Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1801-1806, 1802-10-23
PROVIDENCE Oa. I9.
FEDERAL IHUM PER.

50 Letiers from Providence, tro.s the only
perfons who are Of any eaimaion among the
names brought forward in The Phoenix, d,tavow
the opinions agsiat Mr.. R1tiedge, impused to
ihcm. This unparalleled ipecmen OF editorial
freud and eGtontery. fhail in due time and pro-
per manner he noticed"
~. NeroSort Mtresy.
The Editors Of the Newport Mercury make
a great Aoher about our having sequefed the
pUblic 90 call upon .ne gentlemen, shofe names
". pnDhihed in oor paper of inc Slh ina. to OBJ
tain Information relative ro Ihe forgery iaid 10
haze bren oonmitied by Mr.. Rui'edge. In th,
iuit,nce. we may nphi,icaiy fay, f" "d,s1u1ins
sqsx zyiH eailb a, AyasVs." We have laid thar
ve we're az iiber' 10 pab,lh the names we did !;
aud it happens that feveral who I'D examined
ihc forged letters did GOT know OF our publica-
fion. The fact H., thar one Of the gentlemen
who compared the forged letters with The hand
writing o' Mr.. RUtledge, gave the Editor a lift
cf the mes of the peItons who had examined
the letcEs, and the editor undcraoed from him
thar all had cunfen,ed that their names hould
be made public. when in fi6t, three or four had
not. Heuce, ks were predIcated on the
foppofed content given. The public were re-
rioned fcy information and their opinion. Now
frlooth, in the eaimstion of the aoye Editors
Of the Mercory, this was a crime in us, and an
" Rrparah,Ld Ipseimsa sf Editorial fr0ud and
s9ioAery."
Th,fc 1vJe Editors have likswiGe faid that
men Who were II any cnimstion among ,hoie We
had mentioned, had diisvo~ed The opinions sc
had imputed 70 them; ." and that letters had
been afi,teu 10 Newporf. 10 that efed." We
{ay tbe hatemens is uniouuded. ard we defy
th1lc Editor. TO produce feeir knsr 10 prove
taeir aIer,on. We know that one pcrfon has
written 70 Newport. denyiug that we had h5e,ly
10 puhlifh his name aud We likeNii> know
that the far,e periou has given decided opin-
ION againft Mt. Rarledge, ttom what has. as yet.
come 10 his knowledge. We defy the Editors
ct the Mcrcury to- produce 6nele letter frum
either Of the pcrfons we nancd, which mcn,ions
tast from what has appeared circumaauces do
noe bear hard agsinR MIR. Rc,ledgc. Thoie
gentlemen we mcnsioned, are al candid men,
aod have given their opinion free from any par
~ views. They have laid thar prciumpiions
are violent againa Mr.. Rnsledee and at the
fame time, they have candidy taid that their
real with ard earnce prayer was that Mr.. Rut
Isdge might exculraic himfelf from ,he charge
II nc be innocent. They fsy they will 90 to
sny length TO bring the guilty offender to jaf
fce, III him he OF what party, or who he will.
Ir is not rhe with Of candid men TO give the
character OF worthy and respectable citizen OF
car own State aeainf whom there are no cir.
cumilances to induce belief Of guilt. a mortal
fab, Tor the pu'pols Of upholling the citizen of
another State, seainA whom there are many cir
cumRancss 20 caablih foul charge brought
aeaina him--Nor wsuld they aigmatize for
cigner II he he really innocent, focner than they
would their own citizens. As to moral obli-
cations. we are citizens Of the world. We trua
there are hot few indeed. wh, would be 70 bais
as to fcrcen the guilty, for ,he fake Of aoy par
~ views or affection. Mankind arc 60 confi-
tinted that they may often he led affray imper-
ceptiby by prejudices. What would weigh as
proof in fomc mems minds, would be mere pro-
hab;iiijes in Others. IL is a Fact, that thoie Who
know Mr.. Ro,ledee, and are his immediate &C
quaintancc, believe nothing in ihe charge bro't
againf him; while Others, who know him not,
bat Judge from the circumstances and proof
seainA him. Judge him hard, yc, with great
candor. The Editors ofshe Newport Mercury
have puhiifhed a long eiliy on the neccfily OF a
good charatte.. and of rrefervirg MIR. Rut-
Iedsc's. They have in the vcryianc eiIav,
likewife attacked very worthy aud refpeefAble
ciiizen of this State, In moa thamelcis manner.
They have poured forth every 'pccies % abufc
apsiuh the Hon. CbriGophsr Ellery contrary
70 the very maxim they had laid down relative
10 character. Mr.. Elery has been governed by
the psvea motives in What he has done. and he
viIl no doubt acquit hinfelf 70 the fa'isfattion
% every candid man. The frieris Of Mr.. Rut-
ledge sruff be ,cnci by msss ~ofivs, indeed,
chen they, in order 10 sxcolps,e him, have re.
cou'je TO the mott malicious calumny agsina
thoie who have conviction forced opon them by