Republican ledger, and Portsmouth price current — Portsmouth, N.H., 1802-03-23 00:00:00, page 2

CITIZENS OF NEW-HAMPSHIRE,
The e>e of the Union is upon you !—lt nidory
affords an infiance of Tyranny and Opprefen e
anal to what has been here described, committed
by the agents of a people's choice, of this I an)
certain, that it affords no instance where the fame
people have re-elected the fame agents, who had
thus abused their confidence, and intruded them
with the management of their affairs again.
If you tolerate this iniquity, this cruelty and
perfection, the North Star will fade in the arms
of the Union, and the or her States will blush for
the infamy of their wretched filler J— This mta
my will resound from the St. Croix to the St.
Mary, and beyond the Weftern Mountains !—even
unlettered forages will blush for the depravity of
civilized min !!.
Let every honest man drive to wipe away this
stain from our land — Let not such a reproach be
laid upon any part of this Ifiael ; left we be called
e< like Benjamin, or file Gibeah of Benjamin.' We
fee our State dividetl and impoverished, checked
in its growth, and lowered in its conference, we
have seen the little commerce which before it had,
made still less by a tingle aft ; and we know that
by a reqeal of that act, or the adoption of aifingle
measure, its peace and union would be reflated,
and the only obftrudion to its prosperity removed.
Are not these objects too great, to be facrificed to
the avarice, will, orparty spleen of any man or Jet
rfmen ?—And ihall justice, policy, and humanity,
mingling their remonftrauces together, plead any
longer on this fulfrß to the mind and the heart in
vain ? No ! let every freeman attend on that
day, 'when he may apply a Constitutional correct
ive to those evils. .
While Sedition (talks abroad at "noon day ;
while treason is preached from the " houfc-top;
and while Come of our Shepherds are driving to
lead the Sheep affray ; Let every Republican fay
«< as for us, and our house, we will serve the
LorO-Let us,put on the "armour" ofgood Qrin
cipfes—Let us be as firm and zealous in the Cante
Truth, as others are in the Cause of Error.--Let
ns invite those, who are in darkness, to joints,
and come to the light. Let us restore to the op
pressed, their violated rights. Let not cut hands
Be weak, our hres feeble, or our fouls fearful, in
defending our Federal and State Constitutions,
those greatffortrefts of our political salvation,
againit whoever may be the assailants, and wpo
evet may be thepnioneers of those assailants. Let
no honest man confider himfelf exempted from
duty at this crisis, If so independent in property,
as to be above the want of that pecuniary aid
which Banlts may confer, let him confider that
what benefitsor iniures the community, he ought
to conceive as benefiting^ injuring himfelf; that
inrereft and feelings ought to be blended with
/% ; not detached from it. Let mm consider that
epprelfon, once tolerated, may reach to rights that
lie little dreams of feeing invaded ;— that onr du
ties in life are not merely negative, and that
when the; flames are in pofeffi° n °" I'm
tea house, we ought not to Hand idle, although
by tire firft commercial nation, as favorable not
only to trade but agriculture, 1 shall lay no Grefs
upon. —The question of their general utility or in
utility, was never before our Legislatore —1 he
question was, whether, one class of men mould be
deprived of thof? privileges, which another class
were permitted to exercise without centroid ?—
Whether our “ Government was inttituted for
common benefit, or fur the private interell of a
particular cl^fs of men ?" But policy would have
required a different decilion if the Constitution
and Humanity had not .—ls there are any Banks
in a State, it is their multiplicity that will make
them beneficial, and in which its exemption ies
from receiving any injury from them. By a num
ber of Banks, a greater barrier is formed to pre
vent the Ipecie from being sent from the country,
than there is by one ; because each of them is o
bliged to retain a larger quantity of fyecie in its
vaults, in proportion th the bills that it iffiies, than
a single bank need retain, because that bank hav
ing no rivals, would have no fears of its bills run
in to any amount. A single bank affords the nock
holders the means to enrich themselves by fpecu
iations, at the expense of the community, by en
abling ibem to advance or depress the price o
produce at their pleasure. Where there is 3 num
ber of banks, there is no danger of this # mifchiet,
on account of ^at competition ^ h eQi&%
one hir^^'e always found it necessary to en
courage more. Rhodc-lfland alone, which con
tains but little more than one third of our inhab
itants, has fivex There, while some of those banks
are calling in, others are letting out, and a prop
er medium of circulation is always preferred. It
is the power given to a company, of destroying
this proper medium of circulation, necessary for
the health of the State, at its option of monopo
lizing the profits of its commerce, by creating a
flood or drought of money at pleasure, thereby
railing or reducing the value of articles as may
suit its purpofes—lt is this pow,T of controling
the current of money and of prices, of checking
at times 40 per cent on its outstanding dues, at
other times inundating the country with Bills on
Philadelphia, while there is no other bank toler
ated to relieve those who are called on with so
much severity, in the onejnftance, and nothing to
refrain or repress such Grange displays of pecu
lation in the other ; it is this power which ought
to be deprecated by a free people, and never
granted exclusively or conclusively to any Class of
men whatever. But take the fubje& in another
view—The alarming propped of a dreadful fear
city of money are realifed ; 1 do not mean an ar
tificial scarcity, created by speculation, but a
scarcity resulting from other causes—The Phila
delphia orders are no longer permitted to circu
late, and the Bank refiirnes its wonted narrow
though more honorable method of bufinefs —
Crouded with applications for loans, it muff
supply its particular friends firft, and why wa^nt
three times the amount of its flock—The poflef
fors of more than half of our commerce and navi
gation, and nineteen parts out of twenty of the
other property in the hate, can obtain no guid
ance—Tho'e who have the ability and disposition
to afford them such relief as if granted to others,
are denied the privilege. N. N. then, while its
courts of law were thronged with fails, and gen
eral distress prevailed from the scarceness of mo
ney, would present a Angular fpettacle—the spec
tacle of a date denying to the most numerous and
worthy portion of its citizens, the chance to hire,
or the liberty to lend. Let us then have more
banks or none at all. Let the Legislature create
no partial misery. , „ _
To build the prosperity of one class es men on
the ruins of another, is an abomination in the tight
of GOD and Man ! !
REMOVALS and APPOINTMENTS.
THE Federal papers have long been filled with
censure and sedition against the Ptefident, on the
fobje(t of appointments and removals from office.
This popular firing is now touched, with particu
lar reference to the approaching election of a
Governor. If the censure is well founded, let it
have its weight. But, before we yield to the
clamor of party, let us examine the tafts, on
which they are predicated. To assist us in form
ing a correct judgment on this captious topic of
federal complaint, it is necessary to take a general
view of the present state of national offices within
this Commonwealth.
our own maybe in a plaeeof security. Let e<e G
man confider, that to withhold relief, when our
fellow citizens are fuffering wrong and injury, is
to be accessory to the iniquity.
Tile Shades of those Patriots, who fell at Ben
nington and Saratoga, will hover over our elec
lions—Already they seem to fay, that their blood
was not feed to barter foreign for domeflic tyranny,
and that if we have-not the Spirit to maintain our
Liberty for our own good, we ought to refleft,
that it was earned not only for us, but for thoje
who are to come after us, and we have no right to
surrender it.—The voice of Washington speak s
from his tomb, and calls us to our Posts, for the
protection of our Freedom and our National Fra-,
ternal Compal'.
A further explanation of some Subjects, but
faintly difeuffed in this essay, will be given by the
impartial biflorian ; and the more impartial, the
more those who are implicated in them, need to
tremble at the impending investigation - -He that,
writes the moil naked Truth, will write with the
molt awful severity. The vengeful pen of the
latirid can gain nothing by fancy or fiction.
For the present, these reflections are dedicate!
to the free electors who compose the Great Jury
of the State, hoping that in their approaching fef
flions, they will fufficiently understand the Merits
of the Cause, and cf the parties at iffiie ;—know
ing that if they dojhey will return a VERDICT
in favor of Justice, Liberty and the Conflitution,
and of the Republican Ticket of 1802. To the
refpeftable Head of this Ticket, let us apply the
lines of the Roman Poet :
6^°* Query. Will any fay, that fever al of our.
Members of the General Court would have voted
again fl the incorporation of the New Bank, if Gov
ernor Gilman had been in favor of it ?
1 Governor Gilman has held the office for Eight
years in succession ! ! , :
II Governor Gilman's friends tried to raise his,
salary from 1200 to 1506 dollars !
[The above notes to the Confiititionalift fhoukh
have been inferred in the last Ledger, but were
omitted thru' miftake.]
Since the accession of the existing aftminiftra
tion, so far as the writer recollefy, there has been
only one removal by the President, within the two
Diftrifts of this Commonwealth. It is true there
have been one or two others by the responsible
heads of departments. For infiance Stephen
Higginson, Esq. was removed from a naval a
gency, and Samuel Brown, Esq, appointed in
his room by the Secretary of the Navy. Os the
propriety of this charge the citizens of Boston are
able to judge. Col. Danforth, of Pittsfield who
in the period of federal monopoly had been dis
missed from the offiice of Port Matter because he
was a Republican, has been re-appointed ; and it
is laid, one or two other changes have taken place
in that department. But the President, 1 believe,
basoniv fobftituted George Blake, Esq. in the
place of Harrison G. Otis, Esq. a Diflrifl: Att
ney. For this measure there were fufficient rea
sons, independent of any comparison of the pro
teffional merits of those two gentlemen, both of
whom are undoubtedly qualified for the duties of
the office. The Republican administration found
the opposite party possessed of the national offices
in general-, particularly of the whole Judiciary,
confiding of mere than forty Judges, (about half
of them appointed with the expiring breath of the
lalt admiftration) all the Didrid Attornies except
one, everv Marshall and every Clerk of the
Courts. From accident or management the juries,
both of ipqueft and trial, even in Diftri&« strong ?
ly Republican, had been chiefly composed of men
of federal politics. This most extraordinary mo
nopoly of the judiciary power in the hands of onej
party, to the exclusion of the other, had be n a
dopted as a system, not only in the nationalcourts,
but in feme of the States, and defended upon prin
ciple. But it had occasioned great and unavoida
ple diffatisfaftion. Republicans considered ft in
confident with impartial justice and equal rights.
In warm party times, and especially in cafesrelaf
ing to the fubjeßs of dispute between the two
great parties, which devided country, judges and
fairies, felefted all from one fide, however honest,
naturally acquire a bias, unperceived perhaps by
themselves, but abfohitelv incompatible with^
fair edininiftration of justice. It is impoflible for
them to be impartial. And even if they were,
they would naturally be fufpe&ed of partiality,^
and their decisions would for that reason. produce
an irrigating and not a happy fffeft; Such was in -
faft thecafe with the federal judiciary. Republi
cans generally thought, and still think, that equal
juffice was by no means administered. Political
charges of judges, and political profeeution gave
very great and lading difeuft. Hiftory will per
haps determine whether that dlfguft was Well
founded.—On this delicate fubjeft there is one
monitory fatt, that among all the rigorous pros
ecutions for feditton, there was not one against a
Federalist, although notorious inftatices of Federal
libels, even against President Adams, after his
nomination of the heft Envoys, equally indictable
with any of those Which were profecurd, occurred
in aft Parts of the United States, under the imme.
diate irifpedion of the Judges, Attorneys, and Ju
ries, and h#e been continued with increasing ran
cour, to the prefect time without official notice.-
Whether tills glaring partiality was eftfrd by
federal charges from the bench T by the arts of
federal Diftritt Attorneys, or by the iffiiing of
venires for Jurors to towns of federerf politics ; or
whatever was its came, the fa& is undeniable. Os
this the Pefußlicrrns jiiflly complained. To re
move their just complaints, it was the duty otthe
President to place some Republican checks in the
Judiciary department.—The Judges themselves
I were not removable by the executive. Indeed
J/fum et tenacem propofiti virum.
Non cilium ardor prava jubentium,
Non vultus infantis tyfanni,
Mente quatit Jolida.
A Conftitutionalift.
Fsom the Independent Chronicle.
their friends claim that the laws efta'ulhhing their
offices, like the laws of the Medes and Persians,
those FederaliJls of ancient times, are irrepealable
by the legislature. The Clerks were appointable
b/ the Courts. The Attorneys and Mulhalls only
~ Id be changed. Hence there was an obvioos
ttceffity of changes 111 those appendages of the Ju
diciary, pro< ided there were no suitable candidates
of different politics.
In the particular cases under confederation,
there was another reason, Mr. Otis had advocated
the obnoxious additional judiciary aft, by which
he affixed in providing for the promotion or
Judge Lowell, to the circuit court, and the conse
quent advancement of Mr. Davis to the bench of
the District Court, which left a vacancy for him
felf in the office of Diftri& Attorney, to which he
was accordingly appointed, among the last afts
of the former administration, to aft under, or
rather a^ainf the present administration. For
Mr. Otis' has long been an active enemy of Mr.
Jefferfon and other confidential officers Os admin
ittration. This appointment was not indeed a
violation of the letter of the constitution, which
provides that no Senator or Representative Shall
during his term, be appointed to ao office created
during his said term r but many have considered
It inconsistent w ith the spirit of that constitutional
reftrißion. "The general ground, however, was
amply fufficient tor his removal, and the appoint
ment of a Republican successor. President Jeffer
fon has not-instated the maxims of his predeces
sor ; that offices ought to be monopolifed by the
friends of administration ; but has avowed, and
acted upon a different maxim ; that officers ought
to be appointed between the two parties. In the
Dillrift of Maine, Mr. Lee, a Federalifl was ap
pointed District Attorney ; although, it there had
been a Republican candidate of equal official qual
ifications, he v onld probably have been preferred.
President Jefferfon has also given two impor
tant appointments to Republican citizens of this
Commonwealth. General Dearborn, of the Dif
triCt of Maine, is Secretary of War ; and Judge
Lincoln, of Worcelter, is Attorney General ut the
United States. Ilie promotion of those two gen
tlemen is certainly calculated to inspire our citi
zens with a just confidence in the present admin
istration. They are extensively known ; and all
the flanderc of opposition cannot deprive them of
our esteem.
But. including the Secretary of War and At.
torney General, wbofe officers are not appropri
ated to this Commonwealth, there are net
more than lour or five Republicans now in poffef
feffion of national offices of any considerable im
portance in Maffachidetts and Maine, and very
tew in Subordinate grades : while the number of
Federalifs Still in offices under the general govern
ment is too great to admit of a particular enu
meration. The following is a summary of them •
One ledge of the Supreme Court—l do. of the
Circuit Court—2 DUtrift Judges (and the numer
ous commissioners of Bankruptcies appointed by
them)—2 Clerks of the federal Conrts—2 Mar
fhalls*—l Commissioner of Loans—l Supervisor,
and 24 out cf 35 Collectors of Ports—3 Naval
Officers—6 Surreyors]befides a multitude of In-
Ipedcrs, Weighers, Me^fures, &c, &c.—All the
Post-Matters, except; three or four.
The writer does not pretend to be minutely ex
aft in this Statement, but only to present a gener
al view of the fubje^t.
Now let men of sense and honor judge, whether
it is not an aft of molt ebnfummate impudence in
the Federalist of Massachusetts to complain of
President Jefferfon's appointments and removals
from office. Until the offices are much more near
ly equalized between the parties, the rignt of com
plaining is altogether on the other fide.
r M ASSACHUSETTENSIS.
* Since the abode was written it has been re
ported that one of the Mar,rails is fuperceded.
Without any reflection upon the character of that
gentleman, the friends of equal jujiice mu, hope
the report is true.
OUR prosperity and happiness as a people, be.
ing dependent upon the good pleasure of the Al
mighty and benevolent Parent ot the Universe ; it
highly becomes us, to unite in our petitions for
divine favours : and it having been usual to let a
part a certain day at this season of the year,! have
thought fit, by and with the advice of Council, to
appoint Thursday, the Fifteenth day of April next,
tq be observed as a day of Humiliation, Fafiing
and Prayer throughout this State—and do recom
mend to Minitiers aud People, of every denomin
ation, to assemble on said day, at' their refpeßive
places of public worship, that we may with united
and penitent hearts eonfefs onr fins, implore for
givenefs, and entreat the Father of Mercies for
his blessing upon us.
That fervent prayers be made to Almighty God
for his blessing on the People and Government of
this State and of the United States —^
That all who are in public authority in our na
tional and State Governments may have wisdom
to dlfcern and integrity to pursue such measures as
shall promote the lasting happiness of the people—
that they may act worthy of the several stations
,jn which they are placed, considering tremfefve,
not only as accountable to their fellow-men, but
to the Lord of the Univerfe —
That a (top may be put to the progrefe of those
licentious opinions and practices, which are so
deftruftive to Free Governments, and that Vir
tue, Morality and Religion, as indispensably ne
cessary to their support, may revive and floorifb—
That the rich privileges, by which we are dis
tinguished from other nations, may be wifely im
proved and tranfinitted, unimpaired, to succeed
ing generations, and that it may never be said of
this higlily favored land, “ they had a price,in
their hands, but had not hearts to use it aright"—
That it would please our divine benefactor to
overrule the seasons of the year in mercy—bless
our Agriculture, Commerce and Fisheries —uhat
we may be preferred from wafting and conta
gious fieknefs, and the voice of Health be heard
in our land—.
That he would bellow his Heftng on our literary
Inflitutions, that they may become more abun
dantly ufeful in promoting, virtue and piety as
well as ufeful learning, andrhe riling generation
be eminently prepared for Serving God and his
country— - . .
And above all, that pure and nndefile d religion
may uiuvcrfr.il> prevail; and the precepts of the
STATE of NIUE-HAMPSHIRE.
By the Governor-
A PROCLAMATON.
. From the Bordeaux Journal, of Dec. e,.
America presents, at this moment, a rare
phenomenon in the hiftory of nations, a gov
ernment directed towards the gicateft good
of the whole# We have this b'ethng from
fefferfon, that he ftri&ly adheres to the con
ilitution. He calls to public offices men
poffefled of the public eilcem, and whose a
bilities have been proved, and whose repub
licanism, free from all unworthy motives.
:has been conflant. This Phijofopher,whofe
' writings are well known in Europe, appears
Cofpel be known and pra&ife throughout the
world.
And I do recemmend that all persons religion,,
ly abstain from labour and recreations unbecoming
the Solemnity of the day. 5
Given at the Council Chamber in Exeter, this ff.
teenth day of March, one thcuJand eight
dred and two, and of she independence <f the
United States of America the netmi tn th.
JOHN TAYLOR GILMAN
By his Excellency's command, u ^ advice of
Council.
JOSEPH PEARSON, Secretary.
By the Mails.
BOSTON,MARCH 2q 6
From TOBAGO, Feb. 4, 1802.
" A fe:ious and alarming conspiracy and
infurredion of the blacks, has, by God's
providence, been brought to light here, at
the very time it was ripe for execution.—
The villains had their plans so well laid,
that a flranger to them would imagine it was
impossible for their capacity to plan so deefc
They intended to have set fire to the cane
fields at the fame time upon different estates,
so as to divide the inhabitants to extinguish
the fire, as well as to draw the troops from
the garrison. A large party were to enter
the garrison as soon as the hoops were out ;
the women and lick were then to be mur
dered, and the aims and ammunition seized
upon, These done, they were to attack the
tired inhabitants in their houses, well judg
ing that the fatigue they would go through
in extinguishing the fire, would throw them
into a profound sleep, & then murder young
and old. The villains had their foperior
and inferior officers designated. The exe
cution of the plot was to have been on Christ
mas night. The difeovery was made by a
gentleman, who accidentally overheard a
canverfation on the fnbjea amongst bis own
negroes, on the day before the time set for
the explosion. An alarm Was immediately
spread, and the ringleaders were apprehend
ed ; several of whom have been beheaded,
and their heads exposed upon poles in dif
ferent places ; others have been flogged and
tranfonned.
Tfc official information from Mr. Lear,
the American Consul-General, of the de
ftruaion of the town of Cape- Francois, has
been publiffied. It does not materially dif
fer from the intelligence brought by Capt.
Rogers, arrived at Baltimore All the
town, except about 60 houses, was burnt ;
and the produce left is not fufncient to load
a tingle vessel. Mr. Lear had been receiv
ed by Gen. Leclerc as General Commercial
Agent ; who has promised to protea the A
mericans ; and the payment for provisions,
&c. derived from the Americans is offered
to be made in bills on France, at ,0 day?
fight, or part in cash and colonial produce.
Another divifi-n of 25 ships, and 20,000
troops, were daily expeaed.
The condn& of Gen. Leclerc is repre,
Rented in letters from the Cape as improvi
dent and infolerff.
A fgHidrnn, conGßing of two Spanish
seventy-sours, a French sixty-sour, a fri
gaterind a sloop of War, has arrived at Ha
varina, from Cape-Francois, to procure
troops and provisions for St. Domingo.
The Tobago Gazette, of Jan. 22d, con
tains the details of the above conspiracy,
with the proceedings of the President and
Legislature of the island thereon. The con
spiracy appeared confined to the Mesopota
mia, Hope, Bucoiet, Belvidere, Friendship,
and Cove-estates ; and the difeovery of it
was made tv Mr. Honfton ; to whom the
legislature have exprefled themselves as high
ly indebted.
The report that Tobago was to be deli
vered up to the French the i sth inst. cannot
be corre&, unless the definitive treaty has
been signed.
" We know not what is to be the fate of
this island ; but so strongly is it apprehend
ed that it will be ceded to the French, that
great numbers cf the inhabitants are going
off."
Three Americans (Mr. Dodge, Messrs.
Hellen and Williams, and D'Arcy and Ste
venson) ftved their houses, but their good#
were pillaged.
By the Brigantine Rajah, Capt. Batchelder, rfSt
lent, the Editor of the Register has received Bor
deaux and Paris Gazettes to the ed of January.
The following is a complete refutation of the re
port, that the French had imbibed prejudices a
gain'lour President :
CAPE FRANCOtS.