des not arife from the de The depravity of our adminiftration arife bur ci izens. They are at this day as much devoted to the happinets of our country, as they were when they elected men of idtegrity to office in the days of Wafhington and Adams. But fyftematic intrigue has veiled truth from their eyes; and undefs this veil be removed, before it, is too late, dreadful indeed will be our fituation. But how can this be done? It can be done whenever fome method is adopted by which both parties can be heard. Federalifm wants nothing but a hearing to enfure its fuccefs. And the party tyling themselves republicans never dared, nor ever will dare, to meet them on any fair grounding du do. Every federal editor in the U. States would willingly throw open his paper to both parties, if the republican editors would do the fame. But this they dare not do. They well know that their party owes its whole exiftence to the withholding, of truth, and the diffemination of of falfhood. They well know that it fuch a method fhould be adopted, whenever the people fuffered any grievances from their party, they could not make then believe federalifts had done it. That fuch has been their conftant practice, and that the party has raifed iifel by fuch bafe means, can never be denied How many well meaning electors there are, who, even to this moment, are made to believe, that the felt ftyled! republican party were not the caufe of the direct tax and the provifional army. Whereas on hearing a fair .ftatement, they would at once learn, not only that they were the caule, by inviting a French invafion, but that the direct tax was even moved by one of the leaders of that party. And every other objeation, which was railed against the late adminif -tration, would either be 1shewn to be an abfolute fatihood, or would be explained to the fatisfaction of every honest elector by dome other fall, which their deceivers have ever withheld from thein. They know better than to confent to give truth an equal chance with fa'fhood. It is on this account, that fo great phins are takin "by them to prevent the circulation of federal papers,ut It is on this account alfo, that they are to thorough going in the work of falfhood in fecret, if it come to the ears of those who would detect it. Eve ry jacobinie demagogue is a living packet of fcandal. Auevery grog-fap he is de[livered, grai and poft,fees paid at the council-chamber. Since it is by luch little workings in the dark, the unity, rants are created, it becomes the duty of egery man of principles o endeavor to de de. deat, their insan, projects, as well as ext ofenncur more daring, wickednefs, ! t Laft week, at the Columbia Circuit, were brought on, before ftruck juries, the trials of the following caufes, viz:-Ambrale Spencer vs. Ezra Sampfon-the fame vs. the fame-Spencer vs. Crofwell, and Foot vs. Crofwell.-The two firft fuits were lettled by compromife between the parties. In the caufe of Spencer vs. Crolwell, plaintiff obtained a verdict of One Hundred and Twenty dollars.-Caufe of Foot vs. Crofwell (for charging plaintiff with being a Swindler and Blockhead) verdict for plaintiff, fix Cents.-A partic. ular account of thefe trials will be commenced next week; and I fhall lay it before the public with the more fatisfaction, becaufe it will not only convince my read. ers of the uprightnefs of my editorial conduct; but alfo will bear honorable teftimony of the candor and impartiality, of the court and juries before whom the causes were tried." 516 The legislature of New. Hampshire, hav. ing become democratical, by a fmall majority, took the earliest opportunily to pal's a fet of refolution, congratulating their fellow citizens upon the refult of certain measures of the general government; and declaring their full confidence in the prefent adminiftration of the fame, and in the juffice, benevolence and wif penfe. And fuch has been his opinion refpecting fome measures of the admin. iftration, that he is not prepared to exprefs that unlimited confidence which the refolutions feem to purport." HORRID MURDER ! ! ! ! AN induftrious Frenchman, named Lew. is L'Orient, (but better known in this place by the name of Look Shirp) who for fome years kept a retail dry good flore in Church. ftreet, was found murdered in his bed on Sunday morning laft, having his throat per forated, and his head and body mangled in a barbarous and inhuman manner. He was an eccentric character, lived by him. felf, and notwithstanding his bufinels was confined, ftill he amaffed a large fum of ready cath, which he kept by him for the parpole of attending vendues, not having confidence in any body! A crow.bar and two chiffels were found in the house. It is fuppofed the murderers have got a confiderable fum in gold and bank notes. There was near 150 weight of filver in dollars, &c. found in the houfe, which they had not time to carry off. This unfortunate man had a wife and child, which, we are told, he fold fome yers ago, and that he was lately in Baltimore in the ca pacity of a fervant. A little after the above (hocking murder was difcovered, a young fellow of the name of Greenlaw or Greenlow, was ap prehended on fufpicion, and after a frict examination, it tranfpired that the unfor tunate maa had been gaming with him at a houfe of ill fame on Saturday night, and had loft fome money; alfo, the fmith that made the crow came forward and made oath, that Greenlaw was the man who or dered and paid for it. This, with other trong teftimonies (which we do not with magiftrates to commit him to prifon to ftate at prefeat) induced the examining and last evening a man by the name of Smith was alfo committed to prifon, on fulpicion of being an accefly in the above [Norfolk paper.] murder. Mr. John Bruce, a Kentucky farmer, who came paffenger in the fehr. Experiment which arrived yesterday from New-Orleans, Hom of the Prefident of the United States. Thefe refolutions were fent to Gov. Gil. man for his approbation. The governor, who, it will be recollc&ted, lately declared himself a federalift of the Washington-brought with him fix tons of hemp of his fchool, and who, of courfe, cannot be diderably fuperior in quality to that impor own culture. This hemp is faid to be con a great admirer of the Jefferson-fyftem, returned the telolutions with his objectreturned the refolutions with his object-firmer texture it may be mentioned, that ted from Raff. As a proof that it is of ions, which clofe with the following pointed remark: when three fibres of the ruffian hemp were pulled between the hands, they frapped, whereas an equal number of the Kentucky produce refifies the power of the hands completely. Mr. Bruce intends, fhould he find a good marker, to raile a very confiderable quantity of this article in future yeats. ¦ We troi he will receive that encouragement to profecute his olju, Mers. Editors,linud zari agiqt The following is the fubftance of ailets tér figned by a number of feamen, dated New-Providence, ft May, 1804, to a friend and countryman in this place--It ftates that the fubfcribers are native citi zens of America, and that they were impreffed by capt. Gordon, of the British Thip of war Racoon, and notwithstanding they had regular protections and other cer tificates proving their citizenship, they employed as a mail carrier of the bad t On Franklin, marked on t 21ft 1804. tained an gentleman a yearly pay ed. On op money was The circumftances difcovered in the information given against him before judge Brevard, appeared to be as follows or about the 233 of January lat, when this man was employed this man was employed as a mail carrier, on the road to Fayettville, a great number of letters, having poft office masksion them, were found scattered along the road,ed to have broken open and tormin pieces not far from the North Carolina boundary line in Marlborough diftri&t. Some of the let. ters had the Augusta poft mark; others of other poft-offices in Georgia. One of thefe letters with the Augufta poft mark was from Seaborn Augufta, January Jones, Eq. dated " introduced. gave the ge were detained from their families, friends; them, the marks of ark; others of by letter; and the fervice of their country, on board faid fhip; it further flates, that when at Port Royal, Jamaica, they wrote feveral times to William Savage, Efq. agent for the relief and protection of American Seamen, at Kingston, praying his interférence in their behalf; but that, the gentleman informed them that he had not power or authority to a for them. They therefore eainefly request their friends to make their unhappy fituation known to their government, through the medium of your prefs, which aft of kindness they will hold. in grateful remembrance, The letter is figned by Henry Mayo, Dedham, Francois Hutchinfon, Red Bank. h, 1804, and addreffed to a gentleman in New-York, importing that he had Yent therein enclofed, in divided bank bills, a confiderable fum. One fragment of a letter had the mark's offithe Winborough poft office, M'Donald was fufpected; but the mail he carried not appearing at any of the poft offices to have been broken open, or its contents medled with, he was not molested for fometimes ar On the 28th of March following, in travelling with the mail; he lodged at the House of William Hawkins, near Pee Dee, where he left in a paper tied up, a quan. tity of bank bills, amounting to fourteen hundred dollars or thereabouts, which paper was found in the bed where he flept. Two days afterwards he called and claimed the money, faying it belonged to a man in Camden, and was fent on by him from a man in Fayettville. by letter; accompanie convinced on its way have been i ftances, wit covery of t view, I her TY DOL! give fuch i be brought At New. ceived the Burr, Gen. are not ena vent, at endeavor Another poft rider being prefent, he requefted him not to fpeak of this affair, and threatened to be revenged on him if he did. Soon afterwards, M'Donald quit the employment of mail carrier; appearing in very genteel apparel, and took up his fodg-posed to of Jofeph Cornelius, Mount Plealantings at one of the best inns in the place. When any of our governmental Before this time he was known to be very agents-at-foreign ports, either through indigent, and no one can tell by what lear, favor, or inattention, fhrink from, bone means, if any hed has in fo fhort a or thus fhamefully neglect the duty they time been enabled to fupport himsekt in owe to their country, the dignity and in- the ftyle he has lately done. tereft of which they are bound, (as far as It is probable the mail was opened by in their power) to fupport; fuch agents him, by means of a falfe key, about the are no longer fit to fill the ftations they 21ft of January lafl. The person who hold;for although a conciliatury difpofi-apprehended him, requested to examine man. The gen the Circu tion of th to wear a a token of 232 The Wreath. FOR THE BALANCE. MR. EDITOR, Observing, in your paper of the 26th ult. a Scottish Ode, from the Caledonian Mercury, I am induced to transcribe the following beautiful effu sion of that admired Scottish bard,, Robert Burns, for your Wreath. The titled lady neat and prim, With waist so nice and taper. As was her own thread-paper. The Macaro:i, like a lord, A long square coat with a large cuff, A sign that they were paid then! The battle of Bannockburn was fought on the 25th of June, 1314, between the army of Scotland, commanded by Bruce, and the army of England, commanded by King Edward II: Scotland had been conquered by Edward I. and the Scotch, led, With fierce cock'd hat they look'd like men, on by Bruce, had thrown off the yoke. He had been crowned king of Scotland, but held his kingdom by a precarious tenure, until this décisive battle, in which the English were defeated with great slaughter. And wore two costly rings.At first large buckles small ones then,— But never thought of strings. WHEN the Duke of Norfolk built the very fingular caftle he has on the bor ders of the Ulls Water Lake, he asked a party of gentlemen, to whom he was Thewing it," whether they did not think it very extraordinary ?" So extraordinary," said one of them, " that if your Grace had but placed, the cellar in the garret, there could not have been, fucha building in the world." [Ibid.] THE Dutches of Devonshire, while waiting in her carriage one day in the streets of London, obfervd a Duftman, with a hort pipe in his hand, looking at her. Having gazed a few foconds with intenfenefs, he broke into a fmile, and faid "Lord love your ladyfhip, I with you would let me light my pipe at your eyes." Her grace took it in good part, and was fo pleased with the whimsical frankness of the compliment, that when any thing civil is faid to her, the often remarks" Very well; but nothing like the Duftman." TERMS OF THE BALANCE, To City Subscribers, Two Dollars and Fifty Cents, payable quarterly. To those who receive them by mail, Two Dolars, payable in advance. To those who take their papers at the office, in bundles, or otherwise, a deduction from the city price will be made. A handsome Title Page and Table of Contents will accompany the last number of the volume. Advertisements inserted in a handsome and conspicuous manner, in the Advertiser which accompa nies the Balance. } 76 Driginal. SIR, IT T is a maxim founded on truth and experience, that to deftroy the liberties of the people, their vigilance must first be seduced by artifice and deception. Fraud in fuch cales precedes force. Flattery is fucceeded by violence-infidious profeffions terminate in ufurpations, and, deceit. ful promiles are followed by tyranny and oppreffion. The people, made the dupes. of their own credulity, are reduced to fubjection; they fink into defponding indo-, lence; every generous fentin,ent becomes. dormant; their fpirits are depi effed, and outrages must be carried to extremities before they make one manly effort to recov. er their rights. The above obfervations, though of a general nature, in my conception' admit of a pertinent application here. We live under a government wearing the mildeft af pect, established on the moft liberal principles, and fecuring to us every immunity and privilege neceffary to the happiness of rational creatures. The people of this Country are truly and emphatically fove of fociety, it is incumbent on us to guard it with vigilant attention. The principles of this government ought to be preferved pure and uncorrupted. The purity of thofe principles, is the fafeguard of our rights, and when once this purity is gone, the defcent to anarchy and from thence to defpotifm, is fure and inevitable. A govern. ment thus vitiated haflens its own def truction. In vain will the patriot endeavour to carry it back to its original principles. The impulfe has been given which is too frong to be refifted. That the principles of our government are already corrupted, maný will deny ; but that there is an impending danger of corruption, I fincerely believe. The virtue which fupported us in the trying feafon of '76, is now confiderably enervated.That political jealoufy, which was exprelfed with fo much warmth, at the time of the adoption of our conftitution, feems now to be lulled to reft. That exalted opinion which our forefathers held of the liberty of the citizen, is now much depreffed. That high fpirit which once refifted the minuteft infringements of right, now fcarcely breathes a feeble murmur againft the most flagrant injuftice. Our property is, as yet, fecure; and we feel regardless of the danger which hovers over our liberty. We riot in prefent profperity, and little think of confequences. We view with complacency the prefent appear reign. The fupreme power refides ulti-nce of our political atmofphere, and con. Enjoying a government, which, in its Dature, is thus propitious to the rights fider it as pleafant and ferene; but let it be remembered, that the cleareft fky often forebodes the most dreadful ftorms. " fition and dence of till they thofe by fideration may, ind ures plau portion a are their Against on the ge ple, enjo an evil in the lofty of a gene foon dete their indi will hurl. poftor int I have hearing t otifm, ma party, wh the most who pla which ha eft and gl ed the t party, w lent difob ities. Let us the note this coun to prejud gainst the I lay it down as an eternal principle of If I am n *ruth, admitting of no qualifications or ex? 234 now in confpicuous and important ftations. It will be recollected, that after the attempts of Genet to draw this government into a pernicious and impolitic war, he had the prefumption to declare his intention of appealing from the prefident to the people. It will alío be recollected, that about the fame time, a proclamation of neutrality was iffued by the prefident. Now, let me afk, what then was the conduct of our prefent pacific patriots? Did they fupport our government against the machinations. of a foreigner? Did they relent, with hearty indignation, the glaring attempts of ? a French ambassador to draw us into a war Attempts made with unblufhing effrontery, and feconded by an impudence over bearing beyond expreffion? Did they approbate the proclamation of neutrality, intended to guard our country against the ca. lamities of an unneceffary war? I answer, : No! Thofe men, who now fo courteously fubmit to infult and aggreffion, at that time were enthufiaftically eager to plunge us into hoftilities, to gratify the purposes of a foreign nation, and from which we might expect nothing but ignominy and difgrace, The firm and determined refolution of Washington was moft bitterly fcandalized, by the minions of faction. The conduct of Genet was warmly applauded. The illuftrious hero, who had ferved his country with fo much glory, was then reprefented as weak and pufillanimous in the cabinet. The moft infidious calumny was pointed, with unexampled malignity, against him. The father of his country was then ftigmatized by a faction, in order to vindicate and eulogize Genet. If the preceding reprefentation be true, what are we to think of the felf- ftiled re. publicans of America? They are now entrufted with the dearest interests of the People; and it is incumbent on the people to watch them with a jealous and fcrutinizing eye. Let them not be deceived by measures which, at firft view, appear politic and beneficial; but which, in their confequences, may be ruinous to this country. Let them not be impofed on. by hollow profeffions of zeal for their fervice; nor let the vain boasts of purity and rectitude, quiet their fufpicions. The most artful demagogues fometimes deviate into a courle of apparent rectitude, to enfure fuccefs to their enterprize against liberty; and while they deceive us, rely upon it they intend our deftruction. A FEDERALIST. Editor's Closet, LIBEL SUITS. IT is unnecessary to detain the reader with a detailed account of the fuits bra't The Balance. by Ambrofe Spencer against Ezra Samp. fon (formerly a co-editor of the Balance) as both those fuits were fettled by com promife.This bufinefs difpofed o', next came on the caule of Ambrofe Spencer vs. Harry Crofwell, This was an action brought to recover damages for the charges contained in the following article, publifhed in the Balance of the 12th of April, 1803. BALANCE CLOSET.-Liberty of the Press, No. 7 Mockery of Justice.TO many of our distant readers, it may appear extraordinary that we should, in all our remarks on the subject, treat Mr. Attorney-General Spencer as the sole or principal author of the late outrage on the Liberty of the Press; as it is well known that a public officer is bound by his oath to perform his duty faithfully, and that when complaint is made and a bill found against an offender, it is the Attorney-General's business to carry on the prosecution. But we have an explanation to make, which will shew that whatever blame or praise attaches to the attack on the press, belongs almost exclusively to Ambrose Spencer, Esq. It is true, indeed, that some of the most violent and unprincipled of the democratic party, have approved or pretended to approve, of his conduct; yet facts evince that the measure was his own; but whether he was instigated to it by Mr. Jefferson, or by the genius of democracy (well known by several familiar names) it is impossible for us to know. Certain it is, that Mr. Spencer was informer and public accuser. He inte, fered with the duties of the sheriff and of the grand jury; and he attempted to dictate and mark out a new line of duty for the judges. Were we permitted to give the truth, in epidence, we might here state facts that would strike every consciencious reader dumb with astonishment and indignation. We might exhibit such a shameful in stance of the abuse of power, as seldom, if ever, disgraced the most despotic times. We might expose such a scandalous mockery of justice, as would But the reader will make every freeman shudder. reflect, that the terrors of the British common law are suspended over our heads. The Attorney-Gen. eral stands forth, threatening the man who shall dare to publish truth, with all the rigors of that law. Our press is, at this moment, more completely shackled that if it were under the control of a li censer. We must, therefore, speak with caution. We will be cautious. Nay, more-we will say not a word of our Attorney General. We will merely suppose a case, and leave the reader to his own reflections. "Let us suppose, then, that a federal pris ter commences the publication of a little waspish paper, in some little city, in a certain county of one of the largest states in the union, Let it be supposed that the Attorney-General of the said state, resides in the said little city; and that the said printer takes provoking liberties in the said paper with the said Attorney General. Let it be supposed that the Attorney General comes to the laudable resciution of Scourging the printer with the common law of Eng. land Let it be supposed that, for this purpose, HE DRAWS UP, or CAUSES TO BE DRAWN UP, IN HIS OWN OFFICE, A DAY OR TWO PREVIOUS TO THE SITTING OF THE COURT, A BILL OF INDICTMENT against the printer for publishing a libel on Thomas Jeffer son!!! Let it be further suppoed that, in order to procure a grand jury, composed of men who would be sure to find (yes, reader find!) a bill already drawn! the Attorney General places in the hands of a democratic sheriff, a list (in his own hand writing) of the names of twenty-four other democrais, with orders to have them summoned for a grand-jury !!!* Mr. Spencer nec' entertain no suspicion that Mr. Van Derpoel, the sheriff, has disclosed any of his se crets; tho' Mr Van Derpoel know that he has not a greater enemy on earthiban Mr Spencer, Let it next be supposed that the grand jury, thus not." In this publication were fupposed to be blended, the following charges, viz. ift. That Spencer was principal author of an outrage on the Liberty of the P.efs, 2nd. That Spencer was informer and public accufer. 34. That he interfered with the duties of the Sheriff. 4th. That he interfered with the duties of the Grand Jury. 5h. That he attempted to di&tate and mark out a new line of duty for the judg es. 6th. That he threatened the man who fhould dare to publifh truth, with all the rigors of the British common law. 7th. That for the purpofe of Scourging a printer with that law, he drew up, or cauled to be drawn up, in his own office, a day or two previous to the fitting of the court, a bill of indi&tment against the faid printer for publishing a libel on Thomas Jefferson. 8th. That, for the purpofe of having the bill found, he turnifhed a democratic fheriff, with a lift of twenty-four other de mocrats, with orders to have them lum moned for a grand jury. The defendant having admitted the pub lication, and plead the truth of the charges in juftification, proceeded to adduce teftimony to prove them. In fupport of the firft, fecond, fourth and feventh charges, it was proved that a few days previous to the fitting of the Court of Seffions in this county, in January, 1803, Mr. Spencer drew up, in his own office, a bill of indictment against the defendant, for a libel on Thomas Jeffer fon-that Foot, diftri-attorney, drew up, at the fame time, with Spencer's know ledge, another bill. That, with these twa bills, ready drawn, and certain numbers of the Waip, Spencer and Foot went be fore the grand jury early on the fit day of the fitting. That they called the attention of the jury to the publications on which the indi&iments were founded, and left both the papers and the bills with the found grand jury. That the grand jury thefe identical bills the fame afternoon, &c. &c. In fupport of the fifth charge, it was proved that Spencer applied to the court to have the defendant bound to keep the peace and be of good behaviour, previous 1 0 |