The New Hampshire Gazette And Historical Chronicle

Extract of a Letter from a Gentleman in London to his Friend in this Town dated London August 8, 1775:

My dear Sir,

Trust our American Cause is just; happy would it have been could the Dispute been accommodated without the Effusion of Blood; but it was not God's Will it should be, let us therefore submit the Event, and labour to merit by a manly, rational and Christian Conduct an Award in our Favour; my Heart glows with every Wish for the Prosperity of my Country; united with this, and for my dear Friends in America, may they bear up against every Invasion of their civil and religious Liberties; obtain the Goal, and gratefully look up to the Author of all Good.

America must expect nothing from hence (although it has many Friends here) the Weight of Government preponderates against it, and are determined to crush this Spirit of Liberty entirely, winking out of Sight every national Consequence, The Trade of this Kingdom has not felt any sufficient Check to open the Eyes of its Inhabitants. I am just returned from a Tour of about 500 Miles through many of the principal manufacturing Towns, and find that the Demands from Russia has been the last Winter and Spring considerable. Demands from Spain, owing to a double Flota this Spring, and their Grand Naval and Land Armaments, now in the Mediterranean, together with large Commissions from France, have all tended to give Employ for the present to the whole of the manufacturing Dependents. Vast Quantities of Wheat have been imported from America, and good Prospects from the present Harvest, all tend to keep up or lull the Minds of this People, who in all Ranks are wallowing in Luxury and Dissipation...and another Thing which is here looked upon as the grand Index pointing to ministerial Success is the keeping up of the Stocks, all which are striking instances of the unexpected Turns which Human Matters take different from their Appearances to us...

Very few complain except those who are largely or entirely in the American Channel....How these Things may continue through the Fall and Winter Time only can determine, but I must suppose this Reverse will be heavily felt. I am assured by a Merchant who was one of a Committee to examine the several Exports from Great Britain, and their Return was that nine Sixteenths of the whole was to America (the Islands Included) but that is infinitely more than I could suppose; he however assures me that from a Critical Review of Facts, that was their Opinion. If so, can it be of so weight to Britain whether or not America be retain'd in Amity and strict Friendship, cemented by the Ties of Interest, or drove by unnatural Oppression, to become an Enemy, and renounce the alluring Conveniencies of Trade, of open our Arms to Strangers, and invite them to come and partake of those Sweets which we with filial Affection would have rejoiced to participate with our Parent State; No, all those Things are seen, but America has dared to rear her Head in Opposition to parliamentary or ministerial Mistakes (to call them no worse) and she must be scourged; and if the Design should be accomplished, it will be with Scorpions, while the present Influence prevails; let therefore our Opposition be manly, and not add to our own unhappy State by injuring each other in any irrational Acts of Violence. I hope every good and rational Mind will exert their utmost Influence to propagate Moderation, Love, and Harmony amongst all Ranks, and convince them that Violence is the High Road to Errors and Mistakes, which will very strongly operate in favour of the Enemies of America, and lead on to Divisions, which you may rest assured is one of the principal Expectations of that Quarter. Five Regiments from Ireland (which will leave that Country pretty well gleaned) and four Companies of Artillery and Stores from here for Boston, with great Quantities of Arms, Cloathing, &c. for Canada, are gone and preparing to go immediately: If the Lord be on our Side, vain is the Force of our Enemies.