The Newport Gazette

FROM the PENNSYLVANIA PACKET.

The people of America, with respect to their political characters, may be divided into the five following classes—viz. 1. Rank Tories. 2. Moderate Men. 3. Timid Whigs. 4. Furious Whigs. 5. Staunch Whigs.

I. The Rank Tories are advocates for unconditional submission to Great-Britain. They rejoice in every misfortune that befalls the United States. They fabricate lies, to deceive and intimidate the people of America. They prefer money stamped with the mark of the lion, and at the same time they employ their utmost ingenuity to depreciate the money issued by Congress and Conventions. They harken at the names of the Congress, and of General Washington. They esteem no arts too base to injure or betray the Friends of America. They are in love with slavery—they have no more relish for the sweets of liberty than they have for the enjoyments of the kingdom of heaven.

II. The Moderate Men are advocates for the situation of the Colonies in the year 1763. They are influenced either, 1st, by a connection with men who hold offices under the old governments; or, 2dly, by an attachment to the pomp and hierarchy of the church of England; or 3dly, by a fondness for those luxuries which were introduced among us by our connection with Great-Britain. In this respect, they resemble the Children of Israel, who say of themselves, "We remember the fish which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick; but now our soul is dried away: There is nothing at all beside this manna before our eyes." Numbers xi. 5, 6. They think freedom too dear, though purchased with the temporary loss of tea, coffee, sugar, wine, and rum. Good mutton, beef, bread, pork, and the fruits of our earth, which are the produce of our country, appear "as nothing at all in their eyes." Lastly, it is characteristic of a moderate man to hate the people of New-England, and to love all rank tories.

III. The Timid Whigs speak of the power of Britain as if the Supreme Being had delegated his omnipotence to that Island. They entertain a false idea of the power and resources of America. The loss of a few riflemen in a skirmish, or of a fort, or a village, induces them to conclude that the contest is over, and that America is subdued. They have no objections to independence, provided we are able to maintain it. These are perpetually harping upon the expense of the war. After the loss of a village, or a fort, they refuse to take Continental money, and fly into some obscure part of the country for safety; but upon the news of a victory they come forth, appear stout, and wonder that any man should ever be afraid of the power of Britain. One timid whig admitted into the councils of America, does more mischief than ten rank tories. Avarice is generally the source of his timidity.

IV. The Furious Whigs injure the cause of liberty as much by their passions as the timid whigs do by their fears. They think the destruction of General Howe's army of less consequence than the detection and punishment of the most insignificant tory. They think the common forms of justice should be suspended towards a tory criminal, and that a man who only speaks against our common defence, should be tomahawked, scalped, and roasted alive. Lastly they are all cowards, and skulk under the cover of an office, or a sickly family, when they are called to oppose the enemy in the field. Woe to that State or community that is governed by this class of men!

V. The Staunch Whigs are friends to liberty from principle. They are undaunted with misfortunes, and are not unusually elated with trivial advantages over our enemies. They are implacable in their hatred to the court of Britain. They prefer the annihilation of the continent to reconciliation, and they had rather renounce their existence than their beloved independence. They have an unshaken faith in the divine justice, and they esteem it a mark of equal folly and impiety to believe that God can ever subdue America. They are friends to order and good government, and are both just and merciful in the exercise of power. Lastly, by storm the loss of property, of friends, and even of life itself, are nothing when compared with the loss of liberty. Let America look to this class of men as her salvation in the cabinet and the field.