Dunlap's Pennsylvania packet , The general advertiser — Philadelphia, Pa., 1776-11-26 00:00:00, page 2

To THE PEOPLE OF DE N,NSYLVANIA.
Fl, 11 K advocates fir the metres and f ame of ;o
ft vernmeut of the late Convention of this State h ve
exnanfted all their ingenuity in defending them. 1 wdh
1 could add, for the honour of our State and of human
nature, that they had confined thewfeives to arguments
in their mahi^d public tens. To the dirgrace of
decency and iin^d manners, they have disgorged tor
rents of f^rrniy, 3id here employed the molt un
gentlemanly aits and language to traduce the characters
and to .wrvert the intentions of thole gentleraen, who
stepped forth to refeue the hate of fcnnGlv^niyfrom the
ex ention of their dangerous and tyrannical frame of
government. Far be it fron)me to charge the authors
of these publications with fin^Rer defighs, I Dall lay no
ambition, no lore of power or wealth at their door, but
fha!l proceed immediately to lay some fids before the
public. I (hall take notice of measures only, and not
of men.
A few citizens of Philadelphia prepared a number of
refdurions to destroy the authority of the late Assembly
of this State, and without puflifhing them for confider
atien, read them at a Town meeting on the i3s o' Maj
Est, where they received the assent of a mixed ompary
of citizens, marines and regular .oldievs, These refoluti
uns received the.faneion of the counties, and produced a
diftoluticn cf all the powers of the late government.
The Committee of Cociefponden e cf the Committee
of Privates i pirjadeiphi?, wrote a circular letter to all
the batalions in the State previous to Ilie ele&ion of
members for rhe late Convhion. In this letter the
good people of this State were ydvifed to chufe no rich
men, .nd as few learned men * as poffole to reprrfeht
them ia T^ Convention. They are charged to avoid
cbuli^ alf fu h ;:ou as arc miner o/opri^tary influence,
' hi.brut their k - wing it," and iadly they are dir<&-
el to inftruft their r^prefen'. fr .ves when chosen to fnfift
upon th people chufiy their militia officers, and upon
our having onH one Lefiflature.
A member c! thr Etc Convention congratulated the
State upon the -opening of the Convention, that a tert of
glrtin men with good unde? Fundings were rffcmbled to
aether to make a g vernment.
It was debated for fume time in the Convention, whe
ther the future legManxes of this State should have the
power of I derring property when it became excessive in
individuals.
In one of the articles of the Bill of Rights, the Conven
tion have declared that all trials (hall be by juries, and
that erey man who believes in a God Hull ce entitle
to all the privileges of government. In the constitution,
trials by jury are abolished for treafn, and ami is de
cl?red incapable of a feat in the Assembly who dies not
believe that the Scriptures were given by Divine infpi
la'ion.
In one of the articles of the Bill or Rights, it is de
clared that men (half not be compelled to bear arms
against their confeknees, and in one of the ordinances
of the Convention every man who declines bearing arms
is fined Twenty Shillings a month and is taxed Four
Shillings in 'he Pound,
A Cenumtue cf the Convention was ftrurk with the
enormity cf the sum exacted from the Non-Afliators,
and made an apology for it by Hiring the public ti^at
the last mentioned ordinance w^ peffed when the Con
vention was in “ a pcffiul
Here I cannot help -making a r:ye„ioh to weep over
the profpeas of Pennsylvania under her new frame of
government. The power not only of taxation; but of
life and death, is 'edged in the fingie uncontrouied le
giflatvre. All bifor, profane as well as facreil, fliers
1K that the greatest enemy to man in this world is man.
The tvger, the wolf or the most ferocious animals that
roam thro' our woods, are gentle in their natures coni
psrea with man invested with uncontrolled power over
his fellow creatures. It is immaterial whether this pow
er is lodged in one or in froent, hands; or whether it is
of a hereditary or eleaiv: nature. A firigle ele&ive Af
femoty in Athens drenched the divine Socrates with the
juice of the hemlock, and a fin, 1, ele&ive Assembly in
Holland (bed the blood of tire illtiftrious Barnevelt. Both
these Assemblies bore a teftunony in favour of the inno
cence of rhe twonurtyrs they had Sacrificed, for in less
than fix months they would bare recalled them from the
grave if it had be^n puflible with hears of blood. They,
were put to d^th in a " passion."
The Convention a&d in many iriParices contrary to
the principles of their own government. One instance
^nly fliall be menrioned. A Council of Censors is for
bid to call a Convention in bfs than two,ears After they
have pointed out the defers in the constitution, in ol
der that the people may have time enough to cor sider
of he<e defefy ; but when the system of government,
which was a new thing under the tun, was promulgated,
only ten days were allowed for the people of the whole
State to confider of its defe&s, and to propose amend
ments in it.
The Council of Censors are empowered to infl & fo
fares withou judge or jury. The work of an ?ge is to
be performed by them in one year. All tfle 1e,.dl itive
bodies, judges and juries of the last seven years art
amenable to their bar, nor are the dead exempted from
then* Culminations. Innocence has nothing tc fear from
a regular administration of justice through the vfual
channels of cur laws, but let virtue, wisdom and inno
cence ah tremble before the Council of Censors,
The constitution with ail its boasted simplicity is so
complex that mhmy of its advocates have not been able to
understand it. One fi&i:n or this constitution Lvs,
“ no Delegate in Coper f (hid b* chosen a Counfedor
* Every boa) allows the uf, u '''^ learning to the am
yer, the pbfeiax and the divine, Ve seem an officer or a
General the more for being acquainted with the fritnees
connected with toe art ofwsr. The farmer, the gardener,
the architect and a variety of artificers, are all improved
by reading bocks upon their refte&me occupations But in
the fc:ence o' government, the ms cony lex oj al! faiences as
it has er its fjeld the complex creature man, ALL LEARN
ING is declared t, be dangerous in u/e ejs. Hijiory, the
languages, moral phiofply, and the analogies cf natural
pbf'^by, ail tend to debauch ire mini, and by JurniJbing
us with " quirks and quibbles, lay the foundations of
favery 6
^cr tie PENNSYLVANIA PACKET.
of State," and yet in Northampton county and in the ctiy
o' Philadelphia, two members of Congress were voted for
as Counsellors. Qaere, Had the citizens of Philadelphia,
who voted for a Counfellor taken the oath of allegiance
to the frame of government, prescribed by the Conven
tion, would they not have been guilty of perjury and
high tre rion ?
The Contention aimed to secure obedience to their
constitution by obliging the electors and elected, to swear
they would fuppert it right or wrong. Oliver Cromwell,
the meft artfw tyrant the world ever produced, contri
ved an oath exTLy like that formed by our Convention,
for the members of the tyrannical Commonwealth he
formed for the people of England.
la the debates in the Convention, a legislative Council
w?s called a House of Lords, and twenty other unpopular
names. What an affront to the understandings of a
body of men, to tighten them out of their liberties with
words! This Council was to possess no other, or greater
powers than an Assembly, and was to be chosen every
year on the fame day, and in the fame manner as the
Assembly. The people by this compound legislature
were to possess two guardians, instead of one, for their
lib ties, tach deriving all its power from the people.
Here I cannot help remarking that the friends and
enemies of the new frame of government agree in the
necessity of a check for the single legislature. The ene
mies of the constitution wish to fee the check placed in
the hands of a Council-— he friends of the constitution
wish to fee it in the hands of the people at large. The
I tter supposes all men to possess equal understanding,
knowledge and leiture. It requires that the bufband
man Should neglect his farm, that the merchant Should
forlake his compting-houfe and the tradesman Shut up
his Shop to examine the a&s of every session of Assembly.
It requires that the inhabitants of counties 6o or ioo
miles in extent, Should assemble together after every fef
iion of the Assembly, at all seasons of the year, to debate
and vote in a tumultuary manner upon their laws, and
afterwards inftrua their members to confirm or reje&
them. After ad it is net certain the Assembly will re
gard the inEru&ions of their constituents, especially in
the last year they are allowed by the constitution to
letin the House. If we may judge from what we have
triy leen and heard, they will treat all attempts to
pr vent the execution of bad laws, in the fame manner
that the members and friends of the late Convention have
treate , the attempts to prevent the execution of the new
government. They will charge all opposition to their
laws, to ambition, toa spirit of disunion, and to a desire
'' surrender np the S'ate to its enemies, and the whole
opposition will be laid, as in a late instance, to an arifto
cr^cjun&o, Or to a party of gentlemen.
A. the late election on the sth ofNovember, for mem
bers of Assembly, several piofeffid Tories voted for the
Convention ticket, and the whole body of Tories were
exceedingly distressed ar the success of those gentlemen
who aimed at an amendment of the constitution.
A few citizens who were diffatisfied with the measures
and frame of government of the late Convention, puhlifo
ed sundry resolutions for the consideration of the people.
1 hefe resolutions received the aflent of a majority of the
citizens, on the 21st and zzd of October, (as was testified
at the election on the sth of November) and were after
wards recommended to their country men in every county
of the State. A letter was written to Cumberland coun
ty to def at the operation or these resolutions, charging the
origin of the opposition to the new frame of government
to the supposed author of Cato's letters. Notwithstanding
this letter and the many falfhoods which were propagated
in ever, part of the State, only 2000 voters in the whole
State gave their assent to die new constitution. A great
majority of the people of Pennsylvania acceded in part,
or in whole, to the resolutions agreed to by the citizens
of Philadelphia on the 21st and 22d of October.
It is an ass ont to common fenie, to foppofe that any two
or three mn are able to bring about a revolution in this
State. I have a favourable opinion of those gentlemen who
were most active in prbpofing amendments in our govern
ment ; I believe they meant well; but I think we compli
ment thei understandings and influence at the expence of
truth when we foppofe that they were the inftiuments of
spreading the opposition whLh prevails a a nft the govern
ment in every p.-rr o< the State. It deserves to be re
corded to the honor of the people of Pennfilvania, that
they not only refufe to fuhmit to tyrannical laws, but
that in the Space of one year they abrogated two tyran
nical systems of government. These revolutions have
no other origin than in the general good fehfe and just
feelings of the people.
I read a Short eflay in the Everting Post, a few nights
ago, in which the author calls loudly for a law to oblige
every man to sign his name to his publications. I was
pleaded with the proposal, and could not help wishing it
had been in force some weeks ago. Had this been the
case I am sure no man would have taken the trouble to
read the very illiberal pieces in the news papers Signed
Consideration, Pacabilis, Dete&or, Spectator, and the
Considerate Freeman.
I Shall introduce the practice of fubferibing names to
publications, by informing my readers that my name is
Andrew Marvell.
***+*s++-$ *44*4'+
WILLIAM SBUR G, (Virginia) November I§.
LAST night an express arrived from Col. Christian,
with letters to the Governor dated Odo. 2 3, giv
ing an account of his having puffed the Tenefee river on
the 18th of that month, without any molestation from
the enemy, and after marching through several Indian
towns, at length arrived fafely in the Island Town, the
lowermost but one on the river, which he found had
been precipitately abandoned, the Indians having only
had time to carry off their cloaths and the best of their
iioufehold goods, with which they puffied est in canoes
down the Tenefee. They left behind them their
horses, cattle, hogs, fowls, and even dogs, with their
whole crops of corn and potatoes, which the Colonel
learned was a very great one. He expected at his
camp in the Island Town, as next day, the Raven war
rior of Chote, with Oucanaftota, the Little Carpenter,
and a number of other chiefs ; having given them to
understand, that if they did not immediately come in
and make submission, and agree to such terms as he
Should deem to be reasonable, that he would lay waste
all the towns, and pursue their fugitive countrymen as
far as the Creek nation.
The Colonel, thinks it probable he may enter into
a treaty with them, as he has good reason to believe
that all the old warriors had been averse to the war,
and that the rest were stirred up by Cameron, by bribes
and threats.—Two of his Scouts, on the road to
Hywaffee, found an old women and two children in
the woods, almost famifhed with hunger and cold
having been out fix days and nights without fire 01
provisions of any kind, except berries and haws. The
soldiers took compassion upon the poor wretches, made
them a fire, and gave them visuals.—They also met a
young man who had loft his wife, and was then in
search ofher ; they called to him tocopie to them, or
which he clubbed his gun a^d came up. He informed
that the villain Cameron pushed offto the Creek na ior
as soon as he heard Cd. Christian had crossed Broad
river.
PHILADELPHIA, November 26.
In CONGRESS, November 22, 1776 a
RESOLV ED, That a Committee of Five be
appointed, with full powers to devise and execute
measures for effectually reinforcing General Wafhingtor
and obftruding the progress of General Howe's army
^ that they proceed immediately on this bufinefi.
The members chosen, Mr. Wilson, Mr. Smith
Mr. Chase, Mr. Clymer, and Mr. Stockden.
Tr JOHN HANCOCK, President.
THE Committee before mentioned have come t(
the following Resolutions—
RESOLVED, That it be recommended to the
Commanding Officers of the several battalions of Affo
ciators in Pennsylvania immediately to call together the
battalions refpeftively under their command; and t<
feled! out of each battalion one company, or, if poffi
ble, two companies of volunteers.
That each company consist of seventy-six privates
one Drummer, one Fifer, four Corporals, and few
Serjeants, under the command of a Captain, two Lieu
tenants, and one Ensign.
That the field officers of each battalion, or such ol
them as shall be present, with the approbation and con.
currence of the volunteers, appoint the commissioned
and non commissioned officers of each company.
That the companies be engaged in the service of the
United States till the tenth day of March next, unlefi
sooner difeharged by Congress; and be entitled to a paii
of shoes and stockings, and to the fame rations and the
fame monthly pay with the other troops on the Conti
nental Establishment, to commence from the time ol
their enrolment.
That the form of the enrolment be as follows :
I bereb, promise and engage to enter into the ser
vice &f the United States, and to serve them till the tentl.
da, of March next, unlefsfooner difeharged b, Congress;
and to observe and obey the orders of Congress, and th
orders of the Generals and Officers set over me b, them.
That in order to supply the companies with arms,
accoutrements, and other necessaries, the field officers
of each battalion, or any of them, be empowered and
dire&ed to purchase, and, if they cannot purchase, to
impress arms, cartouch-boxes, blankets, shoes, stock
ings, and other necessaries for the use of the said com
panies.
That the articles impressed be appraised by persons
to be appointed by the field officers or any of them for
that purpose.
That the field officers or any of them give certificates
of the value of the articles so purchased or appraised,
which certificates fliall be deemed sufficient veuchers to
the persons to whom they shall be given, or to their
assigns, for the refpe&ive sums therein mentioned, and
fliall be paid at the Continental Treasury.
That the Captains march their companies with the
utmost expedition, and join the army under General
Washington.
That the Council of Safety of Pennsylvania be em
powered and directed to form the said companies into
battalions; and to adopt such farther measures as they
may find necessary for the march and equipment of the
said companies; and particularly to colled, in the city
of Philadelphia and its neighbourhood, blankets and
other necessaries for their use, and to seize such arti
cles, paying the value of them, if they cannot otherwise
be procured.
That one month's pay be advanced to each volunteer
upon his. enrolment; and that the Council of Safety be
{applied with money for this purpose.
That the Council cf Safety be requeued to forward,
by express the foregoing Resolutions to the Command
ing Officers of th^ several battalions of the State of
Pennsylvania. JAMES WILSON,
Philadelphia, GEORGE CLYMER,
November 24, 1776. JAMES SMITH,
SAMUEL CHASE.
In COUNCIL of SAFET Y,
Philadelphia, November 24, 1776.
S I R,
f'Y ENERAL HOWE, after having reduced
CI Fort Washington, and obtained possession of Fort
Lee, is now directing his operations against New- Jersey.
There is much realop to believe that his views extend