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NYPL RESEARCH LIBRARIES

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Julius Schoonmaker 12 Dec ■.1912*

t^//:«?w;

■,p> y-1,-

PROCEEDINGS

OF THE

REPUBLICAN MEETING

OF THE

Citizens of Albany and Colonic,

AT

JARED SKINNER'S LONG ROOM,

MARCH 13th, 1810.

♦ • • » •

PRINTED BY R, PACKARD, No. 41 ST|)lTE-§TREET. .

1810.

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• • • •

• ^^ «.. « • -

REPUBLICAN MEETING

OF THE

CITIZENS OF ALBANY and COLONIE.

At the most numerous and respectable meeting of the Republican Citizens of Albany and the Colo-^ me, ever held in this city, at jfARED SKIN- NER^s Long Room, on Tuesday Evening, March I3th, I^IO.

GEORGE MERCHANT, Esq. Chairman. CHARLES D. COOPER, Esq. Secretary.

The business of the meeting was introduced by Solomon South- wick, Esq. who delivered the following ADDRESS : — . Mr. Chairman,

WE are called upon, sir, to nominate a Governor and Lieuten^ ant-Governor for this respectable state, and also to declare our opin- ions of the conduct of the government of the United States. In the performance of duties so important and so binding, I feel confident *his meeting can be swayed by no other motive than the love of country, that ruling passion in the breast of every genuine repub- lican.

We find our country divided unhappily into two great parties, and however lamentable such a state of things may be, it appears to have been the lot of humanity from the earliest ages. How pain- ful the reflection to the bosom of philanthropy, that since the ex- pulsion of our first parents from the Garden of Eden, no period can be pointed to, when mankind were linked in the bonds of harmony, and when social intercourse was undisturbed by the clashings of in- terest, the bickerings of prejudice, the madness of ambition, and the rage of bigotry and superstition, Hence it is, that a free con- stitution may be compared to a solitary traveller in the deserts of Africa, surroimdcd on all sides by wily serpents and ferocious beasts of prey, and depending upon ever-watcl|ful vigilance alone to pre- serve him from the poisonous fangs of the one, and the devouring jaws of the other.

To this country, sir, the eyes of the world have been directed as the only resting place of liberty ; but so far from being secure, she hae been constantly beset with enemies, from the tinie that our {n-

4 tbers cl»ose her as the " cloud by day and pillar of fire by night,** to lead them out of bondage, and to guide their course through the stormy mazes of a ckiik and bloody revolution.

In that eventful period, the parties arose which have ever s\nc-e agitated this community, and which it is to be feared will continue to agitate it; WHIG and TORY were then the appellations by which the defenders of freedom were designated on the one hand, and her enemies on the other. The Whigs w ere the friends of freedom, and eventually triumphed, establishing-, as they fondly hoped and anticipated, the liberties and independence of their coun- try upon a solid and lasting foumlation. We have as yet, thank God, preserved our liberties, but through many perils and alarms. The entmy is still in our camp, where wc have permitted him to get a foot-hold, ajid like the ungrateful viper, may yet punish us for our rash credulity, by the destruction of our freedom. ^

In the revolution tiie Whigs went forv,ard and fought the battles of their country, devoting their time and exhausting their wealth, as well as risking their lives, to effect her salvation; while the To- ries, excepting a few of the boldest among them, looked quietly on, and preserved their property unimpaired, and in many cases in- creased it by speculating on the distresses of the Whigs. The, consequence was, that at the close of the revolution the Whigs vere impoverished, the Tories were enriched : And as property is too universally the basis of influence, the Tories soon took the lead in our affairs ; their bretluen who had been expelled from our shores, returned to take advantage of our magnanimous clemency, and to strengthen the party against liberty. Some distinguished apostates fi-om the whig ranks went over to this party — by this art- fid combination the people v.ere deluded; and even under the ad- ministration of the father of his country, so powerful had this toiy ii^Iluence become, that many honest men trembled for the safety of the constitution. In this state the venerable Clinton had led the whigs during the stinaggle for indv-^pendence ; the close of the con- test found him in possession of the executive chair, and the offices of .the state Were filled with the men who had shared witli their veteran chief the toils and dangers of the war. But a ncv,- era was soon to succeed. The pillars of the old confederation were too weak to suBtain the fabric of our union ; a new federal code became necessary. A convention was called — a constitution was formed — but it partook too much of the spirit of monarchy to suit the palates

5

Kj£ the genuine uhip,s. The sage Clinton contended for such cimendments as would render it congenial with the spirit of free- dom; while Mr. Jay, who had also b(?en a whig in the revolution, became the zealous advocate of its immediate and umiualified adop- tion. Mr. Hamilton took the same side. Tlicae gentlemen were for a government of energy. I^^j,eed the form proposed, which Clinton and his compatriots thought too energetic, Avas not enough so for Messrs. Hamilton and Jay — and as the tory principle is that of arbitrary power, it was natural for the friends of that principle to side with the ranks of these latter gentlemen. This party shortly after prevailed in this state— and the consequence was that Mr. Jay was elected to the office of Governor. His administration, it was soon perceived, would strengthen the tory intluence. Those whigs who had opposed his elevation, and had supported the amendments to the constitution, under the banners of Clinton and liberty, were systematica% excluded from places of trust and confidence, and it was finally determined that those of that description who were found in office when he took the hejm, should be dismissed to tlie ranks of private life. Thus and then it was, Mr. Chairman, that the system of turning men out of office on political grounds only, commenced in this state. The whigs were the first victims to this system, which has since alternately prevailed ; and however its con- sequences are to be regretted, so far as it may serve to inflame par- ty animosity and generate faction, those only are responsible for its evils to whom it owes its origin. But I owe it to Mr. Jay to state, that though his mind had been so far warped by his new associates (many of whom would have hung him when he was contending for the independence of his country in the revolution) as to exclude his opponents from being appointed to office— yet he never consented to the removal of those wlio were turned out. No, sir, the honor of that proscripthe measure is due to a man who had then bat jusr. emerged from obscurity, and vvho, without a spark of revolutionary merit, applied the scourge of his influence to men who had spent the flower of their age in fighting the battles of liberty. His influ- ence with the council cf appointment was paramoinit at that day, as it now is, to that of the Governor, and the whigs were, in every pounty, removed from office. In one county in particular, an hon- est old veteran of the revolution was i-emoved, and a man who had assisted the Indians iv, burning Schoharie was selected to fill his place on the bellch of Justice I Tliese measures, together with the

6

r^ous policy of the then federal administration, produced a revof Iiition in the minds of the people, and paved the way for the restora- tion of the patriotic Clinton to the chair of state. Mr. Jay resigned in disgust, and the whigs with one accord hailed the name of Clin- ton as that which should once m^re redeem them from political thraldom. Our revolutionary f'\eftain has since been called to preside in the councils of the Union ; but fortunately for the cause of freedom, his mantle now rests in the executive chair of this state, upon a man so much like him in taients, principles, habits and man- ners, that hereafter the names of Clinton and Tompkixs may af- ford a happy parallel in the pages of some American Plutarch.

And now let me ask, Mr. Chairman, are there any in this meet-; ingwhoare dissatisfied Avith the administration of Tompkins? Three years have elapsed since in this very hall, he was the choice of a band of freemen, composed of many if not all who have here assembled on this nli^ht to pass judgment upon his public conduct, to determine whether it has been such as to justify their former choice, and to entitle him to a renewal of their confidence. If there be one who has any objections to offer, let him step forward, and I trust I shall be able to obviate every objection he can raise either to the public or private conduct of our patriotic and fcdthful chief magistrate — our worthy, generous, hospitable and benevolent fel-. low-cilizen. — This meeting is called, sir, for free discussion, and before wc resolve to support any candidate, let us weigh his pre- tensions to our suffrages, in the scales of candor, truth and justice, and if he be found wanting, let us not hesitate to discard him from our cQnfidence. I for one, believe, that the freemen of this state cannot do better than tore-elect Mr. Tompkins for their Governor, and in this belief I indulge the pleasing anticipation that a majority of the electors will agree with me. Is there, sir, in this vast as- semblage, one man who can say that Tompkins is not the friend of his country ? Is there one who can charge him with a single inten-. tional dereliction from duty in his executive trust ? His administra- tion, sir, invites inquiry : it will not shrink from any investigation, and the more we enquire, the firmer will be our conviction that it lias been guided by the dictates of an honest heart and a sound head : that the public good, the sole end of all legitimate government, has been ever uppermost in his thoughts, the Polar Star of all his labors and deliberations ; that neither selfishness nor ambition has sway-, ed him, or led him for a naoment from the patlis of integrity and

patriotism ; that he is not only able and faithful in public, but viiv tuous and amiable in private life ; beloved and revered by his fami-' ly, esteemed and respected by his neighbors, secure in the admi- ration and attachment of his friends. — How many in this city can testify to the benevolence of his heart — how many are there who know him as the patron of enterprizc — the benefactor of the poor, the father of the fatherless, and the widow's friend ? Yet even this man, pure and unblemished as he is, cannot go through the ordeal "of an election without being scorched by the flames of calumny } charges will be brought both against his public and private charac- ter, but no one will be found base enough to father them, unless it be some abandoned hireling, the wretched instrument of a Jacobiu- ical Junto, who would rather " ruin than not rule the state."

And who is he, sir, that we are called upon to vote for in prefcr= fence to the excellent character I have described ? And vv hat are the reasons that will justify the preference claimed at our hands ? I have heard but one gentleman spoken of as a competitor with Tompkins for the executive chair ; of this gentleman I knew but little — but what little I do know of him is not calculated to win my attachment. In private life I have no objection to grant, nay, I be- lieve, he is highly respectable and unimpeachable, but the very lit^ tie I have seen of his public conduct is sufficient to convince mb, that so long as we wish to preserve the freedoia of our constitution, so long we ought to guard most sacredly against clothing mer\, who possess the principles which he professes, with the smallest degree of power or political influence. I am the political adversary of JONAS PLATT because I deem his political tenets subver- sive of the constitution under which we live, and indeed of every constitution founded on the doctrines of liberty, the reciprocal and equal rights of mankind. Fortunately, in relation to Mr. Piatt, I have not to exclaim in the language of Job — " O ! that mine adver- sary had written a book !" For Mr, Piatt has once felt the inspira- ticHi of an au.hor, and from his book we shall be able to judge how far the spirit which inspired him is related to that spirit of libeity with which the people have inspired the constitution of our coun- try, and with which I trust in God they tl^mselves will never cease to be inspired and animated, even to martyrdom, if necessary, ia defence of that constitution. That instrument, sir, is the bulwark of our liberties. It recognizes the majesty of the people, for it purpoits on the fac^ of it to haye beei* creatied by the people for

8

their sole benefit and advaniage, to secure to tliemselves and pos- terity the blessings of liberty. But what says Mr. Piatt in his hock t Ife therein declares, that « the MAJESTY of the PEOPLE IS A MONSTROUS DEITY 1" And he goes on to ridicule it to the utmost extent of his wit. " Its properties (says he) are won- *' derful and inexplicable. It has a thousand heads, and as many ** tongues ; these heads are all actuated by different wills, and these ** tongues all speak difteient languages ; and yet these are not a " thousand wills, but one will — not a thousand languages, but one *' clear and distuict voice. Its parts are infinitely divisible, and yet ^ each part is equal to the whole, for where two or three are met " together for factious purposes, even there is the Majesty of the "/«o///c in the midst of them. To a man of common sense and " honesty it is a stumbling block ; to a man without ambition it is " fiaolishness ; but the man who does not firmly believe and clearly " comprehend all this, has never been initiated into the sublime *' mysteries of Democracy."

This passage, Mr. Chairman, I have quoted literally from the book which our political " adversary" hath written, and I cannot con- ceive a more outrageous or flagrant satire upou'the constitution of this land ; nor can I conceive of a more atrocious libel upon the people who framed 55* adopted that constitution as the sacred bond of their national union, and the charter of their religious, civil and po- litical rights. — There is a smack of wit in it, I confess, but whoever •will look into the christian crced of St. Athanasius, and the epistle cf Paul to the Corinthians, will find that Mr. Piatt has parodied and perverted thoee evangelical writers for the very laudable purpose of ridiculing the constitutioji of his country. And when v.e reflect that this phillippic upon the constitution, this satire upon the un- derstanding of the people, is contcuned in a pamphlet on the petty subject of establishing the scite for a court-house in the county of Oneida, and has reference only to that local and unimportant ques- tion ; a question plain, simple, and easy of decision, and which the meanest capacity could find no difficulty in deciding ; we perceive at once with what sovereign contempt the author must view a go- vernment like ours, in which the will of the people is the supreme law ; for the prejudice that would deny to the inhabitants of a coun- ty discernment enough to fix the scite of their court -house, must view as a monstrous absurdity, the idea of a great commonwealth, like the state of New-York, being capable of self-government, and

9

of framing laws and institutions for the protection of it,s varipu^ complicated and important interests. To such illiberal, contracted and unfounded opinions of the people, we may trace the usurpations of eveiy tyrant that ever robc upon the ruins of liberty ; for he who seriously entertains them can never be contented with the exercise at any power short of absolute despotism. Clothe such a man with power, and all liis efforts are necessarily directed to entrench him- self in the ramparts of tyranny, and to reduce his fellow-citizens to a degraded state of passive obedience and nan-resistance. Such, then, being Mr. Piatt's opinion of the majesty of thepeolilc^ it j« not strange that he should expect that " monstrous deity" to full down and worship him who is so pre-eminently blessed witli the gifts of geniuS) talents and wisdom. But whatever careless observers, and men wrapped up in their own importance may thii;k to the conti'a- ry, the people collectively is not quite so. silly a moastei" as to com- mit itself iato the guardian.ship of him who avowedly reviles and de- spises it. To such a m;in the " majesty ot the people" will indeed deservedly become a " stiimblhig block" over which, instead of step- ping to the executive chair, he will justly fall into the mire of po- litical insignificance, witJi the miserable consolation of owing his fall to his own vunity and self-sufficiency. But I must do Mr. Piatt the justice to say that he is consistent in error. The man who ridicules and reviles the " majesty of the people" is coir^istcnt with himself when he indulges his darling p:ission for monarchy, in eulogising the magnanimity of i-.n ignorant, bigotted and bru- tal King 1 We are not therefore surprised to had Mr. Plait, in the Senate, moving that honorable body to sanction by their votes the most unparalleled aljsurdity, to say the least of it, that was ever proposed in a deliberative assembly. He called upon the Senate, sir, to "acknowledge the magnanimity and honorable sense of jus- lylce which induced a prompt and spontaneous disavowal" of the outrage commitlcd upon the Chesapeake, "by the KING OF CREAT-BRITAIN." And pray, sir, where was the magnanim- ity of that disavowal, unconnected as it •\yas, and as it still is, and I fear, forever will be, with the smallest reparation or atonement for one of the most barbarous outrages tliat ever stained the annals of civilized man ! The magnanimity of that King did indeed induce him to declare that the act of the Admiral was unauthorised ; and to shew his " honouaiile sense of justice," and by way ol/uck- ishi?'.g thut abandoned wretch, he transferred him from a winter

B

10

station on a rough coast, to a higher command, in a milder latitudes and a less dangerous position. The men killed in and captured from our ship were Americans, and the prisoners have not only not been restored, but one of them, a native of Pennsylvania, was hung in chains at Halifax !

" Alas ! nor wife, nor children more shall he behold, "Xor friends, nor sacred home I"

For tliis unparalleled act of piracy and murder no honorable atoneincin has ever been offered ; and indeed -vve have some men among us who go so far as to say, that the British Admiral was right ! — The men (say they) had deserted from the British navy, and Berkley had therefore a right to seize them. The fact I be- lieve is false, and if it were not, the argument is unfounded. It is a base dereliction of evciy sentiment that becomes an American — for it givea to Great-Britain a right which she would notalloAv any foreign power to exercise within her own borders. " The genius of the British law (says Curran) makes liberty commensurate with and insepcrable from the British soil." It " proclaims even to the stranger and the sojourner, the moment he sets his foot on British earth, that the ground on which he treads is holy and consecrated by the genius of universal emancipation." " No matter with what solemnities he may have been devoted upon the altar of slavery ; the moment he touches the sacred soil of Britain, the altar and the God sink together in the dust." This, sir, is the proud boast of a British subjcci. — audit is undoubtedly the ancient spirit of the Brit- ish law, as it was before the corruptions of that triple-headed mon- ster, the monarchy, nobility and hierarchy, destroyed both the- spirit »nd the letter — and granting this, we may surely contend, that the soil of America, and the decks of our ships are ovu'soil as much as tlie earth we tread upon, and especially within our ovai waters ; we may surely, I say, contend, that the soil of America is as " sa- cred" and as " holy" as that of England, and that here also, not on- ly the native citizen, but " even the stranger and the sojourner" JU'e protected by the " genius of universal emancipation." Where, then, was the rigiit of Berkley to attack, kill and capture the crew of the Chesapeake ? And where is the magnanimity which Mv. Piatt Avished the Senate tD acknowledge ? Were the days of the revolution forgotten — had we lost all recollection of the savage proclamations of Burgoyne, and the still more savage deeds of blood ir:d iKipine which grew out of them — hfni tlie massacres of Wyom-

sey prison-ship no longer a ptace in ^^ ^^^l^^ „„ the

Z«r murdered countrymen ^v^-"^^^^^^^^^ ^,^^,._,^ .,^ ,„ plains of Abraham and » M°"™ ' ..^ ,„ , a^usand spots on the ^f .he patriot, a»d -"« -^J^^^J .„ ,^, .,,„,<! ty the bones of .. .aered soil" of ^^^^^ „„„,„.u of the savage or the our fathers »ho &''''"; "',_when, .ir, I forget all these bayonet of the Br.ush --)■>»;''-; .„„ „„a sharUley, ^vho

,^i„,^,vhen the ghosts olA.nd _^^ ^^_^^^^, ,^ ^^,^,^ „„,,,

,vere murdered m the t-^^'re^ > ^j ^,.„„„ ,,„„„, and

venged among us"-«hen that wanton pERflDIOUS

Itle, that eold ^^f^^^t^O^^W^r, shall be i,ISAVOWALon.RSMNr. „,p,,vokedandun.

atoned for-and v,hen *<=' «'"'■, ._^ ^^^ f„,„ „f our federal

paralleled insult, so '■CP'='"'''7 3,„„ i,ave been wiped away

Lecutive, by the mfamous U<:ks , ^^. ^^^^^ _^^^.^ ^^p.

by honorable reparation -.Whn 1 ^^^ ^ _^^^^^ f„, „„ .hiet

D-ned,sir, it is possible that l ma) ^^.^^^

^^tgis'trate, who e.tols ^^::i:^l Lvf of God, tl. Britain, the author o so ™;^^'™ ,^,.;,„, happiness of mankind liberties of this ^-^^^^Z.^.^ - a ty,.« in our dcclara- _„f .ha. Kmg f^'";2l''2sc " tyrannieal and oppressive usur- tion of independenee, and hose y ^^^^ _^_^ ^,^^ p^,.^^,^

pations" were written m charaete.s

of our state constitution. political principles, or

so far, then, - \f ^ ;" ^lun' 1 to'oppo- '-'-'-''r T>ublic conduct of Mr. Piatt, 1 ^„^ .j,ened when I reflect

Ind my feelings on this occasion a e s. g ,_^

by whom and in ^^^^J'^^^:,, .hat AnKMi.M V.. to Mr. Tompkms. Itwi" ''^ ' administration first kindled

Vbchte., the man who under Ja^ . ', "^.ate, by procuring the the flames of political P-ectU-n n t^u^ stat^ -^ ^>^P^^ ^^^^ ^,^^.,,. removal of almost every revolutiona, y « g ^^ ^,^^^ ^^

.„an.otthemeetingthatfirstnomniaem,.Pl^._^ ^^^^ .^ ^^_^^.^^

now occupies Mgh g-;~ ^^^^ the friends and elevating deeply at his old game of putting ,^^ ^ ^^^_^^^t

the enemies of liberty, it may no* l'"™;'^; .bird resolution eon- the resolutions of that "-™S;,;™ \ ,:;,! be sufficient for our tains the pith and marrow of the ,*nole, l. v n piiiTOSc. It is as follows:

>vuii all due deference to so e-reit nr,,] i. , Mr. Van Vechten, I ask mv ^1^ '""' ■'' '='"'™""- =s

of then, tovc felt he'ri Zk """"^ '"''= ^'-"W^d, if any

I pa„sc for a reply. 1''^ 1 .?"',";"' """ ""' '■"°'""°"' --, if jrievan'cLof '::?.. "»7"^'"^='^°f«''"-

failed ,0 have visited the l.euds o, ' ' ' ""'' '=""" '»' '«- reach of my voice I a-1- ™ f , *'■ " ""'" "°"' ""«" "«

«i«i C..e rrJedom of l:!:^ 1 ^ :r:,;''"! '™ ^"^ <=- or has the free exercise of your reliZ 'Z- T '"^=" P™f»<=''- Hasthe freComof speech, or the libCf;, pi:! '"" '''""''' ' Have you bee,, borne down by the weiMu o'^pf """'"="• the constitution been violated; or your ■ 1." M ' ? """■'• "'^

tnstance,byyo„rrep„hlicanr;,lers^Ahc;; "r ""'"^'"' svvcr, that you have no t-rir.v.,,.- . ' >°" ™"" •'W'

.is-ushav/bee„;,;.e'^p ;";" ° r'"""" "'' ^'"' "'^' >- any meaning, it m„st be fh. -th. he l:;;::'"'"" f'Tf""' ""' agsrieved by the v.antof an o.lice • ,Hs s t^ , '"' """ '»"« ing. and I believe .he santc g-ievLne ^ d .C^rr' »-"- l.-vny „,,on the head of the chairman, that b : h L °Jl^ ""?" of the resolut on beo-an re-.U.r f^ • ^"^ author

slavery 1 The charaet-e o fstTJl:;:; '""""' '" ^ '»=' "^ of these gentle„,e„_a„d the onl ^ 'tot;:; ■" ^'^ '" "" "'■^^" themselves ,0 office bv mean., of Mr PI ',^ ' ' '" '" '■''^'•^"■'°

resolutions are rarely im^m.,!,]! , k "°"- ■*"' ''"■''» for these gcn.lemcnlnft: .':;:"■' i"''.'"""' '» ""» — they waited for the election fM-p:, ! n "' "T "'""" ""^' "' -ighty grievances, that the daTof ei c ' r"' '''™' .''™ '"«'■ =.Tive : And how it happened is n„, f '"■" "■'™" ™'8'" "ever the initiated unravel the m ,1 7 "'" '" ''"' ■'"'■ "" "'^ '«" on a successful expec i,, ;t ' I T"" " "' "^^' "«>• '"' "P- ft-ly beyond the ken of 'l e - ," ™ 'T:""' "" "°"^'' =«^ -" happy contrivance, thev go, nos e ^' ""[' ^>" ""=»"= <>f this very "ent, .h,at fountaitiof hono?." tv:?;.' "^ ■=»"-'' °' Woint- >n,ong the first to drown his 'niev^nrel h ^^"'T' -^hafman was

ofBre-and the w.iter of the rlh", ""'"'';'"^ '"■''''''« '"'■

'■-e tt.oliMon has s,.„ce been admitted to

take a sweet and consoline-draiio-hf o •

removed, and the cha J !,! f ^ 'r"'™™"' "' "'-'f-e

that .0 .,,0 ■■ honoi,e'K:::"f;; ^ir^::-'' -" "«-.,,.

so long and so scely oppressed, owe the dl!™/?? ?"'™^' vu„ccs_a„d that ,„ ln„, ,„e «ate, so Ion. d^ra^ n T'' '^™- knee of .-epnblieanism, is ,o be grateful fol ''""= P^"""

ch^-acter ! O happy ! Un-iee ha^ ,a 1 f^" ""'°™™' °f "^ and disimeicsted patriots a„,l 1- ™"- '" Possess sucl. pure deemer!- '° ""maeulate and glorious a re-

PeLLO !!■'- C'iriZE .V ?

can look forward without anxietv- fir ,1,* " ' '"" '* »''"'

tain the charaeter o,f an A.ed en tiU^:: "T' '' ""' """' '" ^-

<bsmiss yonr republican ehief n^ag^.X "I • " ''"'' "P°" '"

welfare of the state demands the rifil /™ "'" ""^ '"»' '"e

; ou, before jou eonsent to imn . , ''""'"-''"' Pa"se, I beseeeh

••ant up.n the altar of "o "y ^ T ""' ''"""''" ^"'"'^ --

flattery, syeophancy and Irebood- but rn^^b^" '[ "'7 ^'^ "'

serpent of Eden pourtinved tr. .^ 7 '^"'^"^'^^•' that the wily

p.os,>ect of bliss ut^i: :i . :,:;t:;/ ™"''"' '^^ "'--'

'■eguiling her unwary sfeps into * patt „f ™"'^"'."'-" '- was spair : And thus has every imno tl f "' ""'"^ ""' '^''-

areh-'deeeiver, down ,„ th p eTeno ' 'P"'"="« "^ "«=

<l=s.roy,ccnceaIi„g unde ,L' , ^o a"^";" n '"T'*'^ ""'"■"" '» «t purposes of pKde, anr4 o^ „1 . ' '^f °'"'^"^^'- tiiehberties of your coun-r- -„ "''^''Se. If you would save a»d turn a deaf e n-"o ail wh'^' if "^^ '" >"""■ ''^P"''""" creed, •".c --a.c cry of l^CH^^:^^^^-t'r''^y^-^^'^- ears, and you will be called mo t '" '""« '" J"""'

tl.oman who extols -miT^VllT '" P"^'''^^ ''>' "'^"'"S -^ Where .his Gallic !^I "^^^TT'"' "'™ some phantom of their o™ creation „,^ P°'"' >'°" '•°

-;-nce. B„t„otsowithrRmy;M;LurNcrt'°'b'^^

long witnessed, and have in vn.'n i ^^ ^^ £^iNCE. You have

destroying Angel of ou n ! "'' ''' "^'^ ^^'"^^^^ ^^ ^^^^

e-bargorwhiLelnir::t"r^^^ ^"-^^^<^

and salutary nieasure ^d n f "°" ^'^^^^^'^ ^^'^« ^ ^^^

the convulsive e^rt 'of tL I' '', '^^ '^"^ ^^"^^""^^' ^ -- ettoitsofthishydra-headed monster, in the vibra-^

.. •« ^'.cfrir-i"* In the \ iolaiion of the ]

,„s, the dist.act.on of ot^r pttbhc co m ^^^ ^^_^^^^

„„i.tionofo«.;nat>o„alcha™^ r b«^: °^^^^, ^^^^^^^

p.oof of the »'^;;-y^XMs "ttwhichhe shows conclurively

read the letters of '^^^^".^^^.^^ ,,„se from the insidious, that the Ftnctpal evtls of hts atam^t ^^ ^^^_^_j .^

darkandsecvetexerctseot^^nfl^^^^^^^ .

tr X; Lt::r r^^^esident B.ash .i^ister at PhUa. ^

"firwct":tr,insin..ationsandi.«u,^^^^^^^^^^^ ;

..GREAT-BRITAIN^ A.td ^ ^^,;^^j^ „™, „o,cvef, h.s

. gcted to trte, m -^ ™'';''^„„,,„„ „„ that head. I aHays . readiness to etttcr >" «> ^ Je t as 1 could. But nty system was ;

:;rii:ta:rh:i:e:nrLnto,.etha„twentyyeat.s,^

^rnterintonoamancewithany^^^^^^^^ ^^^ ^^

In this passage we M' *»' ~;j^^^ „„, „,„ed, were endca-

^htister, b« -- ;*- ^Xt Ip „„„„ an alliance with Great- ring to tnstt, . * P^s. ^^^^^P^^^ .__ ^^^^ _^^^^ ^^

^ring oahe rlation of Mr. Murray, as minister to Ft.nee,

^'^nTtrtaUing the -.nation on tny^ownau*^^^^^^^^^ .that the heads of ^^f'™-;i;^";VcTION would excite a " *°''«' ' T;r»;°e of thi"« Representatives, and r^r^fXpa— tlidtnaueuoexet-tionstodiscountenance

. U, if they did not secretly or openly »"™Se > . ^ p,.^^._ ^

Here we have the highest evtdence-th„ as eu o ^

dent of the United Sta«s, '^^"^^^'^^^^ "fTBritish ! fect-that our country is exposed to the msKhous .^ .,^

S^tion. Ves, feHow.ct.i.ens t ere .3 a BR T SH ^^ ^^_^^^^^^^ ^

the heart of your counUT- "^ '='°'°'°.^„„e,. the honor and .

vou cannot be at a loss to discover it-fot >:«"=' i. :

, • .„fll,.;Min are opposed to American g.oiy ana p p ;

::;r:si ::=e n^Lnents ;;^-^::frc:!^ i

>- and uphold the ^^^^ ^rfinX— >> over the arts I

But let US hope, however, tn«t\\e^'^^'- . / ;

15

of our enemies, whether foreign or domestic— and to ensure a re- suit so desirable to all real Americans, I cannot but express one- more the ardent wish I feel, that this meeting, and that our renub- hcan lellow-citizens throughout the state, may be animated by no common zealm support of the re-election of DANIEL D. TOMP- KINS, who is not only a whig and a republican, but a genuine fed' erahstof the Washington school— who regards the Union of tlie states as the sheet-anchor of the patriot's hope for the future gloiT of his country, and state jealousy and foreign influence as twin- monsters, combined to destroy the vital energies of our body politic —and m the prostration of American freedom and independence to blast the hopes of millions who have turned their wishfUl eves to this higiily favored land— this Ararat, that amid the u-^iversai wreck of Empires, presents an unshaken base to the stormy deluge and offers its proud summit as the only resting place to the ark of ireedom.

After which the folbwing resolutions u'ere unanimously adopted - Revived, That it is the great privilege and prerogative of free- men, m tlie exercise of their elective franchise, to pronounce on the public acts and the political characters of the men whom the people have entrusted with the powers of government ; and to ir- vestigate freely and openly the opinions, principles and qualifica. tions of those who aspire to offices of trust and confidence.

Resolved, That the unparalleled aggressions upon our national rights, committed by the European belligerents, authorise a system of retaliation on the part of our governraem; calculated, not only to chasuse the unprint:ipled tyrants, but furnish evidence to the world, that Americans will never deserve the contempt that would flow from a servile submission, either to usurped power, or an open attack upon their national independence.

Resolved, That the faUe pretence, ^^^ up by the belligerents that their orders aiid decrees have their oiigin in a system of self' defence and retaliation, fixes upon the authors a degree of infamy that has no parallel, except in a policy of unrestrained plunder.

Resolved, That we cordially approve the dignified conduct of the President of the Umted States, in refu^ngto receive any further communications from his Britannic majesty's minister, Mr Jack- son, after he had offered a flagrant insult to the government and to the nation-an insult which perhaps no other independent power ^Nt^uld h<<ve treated with such moderation and forbearance. And

^-e re^. ret that there should be any of our countrymen so bhnd a.d Tf-ruucd as not to see and to feel the u.dignity until it was pou. ed TuftotSem by tho editors of ne.v.-papers in Great-Bntain, who, on this occasion, have shewn n.orc d.scernn.ent than thou- part.

zans on this side the atlantic. .nrl nIPisnre

Resolved, That we view with a mixture of pnde and pleasuie,

tbe constellation of public and private ;--^- ^t^TthLsUte brighten the character of the present chief iTiagistrate of this state by the mildness of his manners, the purity of his morals, the ben - vol nee of his heart,and the rectitude of his conduct-By the lus e o? his talents, the soundness of his principles, and the ardor of his p. tdo^S- V his sacred regard for the liberty of his country-by h hnnutachment to the union of the states-by his zealous sup- p n of the national government, and by his unceasmg exertions to ^;omote the welfareof the state, he has deservedly .--^~ Lithe affections of the people, and he is eminently enut.ed to

^^t:;:;:: T^i^^^isapproveof the conduct of .o^ias Pl^ the person selected by the federalists as a candidate for the office of ro;.:nor,in mahing a proposition to the Senate of this sta^ t ap^ ^laud the " magnanimity and honorable sense of justice of the Bnt^sh I W' for dilonoin, the bloody attack made by one of his ships of .var on the American frigate Chesapeake ; and for offerin^rcf.ara- tion on such terms as could not be accepted without disgrace ; at he same time that one of our seamen, forcibly taken from the .ri- ^,te, was hung, aiul the British commander pvomoted-Ana^Ju. pvoposition, so unbecoming the spirit of an American, to appiaud lie British king, was made at a period when that king by lus^y, was committing depredations on our commerce, and bv his imn.s- ter, reviling our government.

Resolved, That we consider the political opinions of the said Jo- nas Plan, contained in his politicrd pamphlet, opposed to the iuu- damenlal principles of our republican institutions, derogatory to the r-s-hts of representative governm<int, and insulting to the good peop'le of this state.-The following are Mr. Piatt's own woi^s^as pubUshedby himself-" The majesty of the people, says he is I monstroul deity 1 Its properties are wonderful and mexpncabl. It has a thousand heads, and as many tongues. These heads aie U actuated by different wills, and these tongues all ^^^^^ hnguages-, and yet these are not a thous..nd wills, but on. vil-

17

nor a thousand languages, but one clear and distinct voice— its parts are infinitely divisible, and yet each part is equal to the whole •,for ivhere two or three are met together for factious purlwses, even there is the majesty of the people in the midct oj them — To a man of com- mon sense and honesty it is a stumbling block: To a man without ambition it is foolishness : But the man who does not firmly be- lieve and clearly comprehend all this, has never been initiated into the sublime mysteries of democracy.— I'or my own part I take oc- casion here to declare, that I hold no opinion more firmly than this, that no instructions are binding upon a man in his legislative cha- racter, and by this maxim my political conduct will be governed — as a free agent on your behalf, within the limits of the constitiuion, I may occasionally be willing to be employed, but the office of your servant I will never submit to." — Such is the avowed polital creed of Jonas Piatt.

Resolved, That the man who extols the magnanimity of any for- eign prince or potentate, habitually violatingour rights and destroy- ing our propeii;y — who at the same time condemns the conduct of the constituted authorities of his own country and government — who pronounces a deliberate satire on tire majesty of the people, from whom, in a free government, all power emanates — who ridi- cules that sovereignty on whose voice he depends for his elevation — who denies that the people delegate power when they elect to office — who refuses to be governed by the will of the people in ex- ecuting the duties of their representative — who will not submit, in a public capacity, to be the servant of the people — and who, in using a scripture form of expression, ironically substitutes the name of the majesty of the people for that of the most high God I — That man is utterly unworthy to be the governorof a great state ; and un- fit to be the ruler of a free and independent people, who understand their own rights and know how to exercise them.

Resolved, therefore., That we will support

DANIEL D. TOMPKINS

Cor the office of Governor, and

JOHN BROOME

for the office of Lieutenant-Governor, at the ensuing election.

Resolved unanimously. That the thanks of this meeting be pre- sented to Solomon Southwick, Esq. for his patriotic address, and that he be requested to furnish a copy for publication.

19

A commitlec "sras then appointed to nominate a suitable person as a candidate to be supported by the Republicans for iMember of Assembly, who returned and reported to the meeting the name of Solomon- Southwick.

Thereupon, Resolved uuanimoushi^ That

SOLOMON SOUTHWICK

be reported to the county Convention as a candidate in whose sup- port the Republicans of Albany and Colonie will unite with vigor

raid cordiality.

Resolved unanimously, That Ilenr)' Quackenbush, Ebenezcr Footc, Benjamin Knowcr, John Stafford, Elisha Dorr, Isaac Den- iston, Daniel Rodman, Henry Shaw, Samuel North, John Biyan, and Isaiah Townisend, together with the chairman and secretar)-, be a committee of correspondence, and that they have power to select and appoint delegates to attend the county meeting, at the house of William Christie, in Bethlehem, on Saturday the rth of April next,

at 12 o'clock.

Benjamin De Witt John Heermans

John Tayler John Bryan Cornelius Van Schelluyne John Stilwell Willard AValkcr Charles P. Christian Thomas Dawson Lawrence Morgan Jacob Landing Thomas Nev.iand Patrick Matthews I^Jatthew Burton Daniel Morrell Sam.uel Bates Samuel North

Thomas RawleigU

Robert Ellison,

Asahel Hall

John Gordon

Barent Smith

Richard Hilton

William D'Ermct

Philip Waggoner

Daniel Ward

Jobiah Kerr

Samuel Edgar

Isaac Van BusV;irk

Isaac Sturges

David Dick Nicholas Radley Darby Noon Joseph S. Gould Frederick D. Wallace Benjamin Hansen, jun. Isaac Hansen John Hansen Patrick M'Koy P.ichark Hicks Noadiah Potter Gawin Patterson Hamilton Patterson Jonathan Morrell Jacob Best

Cornelius Van Huisen Hugh Begley Andrev/ Rodgers

Robert Cameron

Isaac Denniston

Francis Bloodgood

Henry Donnely

Beniarain Van Benthuysen

James P. Van Benthuysen

Edward M'Faden

John Turner

.Tonics Crow Hu5^h Harrison William Myndersc Patrick Code Andrew M'jVIuUen Cornelius Truax James Anderson Elisha Crane William Carlisle John Sickles Richard C. Skinner James Seely Charles Hill James O'Bryan Garret Leyster Patrick Bannin Noah Clark Maltby Howell Simeon V. Bradt William Randal Samuel Knower John Lyons George Stanwix Merrit Tuttle William W. Crannel Matthew-C runnel James Hart Peter Brooks John W. Bany James Radlcy Walter Weed Richard Dusenbuiy George Weed Harmanus Hindcrcr Samuel Norton Moses Allen Thomas Oliver Richard Hoy IVIarmadukc Hoy Abiel D. Holkins, Dennis Laney Robert Packard Elisha Jenkins Benjamin D. Packard George Forbes James Mott Amos Halker John D. Grocsbceck John M'Cue

20

Calvin Walker

John Mills

Christian Pvliller

Isaac Lucas

Nicholas Browcr

Lindal Briggs

Derick Hunn

Joseph Jewell

John L. Clark

Lewis Clark

Dyer Newton

John F. Doty

William Fowler

Benjamin Knower

Solomon Allen, jun.

Andrew Donnely

Ebenezer Catlin

Lawrence Tierney

Jacob Eaton,

Peter H. Hilton

John Eaton

Isaac Packard

Edward Morc-an

Anthony M'Murdy, jun, Hugh Harrison

George Carlisle

George Demick

Jason Rudes

Richard Duncan

Jesse Potts George Guest Alexander Vedder John Evertsen Anthony M'Murdy Spencer Stafford William Hagerty John TowTisend James Thorn Anthony Lamb Christopher Oley, jun. David Malcom Isaac PL Tiffany Horatio Merchant John Champlin Aaron Clark Jacob D. Grocsbceck Alexander Cochran Benjamin Wallace Nicholas Jcrolanun

21

William Collins John Van Ness Levi Steele James Martin Hezckiah Rickhow Joseph Nelliger Benjamin Hansen Archibald M'Clallen John I. Wendell Peter Van Tassel John Lush Abraham B. Hall Zebediah Allen Israel Tufl's George Knower Justus Van Huiscn Richard Waring Thomas Campbell John Shaw Henry Quackenboss Henry R- Lansing Richard Lush Robert Hurst Robert Hurst, jun. Thomas S. Donnely Horace Lockwood M. D. Mann George Charles John Nelliger Robert Lov.'ther John Dodge Daniel M^Bride James Vv^ynkoop John T. Witbeck Timothy IMiUs Henry Q. Bradt Peter Box Elisha Dorr Peter P. Dok James Gourlay John A. Leinsing Volkert D. Hilton John Baldwin George B. Spencer Timothy Donovan Robert Dunbar Joshua Babcock John L Wilson Teunis Visscher

George Randall Lyman Stanford Jared Lockwood John Brooks Jacobus Vredenburgh John Hun Thomas Hun John Stafford Andrew Anderson John Hewson WilliaiTi Giles John W. Fryer Henry Radley Thomas Hewson John Hilton ■Peter Donnelly Rynier Vandenbergh. Benjamin Olm stead David Lumsden Jacob Hutchins Abraham Benson David Bromlee Peter Donnelly, jun. George W. Stanton Henry Ennals Henry Cakes Jacob Vosburgh John Vernor, jun- Henry Shaw Samuel Harbeck Augustus Harbeck Daniel Sickels Jeremiah Johnson Derick Deforest George Landou John Cooper Norman Ward Peter Drake James Cornelia Allen Brown Beriah Palmer, jun. George Milton Nicholas Jeroliraan, jun. Elias Davis Abraham Yates Lemuel Price John Gowey Jonathan Brooks, jun. Anthony Brooks

22

James Sickels John Sinionds Henry Guest, jun. Henry Suydam Ezra Bugbie Abraham Brooks James Collins Francis Cosdgan Thomas Whallon Smith Cogswell John R. Tillman David Williams William Williams Chauncey Humphrey William M. Diamond Peter Murphy William Radley John N. Quackenbush James Cameron Abm. Pcttinger Nicholas Hilton Sybrant Kittle Abraham Quackenbush David Lynch Thomas Doyle John Kierney Hugh Flinn Francis M'Cabe William Skinner William James Caleb Russel Peter AUanson Salem Dutcher Corns. Dunn Sebastian Visscher William I. Hilton James Blake James Hilton Henry Bradt James Bradt Timothy W. Skinner Jonah Sherman Derick Van Schelluyne Derick Van Schaick Phineas Brown John Van Bergen David Van Bereen James M'Murry Samuel M'^Iurry

Thomas Newland Robert Schoon William Schoon James M'lLlroy Isaac Hempstead Isaiah Townscnd John Mahur William Duffie George M'Lean John Vandcrvoort William D. Carroll James Mahar William Campbell Zackariah Sickels Garret Plum Patrick Hector Alexander M'Evitt James Bell Dennis Doyle Thomas M'Daniel William Maxwell William Longstair Philip Farrell Patrick Welsh John M'Nally Patrick Cassidy George Barney Garret R. Van Zandt Dan Aldrich Joseph R. Van Zandt John Brown Hessel Brower Jacob Bogart Patrick Glenn John Eps William Eps John Hinkley Edmond Hatfield Stephen Gay Samuel Carr Thomas Lenningtou John Vernor Matthew Tappen Stephen Lockwood Seth Hayden Ezra Brush Jonathan Warner, jun. Henry B. Cobb Jame.s Greer

23 1

Joseph Thayer Peter G. Rjckman 5

John Rickhov.- Gcorf^e Newton i

James M'lMullen John Johnson \

Buckridge ^^ ebb John A. Brudt ; Willidm Webb , Isaac Bradl

Obadidh Cooper Richard Griffin .]

William Field John Sipp' ■, :

George Merchant, Chairman. i

diaries D. Cooper.^ Secretary,

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