Portland Gazette, And Maine Advertiser

FROM THE AURORA,
PENNSYLVANIA POLITICS

Many people wonder why there is at this time such uncommon bustle among the holders of offices under the general and state governments; but the enigma may be easily explained; intrigues for the Presidential election, though commenced long ago, were going on silently till but it is important to the views of certain characters, that Pennsylvania should be drawn into certain combination; and how is to be done, if honest and faithful men be chosen, either for congress or the legislature? The secret of the whole matter is this; that the whole political power of this state has for several years been in the hands of Mr. Gallatin and Mr. Dallas, who owe all their consequence to the dexterous manner in which they have drilled Pennsylvanians into their views; and if their tactics should be now disregarded would inevitably lose their consequence and their numerous dependants would lose their places. Nothing therefore can be more natural than the ludicrous and yet disgusting scenes now daily witnessed: the people, good souls really imagine that they are not choosing their own representatives the whole is a farce; they are drilled to be agents for helping other agents to their places. so that the principal jugglers may amass immense fortunes by speculation in fruitless lands and stocks. As matters now go, we have as many rotten boroughs as they have, in England; we have the mockery of free suffrage, and pay as much for it as if all was real and substantial.