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Digital Paxton: Digital Collection, Critical Edition, and Teaching Platform

A Humble Attempt at Scurrility - 18

Number of them were not even then invented. Those contained in the Protest were fully refuted by the Remarks, not only to the Satisfaction of every Man of Candor, but even of some of the Protesters themselves. However, I shall leave that Matter to be properly represented in the Reply; and only just remark here, that I cannot see with what Propriety, Men, who have publickly asserted, what some of them knew at the Time to be absolutely false, and others of them knew nothing at all about, merely to blast the Reputation of a Fellow Citizen who never did one of them the least Injury, can be said to be Gentlemen of undisputed Character.

Those Rogues, who understand Things least,
Are still the fiercest in Contest;
Unsight, unseen, espouse a Side
At Random, like a Prince’s Bride,
To damn their Souls, and swear and lye for,
And at a Venture live and die for. Butler.

I have, however, so much Charity as to believe that several of the Protesters are now so ashamed of the scandalous Part they have acted, that they would refuse to do the like again, even tho’ directed by Mr. A—n, and threaten’d with the Loss of their Commissions. It is but Justice too that I should mention my having heard that one of them has declared, “He almost wished his Hand had been cut off before he sign’d the Protest, but that he was prevailed upon to do it against his Judgment.”

AND when Mr. A—n himself was interrogated concerning the Reason of his Conduct on the Occasion. He answered, that he was hurried into it, having scarce Time to read the Paper over; for that he received it while he was at Dinner at New Castle, with a Letter from Philadelphia, purporting, “That if he did not sign it first none of the rest would, and that there would likewise be Danger of some of their Country Members not joining them at a future Sessions, unless they could carry down with them some specious Reasons to justify their Conduct to their Constituents,

Contents of this annotation:

In reply to an attack on Benjamin Franklin by John Hughes. Attributed to Isaac Hunt in the Dictionary of American biography. Ascribed to the press of Anthony Armbruster by Evans. "Prologue to the coffee-house politician, or The justice caught in his own trap."--p. vii-viii. "Thirteen descriptions of the great A. drawn from the life by that celebrated master D---d J--s D-ve, poet laureat to the Pr---ry Party."--p. 38-42. Signatures: [A]? B-E? F_ (F2 verso blank). "Errata."--p. [43].