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

An Answer to the Pamphlet Entitled "The Conduct of the Paxton Men" - 12

they blam’d for? why, because they assisted their honest Neighbours to save the Indians from a horrid Massacre: And this is every Thing I find against them, when I have canvas’d the whole Affair, in the minuetest Manner, I am capable of. Did not the Governor request all the Freeholders in the City, to meet him at the State-House? Was not this with the Approbation of his Council? And did not the Governor and Assembly pass an Act against Riots and Rioters? All this was done on the Approach of the Paxton Rebels: And without the aid of the Quakers. Now I conclude, this none-Politition has in the first Place to prove, that for one Man to endeavour to save the Life and Fortune of another, is an unjustifiable Act; Secondly, the whole Sistom, or Body of Laws, which support civil Society, and bindeth the Body corporate, as with Chains of iron, to be a mere Fandom or useless Ceremony: Nay it strikes at the very Assenec of those Laws; I mean the Laws of God: For why did the great and wise Legislature form those Laws, but for the Regulation and well being of Mankind. I say he must first prove the abovesaid Possitions, or he cannot prove the Quakers worthy of any Blame. If this is not the most palbable Essay towards the intire Demolition of all good Government, I know not what is. Well my Countrymen, by this Time you see, in what a sophistical Manner, this Author hath wrote: He meaneth one then, and speaketh another; he spitts his Spite at you our Superiors, whose Title I have just mentioned, under the Similtude of Quakers; but how will you put up with such glarring impudence, I don’t undertake to determine.

Contents of this annotation: