The New Hampshire Gazette And Historical Chronicle

Continuation of the Piece begun in our last.

There are many families in this and the neighbouring towns, who are conscious, that by industry and frugality, they may soon secure to themselves a comfortable retreat from the pinching necessities of the present times, in the interior parts of the province:--But upon enquiry, they find the roads impassable for the transportation of their families: This discourages and disheartens them; whereas, if, on the other hand, a communication was opened to the many towns on Connecticut river, great numbers would resort there, who would, by their labour, soon supply the daily wants of their present distressed families: and in two years become so independent as to be enabled to supply the wants of others. It is agreed on all sides, that the settlers on the river, (by the amazing fertility of their lands) do raise a surprising surplusage of grain more than is necessary for their own consumption; and if they could be so fortunate as to find a vent for their produce, they would rejoice in a mutual exchange for such commodities as are brought to this market, especially if salt, which is an article more wanted by them than any thing, and at this time fetches 12 s. per bushel in most of the inland towns; and there is commonly a great plenty of that commodity, and would also encourage our merchants, who by the embarrassed state and stagnation of trade, know not where to send their vessels without certain loss: It is to this cause the poor are in daily want of employment, which occasions the cries of the helpless children for bread; and from the present prospect of the times, there is great reason to fear, our distresses must increase unless we adopt some salutary plan for supplying our wants within ourselves; which can be done: not only with great ease, but to great advantage and profit: there are many individuals that would gladly cut, bridge & clear the public roads that are now wanted, at their own expense, if they could obtain an act of the legislature in their favour for the sole and exclusive trade of selling salt to the settlers on Connecticut river, -- but we hope never to see such acts obtained, as exclusive trades are, and always will be injurious to a community, as is well known by the East India company's trade to India, that it is greatly detrimental to the British nation, and would long since have been made free, if the influence of its proprietors was not too great in the British parliament. It's necessary to observe, that if the communication is opened, not only the towns that are within this province will supply us with beef, pork, and grain, but there are above thirty others on the west side of the river, that now belong to the government of New-York, have no other market to export to but this, they being above 400 miles distant from New-York; and not more than 130 from this town, and some of them much less. Is it possible that we can hesitate one moment to put in execution an immediate and such an inexhaustible fund plan, that will evidently be productive of such for trade and commerce, by which every individual will, more or less, be benefited and enriched? I may be thought by some too sanguine in my expectations, but being well acquainted with the geography of the western and northwestern parts of the province, and the towns on the other side of the river; and being also confirmed in my opinion by the observations of others, I cannot retract, 'till some friend will undertake to convince me of my error. Necessity has been always reputed the mother of invention; and the present alarming crisis, when we are become obnoxious to the colonies on the continent, must prompt