JYo. 2i.
IIALTFJIX, JV.'ft FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 1824.
F0 J.
THE "FJIEE PRESS,"
I By George Howard,
Is published every Friday, at
THREE DOLLARS per year,
consisting of 52 numbers, and in the
sime proportion for a shorter pe
riod. Subscribers at liberty to dis
continue at any time, on paying ar
rearages. Advertisements inserted at fifty
cents per square, or less, for the
first insertion, and twenty-five cents
each continuance.
Letters addressed to the Editor
must be iost fiaid.
COMMUmCATIOKS.
FOR THE FREE PRESS.
ALBERT GALLATIN,
dnd the Whiskey Insurrection.
Mr. Howard:
A piece appeared in the Ra
leigh Register, some short time
past, exculpating Mr. Gallatin
irom this famous insurrection,
which Gen. Washington was
obliged to put down with a mi
litary force, and which it was;
aid Mr. Gallatin favored. All
I know about it is this; Mr.
Tracy, a member of Congress,
debating on the famous British
Treaty, commonly called Jay's
Treaty of 1794, thus expresses
himself in reply to Mr, Galla
tin "What would be the A
merican conduct under such a
state of things? Would they
tamely see their government
strut, attempt to look big, call;
nard names, and the moment
they were faced, like an over
grown lubberly boy, shrink in
to a corner? Is this (he asked);
the American character? Hei
thought himself acquainted with
a part of the United States too
well, to believe they merited
such a character. The people
where he was most acquainted,
whatever might be the charac
ter in other parts of the Union,
were not of the stamp to cry
hosannah to-day, and crucify!
to-morrow; theyivill not dance
round a whiskey pole one day
and curse their government,
and upon hearing of a milita
ry force sneak into a swamp.
No, (said Mr. Tracy,) my im
mediate constituents, whom I
very well know, understand
their rights and will defend
them; and if they find the gov-
ernment cannot, or will not pro-i
feet them, they will attempt at
least to protect themselves.
And he could not feel thankful
to that gentleman (Mr. Gallatin)
for coming all the way from
Geneva to give Americans "a
character of pusillanimity."
"Vv hat says the Register to this?
For the Free Pre&s.
''Rouse up, for shame! 'tis Rome
demands your help!"
Mr. Editor:
Our political sky has seldom
remained unclouded for some
years past, but it may be ques
tioned whether it was overchar
ged with a blacker or more im
pending tempest than that which
now appears to lower over and
darken our hemisphere. The
Presidential election is fast ap
proaching, and on the second
Monday in November next, we
are to ascertain whether the free
peopleof this counrtyare to chuse
a President and Vice President
of the United States, or whe
ther a contemptible caucus, a
faction self-created, originating
in discontent and disappointed
schemes, are to- govern the peo
ple of the United States in the
choice thereof, although the peo
ple may loath them. Fellow
citizens, be upon your guard!
the time has come when it be
hoves you to be vigilant in the
proper exercise of your free
born rights. Then rouse up
the nation demands your aid.
To be supine and inert, in the
approaching presidential elec
tion, would be politically crimi
nal. Liberty was given to man
by his creator, upon the condi
tion of eternal vigilance . and
watchfulness. Turn out to a
man, half way measures will not
eta. "The slave that struggles
without breaking his chains,pro
vokes the tyrant to double them,
and gives him the plea of self
defence, for extinguishing what
at first he only intended to sub-
due'
In a republican government
like ours, where the people is
the. only true and legitimate
source from which all political
power is derived, it becomes of
the first importance to guard
with care and vigilance the high
trust reposed in you. The in
dependent discharge of the elec
tive franchise, is the touchstone
of liberty, and the bulwark of
lreedom in republican govern
ments; in ours it is the vestal
fire of the Republic, upon the
preservation of which the fate
of the nation depends; it breathes
a spirit into the soul of the peo
ple, and the most pure hands,
officiating for the whole of the
community,should be incessant
ly employed in keeping it alive.
CAUCUSING, from time im
memorial, has proved sinistrous
both to individuals and commu
nities. A Caucus is a political
monster, without head and with
out heart. The first regular
Cau cus on record, since the be
ginning of the Christian era, is
that described by St. Matthew,
chap. xxvi. verse 3 and 4.
"Then assembled together the
chief priests' and scribes, and the
elders of the people, unto the
palace of the High Priest, who
was called Caiaphas, and coun
selled that they might take Je
sus by subtilty and kill him;
but they said, not on the feast
day, least there be an uproar a
mong the people," The words
of the Evangelist have been a
dopted by the papers that sup
port Mr. Crawford; they call the
members of the last detestable'
Caucus, ''the Elders of the peo
ple." This Caucus, this politi
cal curiosity, the most ludicrous
and lamentable monument of
impotent folly and party delu
sion, incapable of comprehen
sive views and national senti
ments, governed by pitiful pre
judices, has arrogantly dictated
to the people of the Union, that
they should vote for Mr. Craw
ford to be their next President.
This faction, the devoted crea
tures of Mr. Crawford, and ma
ny of them mere political Mal
volios, seemed willing to sacri
fice every thing to their foolish
political pride; and unable to di
rect the people of the Union,
were disposed to be known as
rulers cf the nation: they en
couraged a monster which, like
they serpent that lives in dark
ness on putridity and corruption,
stretched out its baneful neck
and raised its horrid form, and
prepared to fatten on the vitals
and spoils of our country. Such,
my fellow-citizens, is a faint
picture of the famous Washing
ton Caucus, which "dressed up
in a little brief authority," sent
forth their resolutions to the
people, their masters, in favor of
Mr. Crawford, as if -you were
their servants. But it is a con
solation to the people in per
spective, that the mire in which
this Caucus has crawled, begins
to stiffen about them; it will first
deprive them of motion, then of
political life, and the first gale
that arises will sweep them a
way with the dust in which they !
have perished.
But, sir, the time we live in
has been distinguished by ex
traordinary and remarkable c
vents; these very men who call
themselves radicals, or razees,
who now support Mr. Craw
ford, are the identical men, with
a very few exceptions, who
were-opposed to the late war,
and to the administration of Mr.
Jefferson. Their leader, Mr.
Crawford, also ridiculed Mr.
Madison's message to Congress
recommending an increase of
the navy.
Rouse up, then, my fellow
citizens, for the good old Re
publican cause. Come to the
polls in November next, and
"let us give a long pull, a strong
pull, and a pull altogether," for
Gen. Jackson, the hero of New
Orleans, the founder of Alaba
ma. The mau who has done
more for his country, for her
prosperity and grandeur, than
any man ever did sinco the days
of General Washington. Then
come to the polls, my fellow-citizens,
I beseech you. Remem
ber the liberties of a people are
not to be secured without pass-!
ing inruugn greai uimcumes,
and no toil or labor ought to be
declined to preserve a nation
free. Remember that the Re
public is always in danger when
the people are supine and care
less. Pompey the great was
wont to say, that with the stamp
of his foot thousands of legions
would rise in defence of the Re
public, yet he deferred to stamp
until liome lost lipr liberty.
NuMA.
Correction. That part of the
statement which we gave in our
paper of the 10th inst. and which
we received principally from
abroad, respecting James Dcnch
and Mordecai Lyons being in
funds after they left here, we
are informed, and now believe,
was incorrect. We therefore
in justice to them feel ourselves
bound to correct that part of it.
Editors who may have publish
ed our statement will please pub
lish this. Edenton Gaz.
Water Melons. -The Utica
N. Y. Sentinel, of the 27th Ju
ly, states that watermelons from
North-Carolina were selling in
abundance, in the streets of that
town. These melons had to
travel a distance of about nine
hundred miles; and it affords a
striking illustration of the incal
culable facilities of water com
munication, that they should re
main fresh and palatable after
having been carried so great a
distance. Utica is an inland
town, on the Great Canal, 300
miles from the city of New
York, the nearest seaport.
Important Decision. In con
sequence of a decision in one of
the courts of Louisiana declar
ing that bills of exchequer, notes
of hand and checks, are null,
unless the whole amount is writ
ten in words at full length, we
understand that the banks at
New-Orleans intend refusing to
receive such instruments, unless
the formality is complied with.
Another Nomination. At a
large meeting of the friends of
Mr. Clay, which took place at
Columbus, Ohio, on the 15th
July, Nathan Sandford, Chan:
cellor of the state of New-York,
was nominated asVice President.
.From the Norfolk Beacon,
Jl modern miracle. A sin
gular display of the goodness'and
power of the Almighty God, at
a Camp Meeting held on Tan
gier Island, Aug. 15, 1S24:
Miss Narcissa Grippin, a
highly respectable young lady,
nineteen years of age, and a
zealous christian, was, on-the
evening of the 15th inst. say a
bout S o'clock, so operated on
by the spirit of God, that her
face became too bright and shi
ning for mortal eyes to gaze up
on, without producing the most
awful feelings to the beholders.
It resembled the reflection of the
sun upon a bright cloud. The
appearance of her face for the
space of forty minutes was truly
angelic, during which time she
was silent, alter which she spoke
and expressed her happy and
heavenly feelings, when her
dazzling; countenance gradually
faded and her face resumed its
natural appearance. The wri
tcrofthis paragraph was an eye
witness ot the circumstance a
bove stated such a sight he
never expected to behold with
mortal eyes, and to give a true
description of which would be
beyond the ability of mortal
man. While she remained in
the situation above described,
she was seen by more than two
hundred persons, a few of whom
have subscribed their names
hereto.
Wm. Lee, (Rev'd.)
Wm. E. Wise,
John Bailey.
Kentucky. Joseph Desha is
elected Governor, and Robert
M'Afee Lieutenant-Governor of
the state of Kentucky, for the
next four years. Henry Clay is
re-elected to Congress without
opposition.
Sports of the Turf The
Fall Races of the Maryland As
sociation for the improvement
of the breed of horses, will take
place at Canton Course, near
lialtimore, on the 20th, 2lst,
and 22d of October, for purses
ot 500, 400, and 300 dollars
four, three, and two mile heats.
Boston Police. Mr. Quin
cey, Mayor of Boston, was
brought before the police court
of that city for galloping his
norse so as to endanger "per
sons standing or walking in the
streets, lanes, and alleys." It
appeared in evidence, that the
Mayor, qn that day week, gal-
1 1 ! 1 l..,U C
lupea nis norsc uuuugu oca
street, at 7 o'clock in the morn
ing: and two witnesses testified
that the gallop was manifestlv
dangerous to persons who might
be passing through the street at
that time. I he Mayor thousrh I
he plead not guilty, (because ho
considered his riding not to be
dangerous to the citizens) yet
expressed his desire to be fined
by the Court, in order to show
that no individual could be pla
ced above the law; that those ap
pointed to execute it were equal
ly amenable to its penalties as
every other person; and that
every one, whatever might be
his situation, must expect to in
cur a fine in being proved guilty
of driving at an immoderate rate
through the city. Justice Orne
summed up the case, and aftec
dilating upon the circumstances
fined the Mayor the sum of $2
and costs, amounting to S6 84
cents. We ought to add, that
at the time mentioned the May
or was engaged on public busi
ness, hastening to "meet a com
mittee, and that there were ve
ry few persons in the street.
Curious Advertisement.
Mr. Peter Ham, of Winchester,
Virg. offers "six cents and a
chew of tobacco reward," for
an apprentice named Robert
Beatty, aged 19, whom he thus
describes:
"He is a very remarkable
chap at times, particularly in
the old of the moon, and a little
flighty at all times. His beard
very remarkable he shaves
once a month. The appearance
of his upper lip and chin resem
bles that of the back of a young,
squab; when laughing, his
mouth is much in shape of that
of an opossum in the month of
August."
Western Indians. Extract
of a letter from Maj. Thomas
Biddle, of the U. S. army, to the
paymaster general, dated Prai
rie des Chien, July 14, 1824:
"Three days ago, in descending
to this place, on the eastern
shore of Lake Pepin, I fell upon
the camp of four white men,
who I found killed and scalped
by, I think, the Chippeway In
dians. I had passed the pjace
where they were killed, two
days before, the same number of
us in company. The wrars be
tween the Sioux, Chippeways,
and Sacs and Fox nations, are
carried on now with great fierce
ness. Neither nation wish to
be hostile to the whites; but the
ungovernable passions of the
war parties infesting this river
will, I fear, render the commu
nication unsafe for. small par
ties." Columbia, S. C. Aug. 10.
On Friday evening last, while
a waggon heavy loaded, and
team of five mules, belonging
to Mr. Benjamin Williams of?
this place, was crossing the Co
lumbia Ferry, the flat gave way
and sunk, and the waggoner, a
valuable negro man, belonging
to Mr. Williams, was unfor
tunately drowned. One of the
mules was also drowned. The
poor lellow had succeeded in
cutting loose four of the mules,
and in attempting to extricate
me mm ana last one, he recei
ved a kick which caused him
to sink to rise no more. His
bodv was found on Sundar mor
ning. State Gazelle.
Destructive Frost. Several
cornfields were destroyed in
Chataque county, N. Y. early in
last month, by frost.