The American Republican gazette — Concord, N.H., 1803-04-14 00:00:00, page 2

:.putation of a pretention so arrogant,
folhofc pure ages you would proba
bly have herded with the worfhippers
of Hefibd sthirty thousand gods; and
like the rational and venerable Socra
'tes in the moment of death, the grati
tude of your heart would have inclin.
I^S ed you piously to offer a cock to i£f
culapius.
Whence then, let me afc do you
4 derive those sublime conceptions of
the deity, for which you fay, you are
complimented by the biflhop of Lan
daff? From those very scriptures
which you despise, and which you
here charge with teaching the dodrine
of a plurality of gods. "Thou shalt
' not revile the gods." Is it unknown
to you that in all languages, many
words are used, not only in a literal,
but 3;fo in a figurative sense? In a fig
urative sense the,infpired writings
often apply the term god or gods to
celestial angels; to men as princes,
justices or judges ; to fatan who is
called “ the god of this world." And
the learned apostle Paul (peaking of
some enemies of the cross of Christ,
fays that their " bell, is their god."
I do not adduce this left example to
insinuate that this is the " one god"
? which you exclusively acknowledge.
Such a suspicion is precluded by the
exemplary temperance with which you
Iprofefs to "nourish your health."
I And if a knowledge of the bible had
I made a part of the " abundance"
I with which you tell us, you furnifh
I your " mind," I mould have been
saved from the nece^ty of ^tor .^>g
Il you we need only Open.hat book to fee
the unity of god inculcated & idolatry
feunifhc to learn that, “I am god
^ and there is none rife— the Lord our
god is one Lord," were the voice and
response which pervaded the camp,
the tabernacle, the terhple, and nation
of the Jews :—to read that faint. Paul,
in presence of the supreme court of
Athens boldly m : .@ihed the unity of
god against the Je&oed philosophers
> of that city j and,* laying " they be
' no godswhich are made with hands, '
roofed the perkruung power of Eph
cfus, a city devoted to the worship
" of the great goddess Diana and the
image which fell down from Jupiter."
I intended to have glanced at some
less important sentiments in yours to
Mr. Adams. But I have already ex
hausted your patience, and tranfgrefl
ed the Jimits which I had prescribed
to this letter. I cannot, however,
conclude without expressing my re-'
gret that (although chriftianiy has no- ( 1
thing to fear from your talents or in- |
duftry) your hostility to it may render,
some pious' republicans more eafilyj
deceived by thole hypocritical fede-I
ralifts who cunningly conned the i
deas of tepublicanifm and infidelity
and affirm that the obje& of republi
cans is the extirpation of the gospel.
The religion of jefus, neither in its o
rigin nor its progress, had ever been
indebted, for its glory, to the eleva
tion or worldly greatness of its patrons.
To counteract this political tendency
of your enmity against it I thall never
theless, embrace the opportunity of
communicating to those pious repub
licans, through the medium of this let
ter to you, one of the sublimest eulo
giums that ever was expressed on the
reasonableness of the Christian relig
ion. I (hall give it in the very words I
of a; 'Republican, with whose intellec
tual greatness your diffidence would
bluffi to be compared—whose influ
ence is unrivalled, and who fits this
day, at she head of the freeft, happi.
est and most enlightened government
in the world. \
t 66 Reason and free enquiry, faith
he, are theonly effectual agents against
U errors Give a lode to them they
,ih fopport the, true religion by bring-I
• tog every fa one to their tribunal,
to the test of their investigation.—=
They are the natural enemies of error
and of error only. llad not the Ro
man government permitted free en
quiry, Christianity could never have
been introduced. Had not free en
quiry been indulged at the a^ra of the
reformation, the corruptions of chrif
tianity could not have been purged
away." That is to fay, the reasona
bleness of Christianity was So glori
eufly resplendent, that it confounded
^he wisdom of heathen philosophy,apci
dissipated the darkness of papal super
stition. I am, fir, with due refpe&,
your very humble servant,
JOHN GEMMIL.
Mr. Thomas Paine, Washington.
• Thomas Jefferfon. f Notes on Virginia.
; "As some ' our readers that do
net already gW, may wish to be in-
I formed, who this Mr, Gemmil is, we
'acquaint them, that he is a Presbyteri
an Minister, fettled at Great Valley,
in Pennfylvadia ; —eminent for his
;ralents and knowledge, and for a life
I of exemplary piety and of a&ive vir
tue." Newjerje, True African.
~^^7--.,,',; . • ;
CT The War NOWAK.f
If war had been declared, accord
ing to the wishes of the federalifts, how
ridiculous we should have appeared in
. the eyes of Europe, when it was dis
covered that the ignorance or indif
'cretion of an individual agent ofSpain
; was the cause of hostilities, and before
any effort had been made either to
obtain information or redress by pa
: cific measures!
CT The KENTUCKYANS.
Trenton, March 28.
The Lexington " Kentucky
Gazette," of the Bth instant, men-
Itions that the Attorney General
;had instituted a proiecution a-
I gainft the author of a piece red,
I ommending a difmemoerment of
'the Union , —The Gazette adds
1 "We earnestly request that our
;Fellow-Citizens of the Eafteri,
;States may remain perfedly as
sured, that we repose entire con
fidence in our Administration,
are grateful for the lenfibility
manifefted in asserting our rights,
, and are nearly unanimous in
jfentiments of inflexible attach-
I ment to the Union."
I The report therefore that the Ken
:tuckyans, or any considerable portion
pof our' Weftern Brethren, are defti-
Itute of confidence in our Govern
ment, ordiffatisfied withits measures,
may be added to the long lift of fed
eral fabrications.'
Cancoru, April 14, 1803.
It is with real pleasure we notice,
that an able and reputable Clergyman
of Pennsylvania, has given us a de
fence of the Divine Religion of him
who " spake as never man fpake,"—
against the ingenious sophistry of Mr.
Paine—Let Mr. Paine enjoy his own
religion —but, for the honor of the
Christian charader, for the honor of
Him who will undoubtedly prove a
sure Saviour of all such as obey bis
precepts and follow his examples—
for the honor of this great cause Mr.
Gemml's letter in this paper, is seri
ously recommended to the careful pe
rusal of every candid person.
Admirable Reproof.
Kt „ do not remember ever to have
fan a more candid, jet just andfaere,
censure on the injudicious and jguitieal
I cendua of those Ministers, (and there is 1
'too man, such) who have for some time i
feaft turned their pulpits into political rof
trums, whence to deal out anathemas a^
gainft the Republican A^iniftration
their country, inJiead of those mild and
peaceable precepts of their Divine. Lord
and Master, who commanded all men to
love one another—and to refpeEtall the
lawful authorities—than me fotlowing
extract from the Rev. Mr. Gemmils
letter to Thomas Paine :—
"1 am one of those whom you are
pleased so often to honor with the
name of priests. And yet I perfealy
coincide with you in reprobating the
part which too many of them have
a&ed during the political animosities
which for a few years, have convulsed,
and at one time, endangered the ex
igence of our government, Nor can
the severity of your censure easily
exceed their deserts.—Some of them
have doubtless been deceived.—Oth
ers impelled by native pride, or aris
tocratic principles, or the profped
of gain or the hope of elevation, have
exerted all the influence attached
to their profeffion ffi behalf of a
faction combined for the deftru&ion
of our excellent constitution and the
establishment of a monarchy on its
ruins.. On your return to this count
try they raised against you, (what you
call " the war whoop of monarchical
prieftcraft," but) what I call the voice
of federal hypocrisy. Your infidelity
was the oJlenfible, your republican pen
the real ground ofiheir alarm. For
no one deserving the name of a min
ister of the gospel can seriously be
lieve, what they affeded to fear, that
the religion of Jesus can be material
ly affefled by the presence or ab
sence of Mr. Paine."
On whose robes now, think ,e, reader,
ought 66 Ichabod" to be infcribcd ?
NEWHAMPSHIRE ELECTION.|
• — I
We have received returns from a
few towns only since our last, those i
few we have added to our lift of votes
for Governor ; by which it will be
perceived that Mr. Gilman's majority,
is on the decrease a little.
We hope the Republicans of
Newhampfhire will “ hold Un and
hold out ;"—they will certainly gain
the crown of triumph over their ene
mies, the anti republicans, the ene
mies of rational freedom. Tho' the
progress is flow, yet it is sure—Be.
sides the aequifition of another repub
lican in the Council, Mr. Langdon,
the long-tried patriot, will gain about
one thousand votes this year. This,
certainly must animate the honest and
principled republican to persevere in
a good cause ; a cause glorious to the
liberties of mankind.
VOTES roR GOVERNOR.
Total number re
turned laftyear, '"3 '373
THIS YEAR.
Lang. Gilm.
Rockingham Count,.
Atkinson, 44 18
Bow, 28 3§
Brentwood, 11 148
Canterbury, ^ 93 62
Candia, 33 77
Chester, 57 2 77
Concord, 130 148
Chichefter, 72 29
Deerfield, 162 72
Epping, 75 73
Epsom, 132 15
Exeter, 9 213
East Kingston, 40 20
Greenland, 87 14
Hampton, 77 11
Hawke, 42 16
Hamftead, 34 64
Hamptonfalls, 15 56
Kensington, 41 5$
Kingfton^ CT
Londonderry, ' 24 ^^,67
Loudon, „ 71 co
Nottingham,, 75 4;,
b Northfield;
Northwood, 85-75
Newcastle, , 55 1
Newmarket; %48
I Newington, 75
Northampton, 65 48
Pelham, 25 102
Portsmouth, 547 233
Pembroke, 88" 85
Pittsfield, 31 69
Poplin, 33 25
Raymond, 37 59
Rye; 1572
Sandown, 37 y^
Southampton, 44 o
Salem, 27 83
Stratham, 101 42
Windham, 7 83
\3063 9,73
.'... —toev
Hillfborough Count,.
;Amherft, 179 1^
:Antrim, • , 107 3
lAndover, & 55
j Brookline, 0
ißedford, 32 too
Bofcawen, 121 97
; Bradford, 18 72
DEERING, 107 003
§Dunbarton, so 83
Derryfield, (2 feat.) 26 36
Dunftable, 41 81
I Franciftown, .70 32
;Hancock, gi 9
; Mason, 1 104
!New Boston, 127 53
New London, 28 44
Nottingham Well, 24 24
Goffftown, ' 111 52
Gofhen, 4013 I
Greenfield, 109 9
;HOPKINTON, 198 123
I Hillfborough, 105 38
1 Hollis, 42 116
I Henniker, 104 61
§Kearfarge-Gore, 21 6
'Lyndborough, 31 24
Litchfield, 8 36
; Lempfter, ^ 25 \ 6t
IMilford, 2 ill
Merrimac; 75 59
:Newipfwicb, 0 140
Peterborough, - 68 77
Salifbuiy, 66 157
Sutton, 78 15
Sharon, 27 17
Temple,, 14 75
Wendell, 40 6
Weare, 222 22
Wilton, , 61 50
Warner, joi 38
Windsor, 30 0
2683 2260
Strafford Count,.
Adams, 33 0
Alton, 5 81
Barrington, 37 249
Brookfield, 0 53
Barnftead, 86 82
Conway, 72 32
Dover, 145 91
Durham, 107 66
Eaton, 70 0
Farmington, 74 71
Gilmanton, 81 284
Lee, 95 34
Meredith, 93 61
Moultonborougb, 51 69
New Durham, 31 4$
New Hampson. 31 87
New Holdernefs, 0 65
Offipee 18 61
Rochester, 188 55
Sanbornton, 48 261
Sandwich, 19 136
Sentie Harbor, 27 21
Somerfwortb, \l2 77
Tamworth, 0 119
Tuftonborough 43 2 3
Wakefield, 49 fr 95'
Wolfborough, ^
1464 2246