National Gazette

For the National Gazette.

Mr. Freneau,

That the court of its way into the sequestered abodes of our north western territory, I could hardly have supposed, had not a late edict by the governor pro-tempore of that territory ascertained the fact. This extraordinary edict I met with in your paper No. 149. Indeed, take the performance all in all, and I predict we shall not soon see its like again in the United States. Every line embraces the features of monarchical style, and while the conspicuous WE appears the fountain of emanative authority, the no less important OUR discovers what some people would be at, did circumstances admit. What an immensity of ideas are crowded into those three little words, "during our pleasure!"—Alas! pleasure ought not to be the pursuit of men of counsels; and the judges who were honoured with this lofty sounding commission cannot be sufficiently venerated for rejecting an appointment during the pleasure of any subordinate officer whatever. This commission has awakened in many persons strange ideas of what will in time take place in this country, unless the French keep a good look-out, and see that we remain "Staunch Republicans." This commission is like a trout pie, that will stick in an American's throat, for want of being well cleared of ribs and back bones. It is a six weeks old pig, that should be roasted for the good of the company. It is mutton broth made of bear's beef and goose-giblets. It is calves head turtle soup, that could not be imposed for such on good judges. In short, considering time, place, and circumstance, it is every thing but what it should be; it is a most extraordinary phenomenon; heterogeneous, heterodox, and heteroclite; a bundle of inconsistency and republican absurdity: but being now dead, (as holy mother church says over her deceased charge), requiescat in pace. may it rest eternally in peace!

Delaware, 26th April 1793.