Another circumstance has contributed to widening the breach. "Tis evident, beyond a question, from every movement, that Mr. Jefferson aims, with ardent desire, at the Presidential chair. This, too, is an important object of the party-politics. It is supposed, from the nature of my former personal and political connections, that I may favor some other candidate, more than Mr. Jefferson, when the question shall occur, by the retreat of the present gentleman. My influence, therefore, with the community, becomes a thing, on ambitious and personal grounds, to be resisted and destroyed. ...

It is possible, too, (for men easily heat their imaginations when their passions are heated,) that they have, by degrees, persuaded themselves of what they may have at first only sported, to influence others; namely, that there is some dreadful combination against State Government, and Republicanism; which, according to them, are convertible terms. But there is so much absurdity in this supposition, that the admission of it tends to apologize for their hearts, at the expense of their heads.

Under the influence of all these circumstances, the attachment to the Government of the United States, originally weak in Mr. Jefferson's mind, has given way to something very like dislike in Mr. Madison's, it is so counteracted by personal feelings, as to be more an affair of the head than of the heart..

In such a state of mind, both these gentlemen are prepared to hazard a great deal to effect a change. Most of the important measures of every Government are connected with the Treasury. To subvert the present head of it, they deem it expedient to risk rendering the Government itself odious; perhaps, foolishly thinking, that they can easily recover the lost affections and confidence of the people; and not appreciating, as they ought to do, the natural resistance to Government, which, in every community, results from the human passions, the degree to which this is strengthened by the organized rivality of State Governments; and the infinite danger that the National Government, once rendered odious, will be kept so by these powerful and indefatigable enemies.

They forget an old, but a very just, though a coarse saying, that it is much easier to raise the devil than to lay him.

John C. Hamilton, History of the Republic of the United States (New York, 1859), IV, 524-537 passim.

87. Political Satire (1792-1793)

FROM THE NATIONAL GAZETTE

Philip Freneau was the editor of the National Gazette, in which position he was established and sustained by Jefferson. It is not possible to form a judgment on the political controversies of this time, without knowing that the newspapers on both sides were violent and often scurrilous. Both of these extracts were unsigned. - For Freneau, see No. 36 above. - For Jefferson's connection with the National Gazette, see Nation, LX, 143-144; McMaster, History of the United States, II, 52–53.

TH

HE late serpentine wreathing and twisting of certain men, to extricate themselves from the present infamy, and the certain execrations of posterity which await their measures in government, is as shameful as the conduct which gave birth to them was corrupt and abominable. Is there a fool in this country so stupid as not to know, that the debates in the federal legislature, and the free discussions in the public papers, have been directed against measures and not against men? was it a matter not worthy of notice or discussion that a debt of a hundred million of dollars should be scraped together out of the old continental money and certificates, a great part of which had actually been called in and sunk by the old Congress and the several states; and the country now laid under intolerable burdens of duties and excises, to pay a quarterly interest on it-that continually increasing - and withal so curiously cooked up, that the whole should go into the hands not of those who had deserved it of the country, but merely to recruit Janisaries devoted to support perfas et nefas, the champion of these measures, while the officers and soldiers, and other most meritorious public creditors, are left entirely unprovided for?

Time, that steady and cool interpreter, has already begun to do his work, and much sooner than was expected discloses these transactions in such a light, that the authors of them turn away from the sight.

The constant sing-song of their only apologist, that champion of an impartial and independent press, for several months, was, "Oh these antifederalists are trying to overturn the government; these measures and federal government are the same thing, and whoever opposes them is an antifederalist - Oh these antifederalists !"-But when, on looking over the whole country, it appeared that almost every man who had not been corruptly purchased, and partook of the public plunder, was SUCH AN ANTIFEDERALIST, it became necessary to drop that story; and the mighty apology now is, "one of the heads of depart

ments is envious against the head of another department. Oh, what a vile thing is envy! If that individual was not envious at the other individual, all Congress would think, and all the country would think, that the imposts and excises were very light, would be glad to see that they were devoted forever to the purchase of a monied aristocracy of foreigners, fugitives, and speculators; that nothing was left to protect the butchered frontiers, and that the officers, soldiers, and others who had devoted their property and their lives, as the purchase of our independence, should be forgotten, and their descendents perish in indigence!

TO THE NOBLESSE AND COURTIERS OF THE UNITED STATES.

WAN

JANTED against the 21st of February, a person who is well skilled in the trade of versifying, and who is willing to offer up his talents to government as a Poet Laureat. As this is somewhat of a new trade in the United States, and the person offering himself may be aukward in the duties which he is called to perform, it is intended to write to the poet laureat of his Britannic majesty for a few lessons. One thing, however, will be certainly required, a dexterity in composing birth-day odes, soaring above this clod for models for the characters laureated. To compare an officer of government to any thing on this earth, would be an anti-hyperbole, unsuited to the majesty of the subject. It will not be mal-apropos for the poet, in order to render himself the more acceptable, to have an intimate knowledge of the causes of decline of all the republics which have preceded us, that he may celebrate those causes as favorable to American prosperity. The ignorance of Americans will render this tale highly pleasing-To give a more perfect accommodation to this almost new appointment, certain monarchical prettinesses must be highly extolled, such as levees, drawingrooms, stately nods instead of shaking hands, titles of office, seclusion from the people, &c. It may be needless to mention certain other trifling collateral duties, but that the poet may be acquainted with the whole circle of requisites, it may not be amiss to hint, that occasional strokes of ridicule at equality; the absurdity that the vulgar, namely, the people, should presume to think and judge for themselves; the great benefit of rank and distinction; the abomination of equality supposing that the officers of government ought to level themselves with the people, by visiting them, inviting them to their tables, &c. may be introduced by way of episode to the poem. It is a wretched and mad

opinion that some high flying republicans maintain, that officers of government ought to deport themselves as the equals of the people: it is founded in human nature, that when men are exalted above their fellows, they should feel a consequence, exercise an insolence, and observe a stately superiority over those who have advanced them; for by equaliz ing themselves with the mobocracy, they diminish that reverence and submission, which ought necessarily to be annexed to every important office. The majesty of the people is a ridiculous solecism it ought to be the majesty of the officers of government, "stuck o'er with titles and hung round with strings." As the objects are sketched which are to engage the attention of the poet, it only remain to mention, that the person who can render this essential service will be well provided for by government either at home or abroad.

National Gazette [Philadelphia], November 21, 1792, and January 5, 1793.

88.

"Character of Saint Tamany" (1794)

BY WILLIAM PRICHARD

The Indian chief, Tammany, was chosen as the patron saint of a secret society organized in 1789 in New York City. Later the society became a power in politics, and out of it grew the Tammany Hall of to-day. - Bibliography: J. D. Hammond, Parties in New York, I, ch. xviii; Lalor, Cyclopædia, III, 850-856.

MMORTAL Tamany, of Indian race,

IM

Great in the field, and foremost in the chace !
No puny saint was he, with fasting pale,
He climb'd the mountain, and he swept the vale,
Rush'd thro' the torrent with unequall'd might;
Your ancient saints would tremble at the sight;
Caught the swift boar, and swifter deer, with ease,
And work'd a thousand miracles like these.
To public views he added private ends,
And lov'd his country most, and next his friends;
With courage long he strove to ward the blow,
(Courage we all respect ev'n in a foe,)
And when each effort he in vain had tried,
Kindled the flame in which he bravely died!

Let the full horn to Tamany go round,
His fame let every honest tongue resound!
With him let ev'ry gen'rous patriot vie,

To live in freedom, or with honour die.

The Columbian Muse (J. Carey, New York, 1794), 223–224.

89. Political Conditions in America (1795)

BY REVEREND WILLIAM WINTERBOTHAM

N America, the expenses of the government are very much less, in proportion to wealth and numbers, than those of any nation in Europe. There is no land tax among the national revenues, nor is there any interior tax, or excise upon food, drink, fuel, lights, or any native or foreign manufacture, or native or foreign production, except a duty of about four pence sterling upon domestic distilled spirits. The greatest part of the public burdens are paid by an import duty on foreign goods, which being drawn back on exportation, it remains only on what is actually used, and is in that view the lowest in the world. . . .

Trade has been encouraged by a drawback of all the import duty on foreign goods, when they are exported, excepting only a very few commodities of a particular nature, which are not desired to be much imported into, or consumed in, the United States.

A national mint is established under the direction of the ablest practical man in the arts and sciences which America affords, DAVID RITTENHOUSE. It is provided by law, that the purity and intrinsic value of the silver coins shall be equal to that of Spain, and of the gold coins to those of the strictest European nations. The government of the United States foregoes all profit from the coinage; this is certainly an honest, a politic and wholesome forbearance, but America is the first that has adopted it.

The banks established in the several cities of Philadelphia, NewYork, Boston, Baltimore, Charleston, Alexandria, &c. divide a profit of seven and a half to eight and a half per cent. per annum at present, which is paid half-yearly. The interest of the public debt of the United