Portland gazette and Maine advertiser. (Portland, Me.) 1805-1818, 1809-03-27
FOR THE GAZETTE.
Levi Lulcolu's qualifications for
G0UeyUOr.

L
It is a fact which ought to be known 10 the
! people of Maine, that many even of tn. de-
mocratic party in that part of the state
where Levi Lincoln resides, are far from ap-
proving of his nomination for Governor, for
this good reason, because they tno1a tie man.
They know him to be tyrannical, ayoricious
and mercenary IN bis disposition, and OF
violent and obstinate temper uyfiendiy 10
commerce, ATTACHED TO fhe Virginia ipt.rest, and
hesale TO those neasu,es sriich are the tiliars "
MeD Engk4nd PROSPERITY. lie has made use Of
every eNertion IN bis powsr 10 induce the
general government to persevere in their
embargo and non.ietercourse policy; and
approves OF I'll the oppressive and arbitrary
acts, passed to enforce these cruel and un-
equa! laws. Is opposed IN 3: condemns the
people for exercising one OF the dearest
rights which treemen possess, that Of petit
tioning their rulers for a redress of grew
ances. Scarcely, the citizens Vt this District
have experienced too large share OF suffer.
ing and loss, The last fifteen months, 60 give
them votes to rnsn Who will support meas
ures that will not only continue, but increase
their suFermgT. Justice to themselves and
posteriiy forbid it. But these are not the
only objections To Levi Lincoln's being a
proper character for chief magistrate. lie
is as deficient in abilities as he is erroneous
in principle and il is wholly owing " his
zeal in aiding the election OF Mr.. Jefferson,
that he ever rose from the seclusIon OF u
money getting lapyer. lie possessed neither
virtues n@r talents 10 recommend him to the
notice of President Washington, nor TO the
people who were attached to his policy.
Tins ms ambition could not brook, and he
k.-, - r.. IL
and all bis measures and soon obtained a
share in the loaves and fishes, in being APP
pIintea Attorney General of the U. States.
Here his ambition and cuoidlty, for time,
were alike gratifed. But il soon appeared,
in his nite'np, to discharge the duties OF the
office, that he had "senlured like wan,on
boys that swim on bladders, far beyond his
depth" In his management of the cause of
the Sugar Reiiners he discovered only stu
pidi,y and ignorance, as will appear by the
following account published at the time
The Editor of the Frederckstown Herald,
of the ooh September, 1904, thus notices an
article which appeared in Mr.. Jeiierson's
dauber, the National Intelligencer, of the
same month, which was in these words
"the short period during which he Levi
Lincoln) held a seat in Congress had not
admitted of a developement Of Ike taients, but
he entered the ood. with the reputation of
eminent talents"
1--WE should be glad to know with what
reputation he leff it The truth is, that lie
entered the body with the reputation Of
being one of the writers in Worcester pa
per, called the Egis, and was supposed 10
be one OF the authors of series of essays.
(ifa mass Of SANDER, personal. ,indictive
aud unjust, deserves ne nancy called the
FAaMsR's LETTERS !" this was the only
evidence which the public had received of
his talents and with this reputation he en-
tered the House, and with this reputation
only nc left 1t. II is true, that n farther
desciofemert II his talents" did not take
place daring his stay in Congress but it
is not true that 1t was owing to " the short
period" to which it was confined. He re-
maned sufficiently long to have developed
his tsients Oh The many important and inter-
esting topics which were each day the SUBJ
jects Of discussion. Awed oy the splendor
which surrounded him, hc dared not expose
his pra,e to the keen animadyerslon of his
contemporary opponents. Having just sense
enough " practise the maxim of "yr sabtf
q2i pasca ioYtifu,," he shielded himself in
stspid silence, and sat Sowing at the en-
inence which he had not the powerto re SYST.
He therefore went sat Of Congress as he
came in, with the reputation OF being We
ny weak spoke in the wheel OF government.
Mr. Lincoln was now appointed Attor-
ney General of the United States, and dur
ing the long period in which he has held,
we will not say discharged that office. he
has permitted farther Gege!otemsat Of his
taisa.s, by making one speech and an hall in
The Supreme Court.
The first speech was a sufficient devei-
opement Of his talents, TO induce Admins
ira;ion To believe that in any future dcvel-
opement, IL might be necessary for the in
terests of the country. that he should be as
sisted by other council, and therefore, in
the celebrated case vi tho Sugar Res,4rs,