The Massachusetts spy. [volume], October 01, 1772, Image 1

About The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Boston [Mass.]) 1770-1772

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A Weekly, Political, arid Commercial Paper ---Openid all by None;
Publilhed by I. THOMAS, hear the Mill-Bridge, , _
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•DO thou Gieat LIBERTY inspire our Souls,—And Lives in thy Poffeflion happy,—Or, our Deaths glorious jh 4*iiv JVst Defence.
Vol. ll.]
From the Political Register, /sr July.
To the PEOPLE of ENGLAND.
Friends, and Fellow Countrynun,
THE intention of this letter is good,
chough court fvcophants will en
deavoar to mdreprefent it.
The Brunswick Lutrellites of the age
(for, by a royal kind of ilchymy, they are
Bow joined in name,as well as nature) the
Brunlwick Luttrellite of the age will con
demn an address which deals in plain
truth, andMrholefome severity, the tribe
of Kingfmen will talk of the licentiousness
of the press, and affe& to despise a paper
Wntten in favour of liberty. Your appro
bation, however, my countrymen, will
make ample amends । if you approve,
prime miniftets and the glittering x gew
gaws called Kings, may sneer unineeded
and defpifcd.
There is a man who once said, he •* gio
’ * ried in the «ame cf Briton whether
that declaration was not calculated merely
to amufc, whether it was not thrown out
as a bait to gain the appiaufe of the vulgar,
1 leave thufe of my countrymen to deter
mine who have considered the condud of
that man. Is it the ad of a Briton to
Screen murderers from pumfhmcnt I Is it
the ad of a Briton to penfun bravoes for
killing our countrymen I Is it the ad of a
Briton to coatroul the free choice of elec
tors, to bribe a corrupt majority to intro
duce slavery j and, under a notion of pre
rogative, to aim at dispensing with the
' Great Charter, and the laws of England I
If these and a multitude of such alts, con-
Bitute the chara&er of a Briton,, cur fed
be the man that glories in the name. No,
my Countrymen, a love of L.berty, an in
dependent spirit, coUrage,ardour and public
virtue, theft, mark the man, these point
out the Briton ; to all such Worthies,
wheresoever defperfed, whither in the
krdly man lions of the Grear, or in the
humble cot of Honcfty and Temperance,
this paper is addnfTed.
It is the privilege, my countrymen, of
freemen, to examine the conduit of their
king*, their nobies, their judges, and their
representatives. As all power is Originally
derived from the people, it is their business
to fee that no improper, no arbitrary use, is
■ trade of it. The moment they difeover
that the persons with whom they have en
trusted such a power,aim at curtailing their
liberties, that inStant the bands of political
Society are broken, and the people have so
undoubted right to call their rulers co a
Avere account.
.. The Kings of England Band precisely in
this fituattoa ; they am merely Difpcnfers
of the Laws, they are themfeives bound by
.the laws, and equally answerable for their
mifcondull with the mcaneft fobjed of
their realm. Some of these Kings have
'forgotten tbomfclvea so far, as to attempt
to filch away the liberties of Engliihmen ;
in coniequebce of such attempts, one of
them, Charles the Brß,- was used, found
guilty of high treason again ft the con Bit u-
Uon, and jußly condemned to Me his emp-'
ty bead for the offence. /antes the second,
' intoxicated with vanity, and a dupe to
priefh, run away to avoid the vengeance
which awaited him. H-s pefent Majrßy’f
family was promoted from bein/ petty
Princes in Germany to the government of
these kingdoms ; /they were well-meaning
Trotcßants, and therefore better calculated
than Roman' Cafho ic Princes to govern
Proteßant dominions, and they were always
renowned for virtues of the private kind.
There Was a fpitit and bravery iir Georgs
the Second, Which inclined one to wifi
fit War, that his talents might not be bu
lled in ana plrin ; and when the Old Man
mounted bis neighing ffeed he a&ually
looked like a foMier. Our peientmonarch
it all piety, goodness, temperence, chaftrty,
and so great a foe to ir E eh,that he abhors
Aho man who difbeHcvts the AthTtafiin
THURSDAY, October i, 1772;
Creed. He it quite orthodox, and there
fore ail the bentficed clergy adore him.
In (hort, he it the very paragon of perfec
tion, and confequtntly Mansfield, North,
Sandwich, Barrington, Holland, Bradshaw
and his Majesty's father in-law. Old Si
mon Lustred,arc all at hit devotion. With
such a gang of admirers, and a parliament
as complying as complying can be, let us
take a transient view of the manoeuvres of
government. The King's paliament is
now prorogued, let us fee what they have
been doing.
The session was opened with a declara
tion from the throne, that all was peace.
North, who is aimoft as great a coward as
Mansfield, hath frequently pronounced,
that in his opinion also all was peace. The
poor for a long time have been starving ;
the price of provifiont it increefed, yet his
Majesty's representatives have done nothing
to alleviate the diftrefles of the indigent.
The Lord Mayor fays, it is not his fault ;
North is indifferent about the matter, and
the King it too much occupied with the
more weighty affairs of state, to seek for a
remedy. The impnfonment of our magis
trates is not touched upon,becaufe that was
what might naturally be expelled from a
ministry, to rigid in their principles, that
they spurn at the laws and laugh at public
spirit.
A Roman Emperor formerly attempted
to invade Britain, his fleet was equipped,
he promised hi* people to perform great
feats, he embarked, lahded on our coafl,
ordered his attendants to gather some coe
klc-(hells, and quietly returned to Rome,
producing the shells as trophies of his vic
tory and heroic exploits. Our parliament
has mst | our mintflbrs have promised
great things ; the summer advances ; the
parliament it prorogued and nothing done.
The Danes have insulted the King’s sister,
a fleet has been fitted out,Countermanded,
fit Ued out and countermanded again. The
English minister at Copenhagen has been
thanked, but nobody knows Tor what
The humbug secret is carried on like every
other Bate juggle | the people are not
deemed worthy the King's confidence,
though each labourer, each peasant con
tributes to support him and his family., A
courier arrives, gallops to St. James’s, a
banditti, called a cabinet council, is fum
monad, the courier has an audience, and
gallops back to Copenhagen. Whether
the nation is insulted is not the question :
Whether Britons are despised and mal
treated by a handful of foreigners, is not
the fubjed of debate. The grand thing
is, how (hall we keep this inlult a fccret
from the rabble, the feum. of the earth, the
People of England ; for this Mansfield ex
traits his cunning ) North his obfequi
oufaefs } Bute hi* artifice ? and Norton
his impudence. The point is carried ; the
are kept in the dark ; their money
is employed in foolifh ; bribes to
fecrefy and other dou^rurs; the matter is
huffied up f th* Queefi M uilda one nio
merrt to an adultreb, and the next the pic
ture of ch afiity.'
In ihooey matters it has been all COC
kle-lhelfWork, all trifling. The dastardly
minister opens the budget with a fubferip
tion and lottery Serviceable to node bdt hi*
own arM fuppufmg a ten year* peace,
the nftnion talks of paying off part of the
national debt. The paeiiamerit, it is truk,
have pa&d fam* road and endlofure Bills,
and, at Whitworth, obfervcd,’have rdfolv
ed, that the belt season to'lay down gravel,'
or toamfend theroads»i* in funlmcr. This,
perhaps, is th* wisest refol ut ion they have
entered upon their Journals during the fefli
ohs. What, my countrymen, can'w* call
all this but making a pompous parade to
gather a? few codDC-melis ? W* speak
freely because th* prefs' is open, the fiery
trial is over, th* arbitrary fyeophaats, with
that man at their bead,have been defeated ।
the printers bavr bravely weathered the
Borm, and have made the haven of liberty.
Nor docs it contradict our aflcilions, or
invalidate oiir satire, to Say that fotfie be
neficial ads have paAed this leffijn, for
thole ads i Info!vent debtors and
bankrupts have been set at liberty ; but
why L Because they were objeds of mer
cy I No. Because piety reigned at court ?
No. Becadfe the King feels for the dif
trefles of bis people I No. But becatife a
common gaoler, the Ma. Bill of the King's
Bench, through his own negled,' fuffcred
many of his prisoners to efeipe, and to
Screen him from paying their debts, and
prevent his drswing upon the Trcmiiiy for
the money* an ad was framed, by crafty
Mansfield, to indemnify his Marshal. To
tbroq|mtt, however, in the people's eyes,
infolvemr were relieved, though to save a
gaoler was the chief deftgn of the bill.
The Clergy’s petition met with a diffe
rent fate, that was framed upon the prin
ciples of freedom, confequetly did not Suc
ceed j it had refped unto confcience,'
therefore found few advocates in his Ma
jeft/s House of Commons.
These, my countrymen, are the services
our Representatives haYe rendered their
country during the session. Whether they
deserve our thanks or our cenfurft,let every
honest hearted Briton determine j let us,
however, my friends, preserve otfr Spirit j
let us hold faft our independency, there
will come a time when ws (hall have an
opportunity Ip, aflert our rights, and fe
vuely to punjfh those who have abused the
(acred cruftby ib.
rI?-
Thf Ufi Indeed, is truly vicious ; («1L
ilhncfi prevails ; corruption stalks forth at
noon-day, and patriotism is fled ; our vir
gins put manhood to the blush j our wives
riot in debauchery $ kept-mistresses are
carcffcd ; players and common (trumpets
set tbe fafhions i our Senators nod over
cards and dice, revel when awake in tbe
Hundreds of Drury, and are dead to every
sense of the touch of gold.
In ftort. Vice is a knight companion of
the different orders* whjlft honest worth
and virtue skulk in fetret; nor venture to
approach the palace, for fear of putting the
court out of countenance* Yet, ye oatri*
otic few, despair not । on you depends the
preservation of our expiring liberties*; caff
your eyes on those whom ye think likely
to join your efforts } if Wilkes is felfifb,
and deserts she civic of Freedom, a Saville
yet remains । and we never dan have reason
to lament tbe tofi of Spartan virtue,' be
cause io Sawbridge is united the Grecian
dod Roman patriotism. Det not therefore,
my countrymen, the present gloomy state
of things dismay you j be prepared, be
ready at a moment’s warning to aflert your
rights । too long have we been galled by
the yoke of tie dcteftable aristocracy > but
the world fiall fee we Can eafity make it
off, and that whenever Britons ered the
Standard of Liberty, Volunteers will flock
to it irf MILLIONS.
From tbe Lon doh EVtrfSwd Post*.
, To Lord CHATHAM.
XT OU will forgive the intrusion of a
man, who would wiffi to rouse the
keeping geeids of your Lordship into
great and noble dfts । into aAs, which
woiild name foihething mbre
thiff mortal.' If there was not something
fix the fteople tografp at,why Should they,
through me, address you I Or why claim
‘the exertion' of your abilities, biit that
they krfow nor creature of administration
but bends before them I Even K&ttsfield,
the Prinde of Evasion, turns pale at the
hiftoTy you fhali give j and for why f He
’knows there is that about you,Which serves
'to annihilate the very feeds of proftitirtion.
j Stand forth, my Lord, in the day of ad
vtrfity, and approve yourfeif the best and
■cfict cf SnuAbn. Bika tbe dd Roman.
if you perish, die exclaiming, against the
emtnies of your country * and rouse by
your fortitude a whole nation,to seek, by
repeated complaints,redrefi for their iiyured
rights and properties. , By such a conduit
my Lord, all good men (hall applaud vou -
and the voice of the people, borne.down
with. oppreflion, ftaivina ih a land of
luxurious plenty, flfall follow you j and I
for one, my Lord, will prophecy, that it is
notin the power of corruption to prevent
your being a conqueror, 4 if your Lordfllip
ftrugglei with tnic Roman .fortitude.
P O R T I 0 H.
PlCrtlßESa/ th PRESENT TIMES.
A DELUGE of Circulating Paper.’
A low Ebb of Real Money.
Watte dissipating Wealth.
W ant driving Induflry into Exile.
Wtfdom iq Fetters.
Virtue in Rags.,; (
Presumption in Prosperity.
Prostitution in Triumph.
Justice protecting Vjllaiay.' o . (
4 Religion milking HypocrUy. And
Power, fuppiied by Harpies, feeding Cor*
morants with Spoil. .
Awothex SCEFCH ts tbt TIMES.
Empty Churchet. Crammed Playhoufer.
Parsons without Religion. Women with
out ChaAity. The Girls all Boldness. The
Men all Effeminacy. Marriage despised.
Concubinage gloried in. Cuckolds without
Number. , Prostitutes io every Corner of the
Town. Patriots without Common Hones
ty. Officers without Courage. r And a Set
of Lawyers so destitute of. Principle, Thar
they wpuld plead for the Devil. A Court
full of Folly. TheDrawingroemof Treach
ery. Fidlers carefled. Men of Sense
neglefied. And the best Encouragement
given to Butterfly Catchers. . Ao Qppofition
without Meaning., .A Ministry without
Abilities. And a without a HAad.
FRIDAY, 1 September lx.
BOSTON.
Fartbir Inhlligtnct brought by Cast. Adam
i , f i frem Lendon. „
B, . •
UNDAY eteiririg ofit
of the fludenta who
was, lately expelled
thcUniveiflty ofQx
ford, preached a ser
mon on Hampftead
heath, where, it ia
Computed, about five
• thoufahd per sons were
a&tnbled oh die occafton. A company
of about two hundred then arid women
paraded about the town in the afternoon,
singing hyhins, &c. but' were frequently
interrupted and insulted by a young fellow,
laid so be a flfopman to atradefoan in
Hol born, who was at length feiied by the
populace, and very severely handled. The
Whole was a feene of dot and confufion.
. We bear that the Lord Lieutenant of
Ireland hit not beeri a little mortified at*
being tbiipd to pay such honours to bis
Secretary Sir George Macartney, wllift he
। himfelf is only considered in the light of a
mere /urr machine. t
July to. It has been hvusbiy repre
sented to the King, that on Tuesday the
16th day of May left, the Prince Erne ft
Shallop,' Micbae! Cook Maftar, in the ser
vice of bia M. jrfty’a Cuftoma at the port
of St. Ive’s, bemg on a dru ; « off the Land 7
End, fsw at an anchor off a cove called
Forth Gwana, in the parift of St. Levan
in the county of Cornwall, about two
miles from the shore, a large fin Ogling
veflel, about one hundred tons burthen,
with one mast, Cutter rigged, an upright
stern without a counter, a great rake in bes
•err., deep W|ifted, a (bort mass head,Wub
a vane upon it painted black,her failaf
white, with three new pieces-a bout ten ot
twelve feet loaf cady in the west*
[Numb; 85.