KINGS COUNTY, 28 APRIL 1788

tion:-And I further believe that this New Constitution is as little de-
fective as any one whatever; and an ample provision is made in it for
correcting of defects, whenever experience teaches us it contains any.
When you construct a machine, it is impossible to know how it will
work exactly, until it is put in motion. Thus, my fellow citizens, I have
gone through this man's long, stupid performance, and I hope have
satisfactorily answered all the objections he has made to the New Con-
stitution; and I sincerely invite you to join with me in putting into
Convention men, whom we know are firmly in favor of it. As to the
propriety of the assertions, which he has made against my character, I
shall leave entirely with you to determine. That health, happiness and
prosperity may ever attend you, is the sincere wish of A FLAT-BUSH
FARMER.
Flat-Bush, 21st April 1788.
1. Broadside (Evans 21502), printed by Francis Childs of the Daily Advertiser.
2. "A Flat-Bush Farmer," 23 March, and "A Kings County Farmer" (in Dutch) have
not been located.
3. Perhaps a reference to those men who opposed the March 1785 amendment to
grant commercial powers to Congress (CDR, 154-56) or to those who opposed granting
Congress the Impost of 1783 in April 1785. A third possibility is to those who, in May
1786 and February 1787, saddled New York's approval of the Impost of 1783 with con-
ditions unacceptable to Congress (RCS: NY, Vol. 1, xxxvi-xl).
4. A reference to the Court of Appeals in Cases of Capture created by Congress in
January 1780 (RCS:Va., 1439, note 2).
A Flatbush Farmer, 28 April 17881
To the Inhabitants of KING'S COUNTY.
Friends and Fellow-Citizens! I must beg leave to trespass once more on
your patience, by a short reply to the King's County Farmer's Address of
the 26th instant. He has trod again in the same dirty path in which he
first set out, as if he expected to carry his point by mere abuse. I well
know your sentiments and feelings, with respect to a language of that
kind, and I am convinced you will universally condemn the mean sub-
terfuge of this man.-It matters not whether I am a madman or fool,
whether I am in office, or in pursuit of an office; the point is, whether
or not my arguments in favour of the New Constitution are founded
on truth.-If they are not, this King's County Farmer ought to have
endeavoured, by reasoning, to convince you of it. Has he attempted
this? Or has he not contented himself with dealing out low, mean in-
vective, against my character. He may rest assured, that such kind of
attacks are, and ever shall be, treated with due contempt by me-a
mind conscious of its own rectitude, despises every accuser. What I have

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