ertificates, supporting and confirming those I shall here offer
to the public are omitted, as it is thought they will swell the publication
to an unnecessary size; and affidavits may, if required, be obtained to all
the certificates which appear in this pamphlet.

* * * * *

As the publication signed "Brutus," addressed to General Reed, containing
certain queries, is referred to, it is thought necessary to reprint it.

_To the Printer of the Independent Gazetteer._

SIR,--It is much to the honor of America, that in the present
revolution, there have not been many instances of defection
among officers of rank in the Continental army. In Oliver
Cromwell's time, we frequently see a general fighting one day
for the King, another for the Parliament; so unstable and
wavering were the opinions of those republicans.

The corruption of the times is now become a universal
complaint, and one would be almost tempted to believe, that
the former days were better than these; that our forefathers
were possessed of greater moral rectitude than the present
generation, did not history and experience convince us of the
contrary. There is, however, one great evil peculiar to this
age--that of assuming the credit of being endowed with virtues
to which we are perfect strangers. Cunning, address, and
eloquence, have often misled the honest but too credulous
multitude, and they have been taught to consider many a man as
a patriot and a hero, whose real character was marked with
nothing but deceit and treachery to his country. It is also
amazing, that such men should meet with the highest success,
and bear their blushing honors thick upon them, whilst modest
merit and true patriotism could neither gain the suffrages of
the people, nor the approbation of those who held the reins of
government.

The reflections I am now making have, in a striking manner,
been verified in this State. I should be extremely sorry to
accuse without a just foundation, or to adduce a charge, were
I not convinced that it is of the utmost importance that the
public,--the people at large--should be enabled to form a
right opinion of such men, who have been honoured, or may be
honoured with their suffrages, and thereby exalted to places
of the highest trust and confidence.

Impressed with this idea,