The Pennsylvania evening post — Philadelphia, Pa., 1776-03-14 00:00:00, page 2

their own hands ; ^ does any other colony, whose Assem
blies can exercise their authority, ever think of committing
the conduct of affairs to Conventions?
But suppose our Assembly really chargeable with any cul
pable negleft of duty, with what face could those of our pre
sent Committee, who are so loud in their clamours against
them, pretend to step into their feats ? Were they chosen for
that purpose ? No. They were considered as chosen for the
purposes already mentioned; and although they consist of a
hundred members, they had not two hundred votes. Few
people gave themselves any concern about the election, being
well fatisfied, that any number of refpeftable citizens who
would take the trouble of a Committee of Inffeefiion, should
be thankfully indulged with the office. But would this have
been the case, had it been imagined that any among them
would ever aspire at the powers veiled in an Assembly,
fairly and constitutionally elected, to represent two or three
hundred thousand people ? For, whatever may be pretended
about the necessity of a Convention, it is certain, that if
such a body were to meet, and could succeed in assuming the
powers of government, they muff all at length be vested, for
the fake of execution, in the hands of a fe^w men, who con
fider themselves as leaders in the city of Philadelphia ; and
the province in general have but little to fay in the matter.
These are very serious and alarming considerations to
many ; and therefore, after difeuffing a certain point of
equal importance in my second letter, I will proceed in the
succeeding ones, to inquire into the justice of such complaints
as have been made against the Assembly. In some instances,
probably, these complaints may appear to be well founded.
Where they are so, I Ihall be ready to confefs it ; and as per
feftion is not to be expected in the firft hasty eflays of any
public bodies, providing for new and unprecedented cases, I
doubt not they will readily make such amendments, as may
appear necessary to themselves, or be suggested by reasonable
men. In some instances, I shall ffiew that they deserve pub
lic thanks, for refufing to comply with some requisitions for
merly made; and that others are now made, which they can
not aflent to, without a manifeft violation of our conftitu-
tion; such as blending the military and civil power, and
giving Field Officers, who may hold their places for life, the
power of determining appeals, and difeharging assessments,
which is now fafely lodged in the constitutional way, with
Commissioners chosen by the people.
C A T O.
Iy\°ES the Honorable Assembly of Pennsylvania in their
JL, opposition to Great-Britain aft with or without the Go
vernor ? It in the last way—are they any thing else but a
Provincial Congress ?
2. Does any one paragraph in the letter from the Commit
tee of InfpeCtion, in Philadelphia, to the County Committees,
ffiow that they had the leaf design to take the legillation of
the province into their hands ?
3. Can an insult to the Representatives of three counties,
the inhabitants of which amount only to twelve thousand
people, be called an insult upon the Majesty of the Peo
ple of the province of Pennsylvania, when the province is
said to contain four hundred thousand fouls ?
QUERIES addressed to the writer who signs himfelf CATO.
, 4. Have not the citizens of any community a right to as
semble themselves at any time they please to consult together
<nut the best means of promoting their happinefsl
For the PENNSYLVANIA EVENING POST.
132
5. May not conftitutiona!power (as it is called) sometimes
become dangerous to a Rate ?—Are not the liberties of Britain
now finking beneath the weight of its constitution ?—or can
any thing be constitutional in a free country, which is contrary
to the principles of equal laws and equal liberty ?
6. Was not the Committee of Infpeftion chosen for the ex
press purpose of opposing the tyranny of Great-Britain in
every way ? Was not their power recognized by the Congress ?
Were they not authorized by the last Convention to call ano
ther when the Rate of the province made it necessary ?
7. Have the Assembly of the province made any provision
for the poor of our city in case they should be driven from
their habitations ? Was not a Convention necessary for that
purpose alone ?
8. Did not the fame men who opposed the Convention, op
pose the meeting of Congress in 1774 —the non-importation
and non-exportation agreements —the arming of the province
—and the expedition to Canada?
9. Do not mechanicks and farmers constitute ninety-nine
out of a hundred of the people of America? If these, by their
occupations, are to be excluded from having any Share in the
choice of their rulers, or forms of government, would it not
be belt to acknowledge at once the jurifdiCtion of the Britilh
Parliament, which is composed entirely of Gentlemen?
10. Is not one half of the property in the city of Philadel
phia owned by mien who wear leathern aprons ?
11. Does not the other half belong to men whose fathers
or grandfathers wore leathern aprons?
12. Have not the Assembly, in voting feyenteen new Mem
bers to represent the unrepresented parts of the province, ac
knowledged the justice of the Committee's complaints, and
given a permanent fandion to their vote for calling a Con
vention ?
Just printed, published, and now felling by ROBERT
BE L L, printer, in Third-street, price Three Shillings,
with large allowance to those who buy per the dozen, or
hundred,
PLAIN TRUTH, addressed to the Inhabitants
of America, containing remarks on a late pamphlet
entitled COMMON SENSE; wherein are ihewn,
that the scheme of Independance is ruinous, delusive, and
impracticable ; that were the author's asseverations, refpeCt
iag the power of America, as real as nugatory, reconcili
ation on liberal principles with Great-Britain, would be
exalted policy ; and that, circumstanced as we are, perma
nent liberty, and true happiness, can only be obtained by
reconciliation with that kingdom.
Written by C ANDID U S.
Will ye turn from flattery, and attend to this fide ?
There truth unlicenc'd walks ; and dares accost
Even Kings themselves, the monarchs of the free.
Thomson on the liberties of Britain.
N. B. To this pamphlet is subjoined a defence of the
liberty of the PRESS, by the fegacious and patriotic JU
NIUS, author of the celebrated FREE LETTERS to his
present Majesty, and his ministers.
WAS taken up, on the second or third inst. by Wil
liam Shaw, on the river off Red-Bank, a small
YAWL. Whoever has loft the fame, by proving their property,
and paying charges, may have it again by applying to
JAMES WHARTON, on Chefnnt-ftreet wharf.
BROWN LINEN, DRESSED FLAX and TOW, to be
SOLD at the Linen Manufactory in Union-street, to
tween Third and Fourth fy^ts.