The Massachusetts Spy, Or, Thomas's Boston Journal

Mr. Thomas,

Please to insert the following from the New-London Gazette of January 15th, 1773.

To the PRINTER.

You are desired to publish the following Letter from a Lover of his Country, in one of the most respectable Colonies in America, not of the Massachusetts Bay you may be assured.

THERE cannot be a cause of greater importance, or more interesting to the welfare of mankind in this world, than that now depending between Great Britain, or more properly the ministers of State to the King of Great Britain, and the numerous extensive English colonies in America. It is no less than whether the latter shall enjoy one single blessing or privilege which can render life for its own sake desirable. (for it is all embraced in the ideas of liberty and bondage.) Shall the free born sons and daughters of America any longer enjoy the blessings of English freedom? or shall they become tributaries and slaves to the K-- and P--t of G-- B---n, or rather to the Slaves of G--t B---'s K--, is the question. And a question it is, big with consequences to many ten millions of America born and yet unborn, too great to express, or almost to conceive; and so great as that surely nothing but a firm persuasion--that this is in reality the question, can be wanting, to inspire the head, the heart, the hand, the foot, the eye, every power and faculty of body and soul, in English America, (not lost to every sense of virtue and humanity) with a determined resolution to bring this question to a happy decision. I need not therefore except by name the abandoned, apostate herd of placemen, pensioners, and their train of dependent blood suckers, whose gain is their God. To the rest I speak, and to the few only of them, whose eyes through inattention are not already wide open. And you, my dear countrymen, I ask only to consider, that by reason of the corruption and depravity of human nature, (come by it how they might) it was absolutely necessary for the welfare of mankind, that civil government should be set up and maintained in the world, to defend men's persons from injuries and their property from rapine and plunder, and therefore for those great and salutary ends the all-wise and beneficent father of the universe instituted and established Kings and Princes in the earth to decree justice and judgment; not for their own sake, but for the sake of his people. The establishment and exercise of such government within the rules and reason of its institution, approves itself to the understanding and consciences of all mankind, and from the beginning has had their consent and approbation, as a measure productive of every good and preventive of every evil in civil society.

No institution or appointment of the God of reason and justice, ever was or ever can be repugnant to, or contradict the universal sense and reason of his rational creatures. But the idea and notion of slavery, or subjection of the lives and properties of mankind, or of States and communities of mankind, to the arbitrary will and pleasure of any individual, or number of individuals, acting for and under him, is repugnant to the universal sense of mankind, contradicts the first principles of self-preservation, and is in opposition to, and destructive of, the primary end, reason and foundation of civil government. Therefore it is impossible it should be instituted by the King of Heaven, or be in its own nature justifiable or right. And yet it is a fact too notorious to admit of dispute that this is the unhappy state of much the greatest part of the world, among some in a more absolute degree than others. If it should then be asked, how came mankind into a condition so abhorrent to their own sentiments, and so inconsistent with their own happiness? It may be answered, that it has pleased Almighty God to permit the sin and folly of mankind thus to punish itself; it is not brought upon them by his immediate Agency, but the boundless ambition and lust of power, in those at first exalted to rightful dominion, taking advantage of the pride, luxury, ambition, hopes, fears and folly of human nature, artfully managing and skilfully playing off their various jarring appetites and passions one against another, has blinded their eyes, and lulled them into security, or by wicked exercise of rightful power, with violence blood and slaughter established those systems of despotism, which are and long have been the curse and plague of the human species.

No nation or people were ever made slaves at once, nor until wondrous craft and subtlety had gilded the fatal pill, or by their own corruption and wickedness, inattention and stupidity they were become too weak to resist the bitter potion. Almost infinite have been the arts and intrigues, the tools, the instruments, emissaries, ways and means, which the princes and great ones of the earth, have made use of to accomplish this grand, infernal project. Considering therefore the unbounded thirst of dominion, inseparable from the princes of this world, whose greatness is their supreme good; and that there are such is no incredible supposition) the ten thousand advantages they have to obtain their purposes--considering also the folly and wickedness of human nature, the fraud and temptation, to which it is liable from the subtle and the mighty; it is a miracle of mercy that there is any nation under Heaven left tolerably free from the iron rod of tyranny and oppression. Oppression and tyranny once established, grasps with strong and mighty hand. It is amazingly harder to break its hold and unloose its gripe, than to guard against its first approach, difficult and impracticable as the latter has been found to almost all the nations of the world; the wretchedness of it great beyond description, and not fully understood by any but its miserable subjects. Since liberty then is a prize of such inestimable value, so easily lost and so impossible to regain, with what vigilance and care, with what activity and zeal ought it to be watched and defended.

And is it well with America? Are her liberties secure? And has a false and groundless alarm sounded in our ears? Consider, my friends, Great-Britain is almost the only nation in Europe, or in the world, that has preserved its virtue and liberty to this day, and how difficult has been the struggles; many a time has it been upon the very verge of ruin. Infinite have been the arts, strong and mighty the efforts of many of the Kings and princes to enslave her. To say nothing of earlier times, one of the race of Stewarts lost his crown and his head, another was driven from his kingdom, and wandered a fugitive in the earth, rather than give up their pretensions to arbitrary sway, and a sovereign deliverer called in to rescue the nation on the brink of destruction. The spirit of luxury and dissipation and the depravity of morals was not then universal, nor the system of corruption completed, so that the near prospect of destruction opened the eyes of the nation, roused the spirit of liberty, and kindled the sparks of virtue into a blaze, consumed their oppressors, rescued and restored the constitution. But it was, when obtained with an amazing struggle and hazard, and not until very many had given the point for lost, and our fathers fled for refuge to the savage deserts of America.

Quis talia fando, &c. Since which the rights of the people have been again invaded, and defenders bought, insidious arts practiced, prerogative extended, and almost every support of the glorious fabric of liberty sapped and undermined by degrees. Yet we hope the case is not quite desperate in the nation, but greatly to be feared, that the noble defenders of the common cause will not be able to resist with the former success. Let us co-operate with them to the utmost of our power, and we with them a blessing in the name of the Lord. But let us especially look to ourselves; and if Afrea, if sacred liberty should be forced to fly from her ancient seat, O let her find a secure and lasting retreat in this new discovered world. But alas! according to present appearances, it seems as if this would not long be her resting place. The designs of those who rule the B--h councils are visible as the blazing sun. With what devouring jaws would that horrid monster the stamp-act have crushed and swallowed us up, had not the genius of America roused her sons, and breathed a divine ardor into all their souls from east to west. In vain was salvation attempted and hoped for, from the prayers, petitions, and remonstrances of the united continent, and vain to the last period of time would have been efforts of any other kind than you used with success. And they are justifiable only in cases of extreme necessity, and where the rights of mankind, the supreme law, can be no otherwise maintained and defended. But when this monster bled and died, his ashes and blood gave life to another, prolific of all evil and danger, viz. a decree that the authors of his being, had right to bind and subject all these colonies in all cases whatsoever. Words significant and comprehensive indeed. My friends, the liberty we claim as Englishmen, consists not in a freedom from the restraints of law and government, and an exemption from the expenses of its support; but in being governed by laws enacted by ourselves and having our property taken and used for the public good, only by our own consent in a constitutional way.

But what is the language of this emphatical decree, but that all the property, liberty and lives of English America are at the absolute controul and disposal of a legislature four thousand miles distant, in whose creation or election not all America has a single voice, and who are as independent on, and unconnected with us, in their capacity, as the inhabitants of the moon, and more (than that whose interest it is to burden us for their own emolument. Yet this legislature and the British ministry, are carrying into execution as fast as art and policy will permit, the powers claimed by this all comprehending decree, laying and increasing grievous and heavy burdens on all our trade and commerce, which not only affects those more immediately concerned therein, but every farmer and other individual who has occasion to sell any of his own, or purchase any of their commodities; erecting new courts and commissioners with extraordinary powers; enlarging jurisdictions and powers of arbitrary Admiralty courts; appointing Judges and officers, whose only qualifications are their enmity to the liberties of the country; rendering our Governors, before appointed by the crown, completely independent on the people and all with enormous stipends paid and refunded by the labours and treasure of the honest and industrious Americans, wrested from them against their will by the hand of power; fleets and armies sent over in hostile array, to take possession of our capital towns and fortresses, with sword and fire to awe or murder the inhabitants into a submission to measures which reason and justice would never enforce; for what, in the name of God, could render them necessary, but consciousness of their injustice? For Americans are loyal subjects, loved their King and ever obeyed his righteous laws. In fine, our judges, the arbiters of our fortunes and lives, rendered absolutely independent on their country and dependent on the K-- , or rather his M---t---s. for their continuance and support, and in effect for their appointment. And lest all this should not sufficiently bind us in all cases whatsoever, when occasion requires awful mandates are issued, to seize our inhabitants, bind them in chains, and transport them to Britain for trial of crimes real or supposed, where without money and without friends, and every hand of power lift up against us, be suspected and accused, is enough to be condemned and hanged.

Think O my countrymen, is this to your wretched case, is it I. is it I? Would not a poignard plunged into your breast be more eligible? and all your complaints neglected, rejected and despised. Yet these are but part of your grievances: The patriots of Boston, I am told have pointed them out, and in a much better manner I am sure. It is time then to look about us in good earnest, and seriously to consider when and how these things will end. Is not the plan uniform, and pursuing step by step? our liberties invaded and taken one after another, and link added to link of our chains. The road to despotism is not open attack upon all a people's rights at once; the alarm would be too general, and opposition too strong, Seneca, that great philosopher, and good man of Rome, says, we can live without liberty but it is better to die. You my friends know the value of freedom, and are doubly entitled to all the rights of Englishmen, by birth and also by a much greater sum than Lucius the chief captain obtained the privileges of a Roman, viz. The vast expense of blood and treasure by the fathers of New-England especially to secure and transmit that first of blessings inviolate to posterity. And you have also richly merited it at the hands of Great Britain's King, by the immense addition you have made to his dominions, to his subjects, and to the wealth of the nation, and thereby to the weight and dignity of his crown. You will not, you cannot therefore let it perish in your hands, nor be torn from you but with your lives. You will not be gulled out of it by the vile and infamous art of ministerial tools; but make use of every effort in your power, not inconsistent with the righteous laws of heaven and earth, to preserve that choicest gift of heaven: and be inspired with a resolution firm and unshaken as the perpetual hills, that you will never part with it in life or death. Put your religious trust and confidence in Almighty God; He will not forsake you nor the cause--it is his own--persevere and persevere and be sure of success. Great and marvellous have been the appearances of his providence in our favour, for which glory be to his name.

And with warmest gratitude also remember the many worthies of our country, who have asserted our rights, vindicated our cause, warned us of our danger, and pointed out the means of safety. Among the brightest of whom shines the patriot farmer of Philadelphia. High also in the list of worthies stand those generous and noble friends of their country and of mankind the patriots of Boston; their counsels have been wise, their measures prudent and their conduct firm, animated by that first and best of principles the love of their country. Justly are they and may the whole country be alarmed at the late interesting ministerial manoeuvre, in rendering our judges, in whose hands are our lives and properties, as well as our Governors, dependent for their daily bread on those whose interest and design is to subject them both to their will and pleasure. Can any be so blind as not to see the fatal tendency of those measures? What if next you should be prohibited council when you are arraigned before them, and trials by juries be abolished, when you cannot conveniently be transported across the Atlantic for judgment. And why not this, and any thing else, as soon as matters will bear, I am not able to conceive. Where will you make a stand, my friends, and what will you stand upon when the foundations are destroyed? If you wait till the modes and measures of opposition are adjusted to the satisfaction of your oppressors, or their tools, you will wait till opposition is useless and vain. The efforts used to baffle and defeat the efforts of your friends, are nothing new, but precisely the same in kind as have ever been practiced by artful oppressors, to slander and ridicule the defenders of liberty, to represent them to be factious and designing fellows; to run down and crush the man that dare assert its rights; to blacken his name, and weaken his influence by various pretences; to flatter some and brow beat others; to persuade one that things go well, and there is no danger; to convince another that if there is, this or that, or whatever measure is pursuing, is not the right way to obtain redress; that the public welfare is not the concern of individuals, nor small bodies or communities, the law points out other work for them, but of the whole legislature; and then tell them their constituents are easy; it is yet too early to stir; the system of oppression is not yet complete--aye, and possibly the life of this or that, who have power and temptation to oppress, is not to continue during the bene placito of his master, but only their own bene g-- erint -- Be it so, while the measure of the one is the standard of the other, as will ever be the case, the difference between them is great and important, as in Swift's tweedledee, and tweedledum.

Be not deceived, be not mocked, my friends, with ten thousand such deceitful arts, the most successful weapons that can be used in the cause of tyranny. The game is playing, and your liberty and property are the stakes. Be not dismayed--be not disheartened--Ye faithful friends of your country--ye noble and blessed assertors of her rights -go on--the race is glorious and the prize immortal. The hearts and hands of the people--yea of all the people, are with you--you will assuredly find it so in a day of trial, and the arms of you hands shall be made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob.

JUNIUS CATO.