Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Acknowledgments
- Introduction
- Chronology
- Bibliographical note
- Biographical guide
- A note on the texts
- 1 The Autobiography
- 2 Plan of Conduct (July–October 1726)
- 3 A Modest Enquiry into the Nature and Necessity of a Paper-Currency (3 April 1729)
- 4 Apology for Printers (10 June 1731)
- 5 Rules for a Club Formerly Established at Philadelphia (1732)
- 6 Dialogue Between Two Presbyterians (10 April 1735)
- 7 To Josiah and Abiah Franklin (13 April 1738)
- 8 A Proposal for Promoting Useful Knowledge Among the British Plantations in America (14 May 1743)
- 9 The Speech of Miss Polly Baker (15 April 1747)
- 10 Plain Truth: or, Serious Considerations On the Present State of the City of Philadelphia, and Province of Pennsylvania (17 November 1747)
- 11 Form of the Association and Remarks into which Numbers are daily entering, for the Defence of this City and Province —— With Remarks on each Paragraph (3 December 1747)
- 12 Advice to a Young Tradesman, Written by an Old One (21 July 1748)
- 13 Proposals Relating to the Education of Youth in Pennsylvania (October 1749)
- 14 Observations concerning the Increase of Mankind, Peopling of Countries, &c. (1751)
- 15 To James Parker (20 March 1751)
- 16 Rattle-Snakes for Felons (9 May 1751)
- 17 To Peter Collinson (9 May 1753)
- 18 To Peter Collinson (September 1753–January 1754)
- 19 Join or Die (9 May 1754)
- 20 Reasons and Motives for the Albany Plan of Union (July 1754)
- 21 To Governor Shirley (December 1754), with a Preface (8 February 1766)
- 22 Preface to Poor Richard Improved: Father Abraham's Speech (7 July 1757)
- 23 To—— (13 December 1757)
- 24 To Lord Kames (3 May 1760)
- 25 On the Price of Corn, and Management of the Poor (29 November 1766)
- 26 To Lord Kames (25 February 1767)
- 27 Causes of the American Discontents Before 1768 (7 January 1768)
- 28 The Somersett Case and the Slave Trade (20 June 1772)
- 29 Rules by Which a Great Empire May Be Reduced to a Small One (11 September 1773)
- 30 An Edict by the King of Prussia (22 September 1773)
- 31 On a Proposed Act to Prevent Emigration ([December?] 1773)
- 32 Proposed Articles of Confederation (21 July 1775)
- 33 The Morals of Chess (before 28 June 1779)
- 34 To Madame Brillon: The Whistle (10 November 1779)
- 35 To Joseph Priestly (8 February 1780)
- 36 To Joseph Priestly (7 June 1782)
- 37 To Richard Price (13 June 1782)
- 38 To Robert Morris (25 December 1783)
- 39 Remarks Concerning the Savages of North-America (1783)
- 40 To Sarah Franklin Bache (26 January 1784)
- 41 Information to Those Who Would Remove to America (February 1784)
- 42 To Benjamin Vaughan (26 July 1784)
- 43 At the Constitutional Convention (June—September 1787)
- 44 Queries and Remarks Respecting Alterations in the Constitution of Pennsylvania (November 1789)
- 45 On the Slave Trade (25 March 1790)
- Index
- CAMBRIDGE TEXTS IN THE HISTORY OF POLITICAL THOUGHT
44 - Queries and Remarks Respecting Alterations in the Constitution of Pennsylvania (November 1789)
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 June 2012
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Acknowledgments
- Introduction
- Chronology
- Bibliographical note
- Biographical guide
- A note on the texts
- 1 The Autobiography
- 2 Plan of Conduct (July–October 1726)
- 3 A Modest Enquiry into the Nature and Necessity of a Paper-Currency (3 April 1729)
- 4 Apology for Printers (10 June 1731)
- 5 Rules for a Club Formerly Established at Philadelphia (1732)
- 6 Dialogue Between Two Presbyterians (10 April 1735)
- 7 To Josiah and Abiah Franklin (13 April 1738)
- 8 A Proposal for Promoting Useful Knowledge Among the British Plantations in America (14 May 1743)
- 9 The Speech of Miss Polly Baker (15 April 1747)
- 10 Plain Truth: or, Serious Considerations On the Present State of the City of Philadelphia, and Province of Pennsylvania (17 November 1747)
- 11 Form of the Association and Remarks into which Numbers are daily entering, for the Defence of this City and Province —— With Remarks on each Paragraph (3 December 1747)
- 12 Advice to a Young Tradesman, Written by an Old One (21 July 1748)
- 13 Proposals Relating to the Education of Youth in Pennsylvania (October 1749)
- 14 Observations concerning the Increase of Mankind, Peopling of Countries, &c. (1751)
- 15 To James Parker (20 March 1751)
- 16 Rattle-Snakes for Felons (9 May 1751)
- 17 To Peter Collinson (9 May 1753)
- 18 To Peter Collinson (September 1753–January 1754)
- 19 Join or Die (9 May 1754)
- 20 Reasons and Motives for the Albany Plan of Union (July 1754)
- 21 To Governor Shirley (December 1754), with a Preface (8 February 1766)
- 22 Preface to Poor Richard Improved: Father Abraham's Speech (7 July 1757)
- 23 To—— (13 December 1757)
- 24 To Lord Kames (3 May 1760)
- 25 On the Price of Corn, and Management of the Poor (29 November 1766)
- 26 To Lord Kames (25 February 1767)
- 27 Causes of the American Discontents Before 1768 (7 January 1768)
- 28 The Somersett Case and the Slave Trade (20 June 1772)
- 29 Rules by Which a Great Empire May Be Reduced to a Small One (11 September 1773)
- 30 An Edict by the King of Prussia (22 September 1773)
- 31 On a Proposed Act to Prevent Emigration ([December?] 1773)
- 32 Proposed Articles of Confederation (21 July 1775)
- 33 The Morals of Chess (before 28 June 1779)
- 34 To Madame Brillon: The Whistle (10 November 1779)
- 35 To Joseph Priestly (8 February 1780)
- 36 To Joseph Priestly (7 June 1782)
- 37 To Richard Price (13 June 1782)
- 38 To Robert Morris (25 December 1783)
- 39 Remarks Concerning the Savages of North-America (1783)
- 40 To Sarah Franklin Bache (26 January 1784)
- 41 Information to Those Who Would Remove to America (February 1784)
- 42 To Benjamin Vaughan (26 July 1784)
- 43 At the Constitutional Convention (June—September 1787)
- 44 Queries and Remarks Respecting Alterations in the Constitution of Pennsylvania (November 1789)
- 45 On the Slave Trade (25 March 1790)
- Index
- CAMBRIDGE TEXTS IN THE HISTORY OF POLITICAL THOUGHT
Summary
Of the Executive Branch
“Your executive should consist of a single Person.”
On this I would ask, Is he to have no Council? How is he to be informed of the State and Circumstances of the different Counties, their Wants, their Abilities, their Dispositions, and the Characters of the principal People, respecting their Integrity, Capacities and Qualifications for Offices? Does not the present Construction of our Executive provide well for these particulars? And during the Number of Years it has existed, has its Errors or Failures in answering the End of its Appointment been more or greater than might have been expected from a single Person?
“But an Individual is more easily watched and controlled than any greater Number.”
On this I would ask, Who is to watch and controul him? And by what Means is he to be controuled? Will not those Means, whatever they are, and in whatever Body vested, be subject to the same Inconveniencies of Expence, Delay, Obstruction of good Intentions, &c., which are objected to the present Executive?
The Duration of the Appointment
“This should be governed by the following Principles— – —the Independency of the Magistrate, and the Stability of his Administration; neither of which can be secured but by putting both beyond the Reach of every annual Gust of Folly and of Faction.
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- Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2004