AND

FELLOW CITIZENS.

T

HESE fheets being written for your fervice, and the welfare of your children, there seems to be a propriety in offering them to you. If you believe the facts, you will adopt the fentiments. The cause of the poor is the cause of humanity; but in the eye of religion, which alone can take a comprehenfive view of the state of man, the love of God, and the love of our country, unite themselves as one object. This only can check the human-heart, expose its deceitfulness and iniquity, or by the confiftency of our conduct give proof of our fincerity.

Thus we shall avoid that fatiety or difguft, which a knowledge of the world is apt to create; and in spite of all prövo

A

39X6771

cations

the fons of men: that whatever externa distinctions providence shall have appointed no human Being that bears the image o his maker, may pass unheeded by.

This only can restrain that rapacious unquiet fpirit, which at certain periods of national existence, and worldly fplendor, is fo apt to make inroads on the human breast, and ravage the heart of public and private love. If each is tempted to injure another, to gratify his avarice, his ambition, or any unwarrantable appetency, in the iffue every one must be undone.

It would be repugnant to candor to fuppose that the most humane people should become careless to each others happiness; or the most wealthy, rapacious; if we did not fee that as riches creates power, power makes us impatient of control; and both unite to inflame the paffions. Thus a habit of indulgence banishes thofe humbler and feverer thoughts, which curb our natural propenfity to evil; fo that the very princi

ple

religion: neither can be properly supported without the other. And with fuch advantages as we enjoy, it might be expected we fhould act the parts of patriots, philofophers and divines, as well as hufbandmen, mechanics and merchants. Nor are we unapt to think highly of ourselves.-But we rush out of our sphere: we forget what it is to be great in lower ftations. We throw virtue out of the fcale, fo that our natural defects kick up the ballance.

What are all prefumptuous decifions, as if government were fubfervient to every man's humor and private intereft? How feldom do we hear generous and candid conftructions of the conduct of fuperiors, where words or actions will admit of favorable interpretations! Nor do we often find a hearty and zealous concurrence in meafures, where the strongest marks appear of a fincere intention to preferve the people.

You are, in effect, the guardians of your own lives; the protectors of your own laws; the prefervers of your own religion and liberty. It is confeffed that if you are to be undone, it must be by yourselves. But this fuperiority over almost other people upon the earth, often betrays you into fuch exceffes, as endanger the very being of the object you profess to hold in the highest veneration.

every

We proftrate ourselves at the shrine of Liberty: we pretend to dedicate our lives to her service, and declare our willingness to die for her. We acknowledge that our laws are the bulwarks of our freedom; but in the fame breath we exprefs an impatience, and exercise the utmoft ingenuity, either to trample upon the letter, or evade the fpirit and intention of laws without restraint.

Laws are the inftruments whereby the fabric of government is kept in repair, that - under the fhelter of it we may live in plenty, peace, and freedom; defended against - the rigorous blafts of times and feasons. But in proportion as we cease to feel a religious awe for it, we fhall certainly become