The New Hampshire Gazette And Historical Chronicle

To the Printer of the New-London Gazette

SLAVERY is the Establishment of a Right which gives to one Man such a Power over another, as to render him absolute Master of his Life and Fortune. Montesquieu.

SLAVERY in many hideous forms, I have seen in many parts of the world: In Denmark, where Nobles on their knees, have begged that they were taxed at more than they were worth. I have seen fifteen gentlemen and merchants rise from table to make their lowest Reverence to an Ensign of the King's troops, & precedence given him. -- In Prussia I have seen a gentleman ask a permit of the commanding officer for leave to go to his own country house, who gave it to him for a limited number of days: Nay, his very army are prisoners. for they have not leave to go out of the gates, but in their corps. The whole Empire is in the same state. -- At Hanover, Lunenburg, and Zell, one scarce hears or sees any thing but soldiers, drums and fifes; even the conversation of the women turns on grenadiers, dragoons, squadrons, and battalions. There is no property in Germany, it's all the Princes, a few hanse towns excepted. -- In Holland, I have seen a man who came from Brussels, who succeeded, by the death of his brother, to a large estate: at a public ordinary some Dutchmen asked him how much he inherited? The poor man evaded an answer; but being pushed, said it was not interest to tell; for if prince Charles should hear of it, he would certainly, under some pretext or other, take it for the Queen's use. Five years since, I spent some time in France; whoever says that nation is the gayest in spirit, and apparel, is greatly mistaken; for whatever gaiety there is, is only at Paris; whil'st the villagers & peasants are miserably poor; & along the Mediterranean mostly barefoot. Just before I was at Montpellier an edict came from court, imposing a tax, -- against which the people had remonstrated, but in vain. They rose, and thousands of them appeared in the market-place: The duke of Fitz James who commanded in Languedoc, ventured among them in order to expostulate; but finding that would not do, he pointed at the brazen horse and his rider. Lewis the fourteenth who with his truncheon of command looks as terrible as Hercules: and in many cities of France are such statues, in order to awe and terrify the people: However, the act was repealed; but such an instance of lenity was never known in that kingdom -- before, a kingdom; which although it contains eighteen millions of people; has, for ages, been enslaved by means of standing armies, and from which almost all Europe has taken the fatal example, of keeping up an exorbitant number of troops, even in times of peace. I have seen, in that country, a man demand his money from an officer, who paid him half his bill for the whole: on the creditor complaining, the officer held up his cuff; then bid him to remember whose livery that was. Such are a few of the many instances that I have seen of slavery in Europe; but if we look a little further eastward, we shall find that the whole of Asia is kept in the most abject state of bondage: there is not a man in that vast region that breaths liberty. Chains, irons, & whips are there the concomitants of power, & therefore always attend the monarch. May the colonies of North-America, which at present have such a noble sense of liberty, ever retain it; and may they always remember that soldiers have undone the world.

Yours,

MARCUS AURELIUS.