Jenks's Portland Gazette

From the Gazette of the United States.

American Oppression and Injustice.

"HEAVENS!" cries an enraged Patriot, seizing a peaceable citizen by the shoulder, "will you see oppression lording over our unhappy country, until she groans in agony—will you see tyranny striding over us with halters, and fetters: with cords, racks and shackles, to bind the innocent and defenceless and plunder their property; trampling on the sacred rights of man, prostrating the godlike, unalienable equality of our species and putting the vengeance of injured freemen at defiance? Aristocrats and monarchists and despots are rising on the ruins of liberty and insulting at once our misery and our tameness—Can you see these things and remain an idle unconcerned spectator, making no effort to crush our tyrants and save the land?" The peaceable citizen catches the patriotic fury—his bosom burns with the outrages described; he is ashamed and astonished that such things could have been done: such enormities committed, and he never have heard of them—his heart bleeds for the sufferings of the injured; he swears vengeance against their oppressors and that his blood shall freely flow for their relief. "Come said he, why do we waste our time in words, let us hasten and expiate the blood of the murdered by hurling death and destruction on their murderers." "Murdered" cries the patriot, "has any one been put to death—I had not heard of that."—"If not yet murdered" says the citizen "they must be confined in the damp glooms of a dungeon for more deliberate slaughter. Let us go and force the goal and set the poor wretches at liberty." "For God's sake, cries the patriot, "what do you mean, this also is new to me; who is there in prison that is not legally and justly confined—would you set Hell loose upon us by opening the goal doors."—"Well then" says the citizen "their property has been wrested from them by violence and plunder; their persons have been ill treated and shamefully abused by lawless power; their—" "Who! Who! What! are you talking about cries the Patriot. Who has been plundered, ill treated and abused; let me know for Heaven's sake—" "Do you ask me these questions, replies our moderated citizen, after telling me of oppression and tyranny; of halters, racks and shackles!—How can these things be when no man is oppressed; no man imprisoned; no man's life in jeopardy; no man's estate taken by unlawful authority, or his person injured by the touch of violence—what do you mean" "I mean the rights of man, the unalienable, indefeasible rights of man are infringed—his natural equality destroyed—his towering spirit restrained; his perfectability impeded."—This is all nonsense says the citizen. Some are rich and some poor, continues the patriot; some are great and some mean; some powerful and some weak: all contrary to the inherent nature and disposition of man—and "says the citizen" some men are wise and some foolish; some are idle and some industrious; some men are virtuous, and some wicked; some are honest and some scoundrels, seeking plunder through anarchy and blood—So, you are a madman or something worse—Talk to knaves and fools, of tyranny and oppression without injury or injustice to any man.

TRISTAM.