The New Hampshire Gazette And Historical Chronicle

THE following wrote and published in a neighbouring Government, before the Royal Assent to the Bill for Repealing the Stamp-Act was given, will be Very agreeable to our Readers.

My COUNTRYMEN,

We are now pleasing ourselves with the agreeable Hopes of being confirmed in the Possession of our invaluable Liberties, and secured Property. And I cannot but congratulate my Countrymen thus early on an Occasion so great, so important, so interesting an Event! which was once precarious, but, to the Glory of Britain's superior Clemency, Virtue, and disinterested Attachment to Liberty, we may now look on as certain.

We have now nothing to fear, and every thing to hope. Our Fathers and Brethren in Britain have Shewed themselves for us: they have interested themselves in the Cause of America most nobly: to them, therefore, our most cordial Thanks are due. The Merchants and Manufacturers have exerted themselves, even before any Steps taken by us to make evident the inseparable Interest of the Colonies and British Labourers and Traders, could be known to them; let us, then, pray them also to accept our most hearty Thanks. But what shall we say, when we look higher?--When we see an unparalleled Instance of national Generosity, and public Justice?--When we see an Instance of Royal Tenderness, that Children seldom experience from the Breasts that gave them suck?-- When we see Strength, and Power, and Influence, giving up all the Parade of Ambition to a Sense of what is right and just?--Let us on the bended Knees of Fidelity and Loyalty, beg Permission to approach the Throne with every Tribute of unfeigned and overflowing Gratitude. Let our most inviolate Attachment to his sacred Person, loudly proclaim us conscious that he is indeed the best of Kings. Let us congratulate him, and the Nation, that he has the Pleasure to be served by a Barré, a Conway, and a Pitt.--But stop! Pitt,-- Barré, --Conway! where am I? -- Hail ye Aristides's, ye Cicero's, ye Cato's, ye illustrious, Saviours of ancient Freedom! hail ye more illustrious, more disinterested Commoners of Britain, than all the recorded Worthies of Antiquity! Hence shall Fame begin her Perpetuity. Ye have added to the accumulated Honors of your Country; you have not only averted her from the fixed Ignominy of wresting from her Sons their Birth-right, but you have set her up as an illustrious Instance of Honor; and, besides crowning her with the Laurels of Conquests you have made her Shine with the more benign Beams of Heaven born public Virtue... Long, long may you continue to serve our beloved Sovereign, and, from the malign Influences of partial, mercenary, ignoble wretches, may you long, and long and long save your grateful venerating Country; and long may the American Race endure, that every Heart may be a Monument to perpetuate your Merit, and Childrens Children tell to whom they owed their Freedom.

But, my Fellow Americans, excuse me. I know ye will. I know ye can scarcely leave the grateful Tribute thus unpaid; yet bear with me in a Word or two to you; think not your Firmness in the Cause of Liberty will go unpaid; your conscious Hearts will ever be a Reward unto you. The Blessings Liberty shall constantly give, Shall more than repay you.--Your Pitt prays you, and recording Annals shall celebrate your Attachment to your King, and his Constitution.

You have given Reason to think your Firmness invincible, and that in your Esteem

"A Day, an Hour of virtuous Liberty,
Is worth a whole Eternity of Bondage."

And that you would have thought it cheaply purchased, and delivered inviolate to Posterity, with your very Lives. Yet what, my dear Country-

men, would have been the Consequence of less Clemency, less Condescension, less (I had almost said) divine Justice, in the British Legislature?-- I tremble to think of it. I dare not speak my Apprehensions; but Thanks be to GOD, we hope, we are persuaded of better Things. Our Sovereign is our Father. Our Fellow Britons are our Brethren and Friends. To him we will be faithful, obedient, and dutiful; while we embrace the others with the utmost Confidence, Gratitude and Esteem. No partial Views shall influence our Conduct: every Jealousy shall subside, and our only Wishes be, that the Union of the Colonies and Britain may be perpetual, their Advantages reciprocal, and that Liberty be their unalienable Inheritance. Let us shew ourselves- capable of enjoying, as well as ambitious of retaining our Liberty; and, while we enjoy, and rejoice in our Liberty, let us remember to rejoice with Fear. Let our Joy be rational, as well as animated. Let it appear that we glory in our Connections with the generous Sons of Britain, and exult in the Success of their Opposition to every Species of Slavery.--And while we join with our elder Brethren, in bearing our public Testimony against every Abettor of Slavery, let us carefully endeavour to avoid every Appearance of Indelicacy, and prevent every One, as far as he can, whatever may be misconstrued by the Enemies of American Liberty and Happiness, into Reflections on those who have helped us. Remember not only Gratitude requires, but Interest may demand it. Let Government find in every Individual a good Subject, and, as far as his Power or influence can prevail, a firm and constant Support. But, above all, my Fellow Countrymen, and Fellow Christians, if you have been upon the Verge of serious Times, and have needed the Favour of your King, and a Revocation of his Act, think, think I pray you, who it is that turneth the Hearts of Kings. Think whether Acknowledgments are not due to Him. Think what you owe to GOD, and whether you will not be enquired of, for the future Improvement of these invaluable Blessings. Remember that the greatest Part is yet undone, until, by a general Reformation, we may hope to obtain a Repeal of the seemingly dreadful Counsels of Heaven against us. Although the STAMP-ACT is repealed, yet the Judgments of GOD are only suspended. Examine then into the Grounds of our late Difficulties: the Instruments of them deserve your Attention no further, than to shun their Weakness, and detest their Vices. National Troubles are generally the Effects of national Corruption. Let this be the Object of your grand Opposition. From this Time let it be the Characteristic of Americans, that they hate every kind of Vice, Luxury and Profaneness; --every Deviation from the Practice of Morality, and the least Appearance of Disrespect to the Ordinances, Doctrines, and Exercise of lively Religion, as the worst of Slavery.