Berkeley and Jefferson intelligencer. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va.) 1802-1810, 1803-03-04
CIRCULAR

AtSa& a
tcIRcULAR.I
70 the electors effhe united dGstyicts sf
Beaforf, Orn,gebarg, and FAREWELL
FRIESDs = FkLLow-CIrIsESs,
WILDE in the recollection OF many IL
! you. that HAD expressed an intention
y fetire from public life, prior to the lass
election Of members Of Congress, but that
I was overruled by the persuasions of ma.
ny respectable persons Of your district.
L i also in your knowledge, that having
Yielded up my own incIinations and int.
rests, tothe wishes Of my constituents, I
was electedto seat in Congress, in man
ner Aattering to my feelings. The period
has again arrivedwh am to decide whe-
Their shall be candidate for your suffra,
ges, or withdraw from the public service.
1have weighed the question rliaturely, and
have resolved to retire. The kind con.
fdenee which you have been pleased to
repose in me, evidenced by repeated cleo
tions, entities you to be informed Of the
reasons Of my resolutions. ''- - ~
They are founded on considerations in
part personal, and in part off public ma
ture. V r..:z... = **->,>
My private affairs having sufferedby the
almost entire devotion Of my time, for the
last six wears, to my public duties, now
require my attention at home; more espe-
eially since theyenefable friends who here.
tofore, ookcharge ofthem, in my absence.
have been torn from me by death. r.
@."'i thrust shall alwaysbe prepared tomake
sacrifices to the puplic welfare: Yet do
not perceive thar the sacrifice of my pri-
vate interests, would produce at this peri
cd any equivalents public good. And I
feel myself more at liberty to pursue nv
own inclinations since by the new modif-
cation ofthe election districts, the districts
which 1 have had the honor to represent
are separated from each other, and yoked
to others, with which have never had
any political connection. ~
The considerations Of a public nature.
which have guided my Judgment, are nti-
merous and powerful, and naturally had
to large retrosPeet-the subject is eepi-
Gus, but Gili treat it briefly, ~ -
The termination of he war with G.
Britain, left the United States in ina: an ex.
hausted condition. Great debts had been
contracted by congress, and by the seye-
raj states, and there existed no means of
paying or providing for them; public ere
dit was totally at an end. Indiyidualswere
equallyexhausted and equally destitute of
credit!-The states without an efficient
head, erumbling in their weakness, and
urged by the wants and distresses of their
citizens, resorted to enstalment and ten.
der laws, to paper money!, and other ex.
pedients, which aggravated. the evils un-
der which they labered. The niost,raoo-
my apprehensions began to be entertained
for the fate Of the country. T he eminent
men who had planned and effected the re.
volutlon were alarmed at this apparent il
sue OF their tolls and suiferings; they felt
that thereexisted an imperious necessity.
to provide aremedy for these evils. A
convention ofthe states was called; twas
filled with great and virtuous men. They
soon discovered that national head was
wanting, and that nothing short of the for.
matioh Of an efficient general government,
could restore the country to sound state.
They therefore formed a constitution or
form OF government on new principles,
combining the advantages ofa confedefat.
ed republic with those Of a national go
sernment. Il was adopted in the state
conventions, and went into operation, in
1888, underpresident Washington. The
hrst care OF the new government was to
provide for the liquidation of the public.
debt, and the Punctnal payment Of the inte-
rest o. i, 60 restore public credit, and 70
secure the sound administrator ofiustice.
Ihe success OF the measures. then devils
50 and since pursued, has been complete !;
inc nation advanced with gigantic steps
rom poverty, distress, weakness and de-
Sradation, 70 wealth, character and great
rHAaass III N h..