The New Hampshire Gazette

Mr. PRESCOTT's ORATION
As many of the Patrons of the Gazette
could not be privileged with hearing, and
still more, never will be with reading, the
admirable ORATION pronounced by G. W.
Prescott, Esq. on the fourth of July, last.
We give the following Extracts therefrom.
under the impressive assurance that it will
be read with avidity, and admired by all
true Republicans.

At this momentous crisis, when all
the strength and energies of our country
should be concentrated and exerted to
protect our rights, our liberties and
national sovereignty, against infringement from the powerful and over-
bearing belligerent nations of Europe,
--this fell demon party, more destructive to our national vigour than the
death-producing Upas to animal life-
is seen rearing its baleful front, and
menacing with haggard visage the
destruction of the sacred charter of
our liberties. To serve its selfish purposes, it shifts its title, as oft as Proteus
did his shape. But whether marshalled
by a Hamilton, or guided by a Pickering,
-whether attempting to cover its
views by the virtues of a WASHINGTON, or the influence of an Adams-
federalism cannot conceal its native deformity-it will be federalism still.

However versed may be the leaders
of this party in the history of ancient
Republics-however thoroughly they
may be read in their progress, decline
and fall-however sanguine may be
their expectations and calculations that
such will be the fate of ours--yet, I
trust the people of America will ever
retain discernment enough to perceive,
and virtue enough successfully to oppose
their wily and insidious views. Whence
is this abuse of the able, virtuous characters who administer our National
Government-what is it? but the
rankerous ebullitions, which have their
origin in the blasted hopes of disappointed partizans,-and what is
to be expected from a change--from
a triumph of federalism? What but an
elevation to power of men who will,
as past occurrences shew, disregard
your rights, and trample on your dear
bought independence.

The leaders of this faction boast of
superior patriotism--We look in vain
for evidence to support this pretension.
Have they ever sacrificed ought of
personal interest to advance the public
good? Search their whole history, and
we shall search in vain for one solitary
act of disinterested patriotism. Selfish
ambition, and over-weaning lust for power, constitutes the stimulating motives
which actuate their conduct.

Proceeding upon the principles
which governed the aspiring demagogues of ancient Greece and Rome,
they have ever assailed the virtue of
our Republic-have ever endeavored to
blast the merited fame of every active,
honest patriot. Like them they would
make you blind to your true interests;
they would make you ungrateful. They
perceive too well the barrier to their
wishes--they would have you forget
the faithful, long tried services of those
distinguished characters, whom you
have so deservedly elevated to the
guardianship of your liberties-They
know too well that could they effect
this--could they cause you to Ostracise
your present illustrious political father,
your watchful, patriotic JEFFERSON
-that very Aristide, of your country;
could they induce you to proscribe your
Madisons, your Clintons, and your
Langdons-those sentinels of liberty,
they would be enabled to prostrate
your sovereignty, and would triumph
o'er your folly.

They have styled themselves the TRUE
political disciples of that pre-eminently
illustrious hero and statesman, the
founder of our empire, the immortal
Washington!--but it is as true in
politics as in morals, that "it is disgraceful to erect a sanctuary for our vices, upon the virtues of others."

A simple recurrence to Washington's address to his fellow countrymen;
at the close of his Presidency, could
any thing have the effect, would make
them blush at the artful and pre-
posterous assumption.--Imagination
cannot conceive of a more severe
stricture on the conduct of federalists
than is comprised in the pages of this
invaluable writing.-To divide, distract, and disunite our country has
been the immediate tendency of all
their efforts. They have endeavored
to "disturb our Union by furnishing
ground, for characterizing parties, by
geographical discriminations."

WASHINGTON inculcates union, as
the sole and life of our Republic. He
warns us to be guarded against the
influence and spirit of party-And
yet I am almost led to believe that they
consider it as the forlorn-hope, as the
only mean of attaining the accomplishment of their views--they appear to
have their hopes encouraged, in contemplating the sentiment thus expressed
by that departed sage. "Party spirit
is to governments of a popular form,
their worst enemy. The disorders &
miseries, which thence result, gradually incline the minds of men to seek
security and repose in the absolute
power of an individual; and sooner or
later the chief of some prevailing faction, more able or more fortunate than
his competitors, turns this disposition
to the purposes of his own elevation,
on the ruins of public liberty." If this
is not the case, to what shall we ascribe
the violence of their conduct-Their perpetual hostility to the present administration. Have they ever approbated
a single measure which has flowed from
this administration, during the seven
years of its operation-Have they not,
on the contrary, without discrimination,
virulently opposed them?-Nay, even
the acts of British tyranny, which have
recently assailed our Nation's sovereignty; have from this source found-
O; disgrace to our country! apologists.
yea advocates in our land.

Hence it was that Louisiana, previous to its being purchased, was deserving
a contest of arms, the lives of thousands
of our fellow creatures-afterwards,
when peacefully obtained, it lost its value,
and was not worth retaining!

In perfect consistency with thissystematic opposition, is found the present
attempts of this party to elevate themselves to office, by a perverted and distorted use of a late measure of the National Government, the act laying an
Embargo on our commerce.--This
was a measure dictated in prudence,
and which grew out of the pacific policy of our country.

The political commotions of Europe, which have long agitated the
Eastern world, have at length reached
us, and menace the peace and prosperity of our nation. The restrictions imposed upon neutral commerce
by the two great and powerful belligerent nations of Europe, rendered
this measure the only remaining alternative of war. Yet conscious of
this truth, knowing it to be beyond
comparison the lesser evil, they are,
when every principle of virtue, of
honesty and religion, should induce
them to UNITE, to rally round the
insulted sovereignty of their country
--endeavouring to unnerve the arm
of Government, by fallaciously attributing the ills, we thence do necessarily
experience, to this measure of precaution, rather than to their proper
source-the agitations and collisions of
contending Europe.

They have insulted your integrity,
your principles of patriotism, by attempting to excite your prejudices,
through the medium of your sordid
interests--Yet you will not heed it-
but to avenge the indignity-For if,
my countrymen, "we can prevent the
woes, the cruel horrors of a bloody
war-Yet hold untouch'd our liberties, and laws;
O let us, rais'd above the turbid sphere
Of little selfish passions,--NOBLY DO IT!"

But for this bane-this gorgon
monster party, America, the real Canaan of the world, would appear to
convulsed and oppressed Europe, as a
paradise on earth-Yet restless and ambitious men, sickening at the "dull
pursuits of civil life." would feign mar
this heavenly aspect.

It has been asserted by some, that a
government which places the supreme
power in the hands of an individual,
is founded in nature, and is best adapted to the genius and dispositions of
man-or, in other words, that the sovereignty ought not to be vested in the
people, who are incapable of governing.
The fallacy of this position, the erroneousness of its principle, is sufficiently attested in the happy existence of our
own polity-and what has before been
observed of the dangerous tendency
of power in connection with the passions, show at least the fatal consequences, which would be likely to ensue
from such an establishment. Where
the privilege of governing is made the
permanent prerogative of birth,-a suppression of the means of education,
rather than a promotion, would too
probably be sought. And as every
system, which discourages the cultivation of science, tends to the degradation of the human character, who
will be so absurd as to call this the only rational government.-Is there an
advocate in our land for such a system?
I will pronounce him an exotic in our
clime, or if indigenous, the corruption of
a court has poisoned his principles.

It has justly, and with enthusiasm
been advanced, that a free government