The Connecticut courant and Hartford weekly intelligencer — Hartford, Conn., 1774-09-19 00:00:00, page 2

of right; I only confider it as matter of experimtnt;
tor surely the art of government itfelf is founded on
experience. I need not fugged what were the con
lequences of this change of measures. The evils
produced by it were such as we dill remember and
dill feel. We fuffered more by our loss of trade
with them, than the wealth flowing in from India
was able to recompence. The bankruptcy of the
Efift-India company, may be fufficiently accounted
ror by the rapine abroad and the knavery at home ;
but it certainly would have been delayed feme years,
had we continued our commerce with them in the
Angle article of tea. But that and many other bran
ches of trade have been diverted into otner channels,
and may probably never return intire to their old
coune. But what is worst of all, we have 101 l their
confidence and friendlhip we have ignorantly un
dermined the meft solid foundation of our own
power.
In order to observe the ftrifteft impartiality, it is
but just for us to enquire v/hat we have gained by
these taxes as well as what we have loft. lam al
lured that out of all the sums railed in America the
last year but one, if the eypences are deducted, which
the natives would elie have difeharged themfelves^
the net revenue paid i^to the Treasury to go in aid
of the finking fund, qs to be employed in whatever
public services parliament shall think fit, is eighty
five pounds. Eighty five pounds, my Lords, is the
whole equivalent, we have received for all the hatred
and mifehief, and ail the infinite losses this kingdom
has fuffered during that year in her disputes with N.
America. Money that is earned so dearly as this,
ought to be expended with great wisdom and ceco
'•nomy. My Lords, were you to take up but one
thousand pounds more from North-America upon
7the fame terms, the nation itfelf would be a bank-
Tupt. But the mod amazing and the most alarming
‘Jcircuttiftance is still behind. It is that our case is so
incurable, that all this experience has made no im
preftion upon us. And yet, my Lords, if you could
but keep these fails, which I have ventured to lay
before you, for a few moments in your minds, (fop
pefing your right of taxation to be niver so clear)
yet I think you mult necessarily perceive that itcan
rjot be exercised in any manner that can be advan
tageous toourlelves or them. We have not always
the wisdom to tax ourselves with propriety ; and I
am confident we could never tax a people at that
distance, without infinite blunders, and infinite op
preflion. And to own the truth, my Lords, we are
not honest enough to trust ourselves with the power
of fhifung our own burthens upon them. Allow
me, therefore, to conclude, I think, unanfwerably,
that the inconvenience and distress We have felt in
this change of our conduct, no less than the case and
tranquility we formerly found in the pursuit of it,
will force us, if we have any sense left, to return to
the gcou old path we trod in so long, and found it
the way of pleasantness.
I deiire to have it understood, that I amoppofing
no rights that our legislature may think proper to
claim : lam only comparing two different methods
of government. By your old rational and generous
administration, by treating the Americans as your
friends^ and fellow-citizens, made them the hap
piest or human kind ; and at the fame time drew
from them, by commerce, more real profit than
Spain has drawn from all its mines ; and their grow
ing numbers were a daily-increasing addition to
your ftrengtn. 1 here was no room for improve
ment or alteration in so noble a fyfte m of policy as
this. It was fanftified by time, by experience, by
public utility. I will venture to use a bold lan
guage, my Lords ; I will afiert that if we had un
iformly adopted this equitable administration in all
our diflant provinces as far as circumflances would
admit, it would have placed this country, forages,
at the head of human affairs in every quarter of the
world. . My Lords, this is no visionary or chimerical
doftrine.j Ihe idea of governing provinces and
colonies by force is visionary and chimerical. The
expe.ime.it has often been tried, and it has never
fuccececd. It ends infallibly in the ruin of the one
cou .T; er tne other, or in the last degree of wretch
ed ne ft.
1 ■ 3ny truth, my Lords, in what I have
said. and I most firmly believe it all to be true ; let
me if' ommettdit to you to resume thatgenerous’and
benevolent ipirit in the difeuffion of our differences,
which ufod to be the source of our union. We cer
tmnly cjd wrong in taxing them : When the ftamp
t w r repealed, we did wrong in laying on other
taxes, which tended only to keep alive a claim, that
w.is mifchjevous, impracticable and useless. We
aTed contrary to our own principles of liberty, and
to the generous sentiments of our sovereign, when
we den-e i to have their judges dependant on the
crown for their fbpen Is as well as theft continuance.
It was equally unwise to wilh to make the gover
nors independent of the people for their salaries.
We ought to confider the governors, not as spies in
trulbd wire the management of our interest, but as
servants of the people, recommended to them by us.
Our ears ought to be open to every complaint a
gainft the governors ; but we ought not to fuffer the
governors to complain of the people. We have ta
ken a different method, to which no (mail part of
our difficulties are owing. Our ears have been open
to the governors, and shut to the people. This m uft
necessarily lead us to countenance the jobs of intcr
efted men, under the pretence of defending the
rights of the crown. But the people.are certainly
the belt judges whether they are wellgoverned ; and
the crown can have no rights inconsistent with the
happiness of the people.
Now, my Lords, we ought to do what I have fug.
gelled, and many things more, out of prudence and
justice, towin their affeftion, and to do them pub
lic service. If we have a right to govern them, let
us exert it for the true ends of government. But,
my Lords, what we ought to do, from motives of
reason and justice, is much more than is fofficient to
bring them to a reasonable accommedation. For
thus, as I apprehend, stands the case. They petition
for the repeal of an aft of parliament, which they
complain of as unjust and oppressive.
(Th<e last Page contains the Remainder,)
And Whereas this Meeting is informed, that
great Quantities of Englilh and India Goods are or
dered by sundry sordid and Avaricious Men in cur
neighbouring Colonies, to be purchased in Englanjl
and imported this fall ; to give them an unreasona
ble Advantage, and prevent the Effeftofa Non
importation Agreement.
Resolved, That such mercenary Wretches,
whose Avarice can seek for Gratification in the Dis
tress and Ruin of their Country, are wholly unwor
thy of our Confidence, Friendlhip or Support. And
that our Non-Consumption Agreement maybe ufe
ful to any good Purpose ; we will not purchase any
Merchandize of them, or tranfaft any Bufiuefs for
them, or fuffer ;hem to tranfaft any for us, but will
wholly withdraw from them, and leave them to the
Consolation of poffefling and contemplating the cu
rious Monuments of Britilh Industry, and American
Slavery, which they fhail so greedily aniafs to them
selves for such sordid or wicked Purposes, and Ihall
confider in the fame Light, and treat in the fame
Manner, every Person that Ihall Purchase any Goods
of them, or do bulinefs' for them, or employ them
in their Bulinefs.
Resolved, That the Committees of Correspon
dence for the several Towns we represent be desired
to make diligent Enquiry after the Persons who have
ordered Go«ds as aforefaid, and inform the next
County or Colony Meeting of what thev fhail dis
cover, that their Names may be published, theft
conduft exposed, and their Persons avoided.’
Resolved, That if any Merchant or Traderm
the Towns aforefaid, Ihall attempt to eng toss an
great and unufnal Quantities oFGoods, witKDcfif 'n
to foreftal and elude aNon-Importation Agreement
we will find Ways and Means, without violating
private Rights, to defeat his Views, and make^him
sensible that. Virtue and public Spirit will be nw e
for his Interest than low Selfilhnefs and Avar? e
can be.
C O N N E C T I c~ U T.
AT a Meeting of the Delegates from the Towns in the
Counties of Hartford, New-London, and Windham,
and part of the County of Litchfield, held at Hartford,
on the x^th Duy of September, 177^.
‘ HIS Meeting taking into Consideration the
X absolute Neceflity of a Non-Consumption
Agreement entered into by the Consumers, to sup
port and render permanent any Non-Importation
Agreement that may be recommended by the Gene
neral Congress of Delegates from all the free Britilh
Colonies in America, now convened at Philadel
phia ; and also that their Opinion therecu hath not
been yet fully made known to the Delegates from
this Colony, in said Congress : do Declare and Re
solve, that in Case said General Congress fhail re
commend a Non-Importation Agreement of Britilh
Goods alone, or of Britifli and Weft-India Goods, we
will enter into a solemn Contrast and Agreement
not to purchase or consume any Articles that fhail
be prohibited by fuchNon-Importation Agreement,
and will use our utmost Endeavour to render the
fame general and effeftual; and do hereby make
known, that we have in general been allured by the
Towns we represent, that they will adopt and ob
serve such Non-Consumption agreement asisafore
faid.
These Measures, dictated by Neceflity, we enter
upon for the Preservation of our Liberties, which
we have received from our Creator, and may not
resign or fuffer to be raviflied from us. At the
Time, it is the warmest Wilh of our Hearts, that the
Wisdom and Equity of the Britilh Parliament may
relieve us from our Fears and Danger, and we may
once more, and forever look up to our Parent Coun
try with Confidence and Plcafure; and, secure of
our own Rights, contribute all in our Power to pre
mote the Honor, Interest, and Happiness of our
exder Brethren in Great-Britain, And,
Whereas we cannot yet be advised what Mea
sures the General Congress will recommend, and
therefore are unable at Pref^nt to adjufl .rhe' Parti
culars of a Non-Consumption Agreement*— We
think it may be cf Use to the Merchants and Tra
ders in the aforefaid Towns, to be made acquainted
with our Rcfolutions aforefaid, and that vve deter
mine in proper 1 ime, to carry them into Execution
Resolved, That the Thanks of this Meeting be
given to the Committee of Correspondence for the
Town.of Hartford, for theft Care and Attention to
the Inteieft of the Public in calling the Meeci-n'
and that they be desired to call a Colony Meetino
at.a fuitableTime and Place, to finifh theßufmefs
now begun and entered upon ; taking the Advice
of the Committees of Correspondence for the Towns
of Windsor, Wethersfield and Middletown, therein
The foregoing Rcfolutions and Resolves, Voted’
and palfed Nemine Contradicente. Test
Samuel Wyllys,!,^ ffaid Meeting.
Arcport leingjpread among the people of the Tsanv cf
Farmington, that Mr. fasms. Nichols, an etiicc^Me
clergyman for the diftritt ts Nensj-Cambridge and Nor h
bury, had advancedfentiments andprinciples centray to
the current opinion of BritiJN Americans, tending to fub
wrt the rights of mankind in ge>m aD-Wherer^cn about
-hundredpatriotic gentlemen, on Monday last, waited
cnjaid Mr. Nichols, and after fame confiderabU comuer-
Jat ion, the following instrument wasfreely come into, fib-
Jfibed and read by J aid Nichols, which was asotedf idly
fatisfadiory by the gentlemen then present. Smd y
perJons having ofended in matters cf the fame permcicus
tendency, or. t toe Jame day duly humbled themjelws,
engaged to beha-ve themjelves less oftenfive for the future ;
after which the gentlemen colledied upon that occajion dif
perjed without noije or tumult, the whole being conducted
with great decorum and unanimity.
1 James Nichols of Farmington, in the county of
Hartford, do believe the principles and lend-,
monts con mined in the declaration of ri> fits adopt
ed and palled in the hon. house of representatives of
this colony, at their sessions at Hartfordfn May laid
be fully vindicated by the laws of GOD and the
Englilh cohftitution. And Ido herebv, wirheut
any equivocation, or mental reservation, 'adopt the
fame as containing the sum of my belief, on thop
important fubjefts. And whereas there was a pnb-
Ire proclamation issued by his Honor GovSnor
Trumbull (by the advice of the Hon. General Affem -
bly of this colony, at their sessions aforefaid) en
joining and requiring the good people of this co
lony to observe the thirty firfl day of April last past
as a day of public lading and prayer throughout thin
colony.---And whereas I, in the charafter of an
episcopal clergyman, had one of said prodamatieni
lent to me, and after reading part of the fame in
the hearingoi the people under my charge • I then
informed them I could not officiate or perform di
vine service on said day on account of some fcrupft
of conference relative to some clauses contained in
laid proclamation. And tho’ I then afted agreablc
to my conscience, am now, upon receiving further
light upon the fubieft, fully convinced of the impro
prietyand general bad consequences of my conduft
m vhat particular j for which, as well as for my
criminal ignorance, which was the faulty cause o c
my unwarrantable contempt of said proclamation 1
and day of fading and prayer as aforefaid, I take
this opportunity, freely, voluntarily and fincerelv
to humble myfelf before this people, begging thei r
fbrgivenefs, and of all others who are concerned or
mterefted, or who may be injured by such mv
conduft and behaviour, or by any expressions ofmirr
which at any time have been used tending to incul
cate arbitrary and difpotic notions of governm.en:
dangerous at all times, but more efpeciallv so in
the present distressed situation of public affa'irs reft
tivc to Ameiica, promising never hereafter to do
any thing contrary to the inclinations and purfrr
of the body of the people, provided -such purfoiis
and inclinations are not contrary to the laws of God.
And further proinifing to be more diligent and in
quisitive to obtain a competency of political linow
ledge, tiiat so I may avoid inch unwarrantable
blunders in future as I have heretofore committed.
And further promising upon all occasions, to treat
with the utmost tenderness, the charafters of each
individual oi tnis company, as Bell as the company
itfelf in its colleftive capacity.—And hftiv pro
mising never hereafter, either in public or m pri
vate conversations, direftly or indireftly, ot onh, or
in fecretmuendo’s, to endeavour to propagate arb'-
trary principles a^ongft my pariihionerf, or others
calculated to fob vert the rights of mankind in gal
neral, or of Britifli Americans in particular,
nz&fept. 1774- James Nichols.
Mr. Watson,
Plcaje to Insert 'tHe following Paragraph, which you may
fndin the Spediator, sjb Volume, x fth Par/, which
at this Time, is parell lto cur Case.
lIFERTY, should reach every Individual of a
,- A as £ key all share one common Nato re.
I± -l omy ; pieads among particular Branches there
had better be none at all, since such Libertv only
aggravates the Misfortune of ehofe who are deprived
efit, by setting before them a difagreeabie Sebjeft
cf Comparifoe.
A Friend te general Liberjv.