The New Hampshire Gazette

From a late MAGAZINE.

To the Right Honourable WILLIAM PITT,
This
His Majesty's Principal Secretary of State.

SIR,

Our Gracious Sovereign hath committed to you and your Friends the Administration of public Affairs, for the Relief of an injured People. We believe you are not above Advice and Admonition, especially from those whose Benefit and Welfare you have undertaken to procure. On this Account we make Use of our natural Right, in setting before you wherein, and in what Manner, we expect to be served.

Some of our Grievances we lately mentioned in one of the London Papers, in 'The Instructions to those Members of Parliament to whom no particular Instructions had been given.' We repeat our earnest Desire to have those Matters considered and redressed; adding, that if we are allowed to carry Arms for our own Defence, we beg that this may not encroach upon the Observation of the Lord's Day, so as to have the Violation of a positive Command of God (already very frequent) enjoined by Law.

We are persuaded that Diligence and Frugality in the Managers of the Revenue, and other Officers, would be more than Half the present Land-Tax. The Customs themselves, if under as good a Regulation as the Excise, would be near one Half of this Sum; and the striking off useless Places and Pensions, and a Reduction of the exorbitant Salaries and Gains of others, will raise the other Half. Or, if there be any Deficiency, it might be supplied by applying to the Sinking Fund one Half of all Merchant Ships, taken from the Enemy by our Men of War. This last will really be of Benefit to the Service, for Experience hath abundantly shewed that nothing spoils an Officer so much as growing rich.

And with Respect to the other Part of the Request, we would hope that Pity to our Distresses will incline you and your Friends to endeavour to restrain the Number of Placemen, that the great Ones may no longer riot in Idleness, Debauchery, Gaming and Gluttony, upon the Spoils of an impoverished People. We flatter ourselves too that the Protection given to Smuggling will now cease, since He no longer rules, to oblige whose Tenants, it hath been said, this Countenance hath been given.

As we are now engaged in War, which is an Appeal to God, and the Success entirely depends on his Favor, we hope some Methods will be taken, by discouraging the national Sins, to regain his Favor who is the Lord of Hosts. But we cannot hope that God will bless the Counsels of those that are the avowed Despisers of his Laws, and live in open Contempt of Religion; who spend that Time in Gaming and Debauchery, which should be devoted to God in religious Duties, as well as that which is due to the Service of their Country.

Neither can we expect God will go forth with our Fleets and Armies, while our Regiments are filled with Prophaneness in Men and Officers, and every Man of War is a little Hell of Impiety. Nor can we hope Things will be better until great Gaming-Houses are suppressed, and Magistrates are thereby encouraged to do the same by little Ones, until professed Irreligion and open Wickedness be made a Bar to civil and military Promotions; until the Custom be broken of selling Chaplainships of Regiments to wealthy Clergymen, who entirely neglect the Duty; until the Chaplains of the Men of War are on a still more respectable Footing than at present, in Dignity and Respect at least, though not in Power and Pay, next to the Captains, and until more Care is taken in chusing them and other Ministers. Indeed a Reformation throughout the whole is highly desirable, as by keeping out the idle and ignorant, so by utterly abolishing those Scandals of the Church, Pluralities and Non-Residence, and by applying the overgrown Wealth of some to the Relief of the poorest. That any Bishop should have more than 3000l. per Annum, any parochial Clergyman more than 200 or 300l. or less than 100l. is not at all for the Good of Religion.

We are not so sanguine as to imagine that our many and great Corruptions and Distresses can be cured easily, or entirely. Yet we charge you to consider by what Kind of Conduct your Predecessors have caused our present Distresses, and by contrary Measures to endeavour what you can to give some Relief.

One who sat many Years at the Helm of Affairs, and every Year forwarded Britain's Ruin, secured himself in Power by Bribery and Corruption. This was his distinguishing Talent, to know the Price of every Man, and buy him off from opposing his Administration: His Underlings copied his Example, and introduced Corruption into every Corner of the Land, establishing a Kind of System for buying and selling Votes in Parliament, Boroughs, Managers, and Voters in Boroughs. The Effect of this was a heavy Burden on the Nation, by new and needless Places bringing on heavy Taxes; it also covered the Land with an intolerable Load of Guilt; the Guilt of Perjury, and many other Crimes, which have drawn on us the Evils we now suffer.

These destructive and wicked Measures were exposed, thwarted and at last discarded, by another W.P. and his Friends. But when this great Man seemed to have it in his Power to relieve this injured Country, he suddenly stopped short. Whether unable to accomplish his Intentions by Reason of the prevailing Power of other Corruptors, or whether he never had such worthy Views, he seemed to rest contented with having foiled his Adversary, and Rival in Eloquence; and hath ever since lain buried under a Title and public Reproach. If he ever desired and really intended a happy Change, now is his Time to recover his lost Credit, by raising and strengthening your Hands.

The succeeding Ministry trod in the same Path, with some Improvement. Intolerable Places and Pensions, foreign Connections, public Extravagance, Bribery and Perjury, still remained in full Vigor. Corruption became more powerful, and put on additional Charms. The leading Man, by a French Cook and vast Expense, bribed the Bellies of Lords and Members of Parliament, and led them by the Nose. Under Managers imitated their Leader, and now a good Table is kept by most residing Borough Rulers; elegant Entertainments, causing Gluttony and Drunkenness, are joined with Money and Promises in securing Elections.

This heightened our former Evils, increased our Debt, multiplied our Sins, and still more provoked the Holy God. Luxury made Men needy, Need exposed them to Corruption, Perjury, &c, and thus Soul, Body, and Fortune became a Prey to this mighty Destroyer.

Sævior armis luxuria incubat.

These, great Sir, are some of our Sufferings. By these Means they have been brought on. Rise, and be a glorious Deliverer. Shew yourself ready to relieve us, and there are many that will gladly join and support you. Begin; you will find more Assistance, and perhaps less Opposition than you expect. Strike at the greatest Evils first, and fear not; God, and the People, are on your Side. To restrain Sin, is fighting the Cause of God; to endeavour to relieve a burdened Nation will engage the Love of Millions.

As soon as you begin, you may depend on the Assistance of all the Virtuous, and Lovers of their Country, in both Houses. Those that are chosen by popular Elections will join you too, except perhaps a very few that cannot live without Prey. As for the bargaining Borough Men, who spend Half their Fortunes to get a Seat by bribing the Voters, or purchase it of some great Man, these will follow wherever they see the Loaves and Fishes. Hopes of Half a Place, properly reduced, will be more prevalent with these needy Ones, than a distant Prospect of rioting in such high Pensions as are now given, by disconcerting your good Endeavours.

The greatest Opposition you have to expect is from another Assembly. They have, before now, defeated an Attempt to reduce Placemen, and very lately refused to consent to suffer us to be armed for our own Defence. But here too are some Men of Virtue, and Friends to Britain; these will readily espouse the glorious Cause. Besides, Cæsar is on your Side: He is willing to restore Prosperity to Britain; he earnestly desires it; with this Intention he fixed on you. They that were created by his Favor, will not buzz or sting when the royal Beams are withdrawn. And whoever saw them oppose the Man that held the Keys of the strong Box? When they, or any others, see that on account of their Opposition to salutary Methods, they are pointed out as the Foes of Liberty, and averse to their Country's Welfare, they will not venture to stand the Tide of Universal Odium, they will call to Mind, perhaps, what happened about 116 Years ago.

As the Conduct we recommend to you is practicable, it is also necessary even to support your own Power. The unnatural Methods of Bribery and debauching Seats, have eat out the Bowels of the Nation. The Debt is run too high to support these any longer. The Times now demand no such Quackery, but wholesome Medicine, or Death must follow. Necessity and Virtue join to point you out your Way. Your Duty to God, and the Desires, the Demands of the People are here the same. Never was that more true than now Vox Populi, Vox Dei.

If you don't improve the Opportunity now put into your Hands, but follow the Ways of those who have been Britain's deadly Foes: if a Title, Love of Money or Love of Ease, bribe you to betray our Interests, you will fall, from the highest Respect and universal Esteem, to as low and universal Ignominy and Contempt. What other Effects will follow, we cannot say. What mad impoverished, oppressed, enraged Millions do?

But if your Heart is honest, as your Head is wise; if the Love for Britain, that hath so often sounded from your Tongue, be now shewed in Action, what a glorious Prospect is before you? Will not just Heaven, in Eternity, reward the Man that stood between his Country and overflowing Ruin? And if present Glory be desirable, neither he that is distinguished by the Title of Conqueror, will appear greater in our Esteem, nor that greater WILLIAM that delivered us from Popery and arbitrary Power, will be dearer to our Hearts than You.

For it is less glorious to conquer a Nation by Arms, than to overcome Luxury and Corruption, which had led that Nation Captive. It is less Benefit to be delivered even from Popery, than from over-spreading Iniquities, Misery, and a threatening insulting Foe.

How glorious will it appear in the Annals of Britain, That in the 30th Year of George II. by the Command of that beloved King, and by the Wisdom and Diligence of W. P. and his Friends, Liberty began to be established, Corruption and Debauchery and Impiety to be checked, Ease, Welfare and Prosperity, to be restored to
FIVE MILLIONS!