The New Hampshire Gazette And Historical Chronicle

To the Publishers of the Boston Evening-Post.

To GOD's! what Havock does Ambition make among your Works.

CATO.

His great Senator lived at the height of Roman glory, for a great part of Europe, Asia and Africa acknowledged her power, and her Senators received suppliant Kings at their levee: It was at this time that Caesar was sent Governor of Gaul, where he formed an army which gave uneasiness at Rome. Cato often exclaimed in the senate and foretold the designs of this aspiring man; but Pompey and his party were not to be awakened till they heard of Caesar's having passed the Rubicon with all his army, who on this occasion might justly say Veni Vidi Vici, for every thing fell before him: the Senate fled and Rome was abandoned; he pursued and conquered Pompey, returned to Rome in triumph, enslaved his country; then appointed Augustus his successor, after whom a race of Monsters succeeded, under whom the empire was torn to pieces, and the remains of its feeble carcass totally destroyed by Odoacer, a Barbarian: Thus you see that the destruction of the greatest empire that the world has ever known was brought about by Caesar and his Soldiers.

The same fate has attended all the great empires of the East: Persia has for ages been torn to pieces by Armies: In China they are all Slaves, and the ensigns of Majesty there, are Chains, Irons and Whips; which even attend a Mandarin when he appears in public: In India, from the Mogul down to the Rajahs and Omrahs, they are absolute Tyrants; and that tyranny is enforced by Soldiers: From thence, if you turn your eyes to another quarter of the world, Africa, you will find that the whole of it is under a horrid Tyranny and absolute Slavery.

The Turks, with armies, have divested Greece and all the free states of the Mediterranean of their Liberty, and so great is the power of Soldiers there that the Janizaries frequently put to death one and proclaim another Grand Seignior, when they please: This also Soldiers effect in the Russian empire at pleasure, and which we have seen within these seven years: Slavery is so confirmed by armies in Poland, that the Lords sell the people with the estates: What horrid crimes have not Armies committed under the Duke D'Alva in the Netherlands: France once was free, it had respectable parliaments; but Soldiers have stripped them of their Liberty, and they are become a Shadow: What bloodshed, what massacres have not been committed there by Armies:

The Cortes of Spain were once the States of the kingdom, who assembled to make laws for it; but the Court, supported by its Troops, has long suspended their meeting, and therefore assumes and possesses the whole legislative power; the consequence is not only the greatest ignorance, but the greatest beggary in Europe, Ireland excepted, which has 12,000 Soldiers.

An upstart modern power, I mean Prussia, is as absolute as any Monarch of the East, and as a proof of it, the late King used to enlist children at one month old, by sending them a red collar. Even in England there are many dreadful instances of what Soldiers have done: Did not Charles the first, who depended on his Soldiers, break the constitution by raising ship money? And did not Oliver, at the head of Soldiers, go to the house of Parliament, turn them out, and lock the doors?--And have we not seen a Magistrate in Canada wounded and maim'd by a party of Soldiers? have they not at New-York broke open the King's prison, and taken from thence an officer held there by the King's writ for debt.

Such are in brief some of the horrid effects of armies. I will not anticipate the readers reflections, but conclude with observing, that in England no man is obliged to have Soldiers quarter'd upon him, except publicans; for that kingdom thinks it best to have them scattered thro' the whole country, rather than to have them in barracks as France has, for round Paris are three such, in each of which is 6000 men: So that the King has an army instantly ready to execute his will.

Quartering on the inhabitants is a very great evil, and Barracks are terrible: May we never have occasion for Either: and may our Assemblies be watchful and on their guard to protect and defend their own and the people's Liberties, and may they always remember and apply the sentiments of King David If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning: If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth.

I am, your's,

White Plains, 1767.

ANTONIUS.