Gazette Of The United States

FOR THE GAZETTE.

Mr. Fenno,

The writer under the signature of "Philanthropos," who furnished the article in your Gazette of the 24th instant, on the subject of the Borough of Easton, has assumed a title which but ill corresponds with the spirit or tendency of his publication; for, whatever humour there may be in it, there is certainly not a sprinkling either of good nature or good manners. Otherwise, he would not have involved in the same stupid jest the Negro and a respectable Citizen, valuable in his station, as a member of society, whose urbanity of disposition, if I mistake not, has induced many acts of politeness and hospitality to the author of that piece; but where is the wit who will not sacrifice his friend to his joke?

He has, however, meditated a more serious and inexcusable injury, when he has made an entire community the object of his sarcasms, and when he has wantonly endeavored to check the growing prosperity of a town, which, if little, should rather be encouraged than depressed; but which, on the contrary, he knows to possess great natural advantages, to be the mart for the produce of an extensive country, to be already comparatively populous and wealthy, and to be daily and rapidly increasing, as well in population, as in manufactures and improvements of every kind.

When he vouched for the authenticity of the information he gave you, he should not have involved the whole society in the guilt of a few malicious and insignificant individuals.

He should have told you that the disgraceful business he mentions, originated in the malignity of a petulant young man, who had been obtruded upon this town as a justice of the peace, contrary to the general wish; that it was conducted with profound secrecy, and was supported by the instrumentality of a few persons, either too young to reflect, or too ignorant to judge for themselves; that the stroke was struck before it was even suspected: and that therefore, there was neither "zeal nor spirit" of exertion at the election, which was too unimportant in its object to excite general attention, and from that reason only could have furnished the occasion which has called forth the humour of your Philanthropist. And above all, instead of asserting the contrary, he should have told you, that such an outrage on decency failed of its purpose, and that a very reputable inhabitant was duly returned and qualified to the execution of his office.

An Inhabitant of Easton.

Easton, July 28, 1793.