The Republican ledger — Portsmouth, N.H., 1800-11-04 00:00:00, page 1

Mr. Jefferfon. :
. • • :r
" mfygLw to recently appearedin Philadelphia, ,
bailed, * An Address to the People of the Um
+d S^tes, with an epitome and vindication of
the public;lire and character of THOMAS )EL
FERSQNI"— 7%ij pamphlet ir.i@fi, with to j
crp &sefyt of conviction. atiduhth a candor and
fainneJ^thßt forms a lefytffticU&Ui contraji .
for teWRAe fote m:d reform oj^raingi to whi:h,
, imtefebty&bfe&TCWQrt4 notice. which ri;
n &ft md^oike mo,l, religions or polity ^,
U
w
icer dun % the rewlutit and was an eycwrtneJ^
™ v h efthe WTCTXcats of the enemy, (Grig the mate
^^^ able tranja&iu in Virginia.
f^^WA" b° rn i n 'he fear 1743, in the
I l^&My of Albemarle, in Virginia, where he
^ 'UR resides.-His father was a reputable
hnnmblder of that county, and gave this,
his eldest son, a college education at the
university of William and Mary, in the city
of Williamsburg. After passing his de
grees, being designed for the bar, Mr. Jef
ferfon commenced a student at law, under
the guidance of .George Wythe, now the
venerable judge, and foie chancellor of Vir
ginia.
In 176$ Mr. Jefferfon came to the bar
of the fopreme court of hi# native state, and
continued to pra&ife therein with great suc
cess and reputation',until the commence
ment of the American revolution in 1775,
and the consequent occlusion of the courts
of justice; during this period of adive prac-^
trce, the industrious mind of Jefferfon found
time to digest the tirft volume of reports of
adjudged cases in the supreme courts of Vir
ginia, which were ever exhibited in that
state, and to this day, are admitted authority
in those courts, remaining a monument of
his early labours, and ufeful talents.
In 1774, when all America were roused
into a&ion by the aggravated wrongs of the
British government, Mr.jefferfon stepped
forward a bold and able champion of his
,fof^ry^righ^ todPOM
admired pamphlet, "Summary View ofth«
Rights of British America," addressed to the
king, which brought forward against the
author, threats of prosecution for treason by
lord Dunmore, then governor of Virginia ;
,threats which produced no other effect on
the independent mind of Jefferfon, than
publicly to avow himfelf the author, pre
pared to meet all consequences.
^ About this time Mr. Jefferfon married
the daughter of Mr. Wayles an eminent
oeounfellorat law, and continued to enjoy un
% interrupted domestic felicity in the society
} of one of the most amiable women, until
the year 1770, when by her death, he became
&mounter » her virtues,and the guardian
of their two daughters, and surviving issue,
to whose education and settlement in life,
and the service of his country, he has ever
since, faithfully devoted himfelf, ftillremain
in[ widower. /?
Vln the year i77s, Mr. Jefferfon was e
' le&ed a member of the Virginia convention
sand on the' 4th of August in the fame year,
, one of the members to represent the state,
,lhen of Virginia, in Congress.
< In that memorable year, 1776, the natal
, year of American eminttyxipn fan Brit- ,
; 'ifh tyranny^ and of the independence and
<Sovereignty afiteUnited. States, Mr, Jefferi'
, son was one of a Committee of five, to wit,
Thomas Jefferfon, John Adams, Benjatrip
^Franklirf, Roger Sherman, and R, R. Lift
ingfton ; appointed to draft the Declarationl
of Independence ; and it was from the pep,,
and enlightened mind of Jefferfon, firft nar
med of the committee, that that glorious .
•inßrument proceeded, which was reported
by the committee, and unanrmoufly adopts
ed by Congress, entitled " The Declaration
of Independence,&." An inftroment, which;;
so long as the records of time shall indure,
will perpetuate the fame of its author, and;
preserve in the American mind,forever and
inseparable, the names of Independence and1
In te fame year, 1776, the ardent mind
«gerly pursuing the glorious'
4 revolution,,and forefeeing
the corruptions of British
we were independent i^
2, produced, for the ad,-
ature of his native state, tty ,
mportant a&s, to wit: , , ^
tft. An act tor efablilhing religious free.
dm, published in this alTayv #c ^
fa —_—fa ■ . ' ' % — -¥ ; . I — . „ ,
I. # WHEN-YOU SHALL THESE DEEDS RELATE, SPEAK OF THEM AS THE! E; NOTHING EXTENUATE NOR SET DOWN OUGHT IN MALICE."
NUMBER 11.—VOL. XI.J \
THOM4S JEFFERSON
? PORT (NEW-d^MPSHIRE) PRINTED BY NUTTING & WHITELCJx, MULBERRY LINE, ADJOINING ROUSSELET's MUSEUM.
ferftyQc&rtl A — w-iI.Ai-.. —— * = —-—+== —--^^—, . ...a,. „ in w 1~, „„
The Republican Ledger.
T==^^
2. An a& to regulate descents, to prevent
dilates entail, and the rights of primogeffi-
BI a& for the apportionment of crimes
iffiments. -'^o=
An a& to eftabllfh p^lic schools.
,The influence of thefea&^p^the rela
tive principles they embrace will be pniyer.
tally seen, and felt by those who prize e'ril
'berty, as a primary blessing, and. regard
site prefervatfon of it, as among the firft be
hests 01 Gpd^o man ; whilst fyftem*cf urr
tal^'«^ariQßj£rasters'' r ^^^^
7FQafmimbufaon of property, and in fuh
verfion of the aristocratic and unnatural
oripciple of entail and primogeniture right :
for ameliorating the sanguinary code of cri
minal law ; and for extending to the poor,
est elafs of our citizens, the benefit of edu
cation at the public expense, will be viewed
as the emanations of a great and good mind,
zealously endeavoring to promote the hap,
oinefs, and improve the condition of his fel*
puw-beings. * 1
Equally evincive of watchful regard to
the rights of his countrymen, was the
scheme and suggestion made ,by Mr. Jeffer
fon, for the formation and adoption of the
canftitution of Virginia, in the fame year,
for prefixing thereto " A Bill of Rights,
declaratory of the natural and unalienable
rights of man," which was accordingly
done.
In the year 1778, Mr. Jefferfon being
then a member of Virginia legislature, pre
sented to that body the Aa " to prevent the
importation of slaves," which was ena&ed
l into a law in the m^nth of October, in the
fame year, and was shortly after following
by anotheraft “ to authorife manumissions,"
being the commencement of a system of
gradual emancipation, also proposed by him.
In the year 1779, Mr. Jefferfon, at the
age of 36, was chosen governor of Virginia,
and continued in that office until June, 1781
during which time the state experienced,
three invasions, and was also bro't into a
critical state of collusion refpe&irig its boun
dary lines with two neighbouring Rates,
4Nffis.earcMm w *fWM^%^^
conduct in that Ration, amidst thp jarring
conflicts and trying difficulties offoreign in
vaGon and domestic disquietude, was such
as secured to him, fix months after he left
the office, and Upon the fulleft public en-
S, the unanimous vote of thanks of the
iture, confiding of 180 members, “for
his attentive administration of the powers of
the executive, whilst in office.
It was during the fame year, i7Br, amidst
the care of government and feenes of pri
vate affliction, that Mr. Jefferfon prepared
his celebrated work, afterwards published
in France and whidh he modestly styled,
'Notes on Virginia,' In this work, to justly
admired by zy the learned world, for its
philofophi&d research, ingenious theory,
and able disquisition, equally evidencing an
enlarged,! ibefal,and pious mind; the author;
in aTuperior style of eloquence boldly attacks
and.fuliy refutes the fallacious theories of
Mr. Buffon and the Abbe Rayrial, which
tend to disparage the animal and its fpecipty
,bOTb man and beast, of-the American world
and reduce them to afcale fmaljer than those
of Europe ; vindicating with truth and fn
tellfeence, the equal distribution of nature,
blessings to America.
In the year 1783, Mr. Jefferfon wasa
tain appointed to a feat in congress from
his native Rate, 4tibinthe following year,
on the 7th of May Mas: nominated by that
honorable body minister plenipotentiary df
.tye United States to the court of France, as
" the successor of our illustrious Franklin,
veMther tie embarked early in the fame year:
and remained absent from the United States
iq the execution of the duties of that impor
tant quft, until the month of October, 1786,
when he returned home by permission of
of the then prrfta^'WWq^rW^,
on being eleaed to the chief magistracy of
the federal government, immediately defti ti
ed Mr. &rcrfon uiairthenext most hono-
rable add confidential flakin' in the'execu
tiv^fovernment nerir, his ^
During fe miffion,o France, Mr. Jef
ferfon with that peculiar address, inteligence
and attention to promote the essential inter
ests of & United states, which direasall
his condua, obtained from the French king
an arre,tefrhigh!y beneficial to the American
commerce, for the free tdmiflion, exempt
from the customary foreign duties,, of oil,
fifh and mhalQone, the ,rodu& of the A
merican fisheries, into certain ports, and for*
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER, 4, 1800.
th of American built ships in all the
po France, benefit, which our eastern
bi continued ro rest, the peculiar ad
.v ^ f until the -commencement of the
type t uiary convulsions which have agitat
tyJ nation. C , '
A rtthe fame period also, Mr. Jeffer-,
„^ conjunction with our immortal
Fr^ n. negociated with a minister from
dt tof Fruffia, then at the Hague, that
.c^ treaty known by the name of th^
'' ' ~ ~" in which an attonilhf,
t-M'Sw fynawhlig
a -V,'l ft^ttye pruvilion by treaty, be
tweei 0 iwereign & independent nations,
forth: cfhblilh nent of thotywo great glo
rious principles, promotive of universal peace
and happiness, to wit, ift. " That free foipt
/ball m& free goods ; 2d" That privateering
in time of War fall be aboliJhed ;" principles
which it were to be withed could be render
ed nniverfaland eternal.—Mr. Adams, now
Prefipnt of the U. 3. was one of the com
miffiun for negotiating this treaty,and on its
completion it was sett over to London, where
Mr.Alams then refilled as minister of the U.
Statty, for his figniture. It is greatly to
be reprinted- that Mr b Adams could not be
conferr to retain to himfelf a Ihare of the
glery which refleas on the authors of this
celebrated treaty. But, unhappily for our
connoy since he became president of the U
nited Sat , we have seen him nominate his
son no Quince, Adams, as minister to
the ( ur of Prussia, for the express purpose
is de bred, of renewing the treaty with
ha ati 1, which basing been limited to
conti ue ill force for ten years only, had ate
ptte— Accordingly another treaty haqC.
v .l|: - is son with Prussia, whicm|
w.p, roved by a majority of the
+ u d ratrued by the president, but whieM,
lead of renewing and continuing the old
rcaty, is in itfelQ a new one, exprefsiy a
bgdoning and renouncing the two ineftim
a>e principles ift. “ fhet free foips make
fr, goods ;" and 2d. " that privateering in
tits of war be abolijbed ; principles which,
it iopears from the correspondence accom
r..¥t ¥& - ..fttfr^MU^t^
date, of the United States by the President,
the wife and enlightened ministers of the
Prussian monarch, were bro't with great
difficulty and reluaance to abandon on the
earned felicitation and reiterated demand of
the American negociator, under the fuggef
tionthat the maritime . powers particularly
G. fir tain, would never fandioa or permit
them., *
In the year 1789, Mr. Jefferfon being
returned to the United States and appointed
by PieGdent Wathington, secretary to the
department of state immediately entered on
the wdqous duties of that important Ration,
having previously stipulated .wtth the Presi
dent, that in consideration of the many years
absence from hirfamily and estate, he might
be permitted, at the expiration of the consti
tutional term for which the President was
elected, to retire from public service.;.
The firft result of the labors of Mr. Jef
ferfon in the department of state were ex
hibited to congress in the following reports 4
ift. A report 00 the fisheries of the U.
Status. : #
,^ A report on coins, weights qhd meaf
ureL '>}"J r l,. ,';
@ A report on the waste and unappropri
ated lands of the United ' States.
4th. A report ofi the privileges and re
ftri^ions on tie commerce of the U. States
in fofeign countries. r$A"
Each of*hefe reports display the usual ac
curacy, information, ADd'intelligence of the
Butt was referred for a.more crirical and
deflate -period in the affairs of tie United
Stites, tbit the pre-eminent taleffs Of/ttye
American feefetary fliOuld become)moll pon
fpi&ous, arid interestingly ufeful to his
country : the non-execution of the treaty of,
peace with the U. A States on the part of
G'pt-WtiW;' her detention of our Wef
tertfePotyfy and,he attendant Spoliations on
our commerce, both by Great-Britain and
^,%^ifan at wir with each other, added
to tfe intrigues of the pynife[ of the Jrf! e b
Genets, all conduced to a fit@i9n difficult
and perplexing. Besides which/Spain cori
tinued to withhold from us tte site havigi
tion of the .Miffiffippfo so tp ^l.
Weftern Americas An this state of things,
the just con faience which the diferiminattrig
mind of Washington had reposed in Mr.
Jefferfon, was amply repaid^ b, th^t
[I DOL. JO CTS. PER ANNUM.
promptness, z/al and ability with which the
American secretary, contributed by his la
bours, to relieve the executive from embar
rassment.—Through a series of maftetfy
and unequalltd diplomatique correspondence
which he maintained, at the fame time,
/ with the ref/eaive ministers of Great Bri
tain arad France—-namely, Hammond:
Genet ; he hraverfed and rebutted ,fy 1^
ffe^ive castes of charge and complaint a+
;^ainft the United States, and having, fully
&&oved the various aggieiliofis and iihyc
^w^
the honor and paintnining the lights of his
own country, whilst alike foperior to the
intrigues of Great-Britain or of France, he
fully manifested that he held no particular
attachment to any foreign nation, but was'
equally prepared, with the decision, firm
nefs and intelligence, of a true American,
to oppose and refill the aggressions of alt.
The recall of Genet, and the appointment
of his fucctfor, with the subsequent proceed
ings between the .United States and France,
the appointment of Mr. Jay, his treaty with
Great Britain, and the recall of Mr. Ham
mond, appointment of Mr. Liston, and fub
feqiient proceedings with Great-Britain are
all known. In refpe& to Spain, thelabours
of Mr. Jefferfon were more immediately
effective and Complete. Having pofleffed
the Commissioners of the U. States then at
Madrid, negociating a treaty with the
Court of Spain, with the most ample and
pointed inßru&ons, and of the form and
provisions of a treaty, predicated on the
Safis of the free navigation of the Mississippi,
Lit only remained for Mr. Thomas Pinck-
Ihcy, then Minister from the United States at
■ondon, under special inftruaion from the
[Prefident, and appointed envoy for that pur-
] pofe, to repair to Madrid, and feizipg the
favourable obje& for effeaing it, to accom
plish this deferable work. This was accor
dingly done, with equal promptness and de
cision on his part, and jointly to that, and
the labours or the American secretary in the
cabinet, are the U. States indebted for the
. ct#,?Vh<<|\ ~rcribW 9-4 benefefej trea
ty they hate ever yet entered into witS a
foreign nation. Here the review of the
public life and labours of Mr. Jefferfon
ceases.
About this time, having at the preffng
entreaty of the then President Wathington,
remained one year longer at the head of , be
department of state, than he had before flipu
laled to do, be resigned his office, anil retir
ed with the warmest thanks and regret of
the President, Washington, to his estate at
Monticello, in Albemarle county, Virgi
nia, where he continued for upwards of two
years uninterruptedly to enjoy the sweets of
domestic ease, and a respite from the fatigues
of public life, following with avidity his fa
vorite pursuits ofphilofophical research and
agricultural improvement, until the voice
of his country again fommoned him <6 the
more a&ive feenes of public duty, and plac
ed him in nomination for the public chair,
as the successor of Washington. The issue
. of that eleaion is well known, and but for
a falfe return in one state, and the fuppreG
fion of a return in another, Mr.- Jefferfon
would have been decided President, as the
returns however Rood before Congress, it
appeared that he had 68 votes, and the lat.
}ter 71, consequently the latter was declar
ed hefidenf, and the former Vice-Prefntent
of the United States, \, •
$ In the month ol January, 1797, Mr. Jef
ferfon was ele&ed President of the Ameri._
can Philosophical Society, held at Philadel
phia, as successor of the great and virtuous
. Rittenhoufe, who was the immediate foc
ceffor of the immortal Franklin, the foun
der of the society. '
And now, for rAe faW f/mf, the voice of
his country has placed, Mr. Jefferfon in
nomination for the PaziiBENTiAL Chair.
Fellow- Citizens (ffy United - States,
, ? In the foregoing address sou ate prefe,t
edwith two very oppofitecharaaers of far.
The firft, written by the pen of his ene
mies, conceived in malignity and m^l&o
--iance, under the powerful influence, of par
ty feeling and political tefetitmeM, exhibits
him.to you as the Wbift of men, an enemy
to his, God, an enemy to, his country, an
enemy tolheMhumaamca. It derives a mo
mentary support from the basest fabrica
tions and wicked falfetioods. It canpot
long deleave, since it f& betrays the fat
oufy> fear and anger ofy authors—jtalog-