The Rhode Island American, And General Advertiser

It is very well known that there were many republicans in Congress who were adverse to the declaration of war, and who opposed it, but upon very different grounds from the federalists; the events of the first campaign too lamentably verified and justified their opposition and their predictions; but surely if it was a fault, subjecting those republicans to an ostracism, to oppose bad measures, it could not be a less serious offence in the government to propose such bad measures. The publick do not, perhaps, know that no persons in this nation were more disappointed than the Executive, when the Senate had passed the law declaring war. This fact is promulgated perhaps for the first time—but it is the fact. Were the measures pursued in the second year of the war, any better than the first? were the measures pursued, in any period of the war, such as any wise and able man could approve? no, never! Those pernicious measures were opposed by some republicans, and it is upon this pretence they are held forth as culprits; but their real crimes were similar to those of Aristides and Alcibiades and Nicias—their talents, their eminence in the publick eye subjected them to an ostracism.

Aurora