q^^"
For the Republican Ledger.
Meprs; Nutting & Whitelock,
In Mr. Jenks' Portland Gazette of the
2d of August are several hints refpe&ing the
'York election of their Federal Reprefenta
,tive, carrying an iatyutgiori of bribery and
deception, in which Gen. Goodwin the
high Iheriff of.the countv of York, is impli
cated, as having kept b/ck the precepts from
several towns because they were federal^
and as having received another gompenfa
tion from a certain rich family (beside that
from the county _for dittributing the pre
cepts) in order to favor the eledion of Mr.
Cutts:•
Nothing can be more grofsiy absurd and
unhandfome than such hints, as they are
called.
Living near Gen. Goodwin, I am Well
acquainted with his general character and
his political fentiments—Tfiat of the form
er is certainly of the most ftri& probity and
honor. A gentleman whose character is
unimpeachable, and I presume, far beyond
the reach of Mr. Jenks' vile calumny. Io
his political sentiments, he has generally
been prudent, moderate and just, though he
has always expressed an attachment to the
former administration, which was called
federal; and the most cordial friendfhip and
intimacy subsisted between him and Mr.
Lord, who was one of \Ye federal candidates,
and whose election he strongly supported—%
an ' n< Wfr lcu ' ar friendfkip, conneaion, or
local ratereft which could in the least give
any bias to his influence in favor of. Mr.
Cutts. -'
As to the certain rich family alluded to,
I believe them to be more tenacious of their
money, and know better how to'ufeit than
to bestow it for such vile purposes, could
phey find ehara&e<6 base enough to receive
it ; and none are, I presume, but those whoc
can conjure up and publish such conjectures
and hints. -,
That some towns did not receive their pre-'',
cepts I have not any doubt, but I am in 4
formed, and I believe rightly, that the pre
cepts were by the high sheriff, all. seasona
bly distributed to the several towns or to hi,
deputies, to be forwarded ; and several towns,
which have not returned "any votes did ac
tually receive their precepts.
OLD STILE.
A CARD.
f^Tbe feerfen to whom an agreeable, anon„
mous letter was lately addrefled, prejents bi,
refpe&ful regards to the writer:, find Yake§
leave, in this way to inform him that the letter
was found, as st was intended it should be.—-
That be was Jurpri^ed at the contents, speci
ally the rich bounty covered by the letter. —
He will endeavor faithfully to execute the truji,
and carry into effeff the benevolent intentions of
the donor ; beuring in mind any difcietionar,
claujf—anf as the writer has done good with
out being known, be tuiU be (banked in secret,
and probably by more than one.
Aug. 18, 1801,
— , c,z#
We are happy to hear that the public in
general, are so weQ fatisfied that the Kine
Pox, is a tore and effe&oal preventive against
the Small Pox, thahthere are now under the
immediate care of 'Dr. Spalding, upwards
of one hundred persons, unde, inoculation
for the kiue pok, and that hif'n&bcr ia
creafes daily. ?
IMPRESS-ED SEAMEN.",;
By an official ly, kept at Kingston, (Jam.) by ,
William Savage, Esq, of American leaiueir on
board the British nayy; or that haye been impress
ed and are difqbarged pr dead —it appears there
are 120, of whom 33 belonged to J&rfdchyfens.
1
A letter fry* 'Mr. Savage, agent df the U. 5.
at Kjugfton, Jam. July 6, fays, “A great number
of American teamen - have lately been" Iterated'
troni the thips of war on this Nation,,hi a pro
per refped is now paid to my signature; as the ac
credited Agent of theTJnited States # hete. Could
the American maflerat^a t continually are arriving
here, ihink „ their duty co cal Lon me as they en-(
tered, with their crews, my filature on the back
of their protections, would prevent their people
from iinpreffment, as well as tfeekp^c and
trouble that arises t<q -octire men "ill the room yf
thole taken from ihepi." f' '' 4^'
The editor of the Album, a London paper, has
been lenteneed to fix months impriroDgient,^ f or
pubfifhing extracts from President Je^rfoifs ip.
laugural speech with jail comments thereon,
a # ^.. .. & — - : '^%