Jenks' Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1803-1805, 1804-02-25
TO rHE EDITOR OF THE PORTLAND GAZETTE.
ELM- TEES, r4rb Feb. 1904.

TO come at the true meaning of the
word republican, and the b9jsrsts Of ;hoie,
or the leaders of thoie, who now call
thsmielves republicans, in contraditinction
of federaliits (tor take no notice of the
thoulands who, Ike parrots, repeat the
pretty word) it is necetfary TO 90 back a
little IN the hiltory Of our general govern
ment. We find that when the federal
contribution was propelled to the people of
the l.rited States, thofe who advocated
and voted for it, took the name 81 feder-
alias !; and thoie who oppoled and voted
againlf it, had the name of antiJederal2as !;
not that they were oppotsd TO any tedsra-
tion of the thirteen ftates at all, bar to that
degree and farm of a federal uuion con-
tanned in the new contribution. We find
alto thar repubheaujJm as denoting fpecies
of government, in contradiltinStion to the
ar,Roratic and monarebic, was common
and equally dear to both parties. Thoie
who voted againit the contribution, were
not for that act, or on account of any
principles they manifefed in debate, more
republican than theie who voted for it J;
nor could thoie who advocated the degree
and mode 81 anion, prelented in the confi-
tuition, on that account, or for any princi-
Piles they manifeited, be claaed with fuch
as hold to principles of government ex-
fluGuey flowing from either of the other
original forms.
At this time it would have been un.
meaning for either the advocates or oppo-
fers of the contribution to have called
themlelves republicans itwould not have
difinguilhed them from their opponents ::
1t mutt have been as triaing, or as ahum.
ing as if, at the prefent period, any one
denomination OF chriltians f1ould call
themielves cbrjQians, or fay that they be-
lieved in the ebrJf;an religion, intending
therebyto difinguifh themielves, not from
inhdels, but from all other denominations
Of the fame general belief
But foon after, and even during the
time the government may be faid to be
getting Under acay, and before it was fully
organized, diipates and controversies aro(e
in the national Legislature, and members
took different fides, as they declared, ac-
cording to their conviction Of the titneis
ofthe meafures to promote the happinefs
of the people. But thsie were differences
among republicans :. and not between re-
pa5iicaas on one iide, and arj}ocrafs OF
monarchy men on the other. They may
be Hkened to the controversies on the
mode Of babtilm that have long fubfited
between the (eH called bsptiRs on the one
part, and the feveral (e6ls tha. contend
for infant baptifm and iprinkling with
water on the other. Their common de-
nomination is ebryfiaa thence if one OF
feets calls isielf ebriHian, or THE ebr;qian.
it does not diitinsuifh its members from
the individuals of any or all the other feets
into which Chriltendom is divided.
The contribution and all its principles
were entirely republican the federal mem.
bers, no more than thoie who had oppejea
the contribution, and who with others at.
forwards aDumed the name of republican.
and patriots, called tbsE principles in quef
ton; or endeavoured to introduce prin.
ciples, on constitutional or Legislative fub.
jeds, eDsntial only TO different kind oi
government, that is, to monarchy, or
ariRoeyaey.
1t happened, however, that the ma.
jo,ities in Congre(s with Warrington the
PRECEDENT, continued to be called federal
its ) not, lpreiume, that they individual
ly had voted for orbeen in favor of the
contribution, for iome who had voted a.
gainlt it in the conventions or legislatures,
were now among them ; and others who