[1] _Several hundred of these certificates were a day or two after the
McBain Meeting, struck off at the FEDERAL Printing' Office in this
Village, and circulated thro' the County during the election_.
[2] _It will be recollected that the writer of this letter is the
famous conversation-monger, who together with his brother James Mott,
are made the instruments of proving duplicity in Mr. Cowen. John R.
Mott pretends that as early as the 1st of March, Mr. Cowen told him
that Palmer and Bunce were opposed to Young, &c and yet on the 6th day
of_ April _following, he very gravely informs Mr. Cowen by letter, of
the very facts which he says Mr. Cowen had told him before. This is the
man too who tells so much about_ private _conversation, and Mr.
Cowen's_ hesitating _to tell him names; and enjoining him to_ secresy,
_and who so very spunkily says that he called Gen. Dunning "a fool."
Mr. Cowen must, I think, feel himself greatly indebted to these_
brother _certifiers for their honor and patriotism. This too is the
man, who sometime before wrote a fawning letter, asking Mr. Cowen to
give him an office (Assistant Assessor of the U.S.) which he had at his
disposal; to which Mr. Cowen readily acceded, and afterwards on another
written request, conferred the same office on his_ brother certifier
_James Mott. [The inhabitants of Halfmoon, will furnish ample
credentials, for their extraordinary_ attention _and_ correctness _in
the execution of their offices, One of these men shortly before the
election was appointed deputy to the Sheriff: He suddenly veers about
and becomes a convert to_ court _doctrine, and evinces his zeal in the
new cause he had espoused, by his_ anathemas _against his former
friends.] These brothers in blood, in politics and in virtue,
generously avail themselves of the advantages afforded them by official
intercourse with Mr. Cowen on business, and then patriotically tender
the fruits of their_ rotten-hearted _labor to_ "the citizen" _and his
friends as proofs of duplicity_.
[3] _This was on the_ first _day of the Polls--but it seems by Mr.
Bennet's certificate, that as soon as the election was over, Thompson
flung off the mask, and exhibited his_ cloven foot _without reserve_.
[4] _Altho' it is a fact well known that this meeting was projected by,
and the canting pretences which bro't it together and sent forth the
strange account which it gives of itself, originated with_ two or three
"demagogues," _yet it is a subject of real regret that a_ few honest
men _have suffered themselves to be duped by their shameful artifices.
It commenced with_ Mr. Thompson of Milton, _who during the summer past
has been very industrious in serving up and peddling little doses of
slander against_ Mr. Baldwin, Mr. Bunce, and others. _This man has been
a real political_ scold, _ever since he found himself capable of
throwing a little confusion into the ranks of the county; He is the
first_ male Xantippe _who has reduced the doctrine of scolding to a
system, and certified it in a_ book. _Of such characters there is
little hopes:_
"_Destroy his_ web and sophistry _in vain_,
_The creature's at his_ dirty work _again_."
[5] _Altho' no man more sincerely rejoices in the charitable donations
of the people of Saratoga, for the relief of our brethren at_ Sacket's
Harbor, _than the writer of these remarks, yet he cannot avoid joining
in the general disgust at the vanity of Judge Child, in trying to
elicit public applause for himself. The judge cannot bear to hide his
charming light under a bushel. Instead of not suffering one hand to
know what the other is doing, he is not content with its being
published in a_ book, _but advertises his charity in a newspaper as a
man would one of his_ stray cattle. _From his liberal conduct to the
Editor of the Journal and others, he is perhaps excusable in calling
his charity about him as soon as possible, even if he offers a
considerable reward for it in the next advertisement which he puts into
his darling paper_.
[6] By a new species of logic adopted by the author of the Book, a man
is accounted _honorable_ and _virtuous_ by the square foot of carcase.
Ergo, "a little man" in stature, comprehends all that is _hypocritical_
and _wicked_. The _great man_, James Merrill, who is the subject of
this note, by the above rule is of course, the most _honorable_, best
informed and _religious_ man of the whole group, who embellish the fair
pages of that "book." It is proper that the public should know a little
of his _debut_ and _denoument_ as a political character.
His _first_ notorious feat was performed in his first and last
appearance as a member of assembly, where his colleague by a friendly
rap on the knuckle convinced him that he was _endeavoring_ to read off
a _federal_ vote for a council of appointment, which a federal member
had assured him was more _legible_ than the one _prepared_ for him.
The _second_ time as a quid of the _Burr_ stamp, and willing to spend
500 dollars rather than the republican candidate should succeed.
The _third_ time in a _new_ character; with his name blazoned in large
capitals in recommendation of S. Van Rensselaer for governor, in
opposition to Daniel D. Tompkins in 1813.
The fourth time in 1815, as the _sub_ agent and director of the McBain
meeting; still ready with 100 dollars, to divide the ticket with the
federalists rather than the regular nomination should succeed and Mr.
Young not be elected; swearing he had not _before taken hold since his
friend Burr went down_.
On the _first_ day of election he is a flaming democrat.
On the _second_ day, at the opening of the polls, he makes public
proclamation "for all those who did not intend to vote for Mr Young to
come forward and state their reasons, _and they should be heard_; and
that _now_ he had no objections that _three federalists_ should be
elected."
On the third day of the election, "_it depended on a word, and the
types of the republican printer would be scattered_." A true sample of
"the mild spirit of Christian humility" Vid. _book_.
[7] _This circumstance would not have been mentioned had not the
_CITIZEN_ boasted of the same office confering great honor on one of
his disciples_.
[8] In treating of the productions of an author, it is customary to
give some account of his character, pursuits, &c. &c. This is usually
done by way of _introduction_ or _appendix_. I beg leave in this
instance to deviate from the regular method, and present him in the
more appropriate station of a _Nota Bene_.
The author of that pamphlet is a _lawyer_ in _practice_ and a
_moralist_ by _profession_; by the former, he has acquired great
_booty_; by the latter a ---- and what is peculiar to himself (and all
'peculiar' men have their peculiarities) he never suffers his
_profession_ to interfere with his _practice_; and yet in _money
concerns_, he has been known to handle _both_, with great _adroitness_.
In his _practice_ his fellow townsmen are "pine plains men," in his
profession "a contemptible rabble;" and truly so, for the former tell
him "the farm you live on was once the soil of a revolutionary
soldier." This is truly saucey, for he acquired it by his _practice_.
The latter tell him, "you sued us for small sums due the estate of a
relative; you made us ten times more costs than the demands--you took
advantage of a then existing law, to oppress us; you feasted on our
misfortunes, and rioted on our distresses; till an _ugly_ law extended
relief to the '_rabble_'."
One of these men living in an adjoining town, tells him, "I once owned
two farms; I own no farms now--They are swallowed up in '_morality_.'"
It is not yet ascertained, whether his rate of 40 per cent interest, is
regulated by his _practice_ or his _profession_. It certainly cannot
be, as has been supposed, in proportion to the wants of the distressed.
I am inclined to think his _morality_ often runs ahead of his
_practice_, in this case.
A _good reputation_ is not common to all men. Our author has
practically demonstrated the truth of this position, and conclusively
shewn, that the _needy_ have an absolute right to filch a supply from
their neighbor; and has exhibited such powerful proofs in support of
_his_ claims, that he has actually obtained more than a _quantum
sufficit_, and conferred the surplus on some of his _needy_ friends.
The misfortunes of his neighbor, forms the chief round in his _ladder_
to eminence; it rests on the sanctuary of domestic afflictions, and is
supported by the tears of the widow and the orphan. Lo! Avarice claims
him for her own--Billingsgate yields her choicest flowers--Envy
entwines the glowing wreath--and malice triumphantly crowns him "lord
of the ascendant."
[9] _The certificates of these men interlard several points of
conversation as minute as the souls which gave operation to their
memory; and which appear to be designed to answer no other purpose,
than to shew the extraordinary strength and accuracy of intellect by
which they are characterized. Their fixed attention to such matters may
serve as some excuse for the manner in which they executed their
offices of U.S. assessors. But I have had occasion to note these
gentlemen once before_.
[10] _The Citizen is perhaps correct when he calls Mr. Palmer a_ little
man, _and Judges of his own_ favorites _by the quantity of_ matter
_instead of_ mind;--_Like the Italian Farmer in estimating the
qualities of a_ grave animal _no less famous for_ strength and dullness
_than for the_ length _of his_ ears.
[11] _It seems that an effort was afterwards made to convince their
friends, by publishing several hundreds of the famous communication
from Young's colleagues, notwithstanding an express stipulation to the
contrary_.