he present method
of agriculture in a course of different crops is well calculated to give
the husbandman a sufficiency of flax ground, as it is well known that this
vegetable will not thrive when sown successively in the same place.

The nail manufacture might be another source of wealth to the northern
states. Why should we twice transport our own iron, and pay other nations
for labour which our boys might perform as well? The art of nail-making is
easily acquired. Remittances have actually been made from some parts of
the state in this article; the example is laudable, and ought to be
imitated. The sources of wealth are open to us, and there needs but
industry to become as rich as we are free.

A LANDHOLDER.

A LETTER TO THE LANDHOLDER. BY WILLIAM WILLIAMS.

Printed In
The American Mercury,
February 1788.

Note.

This letter was occasioned by the following communication, which was
printed in the _Connecticut Courant_ for Monday, February 4, 1788, (number
1202):

TO THE HON. WILLIAM WILLIAMS, ESQ.

_Sir_:--Whenever one man makes a charge against another, reason and justice
require that he should be able to support the charge. In some late
publications, I have offered my sentiments on the new constitution, have
adduced some arguments in favour of it, and answered objections to it. I
did not wish to enter into a controversy with any man. But I am unwilling
to have accusations publickly thrown out against me, without an
opportunity to answer them. In the late convention, when a _religious
test_ was the subject of debate, you took the liberty of saying _that the
Landholder_ (in treating of the same subject) _had missed the point; that
he had raised up a man of straw, and kicked it over again_. Now, Sir, I
wish this matter may be fairly cleared up. I wish to know, what is the
real point? Who and what the _real_ man is? Or in other words, what a
religious test is? I certainly have a right to expect that you will answer
these questions, and let me know wherein I am in the wrong. Perhaps you
may show that my ideas on the subject are erroneous. In order to do this,
it would not be amiss to offer a few reasons and arguments. You doubtless
had such as were convincing, at least to yourself, though you happen to
omit them at the time of the debate. If you will shew that I am in the
wrong, I will candidly acknowledge my mistake. If on the contrary you
should be unable to prove your assertions, the publi