Cato’s Letters, vol. 1 November 5, 1720 to June 17, 1721 (LF ed.)

Volume 1 of a four volumes in 2 set. Almost a generation before Washington, Henry, and Jefferson were even born, two Englishmen, concealing their identities with the honored ancient name of Cato, wrote newspaper articles condemning tyranny and advancing principles of liberty that immensely influenced American colonists. The Englishmen were John Trenchard and Thomas Gordon. Their prototype was Cato the Younger (95-46 B.C.), the implacable foe of Julius Caesar and a champion of liberty and republican principles. Their 144 essays were published from 1720 to 1723, originally in the London Journal, later in the British Journal. Subsequently collected as Cato’s Letters, these “Essays on Liberty, Civil and Religious” became, as Clinton Rossiter has remarked, “the most popular, quotable, esteemed source of political ideas in the colonial period.” This new two-volume edition offers minimally modernized versions of the letters from the four-volume sixth edition printed in London in 1755.
Cato’s Letters, or Essays on Liberty, Civil and Religious, and Other Important Subjects. Four volumes in Two, edited and annotated by Ronald Hamowy (Indianapolis: Liberty Fund, 1995). Vol. 1.
Copyright:
The copyright to this edition, in both print and electronic forms, is held by Liberty Fund, Inc.
People:
- Author: Thomas Gordon
- Author: John Trenchard
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Table of Contents
- Table of Contents
- VOLUME ONE
- Dedication
- TO JOHN MILNER, ESQ.; OF GREAT RUSSEL-STREET BLOOMSBURY. (Gordon)
- THE PREFACE (Gordon)
- Endnotes
- NO. 1. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 1720. Reasons to prove that we are in no Danger of losing Gibraltar. (Gordon)
- Endnotes
- NO. 2. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 1720. The fatal Effects of the South-Sea Scheme, and the Necessity of punishing the Directors. (Gordon)
- NO. 3. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1720. The pestilent Conduct of the South-Sea Directors, with the reasonable Prospect of publick Justice. (Gordon)
- NO. 4. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 1720. Against false Methods of restoring Publick Credit. (Gordon)
- NO. 5. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1720. A further Call for Vengeance upon the South-Sea Plunderers; with a Caution against false Patriots. (Gordon)
- NO. 6. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1720. How easily the People are bubbled by Deceivers. Further Caution against deceitful Remedies for the publick Sufferings from the wicked Execution of the South-Sea Scheme. (Gordon)
- NO. 7. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1720. Further Cautions about new Schemes for publick Redress. (Gordon)
- NO. 8. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 1720. The Arts of able guilty Ministers to save themselves. The wise and popular Conduct of Queen Elizabeth towards publick Harpies; with the Application. (Gordon)
- NO. 9. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1720. Against the projected Union of the Three Great Companies; and against remitting to the South-Sea Company any Part of their Debt to the Publick. (Trenchard)
- NO. 10. TUESDAY, JANUARY 3, 1721. The Iniquity of late and new Projects about the South-Sea considered. How fatally they affect the Publick. (Trenchard and Gordon)
- NO. 11. SATURDAY, JANUARY 7, 1721. The Justice and Necessity of punishing great Crimes, though committed against no subsisting Law of the State. (Gordon)
- NO. 12. SATURDAY, JANUARY 14, 1721. Of Treason: All Treasons not to be found in Statutes. The Right of the Legislature to declare Treasons. (Trenchard)
- NO. 13. SATURDAY, JANUARY 21, 1721. The Arts of misleading the People by Sounds. (Trenchard)
- NO. 14. SATURDAY, JANUARY 28, 1721. The unhappy State of despotick Princes, compared with the happy Lot of such as rule by settled Laws. How the latter, by abusing their Trust, may forfeit their Crown. (Trenchard)
- NO. 15. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1721. Of Freedom of Speech: That the same is inseparable from publick Liberty. (Gordon)
- NO. 16. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1721. The Leaders of Parties, their usual Views. Advice to all Parties to be no longer misled. (Gordon)
- Endnotes
- NO. 17. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 1721. What Measures are actually taken by wicked and desperate Ministers to ruin and enslave their Country. (Trenchard)
- NO. 18. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1721. The terrible Tendency of publick Corruption to ruin a State, exemplified in that of Rome, and applied to our own. (Trenchard)
- NO. 19. SATURDAY, MARCH 4, 1721. The Force of popular Affection and Antipathy to particular Men. How powerfully it operates, and how far to be regarded. (Gordon)
- NO. 20. SATURDAY, MARCH 11, 1721. Of publick Justice, how necessary to the Security and Well-being of a State, and how destructive the Neglect of it to the British Nation. Signal Instances of it. (Trenchard)
- Endnotes
- NO. 21. SATURDAY, MARCH 18, 1721. A Letter from John Ketch, Esq. asserting his Right to the Necks of the over-grown Brokers. (Gordon)
- NO. 22. SATURDAY, MARCH 25, 1721. The Judgment of the People generally sound, where not misled. With the Importance and Probability of bringing over Mr. Knight. (Trenchard and Gordon)
- Endnotes
- NO. 23. SATURDAY, APRIL 1, 1721. A memorable Letter from Brutus to Cicero, with an explanatory Introduction. (Gordon)
- BRUTUS TO CICERO
- NO. 24. SATURDAY, APRIL 8, 1721. Of the natural Honesty of the People, and their reasonable Demands. How important it is to every Government to consult their Affections and Interest. (Gordon)
- NO. 25. SATURDAY, APRIL 15, 1721. Considerations on the destructive Spirit of arbitrary Power. With the Blessings of Liberty, and our own Constitution. (Gordon)
- NO. 26. SATURDAY, APRIL 22, 1721. The sad Effects of general Corruption, quoted from Algernon Sidney, Esq. (Gordon)
- Endnotes
- NO. 27. SATURDAY, APRIL 29, 1721. General Corruption, how ominous to the Publick, and how discouraging to every virtuous Man. With its fatal Progress whenever encouraged. (Gordon)
- NO. 28. SATURDAY, MAY 6, 1721. A Defence of Cato against his Defamers. (Gordon)
- TO CATO
- NO. 29. SATURDAY, MAY 13, 1721. Reflections occasioned by an Order of Council for suppressing certain impious Clubs that were never discovered. (Gordon)
- Endnotes
- NO. 30. SATURDAY, MAY 20, 1721. An excellent Letter from Brutus to Atticus; with an explanatory Introduction. (Gordon)
- BRUTUS TO ATTICUS
- NO. 31. SATURDAY, MAY 27, 1721. Considerations on the Weakness and Inconsistencies of human Nature. (Gordon)
- NO. 32. SATURDAY, JUNE 10, 1721. Reflections upon Libelling. (Gordon)
- NO. 33. SATURDAY, JUNE 17, 1721. Cautions against the natural Encroachments of Power. (Gordon)