The Pennsylvania evening post — Philadelphia, Pa., 1776-10-15 00:00:00, page 1

A DIALOGUE between Orator Puff and
Peter Easy, on the proposed Plan or Frame of
Government. [Continued from page 504.]
Wli L not the people, and especially the clergy,
be exceedingly alarmed to think in, the
midst of so dreamful a war, that we have,
by the public authority of so great a Rate,
passed filch strongly implied censures of contempt on our holy
religion, and weaken d the Securities of it by law fabiijhed,
while, at the famp time, we are continually imploring the as
sistance of heaven in Supplications and form of that religion.
Is not this hypocrisy ? The former qualification required by
law was a positive, clear, direct, " profejion of the Chrijiian
faith." It admitted of no gloss or equivocation, How can
we alk or expert success, while we thus deliberately, in the
face of the whole world, are undermining the religion gra
ciously delivered to us by Heaven, with such amazing cir
cumfiances of mercy ? I tremble at the thought. 1 mil fer
vently hope this article will be altered when the new Alfem
bly meets, that is to be chosen next November.
Orat. I tell thee it is impoffibte. That Aflembly will have
no powers but what are assigned to them by the Frame of
Government ; and the power of alter ng any part of the Con
stitution is not assigned to them, but is pofiiive y reserved to
the Convention alone, that may be called nine years hence. If
the Assembly could alter one part they might alter another, and
so undo all the labors of our leaders; but they were too wife
to leave that door open, and have thoroughly guarded against
such an evil. Here—read the last lines of the preamble to
the Declaration of Rights, &c. where the last Convention
fays, "We do, by virtue < fthe authority velted in us by our
constituent, ordain, declare, and eftablilb the following De
claration cf Rights and Frame of Gutter meat to be the Con
stitution 'f this commonwealth, and to remain in force
therein orever, except in such articles as Shall hereafter, on ex
perience, uc rend to require improvement, and which Shall,
by the fame authority of me people, fairly delegated as this
Frame of Government directs, be amended," &c. that
is by a Convention, called by a Council of Censors, which
cannot be till nineyears hence, as is expreJsly provided by the
last fe&ion of the Frame. Again, in the ninth fiction, the
Convention f ys pflively in mentioning the powers < fthe As
sembly " But they Shall have no power to add to, alter,
aioli,?, infringe any /ar/of this Conititution," Indeed, I hope
the late Convention has used words of such force that no A'f
fembly er Convention to the end of time will have power to alter
tin grand a deration hjhave made; for they have used words
on mis point of religion which they have no. on any other ar
ticle. bee the tenth fe&ion, where they fay “ and no far
ther or other religious test Shall ever hereafter be required of
any civil officer or magistrate in this Rate." This Frame is
so calculated to coax the people, and it i to be so Speedily
ca tied into execution, that it cannot be oppefed ; and at the
end of nine years, if we are fuccTlfm, people will think
religion is oi no consequence in military opera ions. Now,
Peter, however amazing these akeiauons in the qualifications
The PENNSYLVANIA EVENING POST?
Vol. 11.1
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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 1776.
511
Orat. Why, suppose some of our ftatefmeri do not like the
religion profeft in this country ; suppose they do not think it
fmple enoughs and they Should be afraid that their fentimente
on this fubjedpare well blown ; how confoundedly must the,
have been gravelled, if they had not made this change ?
Peter. What difficulty would they have been under ?
Orat. Why, if the ancient declarations of " faith" were
to be taken by every Member of Assembly, &c. such men
must either refufe to take them, and thereby throw themselves
out of power, or else take them from tithe to time as of
ten as required, and so by frequently and solemnly affirming
to believe in a religion of which they did not believe a tittle,"
draw down upon themselves the reproaches and detestation of
all worthy men, who Should know their real,aliments. Whe
ther this is thecafe, I leave thee to judge from facts. Certain
it is, that those inhabitants of this date, who do not believe
the Chrifian religion, would have been very well off, if they
had only been allowed a toleration, and been permitted
to live undisturbed ; and therefore they are under the greatest
obligations to our statesmen, who have put it into their power
to hold the bighe, offices in the government, and both to make
laws and to execute them. The Chrijlian religion, Peter, has
fublilted near eighteen centuries— Peter, near eighteen centu
ries—a long while—a very long while. Time alters opinions,
Peter, thou knoweft- as the poet fays,
" We think oar fathers /io/„ so wife Q grow;
" Our wiser sons no doubt will think us fj."
Peier. However, there seems to be no great likelihood of
any large number of persons getting into offices of power, who
do not believe our religion, as long as the inhabitants in ge
neral continue Chrifians. ,
Orat. Ah, Peter, that is t ue ; but thou art no politician
—th?u dost not comprehend the mighty influence which the
foundations of a frame of government, as to religion, gra•
dually produce in the minds of men. In a few years men may
argue in this manner—“ What could induce the patriotic and
wife Convention of Pennyivania, that modelled the com
monwealth in the year 1776, in so wonderful a mariner as to
excite tne afoni/bment of all America, what could persuade
that learned, ifudrious, and venerable body, to alter the old
religious regulations as to offices in government, and to put the
Chrijlian, JfewiJb, and Mahometan religions with reaped to
them on tne fame footing ? Is no regard due to those enlight
ened fathers of their country ? And must not they have nal
convincing reasons to have urged them to pals so ilightly over
the Chriflian faith ? Must not they have been perfaaded, that
the public welfare would be be, promoted oy this furprizin^
in novation ? Why elle would they have aded in this man
ner ? And if the public welfare will be left prom,ted by this
extraordinary political refinement, can it be prejudicial to
our fouls ? That is impossible : For the eftabliihment that best
promote; the public welfare, mud bp,, in every refpefk"
of officers, and consequently this new religious founda
tion for our new commonwealth, are, yet, fappofing one
thing, thou mull acknowledge the ingenuity and courage of
our statesmen deserve admiration, if not esteem.
Peter. How so?
[Num. 271.