The New Hampshire Gazette And Historical Chronicle

To Mr. Fowler,

Your publishing the enclosed, for the Benefit of this Province, will much oblige your constant Reader,

Pro bono Publico.

ACTUATED by that Philanthropy every good Man must wish to possess; and being particularly stimulated, at this critical Juncture, to excite that Watchfulness and Industry inseparable from a truly commercial Colony, I shall with all Diffidence take the Liberty to Communicate a few Sentiments, thro' the Channel of your Paper, for the Consideration of the Public, in humble Hope that the Weight and Importance of the Subject, as far as it respects the Good of this Province, will sufficiently apologize for my presuming to appear in Print: and I am the more induced to embrace the earliest Opportunity so to do; as the Time approaches for a new Choice of Representatives, who it is to be hoped will think it an Object worthy their earliest Attention, & the Exertion of their utmost Abilities.

That the Existence of the American Colonies in General, depends upon commercial Principles, I am certain I need not take much Pains to evince, it being a Postulatum generally too well understood to need a particular Discussion, this then being a self-Evident Proposition, I shall not take up either my own or the Reader's Time in entering into multifarious Reasons, why neither this, or scarce any other Colony upon the American Continent, can expect to arrive at a conspicuous Degree of Oppulence or Respectability, without paying the utmost Attention, and using the most effectual Methods toward the Completion of it.

That the Inhabitants of this Province are blest with as fine a Territory, both as to Climate, Soil, innumerable Rivers, Ponds and Streams, as any in the American World, none will or can gainsay: That they have been for these Seven Years past peculiarly fortunate in having a Gentleman at the Head of their Affairs, who has not only paid the greatest Attention to, but absolutely expended a great Deal of his private Property, in bringing the Province into a very conspicuous point of View, must be gratefully acknowledged on all Hands; and that thro' his paternal Affection and Attention, Numbers of our new Settlements (which were not in Existence upon His first coming to the Chair) are now actually so forward in their Improvements, as to grow uneasy at not having it in their Power to transport their Produce to this Capital for a Market; but are drove to the unnatural Alternative of carrying it to sundry Towns in the Massachusetts-Bay, for Want of sufficient Communications thro' the Government! to the great Emolument of our Neighbour Colony, and alarming Detriment of this, which if not speedily remedied by the Attention of the different Branches of the Legislature, must prove destructive to the Province in general!

Lest what I have urged on this Head should give Umbrage to those heretofore concerned in the Management of public Affairs, as having a Tendency to throw Obloquy upon their past Transactions; I am induced to assure them, I have no such Thing in Contemplation, neither do I think them any Way culpable, as till lately the most that could be expected from our new Settlers, was to provide sufficient for their domestic Expenditure: Therefore those public Inconveniences, which now stare us in the Face, in Reality had not then an Existence; besides, it will be found that Laws and Regulations, which prove very effectual for small Communities, and that serve to keep them within the strictest Bounds of Decorum, &c, will by no Means answer the same good Ends, when they, either through Emigrations from other Provinces, &c. or their own natural Population, become more Extensive----because it's apprehended that as Numbers increase, Difference in Opinion, Ways and Means for Support, opposite Interests, &c. grow in Proportion, which must inevitably render the Plan formed by the Few, insufficient for the Many.

From what I have already said, I am encouraged to hope, it will be agreed on all Hands, that some Scheme should be adopted for the immediate Opening the necessary Communications between this Capital, and it's very extensive and flourishing Settlements; in order to prevent the Ruin pending over it; whose Situation as a Sea Port, is as advantageous as any in America for a general Commerce, it's internal Advantages numerous, and to be envied by its Sister Colonies. Upon these Premises I must further urge that parsimonious Plans, by Way of saving trifling Sums to the Public, at this Time, will by no Means cure the growing Evil: Some spirited and generous Medium must be adopted to induce our back Settlers to bring their Produce to Portsmouth, instead of bending their Course to Haverhill, Newbury, Falmouth, &c. which last mentioned Town in particular, we find at this Moment blowing into Consequence, thro' the Trade carrying on from our new Settlements, which must in a few Years reduce this Capital to a mere fishing Village!

Here my Countrymen, you must, at a single View, perceive that those industrious People have stole a March upon this Province, giving every possible encouragement to our new Settlers, by opening Roads, &c. &c. to induce them to transport their Produce to their Port; and assuredly none can be so short-sighted, as not to know the Difficulty, nay, almost Impossibility of recalling a Trade once turned out of it's natural Channel: the Advantage is very soon lost; the Inconvenience almost irremediable: Then may it not with Propriety be said, that as a Commercial People, we have got to the Brink of a Precipice, from which dangerous Situation it is our indispensable Duty to retreat as speedily as possible: However I shall not at this Time presume to lay down the particular Mode to be adopted for the Remedy of this growing Evil, it being a Subject of too much moment to be superficially handled, as the future well-being of this Town and Province depends on the due Execution of the Remedy. Indeed if the People are but once made sensible of the Utility of my Proposition I am no Way apprehensive but that sufficient Ways and Means can and will be speedily adopted to render the Town of Portsmouth, and Province, as extensive & opulent, as nature has intended by it's bountiful Hand it should be. Before I close this I can't help requesting the friendly assistance of my fellow Citizens, in publishing their Sentiments freely on this interesting Subject; and that they will offer such Plans as strike them most forcibly for the public Good; for in the Midst of Counsellors, it's said there is Safety.