OCR Text |
Show E 35 ] [34] " THE general, further emulating his minif'rerial mafters, by a proclamation hearing date on the 12th dayof June, after venting the grolfeft falfehoods and calumnres againlt the good people of thefe colonies, proceeds to " declare them all, either by name or defcription, to be " rebels and traitors, to fupcrfede the courfe of the corn- " mon law, and inltead thereof to publifh and order the His troops have butchered our countrymen, have wantonly burnt Charlestown, belides a conliderable number of houfes in other " LEST this declaration fhould difquiet the minds of our friends and fellow fubjcets in any part of the empire, places; our {hips and vellels are feized; the necell‘ary fupplies of provilions are intercepted, and he is exerting his utmof't power to fpread deltruétion and devallation around him. " WE have received certain intelligence, that general Carleton, the governor of Canada, is mitigating the people llQClIl/HDU NH! hazard, with unabating lirmnefs and peril-verance, employ for the prefervzttion ofour liberties ; being with one mind refolved to die freemen rather than to live flares. " ufe and exercifc of the law martial." 4.: mating rcllec'l'ions, we molt folemnly, before God and the World, DECLARE, that, exerting the utmot'l energy of thofe powers, which our benelicent Creator hath graci~ oufly bellowed upon us, the arms we have been compelled by our enemies to afiizz‘zie, we will, in defiance of every We allure them that we mean not to diliolve that union which has to long and f0 happily fublifled between us, and which we {incerely wifh to fee rellored. Neceffity has not yet driven us into that dcfperate meafure, or induced us to excite any other nation to war againfl' them. Vie have not raifed armies with ambitious deligns of fcparating from of that province, and the Indians, to fall upon us ; and Great-Britain, and cflablilbing independent flutes. we have but too much rcafon to apprehend, that fchemes fight not for glory or for conquell, We We exhibit to man- have been formed to excite domel'ric enemies againft us. kind the remarkable fpee‘tacle of a people attacked by In brief, a part of thefe colonies now feel, and all of them unprovoked enemies, without any imputation or even are furc of feeling, as far as the vengeance of adminiltration can inflict them, the complicated calamities of fire, fword, fufpicion of offence. 37er boaft of their privileges and civilization, and yet profer no milder conditions than and famine. fervitude or death. We are reduced to the alternative of chufing an unconditional fubmilfron to the tyranny of irritated minillers, or rclillance by force. The latter is our choice. We have counted the col": of this contef'r, and find nothing to dreadful as voluntary llavery. Honour, juflice, and hu‘ manity, forbid us tamely to furrcnder that freedom which we receide from our gallant anccttors, and which our innocent pollcrity have a right to receive from us. We cannot endure the infamy and guilt ofreligning fuccceding generations to that wretchcdnefs which inevitably awaits " IN our own native land, in defence of the freedom that is our birth-right, and which we ever enjoyed till the late violation of it---for the proteetion of our property, acquired folely by the honef't induflry of our fore-fathers and ourfelvcs, againf't violence actually offered, we have taken up arms. We {hall lay them down when hoflrlitres {hall ceafe on the part of the aggreffors, and all danger of their being renewed {hall be removed, and not before. "i WITH an humble confidence in the mercies of the them, if we barely entail hereditary bondage upon them." fupreme and impartial judge and ruler of the univerfe, we " OUR caufe is jull. Our union is perfec‘l‘. Our internal refources are great, and, if neceffary, foreign ailiflance is undoubtedly attainable. We gratefully acknowledge, as lignal inllances of the Divine favour to- wards us, that his Providence would not permit us to be called into this fevere controverfy, until we were grown up to our prefent flrength, had been previoufly exercifed in warlike operation, and pollbllcd of the means of de- mofl devoutly implore his divine goodnefs to proteét us happily through this great conflic‘l, to difpole our adver- lending ourfelves. ' With hearts fortified With there animating faries to reconciliation on reafonable terms, and thereby to relieve the empire from the calamities of civil war." WHERE the afi'eélions of mankind are deeply interelled, they are not eafily prevailed on to relrnqurfh the objeét. Reafon in vain oppofes her feeble barrier to the torrent of pailion. Nature will be heard : fhe {peaks to the heart in E 2 the |