c will judge, whether
_you or I have missed the point_; and which of us has _committed the crime
of making a man of straw_.

Not doubting but you will have the candour to come to an explanation on
this subject,

I am, Sir, your humble servant,

THE LANDHOLDER.

From The Landholder's statement printed at page 195 of this volume, it
appears that this signature was employed by another man, in this instance.

Letter Of William Williams.

The American Mercury, (Number 88)

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 11TH, 1788.

MR. BABCOCK:

Since the Federal Constitution has had so calm, dispassionate and so happy
an issue, in the late worthy Convention of this State; I did not expect
any members of that hon. body to be challenged in a News-paper, and
especially by name, and by anonymous writers, on account of their opinion,
or decently expressing their sentiments relative to the great subject then
under consideration, or any part of it. Nor do I yet see the propriety, or
happy issue of such a proceeding. However as a gentleman in your Paper
feels uneasy, that every sentiment contained in his publications, (tho' in
general they are well written) is not received with perfect acquiescence
and submission, I will endeavour to satisfy him, or the candid reader, by
the same channel, that I am not so reprehensible as he supposes, in the
matter refer'd to. When the clause in the 6th article, which provides that
"no religious test should ever be required as a qualification to any
office or trust, &c." came under consideration, I observed I should have
chose that sentence and anything relating to a religious test, had been
totally omitted rather than stand as it did, but still more wished
something of the kind should have been inserted, but with a reverse sense,
so far as to require an explicit acknowledgment of the being of a God, his
perfections and his providence, and to have been prefixed to, and stand
as, the first introductory words of the Constitution, in the following or
similar terms, viz. _We the people of the United States, in a firm belief
of the being and perfections of the one living and true God, the creator
and supreme Governour of the world, in his universal providence and the
authority of his laws; that he will require of all moral agents an account
of their conduct; that all rightful powers among men are ordained of, and
mediately derived from God; therefore in a dependence on his blessing and
acknowledgment of his effici