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NOTE: The public will duly appreciate the reasons for postponing the publication of the foregoing till after Election. The writer hopes he has avoided the example of the Citizen, by not descending to the retreats of private character.—Even the author of the book has not been named. The character given of that author, ante page 30 in note, is not intended to apply to any one named in that pamphlet.—Indeed I hope for the honor of human nature, that however strange and inconsistently some of these men have acted who have in that production given their names to the public, yet that none of them are so far gone as to prostitute themselves to the vile purpose of writing such a work as that in which their names are interlarded.
NOTES
[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.