The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1783-09-20 00:00:00, page 2

%ome-*<&aiorns on th* Sebert of Incorporating the
Cit, of Pbih r ep'i^.
hr.RE inhabi^ntsof Philadelphia can exped no ad
1 vantage from being vested with corporate^ ^wers,
'which may not be as easily and as fully attained un-,
d<r a less comohx form of city government. Is the
^police of London, or the diftiid of that immense col
hHi ; n of people, per uliarly ca !ed thecity, mor + high
'ly improve lor mOretffi aciovs, t an' that of Weflmin
'ill, which is under the dfrreflion cf justices of the
peace comm ffionedforthe liberty? No, by no means;
y^ the forTOtVs kept in a conflant Rate of firife and
e % rr split into parties, by the annual elections of offi
cers, dircfl dby the charter. Some disadvantages to
rite city of Philadelp fa, would certainly erfue from an
incorporation. T e unconnected yeomen and farmers
of rhe ft te at large, at all times (efficiently miftruftful
of thr Phil drlphians, on feeing them combine and or
g mze themselves, in a manner, altogether variant
from rhe counties, would bsapt to confiderthis fornrid
ab e array, as assume not merely for the fake of gotid
order Hence t iey would imbibe new and substantial
ground' of i A aloufy, concerning a place, which from
its" apparent weaitii, luxury and diflipatimn, they must
v, w with dislike. The very ap earance of a mayor,
recorder and aidermen, at the head of a permanent
bddy, poffrffed of a find at their OWn disposal, and
of means and licence to increase it without bounds,
cm rifled with' their own mutable officers, übiurniihed
wi'h uty revenue but that arising from taxes, yearly
coddled, and conftq uently appropri't d and -mounted
few, to those who pay thole tax's. would necessarily
strike an a'arm, and put every countryman on his
guard against this powerful association of the city^
He would confide, these leaders of the inhabitants 6t
Ph'ladHp' ia, as men prepared totake rilT ridvantages,
that wealth, influence, or pricy could accompiffh - T his
j !ea must of cburf, diffufe itfelf to the legislative
body of the fl ate, composed of ten country re prefenta
tives, for one of ours, and produce all those inconve
niences, to the inhabitants of Philadelphia, which the
rbuferf jealousy of the fironger always brings upon the
weaker. It is true, the country would reciprocity
foffer from the event; for the interefte of the whole
Rate are Co concede', that thecpprtffion of any part,
would ihjtire the whole, the happiness of which will
be bed advanced by harmony and confidence.
It will therefore be most advifeable for the citizens of
Philadelphia, to adhere to the fimplt form of police,
which they, in common with the inhabitants of the
counties possess, and to look upto the leg'flature of
the state for such laws and regulations, consonant to
this form, as may, from time to time, be needful.
The war has necessarily deranged our good order both
in town and country. Inter arrrta, silent leges ; a
midst iheclafhofiarms, thel^wsare not heard. Besides,
wr have undergone a fundamental revolution in govern
ment. Wehavepafcd from'the ruleof a king, to that
of a republic, wherein the people is the fovereiin. In
the space, (above a year) that intervened between tire
fall of the regal, and the eflablifhment of the present
fyhem, the laws were proflrate, and arbitrary commit
tees prefixed. Circumflances like these, will require
heady and vigorous measures, tempered with pru
dence, to recover that degree of policy and order, to
which we had arrived before the commencement of the
late war. Mean while, it Should be recolleßed, that
the improvements in police heretofore gradually intro
duced into Philadelphia, were not regulations of the
late mayor and commonalty, nor proposed by their
body. The hired watch by night, the lamps, and the
paving of the Greets, were schemes of another order of
men, and established by aft cf assembly. Strangers and
young persons will perhaps be surprised to hear th^t the
cartways of our streets were general y unpaved till the
year 1763. Notwithflauding rhecharter powers for
merly exercised, the police of Philadelphia, has ever
been lax and imperfect; such as, in the very altered
case of this city since the revolution, will not fecore
the peace and'gooa order of the inhabitantscr Gran
gers, who resort to it. It will be conceded, that un
der the government of the people, the countenance and
support of every sober citizen will be necessary to the
full and regular execution of the laws.
Another consideration applies more especially to the
people of tne Gate at large. It is this.- Philadelphia
is becomea town of confidrrable magnitude /founded
in a wilderness about a century since, it has grown up
wonderfully. At this day, we count in the city and
vicinity above 4000 dwellings. Within 20 years more,
this number will probably be doubled. These are cir
tunlftances very proper to be taken into the inveftiga- ,
tion of this fubjefl ; for during the short space, just
mentioned, great changes will take place in the inha
bitants and landed property of the City and feburbs. *
Refer to any old resident of Philadelphia, pofffffed of
fefficient knowledge of the place and people, and ask
him who wire the leading men ; which the noted fami
11s; and what the face of society therein, 30 or 40'
years ago, and his answer will fully eftablilh the just-•
nefs of the idea, tnat great alterations will happen in
Philadelphia, before twenty years shall pass.
To the remarkable facility, with which Grangers
have been heretofore, and with which they are now ad
mitted to fettle in Pennsylvania, we should add the
compleat adoption that our constitution makes of them
to every right and privilege of the natives, upon two
years residence. Now, if the natural citizens of the
state, possess not equal abilities ; if they exert not
equal industry in commerce and the arts, with the
new-comers; if the native-born import not foreign
labricks and other commodities of the old world, on
as cheap terms ; or export not the products of this
country to as good account, as foreigners do, they
will be elbowed out *, and be obliged to betake them
selves to husbandry, and other means of livelihood ;
an event, which, however in other refpeas we may re
gret, yet mufl be submitted to, as it would be bene
ficial to (e state in general, by bringing imports to
the consumer on the lowed terms, and by affording to
the husbandman the highest prices for the sweat of his
brows. This would gradually introduce a new and
Strange set or inhabitants to the capital and port of
Mr. RIVINGTON.
Y O U are desired to insert the following
QU E R IE S.
IF if be true, that the men in power and authority,
in the ditfreot 'ftate;, be inclined and determined
tohave the spirit of the preliminary articles, that
ar^ 4 to te 'included in the treaty of peace between
Grezt-Britain ^nd America, ftriHly complied with,
as mofi of the gentlemen that come to the city from
different 'parts ^f the continent fay,—-then, how is
it, that all their oewfpapers are filled with accounts of
preempt, town, and county meetings, and committee
revives, to the contrary ?
Does not the hence of those in authority, and their
taking no care to put a Bop to this spirit prevailing,
look as if toey privately encouraged it, with an inten
sion to ihew themselves very strenuous in- recommend
ing a compliance, when the definitive treaty shall
come out, arid to lay the blame of a non performance
on the madness of the people ?
If the madness of the people 'are to govern rin tne
inGance, why net in another?
Will these committee refriira hallen the departure
of the British troops, and the poss ffion of this city ?
If the definitive treatyrhonldnot be completed before
accounts reach Europe, of Inch an evil arid diabolical
spirit prevailing in America, may it not be a means of
retarding it, with those who were willing to give every
thing to America, in full confidence, that the loyalifis
ffiould be restored to their rights and property ?
If it were possible that these things would have no
weight on the other fide of the water, will they have no
bad effeds here?
Is it good policy (to fay nothing of theinjuftice) to
drive a very great number of hone#, ufeful and indus
trious mechanics and others, out of the country, such
are gone, ^nd dill going, on account cf the spirit that
appears to prevail out of the lines?
Might not most of these men, who have aftedfrom
principle and corifcience, become ^ faithful fubjeds to
the Rates, as they have been to the king, when once
the independence of the states is acknowledged andcon
firmed by him ? Nay, will they not be more depend
ed upon than those wno are given to change?
Were we not, and might we not have continued to
be the happiest people in the world ; but Tor a certain
restless difpohtion in some folks, —and who were they ?
With what propriety then, do those malignant pub
lications of committee resolves, &c. &c. ascribe all
the calamities produced by this unhappy war, to those
they call tories?
From these cohfiderations, does it not appear as if
the whigs wished qo one to remain in the country not
equally culpable with themselves, to remind them of
their folly f—But
Can they get rid of their own consciences?
Would not the most effeHual method to quiet these,
be, to wish and to endeavour a reconciliation between
whig and tory, that those diflinaions should never be
more heard, and that forgetting what is pad, they
might be united as one people, in support of the pre
sent government, and in promoting the future happi
ness of the country?
If a contarry disposition takes place, may we not
have reason to fear, that the calamities of war, have
the flafe. But supposing that the rich merchants, the
greater freeholders, the men of education and opened
minds; in (hort, that the leading inhabitants of Phi
ladelphia, before long, may proba ly be foreigners;
would it b prudent, with this profpea to f " veil the
more immediate and entire government," of the city
of Philadelphia, and thedireAion of the harbour and
landing places of the commonwealth in the inhabitants
of the city, whoever they may be? Will it be wisdom,
in such circumflances, to er«R within it, imperium in
imperio, a government within that of the'flate, with
such strong features of independency? a petty govern
ment, empowered to make laws and ' ordinances; to
take and possess revenues without limitation, diflina
from the general treasury ; and to exercise t : e amplest
powers of criminal justice; in short, to be inc rporated
in an extraordinary manner, diffimu^ar from the rest
of the citizens of I'ennfylvani : .
Little needs to be (aid on this delicate fubjea te (hew,
that the iffembly ought carefully' to retain their full
exercise of legislative power over every part of the
commonwealth; and that, as to the city of Philadel
phia, they should by their own ads, without the inter
vention o? any other body, from time to time, fuper
add tothe general laws of the state, such peculiar and
local regulations, as'may be expedient for the closer
inhabitancy, in which towns- people live.
In Pennsylvania, every opportunity should be taken
to cobneft, blend and intermix the people, who vary to
greatly in th<i r origin, language, and manners. S m-u
---larity of institutions aid law„ together *ith equal
privil ges will tend greatly to accomplish this desired
coalition, and in rime they w^u!d melt down the he
^erogenous parti les into one mass. Hence a race of
citizens will arise, mre conneded with each other,
and mote attached to the country, thrfn their fore
fathers. In the interim, the mixed populations and
the multitude of the foreign' boro, fettled in Pennfyl
•vania,?are certainly not favourable 'to the policy of
^he state.
* This is common in Ihecountfes. Lancafler coun
ty has experienced a great change of inhabitants from
this cause.
f The preamble of the bill begins with this remarks
able proposition. See Penn. Gaz. 4th June last.
Mr. CLAYPOOLE,
Mr. James Rivington. printer to the king of Great Bri
tain, having favoured the world with a number of
queries in his paper, printed at New-York the 25th
of June last, your republishing them, with the an
swers to them refpe&ively made, will much oblige
me ; and to request the candid public to put the most
favourable confiruftion for my want of the English
language, being a foreigner, and one who signs hmfelf
HASSI2E AMERICANUS.
ANSWER S.
1. ^rlS true, (hat agreeable to the provisional
I treaty between America and Great-Bri
tain, those men at present entrusted with the govern
ment of America, would have done all in their power,
to reinfiate the a poftate Americans in their rights and
properties ; but don't you know that America is free„
that the bulk of the people is the reigning power,
and that consequently vox populis est vox legis. The
reason for this is very easy to be accounted for, be
came the tories &c. have been the worfl, yea worse
than infernal enemies to America. Men may beware
of infernal ones, but they could not of these invete
rate, cruel and bitter tories.
2. What can those men whom you call in autho
rity, do other, then they are inftruaed by their repre
sentatives.—Could they do otherwise, pray where
would be the independency and liberty of the good
people in these Gates ?
3. The vofce of the majority of the people is, and
will always, as well in this, as in all other circumstan
ces of weight and consequence to the whole, be con
sidered to govern the republic; this being the infalli
ble sense of the people, to .govern, and to be govern
ed by.
,4. Committee resolves, '&c.'have nothing to do
with hastening the British troops from ^New-York,
except recommending such a measure to the servants
of the people, appointed for those purpdfes.
5. The whole of Europe will applaud the Ameri
cans for that just refitment th^y bear against the
apostate Americans, the enemies to rill freemen, the
fyeophants to kings, to whom they would have been
willingly fl^ves, provided they could have ty ranizedL
over part of their, virtuous and vanquished bretheren.
The A mericans shew clearly that they will noflive with
cowards, murderers, robbers, incendiaries, ^nd with
such who deferred their country's cause in rimes of
danger, lent their service and even worshipped a ty
rant idol 3000 miles off with all his depend a ries ;<and
consequently they never will be blamed, locefufe these
off-fcouring of mankind, a residence among the virtu
ous children of freedom. It will not retaed'fhe pro
ceedings for the definitive treaty in the lez'ft. For
how can a body of mere banditries presume 'to 'flatter
themselves, that on their account only, kingdoms and
empires fliould retard the blessings of peace. Have not
those tyrants, whom they worshiped and served, decla
red in rhe tribunal of the realm, that the 10,-
alifts were unworthy of the bounties df The nati
on, they being the sole cause of the beginning and
continuance of this unnatural and ruinous war to
Great Britain by their fallacious, falfe and envious
misrepresentations of fads ; and what ^fe the devil;
could inspire them with, in order to disturb the peace
of the virtuous sons of mankind, who 'meant nothing
else, but to defend their ineflimabte birth-right liberty,
whilst the apostate was hugging and cheating his king,
•and dabbing his brefheren.
6. ft is impossible that The cause of the gpoftate#
can have any weight on the other fide of the water,
much less can it have any badeffefts here, they, toge
ther with their cause being detefled fay 'every man of
found sense.
'7. It is certainly the belt policy and Rriaefi juflice,'
to prevent enemies, apoflates, murderers, incendiaries,
robbers, and king and ministerial tycophants, to live
in a free state, which they laboured with all their
might to suppress, make ft slavery, and tiremfelves to
tyranize and rule over them ; let them go wheresoever
they please, their reward will follow them.
$. It is impossible, that though the foxmay change
'his hairs, he can't his skin, 'and that consequently
such men who afled under a favifh principle and a
wrong conscience, both contrary to revealed religion,
scripture and nature, ffiould become faithful members
to a society of freemen; neither can it be supposed,
to depend on men who dn Times of the least danger
cowardly deserted there country's cause, and took pro
teftion with a tyranrking.
9 Here you are very right, for if all the apoflate
Americans had been ai virtuous as they ought to
have ben, had joined hand in hand with the whigs io
repelling an encroaching power, which was to enslave
them,and bind them in all cases whatfbever, they might
have prevented a long, bloody and ruinous war on
both sides, and have continued to be the happiest peo
ple on tie face of the earth ; dut as they became the ve
ry reverse, and the tools of tyranny, even worse than
their cruel employers, it is no more but justice, that
they defer ve to be punifred for their wicked and attro
cious crimes.
to. With the greatest and most evident propriety,
therefore, all the calamities produced by this unhap
py war are solely to be ascribed to no body else, eve&
not so much to your king, ministers and parliament,
than to those apostate Americans and kingly fyeophants;
witness your own parliament ; vide answer to the 51^
Query,
11. From these confiderationa it mow plainly appears^
that no one of these enemies to the rights of mankind
and liberty deserve todwell among freemen- The trai
tor and proved Iyar, Arnold, will always remind you
of your folly.
12. Holy writ, and the conscience ,us every free A
mrrican, juftify this condu&. concerning the apoflates;
but how the latter will get rid of their consciences is
hard to fay ; I fay they never can get rid of it, as it will
be always telling them, it has need wrong, in endea
vouring to deprive their brethren,of freedom, mak,
them slaves, for the fake of eftablißiimg tyranny oyer &
vanquished and enslaved people ; thei r confeience will
forever remind them, on the murbd^rs, roberies and
burnings they have committed on ^fenoHefs, harmless
not yet fufficiently bumbled us,—find prepared our
minds for peace, and that therefore the Almighty may
have flill greater punishments in flore for us; and as
in his wrath he gave to the Israelites of old a king, so
in like manner, for our ingratitude, &c. he may have
taken one from us, and leave us a diftraaed, divided
and forlorn people ?
CANDI D.