The Freeman's Journal, Or, New Hampshire Gazette

O fortunati populi, sua si bona norint.

When the Inhabitants of Britain
were in a lethargic State, and brought to serious
Reflections on the Conduct of their infatuated Ministry, in depriving them
of their inestimable and invaluable commercial
Connection with AMERICA. then will
they execrate the Men and their Measures :
Lamentations will be heard in their Streets :
The Cries of innocent Thousands will as-
cend to Heaven. for vengeance on the cruel
Authors of their Calamities. The starving
Labourer and his depending Family, will soon
sound a horrible Din in the ears of the Rich.
whose Coffers must be opened, through the
Fears of the leveling Spirit of the provoked
Multitude. but their Resources proving too
Small to satiate the Demands of Insurgents,
whom Hunger urges to every Act of Despe-
ration, at length will commence a Scene
that will shake the British Empire to its
Centre. Then instead of flying to the
Arms of Foreigners, they will find the Pre-
servation of their Rights the Security of their
Properties. and perhaps the very Existence
of Britain. as a State, will depend upon her
Friendship and Alliance with America.

What are ye then doing. YE INFATUATED
Ministers of Britain? And whose De-
struction are ye seeking ? Why do YE suf-
fer Your Fleets and Armies again to be sent
against America ? Are YE not yet convinced
that the GREAT JEHOVAH is on her Side ?
and that God-helping her, the Gates of Hell
shall never prevail against her : Take a re-
trospective View of Your last year's Cam-
paign, & then say, what have ye had to boast
of but Famine, Slaughter and Disgrace.
Your Arms have been more tarnished, and
Your Honors more sullied in the year 1775,
than the British Arms were victorious and
illustrious in 1759 ; the Reason is obvious.
then the Cause was just and honorable; now
it is base and contemptible : then Britain
fought in defence of her natural Rights, and
the preservation of the Empire, against her
natural Enemy ; now you are fighting to de-
stroy those very Rights, even in her Ameri-
can Friends, and are bent upon the Destruc-
tion of their Colonies, by subverting all their
charter Privileges : Then her Soldiers died in
beds of honour, and their Souls ascended :
now yours die in beds of disgrace, and like
Brutes their Souls descend, discouraging Con-
trast! How have ye supported your Arma-
ments ? let your Officers and Soldiers answer
the Question and they will condemn you :


they have felt every Want, which added to
the remording Wounds of conscientious Re-
flections, on the Injustice of your Errand ; they
have not had Resolution to attempt what
they knew was wrong: they knew that even
if
Victory would be crowned with Disgrace,
Cause. but only to satisfy your unbounded
Lust of Power. I must acknowledge I believe
you have been misinformed, you have been
prompted to the Commission of these Ills by
the villainous Parricides of their Country.
Let such Traitors repent before they go
hence, or surely great must be their Punish-
ment. I have no doubt they have at this
Hour a living Worm gnawing within them,
the Wounds of a guilty Conscience, which
is insufferable.

If, ye deluded MINISTERS of BRITAIN,
you have been deceived, and thereby have
deceived your King, why do you persist in a
Series of Schemes that only discover your
own Weakness and the Weakness of the Na-
tion, and that too to her foreign Enemies ?
Turn ye from your Ways, nor longer court
your destruction ; and O BRITAIN strive to
regain the Friendship of America. which
must finally support your Existence, unless
you are lost to every Feeling of Humanity for
others, and Love for yourself, to Why will
ye die O House of Israel. AMERICANUS.