This site requires Javascript to be turned on. Please enable Javascript and reload the page.

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

The Conduct of the Paxton Men Impartially Represented - 25

was a Breach of the Rites of Hospitality, which, Heathens, Turks, Saracens, Moors, Negroes, and Indians, have held more sacred than the PAXTONIANS. The Author here prostitutes his own sacred good Sense, and contrary to the known Rules of Logic and sound Reason, draws an universal Conclusion from particular Premises: As well might he argue that Goliah was a Giant, and so were all the Soldiers in the Army of the Philistines; or David spared Saul asleep in the Cave, and therefore he spared all his Enemies.

Would the limits I have prescribed to myself in the Letter allow me, I could easily shew you, that every one of those Nations have, in a Thousand Instances, violated the Laws of Hospitality, and Faith too, in a much higher Degree than these People could possibly have been guilty of.---But without carrying you through Homer, old Legends, and fabulous Travels and Voyages----if you look into your Bible, you will find a very notable Instance, which will set this Matter right.-----We read in the 4th Chapter of Judges, that when Israel was sold into the Hands of Jabin, King of Canaan, the Captain of whose Army was Sisera, who had nine hundred Chariots of Iron, and had mightily oppressed the Children of Israel for 20 Years; the Lord at last, by his Instruments Deborah and Barak, delivered Israel from Jabin and Sisera.-----“And the Lord discomfited Sisera, and all his Chariots, and all his Host with the Edge of the Sword, before Barak; so that Sisera lighted down his Chariot, and fled away on his Feet, to the Tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite: For there was Peace between Jabin the King of Hazor, and the House of Heber the Kenite.

“And Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said unto him, Turn in, my Lord, turn into me, fear not: and When he had turned in unto her into the Tent, she covered him with a Mantle,” (or Blanket, as you find it express’d in the Margin.)

“And he said unto her, give me, I pray thee, a little Water to drink, for I am thirsty; and she opened a Bottle of Milk, and gave him Drink, and covered him.

“And again he said unto her, stand in the Door of the Tent, and it shall be when any Man doth come and enquire of thee and say, Is there any Man here? that thou shall say, No.

Contents of this annotation:

A defense of the Paxton boys, in reply to Benjamin Franklin's "A narrative of the late massacres, in Lancaster County, of a number of Indians." Attributed to Thomas Barton by Hildeburn and Evans. Also attributed to the Rev. John Ewing. Cf. Egle, W.H. History of the counties of Dauphin and Lebanon, 1883, p. 68. An added title page identifies John Creaig of Lancaster as bookseller. Signatures: pi [A]? B-D? E1.