Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1801-1806, 1802-12-04
RUTLEDGEs LETTERS
To rbs PRESIDENT eff5s UslrsD STATES.
/" Newport Augsft III 1901.


Sc ENCOURAGED. great and good Sir.
AZ byth character you fuaain OF being
accehbic TO all of your fellow Cnizcns. take
,hc liberty Of ol,troding myfcif upon your pre-
cioos time, to otker you my homage, & 10 siinrc
you of the tentments Of vcncrarion ripcct
with which Thase been infpired by yoor wife.
vittuous, & popular naturalization. The Pco-
pie OF Afperica would have gained but little by
placing you In the pFcsidential chair il the aou-
fes OF The paft administrations had been continu-
ed, & you having commenced the correction Of
them with the hope Of your making complete
retorml have filed with contentmcnt * delight
all good men in this State. Under the admin
iRtation OF Ohm Adams very x,cn6ve foriihca-
tions were commeaccd & nearly completed in
this harbour. merely believe for the purpofe
OF benetiiing Genl Knox. Ho~, you ~iI AK,
wss Genl Knox TO b. advantagcd by the build
ing of forts a, New Port The fact is, Sir, the
engineer hadit in charge from the Prcident 20
TO Obtain all the materials froM Genl Knox
Calo Tooiiard went, at the public expence, 20
ST. Georges river 90 make coptrsets which were
paid for in advance, & the forts here were built
of timber Bricks &c sc fcnt here in veileL by
Knox all the way ffosn the province Of mane &
at an enormous expence-tbe very line was
brought here ia basfels from Kpox's efiate, Sc
when the engineer was once ak I'd al our Coffee
Houie why nc did not rciule IL on account of
its badnefs, he anfwer'd !" becauf. my orders
arc TO take all my materials from Kuoxs eita,.."
This ., you can eafly Imagine greatly fcanda-
lized ,hc honeit part OF our community. Alter
tort Adams was built eight acres OF land were
boush, in tliat noghboufhooa for the sseommo-
dation OF the Garriion, as 'i1Vas Iaia, at the
price al two handled dollsrs the acrs--this WA
an unheard OF price for land here. and the pur4
chaie was made of an old lady Of MsGschuic,u
who Is Sitter 70 Mrs Adams. All the oificcs
here have been filled by perfons who were re.
commended only isy shsir sislescc OF chasatlrs
the rule of appointing violent & hot headed
men has governed from the Office of Collector
dcwnwards. The fyitcrn of.~hich theie things
were parts have greatly difguaed great majo-
rity ofthc People OF hi, Stsr-padicuiarly the
Ouskefs who make a large portioa OF en-
Your beginning to corrctt the abutes Of your
Pfedeceilor gives us Infinite JOY. Stopping rhe
building OF forts here is highly fa,isfaetcry. The
appointing Mr. Howell attorney receives genc-
raj appreciation, tho the appointment Of Mr.
BatDes does not--Ba,ncs 10 feeble ia point Of ta-
lenis, & 10 politics is any thing every thing s.
ncthing-with Tories a tory & whh Wigs he
10 a wig. This State is at prctent decidedly in
the wig interefi lin the Gent Aflcmbly VIC have
a majority OF more than one third x there is
protpett Of its being permanently 10. In Con-
neeiieut New HsmpihiIe * MsifachuIers poll
tical herehes arc 70 rooted, & priefcraft is 70
fully in operation, that yoo cannot conciliate
thoie States-but fomc attentions from you may
do much here; & in Vermont nay be ufeful
tho in LEI, degree. Gov Fenner, Mr. Chtif.
tophcr Eisry Ia Senator in Congref,,) Gen
Joieph Stadnton, Mr. Paul Mumicrd & Wm.
I. Vernon fenr are vaily influential charatiers in
Rhode lnsnd. The union of their interea, in
the paris of the State they respectively efide
makes majority of our People. don't know
il there be any seafon for il but It's confidently
faii here that either Chriftopher Eaery or Paul
Mumfosd will be the fuceeffor of the prefent
Collector old MIR Eiley--they are boshof them
excellent men & the promotion Of either would
give equal pleafure. The anfwer 700 corde-
fcended TO give to the renonfrsnce Of the Satcl-
lites of old tIillhoufe at new Haven, has affsd-
ed os much plcsfure; & even fome Of cur mof
high toncd Tories acknowledge the correanefs
ofthe principle which requires thar the fobordi-
mates fhould be Of the fame politics with the
chief. Same young englifhmen who fcribble
for the Papers at Providence viii ccnfurc this as
they will every mesfure Of yours, but the grea,
bulk Of the People in this State think 'tis your
duty 20 take care ofyourfeIf- you fhouId
give fair play TO your own sdminiisrstoo o-4thst
wig principles ooght to 60 freely into operation
that the mcafues Of admioiaistion ought not
TO be :etiercd by being entruaed to thofe who
difapprose 'em. Theic fcntimcnts are univer-
fal among tie ~ies of New-Eoelsod. They
are snatbemsiized by Tories. bot depend upon
i, Sir t,ss eannot pIesie fbem. Every thing
from ysu fbty will ccnfure Il meao the leaders OF
the party). Some time ra'i they laid you did not
dare 70 turn men out Of Office, for thar your
nerve. were too weak, nov they begin TO fhak.
IN their fhoes & fuppofe you viii torn EN- all
out. UnIef, SIR the Tories are 1ifnined from
Ofice (& all Offices IN New EoeIaod are oceupi-
ed BY tOriss) you viii be betrayed. Your