National Gazette

Mr. FRENEAU,

AMONG the volunteer toasts of the officers of the Philadelphia militia, an orator is held forth who signalized himself wonderfully in New-Jersey. It was scarcely necessary to travel so far back for a specimen of his oratorial flourishes, for so lately as the sitting of the convention of this state for the formation of our present constitution, did he exhibit his prowess in the powers of the tribune. His talents had there a full opportunity for a display; they might have shone forth in defence of equal principles; but excepting on one or two trifling occasions, he never attempted to astonish the convention with the thunder of his declamation, or the lightning of his argument. I will do him justice—he strove to be sure, as far as his ingenuity and a certain cast of disposition would allow, to remove the power of appointing senators from the people to a body of electors! but in this attempt upon equality, upon the inherent, the unalienable rights of the people to appoint their own legislators, he was foiled by the genuine talents and republicanism of a Wilson and a Findley. His oratory on that day will never be obliterated from my memory; but for his own honor, as well as for the honor of principles which he professes, it would have been better that he had been born without a tongue. It is grating to hear a man commended for talents that he does not possess, and for principles which he is a stranger to—As a bon vivant he has peculiar merit, but as an orator and a statesman his station is very subordinate.

VERITAS.

Feb. 8, 1793.