Newspapers / The Wilmington Centinel, and … / July 23, 1788, edition 1 / Page 1
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(VOL. I.) /I ruH^ THE (NUMB, zi.) E N E R A L ERTIS'ER. N E S D A y, July 23, 1788. MISCELLANY. To the Electors of the town of Wil mington. F I OR fomeytars paft.I have been honoursd with yourcon- hdence, and uaioiicited, you have ciutlcd me wic.i your beft intcreJis. Though I have been oppoled by different perfons, and unacr different pretences, by your uniform conduct in my favour, oppoiition had at lait ccaicd, and its exidcnce fenued to be no more. 1 he public bufmcls interfered fo much with my profcffsonal duty, as vvtil as with ray private intcreU, that 1 was induced to decline all further thoughts or accepting a feat in tUo legillatore j hut the approaching convention being fixed at a time lavour- ab!e to niy private purfuits, a bare intimaticn was fatheijnt to er.fure me your unanimous fuff'rages, to the molt important of .ill crufts; yet as i knew that a continuance in olSce would be incompatible with my profeflional co'ncerns, it became nc- cTTiry to look forward to a proper reprefentative for the town cf Vv ihnlngton, in cafe Mr. Pous fliould dccanc the irult. Se-B vt.Mi gentlemen who would o herwife be weli quaiihed, and pro* bably acceptable to you, are under legal cr conllaucional oil'a- biiiths. -Some time ago, 1 took the hbcityof fuggeiUng to Mr. lones, that it Mr. Polls ihould decline, whichi then l.ad fame r-'afon to believe, the forme.'’ might p.-obahly be acet-pubiu. ■ ■■ - Under this prefumption, I have lince undentood, that Air. Jones made his imention. known, and conditionally offered his IcTviccs. As to M..jor Wiiker, whatever nftay be his merits In other refoe'^ts, as a perfon iiolding a pubhc oiiice, tlie tniolunients of which may depend upon Ins own vote, and his own iiuiuence in tlie affcmbly, 1 look upon him altogetlicr as impioper for a member cl afleiiibly, as a colledor of public money, or a clerk of a court ; for though a tiav-ii-cihcer is not within the letter •wiio is expreialy excluded. Ptcple wiioars not accuiiomod to ve.ifoii upon ihc fubjeft of govt.-nment, are apt to think lightly ct fuTi a cirtumft-r.ee, as a matter of little confequence but (lifpotc-d on on of 17S5, ufe of cem- naval- id dextu- with- been ifla- equence; out when they, are acq-oaint -d with the caic of Mr, Coor, ihenava!- nfficcr of .port Beaufort, they may pcffibly be of a different opinion, ’ That gt-nilc.nan was a lueiMOer of the fenate, in the fill aff-mbly held under the prtfci.t goveinment ; and owing to feme contention between the two iioufcs, heclcapcd being ex cluded with rise delegates to Congrefs. He has lour.d means t... hold his deftion ever iince, and fubfequent to that ; . nd whilft be was a member in the general alfembiy, he has held hve dif ferent ofhees, moft of them of prorit, and three or four of them at one tin.e; in two of them lie was a receiver of p’jbl c mo nies. At one affembiy his feat was unf] acccunt of feme of (hofe offices, tiircedifferent fills were imrod mons, all tending dire^fly, or i clhccrs from feats in the legiftai rity ef Mr. Coor, although the out cppofitioa, they were rejed}' the cotifequence of having an ii ture ! Almoft every feflion, Mr bill to regu!^^^ duty of mtj calculated d^^Mafe his own his ottice, that office tc 1 >y a taj^^^trade. As 1 have not liithcrto prefu ore-pinion, in the choice of a mei bable I fhould have continued fflent, had I not difeovered foniething, with refpcA to the enfuing eleihon, which it is not e.^fy to account for in a fatisfadlory manner, not only as there is an oppcfition which appears to be very inconfiftent with pro- fdfior.s, but as 1 underiland I am myfelf the objed ef it.— — During the tf-rm of the laft Wilminys^libiperior court, Mr. Potts having been explicit, it became JBSifeknewn that Mr. Jones was a candidate for the reprdei^|p^H^/ / fuwurcd l/U inuntki.i—and that a confideruble of the ele^ors bnd agreed to fupport him. 'J he very gentleman to whom this v^-as ccmmunlcatcil by Ms. Jones, propofed Mr. Mackenzie, and pirfudded the latter to declare hmifelf, or fuffer himfelf to be ^Icclurcd A for fKft o* new them oluments of ufe than with my advice ington, it it pro- Icclarcd a candidate for the rcprcfci,ration. Had this g6nile- m jn s name been mentioned at an earlier period, inftead of op- poiing, I certainly fhould have fupported him ; but fo far from tor.ceiving that he would accept of the troft, I believed that he vyo\i)d, as he had fcrmerly done, decline it. 1 did not then coni’cj,;!-that his fiiuation, with rsfpedf to his private affairs, 'va. .'materially changed. Wh.i:evcr motives influenced the gen- tlea;en v/ho firft pjtronized Mr. Mackenzie, it is aftoalfliingto cenfider, tiiat they fhoiild thus endeavour to create a division '’•hicinvul give the only chance to th.it candidate whom they pratefs to oppefe in ail events. 'I’hat they ftioiild oppofe the man 'vith whom they live in terms as intimacy and apparent f/uKd- f 'py fo as to leave the only ojiening for whom they acknow ledge to be altogether impiopcr, is not a little myftrrious.- Ibere isfemethinginthis more than natural^ if philofophy could f-nd it out.” It will not, however, be very difficult. The Rtntleinen have faved me the trouble of conjtflure. They have '■ery honeftly avowed, as a rcafon that Mr. Mackenzie will be ekcled, that the people would no Unger bear Mr, Maiiamii :‘jartMki:s, Some apology might be aii mkdc for attachments, for prcjuc.i*,es, vr for pafiion ; but vtjhat can be fald to extenuate dchb-ratv; and.cunicious tlandt^'/ Ter thofe who are guilty of it know it to bs fuch. It would lave been more juft to have acknowledged (but that would ifuftraie their intentions) that Mr. Alaclainc afted upon principlis, and would not countenance thole who avow in conduft wha’ they conceal under fpecious pretences, that tiicir own aggraodifement is the fpring cf all tlieir artions. What power have 1 affumed ?—-of what'ufurpa- tions have 1 been guilty what rnnor or profit have I fought orobiamed, either for myfslr 01 cona«aioas whofe ex or whole afs have I taken ?—whofe light have I invaded ?—as a proftflional man, have 1 oppreffc.i the widow or the orphan ? nave I tak-n advantages of the dilrcH'cs of my fellow citizens to accumulate wealth ?—have I enriched myfelf by the fpoils of the public or by priv.itc peculation .'■—have 1 even folicited your votes that I might be your reprefentarive I liave indeed »f late years bee n obliged to encounter an hoft of enernies-ambi- tii n, avarice, and pcifccution have been let loofc upon me. VVh.it has been die confeqlienee of this formidable comblnati- on ? Has malice been-.bit to rt’x. one iVigma upon me, cither in public or private life > Has ingratitude, wWi all bis induf- try, and in his zeaj to obliterate t' i debts he was unwillin" to diicliargc, left the fiightcft ftai»i. ..on my charaaer f ** If any one peru-i has an accufa.i m againft ,iie, let him pro- open d.iy, and avow it like a man. A generous mind dil'daina the Iniidiuus arts of a co.vrar>l, and the concealed attack of an alfaffm. i niiglit be qiiaiii.-.d m faying, that my accufers have co.ilcit jd their own hearts, and, in attempting to draw aiy char.idler, h.ive very fairly drawn ilicir own. Among thefr who have Iiai .ir. opportunity of forming any judgment of rny cliaradle , I have no enemies but fuch as arc the enemies oi virtue ; and a.noiig my iVientU, I can boaft the firft ch.iraacrs m the ibitc. i hiu is novainboaft. It is the Ivaneli efful ,.n» of conicioas reffirnde, indignant of l.ngraiitudc, and undcfeivad reproach : and ji^ty proud of fricnJ.liips which would do honour to the moit exTted charafters. o the charge ol njurplng upon your rights, you are told (vvhii amounts to the fame thin that neltlier me ti.'r mv con nexions arc ti diiia‘c to you in me choice of a member, ' This •s iiffjdioiis implicT-'rm H^.v/ far th- ciiaige ii true, inuft be left to yo'.uftlvcs to determine. But admitting the facts, I beg leave to afk a ffaiplc queftion, which peihaps vvill carry its own anfwer with it. W'hcthcr, if you muft receive your political ruieol conHuX from any, wliicl; ta me appears highly Improper, will y -.u receive it from me and my conneifticns, or from the gentlemen who have ftarttd the ou- pofitioo. ^ Nothing will lb effedually contradift what has been thrown cut on this occafion, as a fimple narrative of faXs.. Almoft focn as I was informed, that a third candidate was propofed for the town, though then buffed in the hurry of a court, I fepa- ratc'iy propofed t-' two or three gentlemen, who I conceived were in^avouro- ?vlr. Mackenzie, that, to avoid a clalhing of inte- reiis, and to obtain a reprefentarive who wouI.I be agrecfibie to a majoi ity of the votes, that Mr. Jones and Mr. Mackenzie, with a iVw ct ilicir iclpuXive iilends, fhould meet and number tlieir icvcral adhcr-nis, and that whoever appeared to have the weakeft interert, ihouid decline in favour of the other. This was uniformly .approved, and aftf-rward®, upon application, by Mr. Aiack.rnztc tn.nffif. But I foan toui>d, that tiiis apparent acqui^feunce in my prcpof. I wa.> not real, and that time was only wanted to pervert and bring over ihcfe vvhohad engaged to vote fc.rA'lr. Jones. This was confirmed foon afterwards, by Mr. Mackoiizio refufing, upon Mr. Jones’s apj^lication, to adopt that expedient. The g'aud llroke of pjlicy to effect the pur- P'jfc of ike oppofftloii, vv .s tins—a puluive and warm alfertion, bearing ail the apptarame of truth, that Mr. Jones had no chance of fucceedmg, and that the conteft would lie between Major Walker and Mr. Mackenzie. The reverfe of this is the faft. But it Mr. Jones’s intereft is fo weak, why is fo much trouble taken to convince us of it } it cannot injure Mr. Mackenzie ; but fhould hcdcclirv, it certainly would, as many of Mr. Jones’s voters, ifhe were out of the qusftion, would un doubtedly vote for Major Walker. I gladly embrace this opportunity to declare, that I never have*' endeavoured to influence the vots of any eledor, not even any of thofe wboin I efteem as my firmeft friends ; nor did I mention Mr. Jones’s intention to more than two or three of my friends, who cafually fell in my way. Had I been more difengaged from bulineis, it is ^obable that I Ihould have acquainted others with it. This might have been attended with good confequen- ces, asonc of the gentlemen who oppofe Mr. Jones, gives as his reafon tor fo doing, that be was not confultcJ in the bujutfs.— - aa... In plain language, it amounts to this—“ I will oppofe Mr. Jones, not that I have any real objedion t« him, but becaufe he and Mr. Maclaine have had the prefumption to prepefe liini lor a member, without paying thstrefpcd to my opinion, which ray ffatioo and importance in th town demands.” It is unlucky that wc were not earlier apprifed bow very neceffary it is, in all public matters, to pay a propi^-deference to et yrgat man. May it not be alked, who is now the perfon who "didates and ufuips ? My own opinion is, that Mr. Jones vvould at any time have been a proper choice for the town, as any one that oilers ; and under all the circumffances ntterj^ing the prefent contention, is greatly fuperior. As far as I am able to form judgment from a eonffderable degree of intimacy, lie hasat Icaftas macli under- ftanding, and is poffeffedof as much information as either of his oppnoents ; and there is one trait in his charader which I efteem^—^his temper is candid and free from duplicity. But, agrtenbly to ir.jr ki;©wn principles, I think every man ffiould vote as his judgment fhall dired. All I intended by this addrefs was, to remove the effeds of any grefs and very unjuftlffablc mifreprefentations ; toexprefs my ccniempt for thofe who have meanly and unjuftiy attempted to vilify my ebarader ; to con vince them that they are not concealed ; and to make my grate ful acknowledgements to the eledors of V/ilmingfon, for th® unreftrved confidence with which they have repeatedly honour* A. MACLAINE. li umingtoH^July TO BE SOLD CHEAP, For Calh or Produce, 'T'WO valuable PLANTATIONS at the White, Marlh, Bladen County, containing goo acres, the pro perty of the \3ite 'Robert Efq. deceafed. For fuffher particulars ao- ply to H. y. Ricb^th, or ARCFIIBAED MACLAINE. Wilmington, Jgly i4,1788. 20- TO BE R-E N T E D, The HOUSE where the late Mrs. LYON refided. Inquire of JIH A. MACLAINE. June 25. 17— TO BE LET, A Convenient DWELLING- HOUSE, with a Wafli-Houfe, Yard, and Garden. For terms apply to WILLIAM HOOPER, jun. Wilmington, July i6. 20— ^ I 'HE JOURNALS cf the X Aiiembly are now rea dy to be delivered at the Superior Court Office. “ JOHN HUSKE, Clerk. Wilmington, July 16. 20- ^ H E Adminiftrators of the late Mr. SWANN, requell thofe who are indebted to the Store in Wilming ton, kept by Mr. JAMES MILLS, to call upon Mr. ISAAC BERNARD, who is authorifed to fettle and receive the debts, and to give difeharges. Wilmington, July 16. 20— BLANKS, OF VARIOUS KINDS, Forfaleby the printers hereof,
The Wilmington Centinel, and General Advertiser (Wilmington, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
July 23, 1788, edition 1
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