The New Hampshire Gazette And Historical Chronicle

LONDON. September 1764.

The actual, though not declared, State of War we are in with France, alarms every body that feels for his Country. Hostilities have been committed, and will not stop. France would not break the Peace for Toronto, if she did not mean to go farther. Depend upon it he will encroach, as long as we have an Administration, who have voluntarily circumstanced themselves so, that it can neither be in their Inclination nor Power to resent. I do not carry my Suspicions so far as some do, who think, as we have scarce any thing but * * * * * * * * * * in America, that they may wink at many insults and Infractions of the Treaty, and avoid sending home public Notices of such Proceeding, which would increase the Odium against their Principal. I am persuaded the attempts of France will be too violent and too open to be palliated or concealed. The Duration of the Favourite's Influence in her Harvest, and she has shown she is not fool enough to neglect it. And what is to be done! We have still twelve Millions unprovided for, and why! Because our present Financiers have not Credit to borrow a Shilling. The Hearts of the honest are not with them, who think they see the most fatal Designs in agitation. Unbounded Corruption, and the most notorious Partialities on one hand; the Revival of obsolete penal Laws, Persecution of the worthiest Men, and the violent Proceedings against the PRESS on the other, terrify or disgust all who value the Constitution. The monied Men will keep back their Money, because they know the Premium for it will rise every Day. Even those who support the present tottering System will add to its Distress, as they see its Difficulties increase. As they know how much their Assistance is wanted, they will rise in their Demands. Interested Men, who are looking out, will not miss the Opportunity of recovering their Credit in their Countries, unless they are well paid for it. They know they must obtain whatever they demand, because the Desertion of twenty Persons would turn the Scale. On the other hand, no Hope of Converts. Men, who have fought the good Fight, will not abandon the Cause of their Country, when the Hour is come so much nearer for saving it. They will not disgrace themselves to all Posterity by undoing what they have done. Even in common Prudence, if they were not Men of Virtue, they would not embark in a sinking Ship, like the Favourite's, nor forfeit all their Merit for two or three Months Pay. This is a melancholy, yet true, Prospect for the Faction. But in the mean time what becomes of England's Glory! An Island seized—and we hear no farther! The Gazette dumb! No Reparation made! Don Twitcher, the Advocate for Spain against England, justified the Spaniards on the Affair at Honduras: but he has not a Word to say in Defence of France. So the Insult and Violence is acknowledged—and we can obtain no Satisfaction! The Peace, to which even a Sage of the Law submitted to solicit Approbation, is allowed to be broken, and betrays the rotten Foundation on which it was made. In good truth it will soon exist no where, unless on the Favourite's Tomb-Stone, as a Record of his notable Policy. Now let the Advocates of the Faction compare our present State with the Days of the late glorious and successful Administration, when there was nothing but Union at home, Conquest and Honour abroad. I will point out no Parallels; but every Englishman must sigh when he recollects how great and flourishing the Nation was when Mr. Pitt, the Duke of Newcastle, the Duke of Devonshire, and others, now private Men, were entrusted with our Affairs. When did they receive a Courier, whose Dispatches they were afraid to publish. Would they want Credit, or would the Stocks fall if they were Ministers!

LONDINENSIS.