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whole realm ; and in America it exceeds the joy of our most glorious military con-
quests. If these things will not rouse us, we must be dead to the most noble and best
feelings of humanity.
"... I conclude with some advices to my dear countrymen. Your concern
is great, universal, and, which is more, it is most just. I am an American born, and
and my all in this world is embarqu'd with yours ;
your distress, O my country ! My dear distressed country !
am deeply touched at heart for
for you I have wrote, for
you I daily pray and mourn, and to save your invaluable Rights and Freedom I would
willingly die. Forgive my lamenting tears—The dear Saviour himself wept over his
native country, doom'd to destruction, and they most justly ; but we May God
give us repentance and pardon for all our sins against his most blessed Majesty
But as to man, we appeal to our supream, righteous Judge—against the human band
whence these evils are coming have we never offended, and have no pardon to ask.
No, no, in this will we have comfort and triumph— if we perish, we perish being
innocent, and our blood will be required at their hands—but how to conduct ? The
wisdom of God hath told us ' The wise man's eyes are in his head ' ; shut not yours
to your danger, O my countrymen, lest your ruin be unavoidable. Yet be not rash,
lest you precipitate into violences, which can do no good, and which cannot be vindi-
cated. Do nothing to destroy your own, or betray the invaluable rights of your
posterity ; but every thing lawful and possible for the preservation of both. Do
nothing to sully or shade the memory of your noble spirited ancestors ; be virtuous,
be pious, and after their example secure the favor of God, in whom the fatherless
find mercy, and the helpless salvation. Be loyal, yet Free. Indulge not a thought that
our gracious King, or the British parliament, designed your slavery. No, impute all
these evils to the misinformations of a misguided M y, to which they are
undoubtedly owing. Yet be not decoyed and insnared into slavery by the speciory
and lovely names ' Better Security and Protection,' nor by the terrors of a temporary
stagnation of trade, and suspension of executive courts, which may display them-
selves to the imagination beyond what they may be felt, but at the worst can't com-
pare with Tyranny and perpetual slavery. Be frugal, be very industrious, use as
little as possible of any foreign manufactures. Your heavy debts and the necessity
of the present time absolutely require it. Yet make no sullen resolves to break off com-
fnerce with the mother country. No, rather determine, according to your ability, to
trade as free as ever, but on this condition, and upon this only, that the Sta?np Act be
repealed, and you can do it on equal terms, and not otherwise.
" Finally, Let all the governments and all the inhabitants of them unitedly
resolve to sacrifice our lives rather than be disloyal to our rightful King George III.,
342
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