Portland gazette and Maine advertiser., 1806-03-31

sed. For the execution Of their purJ
J poses, they had last year, and now have,
Grand committee in Boston, which they
all a Central Committee by which
omnittees in eaC' Iounty and town in
the state were appointed, who were
Iedged to bring al the favorers oftheir
party to the poll on election day..
Let them publish one of their letters,
and see whether their agents are confn-
ed to the uss Of (" fair and honorable
means....~.By such a combination the
Uoice ofthe heQtle would have been lost
in the Uoice qf.tdctio7, if measures had
not been taken to bring the FederalistI
to the poll.
It is well known, that many FEEDER
alists, relying upon the merits Of their
cause, were in the habit of neglecting
the annual election and that many q
her CiGzens. not belonging to either
party. had been imposed upon by the
-.rtfuI insinuations and gross falsehoods
OF The democratic party. To rouse in
Ittertivs EederaIists to due exercise
oil their privileges, and to prevail, by
fir argument, upon those who had not
t-ken a decided part to Join the federal
cause, was the only object of the mea-
sures adopted.
BY 4 recurrence to the letter, it will
be seen that it had two objects
Ist. To ascertain the number of ci-
izcns whose minds were cleared and
satisfied Of the justice of the federal
cause, and to prevail upon them to at
tend the meeting, lesat the great exer-
tons on the other side should prevail
against the real sense Of the people.
ID. To ascertain those who were not
absolutely fixed in their opinions, who
were not aware Of the danger, and whose
mindswerc open to conviction, for the
following purpose, as expressed in the
.ctter, VIZ. 10 disseminate among them
such information as might from time
p time be sent, aed in general to take
all fair means to convince them of the
Justice Of the federal cause and the
litter goes on further to say, as the rea-
son Of pursuing this measure, what will
Be acknowledged to be truth, viz. " that
it is only from the class of honest and
mistaken men, they can hope to increase
the number of federalists."
The great crime therefore imputed
TO the si9ners Of the letter, consists Of
two parts the first to persuade men
who have made up their opinions, hon
estly and independently to express
them tie second, to promote the cause
Of tru.l and increase the number Of its
adhercnts by fair reasoning and Just re-
presentations.
The term doubtful character" Eill
be seen by every candid man, to mean,
doubtful rs TO their political opinions,
OF in other words, whose opinions were
not thoroughly known; tho the Argus
insiduously attempts to give It an Of
fensive meaning.
The " secrecy" recommended, ex-
plains itself The readiness to distort
and give a false celoring to every thing,
howeverwell intended, IS 50 we'll known
by every one who reads the Argus, reA-
dered it prudent and necessary to con-
fine the knowledge of the existence of
the CommiJtee to few until after the
election for had it come to the knowl-
edge of the democrats in season, false
hoods and misre presentations would
have multiplied, in order to defeat its
purposes. Since the election, no Sc
crecy las been observed, and the mea-
surcs pursued by the committee have
been commonly understood and appro-
we'd Of
Such, fellow-citizens is the dread
tul conspiracy announced in the Argus,
with so much stage effect. They have
Aad TIE same letter in their possession,
.or six months at lest, and have che
.s.n to reserve the NJ vonderful explosion,
TIL they thought Ills effect could not be
guarded against Now let them pub
Iish the i~,tor from the grand COMMITTEE
IN Boston, To three wonderful gentle
n.~n w Yorllnd, on their side, and let
the ce"gie See whether the measures
they voyomMcnd to promote the cleo
Jion " Judge Sullivan are fair and
honorable, q" whether they are notm-
cited w aHIo,s.5,c means without any
restriction.
e. g.