The New Hampshire Gazette

Printer of the New Hampshire Gazette

It is a Matter well known, to those who are acquainted with History, that the Lilliputians were a Free People, living under a mixed Form of Government, not much dissimilar to that under which we have our happy Lot.--It may therefore be agreeable to many of your Readers, to peruse a Speech of a Lilliputian to his Fellow Citizens, assembled to choose Delegates for their House of Commons, which was one Branch of their Government.

My Brethren and Fellow Citizens,

By the Indulgence of divine Providence, and the Favour of our excellent Constitution, we are now called upon, and assembled to Elect proper Persons to represent us in the House of Commons, and take upon them our Part of the Government. This is a Privilege which ought always to be dear to us, and which we can never over value; of which our wise and prudent Use will best demonstrate our just Esteem. To be supine and negligent whether we improve this happy Privilege at all, or indifferent how we improve it, will argue great Insensibility of its Value. Let us consider. it is our Duty to make a wise Choice. that we are answerable for all the ill Consequences of such an Omission. That the Wisdom and Understanding of Electors. will always be estimated by the Qualifications and Abilities of the Elected. Your Own Reputation therefore, as well as your most valuable Interest, depend much on your Conduct in this Affair. . An Affair at all Times important, but much more so at this critical Conjuncture, when we are involved in a calamitous War with the Blefuscudians and their Adherents: When our Substance is almost exhausted, and the utmost Stretch of our united Abilities. is absolutely necessary to our Security. A wise and prudent Administration of our public Affairs, is always necessary to the Well being of the Community ; but at this Juncture more especially, both with Regard to the Expence. and our Connection with others. embarked on the same Bottom. These Considerations ought to awaken our Attention, and put us on our Guard against every Mistake. In this Situation, would it not be an egregious Blunder, to trust your Affairs in the Hands of weak or designing Men ? A discreet and prudent Choice of your Delegates is at no Time a Matter of Indifference, your public Welfare always depends much upon it,as was hinted before.- But at this Time especially your Choice ought to be regulated, among others, by the following Cautions and Rules.--

A Man who appears to be very fond of being chosen, is for that Reason to be refused.-All Government, when faithfully administered, is a great Weight, and much Labour and Pain is necessary to sustain it. The part which your House of Commons bear, is not the least part of the Burthen.- It requires much Attention and Care. We can't rationally suppose any Man would court this Trouble, without some secret Hopes of Advantage, which he is not willing to declare. Nothing but the Request of others and the Prospect of doing public Service, would induce a disinterested Man to accept such a weighty Trust ; such a burthensome Office- But this View of the Case abstracted from all others, never yet put a Man out for the place, upon compassing Sea and Land to make Voters ; it would be in Effect saying, My Country Men, I am fitter to Serve you than any Man living. therefore you'll stand in your own Light if you don't choose me. He that has so little Modesty as thus to depreciate all others. and exalt himself, it is to be feared has as little Honesty--And is not this the genuine Language of their practice, who are continually running up and down, making an Interest with all they meet, for their Votes, and employing their Friends, Dependants and Emissaries to Solicit for them ?-- Men are naturally averse. to Trouble ; never voluntarily run into it. but as the price of some immediate or future Advantage --It is quite unnatural therefore, to see a Man earnestly concern'd to obtain an Office attended with nothing but solicitude and Trouble--an Office that brings no Blessing with it (as the common Phrase is.) And in these selfish Times it may justly be accounted a marvellous Case. if the Thing could be believed : but without such Evidence as amounts to a Demonstration, he who pretends to it. is to be strongly suspected of deceiving himself or others ; especially too when he says all he dares to calumniate any one he imagines will be his Competitor.- These busy Gentlemen seem to have no sense of the Burthen of this Office, or no Concern about it, and that alone is a sufficient Objection to them-- I should therefore think you would reject Men of this Stamp, with the same Kind and Degree of Resentment, that any of you would a Fellow who should beg the Favour of you, to be so complaisant to him, as to stand still and shut your Eyes, while he should pick your Pocket.--

A Man violently attached to a Party is justly exceptionable.--There will always be Parties in free Governments, for Men will never all think alike ; and