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Editorial
June 15, 1769
The Virginia Gazette
Williamsburg, Virginia
What is this article about?
An anonymous editorial from a Boston paper publicly shames merchants who imported British goods in violation of the town's non-importation agreement, listing their names and urging social ostracism, economic ruin, and repentance to highlight their betrayal of American freedom.
Clipping
OCR Quality
98%
Excellent
Full Text
The following was received enclosed in one of the last Boston papers, printed by itself.
INASMUCH as some persons among us have in a case of the utmost importance, preferred their own exposed private advantage to the welfare and freedom of America, it is highly proper you should know who they are who have at this critical time foolishly detached themselves from the public interest. May this disgraceful but necessary publication of their names, lead them to reflect on the baseness of their crime; and when they find themselves slighted and shunned by their neighbours and acquaintance; when their shops are deserted, and they feel their fortunes hastily ruined, in prosecuting the plans of purblind avarice: when their guilty consciences have rendered this life insupportable; may they seriously attend to the concerns of another: And although they must suffer the punishment due to their parricide in this world, may a humble and sincere repentance open the way to their forgiveness in the next.
The misguided men who have imported goods from England since the late agreement of the merchants of this town, are,
Messrs. NATHANIEL ROGERS,
JONATHAN SIMPSON,
WILLIAM JACKSON,
T. & E. HUTCHINSON,
J. & R. SELKRIGE,
JOHN TAYLOR,
SAMUEL FLETCHER,
THEOPHILUS LILLIE.
INASMUCH as some persons among us have in a case of the utmost importance, preferred their own exposed private advantage to the welfare and freedom of America, it is highly proper you should know who they are who have at this critical time foolishly detached themselves from the public interest. May this disgraceful but necessary publication of their names, lead them to reflect on the baseness of their crime; and when they find themselves slighted and shunned by their neighbours and acquaintance; when their shops are deserted, and they feel their fortunes hastily ruined, in prosecuting the plans of purblind avarice: when their guilty consciences have rendered this life insupportable; may they seriously attend to the concerns of another: And although they must suffer the punishment due to their parricide in this world, may a humble and sincere repentance open the way to their forgiveness in the next.
The misguided men who have imported goods from England since the late agreement of the merchants of this town, are,
Messrs. NATHANIEL ROGERS,
JONATHAN SIMPSON,
WILLIAM JACKSON,
T. & E. HUTCHINSON,
J. & R. SELKRIGE,
JOHN TAYLOR,
SAMUEL FLETCHER,
THEOPHILUS LILLIE.
What sub-type of article is it?
Trade Or Commerce
Moral Or Religious
Partisan Politics
What keywords are associated?
Non Importation Agreement
Boston Merchants
British Goods Import
Colonial Boycott
Public Shaming
American Freedom
Mercantile Betrayal
What entities or persons were involved?
Nathaniel Rogers
Jonathan Simpson
William Jackson
T. & E. Hutchinson
J. & R. Selkrige
John Taylor
Samuel Fletcher
Theophilus Lillie
Merchants Of This Town
Editorial Details
Primary Topic
Shaming Merchants For Violating Non Importation Agreement
Stance / Tone
Strongly Condemnatory And Moralistic, Urging Boycott And Repentance
Key Figures
Nathaniel Rogers
Jonathan Simpson
William Jackson
T. & E. Hutchinson
J. & R. Selkrige
John Taylor
Samuel Fletcher
Theophilus Lillie
Merchants Of This Town
Key Arguments
Persons Preferred Private Advantage Over America's Welfare And Freedom
Publication Of Names To Disgrace Them And Prompt Reflection On Their Crime
They Will Be Slighted, Shunned, Shops Deserted, Fortunes Ruined
Guilty Consciences Will Make Life Insupportable, Urging Attention To Afterlife
Suffer Punishment For Parricide In This World, But Repentance May Forgive In Next
Misguided Men Imported Goods From England Against Town Merchants' Agreement