Jenks' Portland Gazette

MAINE.

MR. JENKS,

IT has been often observed that if the Federalists would take half the pains to circulate sound opinions and make proselytes to good doctrine, which the jacobins do to establish their pernicious systems and carry their favorite points, the cause of federalism would be so well supported that its enemies would hardly attempt its overthrow.

The truth is, the federalists, satisfied with the rectitude of their cause, are apt to think it will maintain its own ground upon its intrinsic merits, without the aid of persuasion and influence; while the jacobins, knowing the inherent defects of their system, find themselves obliged to conceal, misrepresent and deceive, in order to give it success. The first opinion naturally produces inaction and indolence, while the other gives birth to all that zeal, activity and persevering industry which has so eminently distinguished the propaganists of false doctrines in this and every other country.

While the federalists on the approach of an important election, content themselves with inaction or at most with sober and dispassionate reasonings, their political adversaries seize and employ every alarm, every passion, and rouse all the energies of their party. Lies, calumny and deceit are pressed into their service: and in the hands of skillful engineers, instruments like these do wonderful execution. Upon the informed and unprejudiced mind the attack has little or no effect; but as long as any portion of our fellow citizens are ignorant of public transactions and characters; so long will a war thus waged be attended with some success.

These observations are excited by a perusal of the numerous addresses, essays, pamphlets, &c. which have issued from various democratic presses since a few members of the legislature, at the instigation of the editors of the Chronicle, have recommended a Change in our administration. Not content with settling the succession to the chair, these kind servants of a part of the people, have undertaken to arrange the whole business of election even to the senators of each particular county; and have told the people, that none but those whom they have thus recommended, deserve their notice.

In this, they have either imitated or set an example to, their more exalted brethren at Washington, who believing the dear people are tired of the labor of elections, have generously met together, and by ballot, elected a president and vice president for the four years commencing from next March.

Now this is all right and proper. The people if left to themselves will vote wrong, republicanism will be in jeopardy, and the only way to save it, is for these chosen friends and servants of the people to take the business into their own hands, and then there will be no danger. True the constitution is in the way, but that may easily be amended, and even if it should not be, the difficulty may easily be got over, for the constitution may at any time, according to their politic eti faith, be broken to preserve liberty and continue in office the true sons of liberty.

This happy scheme is exceedingly popular with Gallico jacobino republicans throughout the union, and I have no doubt, so well do they love to work for the people, that in a few years we shall not be at our hive days labor for the paltry purpose of attending town meetings, and putting a piece of paper into a box.

Our friends in the county of York have already had their business done for them. Under the mask of a feast, the true blue sons of liberty and anarchy have held a caucus at Kennebunk, and have appointed Senators for the year ensuing. 'Tis true one of them is not an inhabitant of the county, or of the District of Maine; but then he may be, before his choice is confirmed by the people, or at least before his senatorial year expires: and suppose he never should be; shall the enlightened citizens of that county be deprived of the abilities of "a man who would do honor to any assembly on earth," merely because he belongs to another part of the Commonwealth? 'Tis true also, that one of these Senators thus appointed, may by the laws of the land, be presumed to be without sufficient property to qualify him for a seat in the Senate; but still he may acquire enough before he is called upon to take the oath: and if he never should, shall these enlightened citizens refuse to be represented by such a man, on such a paltry consideration?

This Kennebunk caucus, which by the way, in order to have had its friends about it, ought to have been held at Saco; has been kind enough to recommend the Attorney-General as Governor, in the room of Governor Strong; and the great Heath in the room of Lt. Governor Robbins. I believe they are sincere in their aversion to Gov. Strong: he is too much of a Christian and too little of a party man to suit their purposes; besides he breaks up and dissolves their party by treating them with candor and impartiality; they prefer to be persecuted. What they expect from Judge Sullivan I do not know; but sorry am I to say that the reported decay of the faculties of that gentleman, occasioned by corporal infirmity, is proved by nothing, more than by his consent to appear at the head of a party he has once publicly abdicated.

As to "our General," I cannot but laugh when I see his name in the paper every year, without his getting ahead an inch. His military prowess has been celebrated by himself, and his great talents in other departments may be learnt from the most silly and contemptible book that was ever written.