The Virginia Gazette

A spirit of avarice has pervaded all ranks of people, but none more than the planter, and shop-keeper or retailer, who with a very good grace asks 40 dollars for a gallon of rum, while the planter smiles at him with his corn at 6s. a barrel. This may do with them, but what comes of another class of people who have nothing to sell and every thing to buy? What comes of publick credit, the property of orphans at interest, the pay of our soldiers who are fighting our battles and securing to us our dearest rights and privileges? Must they fall victims to the rapaciousness of the times, which no age or country ever before produced? We fear, while Heaven smiles on our cause and works almost miracles in our favour, we are despising its favours and working out our own destruction: We are fighting against ourselves, destroying publick credit, and sapping the very foundation of our political salvation. Importers, retailers, speculators, contractors, quartermasters, agents, commissaries and paymasters, are rolling in riches, while other denominations of men are sinking under the destructive measures that are at present adopted. The alarm has been founded at Philadelphia, and we ardently hope the changes may be rang throughout the United States.