The Rhode Island American, And General Advertiser

Political Miscellany

MEETING OF FRIENDS OF PEACE.

In the third Congressional District in the State of New-Jersey.

At a meeting of delegates of the Friends of Peace for the third Congressional District, of the town of Salem, on the 16th of December or 12th month, 1812,

Thomas Sinnickson, was appointed Chairman, and William Potter, Secretary.

The object of the meeting to be the selection and recommendation of candidates to represent the third district in the Congress of the United States, for two years from the 4th of March ensuing. The delegates proceeded to deliberate thereon and after full consideration did come to the following unanimous Resolutions.

1st. That the delegates here present representing the Friends of Peace in this district, will in their respective counties and townships, use all just and honourable means for the choice of

William Coxe, of Burlington, and

Jacob Hurty, of Salem,

as Representatives in Congress for the third Congressional District, and they do further recommend the said candidates to the Friends of Peace generally within the said district, and earnestly invite their zealous and unanimous exertions in support of their election.

The following address being prepared by a committee and adopted by this meeting,

Resolved unanimously, that four thousand copies thereof be published and distributed under the direction of the Chairman and Secretary in a pamphlet form, and that the same be also published in such newspapers as they shall direct.

Address of the delegates of the Friends of Peace, met at Salem, on the 16th of December, 1812, to the electors in the counties of Burlington, Gloucester, Salem, Cumberland and Cape-May, composing the Third Congressional District.

Fellow-Citizens,

By a law of the state, the people within this district are entitled to choose two persons, being inhabitants thereof, for their Representatives in Congress. The election is to be on Tuesday and Wednesday the 12th and 13th of January, ensuing, at the places in the several townships where the last election for the state legislature was held.

Among the many advantages of the district mode of election now almost universal in the United States, it is not among the least, that while it secures to the people their certain proportion of Representatives, it affords them a direct knowledge of their principles and character. This circumstance relieves us from any particular necessity to state the pretensions which the candidates now proposed, have to our entire confidence and support. They are known throughout the district (and far beyond it) by their public services, their experience in public office, and their upright conduct in private life.

But in this awful crisis of our country, produced by the delusions of party, and an infatuated spirit of war, what eminently recommends them to the regard of their fellow-citizens is, that they will be the sure and firm advocates of measures tending to speedy and honourable PEACE.

Much has been done already by the people of this state--in every county by its patriotick legislature, and its electors of President, towards the attainment of that inestimable blessing, so wantonly thrown away in a long course of weak, violent, and mischievous public councils.

On every side gleams of hope appear. The long depressed spirit of wisdom and true patriotism (a real love of our country and of humanity) begins to animate the people. Men and states no longer divide upon names and professions, democrat and federalist, perceive a greater stake--struck with a common dismay, and suffering under the daring and dreadful measures of a feeble, yet deliberate administration--they are fast uniting to change it. The greatest public grievance and the source of all our public dangers and distresses, it is now seen, can only be removed and our distracted and sinking country, be preserved, by a change in the national administration.

That no mere personal and party motives govern the now majority in this state and district, fellow-citizens, you and the world have abundant proofs. Our object is peace and the restoration of a sound and safe policy the long neglected policy of Washington.

For this we have been willing to bury the remembrance of other wrongs and sufferings, multiplied upon the country and upon the friends and principles of the Washington administration:--the liberal and manly acts of your present legislative body; the choice and vote of electors for Mr. Clinton; the very nomination now made, are proofs that our great object is to convince and to unite reflecting and candid men of all parties. Our country has been conducted to the verge of ruin and we implore you, fellow-citizens, to lay aside prejudice, and blind attachment to party. Be no longer misled by office holders, and presses engaged in their support; but join in the necessary work of reforming public measures and abuses: unite with each other to obtain what all should desire--because it is necessary for all--PEACE.

PEACE, fellow-citizens, fraught with so many blessings, has been unnecessarily destroyed. The present Southern domination, and their official adherents, in every state, are fast closing all the avenues to its return, and fixing on us an interminable war. This young and growing Country, just rising to manhood, is to be torn and rent asunder, and reduced to imbecility and universal wretchedness, by a war which can produce no benefit, but to the tyrant of France. His great and guilty schemes of universal despotism can alone be advanced by the long and desperate conflict which the present men in power have entered upon with England. Six months only are gone by and already have armies perished and streams of American blood been poured out in this hasty war of aggression and invasion. Already are the very sinews of our national wealth and revenue annihilated. Our commerce and shipping, and trade are fast perishing. Above six thousand American sea vessels are at this moment laid up, and more than four hundred with their cargoes captured. Already is our treasury emptied; and war-loans and taxes, to an immense amount, projected. Already have millions been expended with profligate wastefulness in the conduct of this war. The secretary of the treasury (a foreigner) has just announced that the expenditure of government for the year 1812, is TWENTY MILLIONS--and that for the year 1813, THIRTY TWO MILLIONS OF DOLLARS will be required to support the present establishment. And is it not certain that to take and garrison Canada and defend an immense frontier against the savages, and our coast and sea ports against England, four times the present establishment will be requisite? It is evident that ONE HUNDRED MILLIONS per annum will be required, if the war is vigorously conducted, and we hear now of nothing but a vigorous war;--a war of 100 millions per annum, until England is conquered into submission! Five years are reckoned sufficient by the war party, for this--for so long is the army enlisted: and upon whom are these immense contributions of money--these conscriptions of men--these distresses to fall? Upon a peaceable, prosperous, and contented people. And who, fellow-citizens, are they to benefit? None but office holders, army contractors and the favourites of a party administration: for them and for France, is this great, and growing, and once happy republic, plunged into a hopeless and bloody war. For such objects alone are our citizens to bleed--and armies, navies and debt, to be accumulated upon us and posterity. And what must be the result? It is too painful to reflect upon the inevitable consequences: judging by what has already happened (even before England has been put on her guard) into what depths of disgrace and scenes of public misery are we hastening!

In every quarter, notwithstanding the false hopes and promises held out by the war party and their newspapers, have we witnessed the most humiliating defeats and losses, and the most ignorant and incompetent conduct in the managers of the war. Every expedition has failed, every army been destroyed or dispersed--thousands killed and captured, and not one solitary advantage gained. But for the capture of one or two English frigates by our gallant and neglected navy, not a spot but is marked with national misfortune or disgrace. Yet such is the spirit of our present rulers, that they seem bent on lighting up the flame of universal war. They invade the Spanish provinces of Florida, without provocation or pretext, and make war there. They break in upon the Indian boundaries, attempting to wrest from those wretched people their remnant of territory, and thereby produce a savage war on three thousand miles of frontier, and then complain of Indian cruelties. They declared war upon England, and invade her possessions, inviting her subjects to treachery and rebellion. They are at war with Algiers: In the distraction of their councils, they even threaten war upon France, now that her aggressions and arts have involved us in wars to support her views to universal power. And what would exceed all belief, if it were not evident to our daily observation, they persevere in plans of hostility against our own commerce and merchants, vexing them with every species of interruption by their cruisers at sea and their custom-house forfeitures and exactions in port. Never, fellow-citizens, has any great and flourishing people, and all their wealth, revenue, commerce, character and strength, been so suddenly, and almost entirely destroyed, as in these states, by a series of mal-administration of the public affairs. Your government has declined into a weak and perverse majority, persevering in a course of ruin, because they began it. They seem alone intent on power; and having involved (as was foretold they would) the country in inextricable embarrassments, declared this ruinous and detested war. It was weakly supposed that it could be forced upon the good citizens of these United States, by the cry of "story" against those who opposed it, and the aid of furious mobs, in destroying the liberty of speech and suffrage. This indeed, may well be called the age of delusion and darkness! It is time for us, fellow-citizens, to lay aside every other thought, but how we shall heal these disorders. Let us not be further deceived; nor unwilling to open our eyes to the errors and dangers produced by political partisans. It is to be ever lamented that so many, because they once supported the party in power, adhere to their measures--though it is evident now they are leading to the speedy destruction of the country. But a cheering prospect begins to unfold itself. The people, (we speak not of interested demagogues) do indeed manifest at length a determination no longer to confide in, or support those men or their measures. They prefer their Country to party, and are fast uniting to change councils, that had proved so mischievous, and which yet persevere in plans that endanger the Union itself.

Among the numerous states, which have at length thrown off the shackles of party, and a blind confidence in the Virginia and southern administration, New-Jersey has taken her stand. Her citizens were opposed to this war before it was commenced, and view with infinite concern and even horror its progress, its disasters, and ruinous consequences. They will not participate in bringing down upon a happy land and on posterity, such a weight of taxation nor consent to the shedding of such torrents of blood, as this war, if persevered in, will demand. New-Jersey will perform her constitutional duties, while it continues. But her citizens evidently perceive that it could have been avoided with honour: and that peace can now be made with England on terms equally honourable and mutually beneficial. There has been no sincerity on this subject; facts prove it. Dread of France and the strength which perpetual discord with England, has afforded to the party in power, have prevented all real desire to close our commercial differences. Pretexts have been constantly contrived to prolong and embitter controversy. The people, the great body of the candid and reflecting citizens, at length see that these feuds and this war originate in no cause and can have no other object or good, but to support a few men who have got into place, in the continuance of their power. Surely, fellow-citizens, these office-holders who have so long held the reins and the purse of government, until they are useless and empty, should be content. Are we to sacrifice our country itself its liberties and union, to their lust of office and perpetuity of domination! We repeat it--the people must have the honour to make this peace--not by a "vigorous war," so called, and of which this summer and winter have given us such a mortifying example--but by a vigorous exertion of their independent elective right. England seems anxious to avoid this dreadful conflict. She has acted since the war, only on the defensive. She has made reparation for the fault of her officer in the affair of the Chesapeake. She renounces all pretence of search for her deserted seamen on board public vessels: She has satisfactorily arranged the question of blockades: She has relinquished the Orders in Council, the great pretext of the war--the only unsettled point, is that of taking her own seamen in time of war from on board neutral merchant ships on the high seas. On this point, too so difficult to adjust, and which no former administration ever made cause of war, she proffers every disposition to meet our safety and honour, by preventing as far as possible the impressing by mistake or otherwise, any real American sailors. Her proposals on this point were so sincere and liberal, as to be approved of, even considered highly advantageous by our Ministers Monroe and Pinkney. She offers to subject her officers to heavy penalties for unlawful impressments. She lays them under the strictest orders against abuses, and releases, and offers to release every American seaman, who, by accident or otherwise, may have been impressed, and who can be ascertained. The navigating States who alone can feel the grievance, are fully satisfied can we credit it, fellow-citizens, that a power engaged in so great and desperate a conflict with France, and surrounded with so many difficulties, desires this war with us? This unnatural, and to her commerce, injurious war.

Far be it from us to justify or paliate the wrongs of any nation: But let us not deceive ourselves, or be hurried into self-destruction, by madly pursuing war as the remedy for differences which peaceful negotiation and a mutual spirit of moderation alone can adjust: we shall calculate wrong, to believe that Great-Britain will let such a war as this must prove, terrify her into submission to every claim. We express our decided belief, that a new administration can speedily and honourably close the last remaining difference. A very few friends of peace added to those now in our councils, will secure their predominance. Need we fear that such representatives in Congress as we now recommend, and such as the friends of peace are everywhere supporting, will sacrifice the honour and interest of the people? This is the cry of the war party and their presses. But we trust the day is past, when our citizens can be further misled by violent and interested printers and partizans,

ELECTORS OF THE THIRD DISTRICT we exhort you to persevere in the paths which lead to honourable peace. The war party, after a long series of persecution and proscription, are calling out for union in the war; be it so with those who made it and like it and its consequences? We, fellow-citizens, invite you to union, in bringing about a constitutional and advantageous peace, by your free votes. Let us get rid of Councils which produce nothing but public misfortunes and disgrace, and keep the country disunited and in blood. All governments find it necessary at times to change their public ministry, when weakness, passion, or self-interest threaten the public safety. In a free, popular government, it is the great constitutional right and duty of the people, to change councils whose principles or understandings can no longer be trusted. Whatever differences former times may have created, it is seen in other states, that we confidently trust that it will be an honour in this state to lay down party feeling in this great question Of PEACE WAR. The candid and sincere men of former political opponents do and can meet on this ground. The friends of peace have earnestly, and in good faith, made every effort and advance toward a happy reconciliation, so that all, if it were possible, should unite with them in regaining the lost peace of the country. But a war party (though diminished) unfortunately exists among us. It is truly amazing that one man should yet adhere to measures so destructive, and which the people will in the end condemn and overcome. It cannot be that deception and error will much longer bear out the proceedings, which on all sides, are disgracing and grinding down the country. Until, however, this conviction becomes general, our exertions are necessary. That our respected candidates will be elected, in this district, who can doubt? Yet let no real friend of peace excuse himself on the plea that his vote will be unnecessary. We ought to show our strength, were it only, that a misguided administration might perceive that the people are against them. A bare majority will be no praise: It is such a cause as every man should have at heart, not stay at home, or about his ordinary concerns, when so small a service, and indeed a privilege, calls him to the poll.

Let each county then do its duty:--Let meetings in every township be early called and adopt measures for the support of the "PEACE TICKET." We call for a general and an undivided vote. For ourselves (at no small personal inconvenience) we have attended here to discharge the trust confided to us, by our respective counties: it has been performed, if not without error, at least in the spirit of candour and with sincerity of purpose. We trust that a cause which has hitherto been conducted by the friends of peace in New-Jersey, with so much unanimity and success, and which has called forth the admiration, applause and imitation of other states, will not fail to be crowned in the ensuing election, with new triumphs of reason and humanity.

Signed by order of the meeting.

THOMAS SINNICKSON, Chairman.

WILLIAM POTTER, Secretary.