The Pennsylvania evening post — Philadelphia, Pa., 1776-06-08 00:00:00, page 2

Thursday 'laft the Fieeholders and other Inhabitants of this
town, qualified as the law direds, met at the Old Brick
Meeting-house, in order to choose th^r Representatives for
the ensuing General Assembly, when they .made choice of the
following gentlemen, viz. William Phillips, John Pitts, John
Brown, William Cooper, Benjamin Austin, Oliver Wendell,
Nathaniel Appleton, David Jeffries, Joseph Gardner, and
Arnold Welles, Esquires, Mr. Caleb Davis, and Mr. William
Powell.
Mr. Welles and Mr. Powell having declined the service,
Mr. Samuel Allyne Otis and Mr. Henry Hill have been
chosen in their room.
The town have given the following INSTRUCTIONS to
(their Representatives, viz.
Gentlemen,
AT a time when, in all probability, the whole United
Colonies of America are upon the verge of a glorious
revolution, and when, consequently, the most. important
questions that were ever agitated before the representative
body of this colony, touching its internal police, will de
mand your attention, your constituents think it necessary
to inftruft you in several matters what part to aft, that the
path of your duty may be plain before you.
We have seen the humble petitions of these colonies to the
King of Great-Britain repeatedly rejected with dildain. For
the prayer of peace, he has tendered the sword ; for liberty,
chains; and for fafety, death. He has licenced the instru
ments of his hostile oppressions to rob us of our property, to
burn our houses, and to spill our blood. He has invited every
barbarous nation whom he could hope to influence, to assist
him in prosecuting these inhuman purposes., The Prince,
therefore, in support of whole crown and dignity, not many
years since, we would most cheerfully have expended lite and,
'' monstrance to the Representatives of the province, which
“ you will fee published in Hall and Sellers newspaper of the
'' twenty-second of this m&h, to encounter the proreft
“ which is inserted in the fame paper—l therefore request that
'' you will take a part in this virtuous talk, by getting as
" many of the refpedable inhabitants of our county to sign
66 their names to it as possible, by which you will greatly
66 serve your country, and oblige your friend.
JAMES RANKIN.
'' P. S. You will have several copies of the Remonstrance
'' sent to you for signing."
I have only to add, that the Committee of your county
have just sent down Infractions directed to two of your Re
presentatives, wherein, after several charges against the As
sembly in general, they conclude as follow :
“ We therefore inftruft you to withdraw from such men
<c and measures, and in case of a motion for the continuance
“ es the Assembly, you will immediately leave the fame.
“ You will fee, by our Resolves herewith sent, the fenti
“ meats of York county very generally taken, and we trull.
" y ou , gentlemen, will a& conformable thereto."
By order of the Committee,
R. M'PHERSON, Chairman.
As I have reason to believe that the Committee have de
rived no authority from the county in general to command
their Representatives to desert their trust, I Ihall continue to
discharge my duty till 1 obtain your sentiments in some less
doubtful way. I am, refpedfully, your sincere friend,
JAMES RANKIN,.
B O S T, O N, May 30.
286
fortune, we are now constrained to consider as the worff of
tyrants. Loyalty to him is now treason to our country. We
have seen bis venal Parliament so basely prostituted to his
designs, that they have never hesitated to enforce his arbi
trary requisitions with the most sanguinary laws. We have
seen the people of Great-Britain so loft to every sense of vir
tue and honor, as to pass over the most pathetic and earnest
appeals to their justice with an unfeeling indifference, Ihe
hopes we placed on their exertions, have tong since failed.
In short we are convinced that it is the fixed and fettled de
termination of the King, Ministry and Parliament of that
island to conquer and subjugate the colonies, and that the
people there have no disposition to oppose them.
A reconciliation with them appears to us to bens dangerous,
as it is absurd. A spirit of resentment once railed, it is not
easy to appease. The recollection of pad injuries will per
petually keep alive the flame of jealousy, which will simulate
to new impositions on the one fide, and consequent refinance
on the other ; and the whole body politic will be constantly
fubjeft to civil commotions. We therefore think it absolutely
impracticable for these colonies to be ever again fubjed to, or
dependant upon Great-Britain, without endangering the very
existence ofthe date : Placing, however, unbounded confi
dence in the supreme councils of the CONGRESS, we are de
termined to wait, most patiently to wait, till their wilder
ihall dictate the necessity of making a Declaration of [ndepen
dance. Nor should we have ventured to express our senti
ments upon this fubjeCt, but from the presumption that the
Congress would choose to feel themselves supported by. the .
people of each colony, before they adopt.a resolution so in- ,
terefting to the whole. The inhabitants or tnis town, there
fore, unanimously inftruft and direct you, 1 hat at the ap
proaching session of the General Assembly, you use your en- _
deavors that the Delegates of this colony, at the Congress,
be advised, that in case the Congress should think it necessary,
for the fafety of the United Colonies, to declare them inde
pendant of Great-Britain, the inhabitants of th s colony, with
their lives, and the remnant of their fortunes, will most che&, ~
fully support themin the measure.
Touching thointernal police of this colony, it is cffentiaUy
necessary, in order to preserve harmony among ourselves, that,
the constituent body be fatisfied that they are fairly and fuby
represented. The right to legislate is originally in every mem
ber of the community, which right is always exercised in the
infancy of a.ftate: But when the inhabitants are become nu
merous, it is not only inconvenient, but impracticable for all
to meet in ohe Assembly and hence arefe the necessity and
practice of legislating by a few, freely chosen by the many.
When this choice is free, and the. representation equal, it is
the people's fault if they are not happy: We therefore in
ftruC tyou te r devise some means to obtain an equal reprefention
of the pe. pie of this colony in the legislature: But care Paould
be taken, that the Assembly be not unweildly ; for this would
be an approach to the.evil meant to be cured by representa
tion. The largest bodies of men do not always defpatch bu
siness with the greatest expedition, nor conduce it in the wisest
manner.. ......
It is essential to liberty, that the legislative, judicial and
executive powers of government be, as nearly as possible,
independant of, and separate from each other ; for where
they are united in the fame person, or number of persons,
there would be wanting that mutual check woich is the prin
cipal security against the making of arbitrary laws, and.a
wanton exeicife of power in the execution of them. It is
also of the highest importance, that every person in a judi
ciary department employ the greatest part of his time and