American Aurora
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All these objections were foreseen at the adoption of the present constitution. Experience has confirmed them … Power entrusted for too long a period will certainly be abused …
We forebear … to strengthen our opinions by any reference to the Senate of the UNION, although (and with concern We speak it) the history of that Body and of the sessions for the last two years in particular would furnish facts and arguments in our favour …
Most Democratic-Republicans accept America’s state and federal constitutions, while resisting the power of long office terms, wealth, and misplaced or misused authority to deny the will of the democratic majority. Others such as Benny Bache, Jimmy Callender, Tom Paine, and I would amend America’s state and federal constitutions, replacing two-chamber legislatures and powerful chief executives with annually elected, single-chamber legislatures that would choose their own executive councils to execute their laws.2040 We are, therefore, the “radicals”2041 among Democratic-Republicans. We cling to Dr. Franklin’s dream.2042
TUESDAY, JANUARY 6, 1801
GENERAL * AURORA * ADVERTISER
FESTIVAL
On Saturday the 3d last, a numerous and respectable assemblage of American, German, English, and Irish republicans, citizens of the United States of America, met at the house of Millar, the sign of the Green Tree in North Fourth street, to celebrate the favourable commencement of the 19th century and the success of republican exertion. Dr. [James] Reynolds was called to the chair … The toasts were as follows:—1. May the progress of the present century amply fulfil the auspicious promises of its commencement … 2. Peace on earth and good will towards man—May this be the ruling principle of every nation … 3. The world our country—Man our fellow citizen—Benevolence our religion … 5. Thomas Jefferson … 6. Aaron Burr … 7. The Freedom of the Press—May every public character be open to its examination; and virtue triumph over calumny without the despicable aid of a Sedition Law. 8. Universal Toleration—may republicans commiserate and forgive the ignorance of those whose religion consists in abusing the religion of their neighbors. 9. The Federal Constitution—May its errors (if it contains any) be calmly discussed and peaceably amended …
VOLUNTEERS.
The memories of Dr. B. Franklin and of the grand-son who inherited his virtues and followed his footsteps—B. F. Bache …
The Citizen Duane, whose courage, whose perseverance and abilities, have contributed so essentially to the freedom of the American press …
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7, 1801
GENERAL * AURORA * ADVERTISER
EASTON … [A] number of the citizens of Easton and its vacinity assembled at the house of Mr. Heckman to certify their pleasure at the late glorious triumph of republicanism … TOASTS. 1. The third of December 1800—the legitimate offspring of the Fourth of July, 1776. 6 rounds. 6 cheers … 2. Thomas Jefferson … 6 rounds. 6 cheers. 3. Aaron Burr … 6 rounds. 6 cheers … 4. Thomas M’Kean … 6 cheers … 6. William Duane—“Blessed be he that holdeth out to the end and fainteth not.” 3 rounds. 3 cheers. 7. The Editors of the Democratic Presses throughout the Union—May they never be shackled by gag-laws or corrupted by British gold. 1 round. 1 cheer … 10. The Treaty with France—May the quarrels of Republics, like those of lovers, terminate in a renewal of former sentiments—1 round. 1 cheer. 11. The Sedition Law—a speedy decease and no resurrection to the principles which originated it … 13. The year 1798-the reign of terrorism, British influence, black cockades, and federal insolence.
“Prone to the dust oppression shall be hurl’d,
Her name, her nature wither’d from the world.”
14. The memory of Benjamin Franklin—who snatch’d the lightening from Heaven and the Scepter from tyrants. 1 round. 1 cheer.
TUESDAY, JANUARY 20, 1801
GENERAL * AURORA * ADVERTISER
The first consul [Napoleon Bonaparte] has pleased to appoint citizen Pichon, late secretary of the French commission which treated with our envoys, commissary general of the commercial relations of France with the United States and chargé d’affaires, till the appointment of a French minister. It is believed that this gentleman will sail very soon for Washington.
Tonight, at seven o’clock, a fire breaks out in the Washington building which houses the Treasury Department records. Though War Secretary Samuel Dexter is now acting also as Treasury Secretary, witnesses report seeing former Treasury Secretary Oliver Wolcott removing trunks of materials from the Treasury Department while the fire rages!2043
SATURDAY, JANUARY 24, 1801
GENERAL * AURORA * ADVERTISER
MEMENTO!
THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT BURNT DOWN; SO WAS THE WAR DEPARTMENT …
Whole Handkerchiefs of Papers were previously carried off by persons well known.—More of this hereafter.
The baseness and servility … of the men in power, cannot fail to bring to the minds of men … the days of Roman dishonor, under Tiberius, Nero, and those Caesars, the most despicable of the human race.
What do you think, dear reader? Is it Rome burning? Or Valhalla?
MONDAY, JANUARY 26, 1801
GENERAL * AURORA * ADVERTISER
From the BOSTON CHRONICLE..
“BUONAPARTE has been pleased to say that the Americans are indebted to the French nation for their independence. Agreed—provided she will acknowledge that their revolution was owing to the Americans … For if we could not have secured our independence but by the treaty of ‘78 … France, without it, would never have tho’t of being a Republic and of diffusing the blessings of equal liberty among her citizens …”
(… It is a mistake that the idea of a Republic was borrowed from America by the French. The project of a Republic was started in France more than a century before our Revolution. We do not want the evidence … to prove that Louis XVI was sorry for the aid given to America; the despots of Europe and their adherents have discovered the true cause—it was philosophy real and fashionable that procured French aid for American liberty.—It was the single influence and reputation of Dr. Franklin which obtained the aid of France—and to this cause we may attribute all the fulminations against philosophers—and the slanders against Franklin from British presses.)
[Washington, January 21.] Last evening about dusk a fire was discovered in the treasury department. When discovered, one of the rooms of the accountant was in a full blaze … (National Intel.)
Extract [of a letter] to the Editor dated Washington, January 21, 1801. “You were singularly fortunate in obtaining an inspection of the treasury books before their removal to this place, as I believe the copies you kept are the only traces that now remain of the books you had in your possession; you may recollect that I told you the books of one of the departments which you saw were committed to the care of Farrell, [so] it is remarkable that the fire commenced in that apartment, and all the books under his care are said to be consumed in the fire last night.”
TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 1801
GENERAL * AURORA * ADVERTISER
The denouement of the federal tragi-comedy has been a flaming one, two fire-works in one act and so close after the heels of each other …
Extract of a Letter, dated Washington, Jan. 22 … [A]ll the books containing the Auditor’s reports and those which were in Duane’s possession are destroyed …
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1801
GENERAL * AURORA * ADVERTISER
Yesterday was the day … [electoral] votes for President and Vice President of the United States were to be counted … yet we cannot let pass an essay which appeared in the Washington Federalist … and which shews [a] design … to establish a perpetual President or Dictator … The piece in the Federalist which we allude to begins thus:
“It is now universally understood that Mr. Burr and Mr. Jefferson have received from the electors an equal number of votes … It is by no means impossible that they may also have an equal number of votes in the house of representatives … It is certainly of very great importance to decide what will be
the result should neither of them have a constitutional majority …
“Congress … have the power to declare what officer shall act as President … without limitation of time, however long that period may be, before his successor shall be elected … [T]here is a great … propriety that the [current] President … should continue to act … until the next election in course: that is, for another four years.”
Thomas Jefferson will speak to John Adams. Mr. Jefferson:
I called on Mr. Adams. We conversed on the state of things. I observed to him that a very dangerous experiment was then in contemplation to defeat the Presidential election by an act of Congress declaring the right to devolve on him the government during any interregnum; that such a measure would probably produce resistance by force and incalculable consequences which it would be in his power to resist by negativing such an act. He seemed to think such an act justifiable and observed that it was in my power to fix the election by a word in an instant, by declaring I would not turn out the federal [Federalist] officers … Finding his mind made up as to the usurpation of the government … I urged it no further …2044
No such usurpation will occur. Five days from today, in the U.S. House of Representatives, Republican Matthew Lyon of Vermont, the Irish newspaper publisher who spit in the face of the Federalists and went to prison for criticizing the President, will have a final revenge. Congressman Lyon will cast the deciding vote to make Thomas Jefferson the new President of the United States.2045 America’s second revolution, this one clearly for democracy, is at its end.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4, 1801
GENERAL * AURORA * ADVERTISER
From the earliest period recorded in the page of history to the present time, mankind has been endeavouring to ascertain what form of civilized society would be most conducive to the happiness of the species. Incapable of leisure for political pursuits, the mass of people have found it expedient to commit the business of the community at large to a few persons who were rewarded for the attention thus paid to the affairs of the public. But in every age and in every nation, the possession of power has proved an almost irresistible temptation to extend and abuse it … Even at this day—at the commencement of the 19th century! the proud and infatuated monarch of Great Britain, which pretends to be the most civilized nation of the earth, has the insolence to term the people his subjects, and they have the stupidity to glory in the degrading titles and fawn upon their tyrants …
Occasionally the people (as at Athens) have attempted to take the power of governing themselves into their own hands. Occasionally republics have been formed with checks upon the persons appointed as temporary rulers. But like all new experiments upon subjects of great importance … experience alone can point out the practical difficulties … Hence the trials of a popular form of government … The history of the monarchical forms of government have taught us, however, that the rights of the people have been successfully trampled upon chiefly by the means of standing armies … by means of too much power imprudently granted or boldly assumed by the rulers of a nation in the disposal of money, of place, and of contracts—and by shackling the freedom of the Press.
The remedies evidently indicated are never to trust great power to any man or body of men: never to entrust it long: to preserve to the people the right of recalling at short periods every person placed by them in a political situation; and to preserve inviolate the freedom of the press.
The importance of these political maxims were first felt and acted upon in AMERICA … In 1798 and 1799, monarchy openly exulted, and democracy was a term of bitterest reproach. The execrable planners of this dangerous and desperate system, thanks to the freedom of the press, are now fallen; fallen, we sincerely hope, to rise no more.
Today, in the new federal city of Washington, America inaugurates its third President, Thomas Jefferson of Virginia. Today, the Sedition Act expires. Those who face or suffer the Sedition Act’s penalties will receive a presidential pardon from our new and very democratic President of the United States. From President Jefferson’s Inaugural Address:
We are all republicans: we are all federalists. If there be any among us who would wish to dissolve this union or to change its republican form, let them stand undisturbed as monuments of the safety with which error of opinion may be tolerated where reason is left free to combat it. I know indeed that some honest men fear that a republican government cannot be strong … Sometimes it is said that man cannot be trusted with the government of himself. Can he then be trusted with the government of others? Or have we found angels in the form of kings to govern him? Let history answer this question.2046
Philadelphia celebrates President Jefferson’s inauguration with the most extensive and splendid procession the city has ever seen (excepting the pompous procession of 1787). Joining other units of the Republican Militia Legion, I lead my Republican Greens from Philadelphia’s State-house, down Walnut-street to Second-street, thence up Second-street to Race-street, &c.2047 As we cross High-street, only a block from the Aurora’s office, and pass the High-street covered country market, how could I not feel the warmth of home, the pride of country, and the thrill of freedom? I have won my final battle with monarchy.
EPILOGUE TO BOOK THREE
Tuesday, March 31, 1801. Today, former President John Adams writes his former Navy Secretary, Benjamin Stoddert, about their Federalist party:
No party that ever existed knew itself so little or so vainly overrated its own influence and popularity, as ours. None ever understood so ill the causes of its own power or so wantonly destroyed them. If we had been blessed with common sense, we should not have been overthrown by … Duane, Callender, Cooper and Lyon, or their great patron and protector [Thomas Jefferson]. A group of foreign liars, encouraged by a few ambitious native gentlemen, have discomfited the education, the talents, the virtues, and the property of the country. The reason is, we have no Americans in America. The Federalists have been no more American than the Anties.2048
Thursday, April 16, 1801. Today, former President John Adams writes South Carolinian Christopher Gadsden:
What is the reason that so many of our “old standbys” are infected with Jacobinism? The principles of this infernal tribe were surely no part of our ancient political creed.
“Foreign meddlers,” as you properly denominate them, have a strange and mysterious influence in this country. Is there no pride in American bosoms? Can their hearts endure that Callender, Duane, Cooper and Lyon should be the most influential men in the country, all foreigners and all degraded characters? It is astonishing to me that the “tribes of law-followers” should adopt principles subversive of all law, should unite with the ignorant and illiberal against men of understanding and property.2049
Saturday, May 23, 1801. Today, President Jefferson writes me:
I asked if you could give me a list of the prosecutions of a public nature against you & over which I might have a controul; observing that whenever in the line of my functions I should be met by the Sedition law, I should treat it as a nullity. That therefore, even in the prosecution recommended by the Senate, if founded on that law, I would order a nolle prosequi [an order not to prosecute] … The trial on behalf of the Senate being postponed, you have time to explain your wishes to me, and if it be done on a consultation with Mr. Dallas, it may abridge the operations which shall be thought proper.
I accept with acknowledgment Mrs. Bache’s compliments & beg leave to tender her my sincere respect & to yourselves salutations & my best wishes …2050
President Jefferson will explain his policy to an outraged Abigail Adams:
I discharged every person under punishment or prosecution under the Sedition law, because I considered and now consider that law to be a nullity as absolute and as palpable as if Congress had ordered us to fall down and worship a golden image … [The discharge] was accordingly done in every instance without asking what the offenders had done or against whom they had offended but whether the pains they were suffering were in
flicted under the pretended sedition law. It was certainly possible that my motives … might have been to protect, encourage and reward slander; but they may also have been … to protect the Constitution violated by an unauthorized act of Congress. Which of these were my motives must be decided by a regard to the general tenor of my life. On this I am not afraid to appeal to the nation at large, to posterity, and still less to that Being who sees himself our motives, who will judge us from his own knowlege of them, and not on the testimony of Porcupine or Fenno.2051
Tuesday, September 15, 1801. Today, John Adams writes his son, Thomas:
Have a care that you do not let Captain Duane know that I am reading Cicero de Senectute [Cicero concerning Old Age] again, because he will immediately insert in his Aurora Borealis that I recollected those words in the 17th Chapter… [“nothing seems so royal as to engage in the pursuit of land cultivation”]. He will say that there is nothing in building stone walls or in collecting heaps of compost but the tang of royalty and monarchy which … attracts my esteem and affection, and all the Germans and all the Irish and all the Quakers and Anabaptists will say they believe him, and the Presbyterians will shake their heads and say it is too true … I do not recollect to have seen an Aurora since I became a monarch of stony fields, Count of Gull Island, Earl of Mt. Ararat, Marquis of Candlewood Hill, and Baron of Rocky Run …2052