The New Hampshire Gazette And Historical Chronicle

But what avail her unexhausted Stores.
Her blooming Mountains and her sunny Shores,
With all the Gifts that Heav'n and Earth impart,
The Smiles of Nature and the Charms of Art.
While proud Oppressions in her Vallies Reigns,
And Tyranny usurps her happy Plains?

We are now arrived at the Eve of that remarkable Day. which is appointed to be as fatal to almost all that is dear to us. -as the Ides of March were.to the Life of Cesar. or as the memorable Fifth of November had like to have prov'd to the Lives. Liberty and Property of the honest People of England.
--A Day on which our Slavery is to commence, by a Decree more severe, considering all Circumstances, than was ever pronounced in the famous Star-Chamber : an Ordinance by which we are not only to be reduced to Beggary by a TAX we can never pay. but are made Slaves for our Disability, and are to be plunged into a deeper Bondage. by discharging of it, if it were in our Power.
And all this is determined by those from whom by our Connection and Relation, we had the greatest Reason to expect Defence. Protection and all the Favours and Blessings, that a dutiful Child cou'd expect. from a kind. tender Parent. For among other just Grounds for such Hopes. their Predecessors for Ages past, esteem'd it their Glory, as it was their Delight, to diffuse Happiness among all to whom their Influence extended.
And more especially to transmit to their Successors Posterity and Dependants, that Liberty which they themselves enjoy'd, and thought worth defending and preserving at any Rate. A very slight Acquaintance with English History, will inform any one, Ignorant of it, with what mighty Struggles and earnest Contention, they have maintained this natural Right, against the united Force of Tyrants in various Forms, and all their Sycophants and adulating Adherents. And that they cou'd never be prevail'd upon, by all the Hopes and Allurements despotic Power and arbitrary Misrule cou'd furnish, or the World give in Exchange, to part with their own Freedom or intail Vassalage on their Posterity : As without Liberty they justly thought all the Enjoyments of Life to a generous Mind, a Person freeborn, Wou'd be insipid, vapid and tasteless.
Oh Liberty; thou Goddess heav'nly bright, Profuse of Bliss, and pregnant with Delight ! Eternal Pleasures in thy Presence reign, And smiling Plenty leads thy wanton Train : Eas'd of her Load Subjection grows more light, And Poverty looks cheerful in thy Sight ; Thou mak'it the gloomy Face of Nature gay, Giv'ft Beauty to the Sun & Pleasure to the Day. Thee Goddess, thee Britannia's Isle adores : How has she oft exhausted all her Stores, How oft in Fields of Death thy Presence sought, Nor thinks the mighty Prize too dearly bought.
Thee, and such as these, were the Sentiments of those in Power, in former Times. They knew that Liberty, was the natural Right of Mankind : And that it was the greatest Injury even to curtail or deprive them of it, in any Degree, any further than by their own Consent they exchange Part of it. for other Blessings, and the Preservation of what remains. They were so far from a Disposition to rob Men of this natural Right; that on the contrary they were for enlarging, and extending of it to all the World that wou'd receive it. Sed Tempora Mutantur &c.--who that has read; that strong metaphorical Exclamation, How is the Gold become dim, and the most fine Gold changed ! can avoid thinking of it-it seems to obtrude itself on this Occasion.

What an amazing Change of Principles, Policy and Tempers ! - One wou'd think a prodigious Vertigo had seiz'd every Head, that in the impetuous Whirl all Objects appeared alike-- that there cou'd be no distinguishing Mercy from Cruelty: Right from Wrong.--Formerly every honest industrious Man was encouraged, his Diligence gained him Reputation as well as Subsistence. Can it be pretended the Case is the same. when no Man may buy or sell but he that receives a Mark ?-- a Badge of his Slavery, an Evidence of the Limitation of Property and the Loss of Liberty.--Is honest Industry encouraged, when the most Industrious pay the more for excelling. and are subjected more than others to the imperious Mandates, probably of insulting trusting overbearing Officers ?
Was there any Thing more grievous and enslaving in the Scheme to introduce a general Excise, propos'd about thirty Years ago to the People in G-- B--. than This is to us ? -- and the Prime M -r of that Time who bro't in such a Bill. it was said cou'd have carried it through, (such is the magic Power attending a certain high Office) yet what was the Event? the general Disgust it gave, the Opposition to it, the People discover'd without Doors put an End to the Project.
And had it past into an Act, as was design'd, it wou'd never have been executed, but at the Head of a standing Army.--As odious and detestable as this Scheme was, there were notwithstanding a great many Advocates for it, prompted .by the Primum Mobile.--And should an Edict like that once past by the King of Egypt, relative to Male Children be promoted in the same Manner, there would no doubt be found a Majority for it within certain Walls, if it related only to the Colonies.--And indeed with respect to the present Generation, such an Edict wou'd not be so severe as the Edict now against us.--And shall we calmly and quietly yield our Necks to the Yoke?--
We have been told by some mercenary Scriblers, that the Right of passing such a Law cannot be disputed, that our Remedy is by humble Supplication,&c. and by this Way of Reasoning one may prove that whatever is done by superior Force is right, and so Robbery of any kind may be proved to be right, because there was Power to perform the Action---and as to Petitioning and Remonstrating,- What became of the humble Petitions presented, while this Matter was under Consideration.were they not spurn'd and frown'd as it were into Vaults.--They that represent us ought to hear us by their own Principles--but the same first Mover remaining, we have Reason to think no Remonstrances will ever be heard, no Reasons prevail for our Relief in that Way.--
Our own Resolutions not to hold our Foreheads still to receive the Mark, that is, not to be active to purchase our own Bondage from private selfish Views for fear of loosing a particular Interest. is the most probable Means of having the Difficulty removed, --- and can any Thing follow from that worse than will follow from Compliance P--Will not this subject us to the same Condition of the Subjects of the Grand Monarch.-- Will not he who seeks to save a petty Interest by such Measures. become a Slave by his own Consent ?--Does he not in effect agree to give up his Birth-Right, for a Mess of Pottage?--As those who were to have been the Distributors of our Chains have generally disdained such an invidious Office, he will well deserve Chains and every other Mark of Slavery who shall hunt after the Mark of the Beast, or fish as it were after Sharks ?
~-Let any one consider what Character he is like to acquire who should sneak in private after what he will be ashamed openly to avow. Who to save a paltry insignificant Property, voluntarily laid down his Neck and took on the Yoke of a perpetual Bondage, at a Time when his Townsmen, his Countrymen, and a whole Continent resisted and saved themselves from Ruin,the Loss of Liberty and Property. Can there be any Doubt whether it is lawful ? Let him that doubts,consider, whether it is lawful for any Numbers of Men to sell another Number as free as themselves for Slaves.? Let them prove that the Sale of Joseph into Egypt, was lawful, and then they may doubt on--Let them determine whether, if a Magistrate, whose Authority they acknowledge within his Jurisdiction, shou'd, because he has assistance, order them where they were liable to a Moderate Fine, to be pilloried, whipt, and finally imprisoned for Life,they shou'd think themselves obliged passively to submit: If they do, let such Friends to Passive Obedience,suffer the just Consequence of their own Principles, till they receive Conviction.

The LAMENTATION
Of the
NEW-HAMPSHIRE-GAZETTE,
in particular, and the PRESS in general,
On a Suspicion of losing their LIBERTY.

-Cari unt nobis propinqui, familiares et amici, sed omnes omnium caritates, patria una et complexa, pro qua quis bonus dubitet Mortem oppetere?. si ei fit profiturus, et res ita requirer.
Cicero.

Behold The Great, The Important Day,
Big with the Fate of Cato, and of Rome
Addison.

WHAT a hard Case is it, that after this Day's Appearance upon the Stage of Action, I must Die, or submit to that which is worse than Death, be Stamp'd, and lose my Freedom--Will all the good Deeds I have done signify nothing ?--If the whole Kingdom of England would save my Life. I am unable to live under this Burden ; therefore I must Die !-O unhappy that I am--It is true, Life, like the Harmony in Music, is composed of the Contrarieties of several Notes, sweet and harsh, sharp and flat, sprightly and solemn ; 'tis chequer'd with variety of Circumstances ; sometimes it swells with a prosperous Fortune ; at others it ebbs into the. lowest Degree of Adversity ; and seldom admits of Constancy and Durability-- It is true, my Life in these Parts have been but short, having this Day compleated nine Years and five Weeks -- Freedom is so natural, and Slavery so contrary to my Nature, that I chuse a voluntary Death, in Hopes of escaping this Servitude-Should I once submit to have my Liberty infring'd, I could never make that Appearance in the World I have, therefore an honorable Death is to be prefer'd before an ignominious Life --I was resolv'd to live well ; and be as useful as I could, without being concern'd as to the Length or Shortness of my Duration-- But before I make my Exit, I will recount over some of the many good Deeds I have done, and how useful I have been, and still may be, provided my Life should be spared; or I might hereafter revive a- gain, altho' it may not seem so proper to sound my own Praise. Without this Art of communicating to the Public, how dull and melancholy must all the intelligent Part of Mankind appear P-It may with great Veracity be affirm'd, that there is no Art, Science or Profession in the World but what owes its Origin, or at least its Progress and pre-
lent Perfection to the free Exercise of this my Art

Where is the Man, be he Divine, Astronomer,
Mathematician, Lawyer, Physician, or what else,
who is not beholden to me? Shall I mention Re-
ligion? It is plain from the many pious and good
Books, Comments, Expositions, Manuals, and
the like, that I have by my Art, exhibited to the
World: that I am almost become the sole Promo-
ter thereof; at least, this I may venture to say,
that I have been, in this degenerate Age, one
of its main Supports.

Does the Prince speak from the Throne? It is
I who have echo'd his Words to all his Subjects,
and proclaim'd them to every distant Nation.

Does the Architect say he has not been behold-
en to me? I can with Justice let him know, that
it is owing to my Art, that the Cave has arisen
to a House, the Dungeon to a Palace, and the
Grove to a stately and magnificent Temple.

Will the Statesman and Politician say they stand
in no need of my Mystery, when it is beyond
Contradiction fact, that I teach them the Secrets
and Arcana of Government; and that they are ma-
ny Times more obliged to me, than to their Bul-
lets and Gunpowder, the roaring Cannon and
the noisy Din of War?

Are the beautiful Part of the Creation indebted
to me? It is I who form their Minds, and teach
them tender Love: It is I who render them Po-
lite, agreeable to Society, a Pleasure to themselves,
and the Delight of all Men.

Reflecting on the extensive Usefulness of this
my Art, to convey the Knowledge of Things and
Occurrences to distant Nations, and to the latest
Posterity, made holy Job cry out, O that my Case
was Printed in a Book.

As to future Discoveries in Art and Nature, if
I survive this dreadful Shock, my Science must
be acknowledged as a true and real Step-Mother;
and without the least Arrogance I may venture
to affirm, that if the Longitude be found out, it
will, it must be owing to me.

Many have been the Attempts to Restrain my
Liberty, but none have hitherto succeeded, unless
this should, though it is greatly to be hoped some
Way or other will be found out to prevent it;

but if it should be restrained, it ought, it must be
look'd upon by all the Wise and Good, as
one of the greatest Evils that can possibly be-
fall a free and brave People. However I verify
the old Proverb, That true Merit seldom or ne-
ver meets with its Reward.

What glorious Actions and heroick Atchieve-
ments have been recorded by me, which will serve
for the Entertainment of future Generations? As
it is natural for every considerate Mind to
know the State of the World about him, and
the Circumstances of the several Nations, joint
Inhabitants of this Globe, so it has been my Aim
to relate from Time to Time the Events and im-
portant Transactions, in the different Quarters
thereof. My Invention has put Books into the
Hands of all the World, and the Establishment of
political Papers give every Individual a Knowledge
of the general Interest.

My Profession made its Appearance in England
about the Year 1474, and in the most early Ages
of the World Mankind would take the greatest
Pains to transmit to their Posterity the most valua-
ble Deeds, and most useful Discoveries made in the
World. They esteem'd those curious Repositories
of the Sentiments and Actions of Men recorded by
me, as a real Treasure, and the happy Possessors,
who well understood the Subjects they contain'd,
were caress'd by the Wise and favour'd by the Great.

What vast Sums would have been given for my
Usefulness in the Time of Cicero and Atticus, who
would often sell their Houses and Land to procure
those Records transcribed from the Athenian Li-
braries, which could not be procured under a vast
Expence. Even the Works of Titus Livius, before
my Art appeared on the Stage, Sold for 120
Crowns each Book. and a Folio Manuscript in
French-Verse cost 33l. 6s. 6d. Sterling. It is
well known I had no small Share in the glorious
Reformation from Popery. The Holy Scriptures
were penn'd in the Mother Tongue, and the
People saw the Imposition of the Monks. I was
then patronized by the Learned and Great, and
encouraged in so laudable and useful a Design.

How rough and unpolished would Mankind in
general have appear'd, had it not been for me?
What immense Sums would it have cost to have
procur'd the Works of Grotius, Petronius, Ovid,
Juvenal, and Horace, Cicero, and Pliny, Homer,
and Plutarch, Newton, Locke, &c. and the great
Number of Volumes in History, Divinity, Law,
Physick, Mathematicks, and Poetry, &c. were
they to be wrote with a Pen, as in the Time of
Atticus?

As nothing doth dignify a Person more than
Learning, when Alexander had defeated the Ar-
my of Darius, amongst the Spoils there was found
his Cabinet, so rich, and of such Value that a
Dispute arose what to lay in it; Alexander said,
I'll soon end that Dispute: I will lay Homer's Works
in it. Such an Esteem he had for Learning.

It has been recorded of me by a late Writer,
who says, "I look upon the common Intelligence
in our public Papers, as the best Account of the
present Domestick State of England, that can pos-
sibly be compiled; nor do I know of any Thing
which would give Posterity so clear an Idea of the
Taste and Morals of the present Age, as a Bundle
of our News-Papers. With what Pleasure should
we have perused an Athenian Advertiser, or
a Roman Gazeteer! A curious Critic or An-
tiquarian, would have placed them on the same
Shelf with the Classics. but many Accounts we
have lost of this Nature, by Reason that my Art
was not more early discovered."

Must I who have been conveyed from
Kingdom to Kingdom, from Country to Coun-
try, Town to Town, and entertained in the most
Opulent Cities, sought after with the greatest Ea-
gerness, perused by all Parties, caressed by different
Sexes, and Complexions, put into the most pri-
vate Apartments, handled with the most delicate
Hands: and after I have served their Ends in all
shapes, submitted to all kind of Uses, which every
one has thought proper to put me to, debased by
some, and exalted by others, visited the Courts
of the Great, the Palaces of the Princes and the
Nobles, the Great Ones of the Earth, discovered
their Secret Intrigues, gave timely Notice of
open Violences intended before they have been
put in Execution, related the great Examples
of deep Divines, profound Casuists, grave Phlo-
sophers, who have written, not Letters only, but
whole Tomes and voluminous Treatises. Must
I be thus mark'd or Stamp'd, which I look upon
as a Mark of Reproach, and Contempt? I cannot
bear it. Freedom, the Privilege of an Englishman,
is the Element I love to swim in. Slavery I abhor,
and the least Degree upon my natural Right,
makes me very jealous of what may be the Con-
sequences, for Oppression makes a poor Country
and a desperate People. where Perquisites are
wrung from the poor Pittances of the miserable,
by pillaging the Widow and the Orphan.

O America! How are you able to bear ad-
ditional Taxes! Your Poor starving! Your
Liberties expiring! Trade declining! Your
Countrymen despairing! Methinks the guardian An-
geL of America lies to my View! Indignation and the most poignant Grief clouds
his lovely Face! How art thou fallen! thou
Envy of Europe! he cries. Even thine own
Sons have join'd to Stamp on thy Bowels. Your
ForeFATHERS, (whose Memories are bless'd) came
into these remote Regions. they encounter'd Dif-
ficulties innumerable. they sat down in Places
before untrod by the Foot of any Christian, fear-
ing less from Savage Beasts and Savage Men, than
from Slavery the worst of Savages. To pre-
serve at least one Corner of the World sacred to
LIBERTY, and undehil'd RELIGION, was their
glorious Purpose.

Tyranny, Popery, and arbitrary Power soon
began to disappear, upon my coming on the Stage,
and have by me received many a fatal Blow since:
but it may be expected, that as soon as I am
extinct; they will arise, and over-spread the Land.
then perhaps the Want of my Assistance may be
more thoroughly felt. I shall now conclude,
after mentioning one Record, which 'tis to be
hop'd will remain fresh on our Minds till Time
shall be no more, and that is Magna Charta, to-
gether with the most grievous Sentence of Excom-
munication solemnly denounced in the Name of
the sacred Trinity, in the Presence of King Henry
the Third, and the Estates of the Realm, against
all those who should make Statutes, or observe
them, being made, contrary to the Liberties there-
of. The Record runs thus. King Henry the
Third promised faithfully to ratifie Magna Charta,
and faithfully to observe all the Articles of it,
which King John, and he, at his Coronation, and
often since, had sworn to observe. And this was
done in the most solemn and ceremonial Manner
that could be devised: For the King, with all
the great Nobility of England, all the Bishops,
and chief Prelates in their Ornaments, with burn-
ing Candles in their Hands, assembled to hear the
terrible Sentence of Excommunication upon all
the Infringers of the same; and at the lighting of
those Candles, the King, having one in his Hand,
gave it to one of the Prelates, saying, It becomes
not me, who am no Priest, to hold this Candle; my
Heart shall be a greater Testimony; and withal, laid
his Hand on his Breast the whole Time the Sen-
tence was reading, which was thus pronounced,
In the Name of the omnipotent God, &c. which done,
the Charter of King John his Father was read.
In the End, having thrown away their Candles,
they cry'd out, So let them who incur this Sentence
be extinct, and sink in Hell; and the King with
a loud Voice said, As GOD help me, I will, as
Man, a Christian, a Knight, a King crown'd and
anointed, inviolably observe all these Things.

We know the Value our Ancestors set upon
their Liberties, and the Courage with which they
defended them; and we can have no better Exam-
ple to encourage us, never to suffer them to be
violated or diminished.