Rhode Island Republican

A CANDID APPEAL.

TO THE CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES,

On the measures of the present Administration.

The political controversy in this country.

is unparalleled in the history of the world;

a government assailed by the intrigues of a fac-

tion, who have no other pretence for their con-

duct, than the attempts of the administration to

defend the Taxes of the People, is a singular phe-

omenon in society. This peculiar mode of

creating animosity among the citizens, is re-

served for a wonderful event of the present day ;

it is a political paradox, and must excite the ad-

miration of Europe, as a circumstance of a pe-

culiar nature.

The calumny daily bestowed upon the Exe-

cutive and a majority of the Legislature, natu-

rally calls upon the citizens to enquire, What

evil have they done ? Why are such constant

alarms excited? Why are the papers so fraught

with abuse and detraction against every man

who appears desirous to support the present

government ? Why is a party calling on the

People to rally ? Why are they urging a sepa-

ration of the States, and endeavoring by every

means to destroy our confidence in the Executive?

What evil have they done ? Is a question

which still recurs. Where is the man who is

injured by the measures of government ? Is the

Merchant. Tradesman or Farmer injured by the

decrease of Taxes ? Even the Stock Holder has

no reason to complain, as his quarterly Demands

are as punctually discharged as when the gov-

ernment borrowed money at 8 per cent.

Is it possible then that there can be a seri-

ous disposition in the People, to oppose the pre-

sent administration ? If no man is injured, who

is to begin the opposition ? If no citizen is ag-

grieved, who is to rise in arms, and under what

standard are we to rally ? An army in the field,

with all their military apparatus, in opposition

to a government which is relieving them from

Taxes, must be as ridiculous as the vagaries of

Don Quixotte. It is possible, however, that

some Knight-Errant may. contemplate such a

whimsical crusade, and some Sancho Panza

stand ready to attend him in his enterprize ;

but the good sense of the People must ever hold

them in contempt.

President Jefferson, since his inaugura-

tion into office, has by a system of Economy, av-

ed the United States upwards of three millions of

dollars ; and yet, strange to relate, has been a-

bused in the most outrageous manner, for the

very measure which effected it ! instead of

which had he made an addition of this sum to

the expenses of the last administration, his pre-

sent clamourers would have been his warmest

advocates ; for it must be remembered, that his

opponents are of the " sect," who hold the doc-

trine that " a Public Debt is a public blessing ;"

consequently, every dollar expended is a pledge

of chastening, and every Shilling, saved is the

foreboding of a national curse. If the President,

instead of repealing our Internal Taxes, had

augmented them--instead of discharging a nu-

merous body of useless officers, had increased

them instead of paying the Stockholders with

the duties arising from Impost only, had reques-

ted a loan of Millions, at 8 or 10 per cent inte-

rest :if he had done these things, the Federal

papers would have been crowded with congra(u-

lations on our national prosperity ; addresses

would have covered the Presidential table, and

in all probability we should have been called

on to revive the Cockade, as the emblem of our

attachment to his administration.

It, alas, it happens unfortunately for this

class gentry, that Mr. Jefferson explodes the

entire that " a public debt is a public bless-

ing he does not wish to place the happiness

of his country on this foundation ; this " me-

derate folly" he disowns : he studies the

general welfare of his fellow-citizens and is not.

derirous to heap blessings on one class of men, by

curthevery other with Taxes...h.

His, fellow-citizens,,is..the.cvil which he

labors--he has lessened the burden from the

shoulders of his constituents, and has pledged

himself that he will pursue this line of conduct

to extingishment of the, Public Debt.-

There his crimes, and these are the sins of

the present administration--if any man is injur-

ed, let him speak.

Ah,

zre, methinks, I hear a number of men

exclaim, he has turned me out of office. Alas,

gentlemen, your cases may be deplorable as to

your particular private interest ; but you must

convince yourselves,: that the President is not to

act partial, but by general laws. If you

have had the good fortune for many years to

live your offices, it does not follow, that you

should continue in them, if the exigencies of the

of

country do not require it. It may be a very

precious thing for you, to receive an annual com-

pensation arising from the public Taxes, but it

was a grievous thing to those who pay

the Taxes, that your services are no longer needed. If

you enjoyed these blessings for a number

of years past, you ought rather to congratulate

yourselves-that you have been so far benefited,

and not curse and condemn the government

for not continuing you in office. The citizens

are grateful, but not prodigal-We thank you

for all the good you have done, since your ap-

pointments, but you must excuse us, if we are

willing that the pay should stop, when your la-

bors are wholly useless.-Though some of you

are 'displaced, and others take your places, yet

modesty should forbid you to exclaim against

the President :for if he was strictly to lay justice

as the line and righteousness as the plummet, he

would extend his removals to a much greater

length ; for why should those opposed to his ad-

ministration, enjoy his particular patronage.

The scurrility against the President is so

gross, and the causes of complaint are so absurd.

that I conceive it necessary to apologize for seri-

ously noticing them. The federal party appear

determined to place the United States in the

most derogatory point of view in the eyes of

European nations. While other powers are lay-

ing exorbitant Taxes on their subjects while

England is burdening the people at the risk of

an insurrection, the British faction are endeav-

oring to raise a rebellion in America for lessening

Taxes. What can be the design of this mea-

sure ? The reason is obvious, they wish to con-

vince the world, that " The People" are never

satisfied; that there is as much opposition in

the Republic of America, for decreasing Taxes,

as there is in the Monarchy of Europe for increa-

sing them. This faction are endeavoring to con-

found all governments; to riot on the earnings

of the industrious, and if any complaint should

arise to bring America as the voucher to prove,

that The People are never easy. Their plans are

deep and subtle; they are rallying to overthrow

the liberties of mankind, and every stratagem

is used to effect their diabolical purposes.

To prove my position, I would remark,

that there is no more opposition to the British

ministry for augmenting Taxes, than there is in

America for lessening them ; the English papers.

are not more severe against the British govern-

ment, under the pressure of Taxes, than the fed-

eral papers against the American government

for the extinguishment of them. Would it not

then be a strange story in history, if the people

of England should rise in arms to obtain an ex-

emption from their Taxes, and the citizens of

the same time rally to in-

crease theirs. It would be curious chapter of

wonders, for a Recruiting Sergeant in the city

of London, to beat up for volunteers to seek

redress from Taxes---while in Boston, one should.

with equal ardor, hold out the tempting induce-

ment of an additional tax. This is a para-

dox; but the " modern philosophy" that " a

national debt is a national blessing." is the only

hypothesis on which such an absurdity on our

part, can be substantiated in this country.

The federal faction are not contented to

lay heavy Taxes upon us, but they are anxious

for a division of the Northern and Southern

States. If this should take place, what would

be our situation ? The Shipping of the Northern

States must lay at the wharves, and British ves-

sels would enjoy the exclusive privilege of the

Carrying-Trade ; our Ship-Carpenters would

speedily be obliged to lay by their tools ; and

every Tradesman in town, connected with navi-

gation, must retire into the country, or become

an underling in the store of a British Agent;

our Young Men would be cut off from every

commercial enterprize, and have the mortification

of seeing British Ships unloading British

manufactures in the Northern States, and from

thence sent to the Southward. for a freight of

tobacco and other valuable produce.

Let us then, fellow-citizens, look around

us, and enquire, whether an enemy is not doing

this ? Who are the men that are urging a sep-

aration, and censuring the present, administra-

tion ? Tell me, whether among the whole num-

ber, there is an Old Tory who is not concerned

in this business ? They pretend to call it feder-

alism, but the truth is, it is Toryism in dis-

guise. it is the poison of the old leaven,which

threatened, to ferment the whole lump, during

our revolution.'sThe enemies of that day, used

every effort to make us jealous of our patriots:

Hancock and Adams were then abused similar

to Mr. Jefferson--our Congress were Stigmatiz-

ed as a banditti-the Temple of Justice was then

described as having "every window broke and

every door burst in"the " friends to order"

were then called on to rouse from their slum-

bers, and on the night of the 19th April, 1775.

(when the unsuspecting citizens had retired to

rest they sallied out on the defenceless Yeom-

anry, and ere the sun had rose to its meridian,

embued their hands in the blood of our slaugh-

tered countrymen. At that time they endeav-

ored to divide the Northern and Southern

States-but " union or Die"was then our

motto, and it is now as strong a pledge of our

political safety, under the guidance of Heaven,

as the Ark, amidst the deluge of the old world.

--Let us, then, fellow-citizens, be collected, be

firm and persevering rely on the goodness of

your cause and the rectitude of your conduct-,

depend on it, Heaven never will suffer us to fall

a prey to our enemies, after so many miracles

wrought in our favor, during the distressing pe-

riod of our Revolution.

OLD SOUTH.