Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1835-01-01
WILLIAM COBBETT.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE ALEXANDRIA GAZETTE.
WILLIAM CoBBErr, Member Of Parliament for
Oldham, has written a life Of Andrew Jackson.
Peter Porcupne of 1895 has become the blogra-
pher OF democratic leader-not for the pur-
pose of exposing his fDIlies and alterations, but
for The purpose Of not only eulogizing his vir-
tues but of palliatng and even justlfying his
very faults Has the sapent member for Old
ham forgotten the day when his voice rang loud
and long in the land, in decrying the follles and
condemning the crimes Of Democracy-and
does he not know, that the subject of This his eu-
losy is chosen disciple Of that school once the
subject Of so much ahhorr"ncc, upon whom his
friends say the mantle Of the great Jefferson
himself has fallen2 Can it be possible, that the
uncompromsing federalist and the democratic
chief have buried the tomahawk, and declared
general forgiveness and oblivion OF the pastf
Is It to be thought that the same hand guided the
pens which traced the letters of Peter Porcupine
and the biography before alluded to? Has he
who, in 1895, gave the Democrats va bone to
gnap," felt some qnalms Of conscience for the
scanty pitlance which he then bestowed-and
does he think to compensate for his former mig
gardliness, by giving them now s'mething Of
greater gusto and nicer rel>h7 Who can un-
ravel the mystery2 What modern Gdipus is
there who can solve this Sphynxian riddIe7 To
the task feel myself utterly inadequate, and
shall not make the futile attempt.
The "Dpmocratc" presses all throughout the
country, alias the Jackson presses, have been
resounding the praise Of William Goblet ever
since he appeared as the biographer of Andrew
Jackson Are they aware Of the breed from
which this modern Achi les p"ang? Do they
know that ne derived his origin from the purest
spawn Of Federalism?-rank. genuine, unmx
ed and unadulterated Federalism! Do they
know that he was the rever Of Jefferson, Ma
olson, Franklin and others, who, Of the old De-
mocratic school, are reckoned among the proud
est ornaments of our country2 But suppose,
for them, il matters not what he lrus-he has
been white -washed-he has offered up incense
to Mammon, and the sins and errors Of his past
life are forgiven and forgotten;-so be it with
them: but still, the people of this country ought
to know the character and principles Of him
who seeks to obtrude himself upon their notice
as the biographer Of their President. The fol-
lowing brief expose" will perhaps give some
information on the subject.
William Goblet wa, as every one knows,
the author OF a series Of political essays in '95
and 'e6, addressed to the American people,
above the signature of Peter Porcupiae," and
entitled, "A bone to gnaw for the Democrats"
Articles more false, more abusive, and more ca
luminous, were never Illuminated from the Anne
rican Press. Every thing which the busy brain
of man lost to honor and to justice could con-
ceive of-every thing which a reckless and IL
centous hand could do, was resorted to for
the purpose Of heaping odum upon the De-
mocrats Of that period. An emissary Of roy.
atty, he sought our shores for the purpose OF
injecting with British poison the healtbfu veins
and vessels of our body polite. His object
was to sap and undermine the very foundations
of Liberty, by blackening and traducing the
character of its warmest supporters. The wor-
thy and the virtuous were chiefly the objects of
his attack, and even Washington did not es-
cape the shafts which he shot, with unceasing
rancor, against the great and good Of our coun-
try. Had he have been capable of inflicting
en- an illustrous victim to the English archer
But need not mention the names Of all who
were wounded by the quilts of Peter Porcupine
They survived their wounds, and contempt and