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"We are accused of aiming at independence; but how is the accufation fupported By the allegation of your minifters, not by our actions. Abused, infulted, and contemned, what fteps have we pursued to obtain redrefs? We have carried our dutiful petitions to the throne: we have applied to your juftice for relief; we have retrenched our luxury, and withheld our trade.

"The advantages of our commerce were defigned as a compenfation for your protection: when you ceased to protect, for what were we to compenfate?

"What has been the fuccefs of our endeavours? The clemency of our fovereign is unhappily diverted; our petitions are treated with indignity; our prayers answered by infults. Our application to you remains unnoticed, and leaves us the melancholy apprehenfion of your wanting either the will or the powers to affift us. "Even under thefe circumstances, what measures have we taken that betray a defire of independence? Have we called in the aid of thofe foreign powers, who are the rivals of your grandeur? When your troops were few, and defence lefs, did we take advantage of their dif trefs, and expel them our towns? or have we permitted them to fortify, to receive new aid, and to acquire additional firength :

"Let not your enemies and ours perfuade you, that in this we were influenced by fear, or any other unworthy motive. The lives of Britons are still dear to us. They are the children of our parents; an uninterrupted intercourfe of mutual benefits had knit the bonds of friendship. When hoftilities were commenced, when on a late occasion we were wantonly attacked by your troops, though we repelled their affaults, and returned their blows, yet we lamented the wounds they oblig ed us to give, nor have we yet learned to rejoice at a victory over Englifhmen, "As we with not to colour our actions, or difguife our thoughts, we thall, in the fimple language of truth, avow the measures we have purfued, the motives upon which we have acted, and our future defigns.

"When our late petition to the throne produced no other effect than fresh injuries, and votes of your legiflature calculated to justify every feverity; when your fleets and your armies were prepared to wreft from us our property, to rob us of our liberties or our lives; when the hollile attempts of General Gage evinced his designs, we levied armies for ur fecurity and defence: when the pow

ers vetted in the Governor of Canada gave us reafon to apprehend danger from that quarter, and we had frequent intîmations that a cruel and savage enemy was to be let loofe upon the defenceless inhabitants of our frontiers, we took fuch measures as prudence dictated, as neceffity will juftify; we poffeffed ourfelves of Crown-Point, and Ticonderoga; yet give us leave moft folemnly to affure you, that we have not yet loft fight of the object we have ever had in view; a reconciliation with you on conftitutional principles, and a restoration of that friendly intercourfe, which, to the advantage of both, we till lately maintained.

"The inhabitants of this country apply themselves chiefly to agriculture and commerce. As their fashions and manners are fimilar to yours, your markets must afford them the conveniencies and luxuries for which they exchange the produce of their labours. The wealth of this extended continent centers with you, and our trade is fo regulated as to be fubfervient only to your interest. You are too reasonable to expect, that, by taxes (in addition to this) we fhould contribute to your expence; to believe, after diverting the fountain, that the ftreams can flow with unabated force.

"It has been faid, that we refufe to fubmit to the reftrictions on our commerce. From whence is this inference drawn ? Not from our words, we having repeatedly declared the contrary; and we again profefs our fubmiffion to the feveral acts of trade and navigation paffed before the year 1763, trufting, nevertheless, in the juftice and equity of parliament, that fuch of them as, upon cool and impartial confideration, shall appear to have impofed unneceffary or grievous restrictions, will, at fome happier period, be repealed or altered; and we chearfully confent to the operation of fuch acts of the British parliament as fhall be restrained to the regulation of our external commerce, for the purpofe of fecuring the commercial advantages of the whole empire to the mother country, and the commercial benefits of its respective members, excluding every idea of taxation, internal or external, for raifing a revenue on the fubjects in America, without their confent.

"It is alledged, that we contribute nothing to the common defence. To this we anfwer, that the advantages which Great Britain receives from the monopoly of our trade far exceeds our proportion of the expence necessary for that purpose. But, fhould these advantag

be inadequate thereto, let the restrictions on our trade be removed, and we will chearfully contribute fuch proportion, when conftitutionally required.

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It is a fundamental principle of the British conftitution, that every man fhould have, at least, a representative fhare in the formation of thofe laws by which he is bound. Were it otherwife, the regulation of our internal police by a British parliament, who are, and ever will be, unacquainted with our local circumftances, must be always inconvenient, and frequently oppreffive, working our wrong, without yielding any poffible advantage to you.

"A plan of accommodation (as it has been abfurdly called) has been propofed by your minifters to our respective affemblies. Were this propofal free from every other objection but that which arifes from the time of the offer, it would not be unexceptionable. Can men deliberate with the bayonet at their breaft? Can they treat with freedom while their towns are facked; when daily inftances of in-juftice and oppreffion disturb the flower operations of reafon ?

"If this propofal is really such as you fhould offer, and we accept, why was it delayed till the nation was put to useless expence, and we were reduced to our prefent melancholy fituation? If it holds forth nothing, why was it proposed? unlefs, indeed, to deceive you into a belief that we were unwilling to liften to any terms of accommodation. But, what is fubmitted to our confideration? We contend for the difpofal of our property: we are told that our demand is unreafonable; that our affemblies may indeed collect our money, but that they must, at the fame time, offer, not what your exigencies or ours may require, but fo much as thall be deemed fufficient to fatisfy the defires of a minifter, and enable him to provide for favourites and dependants (a recurrence to your own treafury will convince you how little of the money already extorted from us has been applied to the relief of your burthens.) To fuppofe that we would thus grafp the hadow, and give up the fubitance, is adding infult to injury.

We have, nevertheless, again prefented an humble and dutiful petition to our Sovereign; and, to remove every imputation of obftinacy, have requested his Majefty to direct fome mode by which the united applications of his faithful colonifts may be improved into a happy and permanent reconciliation. We are willing to treat on fuch terms as can alone

render an accommodation lafting; and we flatter ourselves, that our pacific endeavours will be attended with a removal of the troops, a repeal of those laws, of the operation of which we complain, on the one part, and a diffolution of our army and commercial affociations, on the other.

"Yet, conclude not from this, that we propofe to furrender our property into the hands of your miniftry, or vest your parliament with a power which may terminate in our deftruction. The great bulwarks of our conftitution we have de. fired to maintain by every temperate, by every peaceable means; but your miniflers, equal foes to British and American freedom, have added to their former oppreffions an attempt to reduce us by the fword to a bafe and abject fubmiffion. On the fword, therefore, we are compel led to rely for protection.-Should vic tory declare in your favour, yet men trained up to arms from their infancy, and animated by the love of liberty, will afford neither a cheap nor easy conqueft. Of this at least we are affured, that our Atruggle will be glorious, our fuccefs certain; fince even in death, we shall find that freedom which in life you forbid us to enjoy.

"Let us now afk what advantages are to attend our reduction? The trade of a ruined and defolate country is always inconfiderable; its revenue trifling; the expence of fubjecting and retaining it in fubjection certain and inevitable. What then remains but the gratification of an ill-judged pride, or the hope of rendering us fubfervient to defigns on your li berty.

"Soldiers who have fheathed their fwords in the bowels of their American brethren will not draw them with more reluctance against you; when too late you may lament the loss of that freedom, which we exhort you, while still in your power, to preserve.

"On the other hand, should you prove unfuccessful; fhould that connection which we moft ardently with to maintain be diffolved; fhould your minifters exhaust your treasures, waite the blood of your countrymen in vain attempts on our liberty; do they not deliver you weak and defenceless to your natural enemies?

"Since then your liberty must be the price of your victories, your ruin of your defeat, what blind fatality can urge you to a pursuit deftructive of all that Britons hold dear?

"If you have no regard to the connection that has for ages fubfifted between

us;

us; if you have forgot the wounds we received fighting by your fide for the extension of the empire; if our commerce is an object below your confideration; if justice and humanity have loft their influence on your hearts; ftill motives are not wanting to excite your indignation at the measures now purfued; your wealth, your honour, your liberty, are at ftake. "Notwithstanding the diftrefs to which we are reduced, we fometimes forget our own afflictions to anticipate and fympathize in yours. We grieve that rath and inconfiderate councils thould precipitate the deftruction of an empire, which has been the envy and admiration of ages; and call God to witness, that we would part with our property, endanger our lives, and facrifice every thing but liberty, to redeem you from ruin.

"A cloud hangs over your heads and ours; ere this reaches you, it may probably have burst upon us: let us then (before the remembrance of former kindnefs is obliterated) once more repeat those appellations which are ever grateful in our ears: let us entreat Heaven to avert our ruin, and the destruction that threat ens our friends, brethren, and countrymen on the other fide of the Atlantic. By order of the Congress,

JOHN HANCOCK, Prefident.
Attefted,

CHARLES THOMSON, Secretary. Philadelphia, July 8, 1775.

Notwithstanding the congreffional addrefs to the inhabitants of Canada, the English and French merchants at Montreal, in separate addreffes, unanimously requeft his Excellency, their Governor, to embody the militia of Quebec, and to appoint fuch officers for the protection of his Majefty's fubjects in that province as to his Excellency fhould feem expedient. In conformity to thefe addreffes, Gov. Carleton has fince iffued a proclamation,

only ordering all the militia of the ovince to be raised, but eftablishing martial law till fuch time as the public peace and tranquility fhall be restored.

Among other tranfactions, the Congrefs have appointed George Washington, Efq; of Virginia, Generaliffimo of the American forces.-When Oliver Cromwell was declared Generaliffimo of the Parliament army, in K. Charles I.'s time, he foon made himself master of the Government. And when the Prince of Orange was fet at the head of the Confederacy in the Netherlands, on the fep: ration of the United Provinces from Spain, he foon affumed the Stadholdership, which has ever fince been continued in his fa

mily. To obviate, perhaps, any fimilar apprehenfion, the Provincial Congress of New-York have addressed his Excellency, hoping, that whenever the important conteft fhall be decided by that fondest wifh of every American foul, an accommodation with the mother-country, he will chearfully refign the facred truft, and reaffume the character of their worthieft citizen. To this address the General returned a full and fatisfactory answer.

The Provincial Congress at South-Carolina lately addreffed his Excellency lord Wm. Campbell, their new Governor, in which addrefs, after reciting the grievances of the American fubjects, they account for the origin of the Continental Congrefs, and for that of their own exiftence. "These things, they fay, we have thought it our duty to declare, that your Excellency, and, through you, our auguft Sovereign, our fellow-fubjects, and the whole world, may clearly underderftand, that our taking up arms is the refult of dire neceffity, and in compliance with the first law of nature." They conclude with entreating his Excellency to make a favourable report of the state of the colony to his Majefty, &c.

To which his Excellency gave for anfwer, That he knew of no reprefentatives of the people except thofe conftitutionally convened in General Affembly,and fhould make no reprefentations to his Majefty but what should be strictly confittent with truth.

The Congress likewife with great folemnity appointed the 20th of July as a day of fatting, humiliation, and prayer, throughout the united Colonies, which has fince been moft religiously obferved.

On the 14th of June, his Honour Nicholas Cooke, Efq; Deputy Governor of Rhode-Ifland, fent a letter to Capt. Wallace, commander of his Majefty's fhip Rofe, in which, among other fpirited expreffions, are the following: In confequence of an act paffed by the General Affembly this day [June 14], I demand of you the reafon of your condu&t towards the inhabitants of this colony, in flopping and retaining their veffels; and I alfo demand of you, that you immediately restore the two packets belonging to fome inhabitants of the town of Providence, and all other veffels belonging to the inhabitants of this colony which you have taken and unjustly detain, &c. ́

To which letter Capt. Wallace fent as fpirited a note, that, not knowing the writer, but fuppofing him to act in behalf of fome body of people, previous to his returning an answer, he defired to know,

wheth

whether he, the letter-writer, and the people in whose behalf he wrote, were or were not in open rebellion to their lawful Sovereign, and the acts of the British legislature?

The Provincial Congrefs of South-Carolina have refolved to have no dealings with the inhabitants of Pool, they having fhewn themselves inimical to Ameri

ca.

The General Congrefs have voted the two acts paffed in the firft feffion of the prefent Parliament, commonly called the reftraining acts, unconstitutional, oppreffive, and cruel.

WH

By the King, a Proclamation for fuppref.
fing Rebellion and Sedition.
GEORGE R.
THEREAS many of our subjects
in divers parts of our colonies
and plantations in North-America, mif-
led by dangerous and ill-defigning men,
and forgetting the allegiance which they
owe to the power that has protected and
sustained them, after various diforderly
acts committed in difturbance of the pub-
lic peace, to the obftruction of lawful
commerce, and to the oppreffion of our
loyal fubjects carrying on the fame, have
at length proceeded to an open and a-
vowed rebellion, by arraying themselves
in hoftile manner to withstand the exe-
cution of the law, and traiteroufly pre-
paring, ordering, and levying war against
us; and whereas there is reafon to appre-
hend that fuch rebellion hath been much
promoted and encouraged by the traite-
rous correfpondence, counfels, and com-
fort of divers wicked and defperate per-
fons within this realm: to the end there-
fore that none of our fubjects may neglect
or violate their duty through ignorance
thereof, or through any doubt of the

POET
An Ode facred to the Memory of the late George
Faulkner, Efq; Alderman of the City of
Dublin.

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protection which the law will afford to their loyalty and zeal; we have thought fit, by and with the advice of our privycouncil, to iffue this our royal proclamation, hereby declaring that not only all our officers civil and military are obliged to exert their utmost endeavours to fupprefs fuch rebellion, and to bring the traitors to juftice; but that all our subjects of this realm, and the dominions thereunto belonging, are bound by law to be aiding and affifting in the fuppreffion of fuch rebellion, and to disclose and make known all traiterous confpiracies and attempts against us, our crown and dignity; and we do accordingly ftrictly charge and command all our officers, as well civil as military, and all other our obedient and loyal fubjects, to ufe their utmost endeavours to withstand and fupprefs fuch rebellion; and to difclose and make known all treasons and traiterous confpiracies, which they fhall know to be against us, our crown and dignity; and for that purpose that they tranfmit to one of our principal Secretaries of ftate, or other proper officer, due and full information of all perfons who fhall be found carrying on correfpondence with, or in any manner or degree aiding or abetting the perfons now in open arms and rebellion against our government, within any of our colonies and plantations in North-America, in order to bring to condign punishment the authors, perpetrators, and abettors of such traiterous defigns.

Given at our court at St. James's the twenty-third day of Auguft, one thoufand feven hundred and feventyfive, in the fifteenth year of our reign,

R Y.

GOD fave the King.

And spread a bright example round,
To children yet unborn;
Shall they be found

Without a pen to celebrate their worth,
And teach men to revere,

What is most amiable and dear,
The heart which gave those virtues birth ?
III.

Shall Faulkner die, and fhall the faithful mufe
Her tribute of just praise refuse
To the remembrance of the man,
In whom the milk of human nature flow'd
With an uninterrupted stream?

And whofe continual plan,
Was, all thofe gifts which Heav'n bestow'd,
With an unceafing bounty to diffufe.

IV.

The wealth which he from industry derived,
He never spent

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Corydon.

He was next, my fond Phillis, to thee;
His life was a fummer of love;

His fancy was easy and free,

And fhone like the profp. & above.

Not a tree on the plain but he lov'd,
He joy'd when the fond mother fung;
Not a branch in his life he remov'd,
For fear of disturbing their young.
Phyllis.
The fweets of the featon's perfume,
Were lovelier ftill in his lays;
Paftora was ever in bloom,

So fond was the nymph of his praife.

The beautiful tenants of May,
Rejoic'd when he courted the green;
His morning was lovely and gay,
His ev'ning was mild and ferene.
Corydon.

But fee the fad fhepherds appear,
The once happy fwains of the Tweed;
Ye feasons, come follow his bier,

For now you are mourners indeed.

Come play we his Withering Rofe,
The last of his elegant lays;
NOT E.

(a) See that favourite fong in his works.
September, 1775-

The pastoral current is froze,
His own can beft picture his praise.
Dublin.
W. HOLLAND P.

Prologue by the Rev. Dr. Langhorne, to the Tragedy of the Inflexible Captive, as it was acted at the Theatre-Royal at Bath. Writ ten by Mifs Hannah Moore,

DE

EEP in the bofom of departed days, Where the first gems of human glory blaze;

Where, crown'd with flowers, in wreaths immortal dreft,

The facred fhades of ancient virtue rest;
With joy they fearch, who joy can feel, to find
Some honeft reafon ftill to love mankind.
There the fair foundrefs of the scene to-night,
Explores the paths that dignify delight;
The Sybil fhe that leads us to the fhades.
The regions of the mighty dead pervades ;
O may each blaft of ruder breath forbear,
To waft her light leaves on the worthlefs air,
Since the, as heedlefs, ftrives not to maintain
This tender offspring of her teeming brain:
For this poor birth was no provifion made,
A flower that fprung, and languish'd in the
fhade.

On Avon's bank, forfaken and forlorn,
The carelefs mother left her elder born;
And tho' unlike what Avon hail'd of yore,
Thofe giant fons that Shakespeare's banners

bore,

Yet may we yield this little offspring grace,
And love the laft and leaft of fuch a race,
Shall the strong scenes, where Senatorial Rome,
Mourn'd o'er the rigour of her patriot's doom;
Where melting nature, aw'd by virtue's eye,
Hid the big drop, and held the bursting figh;
Where all that majefty of foul can give,
Truth, honour, pity, fair affection live;
Shall fcenes like thefe, the glory of an age,
Gleam from the prefs, nor triumph on the stage?
Forbid it, Britons and, as Romans brave,
Like Romans boast one Citizen to fave.

Epilogue by David Garrick, Efq;

WHA

THAT fon of phyfic, but his art extends, As well as hands, when called on by his friends?

What landlord is fo weak to make you faft,
When guests like you befpeak a good repait?
But weaker ftill where he whom fate has plac'd
To foothe your cares, and gratify your taste.
Should he neglect to bring before your eyes
Those dainty dramas which from genius rife
Whether your luxury be to fmile or weep,
His and your profits juft proportion keep.
To-night he brought, nor fears a due reward,
A Roman patriot by a female bard.
Britons who feel his flame, his worth will

rate,

}

No common fpirit his, no common fate, Inflexible and captive must be great. "How," cries a fucking fop, thus lounging, [noddling)

ftraddling,

(Whofe head fhews want of ballaft by its <l A woman write? Learn, madam, of your

betters,

And read a noble Lord's Pofthumous Letters. Сссс

There

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