"The Will of the People"

I was browsing through an online archive of 19th century newspapers at work today and found this litte gem on the front page of the Massachusetts Spy, or Worcester Gazette of September 26, 1804. I transcribed it myself and tried to retain some of the considerable flavor of the original style and typesetting, including the spelling, though I did not leave the "f" in place of "s" as was the custom. One cannot help but notice that our man's gloomy prognostications ring a few bells in our day.

September 26, 1804

From the Portland Gazette

Mr. Jenks,
We have been nearly four years "in the full tide" of revolutionary experiment. Every violation of justice, every infaction of the constitution, every change in its fundamental principles, every species of confusion and disorder is falsely ascribed to the "will of the people." When Washington was unanimosly elected president and at the expiration of four years, unanimously reelected against the wishes of the opposers of our federal constitution, the Jacobins of that day declared the people were not their own masters; and when at the ensuing election, Adams was chosen to succeed him, the people were not fairly heard. The negro votes of Virginia and Carolina did not overbalance those of Newengland. But sir, Americans have now grown wiser. "The people govern," not Washington or Adams. the black voters at the last election gave us a new president, although the majority of the white and independent electors of the United States were for Adams. Since this change how happy have we been! Newengland has lost all influence in the councils of the nation. But what of that? Vox populi, vox Dei. The voice of Virginia is the voice of heaven.

The following scale, commencing a period a little before the success of jacobinical principles in this country, will shew how far we have already descended, and what we shall yet descend to, if the real people of this country, the men of property, of morals, of information, the cultivators of the soil, the owners of our ships, do not awake and speedily restrain the headlong course of the republic.

DOWNHILL PROGRESS OF AMERICA
from a government such as ours was under, a wise and honest Administration, like that of Washington and Adams.

Washington was an apostate from liberty, and Adams his successor is worse. Opposition to collection of taxes, Insurgency.

FOREIGN INFLUENCE
Armed opposers of the constituted authorities. Rebellion. Papers established and printers hired to traduce the best men, by candidates for the highest public offices. Cry of economy and the "will of the people."

CHANGE OF RULERS.
First Year of Economy!
the Republic, "Great cry and little wool,"
FREE > Introduction of aliens, dismissal
and of native citizens,
EQUAL. Amendments and alterations of the Constitution

Second Year
"The will of the people." Violation of the sanctuary of the Judiciary.
Ridicule of the clergy. Increase of infidelity and irreligion. Bad men patronized and rewarded by government.

Third Year
Proscription of learning; for colleges are the hot beds of aristocracy, and it is contrary to equality that one man have more learning than another.
"The will of the people." Unequal burdens on commerce because the merchants are federalists, friends to order and monarchy,
and
"God's chosen people, if (as Mr. Jefferson sagely doubts) he ever had a chosen people,"
are whisky drinkers.

Fourth Year.
President for life.
Vicepresident, a puppet on wires.
"The will of the people." Universal right of suffrage.
Equalization of property, for "there is no natural right," says the Chronicle, "that one man should possess more than others."

Sixth or Seventh.
Abolition of courts of justice. Universal ignorance. Deism. The Guillotine. Another change of rulers for the worse.

Eighth.
A single legislative and executive body, as a council of five hundred, five thousand, or hundred thousand. Murder of old rulers. "The will of the people." Proscription of Christianity. Universal liberty of divorce. Pillage and Murder. Atheism the supreme law. People vote as in France, "no God," and "death an eternal sleep." Marriage abolished, for "marriage" says Philosopher Godwin, "is the most odious of all monopolies." "The will of the people." Universal anarchy.

Ninth.
A five or fifty headed monster, called perhaps a DIRECTORY. A large standing army to protect the rights of the people. "The will of the nation." A consular and tribunitian arbitrary government.

Twelfth Year FREE and HAPPY.
"The will of the soldiers," Liberty and equal rights. An EMPEROR with power absolute, selfcreated and hereditary, the organ of justice, the fountain of honor, the giver of estates, Mahometan, Jew or Christian, according to circumstances, and MASTER of the "will of the people."