Rambles about Portsmouth. Sketches of persons, localities, and incidents of two centuries: principally from tradition and unpublished documents. By Charles W. Brewster.

134 RAMBLES ABOUT PORTSMOUTH.
Langdon and his nine associates for the opposition they
made to the ratification of the treaty, and without any opposition being shown, adjourned.
Nearly two months after, a counter address to the President was drawn up, approving of the treaty, and complimentary to Senator Livermore and Mr. Jay., It was presented by Mr. Jacob Sheafe for signatures. As soon as this
proceeding was publicly known. the town generally, and
south-end in particular, was in commotion. On the morning of the 10th of September, 1795, bills were posted at
the corners, stating that the signers of the second address
to the President, and the gentleman who had circulated it,
had highly displeased the people, as the avowed design was
to render the proceedings of the late town meeting contemptible. As Mr. S. (who was called by his opponents
"Cunning Jacob") received some personal abuse in the
forenoon of that day, disagreeable consequences were apprehended from the excited state of the public mind.
The opponents of the treaty, who had just taken the
name of Republicans, held a meeting in the vicinity of
Liberty Bridge in Water street, and a committee was sent
to Mr. Sheafe, notifying him immediately to deliver the
paper containing the address and signatures, or abide the
consequences. This demand Mr. S. peremptorily refused
to comply with but to convince them that those who were
advocating the measures of government were not acting in
a clandestine manner, he offered them a copy of the address
with every name thereto subscribed, This was received,
but was by no means satisfactory.
Now the blood begins to boil, and the tug of war commences, In the shop of William Deering the carver, on
Water street, were reposing two profile effigies, cut from
boards, which had been made in July, when the treaty first
arrived. These were brought out and nailed one on each
side of a cart,-and a public crier, with bell in hand, was