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

A Humble Attempt at Scurrility - 19

which Purpose would be best answered by publishing the said Protest with their Names subscribed.” But, unluckily for the Gentleman’s Veracity, it has since come out, that he did read it over several Times, show’d it to Mr. C—w, and desired his Opinion of it. Mr. C—w read it accordingly, and advised Mr. A—n in Words to this Effect: “By no Means put your Name to it—it is a vey foolish Affair—can be of no Service to our Cause—and if you sign it you may depend that Mr. F—n will expose you in such a Manner as to make you repent it as long as you live.” Sign it, however, he did, and gloried in it till the Remarks appeared. When they came out, he was in a terrible Trepidation indeed. “Wha-wha-wha-What (says he to one of his Acquaintance) can make Mr. F—n use me in this Manner—He-he-he seems angry! Bla-bla-bla-Bless me, I never dreamt he would have ta-ta-ta-taken it so ill, or I should not have signed it—I don’t know that I ever spo-spo-spoke a disrespectful Word of him in my Life—I always thought him a Ma-ma-Man of Integrity and a Ma-ma-Man of Abilities, tho’ I did not like his Po-po-po-Politicks.”

HOW very little disrespectful he has talk’d of Mr. F—n let those testify who have had the Honour of being in his Company at any Time within the last seven Years. I can call on some of them who can vouch, that he has not only scandalously traduced that Gentleman’s Character in England and America, but even meanly attempted to blast the Reputation of his Son, because the Father and himself differed in their Political Sentiments. Though the Son has neither directly or indirectly interfered in our Disputes since his Return from England, has treated all those of the Pr—ry Party, who have fallen in his Way, with as much Civility as he has done those of the other, yet has this venomous Slanderer continually aspersed his Character, and even had the Villainy to accuse him of a Transaction that every Man in the Government where he resides knows to be totally FALSE. Not contented, however, with thus villifying him in private, he has had the Baseness to employ

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].