Portland Gazette, And Maine Advertiser

Extract of a letter from Washington, dated April 13, 1814.

"The weak and abominable Restrictive System, which violated every principle of the Constitution, is no more—A bill to annihilate it has passed both houses of Congress by triumphant majorities.—The repeal was not opposed by any one whose influence is considered to be of the smallest importance. The Managers of the Nation held their caucus; where the repeal having been decreed, the President, Senate and House, like the old French Parliament, had nothing to do but to enregister and execute the edict. So moves our State machine.

"Your York apostate Senator* has lately received a sore disappointment here. Like other noisy mock patriots and changelings, he was one of the most greedy office-seekers; and confidently demanded to be placed in the office of District Attorney, vacant by the death of Mr. Lee. He urged his claim with his usual confidence; and alluded to his hard labors in the Senate of Massachusetts—where we are told, he exercised his vulgar tongue very flippantly; being confident the gentlemen he attempted to abuse would consider the insults of a worthless railer to be innocent; and that his impertinence would pass unchastised. But all would not answer. The Brother in law of the President had a young scion of the law, in Saco, which he wished to have ingrafted into some thrifty stock; and as kissing goes by favor here, the young lawyer has been appointed, and the turncoat disappointed, and must wait for the death or old shoes of some other office-holder.

John Holmes*"