*T 6» C/a fcjji I Oka. 
 
 i£x ICthrts 
 
 SEYMOUR DURST 
 
 When you leave, please leave this hook 
 
 Because it has heen said 
 "Ever thing comes t' him who waits 
 
 Except a loaned book." 
 
A 
 
 LETTER 
 
 FROM A 
 
 Citizen Q^PoruRoyallnyamaka, 
 
 T O A 
 
 Citizen of Nezv-Tork ; 
 
 Relating to fome Extraordinary Meafures, 
 Lately fet on Foot in that Island: 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 printed for J. Johnson, in Ludgate-Streit. 
 M,DCC,LVI, 
 
Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library 
 Gift of Seymour B. Durst Old York Library 
 
LETTER, &c. 
 
 S I R, 
 
 THE Gentlemen of your Colony being 
 reputed fuperior to us, in political know- 
 lege ; and our Conftitution, upon the 
 fame model ; we pray your information touch- 
 ing certain obftrufe Points, hitherto unknown a- 
 mong us : not doubting your candid anfwer, to a 
 man who is neither dependant upon any Admi 
 niftration, nor linked with any Party ; but a rea- 
 and fteddy friend to the Conftitution ; not other] 
 wife concerned in the fubjeft of this Letter, but 
 merely as a Member of the Community ; having 
 no kind of perfonal intereft in this matter, but 
 as his private Fortune is connected with the 
 welfare of the Ifland. 
 
 You cannot be a danger to the many unjufti- 
 fiable Meafures, purfued by a late ill-advifed Go- 
 vernor of this Ifland ; Meafures, chiefly imputed 
 to his fecretary and a Favourite Ecclefiaftic— - 
 To facilitate his Meafures, Scriblers were fet at 
 work, to corrupt the morals of the People, and 
 poffefs them with the deftru&ive error (the ftale 
 device of bad minifters) that no fuch thing as 
 virtue exifts in the world. 
 
 Before his arrival, Letters were fent, importing 
 threats to turn foch of the members of our Af- 
 
 fembly 
 
fembly as were Place-men, out of their employ- 
 ments, if they did not implicitly comply with his 
 Meafures : Very wrong ones, you may believe ; 
 otherwife, this extraordinary Step would have 
 been unneceflary : But, to the honour of our 
 Members, the more they were threatened, the 
 more determined were they, to unite and oppofe. 
 
 The Governor and his Advifers. foon after his 
 arrival, rinding that menaces could not prevail 
 with the Defendants of Britain, then betook 
 themfelves to corruption ; much more bare-faced, 
 than any ever pra&ifed before, in this Ifland. 
 
 They tempted us with Money, Places and 
 Penfions; but with little fuccefs. I can alfure 
 you, there are few here, who have not publick 
 fpirit true Sterling fentiments of Britifh Liberty. 
 
 Wheri all forts of indirect means were, in vain, 
 tried, to obtain his ends ; he then fuddenly pro- 
 rogued our Aflembly v in a manner, fcarce ever 
 before heard of, in this Ifland; purely to prevent 
 our reprefenting his Meafures, to our excellent 
 Monarch. 
 
 I fhar/t detain you with a detail of the extra- 
 ordinary Proceedings of that Adminiftration^ 
 after the Prorogation ; and the more extraordi- 
 nary circumftances of the Governor's departure: 
 But fhall haften to the principal defign of this 
 Letter; and beg, your anfwer to the following 
 queflions. 
 
 When the Speaker of your Aflfembly inclines 
 
 to 
 
[ 7 1 
 
 to quit the Chair, does he fairly and openly re- 
 fign it to thofe who appointed him ; or cfoes he, 
 by finifter and clandeftine means, endeavour to 
 eftablifh a fucceflbr ; before thofe who created 
 him Speaker, know any thing of his intended 
 refignation ; a fucceflbr, who rauft (whatever be 
 his private endowments) unavoidably, from va- 
 riety of immovable caufes, create general dif- 
 content, by taking that Chair ? 
 
 If your Speaker fhould, by under-hand artifi- 
 ces and machinations, at theclofe of a Seflion, 
 endeavour to compais the intrufion of a fucceflbr ^ 
 when many Members were abfent, and the re- 
 maining few, aftcnifhed at the fuddenefs* as well 
 as nature,of the deep-concerted blow; what fteps 
 would you take,duringtheProrogation;and what, 
 at the next meeting of your affembly? Would you 
 not for ever renounce every Man, acting any 
 part in fuch deteftable combination ? would you 
 not inflantly revive thofe public-fpirited Meet- 
 ings, which, in every free Country, are the fur- 
 eft means of preferring the Conftitution, againft 
 the fchemes of ambitious men; Meetings, which 
 faved us in a late dangerousAdminiftration •, and 
 have fmce been induftrioufly and moft artfully 
 difcouraged? Would you not, in thofe Meetings, 
 comment upon the uncommon and critical fitu- 
 ation of your public affairs; boldly reprefenting 
 Men and Meafures in their true light •, infpiring 
 the People with juft indignation, againft thole 
 whofe Feelings for their Country are i :terly ex- 
 tinguiftied by dire ambition and formd avarice ; 
 animating your Fellow- fubjeccs, with theftrong- 
 eft and warmeft fentiments of efteem, for men of 
 
 public 
 
t 8 3 
 
 public virtue, the only real Guardians of the 
 Rights and Privileges of the People; and, above 
 all things, upon ail occafions, demonftrating, 
 that no evil treatment from Miniflers, how often 
 foever repeated, can, in any degree, impair your 
 rivetted attachment to that illuftrious Houfe, af- 
 figned by Providence as a Barrier, againft Popery 
 and arbitrary Power ? 
 
 If any Speaker in yourCountry fhould ever be 
 hardy enough, to attempt thus furreptitioufly to 
 obtrude a fucceflbr; could you, by any rules of 
 law or reafon, reward his perfidy at the public 
 cofl; and finding it neceflary to bribe him with 
 afum too large for one payment, therefore fplit 
 it into a number of annual gales, amounting in 
 the whole to upwards of fixty thoufand pounds 
 of our currency ? a modeft pluck, out of the pub- 
 lic purfe; not to reward public merit, but to 
 fancTtify public demerit. 
 
 Should your Speaker enjoy lucrative employ- 
 ments all his life;until he were, by years, render- 
 ed incapable to bear the toils of his office; then 
 refign, in the moll proper manner; would you 
 not think him fully recompenfed, by a fplendid 
 provifion for life? If, in the moft improper man- 
 ner, he fecretly covenanted to refign, for pecu- 
 niary reward; giving up his friends,and theCaufe 
 which he avowed as the Caufe of his Country, to 
 their known Opponents ; what would you then 
 think he merited ? 
 
 If fuch a man fhould be rewarded for fuch 
 conduct, out of the public money ; v/ould not 
 every fubject who paid his proportion to the 
 public taxes, have an evident right, openly and 
 loudly to complain? Should this gentleman 
 
 happen 
 
( 9 ) 
 
 happen to be a man, who had fet himfelf at the 
 head of a popular In tereft, to fupporc conftituti- 
 onal Meafures; and, having thus infinuated him- 
 felf into full confidence of the People ; then, all 
 at once, in Abufe of that Confidence, betray 
 thofe who confided in him •, would you not, 
 for your own prefervation, oppofe him i 
 and, for Example, expofe him : however 
 grievous might be the neceffity* of exhibit- 
 ing to the Publick, in true colours, a man, once 
 
 venerable among you ? Unhappy man ! to be 
 
 treated with all tendernefs, the public Intereft 
 can bear. 
 
 One Family here, and theirAlliance,in a great 
 meafure, fway the Revenue and Treafury :They 
 lately, in a manner, had the very Government 
 of the Ifland in them, (their weight there, was 
 no fecret) And it is generally apprehended, that 
 it will be fo again Sheriffs,who have great- 
 ly in their power, our lives, liberties and pro- 
 perties,will then be chiefly nominated by them. 
 All men know what this Ifland lately felt, by 
 partial and arbitrary fherifTs. The known and 
 remarkable Aflbciate of this Family, is the prin- 
 cipal Clergyman here ; and is luppofed, with 
 their aid, very largely to influence two other 
 momentous Bodies. Who can forget what this 
 Ifland has already felt, by this dangerous man ^ 
 at prefcnt, in a political fituation, alike uncom- 
 mon and fufpicious: feemingly difcarded, the 
 road, open for his return: No kind of fatisfactory 
 publick affurance given, that he (hall hereafter: 
 be excluded. 
 
 Confider the means of influence, annexed to 
 the monftrous Benefice of this American Pope > 
 it's large Patronage, extenfive power of F — s, 
 
 and 
 
( io ) 
 
 and immenle Eftate in fugar Plantations: which 
 being farmed out in parcels, upon determinable 
 leafes of great value, to many of the principal 
 gentlemen of the Ifland ; ftrengthens hisinflu- 
 ence, to fuch a degree, that fcarce any man of 
 the Ifland can cope with him : Then weigh the 
 confequences; mould a Family already poiTeffed 
 of fuch form idable means of influence, and moil 
 intimately conne&ed with a man of his danger- 
 ous turn of mind and overgrown Weight, pro- 
 cure the Lead in our Affembly. 
 
 Reflect upon the flate of our affairs, relative 
 to the public-money. An immenfe redundancy, 
 in the Treafury, amountingto more than half the 
 current cam of this Ifland : Large future redun- 
 dancies, likely to accrew; the ordinaryDuties be- 
 ing continued, although the public coffers be 
 full ; Groundlefs Claims, of mofl dangerous 
 Tendency, concerning our public money, lately 
 let up : Thofe Claims, fliil unrelinquished ; nay, 
 perfifled in ; acquiefced under : The Ends, 
 partly effected : Unmerited Penfions, greatly, 
 exorbitantly increafing : The Affembly, filent. 
 
 If Vigilance was neceffary under the late Go- 
 vernment ; is it not much more necelfary now ; 
 when the Inflruments of carrying thefe danger- 
 ous Claims into execution, are fo manifeflly and 
 fo greatly enlarging their power ; and a main 
 fupporter of the Rights of the People, taken off. 
 
 The prefent flate of our political affairs does, 
 in many refpects, mofl nearly concern us : 'Tis 
 a fubjecl:, of the higheft moment to confider. 
 Who, but a man that wifhes to fhare in the fpoils, 
 will openly deny this, or fecretly oppofe it ? 
 
( " ) 
 
 he Rule In Politics, for fome time paft, feemg 
 to have been, that of postponing and amufing : 
 the Adminiftration, fmooth, deep and filent ; as 
 if old purpofes were to be carried on, by new 
 Meafures ; and the Machiavilian Eccleiiaftic, 
 conning his Part. We trace him in quality of a 
 fecret advifer; ftill a Prompter behind the fcene; 
 ready to come upon the ftage, as (bon as the 
 Audience is prepared : and we iee no means 
 omitted, to prepare them. 
 
 Such is the infeperable Ally, of the intended 
 Speaker of our Affembly; fuch, the Speaker, An- 
 gled out for co-operation with this remarkable 
 Ally ; — fuch, our impending danger. 
 
 Do thefe gentlemen flatter themfelves, that 
 common fenfe is excluded from all of human 
 Race, but themfelves ? Does a man live among 
 its, without difcernment fufficient to fee the ten- 
 dency of this unprecedented ingrofsment of 
 Power ? which, however exorbitant, mud ftill be 
 enlarged. Not content with ruling,almofl wholly 
 and abfolutely, in our Council they muft afpire 
 to prefide in the remainingBranch of theLegifla- 
 ture j to take the Chair of our Affembiy, and af- 
 fume the Lead there ; and, defpairing of fuccete 
 by a fair Election, then lay a Scheme to erttrap 
 the Members, and take the Chair by ftratagem. 
 Should fuch intrigues prove mccefsful ; what is 
 there, that may not be apprehended from fuch 
 enormous Powers, centering in one Family ? 
 What public Confidence can any People 
 place in men, who take fuch means to obtain 
 their ends ? 
 
 Even 
 
t n 1 
 
 Even before our late Governor, with his fecre* 
 tary and fpiritual Aid-du-camp, were pleafed to 
 attack us ; we were openly told, that it would 
 prove Fruitiefs to oppofe this riling Family; as the 
 force of their powerful Allyance muft, in the 
 event, be (ufHcient to bear down all oppofition. 
 Laying afide thisfortuitous Allyance(if, in thee- 
 vent,theirMeafuresfufTerit to prove Fortuitous to 
 them) where lyes the preeminent Title of this 
 afpiring Family, to this general Dominion over 
 their fellow -fubje&s ? Is their aggrandifement to 
 be the momentous aim, under the adminiftra- 
 tion of a man, happy in his characler and de- 
 lcent, in the efteem of his Prince and confidence 
 of the People ? is there not room to conclude, 
 that fome uncommon degree of mifinformation 
 and deception muft have intervened; to produce 
 Actions, thus inconfiftent with Characters? with- 
 out difparagement, be it fpoken. No difhonour 
 in a fubject, to be mifled.-^ — The common fate 
 of Kings. 
 
 At whofe door, muft this deception be laid ? 
 thequeftion,G//i?0/ztf, points out the anfwer; and 
 Characters confirm it. Our Chief came unble- 
 rnifbed among us. Happy! thrice happy! had he 
 come without Ailyances. His fecretary (not like 
 our former fecretary, who ftole out of this Ifland 
 by night, for fear of infultsfrom an inflamed Po- 
 pulace, in refentment for publick injuries) has 
 given fuch evidence of uprightnefs, throughout 
 his general conduct, as muft exempt him from 
 every kind cf difhonourable imputation. Who, 
 therefore, can be fuppofed to have worked under 
 ground, at the treacherous Mine ; but thofe you 
 lee prepared, to take advantage by the fpringing 
 of it? 
 
 Why, 
 
[ 13 ? 
 
 Why,thefe Doings, inanlfland, alike remark- 
 able for Loyalty and Tranquility . ever ready to 
 devote their perfons and Eftates, to the fer- 
 vice of their Prince } One fingle County in the 
 northern part of this Iiland, during the time of 
 the late Rebellion in Scotland, offered to raife 
 20,000 men; the Gentlemen, to inlilt, as private 
 foldiers, forencouragement oftheirTenants; and 
 ferve his Majefty, untill the Rebellion fhould be 
 fupprefled. Was not this ,a cordial proof of the 
 ftronge'ft attachment? Will you (for this is ad- 
 drelled to auyBritifh fubjedt) will you do fuch a 
 pf oplethedifhonour,toput the private intereft of 
 a few mercenary men, in the fcale againft them? 
 Will vou do fuch a People the injuftice, to give 
 them a moment of general ditquietudc, for the 
 privategratification ofanyafpinng Individuals: 
 Who is the man, that can anfwerforadvifing fuch 
 Meafi ires, at any time ; particularly, at this? 
 What fenfe,what Deteftation, that diftinguifhed 
 County have, of fome of our prefent political 
 Meafuies, may be very eatily known: They 
 are, in no fort, fhy, in declaring their opinions. 
 
 Men, free born and liberally educated, are 
 above difguife: Hypocrify, they give up to Para- 
 fitee. No degree of Court- Artifice can pofJibly 
 cover their fentiments, from men in power, who 
 defire to know, and take proper means ol infor- 
 mation, and the fenfe of that county will, in the 
 event, undoubtedly be found, the general fenle 
 of this Iiland. Men, who chufe to know it's real 
 fenfe, have no excufe for their ignorance. 
 
 The proper Reflections upon this important 
 fubjeft, we fubmit to a noble Perfonage, bied up 
 in Principles of Whiggifen and Liberty, efTential 
 
 Ingredients 
 
[r 4 ] 
 
 Ingredients in any man, fit to prefide over this 
 loyal Ifland ; an Ifland, never parfimonious of its 
 Blood or Treafure; never (fincethe glorious Re- 
 volution) once known to repine, at any Tax for 
 Support of Government. 
 
 Without murmur, we chearfully aflent to'the 
 granting of our publicMoney, in liberal Penfions, 
 For real public fervice. Should fome defigning 
 Mnifter pervert the proper ufe of Penfions; and 
 apply them to corrupt the Guardians of the Peo- 
 ple ye friends of the Conftitutionjwithout party 
 di/Fincl;i6ns(diftin&ions, generally raifed by craf- 
 ty Statefmen, to play you at one another] we 
 call upon you to anfwer, what would you think? 
 Ye Siumberers, if fuch there be, would not this 
 awaken you ? If not, take your eternal Reft. 
 
 Would the divine Lord Ruffel,whofe memory 
 is revered by men of knowledge and public 
 fpirit all over Europe ; would he, for any earthly 
 Confideration, have been a Party to any tranfac- 
 tion, inconfiftent with the Honour, the Intereft- 
 or the Libertys of England ? He died, not to en- 
 flave,but to free his Country. In your laft Letter^ 
 you defired me to Inform you, whether the di- 
 rection of the popular intereft among us, be con- 
 fined to one, two or three great men ; intimating 
 a report among you, that thefe fnppofed Direc- 
 tors, have the very Tongues of our People, and 
 the Voices of the AlTembly in their pockets. I 
 am amazed you could alk fuch a queftion ; you 
 who know, that Britifh Blood runs in ourVcins; 
 and the Spirit of Englishmen, in our Hearts. If it 
 were poflible for the combined devices of men, 
 to imprefs puiilanimity, ignorance and depravi- 
 ty 
 
I i5 1 
 
 ty upon the Generality you would find the vi- 
 gour of the reft, redoubled. 
 
 Tlie truth is, the Conftable of the Watch,be- 
 ing Bribed to divert the men from attending 
 their duty, took all upon himfelf; they trufted 
 him i and we, tunning them, compofed ourfelves 
 in deep fecurity : We overflept ; but are now 
 fufficiently awakened, to watch the Watch-MenJ 
 Aflure your friends and ours, that this free Ifland 
 is not in the hands of any one, two or three great 
 inen whatfoever. If any fuch prefumeto anfwer 
 for managing it ; they will deceive, by promif- 
 ing more than they can perform. We are not 
 to be put back and forward, like the hand of a 
 clock. Right Meafures will ever keep us quiet; 
 and wrong ones, ever difcompofe us. It is with 
 us, as with all men of conftitutional Freedom: 
 Every Ruler can vary our tempers, and change 
 to Storm or Calm, as he pleafes. There may 
 pollibly be men, vain enough to deceive them- 
 felves, magnifying, in their own eyes, their own 
 ftrength;or difingenuotis enough, to mifreprefent 
 their ftreng/h ;' or fanciful enough, to imagine 
 that they can ingenioufly ftrike out a new, fuc- 
 cefsful fyftem of Policy ; and rely upon fupport- 
 ing it, by Meafures, fubverfive of the Rights of 
 the People. Such chymerical projects can never 
 prevail, againft the natural Weight and Intereft 
 of a free People, properly informed. 
 
 W e wilTi the publick Meafures, to be always 
 conftitutional and juft. It is our bufinefs to exert 
 our conftitutional ftrength, for the fruftrating of 
 every Meafure, which doth not anfwer this de- 
 fcription ; if we were reftrained herein, i : would 
 be equal, whether we lived in Jamaica or St. 
 Domingo, in Britain or Turky. 
 
( i$ ) 
 
 Ycur Liberties are dear to us, as our own; we 
 know them, to be infeperable. Deftroy Liberty 
 in any branch of the Britifn Territories^ and it is 
 impaired, in all. Leaders of the People may, in 
 continued fucceffion, pofTibly betray us and you; 
 the People themfelves, never will. Rely upon 
 this ; in every Age and every emergency, every 
 repeated inflance of evil treatment fromLeaders, 
 every fnare laid to take us, every new danger 
 incurred, however fcothing the Adminiftration, 
 mufl neceflarily rivet this Ifiand ftill clofer to 
 you, for the common prefervation. 
 
 # 
 
 F I N J S.