Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1812-06-12

are SO anxious TO be rid of So much for our
opinion of the real : meaning and intent Of
the petition.
But the Republican petitioner would have
us 10 believe that " the plainand open meaning
and intent of the petition was to discourage
the mutinous attempts which have been made
" to counterfeit the regular deliheration and
action of the constituted authorities" against
the " fatal tendency" of which General Wash
ington has so f~eryently and so aflectionately
admonished us" &c. &c. That "mutinous
attempts have been made to counteract the
regular deliberation and action of the consti-
tuted authorities" we utterly deny-the ssser-
ton is entirely devoid of foundation, except
In the heated imagination of the " republican
petitioner. Petitions it is true have been ad-
dressed to congress from various parts of the
union praying for a repeal of the embargo,
and deprecating war but they all, as far as
we have learned, have been expressed in Ian
guage decent and respectful. The most pro-
found tranquility has pervaded our country
from Maine to Georgia. The people look
with earnest attention towards the capitol,
from which are to proceed the measures
which will cause their !" veal or woen-but not
a voice has been heard to recommend a mutt
nous opposition to the government
And here we must be excused for turning a
little out of our way to observe, that it does
appear to US most strange. that a member Of
that party which supported, and still supports,
by ito patronage, a paper which accused the
father OF his country Of being Under British
influence-which denounced MIN as q monar-
chist, and even as a murderer-which pro-
claimed a jubilee when he retired from Office,
full of years, and full of honor, of a party
which opposed his administration with the ut
most heat and virulence-and earned for it
self his severest censurc most unequivocally
expressed-should quote the venerable and
much abused name of Washington in support
of his Positions.
The /" republican petitioner" would fain
have us think, that he has, liberality enough
to consider a part of the federalists at least
g honest and enlightened" men. FROM such
men, says he, 8 we have a right to expect a
correction ofthe gross receptions which you
have contributed your paltry efforts to propa-
gate,"-Of his sincerity in making even this
small concession, our readers will form a just
estimate, when they shall have read the fol
lowing extract. " But as the petition was not
6 calculated to excite any sentiment. either of
contempt or Indignation" it really seems
much out of place in the columns of your Pa
per. and is indeed a erara duis" literally a
rare bird" antong fedsrdtists." Here this
mild republican has unwarily Suffered his
maliguity against the federalists to s6oa oUer'
if ! May use a phrase; which, though coarse,
is expressive. He considers any thing mot
calculated to excite contempt or indignation
rare among .feGeralists.-
"Where YOU speak" says he of the man
rer in which the petition was circulated, you
80 .lI.La.oI ,ua,,tion and r;t.f,,1
cunning which have ever been the favourite
resorts of all the worthless of your party, you
have gratifed your hatred at the expense Of
truth, or you have listened to the fabrications
of some corrupt and contemplate informer.''
Our statement was, that the petition had
been circulated in a manner that could excite
no other feeling than utter disgust. A spirit
of forbearancc prevented us from being more
explicit. But when our very forbcarance is
converted into a weapon, wherewith to assail
us-vghen the feeling of d~elicacy which with
held us from advancing against some OF those
who circulated the petition a serious and we'll
founded charge, is converted by a malignant
distortion into =" illiberal insinuation and pitt
ful cunning it is a duty we owe to ourselves
to be more explicit. We then do state, on
unouestionable authority, that artificc was
used to obtain signatures to the petition circu-
lated in Jefferson ~County-that men were IN
duced to sign it who knew not its contents
and that it was represented to some who sign
ed it to be a petition for the removal OF the ems
bargo.-This is the manner of circulating theI
petition to which we alluded:-and it will bel
admitted that in representing such conduct a
calculated to excite !" utter disgust" we used
a language far milder than the occasion war
ranted. The evidence of these facts Is with
our reach, but we forbear to resort to 1t q
present, because we feel utterly averse froI
foisting the name of any one of our fellow
citizens into a public print, however imprope
we may deem his conduct to be. But let no
our forbearance be abused.-As TO the insinu
alton that if any improper means were used