roperty in the
world, the disposal of your children. When they judge fit, with the advice
of one justice of the peace, they may tear them from the parent's embrace,
and place them under the absolute control of such masters as they please;
and if the parent's reluctance excites their resentment, they may place
him and his property under overseers. Fifty other instances fearfull as
these might be collected from the laws of the state, but I will not repeat
them lest my readers should be alarmed where there is no danger. These
regulations are doubtless best; we have seen much good and no evil come
from them. I adduce these instances to shew, that the most free
constitution when made the subject of criticism may be exhibited in
frightful colors, and such attempts we must expect against that now
proposed. If, my countrymen, you wait for a constitution which absolutely
bars a power of doing evil, you must wait long, and when obtained it will
have no power of doing good. I allow you are oppressed, but not from the
quarter that jealous and wrongheaded men would insinuate. You are
oppressed by the men, who to serve their own purposes would prefer the
shadow of government to the reality. You are oppressed for the want of
power which can protect commerce, encourage business, and create a ready
demand for the productions of your farms. You are become poor; oppression
continued will make wise men mad. The landholders and farmers have long
borne this oppression, we have been patient and groaned in secret, but can
promise for ourselves no longer; unless relieved, madness may excite us to
actions we now dread.

A LANDHOLDER.

The Landholder, IV.

The Connecticut Courant, (Number 1192)

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 1787.

_Remarks on the objections made by the Hon. Elbridge Gerry, to the new
Constitution._(30)

TO THE LANDHOLDERS AND FARMERS.

To censure a man for an opinion in which he declares himself honest, and
in a matter of which all men have a right to judge, is highly injurious;
at the same time, when the opinions even of honorable men are submitted to
the people, a tribunal before which the meanest citizen hath a right to
speak, they must abide the consequence of public stricture. We are
ignorant whether the honorable gentlemen possesses state dignities or
emoluments which will be endangered by the new system, or hath motives of
personality to prejudice his mind and throw him into the opposition; or if
it be so, do not