■For tbt Gazette of the Uait id Slates.
Mr. Fenno,
NOTHING can be more laughable
and ridiculous than to fee little vaga
bond focicties and committees through
out the United States, and our own in j
particular, Refolding in :he most pom
pous dictatorial style,—that such and ;
such an act of the Pretident was illegal
and tlticonjlitutional—tlrat in such and |
such instances, Congress have violated
their duty, and encroached upon the
liberties of the citizens ; and Refolded
by a club of five or fix of the molt in
fjgnilicant, perhaps of the word, mem
bers if, the union, that the people of
the United Stales, ought to do so and so
—A club of this fort colle&.'d from a
townfmp in the county of Cumberland,
have exceeded all rivallhip in this kind
of Tom Thumb heroism and import
ance. Tiiey hive resolved and declared
th".t it is " improper and unjuf}" for the
Jlknte to fell her own lands as (he pleases
and to whom she pieafes, although the
purchase money ii appropriated to the
immediate life and emolument «f the
community—and why is it unjust ? Be
cause, fay they, it creates an unequal
division of landed property ; that is,
because none of these gentry have been
able to buy any of it. Pnrfuing the
spirit of this resolve a little more open
ly it ought to run thus—That, whereas
We are a set of poor Devils pofiefiing
neither property, nor talents and iiuluf
try to acquire it even in this land of
plenty, and whereas a number of our
fellow citizens have by the efforts of
indultry, accumulated handsome es
tates, and are enabled to make large
purchases of land, while we can scarce
ly buy a bushel of corn, it is therefore,
Resolved, that neither the itate nor any
citizens thereof lhall be permitted to
fell or buy any tract of land whatever,
because it tends to create unequal divi
sions of property, and to make our
neighbors richer than us—a story in
point jtift (li ikes me—A poor, beggar
ly, lazy wretch, who owned not a far
thing in the woild, and was not likely
to earn one, complained bitterly to one
of his intimates, that while some men
were enjoy fug a(l the pleasures and com
forts of life, and indeed rioting in its
luxuries, he was destitute of common
neceflaries, even of a dram of ivhji'y
He thought it improper and unjust—
How can it be helped ? said his friend
—why I'll tell you, said the other,
Let all those rich fellow? be made to
throw theii' property into orte common
itock, and then let it be (hared out e
qually among U9, damn them, they
niav have their (hare, 1 don't want to
cheat them out of that—no, no—fair
play and justice fay I—But replied his
friend, if this was done you would soon
fee things in their present state again—
the indultriousand frugal would improve
their (hares—the indolent and prodigal
would squander and walte theirs, until
property at lad won'd' come again into
the hands that now hold it, you would
he a beggar again and Bob Morris a
Nabob—that may be true enough, said
this )ujl projector, but then I would
make them share again.
The Congress of the United States
who are, perhaps justly supposed to be
men eminent forlearning and patriotism,
fpenta gooddeal of timein forming the
funding system, and in endeavouring to
do jullice to its creditors. To Con
gress these were important questions and
difficult of decilionj But the inhabi
tants of a townlhip in Cumberland, fet
tle the matter at once, at a single meet
ing ; where no doubt some " second
Daniel," some preternatural wiieman
preiided and dictated.
But to another resolve'—As the peo
ple of the United States are totally in
adequate to judge for themselves in the
election of their representatives, the
inhabitants of this township, in pity to
their inexperience and ignorance, kindly
condescend to inftruft them whom they
ought to eleft—•' the people of the U
nited States ought not to chufe any
speculators in the funds, any stockholder
in the Bank of the United States, nor
an v land jobber." It is further resolved,
that every law which the people, that is,
cur club, do not like, is tyrannical and
\jnjuft, and may and ought consequent
ly to be opposed by force.
But the two last resolves of these ex
traordinary lawgivers and reformers,
wear a more serious afpeft—They are
in fa£l a direst declaration of war a
gainst the authority and govern
ment of the United States, and a fra
ternal invitation to the citizens of Mif
flin County to unite with them in the
treafon—lt runs verbally thus, that
" whereas the Governor of this state in
compliance with a requisition of the
President of the United States, hath
ordered the militia to hold themfelvesin
readiness to march at a moment's warn
itig io enforce the execution oT the ex
cite among our brethren in the western
country, it i«, therefore unayimoufly
Resolved, that the citizerts'bf this coun
ty be earueltly recommended to lend a
number of delegates, not fewer than
fix nor more than ten, for the purpose
ot taking into consideration the import
ant crisis in which we are placed, and
the meofurcs proper to be pursued —And
resolved, that our fellow citizens in
Mifflin county he requested in the Jp'rit
of fraternal affediou to fendfome of their
confidential citizens to meet as on this
occalion." Need I comment on such
language, or such proceedings ; can
any comment expose audacity which so
boldly (leps forth and expose* itfelf—
who are the people of the United States,
and what is their dignity when they are
thus infuked ; and their government
which ought to be, and is the effencc
of that dignity is thus set at defiance—
Do these poor deluded wretches sup
pose that their flimfy ideotical a(Tertii>ns,
unsupported by truth, can deceive you;
or their chiVifh threats, unsupported by
virtue fltMgower, terrify—their condu£t
is an ebumuon of inadnefa that diftrafts
itfelf. Two or three detigning unprin
cipled knaves, who like falamnnders can
exist in flames, and who wish to throw
the country into sedition and war, that
they may plunder arnidft the confufion,
are the usual dictators of the resolves of
such meetings, and the poor deceived
inhabitants are called in to decide on
quell ions which they had never consider
ed for a moment, on resolutions on
whose tendency they have not refleded,
and fanftion by their vote the precon
certed mifchief of these enemies to
public peace and public happiness.
ORDER.
September "]th, i 794*
For the Gazette of the United States.
i 9.
DEMOCRATIC LESSONS,
Forming part of the general CREED,
and to be sung or said at all the
Clubs on the Continent.
Ccmpojed by a Brothex.
The RECITATIVE by the Prudent.
TO be a modern democrat,
To this you must agree, Sir,
That <we the People are, and yet,
The pedple are nbt We, Sir.
Semi Chorus. '
If you would be a democrat,
Keep you in mitld these leflbris pat.
Full Chorus.
Sing Whiskey, friikey, turn about then,
And we'll keep up a dull till We are
Great Men.
RECI TATIVE
Should one of us dislike the Lauf,
Or hate the Conllitution,
Or fight like mad againlt them both*
We give him absolution.
Semi Chorus.
Because he is a democrats
And leam'd from us his leflbns pati
Full Chorus.
Sing Whiskey, &c.
RECITATIVE,
Al! officers of government,
We Lave a right to claw Sir,
For why ! the law was made fir us,
And not <wc for the law Sir.
Semi Chorus.
But if you are a democrat,
You surely have this lcjfTon pati
Full Chorus.
Sing Whilkey, &c.
RECITATIVE. '
Should one at Club with reason cool,
Oppose a 'crat more friikey,
He shall he fined to drink at leajl,
A pint of smuggled Whilkeyi
Semi Chorus.
To make him a warm democrat,
And hence to know hi j leflon pat.
Full Chorus.
Sing Whiikey, &c.
RECITATIVE.
Whene'er our foes the many are,
And we are but the pew Sir,
We sWear they are ariilocrats —
YJe have no more to do Sir.
Semi Chorus.
To triumph like a democrat,
Keep you in mind this leflon ft.
Full Chorus.
Sing Whilkey, &c.
RECITATIVE.
In order to protedl our cause,
From censure and from evil,
We have secured a Printer and,
Like jvife the Printer's Devil.
Semi Chorus.
Who really is a democrat,
And give 9 us many a leflon pati
Full Chorus.
Sing Whi/key, &c.
RECITATIVE.
The President we'll call a king,
i And Hamilton a tory,
To bring these men, theirplans, and friends
To ruin, we ihould glory.
Semi Chorus.
Because a modern democrat,
Has taught us all these lelTons pat.
Full Chorus.
Sing Whifkcy, &c. *
RECITATIVE.
Thus we'll be anti government,
Until we all get places;
And then perhaps, but not till then,
We may wear other faces.
Semi Chorus.
And though no more a democrat,
Yet each will have his leflon put.
Full Chorus.
Sing whist about, tnlk about, now out
but it) then,
We will laugh at the fools who have
made us great men.
ExtraH from the Virginia Centinel, pub-
lijhed at Wincbefter.
It his been suggested, that the local situ
ation of the Insurgents requires indulgence.
Confiderißg them a part of the fedora!
union. 1 acknowledge myfelf, Sir, a
stranger to the title on which a claim to
such indulgence ts founded. It s true the
legislature of Pennsylvania has exempted
them for many years from,the payment of
taxes; but have they, in consequence of
it, been better citizfßs, or more peaceable
neighbors. It appears rather to have pro
duced a diilike to evtry species of taxation:
the excise ife odious to thein, not so much
because it is an excilc, but because it is a
tax ; and a tax being a mode of feflening
their quantum of money, it is fufficient
with them to oppose it.
But what are their pleas for exemption ?
They are fettled on a frontier country, it
is said, and exposed to the depredations of
the savages. True ; but who forced them
to the frontier country ? Did they not go
there from choice ? Did they not fettle
there from the profpe<st of advantage ?
Nav, that they could make a better provi
sion for themselves and families there than
elsewhere ? Besides, it there is a foe to
contend with, are they at all the trouble
and expence of the war ? Do they hire
and pay all the troops for the ser
vice ? Or do they furnilh all the provisions
and military llores gratis ? No ; the Uni
on has expended millions of dollars in
equipping armiesfor their protection, while
they refufe to pay a ftngle (hilling for their
own defence ; nay, insult the government
and its officers for demanding it: and yet
thefearethe people who are entitled to be
treated with ltnity, indulgence, and an ex
emptiou from taxes. to trace the eaufet of discontent and
It has been said, and that too by a mem- murmur which have agitated the peace
btr of Conerefs, that the Excise Law , , , r r , ° . r .u*
Ihould be fuipended in their favor for a li- a ' ie bo °ms ° * ar 2 e P' P ",
mited time. How the said member of ple> and it would not be difficult to make
Congress came to adopt luch a sentiment, appear that he the of them who
I cannot comprehend ; for had he been funding, bank and excise
fnfficiently acquainted with the federal fylK-ms, and who by their means lias
constitution, he rtiuft have known that . introduced itilenefs instead of lnduftry,
Congress have no such power a» to ful'pend ; ex| ance ilj|lc , ad of economy, lux
that law 111 favor ot any part of the com- 5 . f , r . f ,J ' .
munity. In the firft clause of the eighth I »<7 fpecukt.on >u
feflion of the hrtt article, the constitution ) «"d of labor, fictitious inltead of real
expreiily declares, that all duties, iinpofts wealth, inequality in dead of equality,
and excises Hull be uniform throughout sycophants iuftead of republicans, apri
the United States. ■ Can the extii*: then vileged order instead of the
be uniform throughout the States, and yet p om p u s monarchy iniltad of the fim
a part exempted f«om it altogether. It so, £ £' bUc i nifln _ To hlm> who
a part mult be equal to tiie whole. Ruum r ' » D .
tcneatis awlci. ,l ' ok t! ? e corm P t , of Creat B "'
But granting,fot a moment, that the tain ao his texts, and in his commentary
law eotild be impended partially in fa- upon them has endeavored to grind the
vour of the western opposition, what , poor and indufirioui, and piivilegcthe
would lie the confluence ? A part of wealthy and the idle, in order to tame
the community who would pay no tax, l ' le ° !ie to obedience and tke other to
would, in this cafe, by their reprefenta- submission.
tives, have the power ot taxing others The object of a free government
who did. A nieafure this that com- ought to be the happiness of its citizens,
pletely does away the very eiTence of and to compals this til! should be made
equal rights, and equal liberties. It to (hare in the public burthens proporti
tumbles into ruin the doctrine of equali- oned to their wealth. Is this the cafe in
ty ; and, like the ilroke of the Magi- the United Stats? What proportion of
cian's rod, causes a privileged order to the public burthen does the itockholder
rife in its roomi Beiides, the doctrine pay, who has ten thousand a year from
of suspension is fraught with the word the public treasury ? What difference is
of confcquences to society, from the i there betweir the man who has an estate
precedent it would eftabhlh.—There . of -an hundred thousand pounds, and
are Tories ind other difaffected persons • him who is the proprietor of a single
among us; who may have influence hut! The present fyftcm of indirect tax
enough to form a party in oppolition ation, like death, puts them upon ale
to certain laws they may deem oppref- vel, and the poor and the tich contri
iive. To appease these, if Congress bute alike, with this singular difference,
wilhes to aft confidently, the fufpenli- that the poor man is olliged to ajjij} in /up
on aft mult be enlarged to embrace plying the public treasury to Jatisfy the
their cafe; and so it may go on, ad Jlockhclder't claims. Is not this'Britifh
infinitum, to the suspension of all la* i taxation with a witness ? And will not
and government.
No rnaß, I believe, who is a friend to
the Union; but would wifti to fee the
federal government pofiefs fufficient
enefgy, and to exercise that energy con
ilitutionallyi when Occasion requires it.
Relaxation in the reigns of government
is too apt to be con ft hied into weak
ness—a belief of weakness begets con
tempt of the laws ; and, when this is
tha cafe, all subordination is at an end.
This is a serious evil, and one which
(hould be carefully guarded againfi, if
if we wish to prefeive any fembliuice
of a well regulated policy. If the ci
tizens refteft upon these things and
weigh them in their own minds, tegard
lefs of the idle tdes of the incendiary',
there is no doubt, Sir, but their own
good sense will determine them to give
the executive, cheerfully and willingly,
every affillance in their power, if requi
site, for the support of that which (hould
be dear to us all—peace and good go*
vernment.
I am, Sir, your's, &c.
A BACK-WOODS-MAN.
Winchester, Augufl 22, 1794.
From the American Daily Advertiser
NUMBER 11.
ATTICUS to « TULLT."
SIR,
cause of which you have be
come the champion must be desperate
indeed, when you are compelled to (tep
forward in it« defence, at the bar of a
publtc, which nectjjlty only prompts you
treat with refpc&. Hard indeed must
be your lot, when not one solitary.scrib
bler has arisen to prop your finking
cause ; but you could have expe&ed no
i other fate; for the fortune of Wolfey
ought to have taught you the uncertain
ty of depending upon sycophants, and
his repentant exclamation, that had he
fervid his GOD as be fervedhis KING, be
would not have deserted him, ought to
have been a serious admonition to you,
to ti tilt yourfelf to political virtue
only.
You have laboured hard to persuade
the people, that the weitern citizens,
and indeed all who are opposed to exci
se b and to certain corruptions in our go
vernment, are enemies to the constituti
on ; nay, that they are enemies ta eve
ry kind of government; artfully ming
ling thefyflems and conduct of admi
niltration, with that instrument which
arises from, and received the fan&ion of
the freemen of America. But here you
have over-rated your cunning, for the
people of the United States are not
like the hears of their tot efts, to be
made to dance to any tune that a fidler
shall think proper to strike up for them-
Nd, Sir, they have undeillanding
enough to perceive truth, and j"dg
m-nt fufficient to embrace it; and as
well might you ilTue a bull, declaring
yourfelf to be the representative of the
Pope, that like him you were infallible,
and that all good christians should pros
trate themselves and kiss your flipper, as
to endeavor to make the people believe
that they are the enemies of that very
frame of gvernment, which they them
selves formed for their regulation.
It would not be an irrelative enquiiy
the fame effects flow from it ? The land
tax of Great Britain is, at this mo
ment, half a m /lion tefs than it was a
century ago, and the taxes upon con
lumption have encreafed to the enor.
ftious film of thirteen millions annually ! !
The consequences are but too obvi
ous, the poor are in a (late of wretched
ness almolt unparalleled, while the weal
thy, like the rich man, are rioting up
on the good things of this life. Citi
zens of America, reflect before it be
too late! View the gulph before you,
and pause. before you commit yourselves
to its devouring jaws.
The inequality which speculation,
arising out of funding and bank fyf
tem3 have produced, may be cited as a
cause of discontent ; for by this means
a monied arijlocracy has been created,
which has hitherto been an overbalance
for the general intereft.—ln proof of
this, the -xemption from taxation which
paper property has experienced may be
fairly and substantially adduced. This
inequality has operated in another way,
it has given rife to comparifoos between
citizens productive of chagrin ; for the
man who has labored to tdvance his
fortune by a regular series of indullry,
feels himfelf checked and mortified on
feeing a dealer in scrip ftatt up in pof
fclTion of miniiteiial wealth, like a
mu(hroom in a night.
Were I disposed to exhibit a cata
logue of the causes of discontent, I
could enumerate the fubmillion of our
government to the piracies of Great;
the submission of the oovernment to the
detention of the western pbllg, ronttarv
to solemn stipulation, the exi rav aKan t
■ i . cers of government,
when the nation is groaning beneath th
weight of debt j the exclusion of the
western citizens from the navigation of
the river Miffif.ppi, &c.but will forbear
the exhibition of so melancholy a s pec .
tacle, that I may not occasion free m ca
to mourn the condition of their -, IUC
happy country. These are amoog the
causes which have blasted the bopts and
interrupted the happiness and peace of
the citizens of America. Here thur
discontents may be traced, and not to
the constitution.
Can it be expe&ed that free men can
bear without murmur to fee their hard
earnings wrung from them to fuftaiit
those who take no part in the public
burthens ? The present excise in itfelf
is not a monster of such an hideous mein •
but it becomes so when its products are
i to he applied to J peculators and Jiock
■ jobbers, and not for the geneial "Ood.
Free men are disposed to submit to ma
ny Jiardfliips when their country's wel
fare calls ; but to be made to bear im
positions to cherish luxury and idlenefi
is an outrage upon their feelings.
Epithets, Sir, cost you nothing, they
seem to be as familiar to you as tlve ma,
nufafture of words; but the founds of
Conspirator, Incendiary, Cataline, &c.
will no longer delude or alarm; they
have been bawled in the ears of the
people so frequently that they have at
length become perfectly innocent. But
were I to enquire who are the conspira
tors, the incendiaries, the Catalines cf
this country, it might be answered, that
he i« a Cataline who aimed at erecting
a monarchy in the United States upon
the ruins of republicanism ; that he is a
conspirator who wishes a brother wan
tonly to imbrue his bands in the il«od
of his brother ; that he is an incendiary
who endeavors to substitute violence fur
reason, who strives to embitter the minds
of citizens against the deluded western
citizens ; would it not be a civil war, to
incite free men to slaughter. Had the
man who cloathed himfelf with the ve
nerable and reverend name of Franklin
plan'd an irredeemable debt, and ha
zarded the maxim that a public dibt is a
public ble/Jing, then might " Tully's"
epithets fafely apply to him.
It may be a mark of Insolent presump
tion to exercise a ' mountehanlc iM' upon
a minijlerial word and did 1 know the
[oft piano that would keep irritable feel
ings from vibrating like a pendulum
it would be but decorous in me to lefort
to it ; but as I am like a servant who is
the ape of his master or like the vulgar
who copy their betters, you will pardon
the liberty I take in dipping into
the mihi/lerial diQionary and faying that
it must be'the principle of a man whor
wiftied a monarchy to resort to inlWi
taneous coercion again ft the western
people ; for the injlrumentality of a
monocrat is force, the logic of gun pow
der being more certainly convincing
than all the dedu&ions from the reason
ing powers.
Sept. 3.
The folio-wing Sketch it copied from the
General Advertiser of this Morning.
Legi Hature of Pennsylvania.
House ofr Representatives,
September 9.
A petition was presented from the
Pilots of this port. Read and ordered
to lie on the table. It was afterwards,
by special order, read a fecund time and
referred to the committee of health.
The committee appointed, made a
report to regulate the sale of lands;
ordered to lie on the tabla.
The Secretary of State, introduced a
mefiage from the Governor on the fnb
jeft of calling out the militia to quell
the western infurredlion. The Govern
or wiftics the fandlion of the Leg!flatuvc
to enable him to fill up the vacancies
in the militia by volunteer inliftments.
Mr. B. Morgan moved for the appoint
ment of a committee to bring in a bill
to empower the Governor to make np
with volunteers the quota of militia re
quired from this State, and to allow a
bounty to thof« volunteers.
Mr. White of Washington oppofej
the motion. He took a view of the
causes of the infurreftion, adverted to
the oppreflivc nature of the excise, and
thence of other meafuresof the Federal
government, which be warmly reproba
ted. He was repeatedly called to order,
those fubjefts being unconnedk-d with
the queflion before the house. He con
cluded by moving to poltpone the relo
lution till November next.
Mr. Evans was again ft this postpone
ment. It was tjiK, he said, that by
the existing militia law the Governor
could by a lengthy prtxefj make up the
quota required from this State, by cal-.
ling on the fcteral classes in fucceffioa
H
ATTICUS.