Portland Gazette, And Maine Advertiser

From the Boston Centinel.

GROSS CALUMNIES REFUTED.

"WE SPEAK WHAT WE KNOW."

TO THE PEOPLE.

SOME days since we received a note from a correspondent, in the District of Maine, of which the following is an extract:-

"March 14, 1809.

"THE most detestable reports are in circulation in this district respecting the Hon. Mr. GORE, our worthy candidate for Governor- Runners have been employed to disseminate reports through the country that he is a foreigner; an enemy to the American Revolution; that he was born in England;-that he was an officer under Mowatt, who burnt Falmouth: that he made an immense fortune in England; and that he leads a dissolute life, &c.-As you must have known Mr. Gore from his youth, and can easily confute these falsehoods, excuse me for calling your attention to the subject.

"Your humble servant,

O. B."

We have not been ignorant of the fact, that amongst other mean electioneering tricks resorted to by a desperate faction, the above miserable falsehoods have been included: But we have felt a full conviction that in a community so intelligent as ours, they could not impress the minds of a single citizen with any thing but detestation of their authors. As our attention has been called particularly to the subject, we shall refute these lies by a few facts respecting Mr. Gore's life and character.

CHRISTOPHER GORE, was born in Boston (in 1759) and was the youngest son of as worthy a mechanic as ever Boston produced. If testimony to the amiable and inoffensive character of the senior Mr. Gore, were wanting, we could appeal to our venerable Town Clerk, Cooper, and others, who knew and esteemed him for many years.

Notwithstanding the conscientious predilection of the Father to the now popular doctrine of "passive obedience and non-resistance," all his sons were Whigs from their infancy. In one of the early collisions of the revolution the eldest son, Mr. SAMUEL GORE, was twice wounded by musket balls: -And was one of the small band of Bostonians, who immediately previous to the battle of Lexington courageously possessed themselves of the two pieces of brass artillery, now called the "Hancock" and "Adams;" though they were in the possession of a British guard, in the Laboratory-conveyed them into a desk in Mr. HOLBROOK's writing school, and afterwards sent them out of town concealed in manure, in a coal cart. Many living witnesses are conversant with this fact.

Mr. CHRISTOPHER GORE, the calumniated candidate, at the beginning of the American Revolution, was at Cambridge College; where he continued until he finished his education; and was then placed in the office of the late Judge LOWELL. During that time the newspapers of the day will show, that the juvenile effusions of his pen were devoted to the cause of liberty and his country.

In 1778, when Gen. SULLIVAN was ordered to Rhode-Island, he requested volunteers from Boston to join the expedition. The Independent Company, commanded by Col. HICH. BORN, accepted the invitation.-Mr. CHRISTOPHER Gore joined this company as a volunteer, marched to Rhode-Island, and was actively and zealously engaged in all the services of that campaign, The post of danger and confidence was frequently assigned to this corps, and to it was entrusted the duty of covering Gen. SULLIVAN's retreat from the island; which became indispensable from the French leave taken by the Count d'Estaing We could refer for proof of this early trait of devotion to his country in Mr. Gore, when a youth, to Gen. COBB, the candidate for Lieutenant-Governor; to the Hon. Perez MORTON, late Speaker of the House, then an officer in the corps; to Capt. THOMAS Clark, Mr. Zachariah Hicks, and to Mr. THOMAS Pons;--the latter gentleman, who has been considered a "republican" is full in the praises of Mr. GORE's zeal and patriotism on the occasion.

During the Revolutionary War he discharged every duty assigned him with fidelity and ability; and from his industry and success in his profession he became affluent.

In 1787. Mr. GORE was chosen a Member of the Convention of Massachusetts, which ratified the present CONSTITUTION of the United States -His able and unremitting exertions at that important crisis of our affairs, must dwell in the recollection of every one who was then "feelingly alive" to the situation of our beloved country. He advocated and voted for the bulwark of our nation's Rights, and Bond of Union; and the Mechanics, and other citizens of Boston, in testimony of their gratitude for his services, waited upon him in a GRAND FEDERAL PROCESSION, and expressed their thanks by loud gratulations and huzzas. The day on which this happened will long be remembered with PRIDE & PLEASURE by Bostonians.

From year to year-many years unanimously-Mr Gore received the suffrages of his fellow-townsmen as their Representative, and as Senator of Suffolk.

When the National Government was organized, President WASHINGTON selected Mr. GORE as the first District Attorney of Massachusetts. -He was one of those kind of men whom the Father of his Country delighted to honor and employ ;-and in his judgment of Men no one on earth was superior to WASHINGTON.

In 1796 President WASHINGTON sent Mr. Gore as a Commissioner to Great-Britain, to settle controversies and claims under the British Treaty. He obeyed the command and this was the first time Mr. Gore was ever out of the United States. We shall not attempt to show how well he executed his trust as a Commissioner; but THOUSANDS remember with gratitude, that to his exertions, knowledge and pains-taking, near SEVEN MILLIONS of DOLLARS were awarded to American citizens, for violations by British cruizers; every cent of which was paid in specie, and a very considerable part of which was for costs and interest on the claims. During this mission so great was his zeal for the interests of his fellow citizens that he twice crossed the Atlantic to consult his government on the subject.

He was several years on this mission, and this fact cannot be denied, that he returned from England a much poorer man than he went out; and has been compelled again to resort to his profession, to mend the breaches in his fortune. But he had a rich reward in the gratitude of his fellow-citizens.

Mr. GORE is now one of the Representatives of Boston : and his exertions to relieve the people from the operation of the Embargo system are too recent not to be recollected. No one can call in question his talents, his political knowledge, and devotion to the true interests of his country.

His deportment in private life is without a blemish. No man is more easy of access than him. He partakes of but few of what the world calls the amusements of life ; though many of them are innocent. His hours of relaxation from his studies, and professional duties, are employed in the cultivation and improvement of his farm. His great exertions and liberal expenditures in experiments for the improvement of our systems of Agriculture, Horticulture, and particularly the breed of cattle-for which Massachusetts has become noted-are known and estimated by a great portion of the Yeomanry of the State.

At the commencement of the electioneering contest the last year, Governor STRONG was unanimously agreed upon and received the continued support of the federalists: But he declined : And at a large meeting of gentlemen from every part of the State, and from among several candidates, Mr. Gore was agreed upon to receive their support by a large majority ; and his nomination was the most zealously urged by the gentlemen of the interior and remote parts of the State, particularly by the Agricultural interest. The effect was, at the first time he was put up, he received THIRTY-NINE THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED and FORTY-THREE suffrages of his fellow-citizens.-A number which fell but few short of a choice ; and a larger number of votes than was ever given to any one candidate for Governor (excepting twice) in Massachusetts.- The late Governor STRONG is very solicitous for the election of Mr. GORE.

We have extended this article beyond the limits we had intended.- Such is CHRISTOPHER GORE. the candidate for the office of Gov. of Massachusetts ; and who, if the people are true to themselves and will do their duty, will be elected by a majority of many thousands. Such is the man, and such the series of services rendered his country, by the man, whom a despairing faction --the old and worn out calumniators of Washington, Adams, & Strong -have again had the folly to attempt to vilify, by the propagation of slanders which recoil with tenfold vengeance on their hands.

CENTINEL.