The New Hampshire Gazette And Historical Chronicle

Messrs. Fowles,

I request that the following may have a Place in your next, and you will oblige all who are Friends to Truth and Justice.

When I read the scandalous piece charging Nathl. Sheaff Griffith, with being an infamous Impostor, a sacrilegious Villain, a common Nuisance, a defiler of the Temples of the most high God &c. for his bedaubing the Linings and Cushions, of a certain Gentleman's Pew in Hampton—I was filled with the greatest Surprize, Amazement and Astonishment, as I could scarcely have imagined, that the World was capable of producing such a hard mouth'd scandalous Defamer, a Detractor, who is the pest of Society, and a most indelible Disgrace to the human Species; a Defamer of so black a Dye, that his fellow Men, think it would be doing service to God and the Public, and taking off the Reproach such a Monster has brought upon the human Nature: if they could burn him into a Non Entity: But I forbear. As this cruel Piece by the initial Letters of the Name, is plainly pointed at me, I think myself under the greatest Obligations of Duty, both to God, and his People, and to that Justice which is due to my own Character, to declare: And I do solemnly declare. that I am not directly, or indirectly, guilty of the heavy Charge, therein laid against me, and I defy any Man, Woman or Child, not excepting the malicious Author himself, to prove me guilty. I abhor, I, from my Heart detest that horrid Act, and I bless God, that my regards for his Glory, and the House of his Glory are such, that my Soul would start! shudder! and shrink backwards with horror! at the thought of perpetrating so heinous a Crime—When this black Piece is usher'd in with such a seeming Regard "to the true Principles of Generosity, Humanity and all the other Social Virtues:" and the heavy Charge laid against me, in such solemn, strong and awful trains of Language; one would have imagined, that the Author could not have had so much "Malice prepense," and so little of the "fear of God before his Eyes," as to have used the venerable Name of the great God with so much Freedom, unless he had the most ample Proofs to support his Assertions: yet so it is in fact, that he has not the least positive, but only the circumstantial Evidence of a Girl known to all the Inhabitants of Hampton, to have the Character of as infamous a Liar, as ever existed on this Globe, the scandalous Author of the defamatory Piece, only excepted—A Girl who for Ten Dollars more, and another green Gown, may perhaps be induced to swear as roundly & plumply to the Point, as the Author could wish or desire—When Ahab coveted Naboth's Vineyard, false Witnesses were bribed to Defame and swear to it, that Naboth had blasphemed God and the King; so when this notable Author, for I see him, I know him, I view him clearly, as through a transparent Molten Glass: found himself disappointed in all his former Attempts. and now by my rising in my Business, like to be forever frustrated from seizing my Father's Inheritance into his grasping Paws; he Roars out, with a Voice loud as Thunder, that all the Country may hear it, (in order fatally to stab my moral Character, and destroy my Trade.) He is a "profane Monster! He has defiled the Temples of the most high God;" shun him; don't Trade with him, "for indeed notwithstanding his pompous Advertisement, his capital Stock is but £5. sterling; avoid him, as you would the Quick Sands of Ruin and Perdition—And now having discovered this Rancorous, Envious, Oppressive Author; I call upon him in the most serious manner, to take a solemn View of his past Life, and Actions. Unde Malum, has been long a controverted, intricate Question. —But hark! listen! attend! O thou origin of all Wickedness—thou most grievous Oppressor of Mankind—Blush! and be for once ashamed; don't you hear the bitter Cries and lamentable Moans of the distressed Widow and the helpless Orphan? don't they penetrate into the deepest Recesses of even your adamantine Heart, or don't they at least put you into an agonizing SWEAT—If these Things don't in the least affect you; yet still how dare you, O harden'd Man! how dare you, enter within the sacred Walls of that Meeting House, where so many distress'd Persons, made so by your cruel Oppressions, present themselves to your View? don't your Heart feel the least Relentings, at the sight of so many empty Pews, once fill'd by affluent Owners. who are now drove thence by the like Oppressions? Oh! consider of your Ways, Repent and pray God, and perhaps with Simon Magus, your ancient Predecessor, the Thoughts of your Heart and all your many heinous complicated Crimes may be forgiven you.

This is the hearty Prayer of your greatly injured,

Nathaniel Sheaff Griffith.

Hampton, July 14, 1768.