The Republican ledger — Portsmouth, N.H., 1800-09-30 00:00:00, page 1

fa the Independent Chronicle.
Io the duthor, of the "Jefferfoniad" in the
/Qntinel.
IF our newt-papers were confined within
the territory of the United States, there
would be no occasion to answer the many
gross absurdities which appear against Mr.
Jefferfon. But as they circulate in Europe,
some reply is necessary to remove the ftig^
ma which otherways might be attached to
them. A gentleman, who has for so many
years, received the honors of his country,
and been so highly refpe&d by his fellow
citizens, cannot at this time require the
i^ftance of his friends to vindicate his rep
utation. At the trying period of our revo
lution, he flood conspicuous both as a pa
triot and a statesman. Among the worthies
which adorn the pages of the American
hiftofy, his name is enrolled with difting
vifhed approbation, and applause. Ever
uniform, and confident with those republi
can principles which sustained America dur
ing her conflict with Britain, he has now
brought on himfelf the curses, of Apostate
WhigS) and the anathema's of a profligate
Tory Banditti. These men sicken at his
Virtues, especially those, who are balking
udder the funfbine of lucrative offices, and
are (haring a large proportion of the money
arising from the taxes of the people. The
degenerate fens of freedom, are appalled at
his magnanimity, and view with aftoni(h
ment, that he has not, like themselves, fa
crinced his political integrity, to his per.
fonal emolument. A 'Samuel Adams, and
Thomas Jefferfon stand on that eminence of
political rectitude, which distinguished them
before the pecuniary means of government
had a charm to violate their former profef
fons. They still view the people as entit
led to rights of which no constituted authori
ty can disarm them, and they feel those at
tachments to preserve the liberty of the titi
„hs, which led them to defend it against
fritain, and her Tory satellites. Honor,
and diftinßibhs are no lures with them, to
about those blessings which America so
dearly earned, neither has their elevation so
fir baited them above their fellow-citizens,
as to distinguish them in classes by any de
grading appellation. This equality of rights,,
Both as it refpe&s civil and religious liberty,
urged Mr. Jefferfon to vindicate the rights
OF CONSCIENCE, and to disrobe the proud
Hierarchy, which had prostrated every oth
er religious denomination to the lowest stage
of vaflalage. Not content with freeing A
raerica from the thraldom of Britain, he
thought the work but half accomplished till
be had declared the consciences of men
FREE, SOVEREIGN AND INDEPENDENT.
For this, my fellow-citizens, is this vir.
tuous character abused ; for this is he vilifi
ed and calumniated ; for this noble display
of Catholicism is he called an enemy to his
country ; for giving every man a right to.
worship God agreeably to his conscience, he
Is called a Deist, and by some is absurdly
aliled an Atheist. Because he hasattempted
to administer the Constitution upon the prin
ciples of Economy and Republicanism, he is
charged as subverting its principles; be
cause he is desirous to prevent burthenfome
taxes, and to make the government set light
On our (boulders, he is designated as a difor
ganizer and friend to inarchy.
While reading the torrent of scurrility
thd billinfgate against him, the heart of eve
ry real American muff palpitate with re
sentment; we must turn indignant on those
venal columns, which are prostituted to de
fame the chafa&er of this firft of patriots ;
the Qhoft of Hancock and of Warren,
With ,the host of Heroes who have bled in
defence of freedom, must frown with vin
diaive ire on such base ingratitude, and even
Washington must view with abhorrence,
the base treatment of the man whom HE de
lighted to honor. The Hero of Mount- Ver
non, knew his worth, and confided in his
virtues ; his talents were equal to the great
est emergencies, and his honor and integri
ty placed him above the groveling bias of
executive patronage.
This is the man fellow-citizens, whom
the Tory- Faftion attempt to depreciate, ter
render suspicious, and to excite our detesta
tion. They dread his virtues, and are afraid,
left in the execution of his office, he should
make manifeft their wicked machinations,
to deprive us of our liberties. An host of
fitch assailants are now active in their dia
ibolieal schemes, and have set in motion eve-
Iry detestable tool, and " bafe-bem" fycoph-
NUMBER 6.—VOL. II.)
" WHEN YOU SHALL THESE DIEDS RELATE, SPEAK OF THEM AS THEY ARE ; NOTHING EXTENUATE NOR SET DOWN OUGHT IN MALICE."
KRTSMOUTH, (MW&MPSHIRE) PRINTED BY NUTTING & WHITELOCK, MULBERRY LANE, ADJOINING ROUSSEUT's MUSEUM.
The Republican Ledger.
ant, to accomplish their wicked purposes.:
But I trust in Heaven they will be defeated,
and instead of a Jefferson falling a prey
to such a venomous faction, we fondly an
ticipate the happy profpea; when his ene
mies will be confounded by the approbating
voice of his, fellow-citizens.
To injure the reputation of Mr. Jeffer
son, they have foolishly charged him with
a design to extirpate Religion, and deftrny
the moral Virtues of the people. The writ,
ings and cond^a of this gentleman are ft
contrary to designs of this nature, that his
defamers must blush at the affertioh. His
Notes On Virginia, are worthy the perusal
of the Christian and Philosopher. The be
nevolence of his heart is worthy the imita
tion of the most devout ; and the accuracy
of his investigations must enlighten and in
form the most intelligent. As an author he
is an honor to his country, and the literary
reputation of America is established in Eu
rope, through the medium of his publica
tions.
His political conduct is a great argument,
that he is not desirous to injure either the re
ligious or moral chara&er of the people.
His opposition to particular measures, is a
strong proof that he is for preserving them
in their primitive purity. Mr. Jefferson
has ever been opposed to systems, which had
a tendency to produce those evils with which
his enemies charge him. If he hada serious
design to extirpate all religious and moral
principles, he would have been in favor of
those measures which would have led to this
fatal catastrophe ; he would have been an
advocate for all those plans of {peculation,
which serve to dissipate and vitiate the mind,
and lead the community to prey upon each
other ; he would have studied a deep system
of finance, whereby a stock-jobber, an usur
er, and a (harper, might defraud his neigh
bour ; he would have planned ways and
means to throw advantages into the hands
of unprincipled (peculators, and by a dafo
of the pen, to rob the old Soldier of his hard
earned property, and reduce to poverty the
widow and the orphan ; he would have ma
tured plans to enrich a particular class of
men, and have set a snare to violate every
tie which cements society ; he would have
made it fajhiortable to riot on the spoils of
the unfortunate, and prostitute the virtuous
to the lowest Rate of wretchedness. These
are measures which he would have adopted,
if he had designed to destroy every sense of
Religion and Morality, but unfortunately
for his enemies, he has ever expressed his
abhorrence to such horrid systems, as lead
to these damoralizing purposes. As a phi
losopher, he knew the human heart, and if
he had. a disposition to introduce irreligion
and immorality; he would have pursued
those measures which had such a dire& ten
dency to accomplish his wishes. More par
ticularly would he have been in favor of a
Standing Army, ghat bane to every principle
which ennobled the human mind. This
)vould have been his favorite plan, as the
most potent engine by which his projeds
could be effected. A rendezvous for the
enlistment of soldiers, would have been a
more powerful channel to communicate his
principles, than long philosophical disserta
tions. At such resorts, the drum and five
are more forcible argument! than sine-spun
disquisitions—here the passions are enflam
ed, and feenes presented which strike the
senses with the most lading impressions.
The language of a rendezvous, together with
r all the arts and tricks to entrap an inconsid
erate youth, are allurements which lead the
mind to the utmost stretch of profligacy.
The fatal effe&s of such an establishment
have been too often felt in Boston, and with
paih have we seen a long train of young
men, following a Randard in that Rate of
intoxication, which fully proved the impro
priety of the means by which they were in
duced to an enlistment./ Such a display of
immorality, and irreligion must have been
pleasing to Mr. Jefferson, if he was de
sirous to extend such sentiments as are al
ledged against him ; and he must have been
doubly delighted to find the /weeping of the
metrfylis, garrisoned in different towns a
mong the honest and industrious yeomanry.
The prophanefs, and indecent condua which
are heard, and observed in our streets, are
in a great degree owing to this source of
iniquity. To this may be attributed the de
cay of religion and morality.
If then fellow-citizens, Mr. Jefferson
is the charader he is represented to be, how ?
came he to be against a Standing Army?
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 1800.
Can it be foppofed that he was ignorant of
its tendency ? No ; if he wished to annihi
late every trai r of virtue and morality he
would have enforced it with all the powers
of rhetoric, aid called on his fellow-citizens
oaid the eftabliihment. But on the contra
• y, he (lands among the worthies who early
discountenanced such a deftruaive evil.
Americans!
Assume your wonted dignity—revere the
man who has thus defend well of his
country. Let not the enemies of our In
dependence, blast the man who penned the
immortal declaration, more particular
ly, when he is calumniated in those papers,
which Eulogize a Suwarrow.
OLD SOUTH.
GENERAL AND JUST OBSERVATIONS UP
ON MODERN NOVEL WRITING.
THE fuperfeetation of the- press, (as
Johnson called it,) in modern times, has
been manifefted by no species of literary
produ&ion mdre than by that of novels.
Amid the torrent which has been poured on
us, to meet with only one or two that have
any claim to notice might appear a singular
inßance of ill fortune, did we not know
that to write a good novel requires a rare
combination of qualities : diligence of ob
servation, nicety of discernment, and a fund
of knowledge of human life extra&ed
from books, and colle&ed by experience.
Why the best of our old novels have conti
tinued to please and inßru&, amid all the
fluauations of falhion, the variations of
taste, and the changes of manners, may easi
ly be understood ; in them we find just re
presentations of general nature ; no delinea
tion of virtue above the reach of humanity ;
110 Caricature of follies which are the short
lived offspring of chance or fafhion. Their
authors were acquainted with the true prin
ciples of genuine passions, and the, gave a
representation of human life which every
reader's observation may verify. They ran
sacked not their minds for unnatural con
ceits, recondite knowledge, and marvellous
events, but recited natural sentiments, obvi
ous truths, and probable occurrences, in
plain and cafy language. That which rests
on the liability of nature may justly hope
for permanence.
The means of obtaining notice, however,
are various ; and most of the modern nov
clifts have chosen one which philosophers
have said could never be fuccefstully pursu
ed, except in a Rate in which knowledge
was either in its infancy or in its decline.
The plain and easy path of, nature has been
left, for the fake of. following the mazy and
mysterious track of wonderous fi&ion ; in-
Read of copying human life with such ex
a&nefs that he who Rudies the pidure may
recognize the original in a&ual Converse
with mankind, the practice of the novelist
is to pourtray the distorted forms of extrav
agarit fiaion, or to swell a common incident
to a terrific bulk, by the intervention of
twilight, ruined towers, whiffling winds,
and female fears. Nature has been aban
doned, and no advantage has been attained ;
(lefcriptions have been drawn which no eye
will ever verify ; the imagination bas been
heated, but the warmth of generous feeling
has not been excited ; the mind has been
kept in constant agitation, but no intellec
tual progress has been made.
A HORRID MURDEk.
Capt. John Patterson, infpeaor at Horf
ley's Warehouse in the town of Diuguidf
ville and county of Buckingham, was lately
murdered in a cruel manner by Abram, a'
negro man slave, the property of the said
Patterson—The circumstances of this attro
cious deed is in substance thus related by
the wretch who perpetrated it— being his
confeffion at the time he was apprehended.—
repeated immediately after his trial and con
demnation, and on the morning of his exe
cution —fays he, " in consequence of some
punishment inflided on me by my master
' or ^ e misdemeanor of which I was guil
ty, Oonfiderable time prior to the fatal to
taftrophe, I ever aftermeditated his deßruc
tion :—On the evening in which it was ef
fe&ed, my master directed me to set off
home (about leven miles distant from the
Warehouse, where 1 generally attended) and
'carry a hoe which^we used at the place—l
fat off, and was determined to dispatch him
that night—after Vp^^eeding some dißance
I concluded to way-lay-him—having the
hoe in possession accordingly, 1 lay on, or
behind a log, convenient to the road on which
my master was to pass, and fell into a slum
ber—aster waiting there a considerable time,
I heard the trampling of horfes' feet ; 1
concluded therefore my master Was near—
I got up and walked forwards—-my matter
soon overtook me, and asked me (it being
then dark) who I was; 1 answered Abram;
he said he thought I had been gone long e
nough to have been further advanced on the
road ; Ifaid, 1 thought not ; I spoke short
to him, and did not care to irritate him---!
walked on, however; sometimes by the fide
of his horse, and sometimes before him. In
the course of our travelling an altercation
ensued ; 1 raised my hoe two different times
to strike him, as the circumstance of the
places suited my purpose, but was intimi
dated ; when I came to the bridge (across
a small ftream)---I thought that place favor
able to my views, but Teeing a light, and
some people at a house a little distance from
thence, I refitted the impulse. When I came
to the fatal spot, being most obfeured by the
loftinefs of the trees, I turned to the fide of
the road ; my matter observed it, and flop
ped ; I then turn'd suddenly round, lifted
my hoe, and struck him across the breast ;
the flroke broke the handle of the hoe—he
fell—l repeated my blows ; the handle of
the hoe broke a second time—l heard dogs
bark, at a house which we passed, a fma|l
distance ; I was alarmed, and ran a little
way, and flood behind a tree, 'till the bark
ing ceased ; in running, J (tumbled and fell
—I returned to fini(h the feene I begun,
and on my way picked up a Rode, which I
hurl'd at his head, face, &c. again and again
and again, until I thought he was certainly
dead—and then I went home."
The body was found next morning ; the
features so defaced, the body so mangled,
that it was with difficulty his person could
be recognized, a feene too (hocking for hu
man fight. Capt. Patterson was a man
universally eftecmed. He was a tender hus
band—an affectionate brother—a mild masc
xer—a kind neighbour—a faithful officer
in short he possessed every quality that con«
dilutes the good citizen, and an amiable
. member of Society.
P. S. After the cruel monster, who facri
ficed the life of so worthy a character to his
revenge, was hang'd, his head fttuck off,#
and exhibited on a pole about 24 feet high,
in view of the Warehouse, where he w#
usually employed.
Euckirgbam, Aug. T2#
—=t#=tJUHflnmmß^*^^
ACCIDENTS.
HaßrroXb,3tePT.B.
On Friday the 29th ult. a daughter of
Mr. Joshua Woodworth, of Coventry, a
bouf four years old, was killed suddenly by
a twin brother ofi her's accidentally turning
over a Wheel with a (harp spindle, as they
were playing together. The spindle pierc
ed through her breast into her ttomach fev
era! inches, of which wound (he died in a
bout ten minutes, to the inexpressible grief
of her parents.
+
Killed instantaneously, by a fall from her
horse, Miss Hannah Cooper, daughter
of the Hon. Judge Cooper, of Cooperltown
(Newyork.)
,S4UM,ei?T.&
Ori Saturday lift a Child waazun over by
a cart, the wheel of which palled over its
neck, and injured it to such a degree that
its life is despaired of.
On Monday last in Danvers, a Butcher
flopped at the house of Mr. Samuel Sy*
monds, and is he entered, desired the bott
ler to take care of his horse and c,art=-as ,
the man was going to do this, the horfom
Varied—the Butcher in his hurry to catem
his horse, as he passed out, knocked downq
on the step of the door, and fell over, a Child 1
pf Mr. Symonds, about 12 years of age,
who was just returning from an errand, and
bryifed her in such a manner that (he died
in a few hours after.
Another Child was run over on Tuefay,
and very much injured.
HYMENEAL
In a Philadelphia paper we notice a ma
trimonial connexion between a Mr. M'Cul
logh and a Miss pickle. Should the affec
tions of the former incline him to wander
from his spouse, her maiden name, we
think, must possess great efficacy in prejero
ing them. [ffr m Mujeum.]
[I DOL. 50 CTS. PER ANNUM.