e early dew
before the powerful rays of the resplendent luminary of the universe? Are
they not honest, upright and just men, who fear God and eschew evil?
With few exceptions, they are mostly men of this character; and, Citizens
of Massachusetts, they have formed a government adequate to the
maintaining and supporting the rank and dignity of America in the scale of
nations; a government which, if adopted, will protect your trade and
commerce, and cause business of every kind rapidly to increase and
flourish; it is a government which wants only a candid perusal and due
attention paid to it, to recommend it to every well-wisher to his country.
Brethren and citizens, hearken to the voice of men who have dictated only
for your and posterity's good; men who ever
"Have made the publick good their only aim,
And on that basis mean to build their fame."
Listen not to the insinuations of those who will glory only in your
destruction, but wisely persevere in the paths of rectitude.
CASSIUS.
Cassius, VI.
The Massachusetts Gazette, (Number 387)
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1787.
For the Massachusetts Gazette.
MR. ALLEN:
Through the channel of your Paper, I beg leave to offer one or two short
remarks on a production which appeared in your last, under the signature
of Agrippa.(10)
Without saying anything concerning the justness of the learned Agrippa's
observations on past events, I shall confine myself chiefly to a small
part of his uncommonly ingenious essay.
Agrippa says, "the attempt has been made to deprive us," &c., "by exalting
characters on the one side, and vilifying them on the other." And goes on,
"I wish to say nothing of the merits or demerits of individuals, such
arguments always do hurt." Immediately after this he insinuates that the
members of the late federal convention have, "from their cradles, been
incapable of comprehending any other principles of government than those
of absolute power, and who have, in this instance (meaning the form of
government proposed by them) attempted to deprive the people of their
constitutional liberty by a pitiful trick." Thus the ignorant loggerhead
blunders directly into the very same thing which he himself, just before,
takes upon him to censure. Perhaps Agrippa thinks that excusable in
anti-federalists, which in a federalist he beholds as criminal; justly
thinking, without doubt, that as absurdity, knavery and falsehood, is the
general char
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