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Show w E3? CLARATION at the town of Lexington, as appears by the affidavits of a great number of perlons, tome of whom were othcers and foldiers of that detachment, murdered eight of the inhabitants, and wounded many others. From thence the troops proceeded in warlike array to the town of Concord, where they {ct upon another party of the inhabitants of the lame Province, killing; {everah and wounded more, until compelled to retreat by the coun‘ try people tuddenly alfembled to repel this cruel aggref- fion. Hollilities thus commenced by the Britifll troops, have been lincc protecuted by them without reward to faith or reputation. The inl‘iabitaiztsof "Jethro hein"r confined within that town by the General their Grover? nor, and having in order to procure their diliniflion en- tered into a treaty with him, it was f'iinulated that the {aid inl‘r:‘.hit1nt5, having tlt'polited their-iarms with their own hilapi‘ttratt's, llmnltl have liberty to depart, takinO' with then) their other etl‘eits. lhev aecordinolv delil: veredfl up their arms, but in open violation of honour, to (lt'ildnt‘C oi the obligation of treaties, which even {avage nations eti'eem (acted, the Governor ordered the arms depolirt'd as ,ifiircfsiid, that they might be preferved for their owners, to be feized by a bodyiol‘lbldiers ; dc- tained the greattit part of the inhabitants in the town and compelled the tew who were permitted to retire leave their mot} valuable el‘l‘e‘ets behind. ta; , ‘ By this perfidy wives are {eparated from their hnfhands, Children from their parents, the ag *d and lick from their 'relations and friends, who with to attend and comfort them; and mute who have been tried to live in plenty, and even elegance, are reduced to deplorable dil'trel‘s. The General, further emulating his-Minill'erial ma- fiers, by :1"pl‘0Cl;1r‘nation, hearing ‘date on the 12th daV ‘ t June, after venting the groli‘elt {allehoods and calunr- nies againfi the good people of thele Colonies, proceeds to " declare them all, either by name or deici‘it):it)rr to be rebels and traitors; to {uperl‘e'e the courie otjthe common law, and infiead thereof, to publilh and order the ufe and exereile of the law martial."--~-llis troops gave butchered our countrymen; have wntonly burnt harles- Iown, befidcs a confiderable number of houtcs in THE CONGRESS. I: in other places; our {hips and vcffels are feized, the necell'ary fupplies of provilions are intercepted, and he is ex.- erting his utmof't power to {pread dethuétion and devafiw tion around him. We have received certain intelligence, that General Carleton, the Governor of Canada, is mitigating the people of that Province and the Indians to fall upon us ; and we have but too much realon to apprehtnd, that {chemes have been formed to excite domefiic enemies againlt us. In brief, a part of thele Colonies now feels, and all of them are {tire of feelingr a; far as the vengeance of Adminitl'ration can inflict them, the complicated cala-~ mities of fire, {word and famine. ‘iVe are reduced to the: alternative of Chufing an unconditional lirbmiihon to the tyranny of irritated Minitlers. or rtlill‘ancc by forceThe latter is our choice. We have counted the coil: of this conteft, and find nothing to dreadful as voluntary :l'lavery. Honour, jullite and humanity, forbid us tamely‘ to furrend‘er that treedom which we received from out" gallant anceflors, and which our innocent pollerity have: a right to receive from us. We cannot endure the infra- my and guilt of religning fuct'eeding generations to that wretchednels which inevitably awaits them, if we bafely entail hereditary bondage upon them. Our caufe is jult: our union is perfeilt: our internal refources are great; and it. necetTary, foreign aflillance is undoubtedly attainable. We gratefully acknowledge, as {ignal infiances of Divine favour towards us, that his Pro- vidence would not permit us to he called into this (event: controvert‘y, until we were grown up to Our prefenc firength, had bet n previoully exez'cilcd in warlike opera- tions, and poiltfletl of the means of detending ourfelveso VVith hearts fortified with thele animating l'ections, we moi't {olemniy before (30d and the world declare, that, exerting the utmofi energy of thrill? powers which our benelicent Creator hath graciouflv hellowet‘ upon us, the arms we have been compelled by our enemies to atfume, we will, in defiance of every hararrl, with unn abetting hrmnels and perfeverance, rtiploy {or the prefervation of our liberties, being with one mind .efolved to die fresmen rather than to live Gives. LCE |