A Looking-Glass for Presbyterians (Inscribed: J. Arbo) - 14
As I am an American born, and have neither place nor pension under the G—t, I earnestly hope my dear countrymen will look upon my weak endeavours to serve them, free from prejudice and partiality, and as the overflowings of a heart truly touch'd with a deep sense of their misfortunes, and sympathizing with them under their present unhappy calamity.
Must it not rouse the indignation of every patriot breast in P—a to see so many hireling pens prostituted to support arbitrary measures; when if they were equally employ'd in vindicating the rights and liberties of the people; in exposing wicked ministers of state, those sons of corruption, who are preparing the minds of mankind for slavery and bondage, they might do honor to themselves, die without a guilty conscience staring them in the face, and their memory (instead of rotting) wou'd be gratefully rever'd by posterity?
As my principal design is to examine the merit of Presbyterians for government, without troubling myself much about pamphlets, that have, or may be written in defence of the P—r and his Tools in Opposition to the Freemen of this Province; nevertheless I look upon it as a Duty incumbent on me just to give a Key to one of them, call'd the "Conduct of the Paxton Men impartially represented."
This Sixpenny Piece consists of thirty three Pages, twenty of which the Author has borrow'd in Order to swell the Performance, otherwise I apprehend the thirteen pages of his own dry Reflections wou'd have been sold for two Coppers, by which Means the mercenary Views of both Author and Printer wou'd have been entirely disappointed.— Such are the cunning Schemes projected amidst the Scarcity of Cash that now prevails, by these pamphleteering Gentlemen, in Order to make the Public pay for what they were in Possession of before. The Injury he has done to the back Inhabitants by misrepresenting their Manifesto, can scarce ever be forgiven him, for in transcribing this Remonstrance of Grievances, he has artfully substituted the Word, "Quakers, for P—r, in order I apprehend to throw the blame upon them and their Assembly. If the Reader however in the Perusal of the Pamphlet, will bear this in his Mind, and as he goes along, when he meets with words. Tyrant, Traytor, Rebel, &c. Apply the first to a certain Ruler not much esteem'd, and the two last to the Paxton Men,and Presbyterians! These with a few more of the like Emendations, may make it tolerable Sense and what is more give it some Color of Truth.
Our Author commends the Representatives of the Freemen of Rome, for murdering Julius Caesar in the State House, because he had tyrannically depriv'd them of their Liberty, and reduc'd them to a State of Vassalage and Slavery.—I believe his Employers have more Understanding than to thank him for this Instance of his Zeal, as it militates so strongly against the Cause for which it was produc'd, and sets such an Example to the Senators of P—,a as I am confident they wou'd by
