Gazette Of The United States, & Daily Advertiser

POLITICAL.
From the Connecticut Courant.
No. V.
To the People of the United States.

THE second proposition which I am to establish is—If Mr. Jefferson should be elected President, the constitution will inevitably fall a sacrifice to Jacobinism. If I have succeeded in proving that Mr. Jefferson, and his party, wish to destroy the constitution; I presume nothing more is necessary to support the present point, than to shew, that in case of his election to the Presidency, he will possess the means of destroying the constitution. After some preliminary observations, I shall bring into view some of the means which he will possess. Whether they will probably prove effectual for the purpose, or not, is for you to determine.

In order to silence the voices, and allay the fears, of the Federalists, relative to the election of Mr. Jefferson, immediately upon the appearance of success dawning upon them this season. the democrats began to say, that if Mr. Jefferson should be elected as the government would not be subverted but, that he would pursue the same general system which his predecessors had followed. That is, the democrats, for many years past, have filled these newspapers with falsehood and calumny; against every Federal man, and Federal measure; denounced one after another, all the friends of the administration, as traitors, monarchists, aristocrats, British agents, &c. &c. merely to give Mr. Jefferson and his party, opportunity to do exactly what General Washington, and the Federal party have done before. Strange and absurd as declarations of this sort are, they are perpetually made by the Jacobins, in order to pacify the minds of those, who feel alarmed for the safety of the constitution, and the existence of the nation. But, can any man of common-sense, believe such an assertion---can it be credited for a moment, that Mr. Jefferson, when he assumes the reins of government, will admire the funding system, the system of neutrality, the navy, the annulling of the French treaty, &c. ? If he is capable of such hypocrisy, such base dissimulation, and falsehood. will not every honest mind at once declare, that such a man, instead of being entrusted with the execution of the government, is destitute of common integrity, and worthy of nothing but obloquy and contempt?

My countrymen the people who make these declarations, do not believe them. They know they are untrue, and calculate them only to deceive. If they did believe them they wou'd with one voice, denounce Mr. Jefferson, and hunt his character into the same wilds of infamy, where they have endeavoured to destroy those of honest and virtuous men. If Mr. Jefferson should pursue Federal measures, where is the reward of his partizans, whose appetites are now preparing for the feast of office ? Are Mr. Madison, Mr. Gallatin, Mr. Burr, Mr. Giles, Mr. Monroe, Mr. Baldwin, Mr. Livingston, &c. &c. to reap no benefit for all their labors ? These gentlemen are not very greatly distinguished for their disinterestedness ; and some of them, at least, are not accustomed to object against pecuniary aid, whenever it offers. Will they be contented with merely seeing Mr. Jefferson at the head of government, and hearing him commend all those measures, which have been the subject of their clamor, and the objects of their hatred, while they stand quietly by, without office, without emolument, without power? This may happen ; and when it does, however miraculous it shall seem, must still be acknowledged to exist. At present, it is out of the reach of my credulity.

Another artifice which the Democrats are now playing off, to effect the same purpose, is this—The country, they say, is divided into parties those parties are violent, the country suffers by reason of this violence. Mr. Jefferson is a moderate man, if he is President he will soften and unite the parties, and every thing will go on peaceably and cleverly, When democrats deal in general propositions, they ought to be strongly distrusted. For, by advancing abstract truths, they mean to obtain concessions, which in detail they will turn against their opponents. No honest man exists, who does not deprecate the party spirit which reigns in our nation.. The evils of it are severely felt; and there is a strong reason to fear that our government will fall a sacrifice to it. So far we can agree with them ; the point of difference will be, in seeking for the remedy.

The Antifederalists from the time of the establishment of the Government, to the present moment, have held the same language. But, in lamenting the evils of party spirit, whom do they accuse ? Their own party By no means. If we are to believe them, the whole burden lies at the door of the Federalists. The Federalists lay taxes, enact laws, build navies &c. This is true. The Federalists have generally been the majority ; the majority always enact laws in a representative government ; and the minority as invariably are the opposition. The very term Opposition implies party, This is sometimes more and sometimes less violent. But the opposition are ever (if their own assertions are to be taken for evidence) the friends of the people. They rail at taxes, to induce the people to believe, that if they had the management of government, there should be no taxes. But, is a Government to be carried on without taxes ? Will Mr. Jefferson, with all his moderation, and patriotism, be able to devise a scheme to support our Government, and pay our debts, without the revenue ? It is absurd to suppose it. When the Democrats promise this, let every man remember it is a false pretence, and only calculated to deceive the people.

The Democrats talk much of uniting parties, and of accommodation; and pretend that Mr. Jefferson's moderation will accomplish this desirable end. This goes on the idea that there is something wrong on both sides, which ought to be given up. Let me enquire, if any man ever knew an instance, in which the Jacobin party ever gave up a hair's breadth of their ground? I venture to assert, no such instance ever happened. The fact already mentioned, viz. that they have forever opposed, and never proposed, measures, is a proof of my assertion. Besides, if the Federalists are to give up, is it not giving up right measures, to obtain wrong. What is to be gained ? The Democrats have done nothing but oppose. We can then gain nothing but opposition. The truth is, the idea of accommodation with them, is to make a bargain all on one side. We trust Federalism is just, that its measures are right ; the Government has hitherto stood upon them, and the country flourishes under their influence. Mixing with Jacobinism, is like scattering poison into the elements of life. The whole mass becomes impure, and if swallowed, proves the certain cause of destruction and death.

The main subject of the proposition will be pursued in my next.
Burleigh.