The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1779-03-25 00:00:00, page 1

Philadelphia, March iz.
WHEREAS fora: villain did p^fte up, or cause
to be pasted up, in the public market M this ci
ty, a libellous ,! par, in which he made a fcandalousute
of my name. As tick are the eff &s of some malicious
dirty Tory, of whom I have good caue of fufyicion.
These are therefore to inform the (couadrd, that Should
I difeover him he may expe& to have little favor Shewn
him, but he Shall be treated as his cfb.ie deserves. And
I do hereby offbr a reward of Forty Dollars to any per
son who will discover the perpetrator.
GEORGE FELCKER.
MADEIRA Wine by the pipe; Sugar
by the hogShead and barrel; Coffee by the bar
rel, and two cales of belt JAuits Bark, to be SOLD by
J O.H NBE N EZET,
Who gives the highest price for Bills of Ex han^e drawn
on tire Commiffi triers at Paris, tor intend due on Loan
Office Certificates.
N. B. I hereby also call upon the author of the laid
Scandalous libel to make known his name.
THIRTY DOLLARS REWARD.
WAS STOLEN on Friday night the twelfth inst.
(March) from on board a flit lying at the upper
wood wharf, in th: Northern Liberties of Philadelphia
one keg of lard, hippofed to be about fifty or Sixty
weight; one Urge japan waiter, a bag containing two
bethels N Indiar corn, one check Shirt, one pair of
shoes, and oneaxe ; fup,ofed to be ftol.n by tome of
the Soldiers in this city. Any perlon apprehending the
thief or thieves, so that he or they may be brought to
convi&ion, (hall receive the above reward, one half for
the goods, or in proportion for any part of them, paid
by JOHN LEE, at 3. Skyhawk's, in the Northern
Liberties.
The fuhferiber was robbed of a f:lv>r Watch about
Christmas lad, wRh a china face, make's name D. E<i
mon, Liverpool, No. 4.31. Whoever will give inform
ation of said Watch to that it may be recovered again,
Shall receive a reward of Twenty Dollars.
^W^fiHtfWli^l
I Cm©W
O R
rF N F RAI
d XL 1^ 1-4 IV ^1 ^
Springfields Burlington County, March to.
SIXTEEN DOLLARS REWARD.
RAN AWAY on First day evening, the Seventh
instant, a fervent lad named RICHARD HOGG;
about sixteen or Seventeen years of age, an Englishman
born, and is waningto get to the English army : He
had on and took with him a light coloured upper jacket,
and breeches of the fame, a drived line y under waiß
coat, and, a woollen Shirt; he took with him neither hat
nor (hoes, butmay have got them Since. Whoever takes*
up said lad and will bring him to his master, or confine
him in any gaol and give notice thereof, frall receive
the above reward, and reasonable charges, paid by
Philadelphia, M rcb 1, 1779.
SIXTYDOLLARSREWARD.
RAN AWAY from the fubfenber living in Paxton
townfllip, Lancaster county, about t e2Bth of last
month, a NEGRO MAN named Mingo, + out twenty
years of age, five feet (even or .ightinches high,' Smooth
faced, very talkative, and apt to laugh. H hadonandl
took with bin, t:ro hatr, a brown doth jacket, buck Skin
breeches, two ,Rr of dockings, and a tow Shirt.
It is (uppofed be is gore towards Taom, in the East
J^rfies, where he woe purchased last fail 0 Mr. Jeremiah
Fowler.
Whoever Secures (aid Negro, so that bis master gets
him again, (hail have the above reward and reasonable
charges, upon applying to J uu Davil. n, fiddle; in
Market-street, Pniiadeh)hi%
PETER HIEL D S.
N. B. A ten cf good Reel to be fold by said
Davifon.
NO T 1 c £ is hereby given to John
M'Murray, and Patrick M'Muir.y his for, fop
pofed tc be in Sherman's Valley, Cumberland count,
That Starret M'Murray, ion of laid John M'Mwr,
and brother of said Patrick M'Murray, died the tenth
day cf September, 1778, and that there is Something of
value coming to them, which they mav be informed of
by enquiring of CHARLES GREER, Butcher,
living in Eighth street, at the corner of Arch ftrxet,
Philadelphia.
W A N T E D,
A NEGRO LAD from ten to fifteen years old.
Any person having one to difyofe cf, may hear of
a purchaser by applying to the Printer.
THURSDAY,
ARNEY LIPPINCOT F.
JOHN
[ Published every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. ]
I, E E.
To the CITIZENS of PENNSYLVANIA.
F; lends and. hPloiv- Citizens,
r^HE Members of the Republican Society
a beg leave to address you on a fubjed of the utmost
importance to you, and to posterity ; and at a time when
this important fubjea demands your most serious and at
tentive consideration.
But who are the Members of this Republican Society ?
—Our names are fubferibed to this address.—We have,
and can have no common inrereft with one another, bid
that which we have also with you. We are of different
occupations ; of different fe&s of re igiori ; and have dif
ferent views in life. No factions or private system can
comprehend us all; but one powerful Source of attraction
unites us — The Liberty and Happiness .of Pennsylvania.
To accomplish and Secure these great ends, we embarked
in opposition to the power and tyranny of Great-Br tain ;
and, in the Several stations and characters in which it has
been cur lot to aft, have continued uniform and Ready in
that opposition through every hardship and rifque which
attended it. It is cur fixed determination to persevere in
the fame line of conduct But while we oppose tyranny
from a foreign power, we Should think ob'rtelves ioR io
every sense of duty and of (name, were we tamely to acqui
esce in a System of government, which, in our opinion,
will introduce the fame monger, so d^ftruaive of humani
ty, among ourselves. Such a fyftem.we conceive the Con
stitution formed by the late Convention to be. We mean
_not that, in all its parts, it is repugnant to the principles
of liberty: Though, while some articled remain, we are
or are seen through a disguise, in the more distant places
of the Rate. We should be inexcusable; if, in a matter
so momentous and interesting to us all/ we omitted 'to aft
that part towards you, which, in similar circumstances,
we would with you to aft towards us. You cannot be
happy, if we are miserable: We cannot be miserable, if
you are happy. Embarked thus on the fame bottom, let
us join in every thing for procuring a prosperous voyage,
and for avoiding (hipwreck on the rocks and quicksands
that lie in our course.
You have been told (for the infamous report has been
, circulated indufiri&ufly) that the opposition to the consti
tution is supported and conducted only by Tories, and
pfrfons difaffefted to the liberties and independence of
the United States. We knew, and we feel the represen
tation to be falfe. Some of us have been honoured with
feats in your Councils, and in the Councils of the Con
tiuent; and in the darkest seasons have neither betrayed
nor deserted our trusts, when we fat with halters around
our necks. Others of us.have fought at your head and
by your fide in the field ; and have braved, in conjunction
with you, the utmoß terrors of the foe. In our several
Rations and situations in life, all of us have acted against
the common enemy, and in support of the common
cause; and all of us have given unequivocal proofs of our
attachment' to the principles of freedom. What we fay
of ourselves, we know to be true of others in the fame
opposition. We call upon the most audacious of those
who calumniate us, to disprove what we now assert to
you and to the public. By the uniform tenor of our con
duct, we are willing to Rand or fall.
Ambition, the love of power and of office, have been
aligned as the motives of cur opposition to the Constitu
tion. Flow injuriously this charge has been made against
us you may easily determine, when we inform you (what
our enemies themselves cannot deny) that the firft of
fices in government have been offered to members of this
convinced, upon the moR impartial examination, that its
general tendency and operation will be to join the qu:li r
ties of the different extremes of bad government. It will
produce general weakness, ihaflivity and confufion ; in
termixed with Sudden and violent fits of despotism, in
justice rind cruelty Cannot a discrimination be made be
tween its Salutary and its pernicious properties? We have
the inßruAi^n of amtient and modern times for our guides:
We have the condud of the other ftafrs in the union for
our example. The wisdom and patriotism cf Penfylva
nia is not inferior to the wifdem and patriotism of other
commonwealths. Shall it be (aid, to our diferace, that
we enjoy an inferior portion of their genuine effeßs? The
supposition is too degrading. An opportunity is new pre
sented to you to (hew that it is falfe. You are called igp
on by your Representatives in Assembly to tefti'y your
sentiments, on the firft Tuesday of Apri! next, whether
you will choose to labour under the burthenfeme and dis
advantageous parts of the Conftifutien; or will substitute
in their place such eftablifliments, as will insure to you
the blessings of freedom, happiness and independence.
Let not Rich a glorious occasion be loft. Perhaps it may
never return. Rivetted oppression, rendered doubly in
supportable by unavailing repentance and regret, m.y Be
tbe enly portion left you. The diflant probability that
this may be your case and ours fills us with the most
anxious concern; and induces us to communicate to you
a number of particulars, which are cither unknown or
mifr&prefented. Our honeff freedom, we are well assured,
you will take in good part. Our situation in the capital
gives us an opportunity of being thoroughly acquainted
with facts and characters and schemes, which are not seen,
erffff^rrerrtT nrauoCT # w=m
'to* ft ' ^*#Q
I ^ A .
Y , a^ ^.^Q^- „ :'L.~-' • # CT ,
tt U-hCTtg ,
THE
^CT^™^ ' 7'cts
T 'I E
A# BKIIOXL R
friefy, and have been rejected by them : Not that such
members are more inferrible tc honour and profit th&.n
others; but because views of honor and profit could ope
rate no change upon their principles and conduct. Tois
cannot be said of ail who are now in office.
We with you to embrace every occasion of enquiring
into these rentiers, and cf forming your judgments of
men and chaH&er c , hot from the vehemence of their ex
pressions, when tl.&e is no danger in uttering them with
vehemence, but from the calm and undaunted firmnefs,
,th which they speak end aT in trying circumflancer,
when dangers arid difficulties, furreund and threaten to
overwhelm them.
Permit us now to fate, with the openness and candour
which Riould be always ebferved among fellow-citizens,
our otj«lj& to some of the articles (and those some of
the moR important on^s too) in the Constitution; toge
thtr with the amendments we oilh to fee made, and
those nhfchiefs and calamities which are likely to happen,
if no.alteration Shall take place. .•
Our firft and principal objection to tl e Cenfiitutim
formed by delate Convention is—That it vefis the whole
k/ibitive authority in a Single body, ^without any con
troul. Many arguments might be offered against this.
Let us introduce one by the declaration of an admired
Judge, whefe manly candour must charm every generous
mind. " It is the glory and happiness of cur excellent
" Constitution, that, to prevent any injußice, no man is
" to be concluded by the firtt judgment ; but that, if he
“ apprehends 'hinrfth to be aggrieved, he has another
'' Court, to which he may resort for relief. For my own
“ part, I can fay it is a consideration of gr^at comfort to :
" me, that if I do err, my judgment is not conclusive to
“ the party; but my mistake will be reftified, and so no
" injufiice be done." Is less Skill required—Should Ufa
caution be observed, in framing laws, than in explaining
them ? Are miflakes less likely to be made—are they lefe{
dangerous --is it less nqceffary to prevent or to rectify them
in the former case, than in the latter? Which is of most :
importance---to. preserve the fountain, or to preserve the
streams from becoming turbid?n
But there is a Rill greater danger, than that arising froth
mistakes and inaccuracies, to be apprehended front a finh
gle body poffi Red of the supreme legislative power. Wb
Should be supported by high authority were we to fry,
“ it is no better than a tyranny." Its natural tendency
towar s despotism is too apparent to be proved, or tb be
denied. It is admitted by the firongeft implication in
iwny parts of the Confiitution. Whence, upon any other
supposition, the numerous checks, (as they have been call
ed, though in truth they are no checks) upon the Affefn
bly? Whence so much jealousy? Those who discovered
it well Knew that they were instituting a dangerous power-
It is said that to introduce a Legislative Council is to
introduce a House of Lords. The infeßs of fad.on have
been busy in buzzing this about your ears. No Calumny
was ever more gross or more futile. Trace it; and you
will find it altogether founded in deception and faifeho&%
Aik those deceivers to Shew you any reason, why a Le
gislative Council, chosen by the people, is any more hi
House of Lords, than an Assembly, chosen by the, people.
You fee them bewildered, and unable to give a rehfonabie
answer. For surely an Assembly and a Council, mutually
controuled by each other, are less dangerous, and have
less resemblance to a despotic Ariflocracy, than a Single
Assembly, without any conftituiional controul. The
c. ecks mentioned in the Cbnftitution are really no cot
troul ; for if the Assembly choose to disregard them, to
whom Shall we apply for relief? To the Assembly ? Shall
the lamb, upon whom toedevouring jaws of the wolf are
opened, apply to the wolf for protection ? With equal
propriety might an injured people apply to the oppreffers
% for redress. No. They may go on violating the Con fti
tution Rep by fiep, till nothing but a revolution can ptft a
fiop to their career.
There is not in the whole feienceof politics a more said
or a more important m^xim than this, " That of all Go
" vernments those are the best, which, by the natural
" EFFECT of their original Con ftitu'tions, are frequently
" renewed cr drawn back to their firft principled”' If
the Affethbly depart from the principles of the C'cQftibuti
on, it would be drawn back by a Legislative Council,
lithe Council Should depart from them, it would be drawn
back by the Assembly. But when a Single Legislature is
disposed to depart from them, there is no power that Can
confine it within its proper bounds.
It is objected, that disputes and contentions would na
turally arise between the two Heufes; and would flop or
retard the public Lufine®. Per eftion is in vain fought
for in the works of man. Every inconvenience cannot be
avoided: A lesser Should be fubrnitted to, in order to
prevent a greater. The danger of diffentions is net to b^
compared to thedin, ; cr of tyranny. But the truth is;
that there is little to Le apprehended upon that head
The Council and Assembly would both draw their pewe
from the fame source— from the people, the fountain <
all authority. They could not have opposite interefl
which are the causes of frequent contefis. As both w^ „
(For the remainder fee the lafl {age.)
MA R C.ll 25, '779-