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Show [32] [33] the laf't peaceable admonition, that our attachment to no nation upon earth (hould fupplant our attachment to ll» {tep berLy. This, we flattered ourfelvcs, was the ultimate ihewn, have events of the controverfy: but fubfcquent how vain was this hope of finding moderation in our . enemies. " SEVERAL threatening expreflions againf't the colonies were inferted in his majeity's fpeech; our petition, tho' we were told it was a decent one, and that his majefly had been pleafed to receive it gracioufly, and to promife laying it before his parliament, was huddled into both houies among a bundle of American papers, and there neglected, The lords and commons in their addrefs, in the, month of February, faid, that " a rebellion at that time aétually exified within the province of Maffachufetts-Bay; and that thofe concerned in it, had been countenanced and encou- I0; m man paeity, with the mifcrable indulgence left to us of raifinw in our ‘own mode, the prefcribed tribute. V‘.'"l‘iat term: more rigid and humiliating could have been dictated by remorlelels motors to conquered enemies P In our circum: fiances to accept them, would be to dcferve them. . 5‘ bootvafter the intelligence of thefe proceedings ar- rived on this continent, general Gage, who in the Eourfe of the laft year had taken pollem()ii of the town of Boiion in the province of blaflachufctt's-Bav, and fiill occuoied it as a garrifon, on the 19th day of April, fent out t‘i'om that place a large detachment of his armv, who made an unprovoked aliault on the inhabitants of the {aid province, at the town of Lexington, as appears by the affidavits of a great number of perfons, fome of whom were ofiicers and foldiers of that detachment, murdered einht of the raged by unlawful combinations and engagements, entered inhabitants, and wounded many others, Fromtthence the troops proceeded in warlike array to the town of Concord, into by his majef'ty's fubjec‘ts in feveral of the other eo- lonies; and therefore they befought his majefly, that he would take the mof't efleétual meafures to inforce due obe- dience to the laws and authority of the fupreme legiflature." the fame province, killing feveral and wounding more, until compelled to retreat by the country people fatddcnlv aflembled to repel this cruel aggreffion. Hoililities, thus Soon after the commercial intercourfe of whole colonies, with foreign countries, and with each other, was cut off by an act of parliament; by another, feveral of them were entirely prohibited from the fifheries in the feas near their coal'ts, on which they always depended for their fuf'te-é nance; and large reinforcements of {hips and troops were immediately fent over to general Gage. " FRUI'rLEss were all the entreaties, arguments, and eloquence of an illui'trious band of the molt dil'tinguifhed peers and commoners, who nony and flrenuoufly aflerted the juf'tice of our caufe, to flay, or even to mitigate the heedlefs fury with which thefe accumulated and unexam-e pled outrages were hurried on. Equally fruitlefs was the interference of the city of London, of Brifiol, and many where they fet upon another party of the inhabitants of commenced by the Britifh troops, have been fince profe- cuted by them without regard to faith or reputation. The inhabitants of Bofton being confined within that town by the. general their governor, and having, in order to pro. cure their difinillion, entered into a treaty with him, it. was iiipulated, that the find inhabitants having depofited their arms with their own magiitrates, fhould have liberty to depart, taking with them their other effects, They accordingly delivered up their arms, but in open violatioh of honour, in defiance of the obligation of treaties, which cvcn lavage nations el'teemed facred, the governor ordered the arms depoflted as aforefaid, that they miglt be pre- lerved for their owners, to be feized by a body of foldiers, detained the greatcf't part of the inhabitants 'in the town, other refpeé‘table towns, in our favour. Parliament adopted an infidious manoeuvre calculated to divide us, to eftablifh a perpetual auction of taxations where colony {hould bid and compelled the few who were permitted to retire, to leave their niof'l‘ valuable eficéts behind. againft colony, all of them uninformed what raiifom lhould bands, children from their parents, the aged and the lick redeem their lives; and thus to extort from us, at the point of the bayonet, the unknown fums that {houid be fufficient to gratify, if poffible to gratify, minifterial rapac1ty, from their relations and friends, who with to attend and comfort them; and thofe who have been ufcd to live in " BY this perfidy wives are feparated from their huf~ plenty and even elegance, are reduced to deplorable diilrefs. " 'l‘nu ‘ |