The Virginia Gazette

B O S T O N, October 9.

Extract of a letter from London, dated July 25. 1769.

"You have given me an Herculean labour, when you require my thoughts on men and things. In regard to men here, they consist of knaves and fools, the honest part is generally comprehended among the latter. Things are so disguised as hardly to deserve the name by which they are called."

Wine is brewed with brandy, cyder with turnip juice, rape seed a succedaneum for mustard, &c.

In short, corruption so runs through men and things, that when the father asked his little son what trade he would be apprenticed to, his answer was, any trade, daddy, where there is mixing. In regard to politics, I am tired of them; it is enough when I tell you the American revenue laws will certainly be repealed, not from choice, but necessity; nor are you indebted (though you have many well wishers) to any body here for it. It is your own firmness, and that alone that has, and ever must support you. It is idle for you to talk of your ministerial friends; there is no such character, nor would I give a farthing for a change of Ministers to-morrow. I know the Duke of Richmond, Lord Shelburne, Lord Rockingham, and their creatures, I know them all. I have heard them all; they are as Ministers, no better disposed than the present set; they make use of America to bring themselves into power, for which reason I have said, "The laws will certainly be repealed." The present set (than which God knows there cannot be a worse) cannot stand upon their ground without doing it. If the others come in, it is the American cause that brings them in, and therefore must do it. Lord Hillsborough, the other day, complained that he could not enforce his measures, that he had been denied ships and troops for Virginia*; he was told as they were determined to make peace in that quarter, he might choose any other department in the administration he thought proper. It is supposed he will consult Lord Bute and Lord Holland. He will have some other appointment, or resign; if he resigns, Lord Dartmouth will succeed (as a stop-gap) he is supposed to be too honest a man to be long continued. In short, while Lord Bute and Lord Holland retain their influence, it is a matter of moon-shine who are Ministers. I am hurt whenever I read a list of your toasts; you seem to idolize some who are no better than mere lick-plates and toad-eaters, while you pass over your great patron and deliverer Lord Chatham, unnoticed, at whose presence (even at this day) these sons of corruption (both in and out) tremble. He was the other day at court, and each party published a speech for him, which they would have wished him to have made; the truth is, what he said was foreign to both; he reproved both ins and outs, told them where they were wrong, and how to be right. Enjoined them to repeal all the American revenue acts, and recall the troops from thence; so much you may depend he said. There are given out many other things advised by him, such as a dissolution of Parliament, &c. &c. for the truth of which I cannot answer, The Lord Chancellor is a good man; if there is any defect in his character, it is a want of fortitude. Sir George Saville comes the nearest perfection of any man at present in this kingdom. Old Alderman Beckford deserves to be revered by every body, particularly the Americans; he is remarkable for blunt truths; he every day speaks what others are almost afraid to think; he last winter told the House of Commons, while they were complimenting themselves on their dignity within the walls, he was afraid the people out of doors considered them as little better than a den of thieves. I have also some reason to think the Commissioners of the Customs will be recalled. Governor Bernard is not more esteemed in the city of London than he is in Boston. So much for news and politics.
* Whether his Lordship was induced to require ships and troops for Virginia, from a letter of Commodore Hood, the reader will judge. The Commodore, in his letter dated in Boston, 22d November, 1768, writes that "the disturbances in Virginia, and other provinces to the southward of this, are as great as they well can be, without ACTUAL REBELLION."