The New Hampshire Gazette And General Advertiser

Nero, calcat jacentem vulgus,
Seneca. invisum opprimit.

THE honorable members of our General Assembly may with great propriety be called the CONSCRIPT FATHERS of the people, the PROTECTORS of their properties, the GUARDIANS of their sa- cred rights and privileges. and lastly, the WATCHMEN of the whole state ; ne quid detrimenti respublica capiat. Lest the Common- wealth should take any damage.

When any gentleman is called by the suf- frages of his fellow-citizens to represent them in the Senate, and he accepts the im- portant trust, his whole attention should be paid. and all the faculties of his mind ought to be exerted to discharge his duty : and the only contention of the whole political body should be. who should do most to save his Country. If ever an American PITT was wanted. it is at this very æra of time. when our enemies by a most refin'd stroke of poli- cy have changed their administration of men, and adopting new measures of procedure in the war department. But let me ask this ques- tion-Have they discovered the least incli- nation to stop the ravages of war ? No; but on the contrary, we hear, that war against our Allies was the first step to be taken by the New Administrators. as if they had not legally and effectually done it before. They have kept the olive branch to America. TO MAKE A TRUCE : But have they declar- ed us INDEPENDENT ? Divide et impera, is at the bottom of their designs. They have agreed not. to prosecute the American war any longer; but not out of compassion. or forbearance to shed human blood. The rea- sons given are. because it is impracticable to reduce us by force : but still they determine to keep a good hold on us, that after they have bent their whole strength against our most generous Ally, and have brought him to their terms. as they proudly and vainly im- agine they can do it, then America may fall an easy prey to their unbounded thirst of power.

"They mean to level their whole Strength against the navy of France; and if they can effect its destruction, so that they cannot relieve or support us, then they still more vainly expect to conquer America, and reduce her to an unconditional submission. We shall soon hear what they propose, but I fear they are only adding insult to impotency. and seek to lull us into a fatal security : that while they have secured several strong fortresses, well garrisoned, they may with- draw thousands of their troops if they could obtain a TRUCE with us.

This word TRUCE is a double headed monster : it is only to cease hostilities while they can act with more vigour against France--PEACE they do not desire with us, unless we re- nounce our independence. This I appre- hend to be the amount of the present bus- tle and noise of the change of the British ad- ministration : it is only a dispute between the in's and out's. the Rockingham and Bu- tean parties, and America is made the poli- tical tool by which the one strives to out the other out of place. Upon this new change let me draw the attention of the political fathers of this State. As it not said that dis- patches are brought over by Sir Guy Carle- ton and sent to Congress by his secretary from the King of Great-Britain ? as I suppose, (for if they come from any other authority,