Portland gazette and Maine advertiser. (Portland, Me.) 1805-1818, 1808-08-29
FOR THE GAZETTE.
MR. ADAMS,

an anonymous advertisements, which was
posted up at the doors Of the Insurance Of
ice in this town on Tuesday last
{" Republicans DESTROYS Of sutb0yting eoveyH-
o,ert II The measures 9t defence adapted 5y Can
gress, aye requested y meet az Cyhnl5iaH-H Hall
%Crdfan's this evening at o'clock.
"Portlana, Dug %, 1908"
A gentleman, upon reading It, enquired
~ bystander whether it was the object Of
ne meeting 70 enlist soldiers Indeed,
ST.. the ambiguity Of the language is such,
that the remark WAS not surprising; tor my
eeifI confess I was at loss to determine
either as to lgh7 the persons were intended
20 be notified, or syhat was the design of the
meeting.
Some conicctured that it WIS a notifca-
ZION for a caucus of Federal Republicans,
others that it was summons to Democrats
and Iacobins But the design was still
more concealed.
AS it's well known that the measures
~ defence adopted ty Congress" were,
raising an army Of 5000 men and building
run boats. il was natural I'd suppose these
Subjects were 70 be brought into view, eli
ther BY adopting the plan Of enIisung SOL
diers for the army, or to devise ways and
means to protect the s undefended and I'M
employed gun-bOats now in this port Some
however, coniectured that Corps de Re-
serve was TO be raised TO defend the fish
and -four from the inglorious assaults Of
smugglers. But all these coniectures, it
seems by the result, were idle and unfoun-
ded. It proved to be only harmless and
inOfensive meeting to procure signers to
certain paper called "an Address" to the
President of the u. s. praying him, in sub
stance, to keep on the Embargo as long as
he pleased. The Argus tells US it was
signed BY more than 10 times 10 persons :
meaning, suppose, about los.
In the last Argus you viii see this STATE
paper, which hone you will copy into
ysurs After careful perusal Of it, wish
70 have you ascertain who these inhabitants
of Portland are, who are thus welded ID
the President and his beloved Embargo
AS the public have not yet been favored with
their names, we cannot say whether the list
IS composed Of Custom house officers, Of
those employed IN building the forts, or 9TH
ers under pay of government-or independ-
ent citizens-or, part Of all these classes -
Reports on this subject are not wholly to be
correct list Of names through the channel of
the Argus. It will then appear whether
2 great or any part of those who IN the Pc
tition style themselves Of Portland, really
belong to that town, or are inhabitants Of
Cape Elizabeth, Falmouth or n Yarmouth,
as said TO be the case. 1t is Ut some lit
tle importance to ascertain this fact, be-
cause, if these good citizens neighboring
towns, thus generously lend their names I'D
this petition, they may do the same favor ~
any and even all the other towns III the
county, and thus play yankee trick upon
their good friend the President, and deceive
him where deceit may be worse than trea-
son.
1t IS presumed that if the President could
be made acquainted with all these worthy
citizens, with their motives, and with other
particulars respecting the signing of this
address, be might be highly grstihed and
congratulate himself that there was in Port
land portion of ser inhabitants with minds
so liberal and enlarged as to admire and re-
ioice, and be grateful for the wisdom and
policy displayed in the embargo, and pray
ing and soliciting him to gorge" and
= 5skel7rl" them with it, till lie himself was
satisfied.
1t IS true, these modest Fenuefolks,
whether Of this OF other towns, OF Ut both,
have Undertaken To censure and libel their
fellow townsmen and others, for the exer-
else Of their constitutional privileges, by
stigmatizing their Petition as " murmurings
3ending to excite in the people a spirit Of
repining and discomfort, to destroy their
merited confidence in their rulers, and 70
encourage disregard and disObedience Of
the laws" This is democratic liberty, and
thus are those treated, who only improve a
privilege which even slaves may sometimes
venture to use. But what these signers
lack of respect and regard for the rights Of
their fellow citizens, IS abundantly compen-
stated by the incense Of svcophancv offered
to their idol, their ne w-styled political guide
and guardian, who is humbv solicited to re-
ceiye assurances not only IF their respectful
consideration, but also Of their Reverentiul
kgve
CIrrzENs, when YOU see measures ~
government advocated and supported by
men who are living Oh the L2dvrs 1n4 isles
which they PLentifully receive XII it-whsn
you hear these men declaring that they
g rejoice" in measures which are daily i'm.
poverisbing and humblng you to the lowest
state Of degradation when you see the au-
Thor of these measures styled a" the guard
An ofour beloved country" and solicited to
persevere in them when YOU consider fur
tter that the address which contains such
appreciation ofhim, and such censure of your
selves, is closed with an expression degra-
ding to freeman, and fiji only for the mouth
ola worshipPer Of idols----refect, and Judge
between the cause Of federalists and jaco-
bins, their men and measures, and let your
opinions Be manifested in your future cleo
lions
AFRIEND OF THE PEOPLE.
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