The New Hampshire Gazette

On Addressing the President.

THE Democrats are good hands to make a difficulty, and then to urge that very difficulty as a justification of their own conduct. They say, it would be a great piece of indecorum to negative a proposal to address the President, as it would imply a want of confidence in his administration.—Whose fault is that? Are the movers to blame, who knew all this before hand, or the Legislature, who place confidence or refuse it, according to their knowledge and experience.

In 1800, all Massachusetts voted for another Candidate as President; and every body knows, that the public voice of the people of the State was not in his favor. In 1802, if he had acted very well, it would be very early to shift about and contradict, in words, what we had signified by conduct. He could scarcely do this sooner himself; indeed the dates of his Inaugural Speech and his Bishop Letter might decide that point, if there were before us; but it is not necessary they should be as nobody ought to vie with the Chief Magistrate, in the readiness to accommodate speeches to circumstances. But what has the President already done to justify this hasty applause? He has but recently addressed Congress for the first time; and they have but just began the work of meriting our confidence, by pulling down what the former administrations had long and arduously labored to build up. Shall we lend confidence or shall it be earned?-Shall we lend it without security? Is the ripping up of the Judiciary any security? Are the Virginia proposed amendments pledges for confidence? Are the removals from office of scores of honest men: is the appointment of Mr. Gallatin, of Alexander Wolcott, and of the aged Mr. Bishop the blooms that promise good fruit? Then men shall gather apples from thorns, and figs from thistles.