| Citation |
CJ-B.779.009
4 Mar 1779:11,12,13 (145)
Mr. Gill. Your half-witted correspondent, under the
signature of a Country Representative, would scarce have
employed his hasty goose-quill in reflecting upon a certain
Reverend Doctor, not far from Jamaica Plains, had he
perceived that his reflection must be construed into a
designed or undesigned sneer, upon a certain August
Assembly, for holding a very important and interesting
debate on the subject of dancing. It is ignorantly, weakly,
or malevolently insinuated, that the clergyman alluded to,
introduced this business to the General Assembly; but as he
neither petitioned, nor is of the General Court, he cannot
have introduced it. He accounts it no disgrace to have
spoken to several of the members upon the impropriety of
assemblies and concerts under the present circumstances of
the public; and as he is not a person of weak nerves, and a
son of liberty. will be likely to continue doing it,
whatever may be objected by the devotees of pleasure, and
the motly company of fiddlers and dancers. He is totally
ignorant who it was that moved the business in the house,
but it was judged to be of that importance, that the House
appointed for a committee three gentlemen of the first
character, who were to prepare a bill, two of whom never
heard him speak a word upon the subject, 'till after it was
brought in. some town members expected to have dispatched
it soon and promised themselves no little fun upon the
occasion: but unexpectedly found it supported with such
ability and firmness, as that instead of being rejected, it
was only recommitted in order to amendment.
The clergyman above-mentioned hath long meddled, and,
while health and strength admit, is determined to meddle in
matters regarding the public weal, as oft as he
apprehendeth, that, by so doing, he can assist in securing
the liberties, the virtue, the innocence of the community. .
.
[1/4 column, quote from Amos]
Mr. Gill, Boston was one the most orderly and best
regulated town that I ever saw, either in American or Great
Britain. Heavens! how is the glory departed from her . . .
[6 lines] And as she hath taken the lead of the country in
the noble cause of liberty, so ought she to take the lead in
the nobler cause of reformation and virtue: but alas! her
very members are infected, (not all indeed) and to them in
a great measure, is chargeable the expence incurred by
government through the debate upon dancing; and I could wish
for the sake of the public, would it only ease them of their
superfluous monies, that it could be added to their
subscriptions for assemblies and concerts. . . [7 lines:
Those opposed to this are Tories!] Such would gladly poison
the honest minds of simple wavering Whigs by insinuations
and innuendos; and it is to be feared, that the evil
communication of the former hath done more injury to the
latter, than all the pretended or read good arising from the
late assemblies and concerts can balance for.
The uncertainties of war, the distresses which exist, the
melancholy prospects before us call for some more serious
and rational exercises than fiddling and dancing; and under
this persuasion, I am in hopes, that the present, or some
future General Court, will pass an act to prohibit balls,
assemblies and concerts, not only in town, but in country,
(where they are now beginning to spread) till better times
shall excite us all to joy and gladness. There is business
of the greatest importance to be transacted in the present
sessions, and I would therefore advise your Country
Representative to employ all the leisure moments he enjoys,
in preparation to assist in it, instead of scribbling,
dancing, or fiddling, for judging from his correspondence,
all the time he can spare from his attendance upon the House
is wanted for that valuable purpose.
The community at large have certainly a right to suspect
the good intentions of any man, and ought to do it when they
have good reason; but is must be much better than what your
correspondent assigns, who might justly be suspected of
intentions to abuse a certain August Assembly, while he
intimates, that such was the weakness of government, as to
have its attention taken off from matters of the greatest
importance, and to be amused by so frivolous a subject as
that of fiddling and dancing. However, I acquit him of
those intentions, for though his writing discovers that he
hath a heart dark enough to design it; yet you may gather,
from the whole of his correspondence, that he hath not a
head either clear or long enough to read it; and that all he
is aiming at is a certain Reverend Doctor not far from
Jamaica plains. . . [15 lines suggesting the state should
"apply themselves vigorously to the business of reforming
the morals of the people."]
When you publish afresh for your correspondent, strip him
of his signature and give us his real name, that by knowing
the man, we may at once conclude, whether the love of his
country, or the love of pleasure, hath produced his uncommon
effort of extraordinary genius---whether he is concerned
that the business of the greatest importance has been
delayed, or the important business of fiddling and dancing
been threatened with a suspension--and whether he is a
christian, a deist, a nothingnarian, or an insignificant
fiddling, dancing fellow. [signed] Neither a Country nor
Town Representative.
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