Centinel attacked the proposed Constitution of the United States as a document in the interests of the "well-born few".
The first eighteen numbers appeared in late 1787 and early 1788, and reflected the Anti-Federalist opposition to the Constitution.
By this time, the Constitution had been adopted, and these essays sought to sway the election of representatives to the new government.
In 1784, Bryan became the secretary of the Pennsylvania Council of Censors, and was elected clerk of the state assembly in 1785.
In 1795, Bryan was appointed state register general by Pennsylvania governor Thomas Mifflin.