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Show [42] [43] horrors of famine were firperadded, and a Burr/b par:- liament, who, in better times, were the protectors of innocence and the patrons of humanity, have, without \Vithout law, without right, powers are affirmed unknown to the eonftitution. Private property is un- jultly invaded. The inhabitants, daily fubjeéted to the dilline‘tion of age or fex, robbed thoulands of the food licentioufnefs of the foldiery, are forbid to remov e in which they were accuflomed to draw from that inex-x defiance of their natural rights, in violation of the melt foiemn compacts. Or if, after long and wearilome foliei- tation, a pals is procured, their el'lec'l's are detained, and even thofe who are moit favoured, have no alternative but poverty or flattery. The diflrefs of many thoufand people, wantonly deprived of the necellaries oflife, is a hauftible fource, placed in their neighbourhood by the benevolent Creator. " ANOTHER act of your legillature {huts our ports, and prohibits our trade with any but thofe Rates from whom the great law of (elf-preicrvrzitioti renders it abfolutely neu celiary we {hould at preterit with-hold cur commerce. But this act (whatever may have been its delign) we conlider rather as injurious to your opulence than our interci't. All our commerce terminates with you; and the wealth we procure from other nations, is foon exchanged for your {uperfluities. Our remittances mull! then ceafe with our trade; and our refinements with our Ill-III (Ill! ruins. afiiuence. We trull, however, that laws which deprive us of every blefiiitg but a foil that teems with the iecellaries of life, and that liberty which renders the enjoyment of thtm lecure, will not relax our vigour in their defence. " WE might here obferve on the cruelty and incon~ lilicncy of thole, who, while they publicly brand us with reproachful and unworthy epithets, endeavour to deprive us of the means of defence, by thtir interpofition with fortign powers, and to deliver us to the lawlefs ravages or a mercilefs foldiery. But happily we are not without relources; and though the timid and humiliating appli cations of a Bririlh minil'try {hould prevail with foreign nations, yet indullry, prompted by neceflity, will not leave us without the necellilry lupplies. " WE could with to go no further, and, not to wound the ear of humanity, leave untold thole rigorous acts of oppreffion, which are daily exercifed in the town of fubjeét, on which we would not with to enlarge. " YET we cannot but obferve, that a Brizifl) fleet (unjufiified even by acts of your legiflature) are daily employtd in ruining our commerce, feizing our fhips, and depriving whole communities of their daily bread. Nor will a regard for your honour permit us to be filent, while Bri- ti/b troops fully your glory, by aétions, which the moit inveterate enmity will not palliate among civilized nzitions, the wanton and unnecellary defirufiion of Charles town, a large, ancient, and once populous town, juit before deferted by its inhabitants, who had fled to amid the fury of your foldiery. " IF you {till retain thofe fentiments of compaflion, by which Britons have ever been difiiitguiflied; if the humanity, which tempered the valour of our common anceltors, has not degenerated into cruelty, you will la-v ment the miferies of their defeendents. " To what are we to attribute this treatment ? If to any fecret principle of the confiitution, let it be mentioned; let us learn, that the government we have long revered, is not without its defects, and that while it gives freedom to a the empire. has it ceafed into action P part, it neceflarily enllaves the remainder of If lueh a principle exifls, why for ages to operate? Why at this time is it called Can no reafon be afligned for this conduifl _' Bolton, did we not hope, that by difclaiming their deeds and puniihing the perpetrators, you would fl'lOl‘tly dieate the honour of the Britifh name and re-eliablifhvinthe violated trary power .9 And {hall the defcendents of Britam tamely fubmit to this? No, firsl we never will, while we revere but to enllave its inhabitants. never can l'urrender thole glorious privileges, for which they fought, bled and conquered. Admit that your fleets laws of jufiiee. " THAT once populous, flourifhi-ng, and commercial town is now garrifoned by an army fent not to protca‘, The civil government is overturned, and a military defpotifm eredtedupon its ruins Or mull it be rcfolved into the wanton cxercile of arbi- the memory of our gallant and virtuous anceflors, we. £10de deltroy our towns, and ravage our {ea-coalis ; thelc I: 2 31'» |
