The essays called Cato's Letters were written by two Englishmen, concealing their identities with the honored ancient Roman name of Cato. They are considered a seminal work in the tradition of the Commonwealthmen. Later their identities were revealed as John Trenchard and Thomas Gordon. Their 144 essays were published from 1720 to 1723, originally in the London Journal, later in the British Journal. These newspaper essays condemning tyranny and advancing principles of freedom of conscience and freedom of speech, were a main vehicle for spreading the concepts that had been developed by John Locke. The Letters were collected and printed as Essays on Liberty, Civil and Religious. A measure of their influence is attested by six editions printed by 1755. A generation later their arguments immensely influenced American colonists, where it is estimated that half the private libraries in the American Colonies held bound volumes of Cato's Letters on their shelves. Motto (French) God and my right Anthem God Save the Queen England() – on the European continent() – in the United Kingdom() Capital (and largest city) London (de facto) Official languages English (de facto) Unified  -  by Athelstan 967 AD  Area  -  Total 130,395 km²  50,346 sq mi  Population  -  2007 estimate 50... Ancient Rome was a civilization that grew from a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula circa the 9th century BC to a massive empire straddling the Mediterranean Sea. ... A name is a label for a human, thing, place, product (as in a brand name) and even an idea or concept, normally used to distinguish one from another. ... // Cato may refer to: Romans, in the family Porcii: Cato the Elder or the Censor (Marcus Porcius Cato 234BC–149BC), Roman statesman Marcus Porcius Cato Licinianus, son of Cato the Elder by his first wife Licinia, jurist Marcus Porcius Cato, son of Cato Licinianus, consul 118 BC, died in Africa... A seminal work [from Latin semen meaning seed] is a work from which other works grow. ... The Commonwealthmen were a group of political thinkers in early 18th century Britain. ... John Trenchard (1662-1723), English writer and Commonwealthman, belonged to the same Dorset family as the Secretary of State Sir John Trenchard. ... Thomas Gordon , English writer and Commonwealthman. ... // Events January 6 - The Committee of Inquiry on the South Sea Bubble publishes its findings February 11 - Sweden and Prussia sign the (2nd Treaty of Stockholm) declaring peace. ... Events February 16 - Louis XV of France attains his majority Births February 24 - John Burgoyne, British general (d. ... Boswells London Journal is his second most popular work, after his Life of Johnson. ... This page is about the religious concept of Tyranny. ... Freedom of thought (also called freedom of conscience) is the freedom of an individual to hold a viewpoint, or thought, regardless of anyone elses view. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... A concept is an abstract idea or a mental symbol, typically associated with a corresponding representation in language or symbology, that denotes all of the objects in a given category or class of entities, interactions, phenomena, or relationships between them. ... This article is about John Locke, the English philosopher. ... For other articles which might have the same name, see Print (disambiguation). ... In printmaking, an edition is a set of prints off one plate, composing a limited run of prints. ... 1755 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Generation (From the Greek γιγνμαι), also known as procreation, is the act of producing offspring. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Alternative meanings: Library (computer science), Library (biology) Modern-style library In its traditional sense, a library is a collection of books and periodicals. ... Betsy Ross purportedly sewed the first American flag with 13 stars and 13 stripes representing each of the 13 colonies. ...

The prototypical 'Cato' was Cato the Younger (95 - 46 BC), the implacable foe of Julius Caesar and a famously stubborn champion of republican principles. Marcus Porcius Catō UticÄ“nsis (95 BC–46 BC), known as Cato the Younger (Cato Minor) to distinguish him from his great-grandfather Cato the Elder, was a politician and statesman in the late Roman Republic, and a follower of the Stoic philosophy. ... Centuries: 2nd century BC - 1st century BC - 1st century Decades: 140s BC 130s BC 120s BC 110s BC 100s BC - 90s BC - 80s BC 70s BC 60s BC 50s BC 40s BC Years: 100 BC 99 BC 98 BC 97 BC 96 BC - 95 BC - 94 BC 93 BC 92... Centuries: 2nd century BC - 1st century BC - 1st century Decades: 90s BC 80s BC 70s BC 60s BC 50s BC - 40s BC - 30s BC 20s BC 10s BC 0s BC 0s Years: 51 BC 50 BC 49 BC 48 BC 47 BC 46 BC 45 BC 44 BC 43 BC... Gaius Julius Caesar [1] (Latin pronunciation ; English pronunciation ; July 12 or July 13, 100 BC or 102 BC–March 15, 44 BC), was a Roman military and political leader and one of the most influential men of classical antiquity. ... Forms of government Part of the Politics series Politics Portal This box:      A republic is a form of government maintained by a state or country whose sovereignty is based on popular consent and whose governance is based on popular representation and control. ...

The think tank, the Cato Institute founded by Edward H. Crane in 1977 in Washington, D.C., takes its name from Cato's Letters. This article is about the institution. ... The Cato Institute is a libertarian think tank headquartered in Washington, D.C. The Institutes stated mission is to broaden the parameters of public policy debate to allow consideration of the traditional American principles of limited government, individual liberty, free markets, and peace by seeking greater involvement of the... Edward H. Crane is the founder and president of the Cato Institute. ... Also: 1977 (album) by Ash. ... Nickname: Motto: Justitia Omnibus (Justice for All) Location of Washington, D.C., in relation to the states Maryland and Virginia Coordinates: Country United States Federal District District of Columbia Government  - Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D)  - City Council Chairperson: Vincent C. Gray (D) Ward 1: Jim Graham (D) Ward 2: Jack...

References

John Trenchard and Thomas Gordon. Essays on Liberty, Civil and Religious, and Other Important Subjects. ed. and annotated by Ronald Hamowy. 2 vols. (Indianapolis, Liberty Fund, 1995). The standard modern edition.

External links

• All 144 of Cato's Letters
• Some brief quotes, showing the Letters influence on the American revolutionaries