The New Hampshire Gazette

PORTSMOUTH.

Mr. Printer,

I have a Complaint to make against some Folks that live in your Town, that I don't know, and think the best Way to let them know it, is to set it forth in your News Letter, and So I pray you to give it a Birth.

I am an honest Farmer at your Service, and hires a Place in the Neighbourhood of your Town, which I endeavor to manage like a good Farmer, and tries to keep up my Fences all the Year round, especially about my Meadows and mowing Ground, and wou'd not suffer them to lye open to all the Beasts of the Field, as one may say, in the Winter and late in the Spring Season, and so have all the Fogg et up, and the Grass nawed to the Roots, and the Ground poach'd like a Bed of Mortar, as some Folks that pretend to be Farmers do. But there is a great many People in your Town that must keep Horses forth, at other Peoples Cost ; for after working them hard all Day without Food, they turn them out in the Highways at Night, and may be late first, half starved, to prowl like Wolves for themselves, and often as much to the Farmers Damage ; with as little Mercy to their Beasts, as Regard to the Interest of their Neighbours ; for they know they can get nothing but by breaking into other Peoples Inclosures. These Creatures come and break down our Fences, for Hunger will break thro a Stone Wall, as the old Saying is ; and so it will be impossible for a Man to be a good Farmer about this Town, if these Folks are not hindered from acting in this Manner. I hope our Rulers will hear of it, and contrive some Way to help the Farmer. For my Part, if some Course is not quickly taken about these Horses, I must leave my Place, and go where People will be more just in this Regard. For these Horse Keepers know that the Law of the Province is, that Horses turn'd out at large shou'd be well fetter'd all the Year round : but they dont mind that, as long as they dont pay soundly as they ought for their Neglect, because the Penalty of the Law wont come to as much as it does to keep a Horse in the Barn or a Pasture. But why maynt we Farmers turn out all our Cattle in the Highways as well as these Horse Starvers --and if we shou'd, what a fine Spot of Work wou'd that make. And how wou'd they like it if we shou'd drive down some of our old Oxen that are us'd to the Shack, in the Fall, within the Smell of their Gardens, their Fences wou'd be but as rotten Wood before them ; what wou'd become of their Cabbages and other Fruits ? And wou'd not this be doing as they do by us. Moreover their Horses are as troublesome about our Barns in the Winter, and if they do no worse they eat up great Part of our Dung and Muck. Now if I shou'd say of one of these Men, he was a Thief, and had stole a Parcel of Hay from me, he wou'd doubtless be highly affronted with me, if he knew it, and say I wronged him, and hurt his Character, and no Question but he wou'd talk at least, about an Action of Defamation. But pray what Difference is there betwixt my stealing a Cock or two of Hay from my Neighbour with my own Hands, and sending out my Horse to do it : I dont know what some Folks may think; but for my Part I think it much the same Thing : And these People, whatever their Character is, they cannot deserve to be called honest Men. And now I am upon the honest Part, pray be so good as to ask them the following Questions : Firstly, Whether they can think there is any real Difference between my privately taking my Neighbours Sheep and disposing of it to my own Use, and sending my Negro Jack to take it, and he does it and I eat it ? Secondly, Whether he who will not observe the Law, which says he shou'd not turn out his Horse at large without Fetters, wou'd observe the Law which says thou shalt not steal, if he was in no more Danger at present in this Case than in t'other ? Thirdly, Whether he is a true honest Man who wont observe both ?