EMORY UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY
THE
PHILANTHROPIST};
O
A GOOD TWENTY-FIVE CENTS WORtD
o j>
POLITICAL LOVE POWDEKj
FOR
Honest ADAMITES and JEFFERSONIANSi
With the following recommendation br
GEORGE WASHINGTON.
Ret. Sir,
Mount Vernon, 2911 Aug. 1799."
1 have been duly favored with your letter of the 20th instan%
accompanying the " Philanthropist
For your politeness in sending the latter I pray you to receive
my best thanks. Much indeed is it to be wished that the Senti*
ments contained in your pamphlet, and the doctrine it endeavors
to inculcate, were more prevalent—Hap ft would it be for ThiS
CqunTrt at least, if they were so.
With respect I am, Rev. Sir,
Your most obedient
Humble Servant,
GEO. WASHINGTON)
The Rev. Mr* WE EMS.
God profper long thefe fitter States,-
In union, health and peace,
And grant henceforth that quarrels vile,
'Twixt A's and D's may ceafe.
Nor Gaul nor Brit, need dear Columbia rufc,"
If but Columbia to ijerself be true I
■ i : -;ls-■: ~
Br the Rev. M. L. WEEMS (of Lodge No-. SO)
DUMFRIESi
To his Excellency George Wafhing-
ton, Efquire, Lieutenant General of
the Armies of the United States.
2\loJl Honor9d General\
i^lCARCELY was I delivered of this
yaurg republican Fhilanthropift, .before I began,
according to good Chriftian ufage, to lock about for
a fuitable gcd.farher for it. My thoughts, prefump*
luoufly enough, I confefs, inflantly fixed on you--
for two reafons. Firfl, I was defirous
yor, (as being npxt to GodjJ^Qp
of siy dear coun^"'T'>
'' VIRGINIA.
0*
THE PHILANTHROPIST
OR,
a good twelve cents worth
OF
POLITICAL LOVE POWDER,
i or the fair daughters
got here now ? Jilt weft tyuai . iiu latu uvjvtui ... I» iiCLL
my Overfeer equal to me 1 Here's a pretty love powder
for us truly, An arrant dofe of Jacobinifin I'll warrant
it, fufficient to poifon the nation."
This is julfc what I apprehended ; for fome gentlemen,
the moment they hear mention of equality, fancy they
fee a hoft of hungry fans-culottes in full march for defl¬
ation, equalling all property, levelling all diflin&ions,
knocking down kings, clapping up beggars and waving
the tri-coloured flag of anarchy, confufion and wretched-
nefs, over the ruins of happinefs and order.
AND
patriotic sons of
VIRGINIA.
all men are equal,
A.
C 4 )
from fuch equality, good Lord, deliver us ! But the
equality now in queftion is as different from that, as is a
fpirit of heaven from a goblin damn'd.
' l is an equality of mutual dependence, of civil oMigatU
en, of /octal affedion, of dut ful obedience to the laws, and
of harmonious co-exertion to make ourfelves and our
country happy.
"When I fay that all men are equal, I allude not to the
endowments of mind or body. For, whether we confider
the fize, flrength and a&iviiy cf the former, or, the wit,
memory and other faculties of the latter, there is certain^
ly afur^riting inequality among men.
As to fize, fome are dwarfs*, mere pigmies, hardly a
match for cranes, while others the gk-ntf fons of earth,
lift their mighty forms, terrible to look on.
As to frengtb, fome are fo verv 'eeble, that the weight
of* gralshopper is burthenfome, while others, like oamp*"
fon among the Hebrews, or Peter Francifcoi among our-
fe'ves^poffefs a degree of bodily force that is truly alton-
i filing.
No 1 ES.
# Of dwarfs there hire been numbers ; bat Baby, the litde
Frenchman, born in I74*> is the mod remarkable At his birtu
he Weighed but a peund and a quarter, ard was for fome time rock¬
ed in a large fl pper by way ®t cradle When full grown he was
juff 29 inches tall, healthy, handfome and well proportioned. At
32 he died of old age.
f A» to giant®, both Ireland and Patagonia hare produced a
great many, 7, 8, and 9feet high : bu> Goliah of G»th ott-giarued
all thefe by far ; for be^eafured up wa> d» of 11 feet ftraigbt rabbet.
f This extraordinary man, a native V*rg'nian. has been k.iown
to lift a aannoo of 1500 we;ght, and to throw a ft u' bully over
the pales of a garden with great eafe. H« was at the famous bat¬
tle of the Eotaw fpriogs, where the gallant Williams, who led the
hoft of Columbia, being knocked down, the Bririth grenadiers en¬
deavored to diSpatch hitn On hegiOund. The Americana defends
ed him with great bravery, and dreadful was the clafhing of the
hayoae'S over our proftrate hco He was foon covered with the
dead bodies of the combatants falling on him ; Peter, twing an
officer, had no bettc weapon than a heavy* cuttafs, with which
however, he got a blow a piece at four grenadiers, Every blow
wh ready money to old Charon.
( 5 )
As to aftivity, fome men* fwift footed as the roe-bucks
can bound acrofs the fields with the motion of the winds*
fcarcely injuring the tender grafs in their rapid courfe %
vhil; others fnatl ilow in progref3, can fcarcely drag theif
torpid limbs along.
s to health, fome, bled with conditutions of deel,
hardly know what ficknefs means, as was the cafe of a
Mrs. Slackeney an Enghfh lady, who on hei death bed
declared, that during a life of 80 years, die had never
felt even a pain of the head, while others enervated by
floth and ftrong tea, can feldom get through a whole day
without making d;eadful com} .aints.
h nd as to long life, millions return to the dud almod
as foon as they are awakened out of it; while others, like
fuperanuated drulbrugs, live till they are quite tr ed of
living : witnefs Thomas Parr, an old r ngliih ploughman,
who lived to fee ten kings and queens rife and fall from
the throne of England 1 buch bubbles are kings com"
pared to cheerful labourers, tie died, aged 153 years.
Old Henry Jertkings, (of Eolton England,J went a good
way beyond Parr, for he lived 169 years. Both of thefe
veterans werp honed, temperate, hard working poor men.
As to beauty, fome have fo much of heaven in their
looks, that a fingie glance is enough to ele&rify with
delight every nery?- *h our frames, and to throw our
leaping hearts into thefweeted palpitation ; while others
are fo fligfitly touched with this divine magnetifm, that
they attract none pf our iron race, but are ?t.t full liberty
to point' towards hpaven and make angels their admirers.
Jh/en erodes from our Maker's hand
Are bleflings in difguife."
Fqually great is the difference between different per-
fons, in the powers and qualit es of their minds.
As t<.> courage, fome, like the \var-horfe, rejoice at the
found of the trumpet and plunge with eagernefs into the
thicked battle, declaring with the mad-cap king of
NOTE*
* For example— Co!. £>aniet Boon, the frttler of Kentucky, who
jn his Sight Oram the Indians*ran upwards of {59 miles in $6 hours.*
C 6 )
fiten, that ro mufic equals the whittling of bullets ; while
•thers like delicate courHadies fall into a trempr at the
light of an unloaded gun.
As to under/landing, fome are fo very dull that it is a
hard matter to teach them a fum in the rule of three ;
while others quickly drink dry the fhallow fountains of"
human knowledge, and then boldly ttrike out into the
main ocean of the Almighty's wprks. Witnefs our great
Ilittenhoufe, of whom it was well faid by the Vice~Pre-
fident cf the United States, that, " though he never
made a world, yet he came nearer to it than any other
man ever did.'
And witnefs too our fage Franklin, who, though bra.'t
up a poor Printer's boy, foon learnt the art to chain the
thunderbolts pf heaven, and to bid fierce lightnings play
iiarmlefsly abopt our biiildifigs. *4 E cqelo fuTmina eripuit,
fceptraque tyrannis.''
As tp eloquence, fome, like opr famous Patrick Henry,
can lead the paffions of men about, with as much eafe a?
a pountrymaji calls his pigs after him ; while another
hardly has utterance fufEcient to declare his pafhon to a
pretty milkmaid.
As to humanity, pne is fo tender hearted, that like the
amiable Dr. Goldfmith, he can fay to a little captive fly,
go poor thing, there is furely room enough in this
great tyorld for you and, me while anpther can pickle
the raw hide of a poor flave for breaking a tea cup.
A? to \enqvslence, this, like the man of Rpfs, will fell
his elegant pi&ures and plate, tps sfllft his diftreffed ten¬
ant j while that, will diftrefs his tenant, felling even the
bed from under; his fick wife and children, raife money
for gawdy pi&ures and plate.
Thus there appears a moft furprifing inequality between
jnen, both in mind and body ; an inequality almoft as
great as that between angels and men, or between men
and children. ' This inequality is fo very finking, that
fome, when told that all men are equ^l, burfl out into a
hearty laugh, treating it as a filly French conceit. Such
gentlemen will perhaps keep up the langh when they hear
( 7 )
that! this inequality among men, as individuals, is the
vejry caufe of their equa'ity as a fecial body. That great
phii©fopher, Paul of Tarfus, has explained this feeming
paradox in a moft beautiful and mafterly manner. He
compares the various members in the body of fociety to
the members in the human body. " We have all, fays
he, many members in one body, fome of thefe occupy a
high place, as the head ; fome a low, as the feet; lome
appear to enjoy great honor ; the eye w hich fees beauti¬
ful objedts,. the ear which hears fweet founds : while
others, the poor feet, are obliged to plod on the ground
liable to be bruifed hy ftones or defiled by mud." But
notwithftanding this apparently great inequality among
the members, they have no juft caufe of pride or difcon-
tenr. 1 he foot has no reafon to envy the eye, nor the
eye to inful f the foot. 1 hey are all equally dependent
on one another, equally necefiary to the perfe&ion of the
body, and to each others welfare. For, what could the
eyes do without the feet ? Or how could the feet do
without the eyes ? Wi:h the like admirable wifdonv
God has placed together the members which compofe the
great body of fociety, Some are rich, fome poor, fome
wife, fome ignorant, fome ftrong, fome feeble. 1 hefe,
though feemingly very unequal, are yet perfectly equal j
in their mutual dependence; in their abfoluter nee t of one
another. The wife are like eyes, to fee, for the ignor¬
ant ; the poor, like the feet, to plod ; fome, like the head,
to contrive ; ©thers, like the arm*, to execute. Some
were made to direel; others to obey ; thefe to labour with
their head, and thofe with their hands. None of thefe
can do without the reft. As in the body, the head can¬
not fay to the foot, I have no need of you" \ fo in fo¬
ciety, the richeft man, nay, thegreateft king cannot fay
to the pooreft tradefman, '• I have no need of you" ; for
the laced coat that glitters on his back, the fword which
graces his fide, the chariot in w hich he rolls, the palace
wherein he lives, the books that amufe b:s mind, the
xnufic that enchants his ear, all thefe, and the ten thoufaad
©ther conveniences and elegancies of his life are the joint
c n
fcrpdu&ion of as many different artificers. Were it net
forthefe ingenious poor men, what would become of the
greatefl monarch on earth ? Why, he would foon find
himfclf a moft neceifit(..us and wretched being. To be
morefenfibly convinced of this, let us fuppofe the proud-
eft Nebuchadnezzar that ever feoffed contempt on his
poorfubjedh, to be placed in a fituation where he could
derive no affiftarica from them, and mark the figure his
haughty kingfhip makes. " With a fiint tomahawk he
hacks down a dozen or two of fappiing? ; thefe he fets
tip on end, ties at the top, and covers with bark and mud,
leaving a holejufi: big enough for himfclf and his dog to
creep in and put at. This is his wigwam, his caftle, his
palace. In the midfl of this he kindles up a fire, around
which he yawns and dozes away his gloomy winters.
With no cioaths but (kins torn from the qui veiling limbs
of W#lves and Bears, no food but acorns and the car ca¬
fes of fuch animals as he has mafttred by his club and
I ©w ; no mufic but biffing ferpepts, fcrcaming wild cats,
or the florin howling through the foreft.'1
Thus deftitute is tha condition, thus imperf<e<fl the
happinefs of the man who has pone ro help him. His
abilities, though the greateff ever beffowed c-n man, are
infinitely infufheient to procure thofe innumerable feli¬
cities of which his kind Creator has rendered him capa¬
ble, His body embraces a number of fenfes, fuch as fee¬
ing, hearing, tailing, &c. which arc fo many pleafant
inlets to a Yafl variety of gratifications ; add to this, his
mind, with its capacities, for all the far fublimer plea-
furcs of knowledge, virtue, beauty, painting, poetry, har¬
mony, he. fo numerous, that nature herfelf with all her
exhauft.'efs treafuies can hardly fupply them.
But how utterly impoffible it is for an individual to
acquire all thefe things for himfelf, muff inftantly occur
to any one who confiders what a world of induffrv, time
and ingenuity it takes to invcait and' carry to perfedlion
h Tingle art or fcience : then how pacing ahfurd t® think
that any one man though armed with the flrength of
fiainpfon and the wifdom of Solomon, can manage the
(o
thoufand arts and fciences which exalt the citizen above
the favage, which fweeten and embellifh life, and which
from the mod helpiefs of the animal creation render
man the lord of the world ! No : this is the work, not
of one, but of myriads; a work to be eflfe&ed by men not
as folitary, fcattered individuals, but as the members &£
a compa£fc all powerful fociety.
let us now view them in their afifociated date. Con¬
vinced of their extreme feeblenefs while ''atone, they come
together for mutual fafetyimd behefit. The various tal¬
ents, which God has didributed among them individu¬
ally, are now brought into the conimcm (lock and ex¬
erted for the genet al good. Some contribute gi^eat
bodily ftrength, others increafe that ftrength by the aid
of art and ingenious inventions : this old counfel the
young, the wife teach the ignorant, the bold encourage
the timid ; and as fifty thoufand men, taken individually,
have but little ftrength or terror, but confolidated into
an army, furnifhed with proper weapons, aided'by dif-
cipline, and led on by brave commanders, they become
unfpeakatiy formidable. So, when the talents and
ftrength of thoufands (though infignificant in the \ndU
victual} are collected into one great fecial body, aided by
arts and a&ing in harmonious concert, they acquire a
force that Is truly aftomftiing and can with eafe acccra-
plifti things beyond the reach of imagination. See theai
now, like a noble band of brothers, bending to the glo¬
rious toil, l! he dcepeft mines cannot conceal their pre-
csous, metals. Furnaces and forges begin tq blaze and
thunder. Iron and fteel are fafhioned iiito tools. Quar¬
ries of ftone and marbles are dug up and polilhed for
buildings. Ihe ftrongeft animals are fubdued and put
into their fervice; the bounding horfe, the fturdy ox,
and even the mighty elephant lends them all his powers-
Nothing can refift their force. Old ocean roars and foams
in vain. I all ftiips rife up«n the flocks, fuck the yield¬
ing flood and plough the main in queft of foreign luxu¬
ries. 'I he aged forcft falls befieath their founding axes.
Elegant houfes are ere&ed; the fields are ploughed, mea-
( «0
dows drained, and orchards planted. Adorned with fonts
and with flowers, the earth ftniles like the garden of God.
Their barns are filled with plenty, and their prefles burlf
©lit with new wine, rtoyal dainties, even cakes of wheat-
flour with marrow and fatnefs, ate piled upon their tables;
while their wardrobes are filled with fine linens and pur¬
ple, and with filks dyed in the rich colours; of the fliow-
ing arch.
1 hus abundantly fupplied with all the necejfaries and
conveniences of life, they now get leifure to cultivate the
fine arts, and to tads of thofe far fublimsr plea fur es of
which God has rendered them capable. Painting and
printing are invented, by the help of which we can take
a view of all the great men and mighty nations of ancient
or modern days. 1 heir origin, governments, wars, vices
and virtues, with all their inrereftiflg confequences, are
fet before us, to our infinite entertainment aad infi:ru£tion.
Mulic is ftudied, that magic art, whofe wondrous notes
can waken every paflion of our fouls, and charm our fenfes
into rapture. Poetry too is cultivated, that aflonifliing
power which tranfports us out of curlelves, and lifts our
thoughts to heaven.
Who, without the fwcetefl emotions of gratitude, can
eaft an eye over this immenfe feaft, this royal banquet of
delights which the great king has fpread for us his fub-
]e&s ? Or who can meditate, though but for a moment,
en this pleafing wondrous theme, without feeling that
great truth; the natural equality of men ? Does not every
man, Tich or poor, equally covet thefe felicities of life;
and is he not, of himfelf, cquady unable to procure them ?
Are we not equal in our wants, and equal in our inability
to fupply them without the help of others, and therefore
equally dependant on one another ? Without our brethren
we can do nothing, no, not even make a hoe or a hatch*
ed ; but united with them, fupporb-d by their ingenuity
and ftrength, we can look on this world with all its rich
furniture as ourown, and gratefully exclaim with the Poet.
44 For us kind nature wakes her genial power,
SuckTes each plant, and bloffoms every flower.
'(»}
A '*
Annual for us, the grape, the rofe renew*
The juice ne£tari->us arid the balmy dew.
For us the mine a thoufand treafures brings,
For us health gufhes from a thoufand lprings*
Seas roll to waft us, funs to light us rifet
Our foot ft;ol earth, our canopy the Ikies."
What virtuous mind can think of thfele tilings'without
catching impreffions the moft defireahie; without feeling
fentiroents the rhoft tender and beneVolent towards his
iellow men ? We have feen that, it iJt net good for man to
be alone ; that alone, he is a feeblfe helplfefs wretch, liv¬
ing in a world fibred with tbn thoufand bleflings, but
which, Tantalus like, lie has not poWef to tafte; that
alone* he'is but as a poor fliip-wrecked failor caft oii a
defolate iilaiid, where he is hard pht to it fot berries and
roots, to keep hini from ftarving. But that in our ajfo-
ciated fate* we are likfe a great family of brothers whom,
God has placed together as mutual ai'd£, add has endued
'with fuitable talents, giving this to onfej that to another,
jfo that we can now moft eafily command all the conve*
hiences. and elegancies of a happy life O how clofely
ought th'efc fcohfiderations to unite us to our fpecjes, how
powerfully do they bind it up- ii us to love one another ?
Is it not as much a law of nature that we (hould love one
another, as it is that the members of the body fhoul$
love one another ? As that the eyes fhould Jove the
feet for carrying them to gaze on the dear obje&s of
their affections ? t *r, that the feet Ihould love the ey^s
for dire&ing them to flowery walks to ramble in I
rl his endearing light in which nature hferfelf teachers to
view one another, is enough one would think to banifh
all hateful 'fraflions from our bofoms,and efpecially, pale,
heartfickening envy. Envy! Mertifui God ! Whom {hall
we envy ? Our own flefh and blood kindly multiplied
into a thoufand bfothers, and placed around us en pur*
pofe to adminifter to our happinefs, 1 And for what {frail
we envy them ? For thofe v^ry talents and poffeflions
which God has confered on thetn for our own good) and
t is )
which will be the More for our good, in exa& propoi'.*
tion as they poflefs them in a more eminent degiee.-^
This werea fin hot only againt nature, but utterly un¬
known to nature. Do the memheri of the body ever
repine at each others perf^i^ns ? Does the foot repine
becaufe the eye is quick fighted to r'■ e.a thoufand charnu
ing objects j becaufe the tar with "admirable nhety can
xlilfinguhh enchanting founds j or becaufe the arms are
ftrong and able to ^et an abundance of good things ?
Kc : they rejoice in ea~h other's j>. rfrd'i.ns^ as in the ii-
iftrtiments of their own glory and hapcinefs* in like
manner, ought not every member Of the great body f
fociety to rejoice hi the perfections of his brother mem*
ber ? Am I apoor man, ought I nc t to rejoice that God
has beftowed great tfcheS on my neighbor, who can un*
dertake works of great public ufefulnefs and give em*
ployment and bread to thoufands of poor then and their
families ? Am I weak and ignorant, ought I riot to thank
God for giving my neighbor wifdom to invent and to
inftruCt me in thofe arts which make my life fo much
tnbre eafy and comfortable ? Am I timid and fearful,
eafily frightened out of my rights—ought I not to be
thankful that my neighbour has tourage to rife up in my
behalf and to defend me againO; him who would be too
ftrong for mc? Am I rich, never fo rich—t have equal
caufe of gratitude that I am not left to ftarve drnid/l my
piles of guineas and half-joes, but that God has kindly
placed arOund me thoufands of poor brothers, all ready,
Vhis with his Jirength, that, with his ingenuity; one with
/^/Vlrhatming art, another with thai; to add to me all
the comforts and pleafures of life ? And indeed if I be
wife, I fha.ll thank God more cordially for diftrib'iting
thefe talents among tny brethren, than if they were all
eoncehtered in myfelf. For, had 1 the talents to be-
some as great a Statefman a£ Adams,, as profound a Phi-
fofopher as Franklin, as ingenious a Fhyfician as Rufh $
yet all thefe eminent talents would be of httle ufe to me
»r to others, becaufe I fhould not have time to improve
ihem. J3ut diftributed as now they are mod wifely *
( «.)
* h
among the mafs of the citizens, one talent to this, and.
another to that, they are ail cultivated to the high eft per¬
fection, and confequently prove eminently ufeful both 1°
the poficfTor and to the public.
This endearmg view ot human kind, this looking oi\
our neighbor as ourfelf, kindly multiplied into many,
members, into many de*r brothers i mutual good, mult
Ihew us as with the brightnefs of a inn-beam what a hor¬
rid thing it is for one man to hurt -. mo.her. What a:
molt horrible abufe of God's goodnefs, ma.lt monftrous
perverfion of •lis" bleifed del-go to jonfe to. the heavief|-
curfes, thofe very talents which, he gave u& for richeli
. blehiags to one another,
rl hat poivir which God gave you to prpted the. inno¬
cent and to frown the diforderly into.good behaviour^
will you abufe it to overawe the pj)or, and tg frighten,
them ut of thjr rights r
'ihatjuperior gemus which he gave you to inflruft your,
brethren in a.ts rnd happinels, can you abufe it to over¬
reach and clefnud them ? b hat maniy (irength which
God gave ycu for tne'>" affiftanee, can you cruelly tqrr^
it agaiult them ?
That precious gift of fpsech which was given ycy to.
hold fvveet conveiie with your brethren, can you moft
wickedly abufe it to biajl their charadfers, aim to make ~
their very appearance vile and oaious. ?
lhat %peaith which was gi\en that yon might be a
guardian angel fu the poor, will you like a Demon abufe-
it to their corruption and > ui'n /
r* hat noble courage which was lent xou to fiy to the
defence of yout* countrymen unjuitly invaded, can you
molt horribly abufe it to their deliru&ion, in -worfe than
brutiih battles, and worfe than devililh'duels ! !
What if you were to fee the teeth tearing the flefh front
the bleeding arms, or the arms llabbing and mangling
the quivering 6od-y, would not the vt.ry fight freeze the
blood in ypur veins,and fill your fouls with horror; how
then mull it affect, how torture the foul of humanity to
fee u§ men, whom God placed here to live in love, thus
( H)
dreadfully abufmg our powers to curie each others e;<r
iftence, and to crulh one another into an untimely grave J
Jkior deluded mortals [ We may call lOurfelves men of
honor, but furely it will be mot tolerable in the day of
Judgment for bloody lavages, than for fuch men of
honor!' ?
This grat do&rine ^ the natural equality of men,'1
founded in our equal wants and equil inability to fupply
them wirhout brothe ,ly union and co-operation, fuggefls*
-the great duty of exerting ourfelves for the common be¬
nefit. f *e who nee-ledls this deferves not to be called a
good man, for he withholds front the community the blef-
fm;;s which he might confer, and by meanly withdraw¬
ing his lhoul ers from the common burden, he cruelly
throws too great a part of it upon others. Such a man^
inftead of rifmg as is foolifltly imagined, by fuch a life
6f idlenefs and.diflipation. degrades himfelf into the con¬
dition o an ungrate u! beggar, who lives upon the la¬
bours of others without making any return.
And befides, what can link a man more even in his own
eyes, than that he has done nothing to ferve his neigh¬
bors, to bent fit his 'poor relations to educate and eftab-
lilli his own children, o^- to advance the intereiT and glory
of his country.; in fine, that he'has buried his talents-,
dvfea ed jthc kind intentions ol heaven in bellowing them,
and that if he were'cut olfby death, his place would net
be miffed, nay, the wcrld would be happily delivered
from an ufelefs burden."
n the otrief hand what nobler fatisfadlion can any
perf n enjoy than in the reflection, that, no day paffes
over 1 is head but fees him diligently employed in pro¬
moting his own and the happinefs of mankind : that he
not only fupplies others with rrlany of the good things
of this life, but endeavors by his good example to raife
their joyful views to a far brighter world. An exalting
confideration this, and one equally open to the -poor and
to rich, for as in the natural body, the fmallefl: joint,
the fmalieft nerve and fibre, contributes to the Jlrength,
digance and vjefulncfs cf the whole; fo in the fecial body,
( >5 }
th* general peace ard happinefs depend on the g^od be¬
haviour of the lower clafibs, efpecially as thefe ar c by
far*the moft numerous. Hence, it is not to be dptn ted,
that the meaneft labourer, the pooreft 11 tve, wild cheer¬
fully exerts hindelf in the duties of his place, has a. right
to {hare wi h he moft exalted o1- the foils of meb, that
glorious title-—the friend of mankind and the ferlvantof
God. . j
1 his great doctrine, <{ the natural equality of men,"
fweeps away gll ground of pride from the rich, and of
dejedbion from the poor.
Some of the great nabobs ofihe earth, longaccuftomed
to the cap in hand homage of the poor, may ndt per*
flaps like to be told that there lsdio difference between
the rich Lt>rd in his filk-, and (hp poor blacksfrtiith in
his leather apronno odds I etween the learned \ odor
in his "velvet cap and morocco flappers, and thb|iimple
tinlettered ploughman.
Inconfiderate moital ! who qan take airs upofti your*
felf and defpife your poor trmher becaufe he is ignorant
pnd you learned. You underitand l atin and Greek,
and can talk of comets and eclipfes, and vet after |?ll, the
Cobler is a ir\ore independent man than yon are^| fbr he
can do better without y«ur comets and eclipfes, \^irhcu&
^ourhic, hsec, hoe's, than you can withe ut his dices.
And you my monied friend who are pleafed to (up-
pofe yourfelf quite independent of mechanics and trades*
men, worth a hod: of biackfmiths, butchers and takers,
&c." Suppofe thefe.good people were all to rife up in
wrath and fwear by their fledge*hammers, awls and
ovens, that you fhould have no more meat, bread nor
cloaths; no piore elegant houfes, carpets or plate, what
would become of you ? Unable, like them to work, and
yet afhamed to beg, what a fad chopJalien figure you
would make !
Every thing (hews the natural equality of man. If
the philofopher confers a favor on the ploughman by iru
venting for him a plough, the ploughman requites the
fivor by ufing it, and thereby (applying the philofopher
.< )
frtiib. hire ad.. If .the artift does a great fervie.e to the fail or
by building him Vfhip* .the failor .comes aiortg fide of
him, by nivigniing" his (hjp through the ftormy ocean ~
and bringing the rick commodities of foreign conn*
tries. Thus we all depend on each other like the links
an a golden chain, which tho* not all preciftly of the
Came £ze are yet equally eSential to the beauty and in*
tegrity of the whole. Break but one Jink and the reft
are of but little ufe. * Thus, take away any one .clafs of
the citizens-^e. g. the cultivatorsof the earth, and
what fhould we do for bread ? Take away our median.*
les,and of how many conveniences fhould wfbe deprived I
lake away our men of genius, and what a number of
noble arts and inventions fhould we lofe? Take away
our poets, painters and muficians, ai;d how many fwee't
jgmhg'Jifhments would be loft to focial Ijfe ? Ajid if our
gallant feamen and foldiers, our Truxton's, 1 ingey's, &c,
!were to be taken from us, howinfecare wopld be all the
tithes, elegancies «tnd pleafqres acquired by the jngentu
%ty and induftry of the other clalfes 1 1 hns, as in the
.Statural body no member could be amputated without
great detriment to the whole, fo in the focial body no"
elafs. of the citizens could be taken away without great
detriment to the reft, ihas*has God, the common
Parent, removed far from us all ground of pride on t^he
part of the rich, and of dejeftion on the part of the poor.
the rich and the poor, fays Solomon, meet together,
the Lord is the maker of them all." In his view ail good
men are equally honorable, and none of them is more
or lefs worthy than another; but in as far as he discharges
or negle&s the'partalloted him ahdincreafes or dimin*
ifhes the fum of general happinefs.
1 £ince then no individual has either time of talents to
' procure the materials ofahappy life, without an affe&ion-
a'e union with his fellow men in fociety. it is very plain
that God intended man for fociety, and it is as plainly
Lis intention that good laws and government fhould be
introduced among them. As in the human body thoCq
number lefs fipews which give it all its afe no*
( *7 )
left at liberty to tlillort and convulfe It at pleafure, bu^
are wifely confined by ligamentous bandages which wilt
not allow their irregular and dangerous cramps: jult
fo the members of the political body require to be re*
flrained fronf all hurtful a&ions'and to be confined within
the bounds of their duty and ufefalnefs. 1 he Weakneft*
of human nature renders this neceffary ; for when menr
leaving their caves and dens firfl qame together, they
were neither Solorpons nor Saints, but a rude felfifli race5
too ready .to lay light hands on whatever pleafed them,
and to knock down all who difpleafed them: and at th'ii.
day there are but too many of the fame Mohawk prin¬
ciples, ready to rob, to flander, and even to murder theif
neighbors in duels. Yes, the Iron reftraint of ihe la^ios
is neceffary j and laws require rulers to execute them—
for it would never do for a whole country to quit their
ploughs and Convene to make laws to punifh criminals.
Certain perfohs muff be elected by the people and inveft-
ed with their authority to make good laws and to fee
them rigoroufiy executed, " to the terror of evil doers
and to the praife of them that do well."
Hence appears the exceeding obligation of tivil dbecli*
eiice, aii obligation the gregteft of all others, our duty to
Cod excepted. Indeed this conflitutes a very confider-
able part of our duty to him j for God defines above all
thugs the happinefs of man. But as man cannot be
happy without fociety, fior fociety fecure without laws,
nor jaws effe&ual without rulers, nor rulers beneficial
tinlefs they are dutifully obeyed, it follows that civil
obedience is infinitely pleading to God. 'lis the a.ccom*
^pHfhment of his favorite wlfh and therefore he looks on
it as paid to himfelf^ and very juflly too ; for as We are
to be their fubjects, God has been pleafed to delegate to
Us the power to chufe filch laws and rulers as wi flialt
think mofl: likely to make durfelves happy. /; nd fincc
in chufing tfiefe we are but ufmg the right which God
himfelf put into "our hands, exprefiiy"to make ourfelves
happy according to his ble(Ted will j it follows rfiat the
Vulejs which we chufe are, in fa&, of God's chufing,-—
( >8 )
Let e\ue--y Lul (cries that nobleft'of patriots Paul,)
be J ubjit ft io the higher pnvc " s (vr,e ru'er^) for they ari
ordait'rd of G<wtf—(yes, fureiy when chofen bv th e major¬
ity of tpe peo le) ivhofoever therefore refiji th the rulers,
rififtelh the ordinance of God, ard they that reft (I fnall re¬
ceive tif the J f Ives damnation." No wonder that the
great Preferver of men is fu an* ious that we fbould du-
tifidly bbey cur rulers, for it is indeed the greateft of alt
iocial ^leffmgs ; the grand principle of union, flrengtb,
Order, peace, and fcapjpinels to" a nation Embraced in this
golden band, we are no longer feeble cruubled indivi¬
duals, but the force of millions is collefted and exerted
as a mighty man- The ample fhield of a nation's pewer
is fpread ovpr each virtuous character. Under its aw¬
ful "{hade We enjoy faftty and peace. 1 he fens of violence
are cJibed, the bloody chefts of individual rage and
refentthent.are happily checked. The weakeft if inno*
cent, i£ a match for the mi^hticft, having the force of the
whole pommurity to take his part, md, befides. clafped
in the foflering bofom < f his country, he can partake of
all thei conveniencies and pleafures procured by the ari,
and inlduftry of his fellow citizens, and at the fame time
f llowing his own favoiite bufliefs he can gather the rich
fruits pf it for his own and the pood of others, d hus,
fecurjin each others proteftion, thus abundant and hap¬
py in I the fweet rewards of their mutual labours, they
can e^.t, drink, and rejoice together like brothers, under
the Ihfade of thqir own vine and fig-tree, none daring to
makej them afraid. O how goodly a thing it is to fee a
whole nation living thus together in unity ! A fmglein-
ftrurrjert of mufic artfully touched, affords much delightv
but hjow much more delightful to hear an hundred dif¬
ferent inlltuments all" mingling their fweet not^s in cie
grand concert! Go, to fee on^ man living prudently and
happily, affords afieartfelt fatisfaftion ; but to fee thouf-
ands |and millions living harmonionfly together, under
the iapae excellent laws, all cheerfully engaged at their
feveral works, and moving on fmoothly in their proper
ranks: the rulers wifely leading, the people dutifully
( >9 )
following, and all lovingly accompanying ene another J
This is a fpediade worthy the eyes ©f blefied angels;
nay, Godhimfelf looks down delighted upon them, thq
Father of the Univerfe regards them with fmiles of com¬
placency j He fees the travail of his foul and is fatisfied»
Since fo many and ftsch precious pleafures and advan¬
tages arife from good government, what virtuous man
can otherwife than moit cheerfully pay his part of the
taxes neceffary to its fupport. O let, us riot wait 'till
juftice kritting her brpw declares, that fmce we derive
fo much from government, we ar$ bound in equity to
contribute to its maintenance; let us not wait 'till the
great Lover of men thunder, forth his orders—'"for this
caufe (the welfare of government) pay you taxes alfo, for
they are God's minijlers attending on this very thingNo,
let generous fentiment, let a grateful fenfe of the nusn«*
berlefs bleffings we receive from our excellent govern¬
ment render it# a pleafure to us to contribute to its fup¬
port, its honor and peace. In no country have the peo¬
ple fuch reafon to pay their taxes cheerfully as in.this;
for in no country do they derive do much from govern¬
ment or pay fo little to it.
In Great Britain which is thought to be the happiefl
government in Europe, they tax every thing, even the
Elements cannot efcape them. They tax the air above,
the earth beneath, and the waters under the earthy A-nd
as if all this was not enough, as if wearied of this little
piece-meal kind of work, they have made lately a fliort
apoplectic flroke at opce of ten per cent ad valorem, that
is, one hundred dollars ©ut of the thoufand every year I
in addition to a thoufand little hectic taxes befides ! But
in this country, thanks to God, our taxes are fo very
trifling as juftly to excite our aftonifhment. That a man
dwelling in a comfortable houfe, rated at 150 dollars, a
plantation of 50© acres (called a principality in Europe)
and 3 valuable flaves, making in all 3000 dollars, fhould
be taxed fcarcely 3 dollars f©r the whole 1! Is not thie
jnoft aftonifhing 1 And are there Americans who can thin&f
( 40 )
jhis oppreflivi, who tan refufc to pav jt, ean berate and i»®
near to kill their brothers jtift fof aflnng'tkis well carried
pittance, can even fly in the venefabit jfacp of the jpa.<
>ent country, blowing up the flames of a bloody and ex*
penftve inCurreBiort O tell it nor iri Fngland, yublifh it not
in the ftreets of 1 ondon, left the toil-worn porters throw.
Irig their heavy burdens fiom their t>ack6, ftamp on the
earth iri vvrath and etirfc Its all for fools.
Many of the poor, to my knowl&dg^ aire ridt quite fo
„ chearful in paying their taxes as gdod "citizens ought to
be becaufe they have been taught (God forgive^ their
teachers) that all the money goes to the Prefident and to
the quality, i. e the great folks. This is fo 'arfrom bemg
true that the very reverfeof it is true'j that is, inftead of
the poor paying, taxes for the rich, the ri h pay taxes for
the poor. The reahy poor pay nothing, nav, thofe in
circrimftances that may be called comfortable pay nothing,
e. g with 99 dollars and 99 cents, you may build a very
fnug h mfe, a much better one than Abraham, Ifaac or
Jacob ever lived in, and in which you and your loving
tiame with half a fcore chubby rofy cheeked boys and
gifts may live is tnerry as crickets, and yet your country
does notalkyou a crjpper for your houfe, the fcene of all
this innocent mirth. -Brit Mn Bingham of Philadelphia,
one of the quality living in a houfe that eoft 30,090 dol¬
lars, jpays no lefs than 270 dollars yearly.
* /igain, you own a heavy waggon and team: with this,
Jehu like, ydu rattle alonj* the high ways, tear up the
roads, break down the bridges and fet the poor road*
Menders to cuffing and fwearing, and after all, what is
your tax ? Why not even a fliarp-fliio. But lo 1 here
come? one of the Quality in a little giiiucrack Phaeton
and Lilliputian pair not a tythe the fubftance of your
waggon, a carriage that makes no more impreflnn on the
roads than does a cat tunning over a harplichord, and yet
this gentleman pays a tax of 9 dollars.
*No, no, my brothers, if you be really poor, you pay
lao.hing, even though yout poverty (hould "be owing to
your own Ihameful love of cafe, or of tyhiikey, you pay
(>1)
$pthmg, Tour dear country, like the ftrpng eagle of
heaven, ga:hers you her poorett her vyifledged neftlings,
ynder her wings, & imparts to you her vifaf warmth and
ftr* qJ protection, with no other motive than love; for
no other pay thari the phafure of doing it.^ O then let
not for gr«tjruJf , for julfice fake, let not, the fens q£
Belial deceive yput by bringing up an evil report againlt
this good land But admitting that y u were treatedas are
the poor in many countries, where the peedieU widow is[
pbiged to throw in her mite, the wretchedeft La^arip,
his crumb or his fcab fpr the fupport of government/ad-,
mi.ting I fay, that you were conftrained to" doo fe your,
half bits, do you think thf t they would all go, to John!
/dams and totbg Qualify ? ^o, not a cent, fyeyond.
was their well, earn u right.. / s every vpiri in, the body
fcnds on its tax of bLod to the heart, the great trmjuryi
(i ohi whence it fequitkly driven op again thro* the JargP
fmall arteries, to each, well-fed fibre in the fyflem; £o, un¬
der our conllitution which neari) refeinb*ess the human
body, (that molt perfect of all God's works,) every gui¬
nea or fharpfhin thatis taken up by thofz great abfor bents,
thelheriffs, is. ca/ried ft rai t onto the treafury, whence in.
a vuy fewpul/ationsjit is diftrfbuted among thefervantsof
the public, thofe wife and brave men wftpm you your-
feives have chofep, to, fpperintends your laws, or to fight;
for you,. Aye,, my dear countrymen, if you did bpt con^
fidef what coft, fatigue and danger thpfe gentlemen en*
counter toferve.ybu, you eou'd not, I am fure you could,
not, grudge your mite to reward them', ' A par^t of this
little money, that each of you gives, goes to yotir judges,
your Afiembly-men, your senators, &c. Now do but re^
fled how many thoufands of dollars thefp gentlemen have
laid out on their, education and libraries to" enable them,
to cope with the long headed Pitts and i alleyrands of£u-
rope. ' ' " " • ' " * *
Confider ajfo, thje brain-racking, fpy-jtrwafling,
(iard, IJelh-confuming ftudy thele poor gentlemen are
obliged to undergo for your fakes: as„,proof of this, look
at your Jefterfons, Maddifons, Marihalis, Harpers, &c.
( 5
fee what pale, pcnfive, Werterjooking countenances tjiey
generally wear, obliged every now and then tp creep of
to the fprings to brace up their ia$ fibres.
A part pt your little taxes goes to your brave foldiers,
and tp your gallant feamen, your Truxfons, your. Tin^
gey?, &c. iNoble fe'lows, who have exchanged tht ir wives
apd dniling babes for the glpomy waves, that they may
there enjoy the heroic pleafure of meeting your enemies,
Confider what they undergo for you* While " you are
on your down-beds lying, fondly lock'd in beauty's arms/*
they poor fellows, may be preparing for veiy different
fc^nea, making ready for b|oody battle. See the hoftile
man of war bearing down upon them. 1 he hearts of th^
youthful warriors palpitate, while the blood ccmes and
goes in their cheeks ;.but the love of their country, the
jujlice of their caufe, < and a noble fenfe of honor brace
"them up as with triple fteej, " Alt hands to quarters—*
fore and aft, a clear Jhip—up hammocks—light the matches,
andJland by H wake the thunder—'now my hearts be Jlout
and boh.'* The flag of Columbia waves over their heads,
the heroes eye the beloved ftripes. 1 he fmile of joy it
on their countenances^ and the fire of valor flafhes from
their eyes. They demand the fight. The tall black (hip
■ of the enemy is now clofe along fide ; her tremendous
artillery fibres them in the face, yawning for dedru&ion.
The dreadful fray begins ; the air is rent with their hor¬
rid thunder. Old ocean trembles and lowers all her
waves. The (hips are wrapped up in flaming fire while
Jtornrs of Iron bullets dalh every thing to pieces. 1 he
decks are covered with mangled corpfes, and the fcuppers
run torrents of blood. But lo, the mortal fliife is end¬
ed and Columbia is viftor. But alas! >^hat avails it that
fief flag rides triumphant, many of her, braved fons lie
.low* Hearts that glowed with heavenly fire, that beat
high with .the loye of their country, mufcles that were
glorioufly drained at the four and twenty pounder? fight*
ing for you my brothers ; thele now lie in mangled heap?
hardly known that they ever were men ; their cleared
blood mingling with the briny wave, their precious limb«
(n )
jfbon to be tolTed to devouring (harks !!. O my country¬
men, can we think of thefe thiftgs and yet deem it hard
to pay a tax of or e Utile dollar in the thoufand to cur
gallant brothers, who thus at the expecce of their lives
fecure to us the other nine hundred and ninety ..nine.
But not only on account of the exceeding moderation
of our taxes, hut alfo of their amazingly equal diftribu-
tion, we have reafon to pay then* with more cheerfulnefs
than any people on earth. In other countries, the polit¬
ical body is fo grown out of all proportion, the head and
larger limbs are fo bloated with fat, while the inferior
members are fo (hrivelled for ncuriffiment, that it is hard
for a cordial love to grow between them. rl hat a Bilhep
(hould receive his 10 er 15,000k fterling per ann. fhould
ride in his coach, live in his palace and keep up a cons¬
tant carnival, while his poor brother Levite is obliged
to Lent it all (he year on a pitiful curacy of col.
That a king (hould receive his twenty oi thirty hundred
thoufand dollars per ann. while the hard working mechan¬
ic is put to it for bread, and after all his toils and for-
rows is fcarcely able to keep his family out of prifon or a
poor houfe j and as if all this was not enough, that the
government (hould fuller a hoft of penfioners and fine-
cures-men each with a large falary, to be clapped like fa
many elegant cupping glaflcs on the vitals of the people.
Who coiild fuller this without a decline of love for his
country, ©r indeed without feeling that love turn'd inta
dereftation ?
Eut O happy I mericans ! we groan under none of
thefe imquitous impofitions to wean us from our coun¬
try ; with us the political body ftill preferves its exquifite
(hape and fyrnmetry ; the head is not bloated the feet are
nor ftarv'd. Cur public officers (the head) are furniffied
with plenty, but not expejs* ; w hile our common citizens
NOTE,
* F1*** of oar pobllc offirrrs, our Judges, members of ,4f-
feroblj, Senate, CongreU, &<*• are alirw.d more tlsn ibey cou'4
Wake by tbeir rripp&iye proMli^oB, many not f.» moc!". And s*
to cur good old lhougi*fais 25 000 dollar* rvsy- a
C *4 )
(the feet and hands) may, if induitrious, have enough
and to {pare.
Another consideration which muft rivet the fouls of
all reafonabie men to our corflitution, is that charming
delicacy that pr ofound and equal refpeft with which the
treats the religious opinions of her children. Even in
that government whieh is looked on as the molt equit¬
able in the Eaftern world, (I mean Great Britain,) the
people are at daggers drawn about religion ! i he Dps
infilling' on the Downs to think of God Almighty and
to worihip him juft as they do, or Jo dowfe their money.
Oh.' this is a fhameful thing, a dreadful craw-back on
patriotifm ! What fhall I fweat and bleed in fupport
and defence of my country, and when 1 expected her
fweetefl fmiles, her kindeft carelfes, fhali fhe moil un¬
gratefully rejedl my -petition to fay what prayers 1 think
belt ; fhall ffce look tamely on and lee my hard-earned
fubftance fold by the Sheriff to fwell the princely reve¬
nue of fome Biihop to whofe church I belong not? He.
muft be an Ifraelite indeed in whom there is no gall,
whom this would not provoke to deteft his country as ^
cruel ftep-mother, and to turn his back on her forever.
But, thanks to God, we have none oi thele pontifical
villainies to wean our affe&ions from our country or
fiom one another. We are perfe&ly at liberty to wor-
fhip our Maker, every man according to the di&ates of
bis own confcience, and provided we a£t up to the high
character of good citizens our excellent conftitution
fiands equ illy a wall of fire around all, whether we be
Jews or Gentiles, Chriftians or Mahometans.
• O my beloved Mother country ! my foul embraces
thee with more than filial ardour for this thy wtfe and
{rest notfe, yet'tis queft'enable whether it bee fcarplhin too much.
He is placed In a fitoation of all otbe a me mcft publie and
experfiVv. His Levee, hi* table &e- mull copfume raft fume.
It were high trealon in him to eat hrs venifons or to drink;
wine by himfflft Heisexpe&fd to s.i5t the eauonal Publican,
to keep open heofe and tn entertain comers from all the wiC'do.
of heaven. Thick of ttut my brothers,
(*s)
"equal love to all us thy dutiful children, and for that
'thoil allowed no eftablifh nent to create heartburnings
among us, no mercilefs Prieft with fire and faggot to
roafl us tq death.
And O my dear Brothers, native or adopted fons of
Columbia ! If ever people on earth, were under particu¬
lar obligations to love their country, we are that people.
Our land is fignally favor'd of heaven and our govern-
taient has every thing to make it dear to us. Bought
by the deared blood of our Fathers ; planned by our
abled Legiflavors; approved by our firmed Patriots ;
and ratified by the facred majority of our nation ; It ftands
on the broad bafe of Equity ; maintains inviolate the
juft rights of every citizen ; fecures to all alike their
civil and religious liberties ; and to all alike holds out
the faired opportunities to rife to wealth, to ufefulneis,
and to glory. O bJefled land of well fecured liberty, of
equal laws* of moderate taxes, and of univerfal toleration /
where no king can trample, no datefman opprefs, nor
pried can perl'ecute us ; but where all, like an equal
hand Of b*others cheerfullv cultivating our feveral tal¬
ents, may enjoy more happinefs than can be found in
any otlmr nation on earth ; what dutiful fon can think
of all thefe thy truly Republican favors without clafping
thee to his heart as that dearefl bejl of mothers, who gave
us our birth, nurfed our helplefs infancy, fupports out
manhood, and lavifhes on us a profufion of every earth*
Jy good. Or what' prodigal fon who confiders tYiebujks
fed on by the poor in other lands, but their plenteoufneft
of bread at thy table O Columbia, but mud indantly
exclaim **• I will arife and will go to the arms of my
country.'* Volney allures us that in the Holy land the
people are f> wretchedly poor that to avoid ftarving
they ufefo much cockle and wild feeds in their bread as
often fickens them, and that he actually faw at the gates
ot the once flourifhing Damafcus a couple of meagre
half naked wretches contending with hungry -dogs over
the carcafe of a dead camel, tjiat we did but know in'
this our day the many felicities we enjoy under this our
( *6 )
government, and did but love the government as we
ought 1
But how fhall we manifejl opr love ? By fplitting into
parties and mortally hating one another ? No, God for¬
bid % frfa furious party fpirit is the greated juagment,
the heatsiejl curfe that can befal our country. It extiiu
guifhes love in the beft hearts, and in the worth i* bloW$
up the coals of hatred to ten fold fury. It makes even
good men ihy of one another and breaks off the fvveeteft
friendfhip. This vile fpirit deforms every thing ; by
giving a hardnefs to the features and a fiercenefs to the
eyes, it turns the lovelieft wom^n into a fright, and the.
cemelieft man into a Demon. It pollutes the mod facred
places, introducing unnatural ilrifes even there where
fweeteft harmony {hould ever found ; in our llreets and
at our tables. It fills ournewfpapers which were meant
to be the vehicles of innocent amufement and calm n-
flruct.ion, with the blttereft abufe, ^provoking to bloody
battles and murderous duels. It confounds all the great
diftin&iors of worth and villainy in chara&ers; the
viled creature, the bafeft Arnold, if ort cur fide is cried
up as an altgel, while an angel if he oppofe us though
never fo decently and for ever fo good reafons, is brand¬
ed as a mifcreant! 11 corrupts our tqfte ; the dirtied
newfpaper printer if he^blackguard for us, is applaud¬
ed as a Junius, while a Junius if againjl us, is execra¬
ted as a mere Billingfgate writer. It bamfhes ailfenfis
gratitude, jujlice, and truth; what fignifies the pur-
eft innocence, tfceuprighted intentions, the greatefl abi¬
lities, thq profoundeft learning, if oppofed to us, they
vanifh into nothing ; the greated abilities are hooted
at, (the brighted virtues are rot feen, th^ longed and
faithfuleft fervices are all forgotten. Under the bias of
this moil difingenious fpirit; Jeffcrfon is an empty Fed*
ant, Franklin an old &ool, Adams a Britifli agent, and
Washington—let faftion write the red ! It ruins all our
public affairs > the bleffed end of fociety and government
is to unite men in promoting their mutual interejl, but
the aim of party fpirit is to difunite thsm entirelyv Over-
X »>)
looking the general good, the ftudy of each fa&ion,.
(I mean the defigning men) is, t6 advance their own
fep irate flreiigih, and to fink their opponents in ths
public efteem, calumniating the vtarthieft characters,
charging the wifeft mSafures with folly, the beft in*
tendons wijh villainy, thus filling the minds even of
honefl men with prejudices againft their rulers, and
oppofition to taxes £ which, by compelling government
to ufe coercivs meafu^es, bring on infurre&ion and ci¬
vil war with all their horrors, when brother with worfe
t\Vi hellifh fury (hall (heath his fteel in his brother's
heart, or call in ruthlcfs foreigners to aid the accurled
deed, and when God the righteous Judge, in punifh-
ment of luch unnatural monfters, fliall allow thefe for¬
eigners to fwallow up the'r fubftance, to fill their land
with blood and violence, and to fix the galling chain
pf flavery on them and their pofterity for ages*
# Bleffed be God 'tis frill in ©ur power to efcape this
rohtic&l damnation, and to become the happieft of all
nadons; the remedy is fimple and is contain'd in the
following admirable precepts of an infpired writer.
"IddMoa. all mm—Love ths brotherhood—Fear. God
—Honor the king,**
let us, honor all men ; yes, even thofe who differ
from us in political fintiments. Th^y may love their
country as dearly as we do, and may, with equal fin-
cerity, be aiming at her beft interefts, tho' they do
not approve the fame means. They may be more in
the light than we are aware. Let .us treat them with
refpsil, and never difgrace our character and cauie by
ruienefs &c reviling, by ralh fufpicions 3c unmanly fander.
Io make this more eafy and pleafant j Lovi? the
brotherhood. Let us remember that we are the fame
materials wrought by the great Architect, into thou-
fands of fprings, wheels, and cogs, of different ftrengths
and fizes, but to make up the fame grand harmonious
machine; that we are the fame fiefh and blood wond-
1 erfully multiplied into millions of brothers and wifely
C «* )
giftd with different talents and a paSIon for fociety>
to make up one great political body. O then let us
live together as brothers, treating each other's fenti*
ments with. refpeCt, making proper allowance for edu-
taii»Hs reading, abilities and company; overcoming thofe
'who differ from us, by foft words, found arguments,
&nd good lives ; and ftifely recollecting that violent
oppofitioi* even to the molt abfiird opinions, snftead
of breaking will rivet the chains of error, and preclude
all poflibility of future conviction. And O, if our
own happinefs is dear to us, let us forever remember
that in exatt proportion as we leiTen our mutual love
we leffen our own happinefs, we diffolye the golden
bands of union, we become weak, contemptible, and
an eafy prey to any cruel and watchful enemy.
Let us fear God. That is the only firm bafe on which
the happinefs of individuals, the profperity of nations
can reft fecurely. It is the only root from which eve¬
ry branch of duty can fpring in full vigor, be fed and
enlivened. It gives courage in danger, moderation in
profperity, and contentment in poverty. It irtfpires
the Ruler with inviolable honor, the common citizen
with cheerful obedience, and pours over all, the rich
blefiiflgs of unanimity and public virtue.
And next to God, let us honor his representative
on earth, that is, the Supreme Magi/Irate^ whether
called Sing, Emperor, or, President. If he be chofen
by the general voice of the people he is God's own
ninijlery for God defigns above all things the happi¬
nefs of man ; man's happinefs requires fociety, fociety
laws, and laws a magiftrate: therefore a magiftrate
chofen by the people is in faft chofen of God, and
every good man, Deift or Cfiriftian, will honor him
as fuch. And thank God we have a chief Magi(lrate%
who is, and bas% for a grept matiy years, been a
mini/let of God to us for goodf one whom we can honor
with alacrity % not coldly as from duty, but cordially
as from love ; love, for his great virtues, love for his
eminent fetvices to our dear country. Eor, who firft
( 19 )
itar.-nsq country asjainft Britilh incroackmenti t
Oar Pfs/ident. Who fir/t roufed the indignation of
oar oppreffei cdlonies ? Our Prefident. Who for his
flaming zeal in ©ur behalf was profcribed by the Brit*
lih go /ernmen't ? Our-Prehdent. And yet who ad*
ventured through an ocean of Briti/h cruifers to be$
for his bleeding country the help of other lands ? Ouf
Pre/ident. Who decided the great queftiort for Ami*
riean Independence ? Our Pre/ident. Who in fplte of
French intrigue nCgociated a peace nioft advantage*
ous and glorious for his country ? Oar Pre/ident.--*
And who, for /even and twenty long years has ceafe*
Jefsly toiled to advance our/nation to glory and happi*
nefs ? On** Prefident.
Now, who can have any claim on our gratitude, or
on our cenfidenci if this man has not. Who can me*
ditate on all thefe his great fervices, without feeling
a fire kindling and breaking out in earned prayers to
heaven for its richdfl benedi&ions on his head, that
Venerable head now grown grey in our caufe!
" Father oflife and love thou God fupreme ! in in*
fiaite mercy look on our nation, and on our chief ru®
ler whom thy providence has fet over us. O may
his counfels be guided by thine eternal wifdom, his
loins girded with ftrrngth, and the arms of his hands
be made itrong by the arms of the mighty God of
Jacob-, fo that the nations who hate us without caufo
may/land in awe j and that our children's children
may enjoy all the biddings of peace and love, while
the fun, moon and /tars Ihall endure f"
Happy, thrice happy, if we would but all love oris
another as members of the fame body and heartily
concur in the fame, glorious work,- the difcharge
our duties. '] he rich cheerfully employing theif
wealth for the good of the poor, the poor their labouf
for the convenience of the rich ; the ftrong their paw*
er to defend the weak, the wife, their abilities to lnu
/tract the ignorant, arid everyone, his refpe&ive tal*
fats to re-efiabii/h - the' golden reign of jujike^ ntefif