The Pennsylvania evening post — Philadelphia, Pa., 1776-10-24 00:00:00, page 1

A DIALOGUE between Orator Puff and
Peter Easy, on the proposed Plan or Frame of
Government. [Continued from page 518,]
PR A Y neighbour, what is that system?
Orat. Oh! that's the point indeed. Peter, I
have a great regard for thee, and think thee a
very honest man ; yet lam asport afraid of con,
siding this meft important fare/ to thee, as things are net yet
fufyd^fy ripened to ensure success to the design, which was
uncarted to me by one of my great friends, under the seal of
friendship. Let me conftdei—Yes—No—Yes, I will trutt
thee, Peter; but then mug not divulge what I now communi
cateto thee. Thou mutt know, Peter, that our leaders have,
in the course of ,their lucubrations, dilcovered that the States
of America have in general committed a most egregious error
in' regulating the Qualifications of electors of Ademblymen;
&c. Our leaders have adopted the expression of other States,
who have lately framed governments in the seventh Litton of
the Declaration of Rights," &c. where they lay, that “ All
freemen having a. sufficient evident common IN
TEREST WITH AND ATTACHMENT TO THE COMMUNITY,
have a right to ele& officers, or to be elected into office :" ^But they
differ widely from tnote States with regard to tne " suffi
ciency and Evidence of that interest and attach
ment." As for instance, the date of New-Jersey h,s
adopted cur old law with reaped to the estate of efedors, and
have fixed it at fifty pounds lawtul money ; so that our wrong
headed neighbours have picked up that scrap from out old
'confti[utieh, and much good may it do them. They are wel
come to the rag. Our leaders go upon a broader bottoms
By the before mentioned sixth feltion of our frame of govern
nient " Every freeman twenty one years old, having relided
here ore year next before the day of election, and paid public
t^xes," momatterof what kind, whether provincial, county,
poor tax, &L " during that time, shall enjty the rights of
4m^le&or,".&c.
Peter. What, tho' he has no fro/ert, at all in the state, %®r
any connexions, that are evidence of his having a common in-
Xereft with and A^a^^eßt to the face, and ^ithoyt feeing an
fUfociator?
^Orator. Wes,
Peter. J.believe £hQU art mistaken, friend ptf;
Orator. Mistaken ! Indeed, Peter; lam not apt to be mif
feken ! Here is the printed copy. Read it.
-Peter. It is so, now [recoiled myfelf. It was the Provin
cial Conference of Cemmittees that, resolved that , Aficia
tors being assessed for the provincial or county taxes, and hav
ing reficed a year, should be admitted to v' tej" And that dif
tibttion in their favor had a realon for it. But how comes it,
.that Affiliating, which, by the Conference of Committees,
was thought an tvid nee of attachment to the state, Should have
no kind of merit with the Convention, and ail Non^ociators
Should newt be put on afevei with the Alleviators, ;
f)ratcr. l will tell thee, Petgr. Inrhe firil place, the Afo
yiator's are loucer than others in complaining of the Conven
4wb, s>€Gon&i,, Asiong the Ahbciawxsin.this state, who are
Thri'PENNSYLVANIA EVENING POSX
Vol. 114
Price Thre^ Coffers, . Published, egery Tu^day, thurfd^, and Saturday Evenings.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 177? '
529
twenty one years old, there is not a fifth party bat who would,
be entitled to vote at elediohs under the old law, requiring
electors, to be worth fifty pounds. So that if the privilege
had been confined to ' Affectort, our leaders would not have
.had so broad 3 bottom for themselves to stand upon, as by
extending it to the whole body of the people. For this pri
vilege pbw includes e-vgry freeman in the state; for you
know, I fgppofe, Peter, (hit by the laws of Rehafylvama,
those men . who are not raced for their efiates, are ratdd by the
head. Now all mere will be put on a level with refpeff to
this g^np right of NOTING at elections, and that
may in time bring them to a level in every other refpeA, as has
happened in other countries.
Peter. This js a great step, neighbour Puff, and may have
very extraordinary confluences. Thoji mull be convinced,
I believe, that a large majority of the freemen of Pennsylva
nia, at present, consists of freeholders, and honest, industrious,
frugal people, who are worth at least fifty pounds each:
Orator. I am convinced of that truth ; but what would you
argue from that?
Peter. Why, I cannot perceive the propriety or prudence
of putting these inhabitants upon a level with the indolent or
prodigal, who have not acquired such a small sum as fifty
pounds, in a country where the acquiring such a sum is not
difficult-, especially for a tingle man. If the privilege ex
tended only to those who had families, here there would not
be so much in it ; or if there was any other „ Efficient evi
dence" of their attachment to the state required. Besides,
it appears clearlyto be an injury to all the inhabitants of the
gate, who are worth fifty pounds in real or personal estate.
for the right of electing is vetted in them-, by the laws of
PennJylvania, and in them alone, and therefore the extending
the lame right to all men without diftimßion, th,t is, without
some plain reason that ffiews the extenfibn to be made in fa--
vor cf others for the public good, takes anhay so much of
their right, from those who are worth fifty pounds, and pro
portionably lessens their influence in elections, and therefore
in the state, What necessity is there for this general altera
tion ? Cant the liberties and happiness of Pennjjhama be
trusted to those men in it, who are worth fifty pounds each?
And ghould we go to wreck and ruin, nnlef&'we are saved by
those who are not worth that sum? We have had several
fenventions, and many Committees, in this state, without
admitting all men to vote, and yet matters have been pretty
well conducted. Even the wife and virtuous Convention, that
formed our new Frame of Government, was not elected by
such an universal admission of all men to vote. Therefore, I
conclude, ,that this alteration is not neceffarffor the good of
the state; and I think it ought not only to be nectfary, but
the necessity ought to be so great and mantfef, that no reason
able man could doubt of the propriety of it before it .£hou!d
be eftabliihed. No words can express the danger,.
Orator. Neighbour 1 eter. You ihould not.
Peter. Pray, neighbour Puff, let me proceed. I have
heard thee very attentively. 1 fay no words can express tfe
danger of trying experiments on the liberty and hapfinty of a
great llatej in so momentous air article asthe right of dfo
[Num. 275.