Date: September 28, 1767
Messirs. Fleets, Please to insert the following in your next.
Its proper Power to hurt each Creature feels,
Bulls aim their Horns, and Asses lift their Heels.
Pope.
Amongst the many great and daring steps lately taken by the pretended Patriots of this province to promote discord, and alienate the minds of a truly loyal and affectionate people from their dependence on the Mother Country; none can be compared to the late impudent & ignorant performance of Determinatus in Edes and Gill of last Monday: Surely, this scribbler must be void of common understanding to imagine, even the shadow of a possibility to impose on the minds of a sensible people, whose eyes are open’d to conviction through the many unguarded, falacious, and detrimental proceedings of these pretended advocates for liberty; I say, both their eyes and ears are open to the injurious conduct of those vile incendiaries. – Was this weak scribbler to have published volumes of such fustian and chimerical nonsense at any other than this critical juncture (when the prejudice he is doing his country must stare every man of sense in the face) I should pass him over with silence and contempt; but as matters are at this time so critically situated between Great Britain and her colonies, I think it my duty to call loudly on my countrymen, to exhort them as they love their future ease and happiness, to fall on some speedy and efficacious methods to put a stop on those insidious publications daily imposed on them, especially by Determinatus, who I deem a profest enemy to his country; one who would endeavor at forging chains and misery for it, were the people weak enough to pay attention to his miserable chimeras: And was the crisis he mentions so adroitly in his infamous performance, to turn up as soon as he seems to hint and wish for; I will dare to say, it would bring on such a crisis with this same champion, as would be indecent for me to mention in a public paper. – But I shall at present leave this inconsiderate scribbler to himself, and in general terms acquaint the good people of this province, that there are those who are wicked enough, publicly to buz about town that some injurious treatment is intended the officers of the crown who are daily expected from England: I will venture to say that such a thing never had any existence, except in the pericranium of a Determinatus, or a Bluster, who would gladly grasp at any means to keep their favorite cause above ground: And as I cannot credit such an absurdity, I shall conclude with exhorting them to a peaceable, uniform deportment in matters relating to the public welfare, and not to oppose any set of men his Majesty may see fit to put into public employ; least they should provoke the mother-country to put in execution a threat they have had for some time in agitation (through the prejudices imbibed in them by the misconduct of Determinatus & his associates) of exchanging Canada for Guadaloupe. Should such a thing happen (I shudder at the very thought) would not those patriotic gentry be remembered with horror to the latest posterity –
A true Patriot. [Swanzey]
Source: Boston Evening-Post, September 28, 1767, issue 1670, p. 2
Commentary: A pseudonymous Loyalist styling himself A true Patriot, Swanzey, writing in the Boston Evening Post, continues to take pot shots at Whig opposition to implementation of the Townshend Duties. Joseph Warren will not stand by idly for long.
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