Page:American History Told by Contemporaries, v2.djvu/492

464 how to prize it I wish to be more Thankfull for every Enjoyment than I have been, & hope to see a Greater Scarsity of Money than we have at Present. That the Worshipers of Mammon may be Put to Difficulty to Come at the Shrine of their Idol whose Worship must be Supported and will be kept up at the Expence of all that is Good & Praiseworthy — That God has but one Perfection and that is the Idea of Infinite Increase or Augmentation and when the Materials of Increase are Plenty his Size must Grow to an amazing Bulk his Worshipers are hearty Sincear & True for they Give their Hearts and Souls to him and his Service is their Most Perfect Freedom a Freedom that Differs not from Slavery — The Assembly Yesterday had a Most Serious Debate upon the Question whether they would Repeal the Act for Regulating Prizes [prices] This Debate was brought on by Gentlemen in Trade and Seconded by Farmers who have No Avertion to Money nor to the Ways of Gitting of it Seriousness Brooded on their Countenances they Declared that articles of Life & for the Army would always be Scarse untill the Poor Farmer and the Honest Importer Could be Encouraged to their Several Emplo[y]ments of Raising, Importing &c and that the Prices stated by Law were in many Instances low & Disheartening and Would bring on a Scarsity, these Men were such as I am sure Wished well to their Country, but the God of this World had blinded their Eyes I Never Saw More Seriousness appear on hearing a Most Authodox Hopkintonian Sermon than was in the House & on full Debate & Consideration the Question was Put whether The House would give Liberty to a Certain Great Patriot to bring in a Bill for the Repeal of the Law against Monopolies & Oppression, there were but about ten or Twelve Hands up for the Repeal, to the Great Mortification of the Mammonites who will yet be seen to worship on Every high Hill and under every Green Tree

It is now under Consideration whether an Act Shall be Passed to make it more Dangerous to Violate the Law against Oppression, That no man shall, after his Covinction [conviction] for a Breach of that Law be Capable of Holding any office Civil or Military nor to Recover a Debt or Receive a Deed of Land and that None shall hold an Office untill he has taken a Solemn Oath that he has not Violated that Law Directly nor Indirectly after the loth Day of June Next which Act I hope will Pass and that Justice & Virtue May in our Day Triumph over Iniquity — I have a New appointment on the Commit of Safety for the year Ensuing but am very Sorry to See Genl Huntington left out he is a Useful Man in that