Gazette Of The United States, & Philadelphia Daily Advertiser

TO the PRESIDENT OF the UNITED STATES.

SIR,

WE, the undersigned Jurors attending the Circuit Court of the United States for the district of Maryland, think it our duty to address you on the alarming situation into which our public affairs have been brought by the unconciliating spirit, ambition and rapacity of those who now govern the Republic of France.

At the first dawn of the revolution in that country, we fondly hoped that a new era was opening upon mankind, when liberty, justice and humanity would take the place of slavery, rapine and cruelty which had too long disgraced the world. Allured by this delusive phantom, many of us long excused the errors and apologized for the crimes of that ill-fated people.

But at length our eyes are opened, when we see them aiming deadly blows at the small remains of republicanism in Europe, and menacing us also with destruction, the only people on earth who have ever shewn them sincere friendship, and who have nothing to reproach ourselves with, as to them, but too fond, too blind an attachment. On a calm retrospect of the conduct of your illustrious Predecessor, and a view of the measures which have been pursued during your administration with regard to that nation, we can perceive nothing which ought to have offended, nothing unattempted that could have averted the calamity with which we are threatened, unless we had chosen to have become their ally in a war foreign to our interests, and probably fatal to our independence.

Anxious as we always have been, and still are, to avoid war, yet we are persuaded that there is one evil greater and more dreadful, national degradation, the certain harbinger of slavery. Accept then, Sir, our assurances, as in some measure representing our district, that you will find us animated with the spirit of freemen, and determined at all hazards to defend the rights and independence of our country, and if there be any of a different sentiment, as hath been presumptuously asserted, they will be found few indeed.

John Campbell,
William C. Brent,
Richard Forrest,
Charles Wallace,
Isaac Pollock,
James Williams,
Charles Carroll, jun.
Alexander Green,
John Galloway,
Samuel Bayly,
Denton Jacques,
William Dallam,
George Kennedy,
Randolph B. Latimer,
Patrick Murdock,
Samuel Robertson,
Evan Gwinn,
Thomas Nowland,
William Lee,
J. Bugh,
Samuel C. Hall,
John R. Key, jun.

Annapolis, May 8th, 1798.

ANSWER.

To the Jurors attending the Circuit Court of the United States for the district of Maryland.

GENTLEMEN,

I THANK you for this address.

The French revolution was a phenomenon, so unusual in the modern history of the world (although the changes of dynasties were common in the great empires of antiquity) and held up to our view in the amiable light of reformation and regeneration, while its deformities were carefully concealed from the public in America, that it is not surprising, that a new era was thought by many to be opening upon mankind. It is now apparent to all men, that slavery, rapine, and cruelty, have been augmented and multiplied, instead of being succeeded by liberty, justice and humanity.

I rejoice that your eyes are at length opened; the deadly blows aimed at the small remains of republicanism in Europe, and the menaces of destruction against us, who have nothing to reproach ourselves with, but too fond, too blind an attachment, cannot fail to alarm every candid mind.

The satisfaction you express in the conduct of the Executive authority of this country towards France, is very acceptable.

Many strong indications have escaped, from time to time, for several years, that nothing would satisfy the French rulers, short of our becoming their ally in a war, foreign to our interest, and fatal to our independence, by becoming tributary to their ambitious views of universal domination, by sea and land, and to the rapacious avarice of influential individuals.

This national degradation, the certain harbinger of slavery, or rather slavery itself, is certainly an evil greater, and more dreadful than war.

Your determination, at all hazards, to defend the rights and independence of your country, shews you to be animated with the spirit of Freemen, and does you great honor.

JOHN ADAMS.

Philadelphia, May 18th, 1798.