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Show [30] ing fields -, and tome eluding the vigilance of the centries [31] have efcaped from the town, by fwimming to the adja~ cent fiiores. . But we lorbear to trouble you with a tedious detail of the various and fruitlefs offers and applications we have The war having thus began on the part of General repeatedly made, not for penfions, for wealth, or for ho- The nours, but for the humble boon of being permitted to reinforcements from Ireland [0011 after arrived ; a vigo- pmlels the fruits of honel't indufiry, and to enjoy that de. gree of Liberty to which God and the Conflitution have given us an undoubted right. Gage's troops, the country armed and embodied. rous attack was then made upon the Provincials. In their march, the troops furrounded the town of Charlestown, confifling of about four hundred houfes, then recently Blefl‘ed with an indifloluble union, with a variety of in- abandoned to ekape the fury of a relentlets loldiery. Having plundered the houfes they let fire to the town, and reduced it to afhes. To this wanton wafte of property, unknown to civilized nations, they were prompted, the better to conceal their approach under cover of the fmoak. ternal relburces, and with a firm reliance on the juttice of the Supreme Dilpoler of all human events, we have no doubt of rifing fuperior to all the machinations ofevil and abandoned h'l‘lnil‘ters. We already anticipate the golden period, when Liberty, with all the gentle arts of peace and humanity, {hall ellablifh her mild dominion in this A {hocking mixture of cowardice and cruelty, which then firll tarnifhed the lullre ol" the Britifh arms, when aimed at wellern world ; and ereét eternal monuments to the me~ ready to obey the laws.----And though charged with rebel~ mory of thofe virtuous patriots and martyrs, who flrall have fought, bled, and l‘uffered in her cattle. Accept our molt grateful acknowledgments for the friendly dilpofition you have always fhewn towards 115-‘We know that you are not without your grievances --VVe fympathize with you in your dillrel‘s, and are pleafed to find that the dcfign of fubjugating us, has perlbaded ad~ minillration to difpenfe to Ireland tome vagrant rays of miniflerial funlhine-Even the tender mercies of government have long been cruel towards you-In the rich pal-tures of Ireland, many hungry parricides have led and grown flrong to labour in its dellruétion-~VVC hope the patient abiding of the meek may not always be forgotten ; and God grant that the iniquitous fehemes ot entirpating liberty from the Britilh empire may be foon defeated :- But we flrould be wanting to ourl‘elves-we fhould be perfidious to pollerity-we flrould be unworthy that an- cefiry from which we derive our defcent, llrould we fubmit with folded arms to military butchery and depredation, to gratily the lordly ambition, or fate the avarice of a Britilh Minit'try. In defence of'our perfons and pro- lion, will chearfullv bleed in defence of our lbvereign in a righteous caul‘e.-j-\&‘li:it more can we fay, what more can perties, under actual violation, we have taken tip-arms- When that violence {hall be removed, and hofiilttres ceafe we offer! on the part of the aggretlors, they {hall eeafe on our Wilt a brother's breall! But blelle(.l be God, they were refirained from committing farther ravages, by the lots of a very confiderable part of their army, including many of their molt experienced officers-The lol‘s ofthe inhabitants was ' inconfiderable. Compelled therefore to behold thoufands of our countrymen impriloned, and men, women, and children in- volved in promilcuous and unmerited mikry-VVhen we find all faith at an end, and lacred treaties turned into tricks of flate-VVhen we perceive our friends and kinfiuen maflacred, our habitations plundred, our houfes in flames, and. their once happy inhabitants fed only by the hand of charity-Who can blame us for endeavouring to reflrain the progrel‘s of defolation P-VVho can cenfirre our repelling the attacks of fnch a barbarous band P-Who, in fireh circumflances, would not obey the great, the univerfal, the divine law of l‘ell-prel‘ervation.> Though vilified as wanting lpirit, we are determined to behave like menr-Though intulted and abufed, we with for reconcilinflow-Though deli-timed as leditious, we are But u o |