Gazette Of The United States, & Philadelphia Daily Advertiser

THE LAY PREACHER.
From Porcupine's Gazette.
COMMUNICATION.
M'KEAN.
To the Citizens of Philadelphia.
THE Democratic Committee appointed to circulate the intelligence of Thomas M'Kean's being elected to fill the office of Chief Executive Magistrate of Pennsylvania, after pompously enumerating his "personal merits and public services", have asserted a falsehood which ought not to go uncontradicted. They say he has been governor' of a sister state, meaning I suppose the state of Delaware, for of any other state, no one I presume will assert that he ever was governor.
Now the fact is simply this. In the month of January, 1777, John McKinly, Esq. then speaker of the house of assembly of the state of Delaware, was by both houses of the general assembly, elected president of the state, agreeable to the then constitution. This event rendered the speaker's chair vacant, upon which Thomas M Kean, then a member, was by the house chosen speaker, in which he continued until the termination of the session, which took place in two or three days after. In the month of September, 1777, the British army passed through the state of Delaware-a detachment of it took possession of Wilmington, at which place Mr. McKinley, the president, became a prisoner of war: by the capture of whom, the powers of government devolved on George Read, Esq. speaker of the council, but he being at that time absent in New-Jersey, they then devolved on Thomas M'Kean, as speaker of the assembly, who exercised them until the return of Mr. Read, which was in a few days. So that by the capture of President McKinley, and the accidental absence of the speaker of the council, Thomas M Kean exercised the powers of government for a few days. Hence it is, that this committee in-duce the people of Pennsylvania to believe, that he has been elected governor of a sister state, and thereby endeavor to procure their suffrages for his election to the same impor-tant office in Pennsylvania. To what miserable shifts, to what democratic tricks, nay to what palpable deception are these people driven, in order to accomplish their purposes. Be on your guard, therefore, my fellow-citi-zens, against their deceptive wiles. Thomas M'Kean never was elected governor of the state of Delaware, and I trust your good sense, patriotism, and truly republican prin-ciples, will prevent his being elected govern-or of the state of Pennsylvania.
PLAIN TRUTH.
Philadelphia, April 22d, 1799.