Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1801-1806, 1803-02-19
For the REPUBLICAN

ONCE the crime Of forgery has been aampel
- upon the character OF Rotledgc, various
mcan, nave been tskea and mesiures Puriued by
hi, champions 10 repel the charge and sx the
dirgracc upon any one, rather than this their
h,noribl: membei." None however is more
fham-fuly uojua and uugenerous than the fol
Ioxiny, which have extratted from the Bottom
Centinel, paper high in the eRination OF the
Fedefalia,, becaufc none other az this time
boonds With more original nbaldry aud msiici-
ous fslfehoods -
{" There is not Democrat. who has taken
" any pains TO inf rm h,n!elf on the fubjctt,
80 who is not convinced at the innocence OF Mr..
&c Rutledse. But they continue the periecution,
s' becaafe they know thar feip.et tor the men,
a. ory Of misfortune prevents the tederaliits from
&c tracing the 6aiisage TO its fource, and iheS-
ss ing it 70 be tac Child Of mental derangement,
as OF which maiignancy formed no part.
The writer Of the above NAT have been
either tapidy igaorant OF the natter of which
he has p,ken with tuch confidence. or wilfully
addicted Il pehniny INTERPRETATIONS -proba-
bly, o,th. The ahertion, Z" thar 40 Democrat
" who has taken any pains to inform himielt on
" the fubjctt VINO is not convinced OF fhe 10
I" nocence Of Mr.. Rpdedge," nda, to every one
who has heard thi: iubjett dncuded, prove at
once groondl,fs and ab.ord. What, would
ak, becomes Of the long chain OF ahertions and
osrhs OF f,me of the mott refpeaable men OF
Rhode. Hand, WI, ext mined the forged Letters
with mnuteneE and dsiioera,ion, and who
weighed yeR every circumltince before their
o.ths were tskcns D,cs not then this bold al
fertion of the writer fall uniupportet TO the
ground Are they not Democrats Then is he
DO inventor Of falfeh rods ! They will both be
readily admitted. The next in fucceiIon Is,
=. ,hat refpett for the memory OF misiotune
90 pse vents The feieraias from tracing thc Sai-
sc mage TO i,s fource. and lhesing il 10 be the
IS enid of mental dcr,npemen,." Here is a
fine f,ccimen of the refpeet TO character which
one fe,ieIalia pays to thc memory OF another,
BY charging him only wi'h the crime of forge
ry. aad for What purpotci M:rely TO cxcuipite
their TREND Rutedse from the charge OF which
they mutt k"ow he aands 70 jualy accnied.
They, however, produce NJ proof, no evidence
il the fmii,udc OF hand s-iuog. NJ circum-
Hsacci whatever, 10 fubeAntiaie their accuia-
tioc nut that of being deranged. The federal
papcrs are particularly diaiogoilhed for their
diiref,ett TO eharaeter.-Here is couhr
nation fatfcenr. it Is not confined 10 their
enemies, bur extends even TO their decesicd
brother in political principles for in no in
Rance wnatevcr was there the lcaA resemblance
bst~ t~een the tsrged kners & the hand writing OF
sh- pcf,r accuied. H!s !scputation was unfuiiied,
h.. virtue unlhaken, his honc!ty and integrity
n,r dn0 ~ cd by any. But 70 pretend that sbofc
letters in ,ud be the offspring of a dersnged
m,a.i i, abfurd indeed. They we're the eifl-
& n, OF mind not only found but well inform
al i, ps!I,ies. hinory. Could any one derang-
ed In in,cctts have entertained thoughts. and
sxprcifrd fats wish 70 much exatsnefs No
il Will not a.nit of 70 ridiculous, % improba-
bic an idea. This writer TOO inhnuates that
the aten,ion Of the forger was far from beiag
malignant. So much does he miftakc, that eyc-
Iy line Is marked win cunning, intrigue, and
mifchirf. ic has been giosly deceived from
she b=gi1ning, or as before ohierved, his motive
xsl ~ deceive others with ,his Idle .oppofiton,
&fhieid the "honatablc member" trom the iea-
tencc that sUa,rs hin. The robe OF innocence
cannot eieare unipo;ted from thcte futhleis al
{aiIin,. Tospatsy the tstai blow that arikes
dcs,h 20 ono of their greaFeG chsraders, they
hrve taken this opportunity to impicaie him
VIII, once aood rhe fairett Of their party, be-
eaais n i, s" gone TO that bourne from whence
Nd traveller rcIurns," AMI csnno, ialGfy the
rhuee .od expoie the villain ,hat dare make il.
Yes. tine itis, 10 conceal and bury their vices.
they mua diiturb the aibss Of ths dead What!
could no vie democrat, No d'fofganizing jaco-
Bio be- found, that with liit.c more colour of
tsath Won nigh, accuic Were you reduced to
that ixf fad fnoterfuge OF throwing 1t upon the
heal OF " mental arrangement !" Ais fede-
rsli!.n your inconhaency and lander will
never crafe bu, wish your dearutiioo. Mifera-
bic is the caufc that mutt revert 10 fuch inta-
nous meafures for iuppor, and more iofamou,
III: men that will rally under its banners. How
ever fcrcencd the writer of that piece may iup-
pofc bimfeif to be. his 6aSiaoge ia not 70 great.
frend to injured merit can diicover the
AUTHOR.