Portland gazette and Maine advertiser., 1806-09-08
Giseelianr.
From the Richmond Enquirer.
TO TIE ED;ToR-stR,

of Congreis have furniihed ample
caufc of Ejaculation to the curious,
and regret to every true friend of
his country. The myfery which
envtloped their proceedings, and be-
meath which fome of their mott i'm.
portant tranfa6tions yet remain
shrowded, could not conceal from
the mott carelefs obterver, that
fchifm had ariien in the republican
party. But the caules which led to
this affecting event, are ltill buried
IT obfcufity. In the hiitory of this
memorable occurrence ALI is darkneEs,
confufion and contradiction. The
public mind, impatien, Of fufpenlc,
and asif defpairing of further infor-
nation, feems to have out run the
evidence, upon which alone its iudg-
nnent hould have bsen bottomed.
So far as their opinion can be gather
ed from the public prints, the voice
of the people has declared for the
Administration. In the decifcn,
/. perhaps, it might have been the du-
:. ~ of the republican minority and Of
their friends, to acquiefce, had a fair
view Of the fubjea been laid before
she public. Bun knowing as I DO,
from the mof indifputable proof thar
facts have been inflated, opinions
mifrePreiented, much truth fuppref-
fed, and more falfhopd fuggefed -
approving at the fame time, from my
heart The 'courfe which they have
purfued, 1 am impslled TO offer to
che world Tome faQs and obfervations
which may enable them to form a
more juit opinion of the conduit of
the republican minority, during the
aft felton, Of Congrefs,. and Of the
motives BY which they were proba-
bly, a6tuated,
II mutt be obvious to the mcf
superficial eye, that every confidera-
ton of a feliiih or prudential nature,
would have difuaded any man or fet
OF men, among the republicans from
an open oppoiirion to any leading
and favorite neafure of the Execu-
tive, at that juntfure. The Pref
dent of the u. S. had jaf been re-
elected by great and inpoGng ma
icrity Of the people The acquiG-
zion of Louiiiana had given an rclat
ic-the Executive, and caft fplendor
arosnd the administration, in which
every miner dstea of the Govern
ment was eclipfed and forgotten
The coloifal popularity Of the Pref
ident feemed to m0ck at all oppah
zion. UNMINDFUL OF PAST
AND DEAR BOUGHT EXPE-
RIENCE, THE REPU 2LlCANS
HAD ERECTED A POLITICAL
IDOL, ON WHOSE AFFAIRS
lie, WHO DARED TO CUES
TON ITS INF4LLIBIL TY
MUST PREPARE &c BLEED
In this pefure of affairs, all oppcG-
tion was indeed forlorn hope
There was every thing to lofe, no
thing to gain. The minority had
only to eomprOnjJe their p,inripft, to
tetray their duty 10 he-nfelves, their
condiments, and their country, in
order to enjoy tbe comfeaancs If the
, ddninifratios, to eniure the appro-
baton OF the public for a time, and
their own contempt forever. They
had but to sequiefte in nseefayes which
their confidence and judgment condem-
ned, and twin in ignoble fscurity
with the current Of the day. They
were not infenfible to the danger of
The oppefte courie; but while they
coolly efimated the difficulty, they
had the fortitude to encounter it =
Let it be admitted, for a moment,
that thefe gentlemen were miltaken
IN their view till pronounce. that
ne who does not applaud their in
dependence and frmneis, is unwor-
thy the name Of freeman. They had
HE courage TO aiert and MAINTAIN the
deliberate convictions of their honett
Judgment againft the proudeft author
'ty' and preferred the hazard of their
popularity, to the fnrrender of their
Understandings and confciences.-