The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1810-08-03
For THE EAQUIRER.
SHORT TREATISE
ON POLITICAL LYING.
Respectfully dedicated to the Federal
printers in the U. States.

Respectfully dedicated to the Federal
printers in the U. States.
GENTLEMEN-rhat there is an ART
in DONG every thing, the whole range of sci :
ence proves To us There, is no KALoN,
as the Greeks call it, a suMMUM soNuM,
as the Litins have it. ia every possible thing,
from the art OF government down to the art
of frying Pancake. Politicians have given
us long treatises on the hrstA-and Cook !
and seuiiions would give us long Recipes Oh
| the las "a y.
There is, undoubtedly. a Fest way of
doing every ;hing The Mechanrcian proves
It, IN the use OF his TOOLS the Mathema-
ticiaD in the discovery OF mis- logaryth ms al d
lhexious--and Mrs Glass in The Compost. .
ton of her pudongs and her pyes. But
whilst such 'gnobe arts as these are found
ed upon recipes and rules, shall the art of
political lying be neglected 1t is TO you,
gentlemen, that address this question.
IL IS not, that the practice OF lyirg is in,
cable of being reduced toproper rules
There are certainly proper times and ways
of doing these things. There are certain
persons, who have acquired the knack of
telling I've TO the best advantage-rhe ira.
weller is generally student of the science
and there is no doubt, that the gentlemen of
the long robe are the best prufcients on
earth.
Is there pouse in this art of Political Ly-
ing! Your own practice, gentlemen, would
seem to shew that there was You NAV
ell us. perhaps with the ingenious Swift,
who has given us sketch on this very sub.
lject which | shall frequently have occa sion
to refer to. that Political Living is but the
art of convincing the people of sALUTARY
falsehoods, for some good end May YOU
not hold with the Jesuits, Gentlemen, that
the end justifies these meanse that there is
| no other chance of redee ming the public
| from the depths of republican degeneracy,
but by lying that there is other hope of
beneftting the country by all the resources
| of Mr.. Pickering's genius, than by de can.
ting upon his talents, his integrity, his pa
triotism s-Yes, gentlemen, and Won may go
on to demand by what right are the people
of this country entitled to TRUTK Il is CON
siStent IN you, who MAINTAIN that the people
| are their own worst enemies, incapable OF
governing themselves, to maintain the prin
! Ciple # Swift, - that the people have a right
| to PRIVATE truth from tneif neighbors, and
ECONOMICAL truth from their own family ;
but that they have no right at Ill - PoLITI
CAL truth (; that they may as well all pretend
10 be lords OF If:anOts and possess great Is
( tates, as to have the truth cold them in mat
ters of government"
| But, sirs, there IS such thing as BUNC
LING in a trade ie who does not use m.
tools properly. is a bungier. And sorry am
j to see, that In spite OF all the practice III
have had you are such horr,d bunglers in
the science you profess. As have exam
med all the errors you have Committed; as
have deduced set of rules from these
errors, Cannot SD well express my own
gratitude on the occasion. as by laying those
rules before the persons, whose Conduct has
supplied me with them. Al your fee,, then,
gentlemen. permit me to lay the following
short treatise. with the proper illustrations
Yours,