Gazette Of The United States, & Philadelphia Daily Advertiser

It is much to be lamented that mankind are influenced in their conduct more by their passions than their reason. Artful men, therefore, who think any measure lawful that will accomplish their purposes, instead of endeavouring to instruct and inform the minds of men, and in that way to convince them, take a shorter way to effect their designs by addressing themselves to their passions and prejudices. Nothing can more fully verify this remark than the conduct of the modern Revolutionists and Philosophers of Europe and America. The party in this country, disappointed in their opposition to the British Treaty: and in their attempts to elect Mr. Jefferson to the office of president, and put us under the control of France, have redoubled their activity in spreading falsehood and calumny among the least informed part of the community, to alienate their attachment from their own government, and to unite them with an unprincipled foreign nation in opposition to their own country.

The people are told. "That the persons who administer our Government, and those who support the late measures which have been adopted, are old British Tories, who are endeavouring to bring us back to our former state of Colonial Dependence." The tale of itself seems too idle to require contradiction; but when we consider how great a part of mankind are moved and influenced by their prejudices, without taking time to reflect, it may not be thought useless to make a few observations upon it. For myself, I have no doubt, that the class of people who were called Tories, in. the time of our late Revolution, have been generally as firmly attached to our Government as any other description of men; some of them, I know during our late insurrection were the first in support of Government, to expose themselves to dangers in the high places of the field. But let it be supposed, for the present consideration, that they are unfriendly to a Republican Government,· and are seeking to bring us into subjection to Great Britain. I would then ask where the Old Tories are to be found, who constitute, at least, two thirds of the whole American people? No where—·unless it be in the disordered imaginations of the self called patriotic republicans, and in the weak minds of credulous men, who have been wrought upon by such hob-goblin tories.

Who are the characters that are intended to be stigmatized as Old Tories? They are Adams, Washington, Jay, and a long list of worthies, who were the first movers, and the firm and steady conductors of that revolution which severed us from the British Empire, and gave us rank among Independent nations. Who are the supporters of these characters, and of the present measures of government? As we have not the means of knowing the sentiments of the people in the remote parts of the Union, we will only look look around us in New-England. The four New England states send twenty-seven representatives to Congress, out of that number three only can be counted on the side of opposition; & it is confidently expected that not more than one of them will be re-elected. The Representation from New-England is then almost nine-tenths in support of the measures of Government. But look at the late address of the several legislatures of the same states to the President, you will there see in those four legislatures 482 votes decidedly in approbation of the measures of the Executive, and pledge themselves and their constituents for their support—in opposition to those addresses you will find only the diminutive and pitiful number of thirty-six. Almost fifteen sixteenths then of all the people in the four New-England states, we may firmly conclude, are on the side of government and of the administration.

Were all the people of New-England. who were the first and bravest supporters of our Independence, Old Tories? Was the firm and virtuous Adams, who signed the declaration of Independence, and managed affairs of the highest importance at foreign courts, was he an enemy and traitor to his country? Was the great and illustrious Washington, who led our armies in the field and whose fame as a guardian genius hovers over this land, was he opposed to the principles of our revolution and to our national independence? Are the large majority of both houses of Congress, men elected for their virtue, integrity and talents, old Tories? If these are the old Tories, of whom our Democrats so loudly declaim, what virtuous American will not be proud to be seen on their side? Let the followers of the infidel, Jefferson, and the foreigner Gallatin, call the veteran heroes and sages of America by what epithets they please; I trust my countrymen will have too much discernment to be cheated out of their liberties, by the insidious artifices of political swindlers, and too much spirit and firmness to surrender them to the corrupt and detestable tyrants of France.