The National Republican And Ohio Political Register

As we do not intend to trifle with the liberty of the press, nor practise upon our readers the imposition of equivocation or deception, we shall never shrink from a proper discharge of our duty to the public, nor neglect a prompt and suitable defence of ourselves, when assailed by falsehood and malignity. The villain who, in a wanton and unprovoked manner, attacks private reputation by vulgar and abusive epithets, must be as insensible to what belongs to propriety and good manners, as he is regardless of truth and decency. To unmask the wretch who has falsely and maliciously made a personal attack upon the reputation of the principal Editor of this paper, under the cover of a fictitious name, and to prove him, as he really is, destitute of credit and unworthy of confidence, must be our apology for the general tenor and import of this article. We sincerely regret the necessity which compels us to appear in our own defence, in a manner warranted only by the outrage we have received; but a proper sense of what belongs to ourselves and to a respectable and honourable standing in society, supersedes every other consideration and justifies our course. To convince our readers and the public that the writer of Curtius has, in the most unfair and dishonorable manner, been guilty of falsehoods, and garbled and misquoted what we have written on the subject of the Presidential Election, and on the course which a certain Aristocratic Junto are pursuing to force upon the people a President, through the intrigues and corruption of Legislative usurpation, we solicit particular attention to the following extracts from the production of this unprincipled libeller, which he has pretended to quote from the National Republican, and the real language and sentiments of our paper.

Curtius represents us as saying—

1st. "On this subject (the Presidential election) we shall adhere to the pledge we have given to the public, in our introductory address, HOLDING OURSELVES IN RESERVE."

The wilful misrepresentation of this writer is here exhibited in its true character, by dividing a sentence, intimately and necessarily connected in all its parts, and thereby changing and perverting the sentiment expressed. Our language was:

"On this subject we shall adhere to the pledge we have given to the public in our introductory address, holding ourselves in reserve until we are satisfied the candidate we may support is worthy of the people's choice, and may reasonably expect success." Nat. Rep. Jan. 1.

2d. "The course which has been adopted to bring Mr. Clay forward for the executive chair of the nation, will have such a powerful effect upon the public prejudice, as to contribute essentially to prevent his election. The citizens of Ohio are not sunk into that degraded state of ignorance and stupidity, which render them incapable of judging for themselves."

This is another garbled extract, and would never have been made by a person, whose object was a fair and honest refutation of error. The following is the correct quotation:—

"In fact, it is not improbable, that the course which has been adopted to bring Mr. Clay forward for the executive chair of the nation, will (if he should think proper to continue a candidate) have such a powerful effect upon the public prejudice as to contribute essentially to prevent his election. The citizens of Ohio are not sunk into that degraded state of ignorance and stupidity which would render them incapable of judging for themselves; nor have they yet surrendered to the members of their Legislature, or to a minority of that body, their own opinion of public men, or their own estimate of the qualifications of candidates for popular favor." Nat. Rep. Jan. 14.

3d. "A project (a Congressional Caucus) so contrary to the genius of our government and the welfare of the nation, has no advocates out of the faction of the Treasury Department."

The sentiment we expressed was—

"It is, however, a source of much pride and gratification to the friends of good order and the free suffrages of the people, to know, that a project so contrary to the genius of our governments and the welfare of the nation, has no advocates out of the faction of the Treasury Department." Nat. Rep. April 25.

4th. "Two members of the present executive cabinet, Mr. Adams and Mr. Crawford, are now the most prominent candidates. If either of these gentlemen should succeed in procuring a nomination by Congress," &c.

Here we have another instance of dividing a sentence for the purpose of misrepresentation. The two sentences read as follow—

"Two members of the present executive cabinet, Mr. Adams and Mr. Crawford, are now the most prominent candidates, with powerful friends and supporters, in both houses of Congress, creating parties and influence adverse to each other. Already these parties have assumed the attitude and character of factions, as hostile and vindictive as any we have witnessed since the adoption of the federal constitution. If either of those gentlemen should succeed in procuring a nomination, by Congress, the nation would be literally cursed with two contending parties, losing sight of the most important interests of the people, in their virulent and selfish contest for power." Nat. Rep. Feb. 25.

5th, "Both friends and enemies of Mr. Adams, will admit that the charge of inconsistency and want of political integrity, has been completely refuted."

Our language is—

"Both friends and enemies to Mr. Adams will admit that, as a statesman, he has discovered an intimate acquaintance with constitutional law and the republican maxims of our federal compact, and that, whether correct or mistaken, in his construction of the powers of Congress, the charge of inconsistency and want of political integrity has been completely refuted." Nat. Rep. Jan. 24.

6th. "Mr. Adams, Mr. Crawford, and Mr. Calhoun, have arrayed themselves against each other as candidates for the first office in the republic.—Let these rash and imprudent political managers pause in their anti-republican course!" viz: in raising a party by means of their 'official patronage.'

The writer has here given only scraps of sentences, which do not convey our true meaning, and which could not have been intended to answer any purpose but that of fraud and deception. Our statement and sentiments are as follow—

"Mr. Adams, Mr. Crawford and Mr. Calhoun, Secretaries of the State, Treasury, and War Departments, with an official patronage sufficient, at all times, to create the most powerful parties, have arrayed themselves against each other as candidates for the first office in the republic."

"Let these rash and imprudent political managers beware how far they advance in their anti-republican course, and consult their own popularity, and that of their political idols, before they engage in measures inimical to the principles of the constitution, and to the freedom of election." Nat. Rep. March 18.

By a reference to our paper of that date, our readers will perceive that these sentences are separated by a lengthy paragraph, and that the expression, "rash and imprudent political managers," was applied to those who advocate a Presidential nomination by a Congressional caucus.

We apprehend, the instances of misrepresentation of this writer, as above cited, are sufficient to shew with what motives he has assailed us, and the unjust means he has used to gratify a malignant disposition and the impulses of a base heart.