The Republican ledger — Portsmouth, N.H., 1799-12-04 00:00:00, page 1

Clje (Examiner, j^cu 2.
THE late treaty with Great-Britain, is
duly ratified by the constitutional au
thority of our nation. It is now the law of
the land ; and every man, whether he at firft
approved of it, or not, is under the most fo
temn obligation to maintain it.
The Porcupine Club did not originate with
Iha: inßrumerit, but have rallied roug^it, as
their Bandard. They were in exigence
long before that measure was thought of,
but never before had the countenance, and
fiipport of the names of Washington, John
Adams, and John jay; They therefore
dwell under the display of that ensign, and
derive an aid which they never had before.
# Under an idea-of defending some of the
most illuftripus charaaers of the country,
they have maintained a Banding in the pub
lic mind, which nothing else would have af
forded to them. .f
That this association originated with the
American revolution, isevident, because the
men who were opposed to that glorious ob
jed, and are of any public consequence, are
members of it, or at least, are in fiipport of
its measures. The Club have uniformly
maintained a war with the leaders in the re
volution, where they have had the least hope
of success. For these important <a&s the
readers will cast their eye upon the noisy,
turbulent men, who call themselves federal
„f, and observe how many of them were as
. nigh in opposition to the measures of the
country from the year 1774 to 1779, as they
now are to republican principles. The
change of times has given them an influence
which they never ought to possess, but still
their malice against the old whigs remains
in full force. They can never love theprin
ciples on which the revolution was founded.
The reader will take a review of the state
of those charaaers who lead them to glory,
and independence ; who rifqued their lives
and many of them ample' fortunes in the de
/fence of liberty.
In South-Carolina Gov. Rutledge came
forward, blessed with affluence and ability.
He hazarded his life and great riches in the
gaining the independence of his country. —
• His fellow-citizens rewarded him with hon
ourable testimonies of their love and confi
dence ; he was elected several years gover
nor of that state. The office of chief juf
zjce of the United States became vacant,
^rid President Waßiingtpn, with whom he
had the most intimate acquaintance, and to
whom he was as well known as he was to
any body, appointed him Chief Justice. —
He accepted, and came on to Philadelphia.
—When he came there, and the senate had
met, it was said that he had.condemned the
treaty ; his appointment was negatived, he
was thrown out of office, and fuffered all
the disgrace which such a measure could
heap upon him. To keep the people quiet
it became neciffary to resort to the handy
deposit of slander, and his crafter was ca
lumniated as unfit for a public nation.
In Virginia the Lees and Gov. Jefferfon,
who had been a&ivd in the revolution, fuf
fered under the fame kind of enormities.—
Jefferfon drew up the declaration of inde
pendence ;,represented the United States in
the Court of Versailles, was several years
governor of Virginia, and elected Vice-Pre
sident of the Nation : but he did not like the
British treaty. The world is witnefeto the
. fl,nder and unparalleled abuse which he has
fuffered since that instrument was brought
to America. /
In Pennsylvania, the Farmer whose cele
brated letters in 1774, united America in her
opposition to the claims of the mother coun
try ; and who has been Governor bf Del
aware State ; Dr. Franklin, whose hoa
ry head was loaded with laurels, and whose
lap overflowed With tokens of the gratitude
of his fellow citizens, and Gov. Mifflin whose
valour and patriotism, drew upon him the
most exalted honors, produced by the fof
frages of a free people, have been equally the
; fubjeds of this party's slander. Judge Me:
Kean who was lately ele&ed governor of
Pennsylvania has had his turn with them.—
, He was long ago eminent in Congress. Foi
2 several years has done the business of chiei
, jufticein the great state of Pennsylvania tc
the intire acceptance of a numerous ant
wealthy people. The reports of cases ad
judged by him, are read in any of the court:
of the United States where they are produc
, ed, and are attended to. But this fame mar
Was not fatisfied with the treaty, and cl
.— — — — — — ^^
PORTSMOUTH, (NEW-HAMPSHIRE) PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY GEORGE JERRY OSBORNE, jun. MULBERRY LANE, NEXT DOOR TO ROUSSEL^s MUSEUM.
—-—.— -— — - ,
“ WHEN YOU SHALL THESE DEEDS RELATE, SPEAK OF THEM AS THEY ARE ; NOTHING EXTENUATE NOR SET DOWN OUGHT IN MALICE."
The Republican Ledger.
NUMBER If. —VOL. I.]
For the Republican Ledger.
" WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1799.
course is to be run down, overborne and de
stroyed. He has been charged by the Por
cupine Club, with passion, intemperance,
and other small crimes ; but the people of
his own state universally know him. They
do not believe these slanders, and have there
fore elected him governor for the present
year, by a majority of fix thousand votes.
The Clubcry out, that all is loft, because
they cannot controul the fufftages of the
people in Pennsylvania. If Judge M'Kean's
want of good morals difqualifies him for
public office, let them examine their own
members, and fay if there is not one, whom
they are attempting to place at the head of
the nation, whose morals are infinitely more
toofe, than they have ever suggested M'-
Kean's to be. One who derides, andlaughs
at even the forms of religion ;• and openly
practices those vices, which are by sober and
good men, considered as abominable,, and
by wife men, as subversive of the order and
regularity of society. They will fee if they
do not find one, who, when he was accused
of fperiding the public money in unlawful
amours, published a book, confeffing that he,
though he was a married man, had been in
an amour with another man's wife, but at
a small expense, and considered it as a mat
ter of no moment, as a fashionable vice,
which ought not to be condemned. Whe
ther he attempted to excuse the gross indel
icacy of a criminal conversation with the
wife of another man,by her husband's conjent,
may be^feen in his book.
In the state of New-York, the old patri
otic soldier Gov. Clinton, was abused in his
turn ; but his fellow citizens supported him,
until his age compelled him to retire. Chief
Justice Yates, was in the fame opinion with
Gov. Clinton, in regard to the British trea
ty, and the measures of the Club. He has
had allo his ffiafe of slander.
In Massachusetts, Hancock, Samuel Ad
dams, and John Adams, were the objects of
these people's abuse for a long time,but they
were well eftablilhed in the affections of their
fellow citizens.
Wearied with their attacks, and loaded
with bodily infirmities, Hancock, in 1785,
retired from the chair of government. That
good and worthy character, Mr. Bowdoin,
was elected to succeed him. The moment
he ascended the chair, he was surrounded by
the people in that Bate, who are now of the
Club;no access could be had by others ; and
what was the consequence ? Universal un
easiness; and finally an insurrection was pro
duced. His mind was amiable, he was not
much a man of the world, his morals, and
patriotism were pure as the morning light,
but the people saw that he put his confidence
in men, who were not their friends. Han
cock was prevailed upon, at the next elec
tion, to take the chair. Confidence in the
government was restored, and all continued'
in peace from that time. He continued
in the chair until his death ; but he was con
stantly the fubjed of the malicious lies and
Banders of this affociation,which was known
then in Boston by the appellation of the Es
sex junto. He was perhapsthe most elegant
man in his manners which America has
produced. He was an excellent fchollar,
was generous and charitable, with an ample"
fortune—He presided in Congress, and in
other public bodies, with more dignity than
any other man in the nation. .The world
know this to be a part of his illustrious
charaaer, and the whole people are witneff
es=of the daily arid incessant Banders, and
misrepresentations under which he fuffered
from these enemies of mankind.
Samuel Adams's goodness, patriotism and
virtues are too well known to need a dis
play upon them. In fpite'of all the lies,
malice, revenge, and calumnies of this club,
his fellow citizens honoured him with their
fuffrages as governor, until his advanced age
obliged him to retire. He yet lives, firm to
the true interest of his country and animated
with a just contempt" for those miscreants.
John Adams is yet ufeful to them, but he
has lately had a solemn warning of what he
has to expea, as soon as he ceases to be so.
—The moment he dared to appoint a com
missioner to the French Republic, without
the consent of the club, they began to treat
him ill. They would not refyed him in a
toast at dinner, and said all they could fay,
to urge the people to withdraw their confi
dence from him—lt is very well known,
where they wilh to place it. When they
found that they could make no impression
upon the people unfavorable to the Presi
dent, whose integrity and patriotism have
never been doubted, they begun to retreat
in an aukward, unmanly manner. It
would be marvelous indeed, if the President,
surrounded as heis, by these meh, who with
a degree of confidence peculiar to their club,
intrude upon him, ffiould not be led into
some errors, but he will have the support of
his country.
Washington Bands considered by them as
their fortrefs. The old hoary patriot has
not yet become he objea of their malice,
because he has not been in their way ; and
perhaps his advanced age may prefeive him ;
but he and J. 4. appear like men with a
fancied security, reposing on the carcases of
their murdered brethren. The enemies of
their coin-patriots can never be their friends,
and they have not the security they seem to
possess.
In New-Hamp(hire we fee that Mr.Lang
don, who flood by his country in the day of
her danger, who assisted in forming, and who
yet is a #alous advocate for the federal gov
ernment; formerly governor of this state,
elected Senator in it for Congress, and treat
ed therewith the highest tokens of refpe&,
as soon ^s he dissented to the ratification of
the British treaty, had the flood gates of
slander cpened upon him ; and he has con
tinued the fubje& of the lies and Banders of
the club from that time to the present.
The fads which we have mentioned, are
notorious, they are universally known. —
Suppoft that those men who opposed that
treaty were wrong, are they thus to be de
stroyed. If men who hold public stations
are not allowed to vote and a& as their con
sciences di&ate, how can the government be
free? If individuals in private life, are not
allowed to express their opinions on public
measures, how can they be said to enjoy ci
vil liberty ? If it is treason, and sedition to
suppose that the government may be wrong,
in certain measures, how can there be a pub
lic opinion colledted, or how can the great
body of the people gain information or feel
secure?
DEAR SIR,
IN regard to Robifon's ridiculous book,
I am neither mason or illuminat, nor in a
ny order, but a friend to mankind. From
my earliest years I have known many ma
sons, and some of them have been my most
intimate friends. I have known illuminats.
Having lived seven years at the universities
of Gottingell, and Leipfic, and having been
in the most populous cities since, I have had
occasion to be acquainted with thonfands of
such orders, and of the different religious
feds, and different political opinions. I
think mifelf impartial, for I with the hap
piness of mankind, which can be promoted
only by religion, virtue, liberty and good
government : my extensive acquaintance
mult'phad for my impartiality.
Robson's book certainly is a party work,
and not ' without political design. Hierar
chy exots its last powers. At Berlin it has
long finte been destroyed. In France it is
annihilated with the catholic religion. Time
is Decenary to put a better religion in its
place-land the people want to be fatisfied
of the rue religion. Robtybn confeffes he
had a faint knowledge of our language ;
and hs nation, though lately better ac
quainted with us, has not a proper knowl
edge d Germany. Without a knowledge
of ourlanguage and nation, no man can be a
judge cf our literature. Robifon Contents
himfelfi with his favorite Religious Bege
heneeitin, a book written at Greffen, and of
very little value, and of no eltimation, un
less by those fyd think a servile adherence
to ancient forms makes a divine. From his
scanty material Robifon judges falfely,
particularly of the charaflers of persons, ot
their literacy me^t, and of their endeavors
to enlighten the nition. That, among thir
teen millions of people, and 7000 authors,
who inundate Germany annually with
books, there arp'miny foolifh, ignorant, and
ill-designing authors, is no winder. But
to take alarm atrit) and to give a bad name
to a country for it, betrays a great igno
rance of men and manners, and of all hifto
ry. It it base so mention infamous produc
tions of the German press against religion,
which Robifon cenfeifes he was not able
to read, and not to mention at the fame
time, the many excellent works in defence
of religion, by Michaelis, Loefler, Henke,
Zollikofer, Merezo, Koope, and many oth
ers. The'firft are not very common, espe
cially lately, and are soon forgotten, but the
Professor EBELLING'sLETTER to Dr.
MORSE.
From the Bee.
[t DOL^ SO CTS. PER ANNUM.
last are often reprinttd, and held in high es
teem, as much as the firft are despised.
Paine's age of reason was translated even
here by a young man, not of a bad or pro
fligate chara&er, but precipitate. He cal
led all clergymen hypocrites. The clergy
laughed at his juvenile impertinence, and
the book made no impreflion at all. The
translator repented that he had injured so
many worthy men, and that he had offend
ed against the toleration he profeffed to es
tablish.
To refute the substance of Robifon's book,
1 will inform you of such things as I know
refpe&ing masonry, religion, and illumina
tifm, and will make such remarks as may
arise to my mind upon reading the work, to
convince you of his true charaaer.
As to masonry I can speak only from ob
servation. From 1740 to 1760, it was
spoken of, esteemed, and in falhion, espe
cially in the Prultian court, and was then,
as I am assured by several grand matters, in
its purity. I know it was never, thought
dangerous, but by some zealous clergymen.
In general they were of no visible influence
in political or religious affairs. When I
Budied at Leipfic, there were successions in
the order, particularly in that class called
the, Stria Observance; Some intended to
ingraft the order of Templars on masonry.
Mi. Stark, my fellow Budent at Gottengen,
a man of an unruly character, went from
Gottengen to Paris, where he is said to have
changed his religion, and, was afterwards
busy in exciting diffentions among masons
in favor of the Templars. Several masons,
particularly Nicholai, were alarmed at it.
Nicholai was a man of taste, and a very sin
cere, open man, a&ive to promote learning
and philosophy, and an intimate friend of
Lessing, a man of the greatest genius, and of
the Jew, Moses Mendelfohn, a fine philo
sophical writer, and of Ramler Gleim, &c.
About this time the study of divinity was
much attended at Gottengen, Halle, Ham
burg and Berlin. Baumgarten, in Halle,
began. He was a good historian, under
stood English, then not commonly studied,
and a Wolfian philosopher. Michaelis re
ally a great genius, and who wrote with
taste, both in Latin and German, continued
his labours with great advantage so the
chriftian religion. You know his works.
I heard him four years. Less, Heilman,
and other Gottengen divines, follow him.
Less was a rigorous moralist, but a candid
dogmatist. He died lately, counfellor of
Hanover. Michaelis indulged in wit, but
he was inßrumental of the greatest services
to chriftianity.
Heanler, at Halle, was Baumgarten's
fchollar, well versed in church hiftory, but
his Byle was as inelegant as the style of
Baumgarten. The liberty which the divines
enjoyed under Frederick II did not oblige any
concealment. At Leipfic, Effiefh, the great
philologist, eftablilhed the literal sense of the
bible ; that it was to be interpreted, not in
a mystical sense, but as good classical au
thors, written by men, and read by men.
Jerusalem at Brunfwic, had devoted his ser
mons to evangelical morals, leaving cafuift
ical and dogmatical enquiries to the learned.
Less had done the fame at Gottengen, and
Zollikofer at Leipfic. Spaulding, at Ber
lin wrote his book, upon the feelings of a
chriftian, and his excellent fermdns. Tel
ler also wrote,^a pupil of Erneßi, not so
learned but more penetrating and philosoph
ical. At this time arose the controversy a
bout the Symbolical Bboks. Bufehing and
others affirmed that they Were against the
spirit of Luther's reformation, who made the
bible the sole guide of faith. When all
this- was in agitation Nicholai undertook
his Universal German Library, which has
been continued Once 1764, and is in above
150 volumes. More than 40, sometimes
60, of the German literati, in every kind of
science, at almost all places of note, where
the German language prevails, from Peters
burg to Bern, and from Hungary to Con
stantinople, were engaged in it. Nicholai's
inftruaions to the the authors (for no man
but he knew them, though they were at
liberty to declare themselves if they chose)
were very liberal. You shall fee my copy,
for I was interefled, several years in the part
of the belles letters. None reviewed any
book unless Nicholai proposed them. But
each was at liberty to tell his opinion, and
not a line waschanged by the editor. This
liberty filled th4 book with contradiaory 0-
pinions, but Nicholai forefaw it, and knew
that diverlity of fetiment is unavoidable, and
promotes enquiry. Thit library had great