OCR Text |
Show ('28) (‘29) But to return ; we ought, in honorto our- felves, as well as duty to the King and parlianent, to fruftrate the malicious prophecies, if not the hopes of fome perfous in Britain, who have predicted the molt ungrateful and indecent returns from us to our mother-country, tor deliverance from the late grievances. It has been fibretoid that, in confequence thereof, the co~ ionies would grow inlblent and afl‘uming ; that they would ati‘eéi a kind of triumph overthe authority of parliament ; that they would little or norhing regard it hereafter, in other cafes ; that they would give fome broad intimatious of their opinion, that it was not {or want ot inclination, but of power, that the late grievous act was not enforced ; that they would treat their brethren in Britain in an unworthy, dill rtfl'peciihl manner ; and the like. Such things a thel'e have been predic‘icd, ant, probably, by thol'e very few/er; who contrived the/fairs,from which, to their great mortilit‘ation, our foul is now efcaped as a bird. Let us, my brethren, (for it is in our power, and it is our duty} make fuch men nut» prophets, by a contrary beha- Viour ; " prophets of the deceit off/bar 07.022 " hearts." Tnis might, probably, vex them preme authority of the Britilh empire, whi ch to us is the highefi, under that of heaven-m Let us, as much as in us lies, cultivat e har- mony and brotherly love between our fel low fubjeéis in Britain and ourfelves. We {hall doubtlefs find our account in this at laft , much more than in a contrary way of procee - ding. There are no other people on earth, that f0 " naturally care for us." We are con - nected with them by the firongeit ties; in fom 'e meafure by Wood; for look but a century or two back,and you will find their anceftors and ours, in a great meafure the fame perfons, tho' their poflerity is now fo divided. We are. itrongly conneéled with them by a great com « mercial intercourfe, by our common langua ge, by our common religion as proteftants, and by being fitbjeéts of the fame King, Wh om God long preferve and profper, while his enemies are cloathed with fhame. ‘ If we coniider things properly, it is indeed our great felicity, our bePt fecurity, and higheft glory in this world, to fiand in fuch a re lation as we do, to lb powerful an empire ; one which rules the ocean, and wherei n the principles of liberty are in general predoini~ i'hrely ; fince it is likely, their chief aim is, to nant. bring about a fixed, confirmed tiiihi‘iixi‘ioii on our p rm and a i‘evere relbntment on the other, to be call ofl‘ by Great-Britain, as unworthy her farther regards. What then would it be, in anylhppofeable way, to draw upon ourfelves the whole weight of her jult relhntment ! "while the jetlous enemies of the growing power of Britain, wagg their ev r~plotting and en- terpri‘iing heads, faying, " Aha I to we would ‘5‘ have it. "_ Let us highly re 'erence the in» preme It would be our mifery,ifnot our ruin, Whatare we in the haudsofthat nation, whi ch fo lately triumphed over the united powers of France and Spain 3 Though it mutt, indeed, be |