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Letter to Editor
May 21, 1762
The New Hampshire Gazette
Portsmouth, Rockingham County, New Hampshire
What is this article about?
In a 1762 letter from Portsmouth, K.S. laments the province's food shortages causing famine-like suffering for poor families and criticizes sellers who raise prices on necessities, while praising merchants for fair pricing and rejecting extortion as unjust.
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OCR Quality
95%
Excellent
Full Text
To The PRINTER.
Please to insert the following Thoughts upon our present Difficulties, on Account of the Want of Provision, and you'll perhaps oblige the Community.
K. S.
Every Person that has any Spirit of Humanity, and feels in the least Degree for the Sufferings of the Public, must, when he looks around and observes the various Distresses of this Province, be touched with the tenderest Sentiments of Compassion. Not only much of our Riches is transported to the neighbouring Governments, but many poor Families, destitute of the Means of procuring the Necessaries of Life, have really suffered a good Deal of the Calamity of a Famine. And as Bread is an Article absolutely necessary for Man, they that have it to dispose of, have it in their Power to make what Advantage they please, by selling it at any Price, however extravagant. But to use Force, by compelling Men to submit to the Buyer's Price instead of the Owner's, without a legal Process, is a Thing as unreasonable as 'tis subversive of the Liberty of Individuals. But to the Honour of the mercantile Gentlemen of the Town, it must be acknowledged they have shewn a most laudable and benevolent Disposition; that, while they had Opportunity to draw all the Wealth of the Province into their Hands, they willingly rejected it, scarcely making a reasonable Profit by vending their Corn they imported. And it must seem strange to an impartial Mind, that any Man should deviate from so fair and worthy an Example, by raising the Price of what the Poor only are under a Necessity to procure.
I know there are many Apologies made in Favour of such a Measure, which, as they contradict our plainest Notions of Justice, it will be needless for me to pretend to answer. But supposing there may be some Excuse for making a large Advance on superfluous Commodities that no Body is forced to buy, as Rum, Cambrics, &c. Yet no Person can think, with a clear Conscience, 'tis lawful to extort from the Poor, many of whom will be reduced to the sad Dilemma, either to starve or be ruined.
Portsmouth, May 18, 1762.
Please to insert the following Thoughts upon our present Difficulties, on Account of the Want of Provision, and you'll perhaps oblige the Community.
K. S.
Every Person that has any Spirit of Humanity, and feels in the least Degree for the Sufferings of the Public, must, when he looks around and observes the various Distresses of this Province, be touched with the tenderest Sentiments of Compassion. Not only much of our Riches is transported to the neighbouring Governments, but many poor Families, destitute of the Means of procuring the Necessaries of Life, have really suffered a good Deal of the Calamity of a Famine. And as Bread is an Article absolutely necessary for Man, they that have it to dispose of, have it in their Power to make what Advantage they please, by selling it at any Price, however extravagant. But to use Force, by compelling Men to submit to the Buyer's Price instead of the Owner's, without a legal Process, is a Thing as unreasonable as 'tis subversive of the Liberty of Individuals. But to the Honour of the mercantile Gentlemen of the Town, it must be acknowledged they have shewn a most laudable and benevolent Disposition; that, while they had Opportunity to draw all the Wealth of the Province into their Hands, they willingly rejected it, scarcely making a reasonable Profit by vending their Corn they imported. And it must seem strange to an impartial Mind, that any Man should deviate from so fair and worthy an Example, by raising the Price of what the Poor only are under a Necessity to procure.
I know there are many Apologies made in Favour of such a Measure, which, as they contradict our plainest Notions of Justice, it will be needless for me to pretend to answer. But supposing there may be some Excuse for making a large Advance on superfluous Commodities that no Body is forced to buy, as Rum, Cambrics, &c. Yet no Person can think, with a clear Conscience, 'tis lawful to extort from the Poor, many of whom will be reduced to the sad Dilemma, either to starve or be ruined.
Portsmouth, May 18, 1762.
What sub-type of article is it?
Persuasive
Ethical Moral
Social Critique
What themes does it cover?
Commerce Trade
Social Issues
Morality
What keywords are associated?
Provision Shortage
Famine Calamity
Price Gouging
Poor Families
Merchants Benevolence
Economic Justice
Public Distress
What entities or persons were involved?
K. S.
To The Printer.
Letter to Editor Details
Author
K. S.
Recipient
To The Printer.
Main Argument
criticizes price gouging on essential provisions during shortages, praises merchants for fair pricing, and argues that extorting the poor through high prices on necessities is unjust and contrary to liberty and compassion.
Notable Details
Compassion For Public Sufferings
Calamity Of A Famine
Subversive Of The Liberty Of Individuals
Laudable And Benevolent Disposition Of Mercantile Gentlemen
Contradict Our Plainest Notions Of Justice
Extort From The Poor