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Show [30] [37] the tendered, molt perihahvc language, and {he cannot {peak in vain. 'I‘ho' it was evident-as. the fun, that. the king and parliament of Great-Britain had determined never to lhcathe the fword, but upon the unconditional fubmifhon of America to the molt humiliating bondage ; yet, in a delirium of their former attachment, the Con~ qrels prepared another petition to the king, and another" addrefs to the people of. England. btrange as it may teem, it is neverthelels true, that notwithflanding all our In- terells Were clearly oppofed to the mealure, {till a con- nection with the people, and lhbjcetion to the {overeign of G mat-Britain, were confidered as the molt delirable ol human events : for it may truly be affirmed, that next to the love of liberty, loyalty to his prince, and love of his fellow fubjcéts, were the ruling palhons of an American? bofom. 'Il‘he prophetic language contained in this pen-tion and addrels is remarkable ; and altho' it was treated "QC/HINDI! .1 by our enemies with the fame contempt as our {oltmn pro fellions not to fubmit to their tyranny, yet now that, the. heat of the chafe being abated, a cool moment ol‘ re-~ fleetion pretl'es itlelf upon them, it is probable they will, when‘too late, give to both their {bare of credit. ()N the 8th of July, . 775, the petition was agreed on in the following words 2 " fife/3 graciyur Sowrrfgn, " WT}: your majeity's l‘ubjeé'ts of the colonies of New-Hampfhire, hi'laflachufetts-Bay, Rhode-Ifland, and Provi~ dence Plantations, Connecticut, New-York, New-Jerky, Pennl‘ylvania, the counties of Newcaftle, Kent and Suller on Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North-Carolina, and South-Carolina, in hehalr‘of ourfelves and the inhabitants of thefe colonies, who have deputed us to reprefent them in General Congrcfs, entreat your majetly's gracious at-- tention to this our humble petition. " THE union between our mother country and their: colonies, and the energy of mild and jult govm'nment, produced benefits to remarkably important, and aflordtd fuel] an aflhranee of their permanency and iiicreale, that the wonder and envy of other nations were excited, while they they beheld Great-Britain riiingfir to a power the molt ex~ traordinary the world had ever known. " HER rivals, ohirerving that there was no probability of this happy connexion being broken by civil dillcnlions, and apprehendinpr its future el'i't'cfs, if. left any longer rm" dilturbed, relblved to prevent her receiving lireh contin ual and formidable acceflions of wealth and thength, by checking the growth of thofe fettlements from which they were to he derivet. " IN the proliseution of this attempt, events {0 unfa- vourable to the defign took place, that every lriend to the interel't of Great~Britain and thelc colonies, entertained planting and reafonable expeé'tations of feeing an additional force and exertion immediately given to the operations of the union hitherto experienced, by an enlargement of the dominions of the crown, and the removal of ancient and Warlike enemies to a greater dillance. " AT the conelulion therefore. of the late war, the molt glorious and advantageous that ever had been carried on by Britiih a:m., your loyal colonilts having contributed to its fuccefs, by l‘uch repeated and firenuous exertions, as frequently procured them the diflirlguiflled approbation of your rnajelty, of the late king, and of parliament, doubted not but that they fhould be permitted, with the reft of the empire, to [bare in the blcflings of peace, and the emolu- ments of victory and conqueft. " WHILE thefe recent and honourable acknowledgements of their merits remained on record in the journals and acts of that augul't legiflature, the parliament, un- defaced by the imputation or even the fufpicion of any oH'ence, they were alarmed by a new fyllem of flatutes and regulations adopted for the adminiftration of the colonies, that filled their minds with the molt painful fans and jealoufies; and, to their inexpreflible altonifhment, perceived the danger of a foreign quarrel quickly fucceeded by domeflzic danger, in their judgment of a more dreadful kind. " NOR were there anxieties alleviated by any tendency in this {'yt'rcm to promote the welfare of their mother country. For though its elicits were more immediately felt by them, yet its influence appeared to he injurious to the commerce and prolperity of Great-Britain, \\ ‘4 7E |