Portland gazette and Maine advertiser., 1812-08-31
[Rhoie NJ. 749.

iLiAblGC " liz SAAAL@lia ~ ttlAS ISaIGA iAA0la
Col. NICHOLAS FISK was appointed
Chairman, and Sar7ari Boyd, ESQ. Sec
retarv.
Never, says the editor of the N. ".
Herald, in the annals Of this city, was
such meeting Witnessed, for ITS res.
probability and numbers. Gentlemen
Of the FIRST standing in society here, to.
gether With many from the vicinity,
among whom were Mr.. King, Col Platt
and Q. L. Bogar., who we're at the Hall
and among the most jealous and anima-
ted OF the audience.
John w els Esq. opened the meet
ing in speech OF about half an hour.
III this address he took brief review
Of the i'll advised and disastrous meas.
ures Of an administration, which had
impelled the country forward from one
bad step to another until at length they
had involved it in an unjust and oalam-
itous war, without the least preparation
to meet snch momentous event.
He took up the Presidents Manifesto,
and discussed the three causes OF war
there set forth, which he disposed of
with an arbility that gave entire salts
faction and convinced every hearer that
never was war waged OH grounds so
futile and untenable. But we shall not
pretend nor have we either time or room
for ii, to give even the outlines Of a
speech distinguished for choice and ap-
propriate matter and delivered in a
style of peculiar eloquence. Mr.. Wells
more than once made strong appeal
! TO the people on their right 70 canvass
the measures of government without
fear, and he conlured them never to a.
bandon it, but with life itself: for this
purpose, he declared, they should guard
with sleepless vigilance the sacred free
dom of the press and ofspeech, unawea
| by the threats of men in power or the
lawless attacks Of ruffian mob --Hav-
ing finished his address, amid loud huz-
las ofapplauses, he said that the Gener-
al Committee, having thought in this
alarming crisis of Cur public affairs,
that the wisdom and talents of the first
men in the country should be consulted,
had done so I; that these gentlemen had
met and the result was a set Of resolu-
tons which he should now submit To
| their consideration --He should, how
ever, first publicly announce their
names, and il would be seen they form
ed splendid constellation which did
honour to their native land and were an
ornament to the age we live in. lie then
gave the names Of John Jay, Rufus
King, Governors Morris, Richard Har.
isop, Egbert Benson, Matthew Clark
son, and Richard Varick.
On this Mr.. Boyd read 4 number cf
resolutions relating TO the rights and
duties Of freemen, and the causes and
consequences Of the war. The follow.
ing extracts from them is all our limits
viii admit -
RESOLVED, That the prosperity Of this
state which under the protection of di.
vine providence has advanced with un.
common rapidly, is principally derived
from agriculture and commerce.
That the interest Of these two great
sources of National wealth and power
Is inseperable /; Wherefore the war
lately declared being destructive to the
one, cannot but impair the other.
That the war lately declared by a
slender majority Of Congress is unwise.
That IL would have been difficult To
select moment more unfavorable for
a measure SO portentuous: These u
nlted States unprepared the Treasury
empty; many articles of primary i'm.
portance omitted to be procured IN sea.
I son, and not now 10 be purchased
much Of The funds Of our mercantile
citizens in the hands of those converted
by The Congress into enemies propeny
to vast amount aHoat Oh every sea the
revenue impaired by imprudent COM
mercial restrictions, and now by the
war destroyed: the nation against
whom the war is declared completely
armed, and possessed of ample means
10 protect herself, and annoy Us ber
feet mistress Of the ocean, and in a ca
pscity to lay waste many of our mari
time cities.
Resolved, That a calm review of
he conduct which has been pursued.
and which isso utterly irreconcihable to
the maxims Of Common Prudence So
hule commended by any facts which
have been exhibited 10 public view, and