The New Hampshire Gazette

For the N. H. Gazette.

"By your leave,
That paltry story is untrue,
And forged to cheat such gulls as you !"-Butler

" We sometimes wonder to see those people proud who have done the meanest things."-Pope.

Val.—"Why, how know you that I told a lie ?
Speed.--"Marry, by these special marks."

-In the Gent. of Verona.

Mr Editor,-In your paper of the 18th ult. I made some animadversions upon the directors of the Washingtonian cause in Portsmouth and vicinity, concerning their countenancing too far, the efforts of profane and illiterate men in their public attempts to advance the principles of total abstinence.

I instanced two lecturers, citizens of Portsmouth; and gave a brief description of their addresses. Now it seems that one "Jacob Walden," feels grieved at my strictures on the proceedings of the evening in question ; and, not satisfied with previous exhibitions of his peculiar erudition, foists himself and his " benevolent motives" again upon the public's notice, like

"One whom the music of his own sweet tongue
Doth ravish like enchanted harmony."

Not seeming to understand that,

"Words learnt by rote a parrot may rehearse,
But talking is not always to converse."

I should never have taken any further notice of this "learned critic," had he not, by his astonishing powers of discernment, discovered that I was a rum-seller, and therefore opposed to the temperance cause, descanting with great unction on the inappropriateness of my signature "Vox Populi." As the bold and reckless

assertions of those who are

Skill'd by a touch to deepen scandal's tints
With all the kind mendacity of hints :

While mingling truth with falsehood, sneers with smiles.
A thread of candour with a web of wiles."

Are calculated to mislead the unwary and deceive the unsuspecting, I felt called upon, as a duty which I owe the "Washingtonian Total Abstinence Society," of which I am an humble member, to say that I do not now, nor have ever at any previous period, sold ardent spirits, or any other intoxicating beverage : consequently I am not a, nor the rum-seller, but a simple citizen who rejoices in the prosperity of the temperance cause, having at the same time a sense of propriety, which causes me to view with repugnance, all misstatements and profanity uttered in the house of God, as an unnecessary and uncalled for desecration of that holy place.

These views, and a desire to curb the heedless impetuosity of unpracticed declaimers, caused me to make those remarks which appeared in a former paper, and which have given such mortal offence to the "reformed rum-seller."

But "it is denied that the language of the two lecturers is fairly represented;" well I admit that it is not,-neither was the wisdom and glory of Solomon "fairly represented" to the queen of Sheba,-for the one half had not been told.

In conclusion, I trust I am now understood.- that my "position" is correctly "defined," and that Mr "Jacob Walden" feels satisfied that his and his colleague's lectures did not wound the intemperate, so much as they pain'd the temperate :-did not arouse the careless, so much as they hurt the careful,

I have no personal feeling against Mr Walden; I am told that he is a reformed man,-I am glad of it :-that he is a whole hearted Washingtonian,-I rejoice to hear it:-that he endeavors to advocate the "cause" in public lectures,- but there, dear "Jake," you must excuse us, for although we live in a rough and rocky place, and are used to little things, yet when we come to the speech,-and such a speech! Why, really, we can't swallow such "exceeding small potatoes."

Vox Populi,

New Castle, Oct. 26, 1842.