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Show 444. PREFACE to Mr. Gallor 7ay'r rinsed). ihlgillntinl inhabitants; and not the leaf: intimation was received by the aliembly from any other cl" their conitituents, that the method was 5/1216" 1,, u t 35/; except in 21 petition from :1: obienre tow. nthio in inzietitter' county, to which there were about forty names ind-:ed, but all evidently figned by three hands only.-VVhat could the aflEmbly infer lrom the exprefled willingnefs of a part, and lilence of the relt; but that the mea- fure was univerfally agreeable? They accordingly refnmed the eonlideration of it; And though a final], very fmalloppofition then appeared to it in the houfe; yet as even that was founded not on the impropriety of the thing, but on the {uppofed unfuitablenefs of the time or the manner, and a majority of nine tenths being {till for it; SIX THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED of them were applied to, and refufed to fign it.--The truth is, that his number offouls is valily exaggerated. The dwelling-hordes in the prmince in 1752 did not 'exceed 20,000. Political arithmeticians reckon generally but five fouls to a houfe, one houfe with another: and therefore, allowing for banks finee built, there are not probably more than an hundred and ten thoufand‘foul; in the province: That of thefe, fcarce twenty two thoufand [015% with any propriety be petitioners.-And confidering the {tattered fettlement of the province; the generalinrtt- tention of mankind, efpecially in new countries, to public affairs; and the indefatigable pains taken by the proprietaries' new allies the Prefbyterian clergy of Philadelphia, (who wrote circular letters to every congregation in the county, to deter them from petitioning, by dutiful intimations, that if we were redueed to a royal govern- ment, it would be the " ruin of the province,") it is awonder the number (near a fixth part) was {0 great as it was.- But if there had been no fueh petitions, it would not have been material to the point. The aflmfly went upon another foundation. They had adjourned. to confult their conflituents; they returned fatisfied that the meafure was agreeable to them, and not/ring appeared to the [gunman [I .13.] ) fin Cam‘rfl for a Royal Gct't‘rimieizt 4-45 r. . {011e, and or tiered to he trztnimiited to 21:33:55: a p‘tition was drawn am" (1 .ble to th"' ‘ " Etui‘i‘ltiiih A for US)! thabthefe fitU‘Z-UZHZ‘I‘L . b 51:16:21 ,_ t."1:138DUIDDCI of rail), Ignorant ‘ and lllU_;‘I‘ill.iLl‘n[C people;') and General r f , low mint. , . A‘ To be fure the‘ "we llOL 0‘ c1 _ y Mic inthei proO a plittaiy olheers, dependants, or expeftants- and ‘thole are chiefly the people ofhigh rank afnoncr usi-but they were otherwife genchxliy men ofth: belt eilates in the province, and men ofrenutation Fhe aftembly, who come from all pzu‘is of the country, and therefore may be liipooted to know them, at leaf't as well as the preface}; have Given that tefiimonyof them.w liutwhar is the teilirtiion of the‘afltmbly; who in his opinion are. equall? rafh, ignorant, and inconfiderate with the oetitioners P~And if his judgment is right, how in}.- prudcntly and contrary to their charter, have his THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND SOULS aéted in their elections of afiinnbly-men thefe twenty years pad; for the charter requires them to choofe men. of mofl note for "nirz‘zrn, trey/70m, and [252720 I But thefe are quaiities, eiigrofiEd it feems by the Proprietary party-"Per they lay, ‘ the WISER ‘ and BETTER part of the province had far dif- ‘ ferent notions ofthis zneafure : They confidered. ‘ that the moment they put their hands to thefe ‘ petitions they might be furrendering up their ‘ birthright.' l felicitate them on the honour they have thus beftowed upon themfelves; on the/z}:cere compliments thus given and accepted; and on their having with fuch noble freedom difcarded, a Petition the llllll‘l‘lillll‘l‘l |