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[Page 10]

[inhabi]tants in general. He has secured himself by the soldiers. But this support must be weak, should a superior officer to Major Johnston arrive, who disapproves of his measures, and shews a manly spirit. He is reckoned to be a wise man, or rather would be thought so. If he is possessed of wisdom he is void of prudence: and by his general behaviour, I must reckon him only a Bravado. If he should raise my anger, he may probably find it not in his power to quell it. I have long been an admirer of the rectitude of Brutus, and if any of his principles are to be imbibed and transferred by reading, I have the vanity to imagine that some have fallen to my lot. If I am thus imposed upon in mental acquirement, the deception is harmless, but yet useful. It is the endowment of the mind which defines the difference of individuals, and adjusts them to the scale of virtue.

By what I have said you will plainly perceive the danger in sending out a Governor with only his instructions; for if any changes are to be made, it is highly probable, he will be opposed by that power from whence he should be supported. It may be said on the part of Government, that no such idea was ever thought of; and that if any disturbance should happen, it was in their power to quell it. To which I reply, I grant that a few ships of force would soon recover the Government; but, the inhabitants who disapproved of the insurgents measures would be awkwardly situated for a considerable length of time, as may be witnessed at the present. The disturbances in the American colonies will be revived in the public mind. I am not hinting that the colony is likely to become independent in the time as America did, but that the mistaken notions the public may imbibe, and the popular clamour, will be teazing and unpleasant to Government. Its great distance renders it more indispensably necessary for Government to be more vigilant.

I have frequently taken the liberty to tell you of the ill effects caused by spirits not being allowed to be more general in use. Whether you acquiesce with my opinions or not I am at a loss to know. If you do not, I think I shall now convince you of the error.  From the abundance of peaches that are now annually produced, a great quantity of cyder is made; though it may in a great respect be compared to hog-wash, yet it is drunk with the same eagerness as if it was of a good quality: and I have witnessed it to produce as great a scene of intoxication, as I ever did from foreign spirits. What is to be done now? Will it be good policy to eradicate all the peach trees? Whatever spirits can be distilled from, whether the produce of the Colony or not, I am convinced it will be done whenever there is a scarcity: and which in many respects has been highly injurious to the colony. I have always been of this opinion, that if the people were thoroughly drenched with liquor, they would ere long, prefer water to it.  Of late large quantities of wine have been brought from the Cape of Good Hope. On its first being vended, a general intoxication prevailed for some time. But from the people having spent their money and being pretty well glutted, a deal of wine remains yet unsold.

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