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At a meeting- of the De7nocratic Republicans of the county 
 of Gloucester^ convened by advertisements^ and held at the 
 court house in Woodherry^ on the ZXst day of August^ 
 1807, for the purpose of nominating candidates for the le- 
 gislature^ and a sheriff and coroner for said county : 
 
 PREVIOUS to the nomination, the substance of the 
 following address, containing a brief narrative of the most 
 oppressive laws passed during the federal administration, 
 their extravagant expenditure of the public money, prose- 
 cutions, fines and imprisonments, to prevent freedom of 
 speech, or an investigation of their conduct ; contrasted 
 with the conduct of the present administration was deliver- 
 ed by the president (James Sloan,) unanimously approved 
 by the meeting, 500 copies ordered to be printed, together 
 with the names of the candidates, and distributed amongst 
 the electors of the aforesaid county, in the usual manner, 
 for their information, after which, the following candidates 
 were unanimously agreed upon, and earnestly recommend- 
 ed by said meeting as democratic republicans, firm friends 
 and supporters of our excellent administration, and as such, 
 worthy of the support of every elector of the county of 
 Gloucester, at the ensuing election, who is a real friend to 
 the prosperity, peace and happiness of these United States. 
 
 Council, RICHARD M. COOPER. 
 Assembly, BEJAMIN RULON, 
 JACOB GLOVER and 
 SCOBY STEWART. 
 
 Sheriff EPHRAIM MILLER, 
 
 Coroners, JOSEPH SLOAN, 
 
 JAMES MILLER and 
 ROBERT LEEDS, 
 
 / 
 
( 2 ) E 3>3 
 
 , ' I) St 
 
 miENDS, COUNTRYMEN AND FELLOW CITIZENS, 
 
 IT is with great diffidence, I rise to attempt the per- 
 ibrmance of the task assigned me this day — this diffidence 
 arises partly from a consciousness of my inability, and 
 pardy from being again called into action, contrary to my 
 own desire, which was to have retired from the various 
 troubled scenes of life ; and the few remaining days that 
 may be allotted me, to have walked softly on my solemn 
 western shore, from which I must soon embark to a world 
 as yet unknown ; but the only sovereign under God, which 
 I acknowlege the people, having forbid my proposed quiet 
 and silent retreat, by placing me again, as one of the 
 guardians of their rights and liberties, and commanded me 
 again to stand on my watch tower, their command I obey, 
 and as formerly consider it my duty, to expose to public 
 view the conduct of public servants, and waiTi my fellow 
 citizens of impending danger arising from foreign or do- 
 mestic enemies ; or the more dangerous intrigues of inter- 
 nal pretended friends — in attempting to perform the duty 
 you have assigned me, I ask the aid of your spirits, and 
 serious attention, assuring you, that nothing short of a 
 sense of duty, arising from my earnest desire, that the pre- 
 sent inestimable blessings that the people of the United 
 States enjoy, may be continued through all succeeding ge- 
 nerations, could have induced me to have undertaken the 
 arduous task. 
 
 Agreeable to the expectation given in the advertisements 
 by which this meeting has been convened, I shall now pro- 
 ceed to state some facts, exposing to public view, the con- 
 duct of the former federal administration ; (so called) con- 
 trasted with the present democratic administration. In 
 doing which, I shall shew that many of the people of these 
 United States, have been, and still are deceived, and im- 
 posed upon by perverting the meaning of words, particu- 
 larly the following, viz. federal, democrat and party — and 
 and first of the word party — the fact is from the com- 
 mencement of the revolutionary war to the present time, 
 there has been but one party and one faction, a noble patriot- 
 ic party, whose views are, to release mankind from the op- 
 pression and tyranny of monarchial and aristocratical fac- 
 tions, under which they have long groaned ; and to restore 
 to them their inherent and unalienable rights — on the other 
 side, a base faction who determined to counteract the de- 
 cree of Pleaven, in procuring their bread by the sweat of 
 
 NA- 
 
 ^\ 
 
( 3 ) 
 
 their brows ; are under the necessity of procuring it bv de- 
 ceptive fraud or force ; in the old world, (particularly Eng. 
 land) this faction is headed by the superior clergy, nobili- 
 ty, privileged orders and incorporated companies — in these 
 United States by lawyers, whose living depends upon the 
 folly, wickedness and distress of the people, and such of 
 the clergy as wish to see an established church, British 
 merchants, their agents and the agents, spies and en^issa- 
 ries, immediately under the direction and pay of that cor- 
 rupt government, who failing in her attempt to subjugate 
 the colonies, has since, manifested the most implacable en- 
 mity to these United States, and incessantly strove to effect 
 by fraud and deception, what she was unable to do by force 
 of arms, that is to say, to extinguish that sacred flame of 
 liberty, that inspired the patriots of the revolutionary war, 
 at the risk of life, to oppose her tyranny : the leaders of 
 this base faction, have in various ages of the world assum- 
 ed various names, in order to deceive the innocent unsus- 
 pecting part of the people, and under every name to cover 
 their nefarious designs, making a high profession of reli- 
 gion, and that all their views are solely directed to support 
 order imd good government. In the revolutionary war 
 which produced the independence of these United States, 
 this faction was called tories ; that is to say, enemies to the 
 revolution, and supporters of the monarchial government 
 to which the colonies had been subject — after framing our 
 present constitution, they assumed the name of federal- 
 ists, (a name as applicable to a confederated band of high- 
 way robbers or pirates, as to the most virtuous) and brand- 
 ed all who did not extol said constitution " as a model of 
 perfection" with the name of anti-federalists and enemies 
 to the union; notwithstanding it being self-evident, with- 
 out the amendatory articles since annexed, it might have 
 'been used as an engine exactly fitted for their purpose, viz. 
 to gradually deprive the people of their inherent rights, and 
 finally reduce them to the same state of slavery which the 
 citizens of the old world h^ve long suffered, under monarchi- 
 al and aristocratical factions, under the name of federal- 
 ists they deceived the people, and concealed their real de- 
 sign, every session of congress adding new laws copied 
 from British statute books, (as will be shewn hereafter) 
 until they thought themselves strong enough to throw off 
 the mask " and by a few bold strokes, silence all opposi- 
 tion" — but finding the spirit of liberty was yet too strong, 
 that the people were yet strongly attached to a democratic 
 
( 4 ) 
 
 republican form of government ; they were again obliged 
 to have recourse to deception, by adding to their assumed 
 name of federal, that of republican, (an indefinate term, 
 as applicable to many aristocrats, as to many democrats) 
 nov/ passing in this state under the name of federal repub- 
 licans, their leaders as heretofore, evincing as implacable 
 enmity to democracy, as the priests of Diana in days of 
 old, did to the spreading of the gospel, and for the same 
 reason, that is to say, because it opens to the people their 
 deceptive oppression and tyranny, which if generally 
 knov/n, would deprive them of their power and influence, 
 and prevent them in future, from living in idleness, riot 
 and luxury, upon the unjust gain of oppression, as they 
 have heretofore done. 
 
 I will here present you the definition of the words party, 
 and faction. First, by Sir William Jones, " (party says he) 
 is grounded on principle ; faction on self interest, or that 
 of a few, which excludes principle." — Second by the Ve- 
 nerable Charles Thompson, secretary to Congress, during 
 the revolutionary war, distinguished by superior learning 
 and talents, exemplary in piety and virtue, whose uniform 
 attachment to the sacred cause of liberty, renders his name 
 dear to every real friend to the just principle of our revo- 
 lution, set forth in our declaration of independence in the 
 the follovfing words, " We hold these truths to be self 
 evident, that God hath created all men equal, that he hath 
 endowed them with certain unalienable rights, amongst 
 which are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." 
 
 " Party (says he) is the association of men for the gene- 
 ral interest — such as the enactment of good laws, the 
 maintenance of civil liberty, the resitance of tyranny, the 
 advancement of morality, and whatever else will promote 
 the good of man and society : Faction on the other hand, 
 has a partial object, and is indifferent to general good — 
 its object is to promote a particular, at the expense of a 
 general interest — it prefers the enrichment or agrandizement 
 of one or of a few ; to the comfort and prosperity of the 
 whole. A republic is founded in the spirit of party — all other 
 governments are founded in the spirit of faction ; and all 
 factions have a monarchical, or aristocratical tendency, 
 however disguised from public observation, or even from 
 its own blind partizans." 
 
 From the foregoing definition it is evident there has not 
 been, nor is at present, but one party and one faction in 
 these Unites States — ^that the leaders of the self-stiled fe- 
 
( 5 ) 
 
 derai republicriiis hrcve been, and still are, enemies to oui; 
 democratic government. I shall nov,' proceed to prove by 
 the best testimony that can possibly be adduced, their 
 fruits^ but first shew, that our government is a democracy, 
 consequently every supporter thereof a democrat, and in 
 order more fully to explain the subject, I will subjoin the 
 definition of all the forms of government, I find in dic- 
 tionaries, as foUovv's : 1st. Monarchy, '*■ the government 
 of a single person." 
 
 2d. Aristocracy, " that form or government v\^hich 
 places the supreme power in the nobles." 
 
 3d. Democracy, *' one of the three forms of govern- 
 ment ; that in which the sovereign power is lodged in the 
 body of the people." 
 
 None I trust will presume to say, that our government 
 is either a monarchy or an aristocracy ; consequently there 
 being but three forms, ours must be a democracy ; but if 
 any doubt remains it must be removed by recurring to the 
 preamble of our constitution in the follow^ing v/ords, *' We 
 the people of the United States, in order to form a more 
 perfect union, establish justice, ensure domestic tranqui- 
 lity, provide for the common defence, promote the general 
 welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves 
 I and our posterity, do ordain and establish this constitution 
 for the United States of America." 
 
 Mark fellow citizens, not we the representatives of the 
 people, but " We the people." Can any government be 
 • more democratical ? can any name be more applicable to 
 the leaders of the federal faction, than traitors to the best 
 of governments ; who (as I shall nov/ proceed to shew) 
 whilst in power, represented democracy and democrats 
 as the most detestable of all things, and incessantly strove 
 to assimulate it to the worst on earth, (great Britain) and 
 since they have been deprived of power, by a great m?jo- 
 rity of a much injured people, have joined (if not plotted) 
 one of the most wicked diabolical conspiracies, having 
 for its object the destruction of an administration, and 
 I form of government, the best calculated to promote the 
 general happiness of mankind of any now existing upon 
 earth. If any doubt this assertion, that many of the 
 leaders of the federal faction were engaged in supporting 
 the conspiracy of that incendiary, vile apostate, and arch 
 traitor. Burr; th^ y are informed that it can be incontestably 
 proved by a cloud of witnesses from all pirts of the United 
 States were it necessary ; but a few facts already made 
 
( 6 ) 
 
 public, is sufficient to convince ever;,^ impartial mind* 
 Ist. their principal leader (Jonathan Davton) being indict- 
 ed for high treason, and secretint^ himself to prevent being- 
 arrested, is an evident proof of his guilt. 2d. the follow- 
 ing extract of a letter wrote in the Federal City by Gaylord 
 Griswold a member of congress from the state of New 
 York, is in my opinion conciusive evidence. " The 
 movements of Burr, (said ?vlr. Griswold) disturb the quiet 
 of their souls — he will shake the very centre of the con- 
 clave. You may rest assured my good fellow, that if our 
 friends play true, Burr will chastize these usurpers of pov;-.* 
 er, with a rod they deserve — he is no more one of their 
 party, though for certain purposes must so appear — rely 
 upon this as true ; he is the only person v/ho can chastise 
 these fellows, and policy dictates our uniting to give him 
 a support* All our federal friends in this city (Washing- 
 ton) have the same opinion — all the judges of the supreme 
 court are united with us in this opinion." From my ovm 
 knov/lege of the federal members in congress, and the 
 judges of the supreme court, I believe the purport of the 
 above letter to be strictly true, and the conduct of the 
 chief justice and federal lav/yers upon the trial of those 
 traitors novv^ pending, places the matter beyond all doubt. 
 The federals (so called) assumed the reins of govern- 
 ment in the year 1789, and held them nearly twelve years, 
 that is to say', until the 3d of March, 1801, a time by their 
 own repeated declar?.tions on the floor of congress and 
 elsevv'here, of unexampled prosperity ; notv/ithstanding 
 which, instead of diminishing, they increased our nati- 
 onal debt, 9,400,000 dollars — they first passed a law 
 funding our public debt, calculated to encourage and 
 support tories, speculators and stock-jobbers, those harpies 
 who live by preying upon the vitals of the honest industri- 
 ous citizens — ^by this law, the soldiers certificates which 
 at the close of the war, had generally been sold from IflO-l- 
 to 2fQ in the pound, (principally to the tories and traders 
 vnth the British, who therel^y became possessed of hard 
 money,) v/as redeemable at 20.s — Whence our debt, which if 
 justly funded, would have been little more than thirty, ex- 
 ceeded seventy millions of dollars ; tories British agents, 
 iknd the bitterest enemies of our ^evolution, were raised in- 
 to a state'of opulence, at the expence of the honest citizens 
 and soldiers, who at the risk of life, had purchased our in- 
 dependence — thus enemies and traitors were publicly re- 
 warded, and a door of speculation opened, which during 
 
( 7 ) 
 
 tiie federal administnitlon, brought these United States to 
 the brink of rain — iVcni this time to the close of their ad- 
 ministration, they evinced an implacable hatred to demo- 
 cracy, and a determination to .iKsimuIate our gcvern- 
 ment to the worst on earth, (England) as appears b)- the 
 laws passed, being generally copied from British statute 
 hooks, the excise law, and the lav/ changing the time for 
 aliens to become citizens, from two to fourteen years pas- 
 sed '^ August 10, 1790, they laid a duty of 12 cents 
 
 on every 50lbs, of salt imported into the United States, 
 and in July, 1797, an additional duty of 8 cents, tlms, this 
 essentially necessary article principally consumed by the 
 poor and middle classes, paid more than 100 per cent, on 
 prime cost ; while foreign fripperies and articles of luxury 
 used by the rich, paid from 10 to 20 per cent. — July 6, 
 1797, they passed an infamous stamp act upon the British 
 plan, and June 25, 1798, passed an alien law, autliorising 
 the President to banish such aliens as he thought proper, 
 without any trial, or even information of what offence thev 
 were charged with, and July the 6th of the same year, a 
 lav/ obliging aliens to give security for their good behavi- 
 or. Here let me ask you my dear fellov/ citizens, is there 
 a human being on earth, whose breast is not filled with ab- 
 horrence to the very names of such laws ; and detestation 
 to the inhuman tyrants that could advocate and finally place 
 their signatures thereto. Laws placing at the will of an 
 individual, m^any thousands of human beings, who when 
 the colonists were contending Avith the tyrant of Great Bri- 
 tain for liberty, were invited to join in the common cause, 
 and in consequence thereof, had fled from the tyranny of 
 European despots, expecting in these United States to find 
 a safe assylum for the sufferers of all nations, enabling him 
 to send a band of armed mercenaries to the peaceful cot- 
 tage, and rend the aged sire from his bosom friend and be- 
 loved offspring, and without informing him of the cause, 
 ' transport hiin to the frozen regions of Siberia, there, far 
 seperated from all the near and dear connexions of life, to 
 mourn out the remainder of his days, looking anxiously for 
 the approach of death, as his only hope and welcome deli- 
 verer! — Oh ! ye who yet continue to support the remr.ant of 
 this fallen, this callous, cruel and superlatively v/icked fac- 
 tion ; exclaim no more against letters de catchct, against 
 bastiles, French tyranny or savage crueltv, or even tlie 
 
 • The volumes containing- those laws, not Irb^nr in my possc-sjion. lava 
 . an&bl;- to giAC tht- dates. 
 
( » ) 
 
 papish inquisitioii ; if you have left, any tender feelings of 
 humanity, the inhuman laws passed by your federal faction 
 whilst in power, and their leaders joining Burr's infernal 
 conspiracy since, must cover you with shame and confusi- 
 on of face, and reduce you to a state of penitent silence ! 
 
 To proceed, July 16, 1798, they passed a law autho- 
 rizing the President to borrow 5,000,000 of dollars at 8 per 
 cent, the interest to be paid quarterly, and 2,000,000 more, 
 on the credit of the direct tax, and March the 2d, 1799, 
 2,000,000 more, and also alaw to raise 1 2,000 men additional 
 to the standing army, they commissioned and commenced the 
 pay of officers for the whole, but the people were by this time 
 so alarmed at their evident design to subvert our government, 
 and introduce one similar to the British, that their utmost 
 exertions to enlist men procured little more than 3,000 — 
 finding themselves defeated in this diabolical scheme to en- 
 slave the people, they had recourse to another, viz. to pass 
 a law authorizing the President to take into pay, and ac- 
 tual service, a large number of Volunteers ; but the vir- 
 tue of the people blasted this infernal scheme to enslave 
 them also ! 
 
 On the 14th day of July, 1798, they passed alaw inflict- 
 ing a penalty on persons libelling the government, and Ja- 
 nuary 30, 1799they passed their inquisitorial, andevertobe 
 detested sedition, (commonly called gag) law to prevent 
 any inquiry or exposure of their base conduct — thus en- 
 trenched they attempted by a few bold strokes to silence 
 all opposition, they proceeded to prosecute, fine and im- 
 prison those who dare assert their inherent right to liberty 
 and freedom of speech, oppose their tyranny, or expose 
 their villainy; insomAich that on the third of March 1801, 
 (die last day of their political existence) they were obliged 
 to pass a law appropriating 30,000 dollars to defray the ex- 
 pence of prosecutions and the expence of keepingprisoners I 
 
 1 will add but one more to the black catalogue of their 
 crimes whilst in power, viz. a law passed July 9, 1798, 
 ordering a valuation to be made of dwelling houses, land 
 and slaves, and an account taken of the number of lights, 
 and on the 14th of the same month a direct tax was or- 
 dered to be levied, the collection whereof so alarmed the 
 people, that they arose in the might of their powder, they 
 forced their intrenchments which they had twelve years' 
 been fortifying, they drove them from their strong holds, 
 and from their proud, high, and lofty mountain, (from 
 whence in the pride of their hearts they had looked down 
 with contempt upon the people, as an inferior order of be- 
 
( 9 ) 
 
 ings made for their use) they cast them into the stigian vale 
 of contempt, \vhere like Lucifer and his fallen angels they 
 have been incessantly plotting to deceive the people, and 
 striving to regain that power they so grossly abused ; and 
 were so justly deprived of. — Fellow Citizens, from the 
 foregoing statement of facts, I conceive I have fully proved 
 that the leaders of the federal faction were enemies to our 
 Democratic government ; and strove to the utmost of their 
 power to assimulate it to the British — but lest any doubt 
 should remain I will adduce some further evidence which 
 must carry conviction to every impartial mind. Their 
 leader (John Adams) asserted the British constitution to 
 be " the most stupendous fabric of human wisdom a mo- 
 del of perfection" and impiously, or rather blasphemously 
 declared " that the finger of heaven pointed to war" against 
 the French republic, then nobly contending for liberty 
 against a powerful coalition of European despots — many 
 of them were anxious to enter into an alliance offensive and 
 defensive with England, and to confine the right of voting 
 to a small number possessed of freeholds or large property.* 
 The President in high monarchical stile, at the opening of 
 every session of Congress, at an appointed hour, went in 
 great pomp, and delivered a speech to both houses of Con- 
 gress, in imitation of his great prototype George the third's 
 most gracious speeches to both houses of parliament, which 
 in like manner occasioned a debate of several weeks to agree 
 in what manner it should be echoed back — he held Levees 
 in the British monarchical stile, and his wife her balls in 
 imitation of the Queen's drawing room — and to place the 
 matter beyond all doubt, he and his partizans supported a 
 British hireling printer at the then seat of government 
 (Philadelphia) for the express purpose of abusing, and vi- 
 lifying our Democratic government, and its supporters ; 
 and on the other hand applauding, and passing the highest 
 eulogiums his genius could invent upon the British monar- 
 chy and its advocates — in a word, they held up to the peo- 
 ple the Democrats as the most detestable of all beings, and 
 those who did not take and approve this British hireling's 
 obscene and scurrilous paper as enemies to our government. 
 Having shewn the attachment of the leaders of the Fe- 
 deral faction to the British government and their incessant 
 endeavours to assimilate ours thereto, and connect us there- 
 V, itli ; I shall proceed to a very brief statement of the na- 
 
 * If this fact is disputed, I stand ready to prove it upon divers of their 
 leaders even in this coiintv. 
 
 B 
 
i 
 
 ( 10 ) 
 
 ture and effect of said government, upon Its own subjects, 
 and the nations of the earth in general — first, as to her own 
 subjects in their present state, divided into five parts, we 
 find 3 parts^ viz. Clergy, Nobility, and Officers, Soldiers 
 and Seamen, armed against the other two classes, unarmed, 
 viz. Farmers and Mechanics, who they have reduced to 
 as perfect a state of Vassalage, and a greater degree of 
 poverty and suffering than the African slaves in our Sou- 
 thern States ; one fourth, of the two fifths, who are en- 
 deavouring to procure their bread by honest labour, being 
 by the cruel oppressive laws, and enormous taxes, reduced 
 to the state of paupers, supported at the public expence-— * 
 here we also find more criminal prosecutions, more unhappy 
 victims confined in jails, more executions and banishments 
 than under any other government on earth. Let us next 
 take a retrospective of the conduct of this government to- 
 wards other nations — here we shall find it fomenting more 
 wars, subjecting more innocent and unoffending human be- 
 ings, to a state of cruel unconditional slavery, causing 
 more human blood to be shed, in a word, adding more to 
 the quantum of human misery, than all other nations of 
 the earth added together ! to prove this I will not detain 
 you with a detailed account of the numerous wars she has 
 fomented during the eighteenth century and previous to the 
 French revolution, but briefly call your attention to the 
 countless numbers of innocent unoffending Affricans that 
 she has rent from all the near and dear connections in life 
 to supply her own colonies and other nations with slaves — 
 in this horrid traffic (which me thinks none but infernal 
 daemons in human shape could engage in) she has done 
 more than all other nations of the earth. — Next take a view 
 of the East Indies, and drop with me a sympathizing 
 tear over the mouldering clay of many millions of the As- 
 iatics (as honest, harmless, and innoffensive people as any 
 in the universe). Innocent victims sacrificed by sword 
 and famine to gratify the insatiable thirst for gold, of those 
 pretended Christians (but in fact infernal monsters) the 
 British administration and its supporters. The celebrated 
 author of the political progress of Great Britain, states, 
 that in 30 years previous to the French revolution, that 
 government had caused to perish by sword, famine, sla- 
 ^^ery &c. more than thirty-one millions of human beings — 
 the wars that she has fomented since that period being 
 within the memory of most present, I will briefly recite, 
 
C 11 ) 
 
 first, the treaty of Pilnits, which had for its object the 
 conquest and partition of republican France, she was a 
 principal in, if not the first instigater — ^three coalitions has 
 since been formed by her intrigues, and gold wrested from 
 her suffering subjects, and plundered from her inoffending 
 neighbours ; but blind indeed methinks must that nation, or 
 individual be, who after taking an impartial retrospective 
 view of the fate of those apparent mighty and powerful 
 coalitions, cannot see in their defeat an overruling and 
 Almighty power, that doeth whatever he seeth meet in 
 heaven, and amongst the children of men, who bringeth 
 to nought the counsel of the ungodly, and when the cup 
 of national iniquity is full, confuseth the wisdom of the 
 wise, and causeth the strength of the mighty to fail. Thus 
 it appears to me that this protestant whore of Babylon, 
 who hath long been drunk with the blood of nations, who 
 hath multiplyed the cries of the widows, and fatherless, 
 and spread desolation in every quarter of the world ; will 
 herself shortly be made desolate, and be cast down to rise 
 no more — happy for the nations of the earth when the 
 power of those piratical murderers are destroyed ; but 
 thrice happy for her oppressed subjects, who reduced to a 
 state of starvation, are compelled silently to bear the 
 piercing pangs of hunger, and in secret places strew their 
 briny tears produced by excruciating grief for their tender 
 suffering offspring ; well knowing that complaint to those 
 callous tyrants that are living in riot and luxury on the pro- 
 duct of their labour, would be treated with contempt, and 
 that resistance, or the least attempt to regain their liberty, 
 would subject them to prisons, halters, gibbits, and the 
 worse than savage cruelty, of her mercenary assassins ! 
 I will conclude with stating the increase of her public 
 debt during the last century, and its amount in 180r. 
 In 1700 it was 16,000,000 pounds sterling. 
 
 iri4 
 
 50,000,000 
 
 1728 
 
 55,000,000 
 
 1739 
 
 46,000,000 
 
 1748 
 
 78,000,000 
 
 1755 
 
 75,000,000 
 
 1763 
 
 139,000,000 
 
 1770 
 
 134,000,000 
 
 1775 
 
 129,000,000 
 
 1783 
 
 262,000,000 
 
( 12 ) 
 
 Hence it appears, that their debt was more than doubled 
 in their attempt to enslave the colonies of North America, 
 In 1786 it was 266,000,000 
 1793 267,000,000 
 
 From the treaty of Pilnits before mentioned during the 
 subsequent war carried on for the purpose of conquering 
 and dividing the republic of France until 1801, her debt 
 was increased to the enormous sum of 465,000,000, and 
 from the peace of Amiens to 1806, to 600,000,000. Such 
 are the effects of a system so longheld up by the Federals, 
 as a model of perfection, and which to the utmost of their 
 power they strove to assimulate our government unto, and 
 force us into an alliance with, and such are the consequen- 
 ces of a government, which first plunders the farmer and 
 mechanic, to enable the villains in power to plunder the 
 world. Is there an honest heart in the United States that 
 doth not rejoice in the failure of the attempt to connect us 
 with that government, whereby we must have eventually 
 been involved in its ruin. Doth not the heart of every 
 real friend to Universal Liberty and Justice, overflow with 
 gratitude to the great preserver of men, in commemora- 
 tion of the 4th of March 1 801 , (that happy day that placed 
 our present Chief Magistrate in the presidential chair) and • 
 the great (may I not say incalculable) benefits that have 
 since arisen therefrom, to which I now proceed. 
 
 As soon as our present president, entered upon the du- 
 ties of his office, he dismissed all superfluous officers in his 
 power, and recommended to the next session of congress, 
 to abolish all internal taxes, which restored more taxable 
 articles to the respective states, than is sufficient to defray 
 the expences of their governments ; he has also recommend- 
 ed the abolishment of many superfluous offices, by which 
 means in a short space of time, upwards of 3,000 officers, 
 who had been appointed by the federal administration to 
 add to their influence, strengthen their power, and act as 
 spies and informers, to suppress the liberties of the people, 
 were dismissed; by which, and other just economical means, 
 the expences of civil government are reduced from seven, 
 to less than two millions of dollars. To proceed, with only 
 the revenue arising from the impost on articles imported 
 into the United States, and the sale of public lands, in the 
 short space of five years and a half, in which time, the 
 Tripolitans (not by paying tribute as the federal adminis- 
 stration did) were compelled by force of arms to make an 
 
( 13 ) 
 
 honorable peace. It appears by the report of the secretary, 
 that the interest on our public debt has been punctually and 
 fully paid ; and upwards of 24,000,000 of dollars of the 
 principal, (and upon the present plan, the whole will be paid 
 in twelve years more,) and 5,000,000 of dollars remaining 
 in the treasury unappropriated, which sum, was by a law 
 of last session of congress, appropriated to the purchase 
 of the three per cent, deferred stock, (which by the fede- 
 rals had been modelled into the form of a perpetual annul- 
 ty, upon the British corrupt plan) the presideijt also recom- 
 mended the repeal of the oppressive, unequal and there- 
 fore unjust duty upon salt, which is done — a law also, pas- 
 sed last session, prohibiting the importation of slaves after 
 the 1st of January 1808 — a great and fertile country has 
 been purchased, larger than the original United States, 
 for the trivial sum of 15,000,000 of dollars, the pavments 
 so easy, that it is probable the revenue arising therefrom, 
 will discharge the whole purchase money within the time 
 set for payment. By this purchase we have secured the 
 navigation of the river Mississippi so essential to the com- 
 merce of our western states — prevented the settlement 
 thereof by enemies, and secured a territory capable of pro- 
 ducing sugar and tropical fruits sufficient for all the United 
 States, for which we have heretofore been beholden to for- 
 eign nations — our commerce has increased in a m.anner 
 unparalleled in the history of mankind, also our populati- 
 on and the settlement of our great and fertile western coun- 
 try — through the just and wise administration towards the 
 Indian tribes, they are changed from ferocious and cruel 
 enemies, to peaceful friends and allies. Peace is preserv- 
 ed with all nations, entangling alliances is entered into 
 with none — our president affects no monarchical parade ; but 
 sets a worthy example of plainness and unaffected simpli- 
 city of manners, becoming the Chief Magistrate of a great 
 Republic and free people ; evincing at all times in his offi- 
 cial capacity, that he considers the people the only legiti- 
 mate sovereigns; and officers by them appointed their ser- 
 vants — being reviled, he revileth not again ; but submits 
 to the decision of truth and reason, the only weapons (as 
 he declared in his inaugural speech) that ought to be used 
 to suppress falshood and error — in a word, freedom of in- 
 vestigating the conduct of our public servants is restored ; 
 our prisons are not filled with victims of monarchical 
 a.nd aristocratical tyranny as in John Adams's administra- 
 tion, nor our money appropriated to carry on cruel iraA 
 
( 14 ) 
 
 unjust prosecutions — our peace is not disturbed by recruit- 
 ing parties endeavouring to seduce our inexperienced youth 
 to enlist, and join with the idle and dissipated part of the 
 community, who rather than procure their bread by honest 
 labor ; will become the mercenary executioners of any mo- 
 narchical or aristocratical faction, that w^ill put arms in their 
 hands to execute their wicked will — ^the repeal of all op- 
 pressive and unjust laws and the justice and prudence of 
 our administration, has restored peace and harmony 
 amongst our citizens, (except the leaders of the federal 
 faction beforementioned) and procured their love and con- 
 fidence, which (as has been recently proved in quelling 
 Burr's conspiracy) is a more sure, sale, cheap and power- 
 ful defence, than a standing army of hired mercenaries — 
 thus we see the declaration of the wise man in days of old 
 verified, '' that v/hen the righteous bear rule the earth is 
 at peace." 
 
 Having, fellow citizens, to the best of my knowledge 
 discharged my duty, and the trust you have reposed in me, 
 by laying before you a true and faithful statement of the 
 measures of the two administrations — the former (called 
 federal) exhibiting a scene of m.onarchical parade, extra- 
 vagant waste and embezzlement of public money, rapidly 
 increa.sing our national debt. Every session of Congress 
 (particularly during Adams' administration) passing laws, 
 increasing the burthens of the people, similar to those in 
 Great Britain, anxiously striving to bring the United States, 
 into an alliance with her, whereby we must have been in- 
 volved in her unjust, and cruel wars, and finally in her ruin 
 — and when the people com.plaioed ; instead of attending 
 to their complaints, and redressing their grievances ; a law 
 was passed to stop their mouths, and an attempt made 
 to raise a standing army to silence their complaints (as the 
 British Government doth) with the sharp pointed bayonets 
 of mercenary assassins. Our prisons were filled with vic- 
 tims of governmental fury, and our money applied to pro- 
 secute such of our fellow citizens as durst expose their 
 fraud, or oppose their tyranny ; which finally so alarmed 
 the people that by their elective franchise, they hurled 
 those monarchical, and aristocratical tyrants from their 
 high and exalted seats, which had they succeeded in rais- 
 ing a standing army, could only have been effected by force 
 of arms, when brother, must have been armed against 
 brother, the horrors of civil war introduced, and probably 
 much human kindred blood been shed. The present De- 
 
( 15 ) 
 
 mocratic administration cannot be better described than by 
 saying it presents a scene altogether the reverse ; as much 
 more congenial to the inherent rights of man, and the pet ce 
 and prosperity of these United States, as is the prolific 
 rays of the glorious luminary of heaven, calling from 
 earth's fertile ^vomb, sweet vernal blooms, prophetic of the 
 delicious fruits of summer, or perfecting the golden har- 
 vest, and substantial product of autumn ; compared with 
 the piercing blasts of the frigid Zone. 
 
 Here let me earnestly intreat my fellow citizens to bear 
 in mind, that the foregoing statement is not the bare asser- 
 tion of an individual liable to be prejudiced in favour of 
 one side or the other ; but generally taken from the laws, 
 and records of congress and reports of the Secretary of the 
 treasury, to which any citizen may have access for proof ; 
 and such parts as are not, I stand ready to prove before 
 any court of judicature — leaving to the good sense, ho- 
 nesty, and virtues of the citizens of this county, and the 
 United States in general, to decide which is intitled to 
 most credibility, a statement of facts, with the author's 
 name annexed, whereby he is rendered responsible to his 
 fellow citizens ; or anoynmous publications and false re- 
 ports,* whose authors like cowardly nocturnal assassins, 
 are ashamed and afraid to shew their faces, well knowing 
 that if their deeds were exposed to the light of truth, in- 
 stead of retaining any influence or confidence of the people ; 
 they would be despised by every honest citizen, and their 
 names consigned to eternal infamy. 
 
 I should here conclude, were I not compelled by the 
 love that flows in my heart in a particular manner towards 
 that society with whom I had my education, and whose 
 principles I still more approve than any other, the people 
 commonly called Quakers to add a few words : You my 
 dear friends above all other societies in these United States 
 are bound by your principles, as well as gratitude (the no- 
 blest passion of the human mind) to support our present 
 pacific administration, it being the nearest likeness of a 
 government such as you would form, had you the sole 
 power, of any on earth, its motto, (and practice in unison 
 
 * In conversation witli a respectable Citizen oftliis county a few weeks 
 past, he told me he had heard several respectable fedorals declare posi- 
 tively, that our g-overnment had given Bonaparte at one time 30,000,000 
 and at another time 16,000,000, making in the whole 46,000,000 of dollars 
 to preserve peace, and good will — to such infernal liars, 1 say no more, 
 than barely to call their remembrance to the existence of a juvt God, wl2<* 
 vill fijially reward every ipan according- to his works. 
 
( 16 ) 
 
 iherewltb), being " peace with all nations entangling al- 
 liances with none" it rejects all wars as evil, and unjust, 
 but liose purely defensive — ^here then is but a single shade 
 of difference between our present form of government, 
 and that for v/hich you have so long, and so nobly contend- 
 ed and suffered — in seriously reflecting upon this subject, 
 methinks your hearts must overflow with gratitude and 
 praise, to the God and Father of all our mercies, for this 
 glorious change wrought in the hearts of a great majority 
 of the people of these United States, in favour of that 
 blessed principle " that breathes peace on earth, and good 
 will to men." I have often during my temporary residence 
 at the seat of government, remembered you in a feeling 
 sense of that love that would gather all into the fold of 
 eternal rest ; and said in my heart, oh that my beloved 
 friends throughout the union, could but see what I see, 
 and know what I know; could they but see, and know 
 for themselves the plainness, humility, and simplicity of 
 manners of our President, and his 'unremitted endeavours 
 in conjunction with his supporters, to lighten the burdens 
 of the people, and restore to them their inherent rights 
 and liberties ; they would no more at elections support his 
 ©pponents, and most bitter implacable enemies. 
 
 Dear friends, I can but with the little captive maid in 
 days of old, earnestly desire that all who have been and 
 still remain to be affected with the leprosy caught from the 
 whore of Babylon (before mentioned) or those who have 
 committed fornication with her, were with the prophet that 
 is in Israel, who would heal them of their malady — ear- 
 nestly desiring, yea, fervently praying, that in future you 
 may be led and guided by that unerring spirit of truth, 
 vv^hich is the only safe and sure guide, ordained by infinite 
 wisdom for the children of men, I bid you affectionately 
 farewell, and conclude with an earnest exhortation to all to 
 turn their attention from men to measures — the only safe- 
 and just criterion to judge men by, is their fruits, consist- 
 ing of words and actions — let this rule be attended to, and 
 then I am bold to say, that Avhen truly informed, every ho- 
 nest hearted American in these United States, will consi- 
 der himself in duty bound, to support that party, that are 
 to the utmost of their power lightening the burdens of the 
 people, and by their just and pacifx conduct, continu- 
 ing the peace, and increasing the prosperity, wealth and 
 happiness of the Union — earnestly praying that the God 
 of peace, grace, mercy and truth, whose almighty power 
 
( ir ) 
 
 hath begun, and so far carried on this blessed work, may 
 incline the people to unite as with the heart of one man, to 
 further, carry on, and perfect the same— that he may 
 open the hearts of the children of men universally, to the 
 knowlege of this eternal truth ; that God is love, and that 
 that those that live in him live in love— -hence, when that 
 blessed and happy era of time shall arrive spoken of by the 
 prophet, '' when the knowlege of the Lord shall cover the 
 earth, as the waters cover the sea," then will commence 
 universal peace, the product of pure love, then shall the 
 sucking child play upon the hole of the asp, and the weaned 
 child on the cockatrice den, the wolf shall lie down with 
 the lamb, and the lion instead of rending and devouring 
 flesh and blood, shall eat straw like an ox — swords shall 
 be beat into plow shares, and spears into pruning hooks — 
 nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall 
 they learn war any more ! — I conclude your faithful affec- 
 tionate friend and fellow citizen, 
 
 JAMES SLOAN. 
 
 N. B. I have heard some who have been fully convin- 
 ced of the evil conduct of the federal administration ; and 
 the great advantages that hath already arose from the 
 change, observe, that there is good honest federals that 
 would make as good members of a legislature as democrats 
 — to these I recommend the consideration of this circum- 
 stance, viz. I have never in the house of congress known a 
 single instance, nor heard of one in any state legislature ; 
 wherein in a political question, a federal member, has vo« 
 ted with the democrats ; but in all cases evmced the most 
 bitter, implacable and vindictive disposition towards the 
 present administration, and its supporters — hence it is as 
 absurd and improper for any who wish well thereto, to 
 vote for a federal ; as it would be to vote for the king of 
 England to be president of these United States. 
 
Wl^ 
 

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