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Show [12] E I3 ] Source, placed in their Neighbourhood by the benevolent Creator. paéls-or it, after long and wearilbme Solicitation, 3 Another Act of your Legitlature {huts our Ports, and who are moft favoured have no Alternative but Poverty prohibits our Trade with any but thofe States from whom the great Law of Self-prttcrvation renders it abtolutely necetlary we thould at pretent withhold our Commerce. But this Aft (whatever may have been its Defign) we contider rather as injurious to your Opulence than our lnterett. All our Commerce terminates with you; and the Wealth we pr'ocore from other Nations is foon exchanged for your Supertluities. Our Remittances mutt or Slavery. The Dit'trefs of many Thoufand People, wantonly deprived of the Neceflaries of Life, is a Sub- Pat‘s is procured, their Effects are detained, and even thofe ject on which we would not with to enlarge. Yet we cannot but obferve, that a Britith Fleet (un- jut'tified even by Acts of your Legiflarure) are daily em- Enjoyment of them theme, will not relax our Vigour in ployed in ruining our Commerce, feizing our Ships, and depriving whole Communities of their Daily Bread. Nor will a regard for your Honour permit us to be filent, while Britith Troops fully your Glory, by Actions, which the mott inveterate Enmity will not palliate among ci~ vilized Nations; the wanton and unnecetlary Detlrue- tion of Charlettown, a large, ancient, and once populous Town, juft before deferred by its Inhabitants, who their Delenee.---\Ve might here obterve on the Cruelty and Inconfitleney of thot‘e, who, while they publicly had fled to avoid the Fury of your Soldiery. If you (till retain thot‘e Sentiments of Compaflion by brand us with reproaeht‘ul and unworthy Epithets, en~ which Britons have ever been dit'tinguithed-«It~ the H11. manity which tempered the Valour of our common An- Cet‘tors has not degenerated into Cruelty, you will lament then ceate With our Trade, and our Refinements with our Al'luenee. \Ve trutt however. that Laws which deprive us of every Blcfiing but 21 Soil that teems with the Neeetlaries of lite, and that Liberty which renders the deavour to deprive us of the Means of Defence, and by their interpotition with foreign Powers, to deliver us to the lawlets Ravages of a mercilefs Soldiery. But happily we are not without Retources; and though the timid and humiliating Applications of a Britith Minittty .thouldprevail with foreign Nations, yetlnduf'try, prompted by Necellity, will notleave us without the necetl‘ary Supplies. V the Miferies of their Defcendants. To what are we to attribute this Treatment P If to any fecret Principle of the Cont'titution, 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 V \Ve could with to go no further-and, not to wound the a Part, it neeetlarily inflaves the Remainder of the em- Bar of Humanity, leave untold thote rigorous Acts of Oppreflion which are daily exercited in the Town of pire: If fuch a Principle exifis, why for Ages has it Button, did we not hope, that by ditelaiming their Deeds ceafed to operate> Why at this Time is it called into Action? Can no Reafon be athgned for this Conduct? and punithing the Perpetrarors, you would thortlv vin- Or mutt it be refolved into a wanton Exerciteof Arbitraryr dicate the Honour of the Britith Name, and re-etlablith Power? And {hall the Defcendants of Britons tarnely {uh~ the violated Laws of Jtiltiee. mit to this P-No, Sits I we never will ; While we revere That once populous, tlourithing and commercial Town is now garritoned by an Army tent not to protect, but to entlave its Inhabitants. The Civil Govt-rrnnen: is overturned, and a Military Defporiti‘n erected upon its Ruins. Without Law, without Right, Primers are atlitmed un- the Memory of our gallant and virtuous Ancefiors, we never can furrender thote glorious Privileges, for which they fought, bled, and conquered. Admitthat your fleets could det'troy our Towns, and ravage our Sea-coafis; thefe are ineonfiderable Objefts, Things of no Moment, known to the Contlitutionwprivaz‘c Property is unjuttly invaded-the Inhabitants daily {ubjec ed to the Licentiouf- to Men whofe Botoms glow with the Ardour of Liberty. we can retire beyond the Reach of your Navy, and nets of the Soldier)", are forbid to remove in Defiance of without any fentible Diminution of the Necetfiries of their natUral lx' ights, in Violation ofthe molt tblemn Com- Life, enjoy a Luxury which from that Period you will want; THE LUXURY of BEING FREE. pail": |
