The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1779-02-02 00:00:00, page 2

Brig Aide fevera! parts cf the Constitution which they had
previously (worn to maintain, they undertook to execute
the parts of it which remained. So obnoxious was the
C'onftitution to the best men in the State, that the Execu
tive Council, after tempting a number of them with the
tirft offices in the Government to mo purpose, were obliged
to call in a Chief Justice and an Attorney General from
the neighbouring, States.
Since the year 17,7 the Confiitution has gained many
proselytes. Some have been (educed by offices ; others
have been milled by their attachment to the principles of
the men who were in power § not considering that a bad
Government is as dangerous in the hands of a Whig as a
good one in the hands of a Tory. And laitly, some have
yielded to the Government through necessity, believing
that no at empts to improve it would ever be revived.
But among all these clarites of converts there is not one
loan who has been able to defend the Constitution against
the charges of folly And tyranny that have been brought
against it.
The Government is by far the most expensive of any
on the Continent. The Executive Council alone costs the
State near Forty 1 housand Dollars a year. *
They are a dead weight upon the people, for as the Con
stitution gives them little or no power, they are incapable
of rendering any services to the State. The whole business
of tie Council might be done by a Governor and two
Privy Counfellors at a fourth part of the present expence.
Tee Magistrates of the State were ele&ed by a (mail
body of the people, and copfift chitfy of illiterate men
• who are altogether unqualified tor their offices.
The Militia Offi sere, from the manner of their appoint
ment, want both dignity and authority, ^nd to this was
owing the feeble opposition which the Militia cf Pennsyl
vania gave to the Britdh army in the late invasion of the
State. Had these yeomanry been properly officered they
would have yielded to no Militia on the Continent in their
exertions in behalf of the liberties of their country.
The present Aft mbly is composed chiefly df members
who are attached to the Constitution, but the mino
rity who are opposed to it are so refpe%ble that they
serve as a check upon the majority, and thus in an inferior
degree ensure to the State the benefits of a double,legisla
ture.
It is remarkable the friends of the Constitution Eave
violated it in every session of the Assembly since its form
ation. These infringements of the Constitution have been
pointed out in the news-papers, but the people are n®t yet
Efficiently alarmed with them. They are blinded with
the workmanship of their own hands, and think a Whig
in power " can do no wrong."
The President's chair was offered to several Gentlemen
of distinguished merit before the late election cfa Coun
cilor for Philadelphia County. They refufed it because
they would notaffift in fixing a tyranny upon their country.
The persons who fill some of the firfl offices in the Go
vernment were taken from that party that were inimical
to the Constitution.
A Convention has been proposed by the Assembly to
amend the Constitution. It will probably be opposed by
the visionary adherents to the present system of Govern
ment. These deluded people fancy the power of the State
will always remain in the han Is that now hold it. They
fear a change in the Cqnfti u.ion therefore only because
they fear a led* of their p>wer. But they will hereafter
find, they have been deceived. The qualities of power
are as exa&ly afcert<ined as the properties of matter. It
will always go hand in hand with.wealth. The men of
the greatest properly in the State are in these le of oppo
sition. If the Confutation should not be altered, the re
volution of a few years will bring the present opposition
into power. Perhaps we may ihen hear of an exchange
in the principles of the parties. When the wealthy men
bee ?me a majority in the Assembly, they may imitate the
present rulers of tne state in violating the Constitution and
vote themselves as perpetual as the rump Parliament of
England. The party that now bears sway will then curse
their prefont leaders and with in vain for a Convention to
alter and amend the Constitution.
S U L L Y.
* The Prf : ent has 44.000 and the Pice Prudent £2500
a year. Each of the Counfellors (ten in number) basfix
dollars a day. The Secretary has £iooa a year besides
ferqutfaes.
q^^T^^^^^^^
To be SOLD by Public Vendue,
On Wednefd^y the seventeenth day of February inst.
at Six o'clock in the evenin, , at the Coffee-houfe,
'" ' °' Ground in-Kensington, near where the
L% Hall flood, bounding on the river Delaware at
low water mark, in breadth twenty.fevtn feet ten inches,
or thereabouts, and back to Queen foeet, and on said
Erect in front twenty two feet; the whole length from
Qjen street to low-mter mark is seven hundred and
fixty-rght feet, or thereabouts, and joining a house
and lot of Mr. Wilcocks'a. The said lot is clear of
ground-rent.
TO BE SOL D,
A LIKELY strong NEGRO WENC H, about
eighteen years old, fit for all kinds of country
work. Enquire cf the Printer.
Lozier Dublin Townfoip, Jan 30.
AL L persons indebted to the estate of Wil
liam Sutton, deceafed', are desired to call on
the fubfenber in two weeks from this date, and make
payment; and those who hav-any demands against the
said estate are d, fred to cII by payment.
WILLIAM BUTTON, Administrator.
THIRTY DOLLARSTEWARD.
L0 S T, h tween Philadelphia and the Lower Ferry,
'bout Lx w eks ago, a silver WATCH, with a
C^na face, a ?eel chain and fi'ver fe 1, and a chafed
case. Whoever has found said Watch and will return
it to the fu^criber, living on the Lower Ferry road,
ihad have the above reward'.
Feb. x. FREDERICK DESHONG.
N. B. Should Did Watch be offered for sale to any
persons, they are desired to flop it.
For the PENNSYLVANIA PACKET.
IN a piece published in the Packet of the 31st December
last I called upon Brigadier hompfon to mention the
affair of a yruvaie nature he alluded to, as an excuse for
his unprovoked and malicious conduß towards me, for
that I knew it not, and never had an angry word with
him in my life previous to his rude behaviour in the Cof
fee-houfe. Upwards of four weeks have elapsed, and he
has not thought proper to communicate this private affair,
either to the public or to myfelf If he had conceived that
I had affronted him on any occasion, I apprehend he
should have mentioned it to me, either verbally or in writ
ing before he did any thing farther; that gentlemen al
ways a&ed this part and that the public had nothing to
do with affairs of a jrivate nature. Agreeable to an opi
nion I then entertained, that he had rendered it necessary
for the material par's of the tranfa&ion in Congress ref
pe&ing him to be published, that the public, to whom he
has appealed might have an opportunity of forming a
judgment of his behaviour, and particularly of his vera
city, I shall state the information given to Congress, the
testimony of a few of the witnesses, his apology, and the
Determination of Congress thereupon. As many of the
witnesses, who have been examined, were either at a dis
tance, or came into the Coffee-houfe towards the conclu
sion of the altercation they knew little of the matter, and
therefore it will be unnecessary to take up a news-paper by
inferring their evidence ; but the whole of the proceedings
are lodged with the p inter, for the perufai of any person
who may chufe to take the trouble. It may be proper to
remark, that I never spoke to any of the witnesses who
were examined, nor to any other gentleman, that was in
the Coffee-houfe,, to learn what he knew of this matter,
nor interfered in producing any evidence whatfoeyer ; and
that it is not improbable many persons, that were not cal
led upon, heard more than most of those who were. Be
fore I conclude, justice '0 myfelf and a desire of a conti
nuation of the efieem of the virtuous sons of liberty, com
pel me to remark, that Brigadier fhompfon has averted,
" That I refufed going into a ro>m in a tavern in this city
" where be and a number of other office# were, alledging
'' that I would not fit down with a parcel of upstart Cen
" tinental officers, or words to that effea." The mali
cious design of this invented tale is obvious, and it has been
circulated by his partizans, I am told, with great indus
try among tne gentlemen of t e army. As I have not
been able to find out when, where ©r how this pretended
Speech mould have happened, and I cannot recoiled a sin
gle circumstance that could give the least foundation for
it, all I can do is to deny it, declaring that I have not
been in a tavern in this city, where the Brigadier was to
my knowledge, for upwards of two years past. I rest as
sured, that those gentlemen, with whom I am acquainted,
would not credit this idle story, even if I had fuffered it
to pass unnoticed, and those, who do not know me, after
this ought not to believe it.
THOMAS M'KEAN.
Water flreet, Pbilad. Feb, 1, 17,9.
MR. M'KEAN informs Congress, that upon fee
ing Brigadier General William Thompson last night
in the Coff e-house, being lately Summoned by the Britifli
Commissary of Prisoners to return to New-York agreeable
to his parofe, and thinking he had a pleasing peice of in
telligence to communicate to him, he called to the General
and told him he had just heard, that General Clinton had
proposed to exchange the officers of the convention of
Saratoga for our officers who are prisoners; upon which
the General in a great passion, said he was obliged to Ge
neral Clinton but not to Congress; they had used him
damned ra ally, for he ought to have been exchanged a
bove aye r ago. Mr. MKe n replied, he was mistaken,
for Congress could not with justice or propriety have pro
cured ids exchange before, and he ought not to be angry
with'them without cause; upon which the General railed
his voice and said, that the Congress mighthave exchang
ed him lately for one who was a General Officer, but an
other, who deserved little and who w is not an officer, was
preferred to him ; (alluding ro ft e exchange of Governor
Franklin for President M Kualy, ofthe Delaware state, as
Mr. M'Kean apprehended ) and then in a loud and in an
imperious tone further said, that the Congress were a par
cel ofdamne = %fcd' and that Mr. M'Kean was so in par
ticular, which nerepeated twice, referring, asMr M'Kean
undergo d, to his having voted for the exchange of Go
vernor Franklin for President M'Kinly in preference to
the General. Ifoon which Mr M'Kean, with great
calmness, told him, ^hat was confident with juflice and
propriety, for it was not only in the civil line, Governor
for Governor but Captain General for Captain General,
and that he was instructed by the Delaware state to solicit
that exchange; and then t^d the General, he behaved
with ?re t indecency towards Congress in his r presence.
The General then damned him again, and asked him if he
was a gentleman, (which Mr. M Kean considered to be
intended as a challenge) and he then came up to him in an
angry manner andtouching his Shoulder repeated he ques
tion; Mr. M'Kean told him that he did not thinly him a
gentleman, that he was his inferior and behaved like a
bully and a brute, and that he Should make him repent of
his conduc'd. The General then made use of such low ex
previous, as are improper to be repeated among gentlemen
and went to the other end of the room.
Mr M'Kean considering this behaviour of Brigadier
General Thompson to be a breach of privilege, to have a
tendency to destroy the freedom of voting in Congress, and
to be a gross insult upon this honorable body from one of
their Officers, and that in so public a place, thinks it his
duly as a member to communicate it to Congress.
November 19, 177 c.
In CONGRESS, November rg, 177^.
Mr. M'Kean laid before Congress in writing an inform
ation of personal abuse he last night received from Briga
dier-General Thompson on account of bis conduct in Con
gress, and of abusive, difrefpeaful and contemptuous ex
pressions uttered by the said Brigadier Thompson against
Congress. Whereupon,
Ordered, That Brigadier Thompson attend at the bar
of this House to-morrow morning at eleven o'clock, to
answer the charge brought against him by the Hon. Tho.
mas M'Kean, Esq; a member of this House, and that the
said Brigadier-General Thompson be furnished win a co
py of the charge against him.
November 20.
According to order Brigadier-General Thompson at
tending, was called in, and the information and charge
exhibited against him being read, and being called upon
for what he had to fay in answer thereto, Brigadier
Thompson denied the charge.
Ordered, That Brigadier Thompson withdraw; and
accordingly he withdrew.
Resolved, That Congress meet on Monday next at fix
o'clock, P. M. for the hearing of witnesses refpefting the
charge against Brigadier-General Thompson:
That Brigadier-General Thompson be directed by the
Secretary tc^fttend at that time with his witnesses:
That the Secretary issue a summons to William Augus
tus Atlee, Esq; John Evans, Esq; Col. Joseph Deane,
Capt. John Purviance, Mr. Thomas Bradford, and Paul
Fooks, Esq; refpe&ively to attend this House on Monday
next at fix o'clock, P. M. to give evidence in the case
above-mentioned.
Examination of witnesses in Congress, Monday, Novem
ber 23d, 1778, refpe&ing the charge against Brigadier
General Thompson.
Honorable John Evans, Esq; sworn, fays,
On Wednesday evening I was fitting in a box in the
Coffee-houfe with Mr. M'Kean and others, when Briga
dier T. came in ; That Mr. M'Kean called Brigadier T.
who came and fat down ; That Mr. M'Kean, in a good
natured way, told him he had good news to tell hirti,
thinking it to be some private matter I turned away and
did not attend, till I heard Brigadier T. raifebis voice
and in a loud manner jay, he had been treated in a tafcal
-1) manner by Congress, and particularly by you (speaking
to Mr. M'Kean, you are a damned rafcai, I ought to have
been exchanged long ago, some who have been taken asleep
in their bed have been exchanged, but I who cwas taken
in the field fighting am not exchanged.
Q Do'yeu reco left to have heard Brigadier Thompson
fay Congress are damned rascals?
A. I do not recollect more than what I have said.
Q When Brigadier T. said he had been treated by Mr.
M'Kean in a rascally manner did you conceive it alluded
to his conduct in Congress ?
A. I conceived it to be for what Mr. M'Kean did in
Congress relative to exchange. My reason for thinking
so was, Brigadier T. said be ^as net obliged to Congress,
be ovas obliged to General Clinton: that be vuouldjoliovj
General Clinton to Great Britain, if be required it.
Brig T. Q Did I go into the box where Mr. M'Kean
was ?
A. Yes, and fat down.
Q Did you underhand I meant any abuse to Congrefs,-
or personally to Mr M'Kean?
A. I cannot ffy what his intention was. I have Rated
fa (Is.
Quefiion repeated.
A. I cannot fay.
Brigadier Thompson desired some witnesses might be
sworn and exenYined, whereupon
Major Forrest was sworn, and said
He was in the Coffee-houfe on Wednesday. That he
heard General T. fay to Mr. M'Kean, I despise you. I
have been treated f andaloufly. Mr. M'Kean said, I
meant to befriend you. General T. replied, Damn your
friendffiip: old women taken in their beds have been ex
changed, while my hands are tied.
Q Did you hear any expressions refle^ing upon Con
gress ?
A. I did not hear Congress mentioned. I thought it
was a private quarrel.
Qty What did you conceive the quarrel to be about?
A. I did conceive it to be relative to the exchange.
Q Did you hear President M'Kinly named ?
A. I did not. I underflood Mr. M'Kean said he was
President of the Delaware state.
Q Did you hear any mention made of Gov. Franklin?
A. I did not.
Q Was you present at the beginning of the dispute?
A. I thought I wasjbut from the evidence given I find
I was not.
Q Do you recoiled any terms of reproach in the dis
pute ?
A. I heard General T. call Mr. M'Kean a damn'd raf.
cal ; after which I heard Mr. M'Kean call General T. a
dirty low fellow.
Q Did you understand the word rascal applied to him
as a member of Congress ?
A. I did not.
Q On what occasion was the term used?
A. lunderfoot it vas about the exchange, and that Mr.
M Kean bad prevented General Thom,Jon's exchange.
Q Did you hear the term rascal used on any other qc
cafion than the dispute about the exchange?
A. I heard it used about the exchange, and also about
some affair that happened in Carhfle.
Q. Did you imagine that General Thompson called Mr.
M'Kean a rascal for any thing he had done or said in Con
§refs?
A. I did not know that Mr. M'Kean was a member of
Congress.
Mr. John Pringle sworn, fays,
He was in the Coffee-houfe---heard some person tell
General T. wanted to speak to him. General T. went to
the box. General T. said something about exchange.
Mr. M'Kean said, you will be exchanged. General T.
replied, no thanks to you for that, he thought he was
very ill used. From what General T. said, it seemed to
him, that General T. thought there was an exchange
made in preference to him. He said his hands were tied,
got very angry, and used harsh expressions.
Q What were those expressions?
A. I heard him fay, you are a damned rascal.
Q. On what occasion was this said, or for what did he
call Mr. M'Kean a damned rascal ?
A. I think it was on account of the exchange.
Q. Did you hear Brigadier T. fay any thing against
Congress ?
A. I did not hear any thing about Congress.
Q Did you hear any thing about a deserter or summons?
A. General T. came out of the box, walked across the
floor, then went back toward the box and said, Mr.
M'Kean used him ill about a deserter.
Q. Did you hear any thing about Mr. President
M'Kinly?