The Pennsylvania evening post — Philadelphia, Pa., 1776-03-07 00:00:00, page 2

by felling his goods or merchandize, at an unufhal and extrava
gant profit, such person shall be considered as an enemy to his
country and be advertized as such by the Committee of the
place where such offender dwells."
& They could never have expected such mongers as monopo
lizers to rife up among us, and have not provided for
them ; but I hope they will pay a proper attention to such
enemies of LIBERTY and mankind, and trail, if they have
nothing else to do, they will meet to rectify this enormous
evil. If this is permitted to continue, we (hall be in no bet
ter situation for thei'e articles than a garrisoned town, cut
off from all refourfes from without, by a surrounding army,
while it nourishes, in its center, a few rich merchants who
purchase up all their provisions, and store them until necef
iity and hunger oblige the starving soldiery and inhabitants
to give them any price which their avarice shall demand. If
any thing can add to the iniquity of such conduct, the apo
logy which some of them make for their proceedings must
do it, as I have been told that the reason they gave for it, is
that they think themselves fafer in having these things in
store, than in Having to the fame amount in Continental
money.
An ENEMY to MONOPOLIZING.
CASE in POINT. Whether is it lawful for a
Prince to receive into his protection the fubjeffs of
another Prince oppressed by him in their civil rights
and liberties.
PHILIP the Second, King of Spain, oppressing his fub
jeds in the provinces of the Netherlands, by invading
their civil rights, and endeavoring to bring in the inquisition
upon them; they endeavoured as well as they could to hand
up in the defence of the former, and prevent the latter from,
being imposed upon free people, who were now also inclined
to embrace the reformed religion ;. but being frequently
worsted by the enemy, and finding themselves reduced into a
very distressed date, they resolved to apply themselves to
Elizabeth Queen of England for fuccour and protection.
Hereupon it was debated in the Queen's council, whether the
Queen should receive them, into protection or no.
OPINIONS. Some there were who thought they were to
be esteemed as rebels, and unworthy of afliftance, as having
Shaken ®ff their allegiance to thsir Prince; and argued,
I. That the Spaniard broke none of the articles of his
joyful entiance, which was the pretence they had used for
their rebellion, and calling off their Prince, but. if he had
broken them, yet was he not liable for that reason to lose his
dominion; and though some thought that obedience was to
be denied him for a time, till he had reformed what he had
done amiss, yet others thought that by the law of God, to
which human laws ought to give place, Princes were to be
obeyed merely for confidence fake, as powers ordained by
God ; that God had given them rhe authority of command
ing, and left to fubjeds the commendation of obeying; that
good Princes were to be wished for, but whatever they were,
they ought to be obeyed.
2. That those provinces were devolved to the King of
Spain, not by popular election, but by right of inheritance
from his ancestors, and. the donation of Emperors.
3. That the Netherlanders themselves had received all the
privileges which they enjoyed from Princes, and had forfeit
ed the fame again by their treason, or formally taking up
arms against their Prince.
4. That they who how intended to crave protection were
mot the States of the Netherlands, but most of them of toe
118
Those of the contrary opinion desired the Queen to con
fider (to which fire was much disposed of herfelf)
1. How barbarously cruel the Spaniards had been towards
her neighbours the Netherlanders, and their hatred against
England, and the religion which ffie had embraced, of which
they might dread the consequence.
2. That as the Spaniards were certainly persuaded that the
Netherlanders could never be reduced under their obedience,.
unles s England were firft conquered, so ffie should take care
that the war might not be brought home to her own doors.
3. I hat Scotland was yet wavering, and that it was great
prudence in her to endeavour to prevent the Spanish power
from growing and extending itfelf too far in the Low Countries
so near adjoining to her, and for situation so convenient, both
for translating the war into England, and for the trade of
merchants, as well by sea as up and down the Rhine, as also
for the prohibiting the carrying of all provision for dipping
to the enemy,, they being countries provided of strong and
stout able seamen, insomuch that by the conjunction of'them
with the English fleet ffie might easily become mistress of the
sea, and withal so rich and strong, that they had been able
for a long time to curb their intuiting enemies without fo
reign affiltance.
4. They desired her also to confider, if ffie persisted to re
fufe them protection, they might put themselves under that of
France, which would much derogate from her glory, and be
attended with many other inconveniences.
5. That there was no feruple to be made of granting the
States protection, or entering into articles with them for their
defence ; that leagues and associations had been made in form
er times between the Kings of England and the Princes of
the Netherlands, and the cities thereof apart, for yielding
one another mutual protection and assistance, and why should
it not be so now, when there was so much need of, and just
cause for it, through the unjust encroachments and invasions
of the Spaniards upon the rights of the people?
RESOLUTION. The Queen, after serious deliberation
ofthe matter, and weighing the arguments on both sides,
refolved.to give her protection unto the States, and enter into
a league with them for that end, wherein the wifely took
Flufliing, R?jn/kins, and tb^ Brief, for cautionary towns, to
common fort of people, under the pretence and name of the
States, with whom it was not fit the Queen Biould meddle,
but ought rather to strengthen and fortify her own kingdom^
to engage all her good fubjeds daily more ftri&ly to her by
her bounty and clemency, to refrain the bad, gather money,
furnifh herfelf with all naval forces, provide the borders to
wards Scotland with strong garrisons, and maintain the an
cient military discipline of England; so would her kingdom'
become impregnable, and fire on every fide be secure at home,
and a terror to her enemies.
5. I hat it was the best way for those who had too powerful
neighbours to avoid and prevent war; for no man would
wiLingly provoke those whom he law to be provided of mo
ney and strength, backed with the love of their fubjefts, and
ready and prepared to take revenge. It would therefore be
an indifereet part in them to spend money and soldiers, which
were the vital spirits of war, in a foreign quarrel in behalf
of other Princes, or indigent States (and those Objects to
another Prince) who would always be expecting frefh re
cruits ; or else, out of necessity or ingratitude, would at
length provide for their own hate and security, and negle&
their firtt helpers, whereof the English had heretofore experi
ence, in France, to their cost, in the quarrel of the Duke of
Burgundy, and nbslong before also in the defence of the
Protestants there.