Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1801-1806, 1803-03-19

TO JOHN RUTLEDGE.


CDME people are entitled to attention from
~ acoahdeis,ion of What they aIe---oiheIs. o.
.0nas they have been. You sre OF are is,iei
de'cnps,pn. There was time when dsesn,
regard waa doe TO your opiniocs hen ~
man yc0 WAS intitled to reipett. aiude &c
Yeu' hff appearance in eublic life. DcicendoG
srom father itinguiihed fpr his init,l krnce,
hll IePphicanlip. and bis nAcx b.r mt my
thr public sere ready TO sicsioc toJ Jou al ,he
caimsole qualltiss--but the eelst With whi,a
yos made yopf hrh entrance on the theatre VI
attiDn ~as only preparatory 90 your felt dehsnc.
tson. he silly pe!itieisn Of the Eah ,.on dit
coveted thai vanity was the leading ita'uIe m
your Character and tha, you had fubitiiuSeo
the ,io6l OF top, fer the found efudition OF a
haieiInan and a icholar. They made che sd-
vsaoes, and you met them cordially. You for.
got the principles OF your father, bis admoni-
tians--you bsrteed the right, and the iuIereits
Of your counify, and particularly OF your ns-
tive State tor the expectancy OF ~ Office. De
Eeicnt IN that information snd ihoie talents
which conRitue the profound politician, and
recornmcnd him 10 the con!idenoe OF the nation
you sainly slp'cd 10 the Speakers char, ~
the reward OF your political apofscy. Nor
we're you content with dcierung the principles
in which you had been cdacased--you hghed
tor pre- euinenee.-yco could no, acquire u
from fupeTioiity OF ottllents--you iheIeiofe fought
isby pufiog yonrielf and by mskiog the men,
beIs OF ,our own party appear contemplate.
The dignity OF your perion. sod the tondneh
oiIhe !adies for it--the quackefy OF Wilams---
tic holly aud impropIiety ct O,is--ihe imbeciIi.
~ cf poas Chsmpl,n--a aud the colour OF Aliens
mihreis. formed excellent iubjsas fos your pen.
An spoitate yourieif. you could NOT torget the
spoascy OF Hnper---his taienrs, aicend,og from
yours 10 mediocrity had alaimrd your fcl love
aud excited your vy--yoT remembered ahen,
aiciied IN oznahnrgs or The coarfc linens OF
.Ne~. Eagland, he roamed through his difritt
v;.h bis walel in bis hard, foicitipg voice;
and pcrcciving his attempts 10 eeshliih him!eh
By CERTAIN couueetions, you had the meanncfs
20 mension the fable colour Of iomc children. "A
length the period n,i.ed when yoOr vanity had
prompted you 20 expect the chair. The delrdop
van'ihee. By your ov party yoo was weigh
ed 10 the balance and found wanting" lndig-
naiion sod Tefentment fucceeded TO ihame and
diiappointment You renewed your snouy nous
attacks in the Autq,a--iherayed the NOV sGen;s
and views ot your party add boafed OF having
/" flown the way at the war.cauc Mi,tor.
tunes and difappoinlnents, Sir. frequently come
ip fucceiion. An indignant and injured people
prepared 10 hefl from their ieat, men, who
ridicued lheit rights, ncgietted their intereils,
and i9saodered their properv--you had afhiiat-
cd yousielf with ,hs, party.---1he event took
place. Then expised yosT Isa hope of felt sggran-
dizeipent-from that moment you prcicribsd no
limits to yoor re!cni ment--yoor iubfeqpcnt
conduct has evinccd this truth, - that the frc-
quent commiifon Of fmall offences prepares the
offender to commit every crime Of whatever
msgoiodc."
The rext Grim: fhall notice, was your
affirming the namc Ut Nicholas Geffroy, and
wi,hou, his content. writing letters to the PrcG-
dent. This you did---yet you have uade enfb
that you did IL sss. That oath is rcgiaered in
Heaven and may " the recording angel drop
tear and blot il out forcvcr."
Well may you claim 10 belong to the party
Of talents and viriuc--few perlons have higher
pretenhons TO that honor.-By your writings
you hass proved yoor talents and by your de-
nying Of them on oath You have caabl;fhed your
claim to virtue. You have fooght diainttion
by every means IN your power at length you
have obtained il. You have damned yourfcH
into notice. In future, when the aranecr cn-
ses the ball Of Citation, his hrt enquiry will
be, /" where is he, aho forged The letten--who
called Heaven TO witnefs sha, he had not done
il and who attempted to murder an innocent
man becaule he pcGefsd proof of his guilt r'--
We'll, Sir, may you excisim that republics are
Upsfstciul. In mof countries, for yosr fervices,
VOC would have been rsifed TO asse OF exalts-
tior, where. Sir, you mght have looked down
on the common people. with the cootcmpt you
-. Ll,--shere von uyoold hz ve beeo removed
beyond The evils Of popular elections. and enter
tanned the pIea6ns reflection thar your PROJECTS
in life .ere unsliersbly 6xed.--WeII may you
,nd ycur party boat Of excluGve attachment to
order and reiigion--your works p'cveit. Not
an ioasnce can be prodoced Of violation Of
decorpm, or Of prrfonal conflid 10 wh;h you
have not been the aGiaaut, youf three cham
pion,. for ~iII inclode you 10 the number, to
,isy your fufsrings. have practically proved
theif attachments TO order. GrifwoId seablilh-