The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1814-01-27
Riseeitanp.
FROM the BALTIMORE PATRIOT.
"BLCE LiGilIS,'
~ n .e <y sr xSts o, o. =, xa,r,

OR II .N.dV.dL FEDER.fLIST
We publish in this paper, letter of Com.
Decatur, which is worth the most attentive pc
rusah and will excite the most serious reflec.
lion. We shall, with some aim at ccarness,
state our views on the subject. In the first place
Is what Com. Decatur states true There Is
not man on earth svbo dare doubt IL. But, in
addition to The high and pure character OF this
gentleman, tor courage, honor, greatness and
goodncss;wc have an altogether separate gound
on which 10 challenge federalis.s TO deny what
be sayss They claim him a. their own. Tho
we know that junto and Annapoli. federalism,
(iupor,ed from Georgetown) differ as widely
from honorable federslism, as does The char
acter OF Cato from that Of conpici yet we We
ruy believe, that, In no sense, e,scepi the sense
ia which all irue Americans are federalis,s,
tha, is supporting the federal union, is Com.
Decsssr tedcralis.-We think hin, lust sue
eicderalis, as Com Perry is ; and jus, such an
one as Gen. Wasbingto,s would DC, were ;.1
alive. But still the claim comes from our op-
ponents; and the argument is equally strong
They must theu believe him. They might
as we'll face perdi,ion, as do otherwise. The
next thing is, what is the enormity oil the ac, !!
So deep and gross, that words cannot even in
tim,te it. The Editor of the N. London Gaz-
e,te( well as We can lcsrn,a zohig federal edi-
tor, like the elder MIR. Thomas, oil Worcester)
attempted 10 alarm them by noticing the afro
city. Now comes the point. They perscvered.
Who did this ! Where was it done VINO
could have been induced to do it!
The answer to the FIRST of these questions,
mus, depend on the reflections, caused by the
two latter. Would warhawks, hroba6iy, have
assisted to injcre the cause ofihc war Would
il not have been most likely, that the friends
of the BRUSH should aid the British ?--As TO
the second, where was this crime committed |!
ln the land OF steady habits !" in the land,
where statesmen rant, and lawyers plead, and
priests preach, that the British are right in
this contest that the war is wicked /; that thev
ought rather to mourn, than to rcjoiee at our
uicio,1es in that land,which talks about seha.
rate heace ; in that land, whose sncasing fac
tiopis,s always excite mingled disdain and de.
tes,ation
The inference, concerning who could be in
duced TO do it,seems 90 follow. The hious men
who consider EnglaOd the " 6assvork Of our re-
fgton" would aid TO save the "bnisvark"-the
men who think her the "svorld's last hoEe" will
try TO secure her hopes, by villainy and treason;
those, who wished her well, would Try TO help
her and becauac an honest .federohsf denegpc-
ed the damna6ie reaehery---we have il in the
words Of Com. Decatur, " he has incurred .Ee
erhress censure Of some Of his neigh6ors Z"
The crime has been rehea,ed. Yet, "there
are men in New-London who have the hardi.
ho.d to disbeheve it; aud the e6ronfery TO a.
vow their disbelief" This gallant officer per
bsps, did not know that there arc Boston Edi-
tors too who have the " hardihood" and ef.
fron,cry" of which he speaks and the addi-
tiona s'hardihood" has been found in Salem m
print, to charge the guilt on those, who bad
every inducement Of feeling as well as princi-
ple--of preference as well as honor, to es-
chew the crime.
But,at any rate e,evcnif (which is not the case)
some sbandsned disgrace to the democratic par
ty should have been seduced into the turptude,
hc must turn tory before he could bring him
self 10 it, Caleb Strong is as gully, 10 essense
and principle, as the " blue light" exhibitor.
The offence is the same in smount--Sirong
kept back forces, when they would have been
otherwise furnished,l lest they should injare the
British; and this miscrcant KEEP, back Decsrur's
squadron lest they should do just the same
thing. Caeb's "blue lights" "fuo Mirds down
The rive-, bad the same object, with his an0.
nys'ous imiistor, nearer hs mouth.