Portland gazette and Maine advertiser., 1805-11-04

tie point Of expiring but the Contribution of his ate
had mn authorized him 70 ierye during third wear
Actuated by the mott laudable motives however. bis
trends oeteTnalned not n bring him forward as can
didate. Centuries had been pafed upon his adminif
| trauon by thoie, who were unacquainted with ais
meaiures and the fate Of the country They had even
declared thar Il was Incumbent upon the Lcp1ature
I 70 make formal enquiry into his condutt-URder
theie circumstances the friends Of Mr. Ieferfon re-
iolvec TO make ~ exerciOns TO re-eIsct him. They
wlihed 10 lee the menaced enquiry made and even III
impeachment, Purued; and they were unwilling n,
throw any obacles in their way by nvelng Mr. Jeff
erion with the dignity and influence OF fuch aoicer
lt not true then. that MIR Turner las afTerteI
that Mr. J. I'D" forward his reignation 10 this afem
ply and that the abdicstion Of the Government" is
, maFteF q record" L i trae only, that Mr.. J.
gttsr having ierved during two entire wears was IN
willing 70 ae1f of the appointment during he tbad
year and tS@t the motives Of ths determination did
not prng from any fear Of encounterng the pers of
The htuatlon, bur from Gehre Of promoting legif
iative enquiry into his cenduct"
The Enquirer does indeed change his
ground but we caDnOt fee, thar III point Of
taff, he has mended the matter an atom.
he only proves that Mr.. JeiFerlop, ihbead
OF very thort period, had one zuhols war TO
! terve, when he abandoned the government.
But II is now aferted, in contradiction Of
what was admitted in the 18th No. of the
Nlndlcation," that neither cowardice nor
| inability induced Mr.. Jeferlon TO quit his
pott. Il IS iaid TO have been done, uon
account OF the complaint: which were fct
up againlt his official conduct" "-se Cen
iures had been Paled upon his admirifra-
ton" They had even declared that It
was incumbent upon the Legislature, 10 make
formal inquiry into his condu6t." Here
an inquiry is naturally faggefed. Had
Mr, Jolf-rtou's conduct then Been
tuch as TO excite the iufpicions Of his own
fcllow-cItizenS ? Had he managed the AZ
fairs OF the State IN fuch manner, that an
impeachment was threatened If 70, there
mutt have been iome ground for fuipicIon
and centure. There could not have been
70 much Iin0ft without fome fire. "'r
But, iays the Enquirer, Mr. Teferfon's
friends " w1thed to fee the mena ced irqui-
ry made, and even an impeachment purfu-
cd and they were unwilling to throw any
obifaeles in Their way by invettinq Mr.. Ief-
ferlon with the dignity and influence Of
luch an Office" ."
Exeroihngthe right enjoyed by the En-
quiTer, let US alto guefs 1T Mr.. Teferfon's
motives for Withdrawing from his official
hation. He was highly cerfured for his
conduit, and an inquiry was threatened. |
Had he Continued in Office, the threat
would undoubtedly have been executed. By
reInquiihed his Office, he hoped 10 efcape
the inquiry ;ior, ifit giould Be profecutel, |
: cry Of Pteitcntion nigh Be rated agajnit |
his accaier8. Ny -'A " l- Hma iH,a
1t will be tecolleaed that the Enquirer
began this 'f-Vindication, ]" with view of
refuting the intinuation Of the Federalilfs, |
that Mir. Jefsrfon's conduit was fuch |
while he was Governor Of Virginia, in the
time Of tae revolution, as to prove him un-
fit for PreGdent of the United States. Now, |
then let us apply his defence to the cafe in
suction.
Mr.. Jeferfon IS PreGdent Of the Unirsd
States, and the confitutionaI term Of his
lervice will net expire for fomc time. He
is highly confufed for his Official cOnduCt.
Suppole a war ihouId break out, and the
enemy ffould invade our country and
fuppofe Mr.. Jefctlon hould flee to the
mountains, AID leave US without PrctidenJ
-ibould VIC hop to enquire into his mo
avss, for fuch a delcrtion before we ce1fur-
Cd him ? oould We not with enc voice,
! pronounce hiu unft for the ftation to
which the blind zeal Of party has raifed
| him ?-That luch was his conduct under
fimilar circumftances, will appear from the
following brief ecapitulation =
Firf.-Mr. Jefcrion was governor Of
Virginia, when that State was invaded
and it does not appear that he ever raiitd
finger to q6fsjt the progreis Of the enemy.
Secsr4.-At the critical moment, when
powerful army was approaching tie tbra
feat Of government, and when all ths en-
crgies Of the country were required for
It's defence, Mr. Jeferfon precipitatcly
| bandoned his pof, as commander in chief,
without waiting the aPPointmeut Of Z mc-
| ceiler, and in his great hllte to find place
of fafety for himlclf, actually left the State