Centinel 20

I congratulate my fellow citizens on the dawn of returning independence of sentiment evinced at the last election; may its ennobling influence stimulate to further and more effectual exertions; may the dictates of the well-born junto be treated on every occasion, with the contempt they experienced in regard to the late choice of councillor for this city.

Blinded by prejudice industriously fomented, influenced by sordid motives of private interest, or intimidated by apprehensions of being ruined in their professions, a great majority of the citizens of Philadelphia have suffered themselves to be made the scaffold upon which the well-born junto have ascended to the government of this state, and thereby to a predominancy in that of the United States. For several years past the essential privilege of freemen, that of electing their legislators has been reduced to unsubstantial form, to a mere farce, the appointment being really made by the junto, previous to the legal election. The situation of this city has been similar to that of Rome, under the emperors, who artfully gratified the people with the forms of that liberty which they had enjoyed under the republic; continuing their ostensible representatives and officers, although in fact they were the creatures of the emperors and entirely subservient to them. Thus you have been amused with the show of annual elections, and the name of representatives without the reality.

It may be useful to take a retrospect of the means by which this well-born junto, who ten years ago could not muster more than eighty-two devoted adherents in the state of Pennsylvania, have now become so formidable as to threaten the liberties of all America.

The first consideration that this review presents is, the policy by which the junto have attached to their party the weighty interest of the Quakers and Tories. In the late arduous contest with Great Britain, wherein the lives and fortunes of the Whigs were dependent upon the uncertain issue of the war, and in the course of which so much barbarity and devastation were committed by the British; it is not to be wondered at that those persons who were disaffected to the common cause, who refused to share the dangers or contribute to the expenses of the war, and on the contrary were justly suspected to be aiding and assisting a cruel and vindictive foe, should in consequence thereof, incur the resentment of the Whigs and be treated rather as enemies to their country than as fellow citizens. Hence the test-law, which was made to draw the line of discrimination, and to exclude from our councils those who were inimical to our cause; hence too the violence and severity with which the disaffected were treated; which has laid the foundation of the most implacable resentments and lasting prejudices.

The junto^ considering that persons so situated and under the influence of such feelings, would make zealous adherents if they could be flattered with hopes of protection from what they deemed oppression and persecution, and still more so if they could be flattered with the pleasing prospect of a repeal of the test-law, and thereby having it in their power to assert their rights and vindicate their sufferings; the y««if<? accordingly made the most liberal offers of their services to the disaffected, and as their dislike and dread of the Whigs was the cement of union, the basis upon which the well-born meant to build their meditated schemes of profit and aggrandisement, Galen, and such minions were employed to aggravate the feelings and confirm the resentments of the disaffected by such misrepresentations of the principles and designs of the Whigs as to keep the former under continual apprehension of violence and rapine;* this persuasion had the desiied effect, it riveted the disaffected so closely to the interests of the junto that they zealously and implicitly supported all their measures without attending to their nature or consequences. At length the liberal Whigs seeing the imposition that was practicing on the disaffected, that they were made the dupes of a set of interested designing men, resolved to convince them that their apprehensions were groundless by repealing the test-law, which excluded so many of them from the right of suffrage, and thereby putting them in a situation to judge and act for themselves; the junto who had gained so much by the subordinate situation of the disaffected, were alarmed at the proposition and accordingly opposed it, which so incensed their allies that, at an election which took place soon after for a censer in the room of Col. Miles, resigned, not one of them could be persuaded to vote, and of course the constitutionalists carried the election; however the junto retrieved this faux pas afterwards, by the zeal they showed in procuring the repeal of the test-law.

I was always against the policy of continuing the test-law one hour longer than was absolutely necessary for the preservation of the country from a threatening enemy, as the history of other nations had taught me the injurious consequences of depriving a large proportion of the community of the important privileges of citizenship. I was aware that ambition always availed itself of such distinctions among the people to accomplish their common ruin; that the grievous oppression and misery which the Irish nation have experienced for some centuries past, have arisen from the unequal situation of the people in respect to the government — from the depressed subordinate state in which the Roman Catholics have been held, who, not having a common interest in and attachment to the government, but on the contrary highly embittered by the odious light in which they were regarded, and the severity with which they were treated, occasioned continual apprehensions to the Protestants for their safety. And this alienated state of the people, and their reciprocal enmities and suspicions, put it in the power of the English ministry, by playing one party off against the other, to keep the whole under the most submissive subjection. However, the situation of the Irish nation is much improved since the liberality and harmony of sentiment that the late war gave birth to: their common danger from foreign invasion evinced the folly of their prejudices, and the necessity of union. The Irish now act in a great measure as one people, and in consequence thereof their affairs have assumed a different aspect. England has been obliged to relinquish many of her injurious monopolies and partial restrictions on the Irish commerce, and oppressive arrangements in their government. Tyranny has fled before the united voice of that people who were so lately enslaved by their internal divisions.

Another great engine of influence has been the Bank^ which having the power of controlling the credit of every person concerned in trade, of course governed the mercantile interest, and made it entirely subservient to the views of the wellborn junto.

It has been, moreover, the policy of the junto from the beginning to ruin, by every device of calumny and exertion of influence, the character and circumstances of every leading patriot — well knowing that the people are only important and powerful when united under confidential leaders; and as this policy was supported by a numerous and weighty, party, and pursued with unremitted perseverance, the ablest and most influential patrons of the people fell victims to it. Character after character was successively attacked and hunted down by the dogs of party, with the most unfeeling rancour; even the death of the victim did not assuage their gall. In this barbarous game of policy, Galen bore away the palm, and shone conspicuous beyond all the imps of the wellborn. He boasted that the superior malignity of his pen had deprived the illustrious and patriotic Reed of his existence, and in his fate had made a signal example to deter others from emulating his virtues, and standing forth the advocates of the privileges of the people, which is so highly criminal in the eyes of the well-born.

By such means have the well-born attained to their present power and importance, to a situation which has enabled them to dictate and procure the establishment of a form of government for the United States, which, if not amended, will put the finishing stroke to popular liberty and confirm the sway of the well-born. Whilst the fate of the new constitution was doubtful, great was the assumed moderation, specious were the promises of its advocate. The despotic principles and tendency of this system of government were so powerfully demonstrated as to strike conviction in almost every breast, but this was artfully obviated by urging the pressing necessity of having an energetic government and assurance of subsequent amendments. The people were moreover told, "you will have the means in your own power to prevent the oppression of government, viz: the choice of your representatives to the federal legislature, who will be the guardians of your rights and property, your shield against the machinations of the well-born.^''

But how changed the language, how different the conduct of these men since its establishment! — they are taking effectual measures as far as in their power to realize the worst predictions of the opponents to the new constitution. — Having secured the avenue to offices under the new congress by the appointment of the senators, they are now exerting all their influence to carry the election of the representatives in the federal legislature, and thereby get the absolute command of the purse-strings to confirm their domination; every artifice is practicing to delude the people on this great occasion, which in all probability will be the last opportunity they will have to preserve their liberties, as the new congress will have it in their power to establish despotism without violating the principles of the constitution. The proposed meeting at Lancaster is a high game of deception; under the appearance of giving the people an opportunity to nominate their representatives, the minions of ambition are to be palmed upon them. Ostensible deputies are to be sent from every county for this purpose, who, if we may judge from those already appointed, will take especial care to prevent the nomination of men who have congenial feelings with the people, as such would prove troublesome obstacles in the way of ambition; the intention is to monopolize both branches of the legislature and make the government harmonize with the aggrandizement of the well-born and their minions.

The deputies appointed to go from this city characterize the juggle and designate the intention more strikingly than is in the power of language to express or the ingenuity of artifice to conceal; the man who confessedly has had a principal share in the framing of a constitution that is universally allowed to be dangerously despotic, and therefore to require great amendments; the man who in every stage of its adoption has been its greatest advocate; whose views of aggrandizement are founded upon the unqualified execution of this government, whose aristocratic principles, aspiring ambition, and contempt of the common people have long distinguished him; I say this man is now selected as one of that body who are to dictate the choice of the people — to point out faithful representatives who are to check ambition and defend their rights and privileges. If the people suffer themselves to be thus fooled upon so momentous an occasion, they will deserve their fate. But I am persuaded they will discern the fraud and act becoming freemen, that they will give their suffrages to real patriots and genuine representatives.