1. DEBATE OVER CONSTITUTION

without Constraint."4-Your Conduct seems to me, very much like that
of a Prostitute recommending Chastity to her Sex, lest they should di-
vide the Profits of the Business with her, as one that thought herself
intitled to an exclusive Right to ruin her Adherents.-What else can
you there mean by prostituting the sacred Names of Reason and Justice?
Have the Framers of that disgraceful & wicked Clause, or their Ad-
herents, any Pretensions to speak of Reason and Justice, unless it be to
deceive?-But, when you ask the following Question-"Has it been
found that Bodies of Men act with more Rectitude or greater Disinter-
estedness than Individuals?"-And answer-"The Contrary of this has
been inferred by all accurate Observers of the Conduct of Mankind;
and the Inference is founded upon obvious Reasons. Regard to Repu-
tation has a less active Influence, when the Infamy of a bad Action is
to be divided among a Number, than when it is to fall singly upon one.
A Spirit of Faction which is apt to mingle its Poison in the Deliberations
of all Bodies of Men, will often hurry the Persons of whom they are
composed into Improprieties and Excesses, for which they would blush,
in a private Capacity."5-You really speak as tho' you had been a Mem-
ber of the late Convention,6 and there experienced, in your own Per-
son, all the Improprieties and Excesses which a Spirit ofFaction could produce
by mingling its Poison in your Deliberations, and which you so feelingly
and emphatically now describe. I shall be happy to know whether you
had an eye generally, to the Conduct of the Convention, [and?] to the
particular Conduct of one of its Members or Both,-when you assert,
in the 5th. Period, of the 6th [13th] Paragraph that-"Power controled
or abused is almost always the Rival and Enemy of that Power by which
it is controlled or abridged."-For, if one may be permitted to use
some of your own Words, there seems to have been a very considerable
excentric Tendency in the inferiour Orbs of Both to fly off from the common
Centre. But this you have very justly & laconicly accounted by saying-
"It has its origin in the love of Power."7-This was as [-- -] and you
see that I am willing to allow you all the Credit which it merits. I hope
your Patience is not quite exhausted, because the Joes8 have not [ap-
peared?], as I yet wish to learn of so able an Informant, by what Au-
thority the Delegate from this State to the late Convention acceded to
their Proceedings? Have you ever seen, heard, or understood that the
Legislature, or either Branch of it, impowered or encouraged him, di-
rectly or indirectly, to the accession?
Or, have you ever seen, or heard of, Petitions from a Majority of the
Freeholders and Inhabitants of this State, requesting a new Constitu-
tion for the U. States? Or, have you any official or authentic Documents

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