The American Republican gazette — Concord, N.H., 1802-11-02 00:00:00, page 2

READ WITH ATTENTION.I
From the N. INTELLIGENCER.
' A VIEW of the Relative Strength of
Parties in the United States, in
the,ears 1800 and 1802.
IT is asserted in the Federal prints,
that since the commencement of the
Presidency of Mr. Jefferson, the
Republican party has been losing
ground, and that the loss sustained by
them is so great as to create a prob
ability that the next Presidential elec
tion will restore the government to
the federal party. This declaration
is rqade in a great variety of shapes,
accompanied by much slander cast
upon the present administration. It
is not my intention to repel calumny
by the ordinary weapon that is made
use of for that purpose. I should feel
myfelf degraded were I capable of
infuliing the public with the language
bfa blackguard, of the falfhoods ofa
liar. I (hall, on the contrary, in as
plain language as I can, state fa&s,
'and cruft to the good sense of my rea
ders to make the proper inferences.
I know no fairer criterion of the
relative strength of party at the close
of the year 1 800, than the votes then
given for President and Vice, Prefix
dent. That ele&ion was one of great
interest, called forth the entire strength
of party, and refpe&s intimately the
point, so warmly disputed, whether
the present President has or has not
loft the public confidence. It has
been said by the federalifts that some
of the electoral votes given to Mr.
Jefferfon ,were not the result of a fair
expression of the public will, which
was in such cases decidedly in favor
of his predecessor, Mr. Adams. This
is not believed; but if true, it would
by operating to the diminution of the
strength of the republican party in
1800, exhibit on comparison, a pro.
portional increase in 1802, and would
of course, in this view, as fat as it
went, produce a conclusion unfavor
able to the federalifts. In making a
comparison between the two proposed
periods, we shall exhibit the result ofl
the political strength of each state, I
firft by the number of votes given in
1800 to Mr. Jefferfon ; secondly, by
bating from the best existing authori
ties, the votes that would be now giv#
en, were an election to take place.'
The votes given for President and
Vice President at the close of the year
1800, were as follow :
Republican. Fed.
Newhampfhire 0 6
Massachusetts 0 16
Rhode IHand 0 4
Conne&icut 0 9
Vermont 0 4
Newyork 12 0
Newjerfey 0 7
Pennsylvania 8 7'
Delaware 0 3
Maryland 5 5
Virginia 21 0
Kentucky 4 0
Tennessee 3 0
North Carolina 8 4
South Carolina 80
Georgia 4 0
, 73 65
Federal ¥5
R„ub. Afaj. in 1800, 8
'Were an ele&ion of President to
take place now, under the new cen
sus, the votes would Rand thus:
Republican. Fed.
Newhampfhire 0 7
Massachusetts 0 19
Rhode Island 4 0
Conne&icut 0 9
Vermont 6 0
Newyork 19 0
Newjerfey 8 0
Pennsylvania 20 O
Delawarego
Maryland 6 5
Virginia 24 0
North Carolina 10 4
South Carolina 10 0
Georgia 6 0
Kentucky 8 0
Tennessee 5 0
129 44
Federal 44
Repub. Majority 85
Or nearly three votes to one.
That this statement is as corred, as
any one which is hypothetical can
reasonably be expeHed to be, will ap.
pear from the following exposition.
With regard to•
Newhampfhire, the whole votes be^
ing given to the federalifts, there cpft
be no controversy. (
Massachusetts and Connedicut the
fame.
Rhode Island, the election being
made by general ticket which is the
fame mode pursued in 1800, the re.
cent election of members of the legis
lature, who are chosen by the late vot
ers as the electors, is an unequivocal
evidence of the public sentiment.- —
The republican votes given were a.
bout three times the number of the
federal.
Vermont, the electors are chosen
by the legislature, whole republican
ism is manifeft from their choice of
Mr. Bradley, as federal senator, by a
very refpedable majority.
Newyork, by a permanent law, the
electors are chosen by the legislature.
In the present legislature there are 78
republican, and 28 federal members.
Os the members of Congress recently
chosen, 10 are republican and 7 fed
eral. i
Newjerfey, the present legislature
dec ; dedly republican. lutfrrO/.c:he•
electors are chosen by thelegif!acure. 1
Pennsylvania, in this iu e, federh
ism has so little Rrength that
believed that at the ensuing ele^B
in Odober for members of Congee,
there will be ^ fi^b^, - —icrauft defi
ed in the whole delegation of 18. In
both branches of the legislature there
lis a great majority republican. It is
I not known whether there is any fixed
mode of choosing ele&ors, but the re
sult would be the fame in any mode.
Delaware, the result is not abfo<
lutely certain, but there is every pro
bability that the fame majority that
chose a republican governor will also
choose a republican assembly.
Maryland, five federal ele&ors outl
of fix are allowed, to avoid the impu.
• tation of partiality, though of the pre
sent legislature, the senate is entirelyl
republican, as are two thirds of the
other branch.
Virginia, no human being enter,
tains a doubt of her vote being entire.
Nine tenths of her legislature are re.
publican.
North Carolina, the election is in
diftri&s. A new legislature has been
just chosen, which is decidedly repub
lican : the precise numbers on each
fide are not known.
South Carolina, the election is by
the legislature, which being chosen
only every two years, is the fame that
voted in 1800. There has, therefore,
been no regular expression of the
public will ; but accounts that may
be relied on, furnifh indisputable ev#
idences of the growth of republican,
ism in that state;
Georgia, Kentucky and Tennessee
there never have been entertained the
least doubts.
After this statement, can there be
a doubt of the present administration
possessing more fully the confidence
of the people than has been the [cafe
at any antecedent period ? They who
proclaim their doubts must be deeply
deluded themselves, or disposed mise
rably to delude others. This ftace.
ment exhibits not the ordinary com.
i plexion of public opinion, derived
from vague information, or unsound
premises, on the accuracy of which
an honest contrariety offentiment may
e^ift; but the decided, regular, con
ftitutional expression of the public toil!
on the election of a chief magistrate.
Itis in vain to fay the people are de
luded, and their verdi& is good for
nothing. This may do extremely
well for closet declamation, but it does
not touch the point ; for from every
symptom of growing republicanism,
if to be republican be madness, then
are the people mad beyond all cure.
Should we extend our views to the
next Presidential ele&ion, and allow
to the federalifts the full extent of
their visionary dreams, not one of
which promises realifation, we shall
still find that an ele&ion of a federal
President is morally impossible.
It will be remarked that the repub
licans have two strong holds of which
they have not availed themselves, and
of which they may not perhaps avail
themselves, unless Compelled by the;
intrigues of their opponents. These
are to be found in the Rates of Ma.
ryland and North Carolina, where thel
election of electors is held by thel
people in diftrids, the consequence of
which is a division of the votes. The'
federalifts have in all the Rates where 1
they could, cdnfolidaied their whole'
Rtength by directing the choice to be
made by the legislature, or, in a gen
eral ticket by the people. They have
thus given the result of an unanimous
vote to Rates greatly divided, by sup
pressing the most refpedable minori-|
ties. This they have done in New.
hampfhire, Massachusetts, Connedi-,
cut, Vermont, Newjerfey, and Dela
ware. The republicans may do the
fame ir Mir,and and North Caroli
na £nar -h:y will have the power
in the forn: r there can be no doubt.
; The prefect derate, every member of।
S™^^:-.^ xpT ^afy4''!^^" ^bc^\
Iyond the next eleven, and there is
fcarce'y 3 possibility taat in the other
branch a majority of two thirds can in
two years fink into a minority, parti,
cularly when we confider the amend,
ment of the constitution, which by
extending the right of fuffrage, will
infufe new vigor into the republicas.
And North Carolina having been,
without variation, republican, since
the adoption of the constitution, no
doubt can be entertained of the La
bility of her politics.
Let us then for a moment indulge
bur adversaries in their wildest dreams
—Give them the full fruits of a wide
spread detraction, and let us mark the
result. Give them back again Ver.
mont, Rhode Island, Newjerfey and
Delaware. Allow them every vote
in those state. Let their intrigues
subvert the political integrity of New
york. This is a prize worthy of the
loftieft ambitions Be generous, and
give it them. Proceed, and throw S.
Carolina into the bargain. Let her
too be a vi&iQ.to intrigue. They
have now got all they ever dream of.
More they cannot possibly get. And
what is the result ? Disappointment
and defeat. Still will the republicans
carry their President. Behold this
demonstrated.
Republican. Fed.
Newhampfhire 0 7
Massachusetts ' 0 19
Rhode Island 0 4
Connecticut 0 9
Vermont .06
Newyork 0 19
Newjerfey ft 0 8
Pennfylvania,so °
Delaware § 0 3
Maryland , 11 0
Virginia 24 0
North Carolina 14 0
South Carolina , r 0 10
Georgia 6 0
Kentucky B ''^^^
I Tennessee 5 °
[
88 85;
Federal 85 *
r Republican Majority 3
Thus, it is evident chat no veent : |
short of miraculous, can prevent the
republicans from obtaining a repub^
lican President at the ensuing elec,
tion.
It may be interesting to enquire, by
what means this great change has
been effeded.
It has been effe&ed by three lead,
ing causes, which though not abso
lutely diftina from each other, admit
of diftina illustration.
1. The wide diffufion of political
information.
2. The wife a&s of the administra
tion.
3. The rapid increase of our num
bers, and especially, the incrcafed po-'
pulation of our weftern country.
The two firft assigned causes are
lEfficientlylEfficiently well underßood, as they
are the Landing topics of political dis
cussion. But the last has been little
noticed. To it, therefore, we shall
I confine our remarks.
The commencement of our revo-
[ lution found public opinion greatly
; divided. The crisis called for deci-
Ifive measures, measures of great ener
gy, which soon produced a Rate of
war. In this situation of the country
the open expression of opinion wasl
I entirely suppressed on one fide. The
tories, who Were so designated from
! their anti- republican sentiments, and
I attachment to Britain, were compell
'ed to be silent or depart. Some went
I into exile, but more were silent and
passive.
Our cause triumphed, liberty was
efiablifhecl, and peace returned to re
ward our labours. With it also, re-.।
!turned those difatfetted to liberty, with
Itheir unexhauiled treasures. It is not
{m biHuan haeure wfuttam a long ur^ : J
; interrupted effort. War, of all h^
man cßor^, most exhaußs du vigor\
of those engaged in it. Our war not
only exhausted their vigour, but de
prived them of their means of fubfift^
cnce ; and the whigs funk into repose
under the flattering belief of security.
The tories were generally men of
wealth. —Having carefully husband
ed their re sources, during the perilous
season, they came forth, on the return
of peace, with mighty influence.——
They were reinforced by a large bo
dy of men no less formidable; Our
trading towns soon swarmed with Bri#
tifh merchants and agents; and all the
commerce of the country instantane
ously fell into the hands of these two
descriptions of people. l
A gigantic interest immediately
, sprang up, which in many parts of the
Union carriedall before it. Not con
fined to ihe acquisition of wealth, it
entered our public councils, and in .
many inßances swayed them. A large
portion of our citizens, who had sup
ported the revolution, as it now ap.
peared not so much from the love of
republicanism, as from the pride of in- ^
dependence, or a Spirit of adventure,
augmented this powerful phalanx, &
rendered it for a while irrefiliible.
The events that fucceededneed not
be told. They are freih in our mem.
ories, and our country still bleeds
from the wounds they inflided upon
its peace.
To these events, a spirit of refin
ance, calm, deliberate, energetic, gra
dually arose, which infufed its effica
cious influence through the whole ex
tent of the Union. From the centre
it passed to the borders of the empire,
where it acquired additional strength.
Remote from feenes of mercenary
traffic, iifound among the independ#
ent yeomanry minds unprejudiced by
foreign attachments, minds truly A
merican, minds, which for ihe mefy,