The Pennsylvania ledger, or, The Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, & New-Jersey weekly advertiser — Philadelphia, Pa., 1776-10-19 00:00:00, page 4

Orator. Yes, Peter, 1 am feriotls; a^l I will
maintain that the ample prtvii,£Cbs granted and
poured.to freral kind^ of offenders, by this Frame
of Government, does as much honour to our great
Leaders in Convention, as day other part op :t. In
the firft place, consider the mercy of it. To whom
can mercy be Sliewn but to offenders? Surely thou
would!t not have a Frame of Government without
mercy in it. Oh, what mild Spirits lodge in the
tchd'er bosoms of our Leaders!
Peter, Neighbour Piffi. there is another point
to be considered as well as percy, and that is justice.
By the twenty eighth fe&ion. Debtors, who have
rafted tfehts which they obtain'd from their Credi
tor: in the mod Shameful marine; or have ? greatly
mihy hhved themselves cannot be, continued in pri
son rter delivering up their effaces to their Credi
tors, “ where there is not a strong preemption
ct intended fraud " this is giving unworthy men an
advantage over the koueft, inXtfrious and frugal
inhabitants of Pennfloaniu, and this provision was
mmecedary, because out Laws, With reipeg to in-
Solvent debtors, are exceeding mild. Again, Neigh
bour, it is afterwards ordained, o that the Penal
Laws Shall be reformed, and punifovsents made, in
Imrie places, lels sanguinary, and./G general more
proportionate to their crimes." What can be the
meaning of Inch a frequent and refpeQful notice in
our new frame of Government of Some of she worst
people among us ; especially, as there are so many
other important points fettled in the confutations
bi other States, lately published, and ot which our
Frame does not make the lead mention ?
Orator. Peter, lam not Surprized to hear thee
talk so. I have heard a hundred people fay the
fam- things, and I dont doubt thou haft taken thy
notions from what thou haft heard. One fawey
fellow said it was a Charter for kn'aves and Felons;
for that there was more care taken to secure ad
vantages io them than to any class <c denomination
or profrilion" of people among us. He had the
impudence too, to assert, that the forty third sec
tion was not intended for the benefit of Freeholders
and other reputable inhabitants, but merely to gra
tify idle and drolling 'folks who are fonder than
they ought to be of " filing, fowling, and hunting."
Poor hard hearted, Short lighted mortals! As to
the benevolence of this Constitution, 1 have alrea
dy spoken. Now, as to its Policy, Peter. In or
der to underhand the drift of these federal fedions,
they muff be.taken all together, and linked to the
sixth Tedion. Then there will be Something syste
matic in them. ,
Peter. Pray neighbour, what is that system?
*^r. Cb! that's the point indeed. Peter, I
„,-- -gard for thee, and think thee a very
hpneft man; yet I am almost afraid of confiding
this modimportant fecrct to thee, as things are not
y^t Sufficients ripened to ensure success to the design,
which was imparted to me by one of my great
friends, under the seal of friendship. Let me
confider —Yes—No—Yes, I will trust thee, Peter;
but thou muff not divulge what I now communicate
to thee. Thou mull know, Peter, that our leaders
have in the course of their lucrubations difeovered,
that the'States of America have in general committed
a mod egregious error, in regulating the qualifica
tions of electors of Assemblymen, &c. Our leaders
have adopted the expreflion of other States, who
have lately framed governments, in the seventh
fedion of the Declaration of Rights," &c. where
they fay, that " All Freemen having A SUFFICIENT
EVIDENT COMMON INTEREST WITH AND ATTACH
MENT TO THE COMMUNITY, have a right to elec?
officers, or to be elected into office :" But they differ
widely from those States with regard to the " suf
ficiency and evidence of that interest and
attachment." As for indance, the State of New-
Jersey has adopted our old law with refped to the
efface of ele&ors, and have fixed it at fifty Pounds
lawful money; so that our, wrong headed neigh
bours have pick'd up that scrap from our old con
ditstion, and much good may it do them: They
are welcome to the rag. Our leaders go upon a
broader bottom. By the before mentioned Sixth
fedion of our Frame of Government “ Every Free
man twenty one years old, having resided here one
year next before the day of election, and paid pub
lic taxes," no matter of what kind, whether pro
vincial, county, poor tax, &c." during that time,
shall enjoy the rights of an eledor, &c."
Peter. What, tho' he has no property at all in
the State, nor any connections, that are evidence of
his having a common interest with and attachment
to the State, and without being an ffociator?
Orator. Yes.
Peto?. I believe thou art mistaken friend Puff.
Orator. Mistaken! indeed, Peter, lam not apt,
to be mistaken. Here is the printed copy. Read it.
Peter. It is so, now I recollect myfelf. It was
file provincial Conference of Committees that re
solved that “ Associators 'being assessed for the pro
vincial or county taxes, and having resided a year
Should be admitted to vote :" And that didinftion
in their favour had a reason for it. But how
comes it, that Associating, which by the Conference
of Committees, was thought an evidence or attach
ment to the State, should have no kind of merit
with the Convention, and all Non ffociators Should
now be put on a level with the Associators?
Orator. I will tell thee, Peter.\ In the firft
place, the Afociators are louder than others in
complaining of the Convention. Secondly; Among
tile ,111'ociators in this State who are twenty one
year 6 old, there is not a fifth part, but who would
be entitled to vote at elections under the old law,
requiring ele&ors to be worth: fifty pounds. So
that if the privilege had been confined to Associators,
our Leaders would not have had so broad, a bottom
for themselves to Stand upon as by extending it to
the whole body of the people: For this privilege
now includes every, free man in the State; for you
knofr, I suppose, Peter, that by the laws of Penn
sylvania, those men who arc not rated for their es
tates are rated by the bead. Now, all men will be
put on a level with refpecfto THIS GRAND RIGHT
of voting at elections, and that may in time
biting them to a level in ebery other refpefl, as has
happened in other countries.
Peter. This is a great step, neighbour Puff,
and may have very extraordinary confequennces.
Thou,muft be convinced, I believe, that a large
Majority of the Freemen of Pennsylvania, at pre
lent, confiits of/ Freeholders and honefl indufrious
frugal people, who are worth at lead fifty pounds
each. 1
Orator I am convinced of that truth ; but what
would you argue from that? 1
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 imall ium as fifty pounds in a coun
try, where the acquiring inch a lum is not difficult,
especially for a single man. If the priviledge ex
tended only to thole who had families here there
would not, be so much in it; or if there was any
other "Efficient evidence " of their attachment to
the State, required. Befides,' it appears clearly to
be an injury to all the inhabitants of the State, who
are worth fifty Pounds in real or personal edate:
For the right of electing is vested in them by the
Laws of Pennsylvania, and in them alone, and there
fore. the extending the fame Right to all men with
out distinction, that fe, without some plain reason
that Shews the extension to be made in favour of
others lor the public good, takes away so much of
their right from those who are worth fifty Pounds
and proportionally lessens their influence in electi
ons, and therefore, in the State. What necessity
is there for this general alteration? Can't the Li
berties and Happiness of Pennsylvania be trusted to
thole men in it who are worth fifty Pounds each?
And Should we go to wreck and ruin, unless we
are saved by those who are not worth that sum? We
have had several Conventions and many Commitees
in this State, without admitting all men to vote,
and yet matters have been pretty well conducted.
Even the wife and virtuous Convention that form'd
our new Frame of Government, was not elected by
fiich an universal admission of all men to vote.
Therefore, I conclude, thit this Alteration is not
necessary for the good of the State; and I think it
ought not only to be necessary, but thr.neceffty
ought to be so great and manifest, that no reasona
ble man could doubt of the propriety of it before
it Should be established. No words can expref^ the
danger.
Orator. ,Neighbour Peter: You Should not.
Peter. Pray, neighbour Puff, let me proceed.
I have heard thee very attentively. I fay no words
can express the danger of trying experiments on the
Liberty and Happiness of a great State in so mo
mentous an article as the right of election. Not
withstanding the vast learning and integrity of our
Convention, of which I have as exalted an opinion
as I ought to have, yet let us have some reaped also
for the judgement of other States. They have
been very cautious on this point. They know all
other rights absolutely depend on this great right
of Election. It is the chief corner stone of all the
rest. The most flourishing Commonwealths that
ever existed, Athens and Rome, were ruined by
allowing this right to people without property.
Orator. Neighbour Peter. Hey thou
Peter. Dont interrupt me, friend Puff. Such
people having nothing to lose, and a profped of
gaining by public convulsions, are always the most
ready to engage in seditions, tumultuous and facti
ous proceedings. They are thf people to whom
artful, designing, felfifh, ambitious, daring, wicked
men apply themselves, and make use of to promote
their pernicious projects. They are generally the
molt illiteral and ignorant of the whole society, and
therefore, the most eaSily imposed on by Inch men
as I have described. It,will be a kindness to them
that; they Should not be e£pofed to the intrigues of
such firebrands; least they Should be hurried into
aCtions, of which afterwards, they may severely re
pent, as frequently happened to the Athenians and
Romans. If they are invefled with the rights of
election, which in a Commonwealth are always the
rights of Sovereignty, their errors and the villai
nies of their deceivers and leaders are immediately
eloathed with the fan&iom of Laws, and hurried
into execution, to the injury or deftruCtion of the
State. Tlius for instance, Cleon at Athens, and
Clodius at Rome overturned all things. On the
other.hand, while the rights of election, that is
of Sovereignty, as I said, are lodged in those who
possess the general property^ landed and personal
within the State, it will ever be their interest to
keep things quiet, and to have officers go on with
regularity; and if the other class grows turbulent,
the whole force and dignity of government can be
exerted to keep them in order. The time mpft come
in this State, as it has happen'd in all States, as their
people and manufactures increase, when the num
bers of those without property will bear a greater
proportion to those who. have property, than they
do at present. ihe Former cannot be injured by
their other countrymen, because in a free State no
Laws can be made to bind them, but what will also
bind the Law-makers and the whole society. We
have^no distinction here of Nobles and Commons,
Patricians and Piebeans. And I trust in Heaven,
We and our Posterity flail continue thus equally
free, unless we tamper and try projects on our free
dom, till we crack it. Wliat hardship is imposed
on an inhabitant of this State, if Pennsylvania as a
parent Should be supposed tlius to* address one of
her children—'• My Son, I love thee equally with
thy brethren, and I communicate to thee equal
protection in every article that can contribute to
thy welfare: But think it not unkind, that I do not
permit thee to manage my molt important affairs,
until thou giveft me some evidence of thy dilcretion,
and of thy attachment to me. I will judge of thee
with a Mother s partiality. I will accept of a very
flight proof of any kind but words in thy favour:
But let me receive it, before I entrust thee a power,
on the exercise of which thy happiness and my own
may depend. ' It is aver'd by some excellent wri
ters that England
Orator. Peter, I cant hold any longer—l know
wliat thou wouldst lay. But what lignifies this rig
maroll. , I cap answer all thou haft said in one mi
nute. As to Rome and Athens and other States on
this continent, I dont care a fig for them. Nor do
I care wliat is to happen in future times. We liave
no Cleons or Clodius's now: Arid the, very arguments
thou half used, are convincing that this innovation
is a prudent one. 1 hou fay'ft, people without pro
perty are the most innocent and simple, and there,-
foie the most easily guided. They are the very
. people that ought to be vested with the rights of
Sovereignty in this great Struggle for Liberty. For
by whom will they be guided? By our excellent
Leaders : By thole great good men who have form
ed this wonderful Frame of Government for us.
The people who by this Frame acquire those grand
rights, will know, whom to thank for them, and I'll
e^g^ge w '" Stick by their patrons who procured them
this inefimable acquisition. Thole ,Leaders know'
Very well, that with this addition to the party they
have already made, they will be able to carry all
before them. And yet, Peter thou arc caruf .
this Phenix of an institution. But thou only re
tailed what thou haft catch'd up from others; for
I heard a good many Corner, Politicians harangu
ing much in the fame manner,—Blels me, I lee one
of our great men coming this way. Excuse me,
1 Peter, for a little while: I want to talk to him:
For you must know, as bright a man as he is, that
he is not alhamed frequently to confuit me.
Exit Orator.
(To be Continued. )
Wwtoto to to to to' to sA^A
J Ul\a3F H iLLIP s
In Market-Jlreet, between Front and Secondfireets.
GIVES this public notice, that he is under the
neceffuy of Settling all his Accounts, with
those he has had any dealings with, in this or the
neighbouring provinces, as he will piortly enter
into a CopartnerShip; he therefore, begs it as a par
n&ilar favor, that all who have any demands a%inft
him will immediately furnilh tlieir accounts jhat they
n ™ y b .° fettled and P aid > and thole indebted to him,
will difeharge their relpe&ive balances, as soon as
possible, in order that the settlement of his affairs,
may have no delay.
Said Phillips has for file a neat assortment of
Merchandize, which lie will fell exceeding cheap
for calh only, confiding of the following articles,
vi„z. Oznabrigs, checks and Holland Stripes, tine
Britannias, Slieetings and other linens, cambricks,
cotton caps, gauzes, silk and oil-cloth umbrelloes,
Skeleton wires, girls and boys worded dockings,
fattin quilted petticoats womens velvet collars, whip
cords and filling lines, ihecp Shears and Shoemakers
hammers, hand and pit laws, from fix feet to (even
feet arid a hall, writing paper, indigo, florhce oil,
Holland geneva in cases, cinnamon, cloves, tent &
frontiniac wines, Mulccvado Sugars Scotch and
Spanish fnuff, and sundry other Goods too tedious
to mention. He continues the Vendue Business as
usual, any Gentleman who are pleased to fend their
goods either for, public or private Side, may depend
on his utmost endeavours for their interest.
N. B. Any perton who has. dry goods to dispose
of, on application to the said Phillips, will find a
ready purchaser, and the Cash paid on the delivery
of the Goods.
A few Copies of the Second Edition of
Strictures on Common Sense,
May be had of the Printer
Genuine Keyfers Pills'
To be had of the Printer.