Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1833-08-15
From tho Providence Journal.
MIR. burgess ADDRESS,.

PEorLE OF RHoDE-lsLAND-Men de-
voted To your interests, and TO those of
the whole nation, have been selected, by
their fellow citiZens, to make the usual
nomination of candidates for election to
the next congress. BY them, l have
been placed before you, for that purpose.
Some Of their, and my adversaries have,
for some weeks past, employed them
selves very industriously, i'll reviewing
my congressional service: and have Ia
bored to give to every part of it such
colorng as might render me odious in
your ewes. Although l might disregard
all their misrepresentation, and pass
them by in silence; yet respect for yoI,
and unwiilingness to forfeit your good o.
pinlon, ever dear to me, seem to demand
from me some defence. They will doubt
less say, that this should be done by 9TH
ers, and that common modesiy forbds me
TO speak Of myself or Of my own services
When yon, the people, are the tribunal,
where my defence must be made, / can
not agree to plead by Attorney. You,
in your own proper persons, committed
to my care, as a most sacred trust, your
great interests; and you, and you only,
have the right to call on me, in my own
proper person, and not by the agency of
others, to give to you an account Of my
stewardship. Would to God | could, for
this purpose, meet you all face to face, in
one great assembly; and, from point to
point, explaining to you my whole course
Of service, answer all those questions,
which your most anxious solicitude for
the public safety, and interest might
prompt you to PROFOUND to me. l should
"think myself happy" not only that was
permitted TO speak for myself before you;
but that you might, while you heard me,
examine my eyes, my countenance, the
tone Of my voice. the lifting up OF my
hand; and whether guile or integrity,
perfidy or fathfulness were in me, you
could then see them at some one of those
windows of the soul, through which God
intended man should look at the spirit of
man. To see you altogether is not prac =.
ticable, nor can ] have opportunity TO
take many of you, separately, by the
hand. | must, therefore, come before
you on paper: and submit myself to yonr.
examination, by the aid Of the pen and
the type. Whatever may write to you
will be authentic ated by my own sigma
ture; and | pray that, if any of my fellow
citizens shall not be satisfied with my
statements, he may exercise the same
candor; and address me, whether by let
ter, or through the public papers, under
his own hand. l ask Of you to form your
opinions Of my service while in your en-
ployment, from your own knowledge, or
upon the testimony Of such witnesses on
Iy, as have signed their own dispositions;
and not on the accusations of those secret
informers who have so little influence in
what they write against me, that they
dare not put their own names 10 ,rhai they
,crite against me.
l am accused Of being hostile to the
pension system. II is SAID, that always
ever since | had seat in Congress, l
have opposed every proposition made
there for the benefit of those survivors of
the land and maratme service, who aid
ed in achieving our independence, in the
Revolutionary War i never imagined,
that any man, though opposed to me, aud
hostile TO my character and interests,
would have the hardihood, or rashness to
make this accusation. Do they suppose
the people of Rhode Island are so utterly
ignorant of the history of their own ma
tional councils, or Of the character of
public men, and the services of their own
Representatives in Congress, az not to
know the utter falsehood Of this charge :
DO you not know how | have voted on
all the great questions in Congress, since
you honored me with seat in the Hall
Of National Legislation Have not many
Of you visited Washington Have you
not read the public papersi Have moi
other members Of Congress told you
what ] have done' Nay, fellow citizens,
has not my voice often been heard as the
advocate Of the aged soldier; and that
too not only by those who, in the House
of Representatives., listen to the debates
of Congress, but every man, woman and
child the people of Rhode Island, have,
not indeed literally, but through the pub .
lie papers heard my humble but sincere
and ardent advocacy of those men, who
fought, and bled and would have died
for US and for their country. I appeal
TO the history Of the last eight years, to
every member Of Congress during that
time, 10 all who have Witnessed the Con.
gressionaI debates TO the public papers,
and 10 the journals Of the House Of Rep