Republican gazette — Concord, N.H., 1801-08-06 00:00:00, page 1

" The to that true and Jiedfaft to bis trbft,
" Averse to ill, and obfinatel, JUST,
“ May the wile fcribblere' infolrate despise,
" Their fenfelefe clamoar, and inctfant lies."
The Newhaven REMONSTRANCE,
and the President's REPLY.
BoJlon Chronicle, Extra. July 28.
Our paper was made up before we received the
following remonstrance from certain federal mer
chants, traders and others in Newhaven, in Con
'neaicut, to Mr. Jeffeifon, on the exercise of a
trust constitutionally vested io him. When the
inhabitants of Boston, in one of the fulleft meet
ings ever convened, addressed the late President
Washington, against the final ratification of the
Britilh Treaty— a thing to be done, and then un
der consideration—he ingenuously told them that
“ be would ne* Jnbftitnte the conviaione of others for
bis own ;" and he afterwards signed the treaty,
by advice of Senate. But Mr. Jefferfon aded —
and yet these worthy and enlightened remonstrants
of Conneaicut, have required him to rescind his
own constitutional deed.
The importance and excellence of this reply,
from the First Executive Officer of the United S.
claims the utmost consideration.— To fay it is a
full refutation of all that has been insinuated, laid
or written, is faying but little in its favour, in
comparison of what might be said.
On the whole, the Inaugural Speech, his Ans
wer to the Addrtfs of Rhodeifland, his Answer to
an Address from Carolina, and this Reply, form
altogether the best expofirion and defence of the
Republican Principle of Government, and of a
wife, just and coneft Administration, that have
ever appeared io the world—We therefore hasten
toby it before our readers.
=='
REMONSTRANCE of the merebants of Newhaven,
on the appointment of Samael BiJhop, Etq. ColUaer
of the Revenue of that Port, in the place of Elizur
Goodrich, E,% together with the Present's re,l,.
To THOMAS JEFFERSON, Esq.
„Prtfden+ of the United Statu.
THE undersigned merchants, residing at the port
and within the Diftria of Newhaven, refpe&fully
remonstrate against the late removal of Elizur
Goodrich, Esq. from the office of Colledor for the
Diftria of Newhaven, and the appointment of
Samuel BiShop, Esq. to fill his vacancy. As the
Sound of our remonstrance, we reprefeot, that
eoffice while filled by Mr. Goodrich was con.
dueled with a promptnef#, integrity, and ability,
fatisfaaory to the mercantile iotereft of this dis
tria—a promptness and abiii y not to be found in
his predeceflor.
Believing the charader of E. Goodrich, Esq.
as an officer to be unexceptionable, we lament
that it should be conceived necessary, that a
change in the administration must produce a
change in the subordinate officers, and in this in
stance we have especially to lament that certain
measures have succeeded in deceiving the Prefi.
dent so far as to induce him to Appoint a man to
an important office, who does not possess thole
qualifications necessary for the discharge of its du
ties. We hesitate not to fay that bad the Presi
dent known the ciicumftances, and situation of
the candidate, he would have rejeded the appli
cation. To prove this, let fads be submitted to
the consideration of the President.
, Samuel Bfh?p, Esq will be 78 years old in
November next.—
He is labouring under a full portion of tbofe 4
infirmities which are incident to that advanced
period of life.—
With these infirmities and an alarming loss of
eyesight, though he was once a decent penman,
it is now with difficulty he can write his name.—
He was never bred an accountant—nor has the
course of his bufioefs, ever led him to an ac
quaintance with the meft Simple forms of ac
counting.—
He is totally unacquainted with the system of
Revenue Laws, and the forms of doing mercan
tile business, and is now too far advanced in life,
. PreJident JEFFERSON.'
AMERICAN POLITICS.
REPUBLICAN GAZETTE.
CONCORD, jaetol)ampfl)tre§ THURSDA Y, August 6, 1801.— Vol. 1.—27.
LIBERTY AND THE CONSTITUTION.
and too much' enfeebled both in body and mind,
ever to learn either.—
A man whole age, whose infirmities, and want
of the reqiifie knowledge is such, is unfit to be
the Collector for the diftria of Newhaven.
We are aware that It may be said, he has' faf
tailed with reputation, and now holds, federal
offices in the city, town and county,—but it will
be remembered that none of them are by recent
promotion ; bis office of mayor he holds by chir
ter during the pleasure of the legislature ; and he
is continued as Judge of the county court, and
town clerk, because the people of this State are
not in the habit of negleding those who once en
joyed their confidence by a long course of ufeful
nefs. Knowing the manas we do, we do not he^
fixate to fay that he cannot, without aid, perform
a Single official ad.
It may be said that the appointment was with
a view to the aid of bis son, Abraham Bishop, Esq
and that he is to be the real colleaor. We pre
fume the business must be done by him if done at
all—'Yet we cannot be led to believe that the Pre
sident would knowingly appoint a person to the
difeharge of duties to which he was incompetent,
with a design that they should be performed by
his son. If however this was the case, we expli
citly state that Abraham Bishop, Esq. is entirely
destitute of public confidence, so conspicuous for
his enmity to commerce, and opposition to order,
and so odious to his fellow citizens, that we pre
sume his warmest partisans would not have haz
arded a recommendation of him.
Knowing these fads, of which we must believe
the President ignorant, and relying on assurances
" that he will promote the general welfare, with
out regarding diftinaion of parties," we cherish
the idea that our grief at the rtjeaion of Mr.
Goodrich, will not be augmented by the continu
ance of a father utterly unqualified for the office,
or of a son so universally condemned.
We aflure the President, that the sentiments
thus expdeffed, are the sentiments of the Mer
chants and importers of the diftria. That such
a c|afs of citizens should be heard patiently, and
their well founded complaints redressed, if prac
ticable, we are fully persuaded. If It be an objea
U to reftorf harmony to social intercourse," and
if a decision, " at the bar of public reason," be
worthy of attention, surely such a portion of the
community, will not plead in vain, for a recon
liberation of this appointment, and that such an
important office may be filled by a person compe
tent to the performance of its duties, and in some
degree acceptable to the public.
Signed by Jeremiah Atwater, Elias ^Shipman,
Abraham Bradley, Abel Burnett, and others, to
the number of eighty persons.
We certify that the signers of the foregoing
remonstrance are owners of more than seven Bths
of the navigation of the-port of Newhaven.
(Signed) ISAAC BEERS,
President of the Bank, , and of the Chamber
of Commerce, in Newhaven.
✓ ELIAS SHIPMAN,
Psefitat of the Newhaven Insurance Com,any.
The PRESIDENT'S 1 '\
Washington.
Gentlemen,/
I HAVE recei\Qtf
you were pleased ^■ff^^afa
the appointment o^^muel Bid
the office of Collector of Nee
lately vacated by the death of^Bd
Austin. The right of our felluffi^
zens to represent to the public funffon
aries their opinion, on proceedings in^
terefting to them, is unquestionably a
constitutional right, often ufeful, some
times necessary, and will always be fe#
fpeafjilly acknowledged by me.
Os toe various Executive duties, no
one excites more anxious concern than
that of placing the interest of our fellow
citizens in the hands of honest men, with
understanding fufficient for their Ration.
No duty at the fame time, is more diffi
cult to fulfil. The knowledge of char-.
afters possessed by a single individual,
is of necessity limited. To Seek out the
best through the whole Union, we must
resort to other information, which, from
the best of men, anting disinterestedly
and with the purest motives, is sometimes
incorrect, in the case of Samuel Biffin
op, however, the fubjeft of your re
monstrance, time was taken, informa
tion was fought, and such obtained as
could leave no room for doubt of his
fitnefs. From private sources it was
learnt that his understanding was found,
his integrity pure, his charader unstain
ed. And the offices confided to him,
within his own state, are public eviden
ces of the estimation in which he is held
by the state in general, and the city and
township particularly where he lives.—
he is said to be the Town Clerk, a Jus
tice of the Peace, Mayor of the City of
Newhaven, an office held at the will of
the Legislature ; Chief Judge of the
Court of Common Pleas for Newhaven
county, a court of high criminal and ci
vil jurisdiction, wherein most causes are
decided without the right of appeal or
review ; and sole Judge of Court of
Probates, wherein he Singly decides all
questions of wills, Settlement of estates,
testate and intestate ; appoints Guardi
ans, fettles their accounts, and in fa&
has under his jurifdiaion and care all
the property real and personal of per
sons dying. The two last offices, in the
annual gift of the Legislature, were g v
en to him in May last.
Is it possible that the man to whom the
Legislature of Connecticut has so recent
ly committed trusts of such difficulty &
magnitude, is 66 unfit to be the Collector
of the district of Newhaven," tho ac#
knowledged io the fame writing, to have
obtained all this confidence 66 by a long
course of ufefulnefs' ?—lt is objected in
deed, in the remonstrance, that he is 77
years of age; but, at a much more adv
vanced age, our Franklin was the or
nament ofhuman nature. He may not
be able to perform in person all the de
tails of his office; but if he gives us the
benefit of his understanding, his integriv
ty, his watchfulnefs, and takes care that
mj^he details are well performed by
his necessary affiftants,all pub
[es will be answered, The re,
indeed does not alledge that
has been illy conducted, but
roprehends that it will be so. Should
tffipppen in event, be assured I will
do in it what Shall be just and necessary
for the publicfervice. In the mean time
he Should be^tryed without being pre
judged.
The removal, as it is called, of Mr.
Goodrich, forms another fubjeCt of com
plaint. Declarations by myfelf, in fa
vour of political tolerance, exhortations
to harmony and affection in social inter
course, and a refpeCl for tpe equal rights
of the minority, have, orgftrtain occav
fions, been quoted and mife^ftrued into
assurances that the tenure of offices was
to be undisturbed. But could candour
apply such a conftru&ion? It is not in
deed in the remonstrance that we find
it ; but it leads to the explanations which