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Show I 3 I their Owners, to be feized by a Body of Soldiers; detain- ed the greateft Part of the Inhabitants in the Town, and compelled the few who were permitted to retire, to leave their molt. valuable Effects behind. By this Perfidy, Wives are feparated from their Hui1 bands, Children from their Parents, the Aged and the Sick from their Relations and Friends, who with to attend and Comfort them ; and thofe who have been tiled [9] inevitably awaits them, if we barely intail hereditary bondage upon them. Our Caule is jul‘t : our Union is perfect : our internal refources are great, and il~ neceilin‘y, for iign allifiance is undoubtedly attainable. \Ve gratefully acknowledge, as lignal Inflances ot‘the Divine Favour towards us, that his I'rovidence would not permit us to be called into this fe- to live in Plenty, and even Elegance, are reduced to deplorable Diilrcl‘s. vere Controvertfiy, until we in; "re grown up to our preknt Strength, had been previoully exercifetl in warlike Operas tions, and polldll‘d of the Means of defending ourfelves. The General, further emulating his MinifierialMafiers, \Vith hearts fortified with thcle animating Rellefiions, we by a Proclamation, bt-aring Date on the I 2th Day or'June, alter venting the gt‘()tlefi Falfliood and Calumnies againi'c the good People of thefe Colonies, proceeds to " declare them all, either by Name or defeription to be Rebels and Traitors, to fupercede the Courfe of the Common Law, and inflead thereof to publilh and order the Ufe and Ex- ercile of the Law Martial."-- His Troops have butchered our Countrymen; have wantonly burnt Charles Town, belidcs a confiderahle Number of houfes in other Places; our Ships and Vel'fels are feized ; the necefiary Supplies of Provifions are intercepted, and he is exerting his ut- moft Power to fpread Defiruetion and Devaflation around him. \Ve have received certain Intelligence, that General Carleton, the Governor of Canada, is inf'tigating the People of that Province and the Indians to fall upon us -, and. we have but too much Reafon to apprehend, that Schemes have been formed to excite domeltic Enemies againfi us. In brief, a Part of thefe Colonies now feels, and all of them are fure of feeling, as far as the Vengeance of Adminiflra~ tion can inflict them, the complicated Calamities of Fire, Sword and Famine. We are reduced to the Alternative of chufing an unconditional Submiflion to the Tyranny of ir~ ritated Minillers, or Refifiance by Force. The latteris our Choice. \\'e have counted the Coll of this Contel'c, and find nothing to dreadful as voluntary Slavery. Honour, Jullice and Humanity forbid us tamely to furrender that Freedom which we received from our gallant Ancefiors, and which our innocent Polterity have a Right to receive from us. \Ve cannot endure the Infamy and Guilt of re- figning fucceeding generations to that VVretchednefs which in- molt lolemnly before God and the World declare, that exciting the utmolt Energy of thole Powers, which our be- netiCcnt Creator hath gracioullv bellowed upon us, the Arms we I ave been compelled by our Enemies to allume, we will, in Defiance of every Hazard, with unabating Firm- nets and Perfeverance, employ for the l'relervation of our Liberties, being with one Mind refolved to die Freemen, rather than to live Slaves. left this Declaration ihould tlifquiet the Minds of our Friends and fellow Subjects in any Part of the Empire, we allure them, that we mean not to diflolve that Union which has to long and lb happily fubfilted between us, and which we fincerely with to ice rcllored. Necefiity has not yet driven us into that detperate lV'Ieatiire, or induced us to excite any other Nation to war againft them. \Ve have not; railed Armies with ambitious Deligns of reparating from Great Britain, and ellablilhing independent States. Vi'e fight not for Glory or for Conquell'. We exhibit to Mankind thc remarkable Spectacle of a People attacked by unprovoked Enemies, without any Imputation, or even Sufpieion, of Olfcnce. They boall of their Privileges and Civrhzation, and yet protl‘cr no milder Conditions than Servitude or Death. - In our own native Land, in Defence ofthe Freedom that isour birthright, and which we ever enjoyed till the late Violation of it; for the I'roteftion of our Property, ac- quired folely by the honcll Indullry of our It‘orefathers and ourfelves againl't Violence actually tilleretl, we have taken up Arms: \Ve fhal lay them down when l-loflilities (hall ceale on the Part of the Aggreflors, and all Danger oftheit being renewed thall be removed, and not before. 13 With |