Rhode Island Republican

TO THE PEOPLE.

But few occurrences will justify an individual in intruding himself on the attention of the Public.--If any will, they are those which both falsely implicate private character, and involve imputations on Government. No man ought, no reflecting man can, feel an indifference for the esteem and approbation of his fellow-citizens. But, no circumspection, no rectitude of intention or action, no laudable solicitude to obtain, can universally secure them. It has been long known that censure and abuse are the ordinary incidents of public employment. Experience and observation have taught me the superior propriety of meeting them (when under no peculiar circumstances)with patience, and refuting them, by a steady and firm adherence to principle and to duty.

The public attention has been directed to me, much beyond what either my station or my conduct in life can justify. It is not of importance, to decide on the motives or the object of this procedure. Believing that time, and the good sense of the people, would seasonably and effectually correct, in reference to myself, error, prejudice and misrepresentation, so far as they depend, merely on newspaper authority, or vulgar and untraceable reports, they have been, hitherto altogether unnoticed.

Their effect on the public tranquility have been subject of serious regret. The common, party and personal abuse, the incredible newspaper atrocious assertions, with which New-England has teemed, for the last twelve months the mere effects of ignorance, prejudice, pride or passion, merit nothing but silence, or anonymous answers. They excite more of regret than contempt; more of compassion than resentment, more of confidence, firmness and encouragement for perseverance than either. The assailed thinks little of them, feels less will be the first to forget, the last to seek for their authors, or trouble the public concerning them. This evil, feeble in its operation, of a circumscribed extent, a depredator on itself, and counteracting its designed tendencies, must soon expire, to the conviction and confusion of those who produced it-As such, at first, was viewed the report, which, in the course of the last winter, was hurried through the country, in all the federal papers, and in some, with double indexes, in respect to the payment of one thousand dollars, by the Secretary of the Treasury. on account of the absence of the Attorney General from the seat of Government.

But this report, and many others, have assumed a different complexion, as originating with persons who are, or have been in authority: who have pledged their weight of character, and other imposing circumstances,in support of them. Thus they have been circulated, perfidiously, with industry, and the boldest professions of attachment to truth, and of a tender and patriotic anxiety for the public good. An instance of this kind is a charge of misrepresentation, transferred to the Attorney General, from one of the numbers of the Farmer, respecting the Berceau. Another is contained in the bold assertions of Claudius, of misrepresentations, in another number of the same writer, and the intolerance of the present, and the liberality of the old Administration, in employing republican characters in the offices of the four executive departments of state.-This publication was, originally, made in a Connecticut paper,-and containing matter notoriously false, slandering and malignant, was, of course, copied into the Worcester Spy.

Falsehood so propagated, for such purposes, and implicating Government and individuals, will justify a resort to something beyond a naked denial, the ordinary mode of refutation. Their apparent authenticity, from the presumed respectability of their authors call. for the highest documents and proof to confute them. Had it been true that the Attorney. General had been guilty of the alleged abandonment of duty, and so unjust as to have subjected Gov.ernment to the necessity of making a double compensation for a single employment; had it been true that the treasury office had been so for.getful of right, and regardless of itself, as to have passed an account of one thousand dollars, or one cent, for performing the services allotted to a salary officer, during his unnecessary absence, it would, from the principle involved, have been matter of serious alarm to the people, and of just reproach to the Government. It would have called for public censure, on a congressional investigation.

This calumny first made its public appearance in a Boston Newspaper; and Soon reaching the seat of Government, from whence it probably originated, while Congress was in its last session, engaged, as it ought, the attention of its members individually. Each had within his reach, various and ample means for ascertaining the fact. The Secretary of the Treasury, the Register, the Auditor, or the Comptroller, could have done it on a simple enquiry--The records of the office, within twenty minutes travel from the capitol, would have done it, in 20 seconds. Each member, in his place, could have moved for an enquiry, and have caused the evidence of the fact, had it existed, to have been laid before congress. It was understood that out-door enquiries were made, and that Gentlemen, not the most disposed to think favorably of the conduct of the present officers of Government, being satisfied of the falsity of the report, explicitly rejected it. A member from New. York, in a circular letter to his constituents, which was published in several papers, & which was matter of much conversation among the members, fully and pointedly stated it, among many others, as a gross misrepresentation. There was reason to hope that the aspersion would have ended here, and that Government would have experienced no farther prejudice or injury from its effects-It could not have been anticipated that any member would have been so unfortunate as to have returned from the seat of Government (where in any hour he might have learnt the falsity of the report, if he did not previously knowit) to his constituents, and to them revive and confirm this groundless and false calumny against the officers of government. Yet this has been the fact.

Report says, a Member of a District, east of Boston, made the above statement, in a letter to one or more of his constituents, and that since his return, on enquiry, he has unreservedly confirmed it. If this is a mistake, as the Gentleman's character offers by the imputation it subjects him to, he will be pleased with this intimation, which will give him a fair opportunity of wiping off the aspersion. If he denies that he either stated or confirmed the representation, which his clerical character renders peculiarly necessary, if it can be done, he will withdraw his name from an error, to which others had attached it, for the purpose of giving to it a currency.

Being furnished with the proof, that a Member from a more western district had, under circumstances peculiarly calculated to gain belief, and to prejudice the public mind, confirmed the above report, and repeatedly asserted that the National Government had been Subjected to an extra charge of near a thousand dollars, for professional advice, on account of my absence, I felt it a duty which was due to myself, to the administration, and to the people, to take measures to correct this erroneous and injurious representation. In answer to a letter addressed to the Secretary of the Treasury, on the subject, I received the following, which I trust will be satisfactory to every friend to truth and fairness.

Was the abuse, or its effects, confined to myself. they should take their course, and the public never be troubled concerning them--

Treasury Department, July 7, 1802.

SIR,

In compliance with the request contained in your letter of the 26th ultimo, I have the honor to enclose a letter and certificate from the Register of the Treasury. Permit me to observe that if the report to which you allude rests only on Newspaper authority, it cannot be thought proper to repel it by official Documents. -I have the Honor to be with respect, Sir, your obedient servant.

ALBERT GALLATIN

The Attorney General.

Treasury Department.

Register's Office, 2d July, 1802.

SIR,

I had the honor to receive your letter of the 1st. enclosing a copy of a letter to you from the Attorney General, of the 26th ult.

Every warrant for money paid, is registered in my office: and every account with its vouchers is lodged therein. The payment to which the Attorney General refers, could not have been made, without appearing on record, and that not any such payment has been made, I hope the enclosed certificate will effectually establish.-I have the honor to be, Sir, with. the greatest respect, your most obedient and most humble servant.

JOSEPH NOURSE.

Hon. Albert Gallatin,

Secretary of the Treasury.

Treasury Department.

Register's Office, 2d July, 1802.

I certify that not any monies have been paid. out of the Treasury of the United States, on account of fees, compensation, or allowance of any kind whatever, for legal advice or opinions given, by any person whatever, to the present Secretary of the Treasury, since his appointment or to any officer of the Treasury Department during that period.

JOSEPH NOURSE, Register.

These have been the representations, and these are the facts. They are now in possession of the public. It is not my business to decide on the motives which produced the former, or to comment on the latter. To the people they are submitted, who will duly appreciate the motives and the objects of the concerned. They ought to be candid, and censure with caution any transaction which can consist with the presumption of a fair intention. This is one instance in which a delusive excitement has been unjustly produced, to the injury of our country. There are many others, of which an opinion may be now formed, from the one which has been stated.

To draw a comparison between all the repeated, deliberate erroneous statements of individuals and the realities, between the hasty. malignant, newspaper calumnies, and candid communications for public information, is unnecessary. It would subject to too much odium and detestation. They differ, and will be so viewed by integrity and candor, as knavery differs from honesty--truth from falsehood,--light from darkness,--wisdom from folly,--and fairness of intention, from the grossest corruption of heart.

L. LINCOLN.

Worcester, Sept. 3d, 1802.