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

The Plain Dealer, Numb. III - 21

of his Majesty’s interest, have been deprived of charter privileges, allowed scarcely a voice in the Assembly, and so prevented from being able to shew their loyalty to his Majesty; these miserable people are now in the greatest danger of bearing the punishment, due to the disloyal conduct of a Quaker faction, and such they must expect if our Government is changed at this time. For be it still remembered, we judge it a matter of little importance whether his Majesty govern us by the Proprietor, or by any other gentleman. But the only question is, shall we, especially at this worst of times, shall we part with a valuable charter and very extensive privileges, for one that will certainly be much more contracted. It is not even pretended that we can get a better charter or a form of Government better calculated for encouraging people to come from different kingdoms into this province; all charges must be against us on this score. Let our frontier counties once enjoy their charter privileges, and I call upon any of our politicians to shew me one real advantage that we shall enjoy in a new government, which may be equally be enjoy’d in this; and whatever number he shews me, I will engage to shew him at least five times as many disadvantages that will certainly follow a change, in the present state of affairs. As to the valuable laws that we shall get when our Governor is not shackeled by Proprietary instructions, all that is said about them is mere froth, without any meaning. Perhaps indeed, we may get some King’s Governor, as willing to take a bribe as the Proprietor’s once was, and that may prove a channel to draw off twenty thousand Pounds more of the public money, for so much we lost by our former bribery. But what shall we gain by that? since the laws will certainly be repeal’d. For it is demonstrable, that none of these laws which they praise so much, can ever be obtain’d in any form of government. The Minister and all his Majesty’s Council can hardly be chang’d along with our Charter. And

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