Rind's Virginia Gazette

To the PRINTER.

THERE are very few People but what in some Instance or other are acquainted with the powerful Influence of Money, and if that Influence is confin'd in its particular Effects to a private Person or Family, the Consequences resulting therefrom cannot be hurtful further than to Individuals ; but when a Man destitute of any real Goodness of Heart, and Benevolence of Disposition, Shall have the greatest Post of Honour conferr'd on him in the Power of his Country to give, and at the same Time the whole Direction of her Treasury, without the Inspection or Controul of any Person or Persons whatever ; I say, suppose such a Man to be Speaker of the House of Burgesses, and Treasurer to this Colony, what direful Things may we not fear from him? Is it not in his Power (if not to breed Convulsions in the State) at least to dispose of our Property according to his own Will, and build his Greatness on his Country's Ruin ? I do not say that such a Man was the late Speaker, but I can almost venture to say such was his Power, for I am told that his Accounts as Treasurer have not been Settled for Thirty Years past, and that very large Sums of the Public Money have been misapplied; the Consequences whereof I am not to determine. Will ye then, O ye Guardians of the People, any longer Suffer Things to remain in a Channel that so evidently has and must tend to continue great Hardships and Inconveniencies on Ourselves and Posterity ? No, I am willing to hope better Things of you; but lest I should be mistaken, I earnestly desire my Fellow Constituents not to suffer you to depart your respective Counties without positive Instructions, not only to separate those two Offices, but to fix that of Treasurer in Such a Manner, as that the Public at the End of every Session may be fully Satisfy'd how the Money raised by heavy Taxes, and (by most of us) in the Sweat of our Brows, is disposed of; and by no Means to annex a Salary to the Chair; the Honour of being the first Man in the House of Burgesses is, in my Opinion, quite sufficient. I mean not to dictate how Things must be done, but only to cast in my Mite by Way of Hint ; and as this would not have been in my Power without the Benefit of a Free Press, I return my Thanks to the Gentleman to whom we are indebted for that invaluable Privilege ; and I hope, he that dar'd to tell us that his Paper was "Open to All," will be remember'd when the Assembly meets. I shall conclude with the following Quotation:

Once we confess, beneath the Patriot's Cloak,
From the crack'd Bag the dropping Guinea spoke,
And jingling down the back Stairs, told the Crew,
" Old Cato is as great a Rogue as you."

Blest Paper Credit! last and best Supply!
That lends Corruption lighter Wings to fly!

POPE.

A
PLANTER.