After a thorough introduction, Charles had a basic understanding of the newcomers. They were all small merchants, except for one official. There were no intellectuals, not even wealthy landlords with substantial capital. The owners of coal and iron mines, who theoretically should have been quite rich and cultured, were from Philadelphia, so they naturally wouldn't stay in a backward and wild place like Pittsburgh.
It was predictable how these uncultured people would behave when gathered together. They were not at all reserved in the Comber family's home. While a few politely sat down and waited for Greenspan to pour them wine, most directly helped themselves, pouring half a glass and downing it in one gulp, savoring it with audible smacks.
This was too straightforward.
Charles saw that the man with the red nose who had spoken earlier, Hans, the owner of the cast iron workshop, actually grabbed the wine bottle and started chugging it.
"Hey, Charles, this wine is really good," Hans, the red-nosed man, said, wiping his mouth after gulping down half the bottle, offering a compliment to Charles.
"Hans! You drunkard always drink wine like water; such good wine is wasted on you!" a white man, who was just receiving a glass of wine from Greenspan, disdainfully cursed.
That was Patrick, the notary and tax officer.
"Hmph! Patrick, I have wasted many things, but never wine. Try saying that again!" Hans, the red-nosed man, glared defiantly at Patrick.
His eyes bulged, as if ready to punch Patrick if he dared to speak further.
Patrick, however, clearly looked down on Hans and did not continue the conversation. He merely snorted lightly and turned to take a small sip from his own glass.
Charles found himself chuckling internally at how such a low-alcohol wine was being sipped so delicately, and instead found Hans' straightforwardness more to his liking.
Indeed, Hans also clearly disdained Patrick's actions and loudly exclaimed:
"Coward! Only a pretty boy drinks wine in such small sips."
As Patrick, whose temples were already graying, almost spat out his wine in anger, Hans quickly turned back to Charles with a smile and said:
"Charles, you're not such a generous person. You wouldn't invite us to drink such good wine for nothing. What's the real reason you invited us here today?"
At this, everyone stopped their wine tasting. Even Patrick reluctantly swallowed the wine he almost spat out and turned to look at Charles. Their usual bickering was accustomed, and no real conflict would arise.
Seeing that everyone's attention was focused on him, Charles immediately cleared his throat subconsciously before speaking in a deep voice:
"Gentlemen, we are all originally from the Thirteen Colonies of North America. Although we have now migrated west to Pittsburgh to open up new land, we still consider ourselves part of the Thirteen Colonies.
The Colonies are currently at war with Britain, and the Continental Congress is in Philadelphia discussing relations with Britain. I invited you all here today to ask: Is there anyone representing us, the people of Pittsburgh, in the Continental Congress? Is there anyone representing us pioneers of the western frontier?"
Everyone was largely guided by Charles' questions and subconsciously shook their heads.
Only Hans, who had asked Charles the question, now looked around at the people next to him, bewildered, and quietly asked:
"What does he mean? Why are you shaking your heads?"
Charles almost fainted.
His good impression of him immediately vanished. This guy wasn't just straightforward; he was simply foolish. And those around Hans were clearly annoyed by his question, turning their heads away from him.
"Ahem..." Charles coughed. "My point is, representatives from the Thirteen Colonies have formed the Continental Congress, and they are discussing the future relationship between the Colonies and Britain. We, the people of Pittsburgh, as colonists independent of the Thirteen Colonies, should also have our own representatives."
At that time, Pittsburgh was not among the Thirteen Colonies designated by Britain, but after the British army captured Pittsburgh, her residents and actual administrators all came from the Thirteen Colonies. There was no formal legal document stipulating to whom she ultimately belonged. Therefore, her status and that of her residents were very awkward; they were people of the Thirteen Colonies, yet did not belong to the Thirteen Colonies.
"Oh." Hans nodded heavily in realization and slowly said, "I understand. You invited us to drink because you want us to recommend you as Pittsburgh's representative."
At this statement, Charles almost stumbled again.
He figured that out! So I'm the fool!
"Hehe! Actually, if you want to be a representative, just be one. There are only a few hundred people in Pittsburgh; no one will contend with you. As long as there's plenty of wine like this, I'd even support you as governor or king!" Hans, however, spoke without any reservations, spouting nonsense.
Charles secretly frowned. This damned Hans, was he just guessing, or was he deliberately feigning foolishness to mock me? Just now, he seemed unable to grasp the meaning of my words, but now, with just one sentence, he could deduce my well-hidden ultimate goal, and even state it so directly and explicitly. He was truly unfathomable.
All the reasons he gave ultimately boiled down to wanting to be Pittsburgh's representative. Then, he would quickly go to Philadelphia, catch the final signing of the Declaration of Independence, and lay the foundation for his future development in America.
Along the way, he would recognize those American founding fathers and great figures, laying the groundwork for connections to ensure his future goods could be smoothly sold in the East. As for the land issue, becoming a member of the Continental Congress would at least make it relatively simpler to resolve.
His true goal was, of course, to be Pittsburgh's representative. If he had said it himself, it probably wouldn't have been a big deal, but now that he was still secretly planning, having it directly exposed to his face made him feel a wave of embarrassment.
He even complained inwardly, 'I want to be a representative purely for the development of my future industries, definitely not for power or money. Now that Hans has exposed it like this, I'll probably be misunderstood as deliberately deceiving people to get ahead, which would be a huge injustice.'
Finally, he gritted his teeth. Since he had already been preempted, any explanation would be useless. It was better to state it clearly.
"Indeed! Mr. Hans is truly intelligent. I do intend to represent Pittsburgh at the Continental Congress. As a Pittsburgher, I believe that our voices from these newly opened western regions, the voices of us pioneers, should be heard there. That is our right, and it is also our responsibility."
"Hahaha! Of course I'm smart; I knew your purpose at first glance," Hans said, ignoring the sarcasm in Charles' words and laughing proudly.
At this time, the Thirteen Colonies of North America had not yet signed the Declaration of Independence, and the United States had not yet been established. The people present did not have mature opinions on the future.
As long as Charles wasn't asking everyone to stand up and shout "Long live king George," other suggestions promoting democracy and civil rights had a strong market in North America. Hearing Charles' reasons for sending a representative just now, they naturally found it somewhat reasonable, and they didn't see any other problem with letting Charles be the representative.
After all, everyone present understood how much power and benefit a representative from a small town of just over a hundred people could have, while the actual cost was real time and money; the returns and efforts were truly disproportionate. However, there were still a few people who had opinions on whether it was necessary to send someone.
"Charles, hasn't the Continental Congress already had representatives from Pennsylvania? Wouldn't it be inappropriate for Pittsburgh to send someone else?"
"Sir! You also said that those are representatives from Pennsylvania. Are those representatives our representatives from Pittsburgh? Do they understand our lives? Do they understand our needs? Have they been elected by us? No!
They don't understand, they haven't even been to Pittsburgh. They weren't elected by us, they are not our representatives, and they cannot, and will not, represent our interests. Just like a few years ago when king George wanted to tax us, because the British Parliament had no representatives from North America, that tax was easily passed.
'No taxation without representation' - that is the answer of three million Americans to king George!" Charles immediately launched into a rapid series of arguments.
Having watched several American elections, Charles knew that this opposing sentiment should be immediately nipped in the bud to ensure the trust of his "constituents."
To add to his persuasiveness, he continued in a solemn tone:
"Gentlemen! The Continental Congress is composed of representatives from the Thirteen Colonies, but according to British law, Pittsburgh does not belong to the Thirteen Colonies; it belongs to Ohio, which Britain seized from France.
Although Pennsylvania and the other Colonies have never acknowledged this regulation, they have also never explicitly denied it. As everyone knows, the current Continental Congress Representatives are either pro-British or pro-French.
The pro-British faction wants to gain king George's recognition through war, while the pro-French faction wants to unite with France to overthrow the British king's rule in the Thirteen Colonies. If Britain wins the war, we will, of course, have to accept king George's heavy taxes again.
Even if the Thirteen Colonies win, to achieve victory, they might sacrifice us by returning Ohio, including Pittsburgh, to France, helping France restore its interests in North America. gentlemen, at this critical time when the Continental Congress is formally discussing how to deal with relations with Britain, we must not stand idly by and allow ourselves to be slaughtered.
Without formal representatives, not only the people of Pittsburgh but also other western pioneers, our fate and interests will be in the hands of others, and we could be sacrificed at any time. Do you think we can tolerate such a thing?"
"No! Of course, we cannot tolerate it!"
"Kill king George!"
"Yes! We cannot tolerate it! Louis XV, get lost!"
"No representation, no taxation!"
"Send a representative! Charles, you represent us!"
"…"
America has never lacked rogues, scoundrels, and passionate youths. Upon hearing Charles' rather inflammatory declaration, the crowd immediately erupted in a clamor.
While many loudly responded to Charles' call, a few voices expressed dissenting opinions. However, everyone generally agreed on the need to send a representative.
"Gentlemen! Mr. Godfrey! Everyone, please be quiet!" Patrick, the notary and tax officer, stood up and waved his hand.
Once the living room became quiet again, he spoke once more.
"Mr. Godfrey! gentlemen, legitimate citizens of Pittsburgh! As the tax officer and notary dispatched to Pittsburgh by the Pennsylvania State Legislature, I, Patrick, have a responsibility to express the views of the Pennsylvania State Legislature and my own personal opinion."
Charles frowned. This Patrick was still an official representative of Pennsylvania, and his speaking now made his attitude very worth considering. If he had known such a person existed, he should have built a good relationship with him earlier.
"Actually, I originally only accepted orders from the Pennsylvania governor, but ever since he ran to Boston, I've had to accept orders from the Pennsylvania State Legislature (a burst of laughter from below).
The Pennsylvania State Legislature's attitude towards Pittsburgh can be summed up in one word: 'pay taxes' (another round of jeers from below). Mr. Godfrey mentioned that the Continental Congress Representatives are elected by the Pennsylvania State Legislature, not by popular vote.
However, it is very regrettable that there is no representative from Pittsburgh in the Pennsylvania State Legislature, and we have never had the opportunity to elect any member of the Legislature. Therefore, I personally believe that Mr. Godfrey's words are very correct; we should elect our representative to Philadelphia, and even if we cannot participate in the Continental Congress, we should at least participate in the Pennsylvania State Legislature!" Patrick concluded, raising his hands.
"Good! Well said!" Charles was the first to applaud.
He hadn't expected such a talent in Pittsburgh. This Patrick, aside from lacking a bit of courage, had speaking skills that almost rivaled his own, a person who had been exposed to modern knowledge.
Fortunately, he chose to stand on his side; otherwise, today's matter would have been troublesome. However, influenced by him, after this concluding speech, coupled with his official status, half the credit for the representative proposal he initiated was snatched away by him.
The others were also moved by Patrick's words and immediately applauded vigorously in response.
Once the applause subsided, Patrick turned and bowed slightly to Charles.
"Mr. Godfrey, I and the gentlemen present here all believe that you are very suitable to serve as our representative for Pittsburgh. However, according to formal procedures, this representative must have the consent of at least half of Pittsburgh's propertied citizens, or receive the support of more than half of the eligible voters in a formally effective general assembly, to be officially appointed. Therefore, I believe we should hold a Pittsburgh Citizens' Assembly a few days later for a formal election. What do you think?"
"Of course, Mr. Patrick. I also believe that the selection of Pittsburgh's representative must follow formal procedures." Charles also bowed slightly. "If everyone has no objections, I think three days from now would be a good time."
In three days, those old militiamen should have made their choice, and with Greenspan campaigning in Pittsburgh, there shouldn't be any problems. This Patrick, whether he is genuinely helping him or planning to run himself, the position of Pittsburgh's representative is absolutely not to be missed.
"Good! Spring is coming soon, and people in the outlying manors will be very busy. We should act quickly to implement this. Let's set it for three days from now, and we'll be responsible for notifying the other colonists separately."
"Yes! It's settled then."
The group officially reached a consensus on the election date and the matter of sending a representative.
Nightlife in North America was very dull. These people, having free drinks readily available, naturally didn't want to leave immediately. They even had Greenspan bring out cards, and under the dim light, they started playing cards.
Drinking and playing cards, this was a life Charles very much enjoyed. It was a good way to release the suppression he felt facing a new life, so he didn't refuse their suggestion. Soon, he was laughing and joking with them, becoming very familiar.
After seeing off these mostly drunken guests, Charles, though a bit dizzy, still insisted on sitting under the oil lamp, looking at the account books Greenspan had brought.
Charles was not a professional economist, but Greenspan's accounts were kept very clearly. Simple running accounts, each expenditure and income were very clear, with legible handwriting and clear organization, no errors. Finally, checking the balance, income plus expenses and remaining balance, it was perfectly balanced.
With a "snap," he closed the account book heavily, and Charles finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Judging from the performance of this account book, this Greenspan was a talent. He would observe him again tomorrow. If his conduct and dealings were equally excellent, then he would entrust all matters here in Pittsburgh to him. Jonathan's talent and temper probably meant he could only be confined to Scarlet Manor; Pittsburgh would definitely require someone else.
As Charles was deep in thought, a smooth hand reached out and gently adjusted the oil lamp next to the account book, making the room a little brighter.
"Oh, Charlotte, you're still here!" Charles rubbed his forehead. "What time is it now?"
The mixed-race girl looked around, clearly not knowing what time it was.
"Never mind!" Charles waved his hand, "Take me to the resting room. Let's go to sleep."
Charlotte's first reaction after hearing Charles' words was to quickly retreat two small steps. Just as Charles had stood up, she immediately pleaded:
"Sir! My father told me to go back to my room as soon as you finished looking at the accounts, and not to accompany you... I cannot accompany you to sleep."
Under the dim light, the startled and shy mixed-race girl's face was flushed, her breathing slightly ragged, and her hands were clasped lightly in front of her chest, looking terrified. Yet, this posture made her beautiful figure even more prominent, presenting a moving picture of a shy beauty under the lamp before Charles.
Closing his eyes lightly for a moment, Charles smiled and opened them.
Taking a step forward, he gently lifted the girl's chin, allowing her enticing expression to be fully revealed under the lamplight.
"Haha! Your father doesn't allow it, but are you willing?"
He knew that his current conditions, though not enough to be a girl's dream lover, were sufficient to attract the eyes of a young girl in love, especially in Pittsburgh, a place lacking upper-class young men and women. For a girl like Charlotte, it held a fatal attraction.
"I…" Charlotte indeed couldn't bear to refuse immediately.
Perhaps it was the intense glare of the lamp, or Charles' fiery gaze, but after hearing Charles' question, the girl only softly uttered the word "I," and then, like a drunken girl, she gently closed her eyes.
Her orchid-like breath wafted under his nose, and Charles couldn't help but gently peck her tender cherry lips.
"Ah…" The girl, like a startled rabbit, instantly flung Charles away and retreated several steps. Her body swayed, and she almost fell, only steadying herself by leaning against something behind her.
"Haha!" Charles couldn't help but chuckle.
This was truly a pure virgin; you couldn't find one in the twenty-first century. None! Nada!
Charlotte's face was already blushing so deeply it looked like water might drip from it. Seeing the playful smile still on Charles' face, she became even more embarrassed and immediately stumbled out of the room alone, mumbling indistinctly:
"Your room is the second one upstairs, I'm going to sleep first!"
Charles smiled as he watched the girl leave, not pursuing her.
"I've got my eye on you..."