Jenks' Portland gazette. Maine advertiser. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1802-1803, 1803-04-18
70 view ancient euaoms with partialitr,

great and tho il is very p,o5able, they
have been exceeded by indivi iuals of
modern times, yet becauf. the circle
between otdioary and extraordinary
achiev enents is enlarged, thele hak N
nominal companion with the former.
But what has Jeferfon done' In what
is he great, compared to thoie who
have gone before hin in the preceding
aye, or to his ootemporaries Of the pre-
iens time ? Did he ever head armies
and thew the courage, or ether quail
ties Of diainguiihed general No
ID he ever play the folder in the fub-
ordinate ranks Of military life No
l. he Soion, or Lycurgus in lsSiila
ton His objections to The federal con.
ltitution---his proj=9ed bill to Puniih
females for the crime of rape and his
proportions, when ambah4dor to the
court of Lewis the G,teentA, for making
the fubIe5s Of that nation, free citizens
of the United States, an(wer, no -
Is Re Tie fcaiy, Jsaiei0as and 4vrA Informed
fate(naa 2 His various and childiih
opinions on the French revoiutions--his
inaugural ipeech-his ideas of trade,
commerce aud manufactures, as expref
fed at different times and on different
occaiions-his notions of national hon.
our and the permanent means of IA.
tional defence, with The general run Of
his official publica,ions---are damning
proofs ola weak under landing, and of
mind inadequate TO the objects that
fuch character NUT embrace. IL be
a ebyj7iaa /? He gives it as his opinion
that any of the ftas of religion are
good enough for he Purpoie Of govern
nient and that il i imma erial wheth
er we believe there are twenty Gods or
no God, provided we do not break legs
or pick pockets. Is Be a bbil9Ebber /?
Here he has fome oliim 20 be called
great, Especially in viewing Etis ting
Through a microicoPe-he > faid TO be
Killed in contributing eaT chairs for old
women, and qvriiizg ds9s but the fpe
eimen he lately gave OF his g,eat knowl-
edge in the fcience Of dry socks, greatly
exceed all his othe- knowledge -
DID he ever fhsw Amitlf grzaJy eleva.
ted in principle above being actuated,
on common occaGons, ~ the paGions
which are 70 efJen d,fgrsce even to
the br9flzmi vaiga5 /? The mpfky brats
OF his "A frican Sllly-the reported, and
yet undenied alta kupon Mrs Walker
his conduit 70 thote who differ only
in l'ades from bin ia B5Lhizl spinions, are
proofs uPen this head. that Cannot be
miflnderRood. II thele actions, not
his tongue, tor that may lie. but the
heart fpeaks. And his weak, lilly Gu
logias, VI o dub him gyeSi, viii find
themlelves not hide puzzled to give
them an innocent colour.
But tho il be true that Iefferlon is
fmall in tbete things and in fome Of
them even contemplate, YET fay bis
Importers, he IS great in the foh'rafisR he
bears with his ihort lighted, erring fel.
low creature, 10 matters of religion !;
in this field, where Others diip!sy their
narrow, bisoted, periecuting fpirit. he
manifeas god-like greafaeji and caaaor
and for this, if for nothing elfe, he /,
entitled to be called fbs great Now tits
eviden, his Importers, in all this rhap
fody, never advert TO the manifelt diff
ference there is between man that has
no religion at all, and therefore cares
no hing abont the neglect, of what is
called, religion in Others or the exer.
clie Of il n IBIS, or baf mo4f, the nnrea
fonable whims of individuals or claHes
may adopt, or whether they adopt any
or nor and man who believes the de
ity has revealed his will TO the world.
and that particular mode of worlhip
is contained in that revelation, which il
is his duty, and the duty of Others, who
are favored with the revelation, to OBJ
fervs The latter is in circumstances
TO dilplay federation. or what is com
monty called a liberali'y of fentiment
towards thofe who, believing in the di
vinity Of the f4me revelation, differ
from him with regard to the mo5e Of
worfhip which it contains. The whole
life OF Jeferlon demonltrates that he
comes within the cafe ola man having
no religion and therefore is utterly in
capable of The grace Of Cbrjqian liberation
But maintain that America has fcarce.
ly ever produced man of a more in