Literary cadet, and Saturday evening bulletin. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1826-1827, 1826-09-23
PROVIDENCE.

WALTER X DANFoRTH, Esq Editor and Pro
| prietor, No. a, Coffee House Buildings. Proyi.
dsnce, r. |. September, l6, 1926.
Whenever individuals present themselves to the
public, for their gifts and honors it is the province
of the press to investigate their conduct and to in
quire what are the particular claims they have
upon the confidence, patronage, and support OF the
sovereign people. II for this and to guard the
liberties Of the people, that the press originally
established, and such Of its conductors as posses.
| spark Of independence make use of the preroga-
| tves assigned them by the genius OF liberal nsti-
tutons and il is in the exercise of right guaran-
teed TO us by the CONSTITUTION of the country,
and chartered TO US by our LAWS, that we proceed
to examine the claims Of Mr.. ELISHA r. P OTTER,
Of South -Kingstown,a man somewhat famous in the
history OF Rhode. Island Politics-a man, who to
the imminent disadvantage of the State, has figured
in its councils and by some strange fatality gained
an ascendancy, for which he was NEVER calculated
either by talents, habits or education.
In entering on an analysis of this mans public
character, it is our painful duty, to revert to some
Of his recent acts. that the Rhode Island public
may be made fully acquainted with the man, and
place upon his character its proper estimate.
In doing this, We would gladly avoid review OF
coarse, scurrlous, and obscene production from
his pen, which made its appearance in the Mi
crocosm Of Friday, and which, for the credit OF
that periodical, and its worthy conductor. as well
as for the credit of Rhode island, we could wish
never had been published. We sincerely condole
with the good natured gentleman of that press,
since he has thus suffered himself to be impo sed
upon, by man who like Judas, betrays (not his
Savior-a kindred crme) but those who have ex-
tended to him the hand of friendship, in an hour,
when man, too coufidng, yields himself up a will
ling victim to his seducer.
We had hoped that prudence would have die
tated to friend different course, but since he
has thought proper to identify his fortune and his
tate with Mr.. PoTTER's, il only remains for US TO
admonish him that he totters on the margin O no.
litcs suicide and ruin. This is said in friendship;
and We assure our worthy friend, whose talents and
whose amiable qualities Of heart we admire, that
we have not INDUCED ourselves thus far from a
disposition to intermelde with the affairs of our
neishbors.
But aswe have not much time to spare, we shall
turn from this episode to the letter in question: which
Is the only proper matter of discussion. We
pass the exordium without comment, as the SUBJ
ject of which it treats, as well as the manner in
which it is conducted, are beneath the dignity of
criticism, and hasten to meet what Mr.. Potter
has rery modesty been pleased to call the "bone and
marrow" and excellence olhis production.
il is we'll known that Mr.. POTTER was decid.
edly opposed to the election of Mr.. ADAMS, and
that all his bitterness poured upon the head of
that gentleman; and it is equally notorious that he
is at this Moment opposed violently and virulently
to the present Administration. But beng aware
that present hostility to the Executive. and his
Cabinet, if openly avowed will close the gates of
pretarment against him, he has, within little Pc
ROD, whilst looking at the Senatorial Chair, avow-
ed himself the friend Of the Administration. To
convince the public of bis sincerity he indulgcs in
the following strain of logic, which, it is written
violation of every rule of rhetoric, requires
study on The part Of those who wish to decypher
it.
"IfI ought to be dsfranchsed, because respect
ed WE NraWIofu, wnat ought TO be done to Mr..
Alams' | am now as much in favor Of Mr.. Adams,
against those that oppose him, as was in favor OF
MIR. Crawford against him. But il a man is to be
outlawed because he was in favor of Mr.. Crawford,
against Mr.. Adams, what shall become Of man
that shall be in his favor az ainst those that how
oppose him, if they should succeed2 Is he to he
made head shorter! Is this Republication? Is
this that liberty and freedom Of election, for which
OR fathers fought, that might inherit Ifit is,
pa,ful miserabiy pitifui, is the condition of that
man who has the independence to vote his opinion,
if he should happen to be in q minority"
We shall not stop to point to the grammatical
inaccuracies contained in this paragraph, for char-
ty and pity for the author, ought TO excuse him
from pathological and grammatical criticism; we
shall therefore simply reply to his interrogatories
No independent or enlightened citizen ever
blamed Mr.. Porter, for maintaining pr eference
for Mr.. CRAwFoRD, or wished to make him
head shorter as he has very classcally and ele-
gantly remarked, because he did not give Mr.. AD-
ANS a decided preference over Mr.. CRAWFORD
lie had an undoubted right 10 prefer the Georgia
Candidate, and in doing so, he exercised privilege
guaranteed to him by free institutions, and for
exercising that privilege no honorable man ever
blamed him. But the people do blame him, they
object to his equvocating and vaccillsting conduct,
and they despise the man. who for the sake Of Of
flee will desert his friends deny his principles. alb