The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1779-02-13 00:00:00, page 1

To the PEOPLE cf-P E NNSYLVA N I A.
LETTER 11.
HAVING averted in my firft letter that the Consti
tution of this state was framed in heat and haste,
when military ideas excluded almost all others, and with
out proper regard to those parts of our former government
which had long been considered as the chief basis of our
liberty; a stranger might conclude that the Convention
fat but for a short time, and that, confeious of the small
number of votes by which they were eleded, they would
rot have ventured to eftabhfh a fy hem tyhich so far con
travened all the former notions and habits of the people,
without referring it back to them, by offering them fame
unexceptionable mode of teftifying their approbation,
which could alone give it the final fanflion of their autho
nity.
But the truth is, that altho' the Confiitution carries on
its face the most evident marks of.h.urry indigestion, and
even Contradiction ; the Convention fat more than one
hundred days, and spent some iboufand pounds----Instead
of bringing the Confiitution forward, as they might eafil,
have dene early in the session, to give the most distant part
of the people ^n opportunity of considering and making
their remarks' upon it; they , did not publish the draught
riff 'it till towards the close of the session; so that only a
few people of Philadelphia and its neighbourhood could
Eave the leaf! opportunity of examining it or offering their
'remarks; which were but little regarded ; and the Con
dlitution, after circulating a few days in print about the
"streets of Philadelphia, was finally eitabliflied, with scarce
any material amendments. It was vain to represent that
this was not the mode of uniting the People or obtaining
the sanction of their authority. It was equally vain to re
mind the Convention, during their fitting, that they feern.-
ed to forget the purposes for which they were elected, and
the extent of the powers with which they were cloathed;
that they appeared to cenfider the framing a Confiitution
as but a fecondar, business.; that, from being fer<vanu,
they were setting up as masters; effecting legislative and
executive authority; parting numerous Ordinances with
the force of laws, touching the liberty and property of the
fubjeft ; by some of which fines and taxes were laid, and
Justices of their own appointment impowered to commit
their fellow citizens to the common jail, for any term they
might think proper during the present war.
.These remonstrances had no effeft. The Convention
' dissolved themselves on the^th of September and hurried
home to secure their future election, in order to execute a
Confiitution of their own making ; whereas it would have
been a wife provjfidn, and an Ordinance of Self-Denial
which! would have done them honour, if no peribn who
had a voice in.framing the Confiitution had been capable
of any office or place," legislative, executive or judicial,
under it for at leaf SEVEN years.
hsy left behind them a Committee of Three to publish
atr adfrefs by way of apology for their proceedings ; which
waslong and laboured, and made its appearance in about
fa ^eeks, but with very little f tisfaaion to the public.
Fhe newfl papers were filed with remonstrances against
the Confiitution, and some feeble aufwers appeared in its
Support, fufficiently bespattering some of the ablest and
mo : l'ditinterefled Champions of our l.berty with the char
ges ot difaffeElton and enmity to government. This.is a
Rate stratagem in all Rates. When a particular ferof men
have once procured for themselves the fover^ign authority,
they are the very firfl to flretch power and prerogative
to the furtheft extent; to decry the liberty of tbeprrfs;
and to contend against that freedom.of enquiry by which
they 6rfi mounted into power. They and their creatures
calr every thing good order, which leads to ensure their
own dominion ; and they term every thing ffrntin. bad
go^ffa^e^t, and even rebellion) which tends to fuppoft
'' ie jufcrights of the people. But, for the honor of the
opponents of the Confiitution, they could nct.fo.foon for
get the virtuous feelings and sentiments ' which enabled
them so lately to ihakeoffa ftrongVr dominion, Jong efla
blifhed, and which they would nos silently fyffer to be re
newed by a bad government, riling up infeebler bands,
among ourselves.
In short, a multitude, of votes and refo|vts, fuppprted
by the feundeft arguments of reason and .good 'policy,
w 's e , I,blicly parted against the frame, of government,
which (hewed how exceptionable it was among a great
body of the people ; while few voices,, and those very jn
terefled, appeared in its favour. At length the Aflemfy,
in June 1777, almost finking under the burthen of orga
nizing and executing a govei .foment, so inadequate to the
great purposes of union and strength, fowL them
,ves" obliged to mention with concern, that Che oppo
„carried on agajnft the Confiitution, formed bv
the Convention, had been extended to the oppplanerand
" fmbarraffing the execution of filch laws as, tinder any
°' government, ought and must be supp prted, to
prewrve the state from immediate and eminent danger.”
In this difficulty the Affembl, revived rifely t > d^ta
which the Convention ought originally to have dor e. They
co pfidered it. to be their duty, as representative i of the
P°,°P L % to point eu&a mfde for their constituent sto ex-
[Price Fifteen Pence tingle, One Shilling by the quantity. Published every Tnefday, Thursday and Saturday.]
SATURDAY,
O R
GENERAL
ercife a right, which of their 01%, authority they may at all
times exercise; and of which no delegated power can ever
deprive them, even for an hour, much less during a Ro
mantic arbitrary period of seven year s. It was there
fore ordered, that the voices.of the people should be taken
at the ensuing election, for and against the Convention,
and consequently for and against the Constitution.,
This was rather a'tediotis round-about way; but the
opponents of the Confiitution acquiesced ; and the state
becoming immediately the theatre of war, they fe < a glori
ous example. T^ey marched for h in defence oftrfr coun
try; trusting to the public faith, that when this primary
objea was attained, and the question determined whether
we fhbuld have a state to govern or not ; its government
might be modelled to the general fatisfa&ion Many of
the farmer profeffed friends of liberty and the Confiitution
set no foch example; but seeking ,/^, 0: f*f^ general y
took the opportunity of neJlting themselves into offices ;
while some few ethers, who had started Juli-mouthed
against the Constitution, turned short about and began to
think a lucrative appointment, and a secure retreat, under
a bad frame of government, preferrable to the (melt of
gun-powder and the point of the bayonet, under the bfl.
And here should truth give offence, yet truth, on this oc
tafion, is neceffiry, and ought not to be, suppressed——
Bale fear becomes the guilty not the free,.
Suits Tyrants, Plunderers, but suits not me.
Therefore J proceed.— The state being happily restored
to considerable tranquility, thro' the Providence of God;
the present Assembly, considering it as a debt fill due to
the people, took up the business of the Confiitution, upon
the principles of their predecessors, arid wifely thinking
the speediest payments of debts to be the best, very unani?
mpusly, direded a mode of gathering the sense of the ma
jority rfpeding tha frame ofgovernment, and'of chuting
a Convention a' the fame time, if the majority ihould
think one necessary.—
In this bonnets, the House afted with that prudence and
regard to their constituents, which became the Represen
tatives of a free people. It was an a& of jufiice to bring
this reach litigated point, as soon as possible before thole
who have the idle right to decide upon it. It was an aft of
"found policy to endeavour the healing those di.vifio.ns,
which admit of no other remedy. It was an aft of wis
dom to appoint a mode, which would not set the Constitu
tion itfelf afloat ; but (by pointing out those parts of it
which have been chiefly excepted against) comply with
the prayers of multitudes, who wifli an amendment ; and
yet, in the mean time, secure the full exercise of the pow
ers of government. What disinterested patriot can objeft
to this ?---But it is not from patriots that such objections
come. lam warranted to fay (and I call upon the pub
lic to mark them and contradict the assertion if they can)
that it is chiefly th„tffov and ^,&^j of office,
who run about, as if their great Diana was at stake, so
liciting petitions against a Convention, and to persuade
unthinking persons that they are in danger from them
ftlves; that is, from a meeting of such faithful men, as they
fliall chufe, to examine and deliberate coolly,' upon a mat
ter of the utmost public importance, those who enjoy,
or are seeking office, if they could be ashamed, ought to
bliifh and be wholly Jifent on this (object ; leaving the
people to think for themselves, upon their own concerns.
What are these men afraid of ? It is not certain that they
^re to lose their offices; and if they did, is nota rotation
in office,a desirable thing? If the majority be in favour of
the Confiitution, as its friends assert, they will be fafe. If
otherwise, will they contend that the people must be go
verned against their wdl merely for the fake of a few men
in power? In short, whether such men will or not, this
great matter must come ultimately to the voice of the
PEOPLE, before Peqnfvlvania can enjoy any degree ofdo
mestic happnefs; ana there is danger i, trampling too
long upan the public patience. 1
A GRICOLA.
+4§444 #44**44&foH #+-%+#
Philadelphia, February 1%.
W' H EN, the Subferiber's house at Norring
ton was plundered by the British troops in Sep
tember 177, some common fo)dier§ carried off two
large plated C A N ; D L ESTIC KS, with fluted pil
,l,rs, a foliage at the top, and flowered at the bottoms.
As they are past of a set, and not tp be replaced in these
t:m<s, if tbiy arc left in tais city the fubferibef will be
obliged to thefomfon having them in possession 10 restore
them: If bought from the soldiers he will replace the
money given, or if otherwise left will make them a
reafonaole compensation for their tr ; üble.
JOSEPH REE D.
{^7 A S t^ken up feme time ago in the River
V V Delaware, a little above the mouth of Frank
ford Cieek, a large FERRY BOA T, fit for ferry
ing waggons and teams. The owner coming, proving
his property and paying charges, may have her again.
J^. 30. x. JOSEPH LYNDALL,
.THE.
^^^^W^Q^^^^r^re^^m^^
FEBRUARY 3, ^$
ADVERTISER
n Philadelphia, February io.
DRUGS and MEDICINES
A ? r ^ ^ ^ :ff ° r T e ^ Est °P^d, and to be fold
by the Subscriber, at the corner of Walnut and Se
cc^bft.e^, who c, n foe his Cromers and the
fiwbc, that rile, are equal in quality to any hereto
^^°^^ *^ ich ^ the folding :
^ NTIMONY, 1 Manna,
C ^pb° r ? |.?4agnefia alba,
,nthand% p„, Bar ,
Gum Arabic, Salop,
Jesuits &fk n E ft s „. ee , oi ,
f^. baffy's Eixir,
Ipecjccoanoa, Bateman's Drops,
. Andeifonri Pilis,
Emetic, Hooper's ditto,
0 - Hemet's Pearl Essence for
^GfyfonfyriJ the teeth and g ums ,
. towm of Chamomile 1 Milk of Rofet,
Flour cf Sulphur, E^ de Luce,
Cream of Tartar, | ^nce of Peppermint,
Rom,@n ^% tßdamof Honey, &c &%
A confidence allowance <?» be made to fuel,
AqqaiWty. SHARP DELA N°V
N. B. Medicine C^fts for fttyfapd private families
put y, with proper dutltiops.
T n o February 9 .
B E SO L
A VALUABLE Plantation and Tr.^ of Land,
finite in the township of Great Eg, Harbour,
the county or Gloucriler and state cf New Jerley con
tuning eight hundred acres of land, one hundred ar%
of which are cleared ; .two hundred acres of good fr fh
water marth meadow can he made, part of which is al
ready banked and has been mowed, a rd is equal in qua
hty to any on De?-wr ; the remainder is wooer nd.
T "."'j' e ?"'~ ral valuable landings on laid trad, to
wlach ^l the lumber ntiff come to mlt for twenty
nines round: The principal landing.il known by the
'V'™' pleasantly fixate on the head
of Gredt Egg ha cou River, , n a good neighboured,
this '" y$ TI :" e ar - on (aid
tra& fix dwelling-boules, one of which was built for
an me ; it is a large frame house fifty fe e t front, two
Kones high, with a large kitchen; a large well-built
* hart, & new stare go by 25, a carpenter's stage, blocks,
fa ' ls and crab, all compteat for heaving down vessel,:
a grist milled law-mill on a large never failing ftrem
of water; they rented for 75). per annum fe^n years
; th ' re " n ° other grist-mill within ten or twelve
Two a^res of this tr. &, en which -be Church
:fo r ^dr d "" ^tegro.nd, is reeved for
ri ?t °" e ri'" '"" ^'"t cne h^red perches from
the above, lying on the said river, containing three
hundred and twelve acres of good fy, fifty a Q of
which are cleared, two hundred acres of excellent mea
'' A Und ' the rernaind er woodland. There are
said tr ? a a good two-story frame house, stables, & c . a
};oung orchard of good fruit. For further particul. ra
1 RICHARD mason.
B. I Ifoferve to myfelf one fourth part of all that
vena of on: lying ne ? r the fall race of the above mills,
th,s city and in New York, and tonn. 'to be rich in
silver.. Samples ot the ore may be seen, and a fufficient
quantity given to any gentleman for trial. R. M.
. Philadelphia, February 6
ONb HUNDRED DOLLARS REWARD
<T 0LE N 1 ft night, out of the fubtafrs ftabi;
P m vreftreet, a likely BLACK HORSE, far
sixteen hands high, riffrig fix years old next spring, (hod
all round, his off hind root white and a gnail tt^ak of
on the inside of the near hind one, a white flip on
Ins fur-head, ana is remarkably shy when touched on
or near the cars : He paces, trots and cankers weP car-
T^ V^. Whoever secures the
thief and horse, so that the thief be brought to justice
and thehorfe returned to the owner, fliall hive the above
reward, or Fifty Dollars for the horse only, with
reafonxbie charges, D AVID JACKSON.
Pbdadelpbia, February 8.
TEN DOLLARS REWARD;
WAS LOST yesterday, on the road between
~™"' c "y , an ? Fr ^kford, a fi| v er mounted
# °™^ ke r s name on the mounting of the
Icabbard, Bailey, Ver^anck's Point, a fitver twitted
'" the handle, and the Hanger of a large size
whoever has found the fame arid will deliver it to the
Printer, (hall receive the above Reward.
Silver-smiths are desired to give information tb th#
Printer if it should he offered for f?h