Fowle's New Hampshire Gazette And General Advertiser

The attack made upon the Printers of the Centinel on Saturday last, by a number of well known persons, ought to excite the serious attention of all those who duly regard that bulwark of our liberties—THE FREEDOM OF THE PRESS.

If a Printer, for advertising that he intends to publish a certain book for the instruction or merely amusement or innocent diversion of his fellow citizens, is to be beset and abused by a set of clubmen because the title page does not happen to hit their taste, we may take a farewell of our Independence which we have gloriously gained, not without great expense of our treasure, and the loss of some of our best blood. A wound in so tender a point must surely prove fatal! Should the government appoint licensers of the press, it would give just cause of offence. What right then has any set of men to forbid the printing a book till it has had their imprimatur, or to punish a Printer with club law, for advertising it? The institution of an assembly, under the name of Sans Souci, or Free and Easy, has raised the apprehensions as well as curiosity of many men of sober sentiments in this community, and such a manner of defending it does not tend to diminish their apprehensions. But since this mode has been taken for its defence, it concerns the Public to inquire into its nature and design;—that if it be innocent it may have the common protection; but if it tends to promote GAMING, IDLENESS, and DISSIPATION, it may be, as it ought, discountenanced and suppressed.