What, if a quiet, modest, unambitious philosopher, at a delicate crisis, withdrawing himself from a post of duty, from an alleged attachment to philosophical pursuits, and a strong antipathy to public honours, should immediately devote his hours of retirement to mature his schemes of concealed ambition, and at the appointed time, come forth the undisguised candidate for the highest honours, and for the arduous station to which ambition can aspire ?

"Would not this trait alone sufficiently mark his character and his views?

"To some of his fellow-citizens, this may perhaps be the first time his real character has been discovered; but let them recollect that there is always " a first time," when characters, studious of artful disguises, are unveiled, when the vizor of stoicism is plucked from the brow of the epicurean, when the plain garb of quaker simplicity is stripped from the concealed voluptuary, when Cæsar, coyly refusing the proffered diadem, is found to be Cæsar rejecting the trappings, " but tenaciously grasping the substance of imperial domination."

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"The first volume of Thomas Paine's "Rights of

Man," made its appearance; the opportunity was eagerly seized, to answer the double purpose of wounding a competitor, and of laying in an additional stock of popularity, by associating and circulating the name of Thomas Jefferson with a popular production of a once favourite writer, on a favourite subject.

"For this purpose, the Secretary of State wrote an epistle to a printer in Philadelphia, transmitting the work for republication, and containing the following passage: "I am extremely pleased to find " it will be reprinted here, and that something is at " length to be publicly said against the political beresies " which

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"which have sprung up among us. I have no " doubt our citizens will rally a second time round "the standard of common sense."

"There was not a man in the United States, acquainted with the insinuations which had been propagated against Mr. Adams, who did not instantly apply the remark; and the signal was so well understood by the partisans of the writer, that a general attack immediately commenced.

"The National Gazette of Freneau, faithful to its duty, and the newspapers of the party in the different states, resounded with invective and scurrility against the patriot, who was thus marked out as the object of persecution.

"But it was quickly perceived that discerning and respectable men disapproved of the step which the Secretary of State had taken. It was of consequence to endeavour to maintain their good opinion. Insincere protestations and excuses, as frivolous as aukward, were multiplied by the Secretary to veil the real design. "The gentle"man alluded to," he protested, never once "entered his mind; it was never imagined that "the printer would be so incautious as to publish "the letter. Nothing more had been in view "than to turn a handsome period, and avoid the "baldness of a note, that did nothing but present "the compliments of the writer!"

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"Thus, a solenin invocation to the people of America, on a most serious and important subject, dwindled at once into a brilliant conceit that tickled the imaginarion too much to be resisted. The imputation of levity was preferred to that of

malice.

"But when the people of America presented themselves to the disturbed fancy of the patriotic Secretary, as a routed host, scattered and dispersed by that political sorcerer, the Vice-President, how

was

was it possible to resist the heroic, the chivalrous desire, of erecting for them some magic standard of orthodoxy, such as Tom Paine, and endeavouring to rally them round it, for their mutual protection and safety.

" In so glorious a cause, the considerationsthat a citizen of the United States had written, in a foreign country, a book, containing strictures on the government of that country, which were regarded by it as libellous and seditious-that he had dedicated this book to the Chief Magistrate of the Union-that the republication of it, under the auspices of the Secretary of State, would wear the appearance of its having been promoted, at least of its being patronized, by the government of this country were considerations too light and unimportant to occasion a moment's hesitation."

Among the other merits of Mr. Jefferson, as stated by Hampden, we find "his attachment to the CIVIL and RELIGIOUS rights of his fellow citizens;" for the proof, we are referred to his writings and PUBLIC CONDUCT.

"We have seen a few specimens of his writings: from them we may infer a pretty strong disposition to entrench on some of the civil rights of his fellow citizens, particularly in his project of a senate, which would undoubtedly, on his plan, establish an aristocracy, very injurious to the rights of the poor class of his fellow citizens.

"But the proof of a steady attachment to the civil rights of one's fellow citizens ought not to rest merely on writings; this attachment ought to be evinced by public conduct, by action, and in times of danger; then the hazarding of personal safety for the preservation of our civil rights is the highest testimony of patriotism. There is no great merit in

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in composing, in the cabinet, in seasons of tranquillity, essays on civil rights, which are frequently done to obtain popularity, and without any risk of personal inconvenience.

"It appears, however, that Mr. Jefferson has generally sacrificed the civil rights of his countrymen to his own personal safety. We are told, in a public address, by Mr. Charles Simms, of Virginia, who must have been well acquainted with the circumstance, "that Mr. Jefferson, when governor of Virginia, abandoned the trust with which he was charged, at the moment of an invasion by the enemy, by which great confusion, loss, and distress, accrued to the state, in the destruction of public records and vouchers for general expenditures.*

"Now here was a period of public danger, when Mr. Jefferson's attachment to the civil rights of his countrymen might have shone very conspicuously, by facing and averting the danger; here would have been a fine opportunity for him to have displayed his public spirit in bravely rallying round the standard of liberty and civil rights; but, though in times of safety, he could rally round the standard of his friend, Tom Paine, yet when real dan

* Mr. Leven Powell, of Virginia, also states, in his public address, that "when Tarleton, with a few light horse, pursued the assembly to Charlottesville, Mr. Jefferson discovered such a want of firmness, as shewed he was not fit to fill the first executive office, for instead of using his talents, in directing the necessary operations of defence, be quitted bis government by resigning bis office; this too, at a time that tried men's souls, at a time when the affairs of America stood in doubtful suspense, and required the exertions of all." The Governor of Virginia, during the invasion of the state by a small British force, instead of defending the commonwealth at that alarming juncture, voluntarily and suddenly surrendered his office, and, at that crisis, his country was required to choose another Governor! Is there any security he would not act in like manner again, under like circumstances?

ger

ger appeared, the governor of the ancient dominion dwindled into the poor, timid philosopher, and instead of rallying his brave countrymen, he fled for safety from a few light horsemen, and shamefully abandoned his trust!! *

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Again, when the peace and tranquillity of the United States were in extraordinary peril, when it required the exertions and talents of the wisest and bravest statesmen to keep the federal ship from foundering on the rocks with which she was encompassed, he, when his aid was most essential, abandoned the old helmsman; and with his wonted caution, sneaked away to a snug retreat, leaving others to buffet with the storm, and if they were cast away, to bear all the obloquy and public disgrace which would follow.

"How different was the conduct of the spirited and truly patriotic HAMILTON? He wished to retire as much as the philosopher of Montecelli; he had a large family, and his little fortune was fast melting away in the expensive metropolis, but with a Roman's spirit he declared "that much as " he wished for retirement, yet, he would remain

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at his post, as long as there was any danger of "his country being involved in war." How different the conduct of the great WASHINGTON?

* This charge has been attempted to be got rid of by producing a vote of the assembly of Virginia, after an inquiry into his conduct, acknowledging his ability and integrity, but altogether silent on his want of firmness, which had been the cause of his flight.

It was natural for his friends in the Assembly to varnish over the business as well as they could, and the danger being past, there being no prospect of his being again exposed in that station, and his flight proceeding, not from any criminality, but from a constitutional weakness of nerves, it was no difficult matter to get such a vote through the assembly, more especially as the character of the state was no less implicated in the business than that of the governor.

He