The Kentucky Gazette

FROM THE MIRROR.

Messrs. Hunter and Beaumarchais:

I, the other day, happened to meet with a few Philadelphia papers. The first thing that arrested my attention, was, the "STATE OF KENTUCKY," in large letters, staring me in the face. On further examination, I found a scrip nearly as long as itself in which our unfortunate state of Kentucky is belabored with the grossest abuse that ever flowed from the pen of malevolence. An unprincipled wretch, thinking to curry favor with men in office, and squeeze himself (probably) into employment, comes forward to calumniate a whole state —

Devoid of virtue as the author of such infamous falsehoods must be, he aims at reducing the virtuous citizens of Kentucky to a level with himself. It is possible that a libel against a state, not very high in the good graces of the federal government, may not be deemed, by our executive, a crime of any consequence; but I trust there is another executive, in whose eyes detraction and malice will always appear criminal, and this base attack on Kentucky as much so, strongly barred against by certain luminous laws.

The sycophantic, envenomed correspondent to Timothy Pickering's, will come, when such bugs as this sink into oblivion, or if at all recognized, be held in sovereign detestation and contempt—whilst the conduct of the citizens of Kentucky, when it comes to be perfectly known, and the false coloring given it by designing villains removed, will be universally approbated by the real friends of America, and its constitution.

The whole letter is a precious morsel, and plainly shows that he thinks panegyric the high road to preferment. But it would trespass too much upon your paper, to insert any part of it but what relates to the state of Kentucky, room for which you must indulge me with.

After a vast deal said about French affairs, and contrasting the "enlightened" citizens of the United States with that "insignificant class" which constitutes the major part of the community, he makes his grand attack on Kentucky.

": That strenuous efforts have been made, and are ever making, to wean this mighty, fickle mass from the government of their country-)or surely

indefatigable observers of the various portions of the union; let them peruse and meditate on the declarations made last. Let them investigate the tenor at Lexington, in Kentucky, in August and the tendency of the political creed' of George Nicholas,"

the most influential declaimer of that western frontier. Let them be in-

structed that this man is the near re- lative of EDMUND RANDOLPH.-Let it then be remembered, that from the same spot whence the government is now so rudely, so libellously assailed, the first open violation of our neutrality. by an American army, was orga- nized and enforced. Let them further learn, that from this post has been culled the native and avowed spy A ; the French spy La Chaise; and the deluded agent C-of whose devotions to the Gallic regents the public have been recently apprized; and now let then give ear to the final appeal on this momentous subject."

" THE STATE OF KENTUCKY, from its composition the least federal, and thence the most hostile to the uni- on, of any within the limits of the U- nited States, consequently, the quar- ter from whence an open attack on their interior tranquility may be first apprehended.

From its position, in the actual state of our relation with other powers, the frontiers most vulnerable from with- out; and, under existing circumstan- ces there, the least to be confided in as a barrier against Spain, or France, or the Indians

Of the composition of its population, we are impelled-by the avowed de- fection of a considerable portion-to make the following analysis : the pre- sent inhabitants of Kentucky are the most heterogeneous, and the least known there, or at the seat of govern- ment, of any in a state so populous.

It contains more men accustomed to the use of arms, and the service of war ; and more adults in proportion to females and infants : besides, these men have few local or general ties, as real Americans-because it has been the sole refuge, since the peace of all those delinquent and desperate individuals. whom other states have arraigned, expelled or discountenanced.

To this source of augmentation, may be added another more copious and less odious, though equally unfriend- ly. A class of reduced persons, who forth.. ye reluctantly abandoned the cultivated and abundant shore of the

Footnote: For these and few other strong assertions which follow, respecting the state of the public mind in Kentucky. will be completely justified by several late avowals large number of inhabitants" (for I cannot myself to call them citizens) of Clarke county " in that state; and by the Political Creed of George Nicholas.