Litchfield enquirer., 1834-01-02
'--.lI5 Erom .he Nr,p.l .lEGuen Pailadirm.

Frazces B0ylies-[Tn debate in the Mas Sachusetts legislature on an amendment to the COnstiiutiDn, proposing to reduce the number of the members of the House of Representa- tives, Mir. Hobart of Leicester undertook to ridicule the population of Boston, calling them set of printers. hook binders. barbers, cob lers, taiIors. tinkers, moving here and there without any permanent places Of abode. "- Mir. Baylies, of Taunton replied iD.the fol. lowing happy manner.]
 have had some experience in Legislation. having held seat in different legislative bod ies for ten years. have listened to many Legislative debates, and have listened to ma ny extraordinary speeches, but l must con- fess the most extraordinary, was the one which was made by the gentleman from Lei cester yesterday. Is that gentleman aware of the character ofhis prOpOsiiioR? In adjust ing the terms of aa amendment tO the consti- tuition. he advocates the establishment of a principle which would tolerate real bona tide aristocracy. He has gsavely urged upon this assembly the propriety of giving to one class of our citizens greater privileges than are al- lowed to the other classes. If this proposi- ton prevails, one class must be favored at the expense of the others, and those thus favored become yirtually an aristocracy, for it is not the titles which constitute an aristOcracy, but privileges. He would deny an equality of rights and privileges to the printers. book binders. clock makers, blacksmiths, coolers, tailors, barbers and tinkers, or. in other words the mechanics of our state. on whom he has layished his sneers, and whom he endeavOrs to cover with contempt. He speaks of them as birds of parsage," " <. moving planets" as devoid both of patriotism and of local attach ments, as men without home who hang on anNs ssnNR Nfspnn rnas mnA ho hna aS0N NoA them in hnmiliating contrast with the culiiva- tors of the soil, to. which class he c0mplacent- ly tells us he belongs.
 Sir, there are none who cherish a more sim cere respect for the yeomanry--the farmers of Massachusetts than myself know their worth-l know their vir!ues--I' would give them their full share of civil and political priv ileges, but would give them liO more; and if understand their feelings they would ask no more. an1e certain that they would never contend for more than an equality of privileges, and I believe them to be the last who would undertake to wrest from their neghbor one title of their right.
 The gentleman from Leicester has called up his revolutionary "reminiscences. and has told us of his personal know ledge of the patriots and heroes who composed the glorious band of evolutionary chiefs, the men who were en- gagged in the most noble enterprise of modern times. But sir. can tell that gentleman that ty of Worcester that he can look for those daring spirits who gave the first impulse which resulted in that mighty event. In two little roOms.in this city were assembled, the men who devised the project of emancipating. a nation-the pioneers Of the American revoiu- tiOn were the mech0nics of Boston. In their meetings they deliberated on the highest ob- ject Of human cOncernment---a nations rights; and having ascertained the strength Of1he foundation. they had no dread of the issue, and courted the conflict. can trans- port the gentleman to another place-the Cdrpenter's Hall in the city of Philadelphia. In that place, on day memorable in our an. nals, the 4th day of July. 1776. deed was done which has no parallel. On that day, in that place, was assembled the most august po- litical body that ever deliberated on a nations destiny. Five men had been selected as the eliseo that assembly; the greatest amongst the great--tO prepare the manifesto of a ma. tion's wrongs. Amongst them was a rnan by the name of Benjamin Franklin (the gentle. man from Leieester in his multifarious read ing may have read of him J man mighty a. nongst the sons of men, who by common con- sent stood at the head of the philosophers of America and Europe, whose deep investiga- tions into the secrets of nature had given him the knowledge of her subilest, most mysteri. ous, most tremendous, most destructive a. gent, which he disarmed of its power. Yes, sir, he played with the forked lightning as with tanned snake, and yet the elements of that marvellous wisdom which enlightened and astonished the. world were gathered in a Printers office. and this great man was a Primer.
 There was another, not the inferior of Franklin in sagacity, his superior in sound practical owledge of politics. A man whose opinion were the essence of strong common sense, the results 0fthe united actiOn of clear head and an honest heart. The name ofthis man was Roger Sherman. {ihe gentleman from Leicester has heard of him.l This Ro. ger Sherman wrought at the trade of shOsma- ksr many years after he had reached the age of maturity.
 There was yet another, not a mechanic himself, but the son Of mechanic {: I will nov take the gentleman from 1hA. E00iaa whera the statesmen of America assembled, to that in which the philosophers Of America assem. bled. In the chair Of the last he once would have seen Darid Rittenhosss. seotch maler, one of the ggeatest astronomers and mathe- N maticians of the age,
 Twin take the gentlemana little further, ev- ! Nn into the state of South Carolina and as he lived in revolutionary times, he might once 4h5 zl...N. .f.- -R aA-