The gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1798-1799, 1798-10-01

poi was accordingly laid on importa,ions as
had re(pef to foperaaity and neceiiry, wealth
and poverty, and the encouragement Of our own
produce and manufaaures. The principle Of
this revenue is iuch that every man pays more
or lefs, or even almo& nothing ar all, of the
public debt and erpence, at his pleafure and
difcre.ion- And angular excellence Of this
mode of taxing in republican commercial gov,
ernmen:s is, that While it defrays the public
charges, it correds the habits Of luxury, extra
vaganee and vice eG.ntially produced by war,
and gradually reaores economy, rejection,
method, fnPlicity, and all firlt Printiples.-In
addition to the imPoa, very light tonnage was
laid On our own vedels, and pretty heavy one
on foreign veGels by way Of recompsnce and
encouragement to our own naviga ion-all
together producing a revenue fuAicient for an
accelerated redemption Of the debt in a time OF
tranquil and peace. But the Indian war,
the eagernefs Of government to pay the French
debt on the requea of that nation before half Of
the indictments oft were due, and more efpe-
cially the impending war which tie gratitude Of
Of France is beaowing upon US, have Gnce
made it neceGary to draw upon feveral other
rsfources.
But fcareely had the government feuIed our
doueRic affairs, when it was called to encoun-
ter trial of new and angular kind, the
French revolution. Il is chiefly in this partcu
ar thar | with to examine its conduit, as thi:
has been the principal touch-fone Of It's folility
and permanently hitherto, and win eventually
determine the queRion, whether free govern
ments are chimerical or not forever. twas
matter Of Infinite moment, when Europe was
pretty univefaly embarkng in a pretended
war of principle, to FIX the attitude and temper
of the United States. With great fsgacity
knowing the impoing manners which France
was ioptng towards republics, the Prefdent
in The recefs Of Congress proclaimed The neu
tfalty of our nation, and received the thanks
and appreciation Of Congref for his prudence
aad Precaution. Had this been omitted I'll the
meeting Of Congress, | leave il 10 every one
to jlige, whe'her the Houie might not hayt
been 70 tempered with by France as to prevent
it from being done at all, and then we hould
certainly have been at war with England 6v:
years ago. This was The grand objea Of French
intrigue 10 America, and they did every thing
they poaibly could to create Misunderstanding
and route the dormant anhPathy Of the people
Nobody Rood firm bur the Senate and the Pre-
fdent. The Hcufe was corrupted or crazy
The MACEDONIAN ref5lutions, all fair and plau
fble on the outfiie, Ike he damnable revolu
ton they were Intended 10 tcrve, were faithfully
analyfed and expofed by MeGrs. Ames, w
Smith, and Dexter, and very hardly the Houfe
were kept 10 reafon and moderation. -Suppols
at this moment that our government had con
fitted foley of that body fortunately the
declared neutrality was not broken by legiaa-
live at, and France was obliged to change her
battery to tedition AID rebelhon.-Let rs Zee
how the government behaved in this conjunc
ture.
M. Gcnet BY receiving addreaes and anfUer.
ing them, by encouraging democratic, or as
they fafcly called themielves, rapu5zeau foceties
by affecting 10 take it for granted that the filer