Norfolk Gazette And Publick Ledger

Mr. Jefferson's friends seem to have suffered a mortifying conviction of his weakness as a writer to take place of their former boasts of his perfectibility in all things--This must have resulted from the examination of his last speech, which, although, few of their party could discover it, is as a literary composition a disgrace to the words grammar & taste, as a political paper, it will forever remain a stigma upon the presidential office. Of all the advocates of Mr Jefferson, the Republican Advocate is the most fit to be the tool of faction, the champion of disorder, the supporter of any or every thing vile and contemptible. He is therefore in high estimation with his party— Hear, therefore, how admirably he advocates Mr. Jefferson's pseudography.

The editors of the Norfolk "Ledger" have essayed to be very witty [see Ledger April 15] on an observation of mine which appeared in the Advocate that contained the president's last inaugural address; and thence conclude that it is very difficult for the democrats to say any thing clever in favour of Mr. Jefferson or his language. I feel no pride in being noticed by the "Ledger"-men; but I always do feel a glow of Superiority when I speak of Mr. Jefferson as a Republican. There is something so amiable in the man and all his actions, that malice must certainly first be seduced by the devil to make her wicked enough to say one word against him. It is not his language but his actions: It is not what he says, but what he does, that I look to. Hundreds of scrawlers and scribblers cry out, bad grammar, bad words, wrong expressions, jargon, &c. and squirt their inky nought. Jefferson understands the true GRAMMAR of government; and his language is not the fillagree and tambour-work of the brain: It is the warm expression of his heart; the genuine production of an honest mind, which scorns a petty attention to nice periods or pretty words: In truth, it is not the note of a bankrupt, with "I promise to pay" nicely written upon it; but good American coin--gold without dross or alloy.

Rep. Adv. Fredericktown.