Dunlap's Pennsylvania packet , The general advertiser — Philadelphia, Pa., 1776-11-19 00:00:00, page 2

To the PRINTER of the Pennsylvania Packet.
S I R,
If the following translation, from a foreign writer of the
!af century, meets with the appt obation of ,our readers,
Ifall perhaps be induced to fend you feme other ex
tracts from that excellent author, on the fame fubjell.
1™ HUS having, in the different characters of an
J advocate for monarchical and republican govern
ments, set forth, not my own opinions and sentiments,
but the best arguments that have been, or that I could
conceive might be, advanced by others, for and against
monarchy, aristocracy and democracy; it now remains
to give judgment, supported by powerful reasons, and
to pronounce which form of government is the best.
But since in so doing I should be obliged to throwafide
the mafl<, and to exhibit my own person on the stage
cf the world ; and as I should, perhaps, be obliged to
represent monarchy in a very disadvantageous light,
and consequently to provoke its majesty, I feel myfelf
disposed to decline the talk. For although A&eon
intended not the least injury to any person whatever,
but innocently seeking his own amusement in the chace
happened by accident to discover the impure rites cf
the bathing goddess and her nymphs ; yet (he,who had
hitherto been honoured as the chaste goddess of the
groves, grew so outrageously jealous least the discovery
should be communicated to her fubjeds in general, that
by a god-like irrefutable power she transformed the
guiltless hunter into a stupid and defencelefs stag; liable
to be devoured by his own dogs, who had just before
looked up to him as their kind master and feeder.
But, nevertheless, knowing that the design of this
work required finally my own judgment on the fub
ie<ft ; and remembering that I am a citizen of Holland,
at a time, too, when it hath pleased the goodness of
God to enlarge its liberties beyond what they have
been in former ages ; I thought it would be affronting
to the invaluable privileges of my country, Should 1
for the Pennsylvania Packet.
IT appears firm the returns of the elections in the
different counties of this State, that not more than
two thouiand voters have concurred in the choice of
the present Assembly, owi^g to the oath which was
prescribed for every elector by the late Convention.
This universal repugnancy to the aforefaid oath
could arise from no other cause than a difTatisfadhon
with the frame of government. Had it been unexcep
tionable, no freeman in the State would have refufed
not only to have Supported it with an oath—but if
necessary with his life.
I think the constitution has efatial faults in it
which ought immediately to be reclined—but I am
far from charging them upon the whole body of
the late Convention. I believe a great majority of
them were worthy men and warmly attached to the
American cause, and I am forced to conclude that even
thole few men to whom the experiments in our frame
of government have been ascribed, had nothing in view
but the liberty and happiness of Pennsylvania. If they
have mistaken the best means of securing and transmit
ting them to posterity, they ought to be treated with
tenderness. They certainly aimed well.—Nor can I
approve of the indiferiminate abuse which has been
thrown upon those citizens, who have opposed the esta
blishment of the new frame of government. As free
men they had a right to complain, and as the Conven
tion had diflblved itfelf, they could appeal to no other
p wer than to that of the people. To charge the
opposition therefore which has been given to the con
fiitution in every part of the State to a few men in
Philadelphia, is as absurd, as to charge the present war
with Groat-Britain to the influence of Hancock and
Adams.
As the prefect Assembly was chosen by so few peo
people, I presume they will hardly venture to proceed
to ads of legislation, much less will they attempt to
make the necessary alterations in the constitution, for
none of their ads can ever be received as the ads of a
majority of the community ; would it not therefore be
best for them to issue writs for the choice of a Con
vention to alter the government, and immediately after
wards dissolve themselves ? This measure alone in my
opinion will restore union, mutual confidence and vigor
to every part of the State.
I: is true the situation of our affairs requires the im
mediate establishment of a regular government. —But
can any dangers or difficulties juftify our adopting a
government that must betray, inHead of securing our
liberty? Is there any thing cf half the consequence in
the present druggie, as a good constitution? For what
are we fighting with Great Britain? Is it not for a
good government ? And what but a good government
will ever call forth the wisdom—the strength and the
virtue of Pennsylvania, so as to give them their proper
weight in the great scale of the United States ? A good
government is a soldier's legal title to liberty. The
profped of ending his days under a happy constitution
is the sweetest support a soldier can have under the
hardships of a compaign: Therefore the delay in the
establishment of our government for a few weeks, in
stead of retarding our exertions, will serve rather to
accelerate them. It will call forth the flower of our
State, and fill our camp with men, who will possess with
the courage of soldiers, the disinterested virtues of ci
tizens and patriots.
UNI O N.
* A melancholy instance of this we have in the conduit
of George the Third, who to flrengthen his own arbitrary
power could deliberately resolve to employ one half of bis
fubjeßs in cutting the throats of the other half.
f The aged Buchannan, indeed, who wrote his Scot
tifo biftory in the infancy of King fames, and did not
expect to live until the King fould arrive at manhood,
has ventured to speak the truth without flatter, or disguise,
and thereby acquired the honor cf being compared to the
Greek and Roman historians. His hifory is accordingly
filed with infiances of royal murders, adulteries, and
ever, kind of guilt. But Buchannan living to a greater
age then be expelled, a violent ft of JickneJs only, it is
supposed, refeued him from an ignominious death.
on this occasion, from a blameable excels of modesty,
altogether lupprefs the animating spirit of freedom.
Ihus fluctuating between a desire to difeharge my
duty, and fear of offending Diana, goddess of the groves,
with her maids of honor, I conceived that I, who
without the groves and j urifdiCtion ofthe goddess, had
beoeid their impurities trom afar, ought not to be ap
prehensive of danger; especially if I did not expose them
with wantonness or insult, but seriously, in the least
offensive manner, and in the language of my native
country. And recollecting the proverb, that it is a
good reply indeed which mends a prudent fence, it ap
peared to me equally certain, that feme truths, how
ever disagreeable, are so felf evident that nothing more
is necessary to enforce conviction than barely to ask, Is
it not so? which method of concluding I (hall adopt,
thereby avoiding to pronounce any thing decisive on
the fubjeft.
That the following queries are of the nature of such
fell evident truths 1 will not pretend to fay; but most
earnestly entreat the reader's fetious attention to them,
which will enable him to judge for himfelf: For in
spite of the earthly goddess, her virgins of state and
their followers, our thoughts and opinions still remain
our own, unihackled with taxes or duties.—My que
ries are these—
Whether in monarchical governments it is not ge
nerally the case that the prince either wants abilities or
inclination to govern? Or if he does govern, is it not
general yto the fubjeds injury,* according to the royal
maxim, DIVIDE impera? Pour faire un Grand Roy, il
faut divider le peupie.
Whether in ariftocratical governments the governors
are not, generally speaking, both able and willing to
govern? Whether they will not in all cases endeavor to
promote the public good, except when it interferes
with their own particular interests ? But, whether they
will not exert their whole power and fltill in the arts of
governing, to secure and aggrandize themselves, even
to the deftru&ion of the common people?
Whether it is not in popular governments a'cne that
the governors (I mean not the persons of magistrates,
who are but servants to the state, but the people, in
whom the sovereignty is,) regard the salus populi
suprema lex, their own and the public advantage?
If it is not very credible that, generally speaking,
there is so much knowledge and experience among men
of all classes who are arrived at the age of maturity,
that they will more certainly promote and secure th^ir
own welfare by themselves, than another will do it for
them ?
Whether, consequently, monarchy deserves but little
esteem in the eye of found reason?
Whether an aristocratic government is not greatly
preferable to monarchy?
Whether a popular government is not evidently more
advantageous to the public id general, than an aristo
cracy ?
Should the above queries be answered in the affir
mative, the reader will perhaps enquire, how comes it
then that the contrary is so generally and universally
believed ? For his fatisfa^ion in this matter, I would
recommend to the readers consideration, whether, for
want of a furplufage of people, and of unappropriated
lands, mankind do not generally remain in the country
where they happen to be born ; without migrating in
large bodies, and erecting popular governments? Whe
ther all popular government is not at this day nearly
ex inti in the world? Whether any man can hope to
gratify interested views, or promise himfelf any world
ly advantage, by recommending popular governments j
Whether any one can reasonably apprehend the least
injury for abusing and despising of popular government,
and representing it, not such as it really is, but as
a convention of the most ignorant and vicious men in
the State, or for ridiculing and expoling regular and
lawful assemblies of the people, by examples gleaned
from fable or biftory, which are only applicable to a
disorderly and tumultuous mob?
Whether, on the other hand, the greater part of
the world is not governed by Monarchs ? if it is
not almost every where, dangerous ft to speak ill of
that kind of government? Whether great advantages
may not be frequently obtained by extolling monarchi
cal government at the expence of truth; and thereby
purchasing the favour of the Prince and his Courtiers ?
Do not aristocracies still prevail in many parts of
the world , and will not the governors, in such coun
tries, most assuredly by some means or other, reward
or pwnifh those who praise or revile their government?
And further, Whether all men, generally speaking,
who have acquired any permanent public authority to
teach, Jnftruct or govern others, will mot employ that
H E Committee of the county of Essex think it pro
& per to inform the inhabitants cf it, that they have
reserved intelligence by a letter from his Excellency Ge
neral Washington, at the White-P ains, dated the 7 th
inst nt, that General Howe, with the army under Lis
command had retreated from that place, with an inten
tion, as he supposed, of fending a detachment of his
troops into the Jerseys : The General therefore advises
all these who live near the water, to be ready to move
tueir stock, grain, carriages and ether effeas back into
the country. He adds, if it is not done the calamities
we must fuffer will be beyond all description, and the ad
vantages the enemy will receive immensely great. They
have treated all here without diferimination ; the dif
tindion of Whig and Tory has been loft in one general
feene cf ravage and desolation. The,article of forage is
of great importance to them ; not a blade, he fays
should be left ; what cannot with convenience be re
moved, must be confirmed without the least hesitation.
I hey have further intelligence, by a letter of this day
from General Mercer, at Fort Lee, per express, that
General Green had just received advice from General
Wafliington, that he was now fully convinced the enemy
intended to cross the North River, snd make an incur
sion into this State, desiring we may be prepared in the
best manner possible to defeat the design oftheir coming.
1 he Committee taking into consideration the present
alarming filiation of this country, recommend it to all
the inhabitants who live near the water, or the great
roads leading through the country, to remove, as soon
as possible, their stock, grain, hay, carriages, and other
efff&s, into Come place of pricy h^k into the country,
that they may not fall into the enemy's hands.
By order ofthe Commitlee,
WILLI AM BUKNEE. Chairman.
Newark, November 10, 1776.
N E W-J £ R S E Y.
To the Honorable SAMUEL TUCKER, Esquire,
one of tie fudges of the Supreme Court for the state of
New Jersey.
The ADDRESS of the Grand Jury of the county
of Burlington, in the said ftate:'
HAVING for some time past witnessed ?n interrup
tion o! the tree enjoyment of our civil liberties by
the hand of British tyranny and vfurpation, the Grand
Jury for the count, of Burlington cannot forbear express
ing their unfeigned fatista&inn at the opening of the Su
preme Court of the state of New J^rfey. The Conftitu
ti n, as lately form d by the Honoree Convention of
this state, gives us th" utmost fatisfia^n, and, as w e It
iieve, the county we represent. We flatter ourselves that
in due season, under the divine protection, we fn. 11 be
enabled to baffle tte designs of our cruel enemy and reap
the benefits thereof. Conscious, however, of the -cod
nefs or our cause, and the reftitude of cur intentions, the
Grand Jury for the county of Burlington are determined
to dp their part for the support and relief of their much
injured country.
We congratulate you, Sir, or your appointment as one
of the Judges of the Supreme Court of this state: We
have no doubt of your integrity aud assiduity, nnd can
only with your country had called you to so important an
office in times hfs perilous and dangerous: But, Sir, 14
the peril and difficulty of the times be a criterion to'dif
tinguifh who are real friends to their country and who
are not. Signed b, order of the Grand 'ury,
, W. PoT TS, Foreman.
November 13, 1776.
The ANSWER.
Gentlemen,
IM OST cordialiy thank you for your address. Your
firmnefs in the cause of freedom is very agreeable to
me, and am happy to find the Grand Jury for the opu
lent county of Burlington are deter mined to support their
rights as fi eemen under our new and happy Constitution
in «hich they may rely on every assistance in my power!
Your good opinion of me affords me sensible pleafure°
and hope my future conduct will be such as will meet with
the approbation of every freeman in the state of New-
Jersey. SAMUEL TUCKER.
November 13, 1776.
authority to their own emolument, honour, advantage
and encreafe of power ? And whether they will not,
consequently, by every possible means, endeavour to
promote opinions and prejudices in others, against such
truths as they apprehend disadvantageous to them
selves ?
Indeed, if all these points must be answered in the
affirmative, it is not at all fuprizing that the generality
of mankind have such strong prejudices, entertain
such fal.e opinions, and arc so exteme y ignorant in
matters relating to morals, good manners, religion and
especially government: On the contrary it will be al
most miraculous if truth and just reafoniog, on those
fubje& (hall ever prevail in this wretched world, where
the wisest and best of men, who endeavour to nourish
their fouis with truth, find it most prudent to retire,
foftly and silently, to the kennel of obfeurity; and avoid
the pain of being rudely dragged thither by others.
Ne contra fulminus ilium.
Inertia pro fapientia est.
^M^^^^^X^*^^^^^
WILLIAMSBUR G, (Virginia) November 8.
BY the lafl South-Carolina Gazette we learn, that
General Howe and the brave Col. Moultrie were
just returned to Charleftown from Georgia; and that
there had been two skirmishes to the fouthwar'd, in both
of which our people were fuccefstul, but no particulars
are mentioned; that a French sloop, with a valuable
cargo of warlike stores, linens, wine, molasses, &.c.
was also arrived from Martinico,
Arrived in York river, the sloop Jane, Booker, schoo
ner Success, Hill, and schooner Rambler, Buffington,
all from St. Euftatia, with 800 calks of gunpowder,
considerable cargoes of salt, cordage, and dry goods.