The New Hampshire Gazette And Historical Chronicle

To the Publishers of the New-Hampshire Gazette.

By the Dress in which your Paper of last Week appear'd, and the valedictory Oration, which among other Things it contain'd, it is suppos'd you had Thoughts of discontinuing your GAZETTE, rather than be subjected to the Stamp-Duty, which wou'd render it in a great Measure unprofitable. As your Paper has been many Ways serviceable, most of your Customers wou'd be sorry to see it silenced; which has led some to consider the present Situation of Affairs, relative to this Duty, more attentively: and what can be done by those who, tho' with Reluctance, wou'd if they knew how, pay a due Obedience to the Act.--But how is it practicable in your Case for Instance?--Where are you to apply for Paper stampt for News-Papers? No Person appears, with any Authority to distribute the Paper for that or any other Purpose. The Gentleman who it is said was commission'd to this Service, finding how fatal the Act was like to be, to the People, and consequently how detestable and odious such an Office would be, whatever the Profit of it wou'd have been to him, which it is probable wou'd not have been small, has generously declined acting in it: Which by the Way, ought to be esteem'd a Sacrifice of so much to the Will of the People.-- And without a sufficient Authority, or special Commission, for that End, no Person, one more than another, has a Right to distribute these Papers: For if one might, every one might do it, who cou'd get them, and what Confusion and Fraud wou'd result from hence, it is easy to see. --If any Person duly authoriz'd, who would Engage in the service appear'd, he would doubtless Publish his Commission, or tell People he was the Man, and where they shou'd be attended and supplied. Without this or something like it, the Subjects wou'd be liable to severe Penalties, for not paying a Tax, which noBody would receive, and the Design of laying it frustrated.--Generally Tax-Collectors are ready enough to make themselves known, and Care is always taken that they shall be known, and often felt too. It would therefore be unnatural to set us a hunting after our own Burden. And till we are authoritatively call'd upon not only to take our Dose, but are also inform'd how much, and what our Potion is, where it is prepar'd, and to be receiv'd; it is plain nothing can be done by the Patients, nor would it be safe, for any one if he shou'd accidentally find a Dose (to continue the Metaphor) to take it, for Fear of Mistake and Misapplication.--And there is one Circumstance which gives a Glimmering of Hope, that it is not design'd this Act shou'd be carried into Execution at present, and that is, that no Copy or Order relative to this Act has been sent (as we are inform'd) to our Governor; who by a Paragraph in the Act is to take an Oath to do his utmost, to see it duly executed, and is therefore as nearly concern'd as the Distributors of the Stamps, which has never been the Case with Respect to other Acts, that were design'd to take Place here, of which particular Instances might easily be given were it necessary.-- Upon the whole, whatever may have been the Occasion of this Conjunction of Affairs, for which no particular Person here can be answerable, there is no Reason our usual Course of Business of any Kind, shou'd be stopp'd, for not doing what we can by no Possibility accomplish. If no Man will assume the Authority to deliver the stampt Papers, we cannot use them, we have no Right to take them if we cou'd come at them, we know not where they are, whether there is one on this Side the Atlantic, for all that has been said on that Head, has been without Book. Tales told without Authority, but if we cou'd and shou'd so use them in this Way, it wou'd be in Effect as much a Transgression of the Act, as the total Neglect of these Papers. And no Law compels the Subject to Impossibilities.