The New Hampshire Gazette

PORTSMOUTH,

TUESDAY MORNING, JAN. 13, 1824.

THE NEXT ELECTION

The time is not far distant, when the people of New-Hampshire will again be called upon to elect a suitable person for their Chief Executive Magistrate. We entertain a firm belief that his Excellency LEVI WOODBURY will again consent to be a candidate for the office, which he now holds. And should his eminent qualifications for the office, his talents, acquirements and integrity, and the assiduous and faithful manner in which he has performed the responsible duties of his station the past year, be duly appreciated, there can be no rational doubt of his re-election by a much larger majority than he had at the last election. It will be recollected that Gov. Woodbury was first nominated by conventions of the people and of their delegates in opposition to the nomination of a self-created Legislative Caucus at Concord. And so general was the joy of the people, that he received more than seventeen thousand suffrages of his fellow-citizens. So entirely satisfactory was his administration, during the last session of the Legislature, that not even an attempt was made to get up a Convention for the purpose of nominating a different candidate. We are therefore irresistibly led to the conclusion, that the members of the general court, as well as others, expected that Gov. Woodbury would be supported, at the next election, as the regular candidate for the office of Governor. And from what we learn of the public sentiment, we infer that the people, at large, will consider him as a popular candidate; for so far from having done any thing to forfeit their confidence, his administration has met the approbation of the candid and enlightened. If however the public voice should hereafter be expressed, in a regular manner, by a convention of the delegates of the people, chosen for the express purpose, or by such conventions, as the people in their own wisdom should determine to hold, and a new nomination should be made in accordance with the general will, we should feel ourselves at liberty to support such a nomination. Such meetings however ought to be properly notified and regularly conducted. But should an assemblage be suddenly collected in any particular section of the state, not composed of Delegates appointed by the people, but of the enemies of our republican institutions, disappointed office seekers, intriguers and ambitious demagogues, we humbly conceive that the people would not be bound to support any nomination made by such an assemblage, because it would afford no certain criterion of the public opinion. We hold to the doctrine, that under our happy form of government the fair and legitimate expression of the voice of the people on the subject of nominating candidates for office, ought not to be controlled by the conductor of a free press.

To prove that our national and state concerns have been well conducted the past year, we need only appeal to the happy and prosperous condition of the people. The people of this State have never enjoyed a higher degree of prosperity. Our government has been administered upon pure republican principles. There have been no oppressive taxes, or burdens of any description, imposed upon the people. They have no grievances to complain of. "If," says the learned author of Junius, "we see them obedient to the laws, prosperous in their industry, united at home, and respected abroad, we may reasonably presume, that their affairs are conducted by men of experience, abilities and virtue."

We wish to pay no undeserved compliment to the administration of our present Governor. We presume it has not been perfect. Such an administration we may never expect to find on earth. But we mean to say that it is deserving of the public confidence.

It cannot be disguised that the editors of one or two of our public journals have attempted to disturb the public repose, and raise the "hue and cry" against our present upright and enlightened Governor. Their attempts will prove abortive. An editor of a newspaper has it in his power, unaided by others, to make much clamor, and prostitute his press by making it the medium of disseminating calumny and falsehood. But the people of New-Hampshire are much too enlightened to be long deceived. They have sufficient capacity to judge for themselves, and it is sincerely hoped they will never cease to exercise this high privilege: An editor of a newspaper may publish a thousand unjust charges and falsehoods, but it is beyond his power to make "white, black." Nor need it be disguised, that the present Governor has had to contend with some embarrassments. However ardent and pure might have been his wishes, it was not in his power to please every person. Many of the numerous candidates for office must necessarily be disappointed. Such persons, particularly those with the fewest qualifications, very often become malignant political opposers. Consider then the unusually large number of vacant offices during the short administration of Gov. Woodbury, and you can readily account for the little speck of war, which has appeared in the west. It by no means follows from that little circumstance, that his administration is unpopular. It will be recollected too, that the Council have as much power under our constitution in making appointments to office, as the Governor has. Without adverting to this circumstance, some inconsiderate persons have perhaps censured the Governor for not having vainly attempted to usurp to himself the whole control. The people themselves are represented by the present Councillors at the Executive Board, and to the people are they accountable for their public conduct. If in making so many appointments, the public have any reason to complain with respect to one or two of them, they ought not with a due exercise of charity to impute the whole blame to the Governor, when they have vested him with only half the power. We are not however disposed to find fault with any of the Executive appointments, but sincerely believe that the Governor has been actuated by a pure motive to the public good.

His faithful and arduous labors, while on the Superior Court bench, his upright demeanor as well before as since, his extensive learning, and his unblemished character, do justly give him a strong claim to the public confidence. As a Statesman he stands high in the estimation of all who know him. For these and various other considerations, which might be presented, we confidently hope that his re-election to his present office will add to the honor of our State, and be the means of promoting the best interests of the people. Let then, the friends of our republican institutions be united in his support, and again rally round the standard of their country.