Alexandria advertiser and commercial intelligencer. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1800-1803, 1802-12-08
rsoM THE NArfoNAL INTsLLlcEScfs
THOMAS PAINE.
T. tbs citizeas IF he Unitel stste,.
LETTER THE FOURTH.

the public papere will neceiiarily be occu-
pied with the debates Of the enfuing SET
fon, and as in coniequence of my long ab-
fence from America, my private affairs re-
quire my attendance FOR it is necefary |
do this or could not preierve IS | dc my
independence ihsll elofe my addrefs TO
the public with this letter.
congratulate them on.te fuccefs of the
late elections, and that with the addition
al confidence that while honef men are
chofen and wife meafures purified, neither
the treafon of apoaacy, naked under the
name Of federal;fm, of which | have fpo-
ken in nay lccond letter, nor the intrigues
Of foreign eniGaries, aeting in concert with
that mark, can prevail.
As to the licentioulnefs of tie papers
calling themfelves fsde,al, name that a.
pofacy has taken, it can hurt nobody but
the party OF the perfons who fupport fucb
papers. There is naturally = wholeiome
pride in the public mind that revolts a,
open vulgarity. 1t feels itlelf difhonored
even by heating II, as a chaee woman
feels dihonor by hearing obfenity The can
not avoid. It can imile at wit or be
diverted with lerokes Of fatirical humour,
but i, deteits the 5iaekguard. The fame
fenfe Of propriety that governs IN private
companies governs In public life. II
MN in company runs his wit upon ano-
Their it may draw firile froU, the per-
fons prefers, but as foon as he turns
BLACKBOARD in his language the company
gives him up, and it is the fame in public
life. The event of the late elections ihews
this to be true; for in proportion as thote
papers have become more and more val
gar ana abuiirc, the elections have gone
more aid more againft the party they fup-
port or that fupports them. Their pre-.
deceEor, PogexPne had wit. Thefe icrib-
blers have none. But as fcon rs his black
gaardJm for it is the proper name of it,
ou,run his wit, he was abandoned by eve
ry body but tie Eugliih Miniiter that
proteGed him.
The Spaniih proverb Jays, there me-
ve, zuas a eover large enough TO Mae it.
I,5," and the prcverb applies TO the cafe
Of tho!e papers and the illattered remnant
of the fiction that fupports them. The
falfehoods they fAbricatc, and the >abu{e
they circulate, is cover to hide fome-
thing from being feen, but is nor large E.
nough to hide itlelf. 1t is q tub thrown
out 70 the whale to prevent It's attacking
and fixing the veGeI. They want 10
draw the attention of the public from
thinking about or enquiring into, the
meaiures of the late administration and
the reaion why 70 much public money
was RATED ard expended. Ana 70 far as
a lie TO day, and new one TO- morrow,
will anfwcr this pulpofe it anfwers theirs.
It is nothing to them whether they be be-
lieved or not, for if the negative purpoGe
be anfwercd toe main point is anfwered to
them.
He that picks your pocket always tries
TO make you loo.- another way. Look,
Jays he, at yon man tother Gde the frect,
what nofe he has got Lord yonder
is a chimney on FIRE! Dye fee yon man
going along IN the falauander great coat :
Tha; is the very man that Role one Of H.
pliers facilities and fold it to country
| man for a gold watch, and it iet his breech-
es on fire. Now the man that has his
hand in your pocket doe, not care far.
thing whether you believe what he fays or
nor. All his aim is TO prevent your look.
ing at bin; and this is the cafe with the
remnant Of the fedesal faction. The lea
ders Of ii have impoied upon the country,
, and they waee to turn the attention Of it
from the iubjea.
In taking up any public matter have
never made it confederation, and never
will whether it be popular or unpopular,
put whether il be rgbt or ay,oxg. The
riohe viii ALWAYS become The ,,on,,.r if