October 29, 1776

Elections are often preceded by conversations about the qualifications of the candidates and the pros and cons of political outsiders versus long-tenured public servants. As commentary over the new Pennsylvania Constitution dominated Philadelphia newspapers in the fall of 1776, one of the correspondents of John Dunlap’s Pennsylvania Packet asserted that, “previous to the election of members” to the constitutional convention, “circular letters” were sent from Philadelphia “to all the counties in this State.” The circular letters encouraged electors to vote for “‘men of plain understandings, without much property, and men who were not versed in the subtleties of school learning.’”

It is true that James Cannon and other Philadelphians issued a circular letter in June 1776, ahead of the election on July 8, though the letter did not use those exact words. It was addressed “To the several BATTALIONS of Military ASSOCIATORS in the Province of Pennsylvania” from the committee of correspondence, which included Thomas Nevil, John Chaloner, James Cannon, Andrew Epley, and William Thorne. The letter said that the “Excellence or Defectiveness of a Constitution which must last for Ages, hangs on the Choice” of the July 7 election. The committee encouraged electors to choose “Men who can have no Interest besides the common Interest of Mankind.” This included a recommendation that men with “Honesty, common Sense, and a plain Understanding, when unbiassed by sinister Motives, are fully equal to the Task” as more “worthy Men of great Learning” who would be too “apt to indulge their Disposition to Refinement.” The committee wanted to “guard against Proprietary Interest” and keep some leading political figures who had been “very backward” in the lead up to independence from framing the new constitution. 

Dunlap’s Pennsylvania Packet or the General Advertiser
Printed by John Dunlap

For the PENNSYLVANIA PACKET.

A CORRESPONDENT informs us, that previous to the election of members for the late Convention, circular letters were sent from this city to all the counties in this State, to elect “men of plain understandings, without much property, and men who were not versed in the subtleties of school learning.”