The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1821-1823, 1823-02-19
THE NEXT GOTERMOlIR

We regret to be obliged to omit the we'll
written exordium with which the author of
the following communication has introduced
his comments upon the essays of the &C Coun-
tryman )" but the extreme length, and unsual
number, of communications on file, require us
to throw out every paragraph which does not
seem essential to the writer's main purpose. |
OF the " Coyntryman's'' person | am igno-
rant, but of the evil tendency of his writings
there can be no doubt. With whatever mo-
tive, and for whatever purpose, they have
been communicated to the publick, their in
fuence, so far as they have any, must be, to
prevent dispassionate investigation of the
merits OF the respective candidates for the Of
fee of GOVERNOR.
The Country. mp considers it essential to
the general welfare, that the next Governour
should reside in the country. When this nov-
ell opinion was first communicated to the pub
lick, | supposed that the people of Boston
ouly were to be considered ineligible to the Of
flee. But the edict of prescription takes a
wider range. The country around Boston, to
the distance of thirty-eight miles, including a.
bout one half of the population of the Com
monwealth, is embraced in this comprehensive
denunciation What are the reasons assigned,
to justify this attempt to create new divisions
in the State?
In the first place, it is said that unless this
oplate is administered to the jealousy of the
country population, the seat of government
will be removed into the interior, and the wri-
ter laments that the "multiplied convenien:
ces OF the capitaln will be exchanged for the
indifferent accommodations of a country viii
lage." am happy to inform the " Country
man." in the hope that it will allay his fears,
that his brethren in the country are, equally
with himself, aware of those conveniences !;
that they are alike unwilling to be deprived of
them; and that it will be long before they
will tax the hospitality of the good people of
Worcester, by converting one of their 6 Meet
ing-Housesn into a Legislative Hall, or by
sharing the " Indifferent accommodations las
the writer terms them) of their boards
Allusion has been made by the &C Country
mani to religious divisions, which exist in the
Commonwealth and the people are told that
however well the candidate for the Office of
Governor may be qualified for that high sta
ton, by political knowledge, talents, and in
tegriiy, unless he belongs to particular sect
OF Christians, the support of a numerous party
will be withheld from him. 1t is the first time
that it has been openly attempted to make
the speculative opinions of men, in religious
concerns, the test of qualification for this Of
dce; and it is devoutly TO be hoped, that this
effort to kindle the fires of religious warfare
will be sincerely condemned, as its success
must be deprecated by good men of every re-
iigious sect or party. What could have in
duced the " Countryman" to fix upon s'large
and respectable portion Of the community"
the charge of opposition to the administration,
from motives which even he deems to be far
from justifable, it is difficult to determine -
But he may be assured that the imputation of
unjustifable principles of action, will be deem
ed by that class Of citizens to which he al
ludes, to be an unwarranted impeachment of
their motives, for the purpose of producing dis
sension and bitterness, where all is new har-
nony and peace.
The Countryman'' complains of the influ-
ence, which the capital, and the population in
its vicinity, exert in the concerns Of the gov
ernment; and the catholicon for all the ills
Of the body pc'itck, isthe choice of Gov