Jenks' Portland Gazette

FOR THIS GAZETTE.

"How long halt ye between two opinions? If the Lord be God, serve him; but if Baal, then serve him."

Prophet Elijah.

'TIS very evident, that two political parties now exist in this Commonwealth, as well as in other parts of the union, and it must be considered as desirable, for every man to take his side. If the preceding administrations were conducted with sound wisdom, good policy and real integrity, by which American citizens became a very respectable nation and prospered beyond a parallel, let us strictly adhere to and abide by those principles, which are the glory of any people; but if a weak, pusillanimous and defective executive press us, let us not be ashamed to own our folly and stupidity; but like the ridiculous followers of Baal, continue to place our dependence and trust upon it until we have learned by experience to believe, that confidence cannot be placed with propriety upon men devoid of every qualification, necessary for the management of important concerns.

These ought to be neuters, no 'Gallios' now. Every man should place himself in a situation, that it may be known where he may be found. But, as probably there are very many, who have not yet chosen their sides, but remain undetermined, and are waiting to know which will be strongest it may not be amiss to inform them that are honest and well meaning. (for we are willing all others should go, with those who are like themselves wicked) that unwearied and indefatigable pains are taking to mislead and deceive them, that there are those who are seeking to aggrandize themselves to be elevated to posts of what they call honor and profit, at the expense and destruction of the community. Many of them 'tis true need resources beyond what they have at present, in order to gratify their ambitious desires; and many others are so vile, as to despair of being noticed by a wise and virtuous government. Neither of these characters will be sparing in their endeavors to effect their baneful purposes; and one grand means, by which they expect to gain the ascendency they wish, is, by misleading the innocent, unwary, and those who are destitute of the means of information. Therefore they invent falsehoods, slanders, calumnies, and practice all the low and base arts of which they are capable.

'Tis hardly possible to conceive that a pamphlet, wrote and published in Pandemonium, could be filled with falsehoods more nefarious and preposterous, than the one which circulated so liberally in this Commonwealth, previous to the first Monday of April last, which was calculated for the ruin of the good citizens-the result of midnight darkness, and undoubtedly framed by those who openly contemn the God and the religion by which Christians hope to be saved; and yet foolish and absurd as it was, awful was the effect. But thanks to Him, who sits at the helm of moral government, altho' many minds were poisoned, and many virtuous citizens might have been deceived, by this and other vile stratagems, a goodly remnant were preserved, and our beloved STRONG was re-elected by a greater number of votes than ever before. Depend upon it my honest friends, that if the unhappy moment should ever arrive, when democrats come to the height of their ambition in this Commonwealth, you as well as those of us who are opposed to our political sentiments, will be an undone people, and must with us sink to a degradation horrible to conceive, but much more to feel: When they, I mean the ambitious and designing, have made you the tools of their aggrandizement, they will care no more for you than us, and the more sensible among them will laugh at your folly, ridicule your weakness, and tyrannize over you as much as the Nabobs of the ancient dominion now tyrannize over those gentlemen of color which enable them greatly to increase their influence in the legislative and executive national departments; and to which you seem willing tamely to submit.

A CITIZEN.