The Mirrour — Concord, N.H., 1795-02-13 00:00:00, page 1

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,CONCORD, (nEWHAMPSHIRE,) PRINTED AND PUBL ISHED BY ELIJAH RUSSELL AND MOSES DAVIS. ^ _^_
--——-——= —gfc^jl^^
[volume ill.] !!+'
f;j^&ate_^i=^^
Help the Printer.
For,, as " without Rain from Heaven, the
Corn withers on its falk," and cannot thrive:
So, without FAY, the Printer cannot LIFE.
7 HE fubferiber (being earnefl, requefedby
the Paper Maker, and other Creditors, to
make payment for the Stock he has hereto
fore expended) ONCE MORE invites thofe_
Thtafetaff^ to
discharge their refpedive accounts.—
ON THE EASTERN POST ROUTE,
the accounts, together with printed receipts,
are lodged with the fallowing gentlemen—
Mr Obadiah Clough, in Canterbury— Charl's
Glidden, Efq.aand Mr. Walker Bujuell, in
Northfield— Mr George C. Ward, and Capt.
Catty, in Sandbornton—Lieut. Daniel Smith,
,€fy, e ""' y part °' Meredith, and Lieut.
<„ffl%fov, near Meredith meeting house—
Mr Andrew Woodman, near Meredith bridge
Col. Ladd, Mr ffhua Pickering, Mr Thomas
Burns, Mr David Beane, Messrs Gookins and
Swett, and Captain Long, in Gihrantown—
Enoch Wool, Esq. in Loudon—Capt. Lang,
maid, in Chichefter—Mr. ,ofe,b Brown, in
Epsom—and Deerfield accounts are lodged
with Mr, Samuel Phelps, post rider—together
with the accounts of sundry persons who live
on the road he rides, and he will give receipts
to all who pay him.
Thole who are indebted for the Mirrour
from No. 29 to No. 106, (making one year
and a half) or from any intermediate No.
may find their accounts at the above places—
which tbeyare humblyrequested to difchafge
immediately,,.(
The subscriber, being empowered by "James
Robinfor, to colled the pay for the fix months
which he rode, together with all other debts
due to laid Robison on the Eastern Route,
has made newspaper accounts accordingly—
and requests persons to pay nobody but him
fplf, or those whom he has empowered to
colled the fame—and all who are indebted to
said Robinjon for books, &c. are requested to
make payment at the above places, or to the
subscriber, and they shall have receipts in
ya^R^iafo}'/ behalf. ,X >'^S
fr is upwards of two years since papers
were firft sent from this Office on the above
route—-Some Customers have paid pundual
ly—fome have paid a part—but, &tbfor
rowful brow, dnd empty purse, I fay it] many
have never paid any thing—To those who
have paid, sincere thanks are tendered for
their kind affiftaqce— to ALL, I beg leave
to present my gratitude for their very oblig
ing patronifing custom—but, at the fame
time I wish them, to remember, that, "as
" without Rain from Heaven, the Corn withers
" on itsfa!k so also, without OIL, the
Press cannot run—or, in other words
“ Without PAY, Printers cannot LIVE?-—
Some have complained, that they knew not
where or to suborn to pay—Several advertise
ments have formerly beer, published—and
they are now informed as above—ls alLthe
accounts are not fettled, by the.
firft day of March next —
the subscriber will absolutely be necessitated to
K take a more disagreeable and expensive way
of proofing a settlement—He cannot pro
curetty^f paper, without,^g thecal
on r^ffl@h& therefore must call as he
is called on, for 6Q accounts—and remains,
'"' The pJliJs'^ < '
Feb. 6, 1795. rafiL Russell.
''note. ifoh
RCorn Wheat
the above placet, if delivered by the
o CTtorarttß—rf "■ HIN _rel
TC T" CrtamJ m °Al 1
FRIDAY, February 13, 1795.
—-= ^ —et^ffi&M4^^&& i ti^
Political Mifeellany. }ft
1"/ FKOM'THR MEDLEY.
the SOLDIER, No. XV—and last.
nr'HE public must be sensible that the
4 Soldier has not been exerting his
powers to prove the original equAtlTx of
mankind. Upon this momentous point, a
mong the impartial part of the human race,
particular, the enlightened fops of Cotan-^
nsta; scarcely a difference of opinion is enter
tained. Amidst the knowledge of the eigh
teenth century, no found rationalist calls in
question the natural, indefeafible, unaliena
ble rights of humanity ; or pretends to assert
that these rights ought hot to be profoundly
refpeded by every government. By consult
ing the several State . Constitutions, as well
as the Federal, we find this doctrine incul
cated throughout the Union, as the firft and
fundamental principle of every declaration
of rights.—We find therefore that the intir
effing problem is fufficiently established in
thlory; but of what utility is this, unless
the wilh of the Soldier, and of every true
republican is attained, and it be effectually
reduced to pra&ice? In order to close the
fubjed, I must here repeat, what, in the
ccurfe of my remarks, ms occasionally been
often observed, & what is universally known:
that the great end and design of civil govern
ment, is, effectually to secure .these impre
fcriptable rights of humanity ; and to afford
an equal protection to the life, liberty, and
property of each individual com posing the so
cial order ; who is consequently bound to
contribute his share toward the expense of
this protedion ; which share of the expense,
can in justice be estimated only by the mag
nitude of the advantage or benefit which he
derives from such protection.
It is evident therefore that the citizen in
possession of a large portion of property, be
ing indebted to civil government for security
dib its poffeffinn. and enjoyment, forte e
greater benefit from the means of this securi
ty, thaa the poor man ;—and consequently
ought uponevery principle of justice to con
tribute a greater (hare to the expense of its
. support.
Nothing is more evident to every capacity
endowed with the powers of reflection, than
that, considering the present depraved nature
of mankind, the very existence of CIVIL
government, Without which there would
be no liberty, depends wholly and totally
upon the military establishment.
'Confequently it is equally evident that
every citizen within the jurifdi&ion of this
Commonwealth, constitutionally ought to
contribute a share to the expense of support
ing the military institution, and that in pro
portion to the benefit he derives therefrom,
or the property in his possess on.
Again, it is fufficiently obvious that, in
this refpe& the present military law provides
no diferimina ion between the poor man and
the rich. For it expressly declares, that
every ablebodied male between the age of
18 and 4§, (hall equip himfelf at his own ex
pense, and perform military duty without
com penfation/?
From which considerations this important
conclusion is necessarily deduced, viz. That
the law regulating the militia of this Common
. wealth is in its nature and operation, unjust,
TYRANNICAL,& UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
This is a fact far beyond the reach of evasive
ingenuity. The absolute necessity of a re
vificri of the present militia law being there
fore inconteftibly established ; to fatisfy ev
,qy fellow soldier and citizen with regard to
the propriety of seeking a redress of the
grievance, by petitioning our Legislature for
bn immediate and effednal correction of the
^x^ ^^
out declaration orrignts, viz. Ibe people have
a right, in ^ orderly and peaceable manner, to.
ffo^le, ,@ fa@common good
mi: anlof thegrteean^they fuffir, I there-
immEgßmetofat^um^tßtßtC*^*""^^
REMONSTRANCE.
To the Honorable the Senate and House of R>pre
fentattoe:, of ih&Cowno^wealtb ofMffecba
fetts, in General Court affimblid.
The und e riskgn ed, Officersofthe Mi
litia of this Commonwealth, and others, take
leave refperifully to r.monftrate,
THAT they have for along time with the
deepest concern, considered t^e existing l^w
for regulating and governing the militia of
' Commonwealth, as having been con
ceived upon principles absolutely unconfifu
tional, and by actual experience, have proved
the fame to be both in its nature and opera
tion, extremely unjust and tyrannical. It is
with the sincerest regret that your memorial-,
ifts in the consequences of its operation, feel
the principles of our free government fla
grantly abused, the equal rights of a respec
table portion of your good citizens violated ;
and one class of your fubjefts adually labor
ing under the weight of a grievous oppres
sion, to the dired emolument of others, in
pur opinion, much more eligible fubjeds of
the fame, than the party aggrieved. The
truth and justice of which affections, 3 can
did investigation of the fubjeft by the en
lightened legislature of Massachusetts, your
memorialifts cannot but believe, will fuffic
iently evince. Your honors need no con
viftion that the military system is an indif
penfible institution—that it is the most mo
m^ntous establishment of a free country ; —
the foundation upon which the whole admir
able ftrudure of civil government is built —
arid upon which it solely depends for exift
ence—forasmuch as that taking into cenfid
eratlon the present depraved state of human
nature, the latter could not potfibly be sup
ported without the aid of the former. Your
honors must be perfectly convinced it is the
only engine whereby, infurreaions are sup
pressed, and invasions repelled in short,
whereby the'life, liberty and property of ev
ery individual of this commonwealth is ulti
•mqtdypr^=ac4%~#^^^faz And secured.
From hence your memorialifts infer, that
the burthen of supporting the military estab
lishment, ought, upon every principle of jus
tice and equity, to be equally distributed a
mong each and every individual, within the
jurifdiaion of this commonwealth, and that
according to the benefit they receive from the
institution, or in proportion to the property
in their possession. )
Your memorialifts maintain the present
militia law to be unconJlitutional, because, like
other public charges of government, it does
I not provide for levying the expense of the mi
litary system upon polls and efates, agreeable
to the close of the fedion of our constitution,
which recognifes the powers of your honora
ble body, VIZ, " And while the public charges if
government, or atty part thereof, Jhall be offf/f
on polls and efates, inibe manner, that has hereto
fore been praHifed—in order that Juch affeJments
may be made with equality, within the common
wealth, taken anew, once in every ten,ears at the
leaf, and as much oftner as the general court fall
order. t
It is nnconfitutionai, because one third of
the polls and two thirds of the property at
least of this commonwealth, are thereby to
tally exempted from the burthen ; and foras
fofyeh as this is completely repugnant tathat
impartial difribwon ofjaflice (ecured to your
fubjeds in the preamble and 29th article of
our declaration of rights—and forasmuch as
our free constitution no where delegates au
thority to your honorable body to call a great
er burtheh upon one part of your constituents
'than it does on the whole. f
The present Militia Law is in its operation
highly unruf, because the class of citizens
embodied and denominated the Militia, are
thereby fubjeded to bear a greater propor
tion of the expense of supporting civil gov
ernment, than any other citizens whatever:
and forafrnuch as every member of society
ought to contribute to the support of Gpv
{ernment in proportion to the poperty in his
possession ; whereas the present Militia Law
provides no dif^iminatfon in^i, behalf be
tween the wealthy and the indigent ;—the
citizen possessing but io£ bring by this law
obliged to contribute the fame ihare toward
greater benefit from the military Inftiiuuon,
than those by law obliged to foertorm military
duty ; who ire for tho inoft part the poorer
clafi of the citizens, and }eaft able to support
the burthen. , , < .„
1 ,It is evidently tyrannical because the citi
zens enrolled are thereby compelled to a
compliance with its unequal reqnifitions un
der severe penalties; io confequericeo' which, :
in numerous inftance^ the fops of Indigence,
whefe Families ire immediately dependant
upon their daily labour for fupport,are wrest
ed therefrom, and dragged to the field of dis
cipline, without ahiiry to leave a fuffiviency
for their subsistence the day, or to afford %
themselves the refreihmerit absolutely nec
essary to enable them to sustain its fatigues.
From these foieton considerations your-me
morialifts infer the absolute necessity of art
immediate and effedual revision of the mili
tary law of this commonwealth —and there
fore refpeafnily request your honors to take
the fame into your serious confederation, and
make such variations and emendations there
in, as Ihall render it equal in its operation —
and thereby reinstate the good citizens of
Massachusetts in the enjoyment of that equal
and impartial distribution of justice, cffemial
to their repose and felicity, guaranteed by, our,
Constitution, and chara&eriftic of a tree and
independent people.
To which tend, your memorialifts expert
your honors assent td the substance of the fol
lowing articles, as the chiefeffentials to the
attainment of fb important an obje&, viz.
J. That all the able bodied male citizens
of this commonwealth of and between the ag
es now fpecified by law, be enrolled inthe
militia ; and agreeably to the policy of neigh
boring states, that those persons who choose
not to perform personal duty, pay a reafona
, ble equivalent therefor, to-be appropriated
to the compensation of those who sustain fa
tigue.
2. That the militia enrolled be armed and
equipped at the expense of the Common
wealth. ,
3. That the militia who perform personal
duty be allowed a reasonable compensation
from the public for the expense of each and
every day by law spent in qualifying them
selves for its service.
The compliance of your honorable body
with the substance of the aforefaid requisi
tions, together with such other alterations in
the present military law, as shall in your wif-'
dom be deemed expedient for securing the
future tranquility of this commonwealth,,
your memorialifts solemnly demand as their
and their brethren's just and constitutional
rights.-—And as in duty bound shall ever
pray, &c.
This being the form of the address I had
in contemplation ; how far in reality adapt
ed to the object intended, I must now with
deference submit to the candor of the public
tojudge.
14i.aH repeat but a common observation,
when I remark that the citizens of this en
lightened commonwealth are groaning un
der the weight of a grievous burthen, which
it is completely in theic power to remove.—
The only obstacle to *hich, is pertinently
expressed in the following maxim, viz , What
is every body's bufnefs, is nobody's. f'
It was with much pleasure that I perused a
late order of tlys regiment, for assembling the
officers of the fame on the 20th infant, for
the truly meritorious purpose of petitioning
our legislature for the encouragement of the
militia ofthis commonwealth. But I widi to
suggest to those active gentlemen, the proba
ble tnefficacy ts such a petition from so small
a portion of me militia as that of a single re
giment, or even- brigade—l am firmly of 0-
pinion, that nothing less than the untied?
voice ofa Dirifion at least, will be Efficient
to arrest the attention of o^legi flatu^ty
the medium of the Salem Gtettegin which
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[NUMBER L2L.]
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