Fowle's New Hampshire Gazette And General Advertiser

PORTS MOUTH. December 2.

On Saturday the 18th inst: his Excellency the President of this state returned from his tour through the country, and arrived at his seat in Durham; having reviewed part of the troops in Rockingham and Hillsborough counties, and all the regiments in the counties of Cheshire and Grafton--He was escorted from regiment to regiment by the principal gentlemen of the towns through which he passed, and by a great number of the officers of the respective regiments. The inhabitants of the several towns received him with the greatest marks of respect, and announced his arrival by the discharge of cannon, ringing of bells, and firing of muskets.--The people of every rank shewed the strongest demonstrations of joy at seeing the Commander in Chief on a tour, to put the militia in a respectable posture of defence, and to instruct them in that art which alone can render them able defenders of their country's freedom.--The officers and soldiers of the respective regiments used every possible exertion to gain the approbation of their Captain-General, and to merit the applause of the numerous spectators who attended at every review. Almost all the officers, and some whole companies, were in uniform, and what does the highest honor to both officers and soldiers is, that the uniforms were of the manufacture of this country, and made a most elegant appearance: some companies which failed of obtaining woolen cloth, uniformed themselves in rifle frocks and overalls, of the linen of this country, trimmed with ribbons of the same color with the facings of the regiments to which they belonged, and made a very soldierly appearance. The guns and bayonets were very bright and in excellent order, and the troops went through the manual exercise, and performed the manoeuvres with such dexterity and exactness as gave pleasure to all the spectators: and afforded the highest satisfaction to the Captain General and all their officers,--The old method of firing loose guns was so far discountenanced that many regiments remained the whole day in the field performing their exercises, and not the sound of the gun was heard; and so desirous were both officers and soldiers to improve the days of parade; in a manner more useful than has been heretofore practiced, that there was not any time wasted in feasting, or the least appearance of intoxication among the troops in any quarter of the state. On his Excellency's return through Londonderry, the officers and gentlemen of that town, and the town of Windham, who had escorted him from Litchfield, presented him with the following address:

Londonderry, 17th November 1786.

May it please your Excellency,

A NUMBER of the officers of the 8th regiment of militia, a number of the respectable inhabitants of Londonderry, and sundry of the inhabitants of Windham, beg leave to congratulate your Excellency on your safe return, thus far, from your long and laborious tour; and to felicitate themselves on the pleasing occasion of your arrival in this town. The honor hereby done us, is the more sensibly felt, as it comes at a time when the impressions are so recent that may have been made on your Excellency's mind to the disadvantage of Londonderry, by the unwarrantable conduct of a number of its inhabitants.

Pained to the heart for the infatuation of so many of our deluded fellow citizens, in various parts of the state, who have been seduced, by evil influence, into measures so directly calculated to destroy our excellent constitution, and to reduce the state to anarchy and confusion; we are particularly wounded by the reflection that this popular frenzy had infected any of our brethren in this town.--

Permit us, however to assure your Excellency, that there are not, among our fellow-citizens in the state of New-Hampshire, any who are more firmly attached to your Excellency's person and government, or more inflexibly determined to support the constitution and laws of the state, than a great majority of the inhabitants of Londonderry.

The spirit and wisdom with which your Excellency so happily extinguished the flame of sedition, at the very crisis when it became most alarming, merits the thanks of every friend to order and to mankind.

The patriotic exertions which we behold your Excellency every day, so indefatigably making to promote the happiness of the state,--and especially, to put its militia again into order, after so long and unhappy a derangement, entitles your Excellency to the character of the Father of your Country.

Long may your Excellency enjoy the satisfaction of being the terror of evil doers, and a praise and encouragement of all that do well; and never may the state of New-Hampshire, never may one of the inhabitants of this town, give you the pain of being obliged to exert your great abilities, again, to snatch the community from eminent destruction.

To which his Excellency returned the following answer:

Gentlemen,

AN Address so replete with sentiments of esteem for, and loyalty to the government of New-Hampshire, and in which so respectable a number of my fellow-citizens have so politely expressed their attachment to my person, and their approbation of my conduct as chief magistrate, cannot fail to afford me the most sensible pleasure, and to merit my most cordial thanks. I lament with you, the infatuation of a few inhabitants of some towns in this state, who have been seduced into measures pregnant with ruin to the state and to themselves, and am happy to find, that the number of those who favor their proceedings is very inconsiderable.

I have ever considered the conduct of the few deluded persons, in this and other towns, as painful to a very great majority of the most respectable inhabitants of Londonderry and Windham; in which opinion their polite conduct, on this day, and their affectionate address, cannot fail to confirm me. I am happy to find, that the part I have acted in suppressing the late insurrection, and the measures I am now taking to put the militia in a posture of defence, receive your approbation; and you may rest assured, that nothing, on my part, shall be wanting, to prevent our happy constitution from being overturned by seditious persons, who, if suffered to prevail, would plunge the community into anarchy, and rob us of the fruits of that freedom which was purchased by the blood and treasures of America, and secured to us by the plighted faith of our countrymen. I beg you to accept my most sincere thanks, for your generous wishes in my favor; and that you will permit me to join with you in earnestly praying, that no inhabitant of this state may be so infatuated, as again to compel government to exert its power for maintaining the constitutional authority delegated to the representative body of the people, upon the support of which depends our lives, our fortunes, and all that can be dear to men in society."