The Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1818-1824, 1822-09-10

I
a body Of troops on the frontiers under the nrA
tence Of guarding against that which no lonrc,
existed, Is Of itself strong proof of the impa-
| tience of the French ministers 70 interfere W
Spanish matters. This inclination however s.
not so disCoverabe or 50 dangerous in IN omen
assume hostile attitude, as in that tetestable
and underhand policy, which the Cortcs ofSpan
have lately discovered, and boldly CHARGED
against France. Whatever opinion may be On.
! tertained of some of the leading men in Spanish
affairs, it does appear, that tue desertion Of prn
| cipal or duty on the part Of any Of the members
of the Cortes, has been extremely rare.-What
better guarantee, then, is necessary for the rro-
lection Of the constitution, than TO contide in the
/ councils Of men, who, like ~the present Cortcs
commenced their labours BY voluntary sacri,
fee Of their own pecuniary interests!
When we have warned oar .readers. against
I the duplicity and cunning Of the dominant par
ty, and taken brief notice of past, and passing
events, we have from necessty-not from choice
adopted such epithets, warranted by truth as, in
common parlance, win most Familiarity and clear
" characterize the subjects under our consider
alton. For instancc-in speaking of any facts,
Of public concern, if they arc similar in charac-
ter and effect to those, which, in private life,
would justly be denominated deceitful, dishonest
and fraudulent, we have not hestated to use the
phrase political sscmdliag.-Fo ourselves, inour
editorial character, We have studiously avoided
any personal illusions whatever. Principles and
arguments, or unequiyocal and notorious facts
have been the only subjects Of our animadyersion.
Our labors have higher aim than PERSONAL
ties-we have no wish to engage in thein-and
unless an opposite course Of our political oppo-
nents renders such disagreeable task painful
duty, VIC shall never do it. When this i the
case, however and we think il expedient, we shall
neither finch nor hesitate and those who force
Us into the combat must thank themselves for the
consequences which may resut.-We shall nev-
er shrink from such consequences ourselves !; but
adopt with a frmness, which no consideration
shall e0er SHAKE, maxim which ought to be bet
ter understood than it l., which ought be felt too,
bytwoat least, of the Argus scrbbers, both learn
ed ia the law, and holding fat Offices Of very
high responsibility-the maxim TO which we
allude, is 8 fiat justitia ruat crlrm."
II is obvious, that in pursuing the course We
vefollowed, land which shall at all times fol-
folo, when in our opinion public good requires it'd
we must, without intending to be personal sensi-
bly, touch the feelings of those, whose characters
come within the scope Of our remarks. There
cannot be political impostions and frauds without
political imPosters and political kaayes and MeY
aOtH lgtnce tchose WitterS are lrrUng"
Our paper has often asserted that the people
Of Maine have been abused, cheated, and gulled,
into a state of things, by which their taxes are
greatly increased, and their situation, in many
respects, worstcd by designing few-the prin-
cipal part of whom are political tur7a-coafs, who
are now fattening AZ the public eApense.-It has
also asserted, that the jtato made solemn pledges
to the people, notone O sel,ich has been REDEEMED
II has asserted also that all this can be proved.
even by the Argus itself with the aid of official
documents from the Secretary and the Treasurer
of the State. That it may be 50 proved is too
well known to the Argus scribblers, who are all
Of them, either the full fed incumbents Of Office
or their hireiings"-and the fear that out Of
their olca mouths they should be condemned has
inspired many Of these gentlemen with much con
sternation and terror-who under this paroxism
Of feeling, being utterly destitute Of any argu-
Inent in their favor have no other possible resort
than personal, vulgar and low abuse-the dictate
OF feelings exclusively their own, unless similar
may be found in the internal world But their
folly and absurdity is even more glazing than
that diabolical temper and disposition so peculiar
ly characteristic of the father of lies
We could not forbear smile, although mo-
mac III the last Argus in some degree excited our
pity, when he " had fondly hoped that the pressn;
cain might be continued undisturbed BY the
storms of discord and passion, fomented by the
spirits Of faction and cabaI.r-This poor. alarm
ed man should have added bis reason for such
hope viz. that the fat office, which he holds, asthc
reward of political apostacy, might not be cndan-
gered. This reason however it would not have
been prudent for him to assgn-notvithstandins
his alarm, he was prudent and self collected e
nough not to name il. For another reason, too,
it would not have been prudent to do %, lest y
hould appear that his Honor descended too low,
from his elevated Official station, when he condo