Jenks's Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland [Me.]) 1799-1802, 1801-02-23

opinion and certainly fall nor enter into Il.
The conAitutionality Of the law has been, on
many former occaGons, triumphantly etablfh-
ed by arguments to which not even the fem
blance OF an anfwer has been given. Indeed
Sir. ! have never 70 lJwly appreciated the un-
derltardings of tbo!e who have clamoured a.
bout the confitutionality Of this at, as 70 fuP'
poie that they themfelves believed 10 their OBJ.
ietficns. have ever coniidered thoie obJec-
tions merely as infyuments for working on the
public mind, as party expedlents tor exciting
dilcontent againA thofe in power, and paving
the way for their di1mhal. ! have ever con-
tidered the con0itutionality of the ledition aet,
as a mere Ralking horfe behind which to fight
the administration. ] believe thar it has al
ways been 10 coniidereG by thoie who moltlglad-
ly grafped, and mott induariouflY welded it,
as weapon whereby they hoped TO demoiiih
the power of their political adverlaries, and open
the way for their own. Hence, Sir, and hence
alone, the clamefs about the unconltitutionality
of the (edition a2. Hence, and hence alonr,
the odious epithets which have been heaped up.
on it, and the tales fabricated about oppretilons
exercifed in the courie ofits execution, II nee
the char ge that Congrels had no power to make
a proviGon, which relis on the fame principles
whereon are founded nearly one third OF the
laws in our code and which cannot be diftin-
guilhed, and has never been attempted to be
dRinguilhcd, from the frt fe6tion OF the fame
aa, the fiction againf fictitious meetings, about
the cophitutionalty OF which doubt has never
been RATED
We are told, Sir, that the people have con-
demned this aa that the people, as one gen.
tleman has eloquently expreaed it, ba0s de-
elaysd tbeir Interpretation in a voiae Of THUNDER"
Sir gentlemen deceive themlelves. They have
indeed thought this realon good one, and have
proved that they thought 70 by the indultry
wherewifh they have uied il. Bat they great
~ over rate its effects, which they nnealure by
the erring Rand2rd of their own zeal Let it
BE- remembered thar this att was pAAed in the
Gpring of / 1913, and in the fummer and autemn
az that year, and the iPring Of the next, wheIi
the Glamour againR this law was ireh and
high. the American nation was called upbn 10
ezpren by general election, lis fenie Of the
coDdud Of its Representatives.. Les it be re-
memberei that the perions who were inGrumen-
til in paaing this law, never received higher or
more grnerai proofs Of The appreciation and con-
fdence of their country, than in this election.
A change, gentlemen fay, has fince happ,ned.
If this change be any thing more than appdr-
emit, or at mot a temporary hBttuation IL pop
ular fentiment, it is owing to far other cAuies
than the fsdition act caufes which need not
now be difcuded Suffice it to fay, that this
act has received the highea and mott repeated
proofs Of appreciation on the part Of the Anne
rican nation; and that indultrioulY as he
Glamour agaipa il has been excited and kept
up, that Glamour has never extended beyond
certain parts OF the country.
We are called or, fir, for tie reafons why
this at ihould now be continued. Z viii give
my realons moR freely. Whether they be The
fame with thoie which astuate III: conduit Of
other gentlemen, | know not, but in my mind
they deferve all CONFEDERATION. with to revive
this law, lir, as lhiell for the liberty Ct the
prefs, and RE freedom n opinion a. pro.
tedion to clylclf and thole with whom have
the happipeis and the honor to think On public
affairs, ihould we at any future time. be found
BY the imbeciity or the mAakgs of any future
Administration in this country, to commence
any oPnohtion againR it, not faGfious, profit
gafe and unPrinciPied oppoGtion, founded on
talihood and INTERPRETATION, and catching
at the paAions and the preiudices Of the mo-
ment but a manly, dignhed, candid aud pat
riotc oppoftion, addreaed 10 The good fen(e *
virtue Of he nation, and reRing on the bats Of
argument and Truth. Should that time ever
arrive, as i may arrive, though earheG.
" pray that it may nor, with to have this
law which allows tie trntb TO be given IN evil
dence on ind dtments for lbels with to have
this law as lhield. When indiaed myfelf for
camlY and candidly expoGng the errors Of gov
eminent and the incapacity of thole who govern,
| with to be enabled by this law,to 60 before a,
jury Of my country, and FAY that what have
written is true. with to interPofe this law be
tween the freedom of difcunion. and the over
bearing lway Of that tyrannical fpirit, by which
certain political party in this country It a9u.
ated that fPiIit which arrcgabed to itleif to
fPeak in The name Of the people, like fana.icifm
arrooaliug q itieif 70 fpeak in the name nfC1od