Virginia 



by the clergy: that violence of temper; that disre- 

 spectful behaviour towards the governor; that un- 

 worthy treatment of their commissary; and, to men- 

 tion nothing else, that confusion of proceeding in 

 the convention, of which some, though not the ma- 

 jority, as has been invidiously represented, were 

 guilty; these things were surely unbecoming the 

 sacred character they are invested with; and the 

 moderation of those persons, who ought in all things 

 to imitate the conduct of their divine Master. If, 

 instead of flying out in invectives against the legis- 

 lature; of accusing the governor of having given up 

 the cause of religion by passing the bill; when, in 

 fact, had he rejected it, he would never have been 

 able to have got any supplies during the course of 

 the war, though ever so much wanted; if, instead 

 of charging the commissary with want of zeal for 

 having exhorted them to moderate measures, they 

 had followed the prudent councils of that excellent 

 man, and had acted with more temper and modera- 

 tion, they might, I am persuaded, in a very short 

 time, have obtained any redress they could reason- 

 ably have desired. The people in general were ex- 

 tremely well affected towards the clergy, and had 

 expressed their regard for them in several instances; 

 they were sensible, moreover, that their salaries 

 were too scanty to support them with dignity, and 

 there had been some talk about raising them: had 

 the clergy therefore, before they applied to England, 



