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question I am compelled to differ. To refrain from a decided opposition to Mr. Adams's re-election has been reluctantly sanctioned by my judgment; which has been not a little perplexed between the unqualified conviction of his unfitness for the station contemplated; and a sense of the great importance of cultivating harmony among the supporters of the government; on whose firm union hereafter will probably depend the perservation of order, tranquillity, liberty, property; the security of every social and domestic blessing."

JEFFERSON'S ELECTION.

We have received advices from this interesting quarter of the globe; down to the 14th of November. Some of the London papers have, for this week past, been informing their readers, that the election for President, so far as it had gone, appeared, to them, to be favourable to Mr. ADAMS. Now the truth is, that while those sagacious papers perceived those appearances in American newspapers of the 12th of November, the election for Electors of President had not begun. The election of Electors was to be on the 15th of November, and the Electors themselves were to hold their election of President on the 3d of December it is impossible, therefore, that we should know, of a certainty, who is the fortunate candidate, fill · about the middle of January.

As far as we can judge, PINCKNEY will have more voices than ADAMS, and as to the success of JEFFERSON, it appears yet to be uncertain, unless the Legislature of the State of Pennsylvania agree in the passing of a law, by which that State will preserve its vote. Those who have taken such pains to persuade the people of England that America had the best Government in the world, ought to know, that the mode of choosing electors of President has been by the general Constitution,

left

left to the Legislative Bodies of the States respectively. In Pennsylvania, which is entitled to 15 Electors, the law providing for the mode of electing Electors, was made for a certain term, which term expired last year.-The two Houses of Assembly, could not, at their last Session, agree as to another law. They were, on the 5th of November, assembled expressly for the purpose; but, though the people were pouring in petitions and remonstrances upon them from all quarters, it was by no means certain that the law would be passed. If the law is passed, it is very well known, that JEFFERSON will have the whole 15 votes: if it is not passed, it is probable that JEFFERSON will lose his election; and, if he should lose his election, it is not at all improbable that Pennsylvania will protest against the proceeding, and will refuse to obey any laws that may be sanctioned by a President in whose election she has had no share. This dilemma in public affairs has extorted the following confession from the republican editor of The Aurora, in his paper of the 4th of November last: When "the Constitution of the United States was under "discussion, every man who dared to doubt of "its excellence, and of the infallibility of its an"thors, was stigmatized as a friend of disorder

and anarchy. Yet behold, from its want of ex"plicitness on the momentous object of choosing

Electors of a Chief Magistrate, it is almost in "the power of two or three abandoned individuals, "by disfranchising our state, perhaps to impose a "President on the Union contrary to the strongest "wishes of the people."

That the two or three individuals, who are here aimed at by this partisan of JEFFERSON, are "abandoned" men, is very false; for they are certainly amongst the best men in the country; but, it is true, that two or three abandoned individuals might,

might, by such a concurrence of circumstances as the present, impose a President on the Union, in direct contradiction to the will of the whole people of the country. The fact is, it is impossible to guard against inconveniences of this sort, if the Chief Magistrate is elected. In a country where an elective government exists, a minority will always govern; and, what is much worse, they will always govern precisely in that way in which the majority do not like to be governed. Forty-nine fiftieths of the people of the United States despise all the three candidates; but the other fiftieth prevents them from having any other choice. They must therefore vote for one of these men, or their vote is spent in air. The President himself is no more than the mere puppet of the leading demagogues, The last election of Mr. ADAMS bore striking resemblance to that by which SEXTUS V. was elevated to the papal chair. The old man perceived it, too, and resolved to mortify his selfish supporters, by letting them see that he could and would reign alone, But, alas! he was not a Montalto!

We cannot dismiss this article without adverting to a remark, respecting the American newspapers which appeared in the London Observer of last Sunday. This profound and polished print observes, that "the American papers are so prosti"tuted to party purposes, that but little of general

politics can be collected from them.". Amongst the papers which it would seem the Observer was in possession of, was the NEWARK paper. NEWARK is a village, and its paper (the Editor of which is at work in the fields one half of his time) does not cost above seven shillings a year; yet will we pledge our lives, that the NEWARK paper contains more information on "general politics" in one week, than the Observer, does in one year. It must be

con

confessed, that the spirit of party prevails in the American papers, over every thing else. We are sorry for it, for the sake of the people; but we would much rather see the spirit of party prevail than no spirit at all. The violence of the American factions does, indeed, disturb the peace and happiness of the community; but we much question, if it be more dangerous, in its ultimate tendency, than the despicable frivolity of this effeminate metropolis. For our parts, we must confess, that we would rather hear the rattling of the cudgels at an election, than the sentimental sobbing at a modern comedy.

We havé, since our last Number went to the press, received complete files of our American papers, down to the 21st of February. The only news of importance which they contain, is, that of the final election of JEFFERSON, as President of the United States.--We shall give the extraordinary history of this election in the very words that are made use of by the American Editors.-It exhibits a striking proof of the blessings resulting from Republican Government and Written Constitu

tions.

WASHINGTON, FEB. 12.

2 o'clock, P. M. We waited all yesterday in the hourly expectation of being able to announce to our anxious countrymen, the result of the Presidential Election, but it remains to this moment undecided; and the happiness of five millions of people awfully suspended in the balance!

The crisis is momentous, and calls for a superior portion of fortitude and perseverance !

VOL. XII.

N

To

To the Federal Republicans of the House of Representatives, the most sincere and well tried friends of the Constitution it is given, by a manly adherence to principle, to secure its duration to ages or by a disgraceful prostration of character, a wanton disregard of prudence, and a shameful sacrifice of duty, to commit it to the hazardous hands of a foe.

Unworthy will he be, and consecrate his name to infamy, who, with a view to the permanency of our political system, has hitherto strenuously opposed the exaltation of Mr. Jefferson to the Presidential chair; shall now, meanly and inconsistently, lend his aid to promote it. Such conduct would be dishonourable in the extreme. Such conduct, therefore, cannot possibly characterize the Federal Party. Will they confer upon Mr. Jefferson the Federal Suffrage in reward for the calumnies he has indiscriminately cast upon the federal character or will they remunerate him with the most dignified office of Government, in return for the very honourable epithets of pandars to the whore of England,, "timid men, office hunters, monarchists, speculators," and plunderers, which he has missed no opportunity to bestow on them? Surely not! The Federal Republicans profess to be disciples of the old school, and we trust that the lex talionis is neither obsolete nor forgotten..

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But say the bold and impetuous partisans of Mr. Jefferson, and that too in the teeth of the assembled Congress of America: "Dare to designate any Officer whatever, even temporarily, to administer the Government, in the event of a non-agreement on the part of the House of Representatives, and we will march and dethrone him as an Usurper. Dare (in fact) to exercise the right of opinion, and place in the presidential

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