Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat Paine, Elbridge Gerry : 1776. The declaration of congrefs is intended for their act of feparation from the crown of Great Britain: they therefore no longer regard that prudential state maxim, the king can do no wrong in his official character; but, in making their complaints, charge the specified grievances to majesty itself; by which they mean to juftify, in the fight of mankind, the renunciation of their former alle-giance. Thus has an event been produced, which was not had in contemplation by any of the colonies, or even by any delegate, fcarce by Mr. Samuel Adams, as what was fo foon to happen, when congrefs first met in the year 1774. When Lexington engagement had taken place, he and fome of his colleagues judged that the contest U 4 1776. contest must then iffue in independence, or flavery; and therefore labored to establish the firft, that the last might be prevented. But had a ferious propofal of feparating from the crown of Great Britain been early introduced into congrefs, the diffolution of that body would have followed, through the general averfion of the people at large and of particular colonies to fuch feparation. The Maffachusetts delegates had a very nice part to act. The fouthern colonies were jealous of their republican fpirit, and of their aiming at independency. These therefore, by a most prudent policy, fecured those of the Virginia delegates that verged toward republicanism, with whom they intrufted any favorite measure which they wanted to have carried; and who brought the same forward and fupported it in congrefs, against the other fouthern delegates, while their Maffachusetts brethren attended the debates without fhowing themfelves particularly interested, so that the jealousies of fuch as were most against it were not alarmed. They took occafion alfo, from the various occurrences that offered, gently to infuse their own fentiments into the minds of fuch as had before opposed them. Their wife procedure aided, on the one hand by certain trufty friends in congrefs, and on the other by the perfevering blundering politics of the British ministry, have under the direction of Providence produced Independency. It remains to be feen whether Providence will give to the fame an abiding establishment. The measure which congrefs have adopted, may be deemed by fome prefumptuous, confidering the weaknefs of their own army;-the ftrength of the British, affifted by a powerful navy;-and that they have not the leaft affurance of aid from any foreign power. But how how could it have been avoided? The people were ripe 1776. for it. Prudence dictated a compliance with their expectations and wishes. A disappointment might have disgusted, and produced disorder. The declaration may give confidence to the timid; and animate the friends of liberty to greater exertions. It may lead France to think that the Americans have resources more than are e known, and fo incline her to entertain the thought of giving them affistance: while it admits of their applying for the fame, with perfect confiftency as an independent people. They have nothing worse to apprehend from the declaration than before. The force destined to act against them proves, that, if poffible, they are to be reduced to unconditional fubmiffion; the declaration cannot add to the mifery of fuch fubmiffion. Befide, the quarrel is in fuch a ftage, that it cannot be ended with fafety to the inhabitants, but by their feparating from Great Britain, and becoming independent: any thing fhort of that must now prove a continual fource of diffenfion and wretchednefs. The members of congrefs have had it for fome time rung in their ears, "The middle way, the best, we fometime call, 8. This day at twelve o'clock, the declaration of inde- July pendence was proclaimed at the ftate houfe Philadelphia, amidst the greatest acclamations. The next day, 9. in confequence of general orders, it was read at the head of each brigade of the continental army at New York, and every where received with loud huzzas, and the utmost demonstrations of joy. The fame evening the equestrian statue of the king was laid proftrate on the ground. The lead of which it is made, is doomed to be 1776. be run into bullets. The New York congrefs have unanimoufly refolved, that they will at the rifk of their lives and fortunes, join with the other colonies in fupporting the declaration; and have authorized their delegates to adopt all fuch meafures as may be conducive to the happiness of the United States. The New Jersey convention having declared their late governor, William Franklin efq; a virulent enemy to the country, and a perfon who may prove dangerous, and who ought to be confined in fuch place and manner as congrefs may direct; congrefs have ordered him to be fent under guard to governor Trumbull of Connecticut, who is to admit him to his parole; but if he refuses to give it, he is to be fecured the fame as other prifoners. Matters are drawing on to fuch a crifis, that the next letter muft neceffarily contain very interefting intelligence. Aug. 14. L ORD Dunmore has at length quitted Virginia and joined the British forces. He arrived with lord Campbell and Sir Peter Parker off Staten Island. His lordship continued on the coafts, and in the rivers of Virginia, till the clofenefs and filth of the fmall veffels, in which the fugitives were crowded, together with the 1776. heat of the weather, the badness and fcarcity of water and provifions, produced the peftilential fever, which made great havock, efpecially among the negroes, many of whom were swept away. When at length every place was shut against him, and neither water nor provifions were to be obtained, but at the expence of blood, it was found neceffary, toward the beginning of August, to burn several of the smaller and leaft valuable veffels, to prevent their falling into the hands of the Americans, and to fend the remainder, amounting to between forty and fifty, with the exiled friends of government, to feek fhelter in Florida, Bermudas, and the Weft Indies; a great number of negroes were fent at the fame time to the laft of thefe places for fale. The Virginians loft about 1000 of them in the whole, including those who were killed or died while attached to his lordship's fervice. Thus have ended the hopes entertained of fuppreffing the oppofition to government in Virginia by employing the negroes-a meafure which being rather invidious than powerful, tended infinitely to inflame the difcontents of the people without adding to the strength of the royal arms. The New Jersey congrefs were fo irritated by the plot for deftroying the American army, that they used the utmost dispatch in forming their constitution, and finished it by the second of July. Though they knew that the fubject of independence was before the continental congrefs, and that these were upon the point of declaring the United Colonies independent: and though they had empowered their own delegates to join in the declaration, yet that not being made at the time, they clofed with faying, "provided always, July 2. |