230 Government, Laws, [Part II. 



public contempt. The press is, therefore, taken alto- 

 gether, what the magistrate always ought to be : "a 

 " terror to evil doers, and a reward to those itho do icell." 

 But, it is not the name of PvEPUBLIC that secures 

 these, or any other of the blessings of freedom. As gross 

 acts of tyranny may be committed, and as base cor- 

 ruption practised, under that name as under the name 

 of absolute monarchy. And, it becomes the people of 

 America to guard their minds against ever being, in 

 any case, amused ivith names. It is the fair representa- 

 tion of the people that is the cause of all the good ; and, 

 if this be obtained, I, for ray part, will never quarrel 

 with any body about names. 



422. Taxes and Priests ; for these always lay on 

 heavily together. On the subject of taxes, I have; 

 perhaps, spoken sufficiently clear before ; but, it is a 

 great subject. I will, on these subjects, address my- 

 self more immediately to my old neighbours at Botley, 

 and endeavour to make them understand, what America 

 is as to taxes and priests. 



423 Worried, my old neighbours, as you are by 

 tax-gatherers of all descriptions from the County- 

 Collector, who rides in his coach and four, down to the 

 petty Window-Peeper, the little miserable spy, who is 

 constantly on the look out for you, as if he were a 

 thief-catcher and you were thicACs ; devoured as you are 

 by these vermin, big and little, you will with difficulty 

 form an idea of the state of America in this respect. 

 It is a state of such blessedness, when compared with 

 the state of things in England, that 1 despair of being 

 able to make you fully comprehend what it is. Here 

 a man may make new wind'ows, or shut up old windows, 

 as often as he pleases, without being compelled under 

 a penalty to give notice to some insolent tax-gathering 

 spy. Here he may keep as many horses as he likes, 

 he^ may ride them or drive them at his pleasure, he 

 may sell them or keep them, he may lend them or 

 breed from them ; he may, as far as their nature allows, 

 do the same with regard to his dogs ; he may employ 

 his servants in his house, in his stables, in his garden, 

 or in his fields, just as he pleases; he may, if he be 

 foolish enough, have armorial bearings on his carriage, 

 his watch-seals, on his plate and, it he likes, on his 



