The New Hampshire Gazette And Historical Chronicle

Extract of a Letter from London, by the last Ship.

"An Enormous heavy Debt, heavy Taxes, a Stagnation of Trade and Credit, and a general Torpor, seem to threaten us with a dreadful Crisis.---Our American Brethren will I hope, guard against the Evils that are likely to Ruin us. - I rejoice in the Spirit and Zeal with which they have hitherto asserted and maintained their own Liberties. They have indeed no small Reason for Jealousy and Complaint. Our Governors, in their Measures, with Respect to them, have, in my Opinion, shewn themselves void of all due Sense of the Rights of Mankind. The Attempt particularly to render the Judges wholly Dependent, by causing them to hold both their Commissions and their Pay at the Pleasure of the Crown, is an Oppression of the worst Sort, and an avowal of Corruption and Despotism. Were the Americans capable of submitting quietly to this, they would deserve Slavery. Pernicious certainly, as well as unjust, has been our Policy for some Years. We have suffered deeply by it, & we are likely to suffer much more. Our People are crouding to you fast; and the Time, possibly, may not be far distant, when most of us will be for flying from a Country so loaded as this is with Debts and Taxes; and when America will be considered as the general Place for Refuge from civil & spiritual Tyranny.

A Snare has lately been laid for the Americans, by granting the India Company, a Licence to export Tea to them. It is hoped here, they will understand their own Interest better then to receive it. It is indeed a Pity they cannot leave off entirely the Consumption of a Weed that is not only useless but pernicious.

As for us, we are so circumstanced, that Luxury, however great an Evil, is even necessary to our Support. For, was the Consumption of Luxury to cease; or, were our People to leave off the use of Tea, Snuff, Spirituous Liquors, &c. the Revenue would fail; the Interest of the national Debt could not be paid; and the Calamities of a public Bankruptcy would come upon us."