Dunlap's Pennsylvania packet , The general advertiser — Philadelphia, Pa., 1774-11-07 00:00:00, page 2

be fufyended, and thousands reduced to the necef
iity of gaining fill finance from charity, till they
fuould Submit to pass under the yoke, and content
to become 41 ives, by confefling the omnipotence of
1' irliament, and acquiescing in whatever aiipoution
they might think proper to make of their lives and
poperty.
Let justice and humanity cease to he the boast of
your nation ! Consult your history, examine your
records of former t,anfaftions, nay turn to the an
nals ofthe many arbitrary Rates and kingdoms that
surround you, and (hew us a single instance of men
b dug condemned to fuffer for imputed crimes, un
heard, unquestioned, and without even the Specious
formality of a trial; and that too by lavs made ex
pressly for the purpose, and which had no exigence
at the time of the fact committed. If it be difficult
to reconcile these proceedings to the genius and
temper of your laws and constitution, the talk will
become more arduous when we call upon our mi
ndterial enemies to juftify, not only condemning
men untried and by hearsay, but involving the in
nocent in one common punishment with the guilty,
mid for the act of thirty or forty, to bring pover
ty, distress and calamity on thirty thousand fouls,
and those not vour enemies, but your friends, bre
thren, and fc/N Subjects.
It would be some consolation to us, if the cata
logue of American oppreffi ms ended here. It
gives us pain to be reduced to the necessity of re
minding you, that under the confidence reposed in
tlie faith of government, pledged in a royal charter
from a British Sovereign, the fore fathers of the
present inhabitants of the Maffaebufetts- Bay left
their former habitations, and established that great,
^nd reduce us to a date of perfect humiliation and
Slavery. Such an enterprize would doubtless make
feme addition to your national debt, which already
piaffes down your liberties, and fills you wit i pen
finders and placemen.—We prefame, alio, that
your commerce will fotnewhat be diminished.
However, suppose you Should prove victorious—in
what condition will you then be? What advanta
ges or what laurels will you reap from such a con
quest ?
May not a ministry with the fame armies inflave
you — it may be laid, you will cease to pay them—
but remember the taxes from America, the wealth,
and we may add the men, and particuu r the
Roman Catholics of this vast continent will then be
in the power of your enemies—-nor will you have
any reason to exped, that after making flares of us,
many among us should refufe to affiftin reducing
you to the fame abje& State.
Do not treat this as chimerical---Know that in
lets than half a century, the quitrents reserved to
the crown, from the numberless grants of this vast
continent, will pour large dreams of wealth into
the royal coffers, ^nd if to this be added the power
of taxing America at pleasure, the crown will be
rendered independent on you for supplies, and will
possess more treasure than may be necessary to pur
chase the reclaim o, liberty in your island.---In a
word, take care that you do not fall into the pit
that is preparing for us.
We believe there is yet much virtue, much jus
tice, and much public spirit in the English nation
---To that justice we now appeal. You have been
told that we are Seditious, impatient of government,
and desirous of independency. Be assured that
these are not fa&s but calumnies---Permit us to be
as free as yourselves, and we (ball ever esteem a
union with you to be our greatest glory and our
greatest happiness, we shall ever be ready to contri
bute all in our power to the welfare of the empire---
we shall confider your enemies as our enemies, and
your interest as our own.
But if you are determined th,t your ministers
shall wantonly (port with the rights of mankind-—
if neither rhe voice of justice, the dictates of the
law, the principles of the constitution, or the Sug
gestions of humanity can restrain your hands from
flourishing, aid loyal colony. Without incurring
or bei ig charged with a forfeiture of their rights,
without being heard, without being tried, without
law, and without justice, by an a& of Parliament
their charter is destroyed, their liberties violated,
theii c nftitution and form of government changed :
And ail this upon no better pretence, than because
in one of their towns a trespass was committed on
some merchandize, said to belong to one of the
companies, and because the ministry were of opini
on that fu h high political regulations were necessa
ry to compel due subordination and obedience to
their mandates.
Nor are these the only capital grievances under
widen we labour. We might tell of dissolute, weak
and wicked Governors having been set over us ; of
legislatures being suspended for asserting the rights
of British fubjefts >f needy and ignorant depen
dents on great men, advanced to the feats of justice
and to other places of trust and importance ; —of
hard restrictions on commerce, and a great variety
of ieffer evils, the recollection of which is almost
loft under the weight and pressure of greater and
more poignant calamities.
Now mark the progression of the minißerial plan
for inflaving us.
Well aware that such hardy attempts to take our
property from us; to deprive us of that valuable
right of trial by jury; to Seize our persons, and
carry us for trial to Great-Britain; to blockade our
ports; to destroy our charters, and change our
forms of government, would occasion, and had al
ready occano. ' ?at discontent in all thecolonies,
which mightproduc. ofition to these measures:
An aft was puffed to proo. indemnify, and screen
from punishment such as m. be guilty even of
murder, in endeavouring to c<. ^ their oppressive
edifts into execution ; and by another aft the do
minion of Canada is to be so extended, modelled,
and governed, as that by being disunited from us,
detached from our interests, by civil as well as reli
fjous prejudices, that by their numbers daily level
ing with Catholic emigrants from Europe, and by
their devotion to administration, so friendly to their
religion, they might become formidable to us, and,
on occasion, be fit instruments in the hands of pow
er, to reducethe ancient free Protestant Colonies to
the fame ftate'of Slavery with themselves.
This was evidently the object of the aft : —And
in this view, being extremely dangerous to our li
berty and quiet, we cannot forbear complaining of
it, as hostile to British America.—Superadded to
these confidei ations, we cannot help deploring the
unhappy condition to which it has reduced the ma
ny English settlers, who, encouraged by the Royal
Proclamation, promising the enjoyment of all their
rights, have purchased eßates in that country
They are r.cw the Subjects of an arbitrary govern
ment, deprived of trial by jury, and when impri
soned cannot claim the benefit of the habeas corpus
aft, that great bulwark and palladium of Englifli
liberty :—Nor can we suppress our attonishment
that a British Parliament (hould ever content to
establish in that country a religion that has deluged
your island in blood, and dii'perfed impiety, bigot
ry, persecution, murder and rebellion, through
every part of the world.
This being a true Rate of fa&s, let us beseech
you to confider to wnat end they I ad.
Admit that the ministry, by the powers of Great-
Britain, and the aid of our R >min Catholic neigh
bours, Should be able to c mry the point ortaxation,
Shedding human blood in such an impious cause, we
must then tell you, that we never will Submit to be
hewers of wood or drawers of water for any minis
try or nation in the world.
Place us in the fame situation that we were at the
close of the laR war, and our former harmony will
be restored.
Soon after the conclusion of the late war, there
commenc'd a memorable change in the treatment
of these colonies. By a statute made in the fourth
year of the present reign, a time of profound peace,
alledging, “ the expediency of new provisions and
regulations for extending the commerce between
Great Biitain and his Majesty's dominions in Ame
rica, and the neceflity of raping a revenue in the said
dominions for defraying the expences of defending,
protesting and securing the fame," the Commons \f
Great Britain undertook to give and grant to his
Majesty many rates and duties, to be paid in these
Colonies. To enforce the observance of this act,
it prescribes a great number of severe penalties and
forfeitures ; and in two fe&ions makes a remakable
distinction between the fubje&s in Great-Britain
and those in America. By the one the penalties
and forfeitures incurred there are to be recovered
in any of the King's Courts of Record at W'efmin
fer, or in the Court of Exchequer in Scotland ; and
by the other, the penalties and forfeitures incurred
here are to be recovered in any Court of Admiralty
or Kice Admiralty, at the election of the informer or
prosecutor.
But left the fame supineness and the fame inat
tention to our common interest, which you have
for Several years Shewn, Should continue, we think
it prudent to anticipate the consequences.
By tiie destruction of thetrade of Boftbn, the mi
nistry have endeavoured to induce fubmißion to
their measures. The like fate may befal us all;
we will endeavour therefore to live without trade,
and recur for fubfiftance to the fertility and boun
ty of our native foil, which will afford us all the
neceßaries and some ofthe conveniencies of life.—
We have suspended our importation from Great-
Britain and Ireland; and in less than a year's time,
unless our grievances Should be redrefled, Shall dis
continue our exports to thole kingdoms and the
Weft-Indies.
In every case of opposition by a people to their
rulers, or of one ftat^to another, duty to Almighty
God, the creator of all, requires that a true and
impartial judgment be formed of the measures lead
ing to such opposition ; and of the causes by which
it has been provoked, or can in any degree be jufti
fied , that neither affection on the one hand, nor
resentment on the other, being permitted to give
a wrong biafs to reason, it may be enabled to take
a dispassionate view of all the circumstances, and
fettle £he public conduct on the solid foundation of
wisdom and justice.
From councils thus tempered arise the surest
hopes of the divine favour, the firmeft encourage
ment to the parties engaged and the strongest re
commendation of their cause to the rest of mankind.
The inhabitants of these Colonies confiding in
the justice of Great-Britain, were scarcely allowed
fufficient time to receive and confider this act, before
another, well known by the name of the Stamp aft,
- id puffed in the fi?th year of this reign, engrossed
the', whole attention. By this statute the British
Parliament exercised in the most explicit manner a
power of taxing us, and extending the jurisdiction
of Courts of Admiralty and rice Admiralty in the
Colonies, to matters arising within the body of a
county, directed the numerous penalties and for
feitures, thereby inflicted, to be recovered in the
said Courts.
With minds deeply impressed by a sense of these
truths, we have diligently, deliberately and calmly
enquired into and considered those exertions, both
of rhe legislative and executive power of Great
Britain, which have excited much uneasiness in
America, and have with equal fidelity and atten
tion considered the conduct of the Colonies. Upon
the whole, we find ourselves reduced to the disa
greeable alternative, of being Silent and betraying
the innocent, or of Speaking out and censuring
those we with to revere.—ln making our choice of
these diftieffing difficulties, we prefer the course
didated by honesty, and a regard for the welfare
of our country.
It is with the utmost regret, however, that we
find ourselves compelled by the overruling princi
ples of felf-preservation, to adopt measures, detri
mental in their consequences to numbers of our fel
low-fubje&s in Great-Britain and Ireland. But we
hope, that the magnanimity and justice of the Bri
tish nation will furnifh a Parliament of such wisdom,
independance and public Spirit, as may save the vi
olated rights of the whole empire, from the devices
of wicked ministers and evil counfellors, whether
in or out of office, and thereby restore that harmo
ny, friendship and fraternal affection between all
the inhabitants of his Majesty's kingdoms and terri
tories, so ardently wished for by every true and ho
nest American.
WE the Delegates appointed by the good
people of the above colonies to meet at
Philadelphia in September last, for the purposes
mentioned by our refpe&ive constituents, have in
purfiance to the trust reposed in us, assembled and
taken into our most Serious consideration the im
portant matters recommended to the Congress.
Our resolutions thereupon willfoe herewith commu
nicated to you. But as the Situation of public af
fairs grows daily more and more alarming ; and
as it may be more fatisfa&ory to you to be inform
ed by us in a collective body, than in any other
manner, of those sentiments that have been approv
ed, upon a full and free difeuffion by the Repre
sentatives of so great a part of America, we esteem
ourselves obliged to add this addrels to these reso
lutions.
To the Inhabitants of the Colonies of New-
Hamfore, Massachusetts Bay, Rhode-Inland and
Providence Plantations, Connecticut, New-York,
Necu-Jerfy, Pennsylvania, the counties of New
caflle, Kent and Sussex on Delaware, Maryland,
Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina.
In the fame year a tax was imposed upon us, by
an aCt, establishing Several new fees in the customs.
In the next year the Stamp aCt was repealed ; not
because it was founded in an erroneous principle,
but, as the repealing a& recites, because “ the con
tinuance thereof would be attended with many in
conveniencies, and might be productive of conse
quence greatly detrimental to the commercial in
terest of Great Britain."
In the fame year, and by a subsequent aft, it was
declared, “ thrt his Majesty, in Parliament, of
" right, bad power to bind the people of these Co
" lonics by Statutes IN all cases whatsoever."
In the fame year anothei aft was puffed, for im
posing rates and duties payable in these colonies.
In this statute the Commons avoiding the terms of
giving and granting “ humbly besought his Majesty
that it might be enacted, &c." But from a decla
ration in the preamble, that the rates and duties
were “in lieu of" several others granted by the
statute firSt before mentioned for railing a revenue
and from some other expressions it appears, that
these duties were intended for .bat purpose.
Friends and Fellow Countrymen,
In the next year (1767) an ad was made " to
enable his Majesty to put the cuttoms and other
duties in America under the management of Com
miflior ers, &c." and the King thereupon erected
the present expenlive Board of Commiffiohers, for
the express purpose of carrying into execution the
several a&s relating to the revenue and trade in
America.
This conduct must appear equally astonishing and
unjustifiable, when it is considered how unprovoked
it has beez by any behaviour of these Colonies.
From their firft settlement, their bitterest enemies
never fixed on any of them a charge of disloyalty to
their Sovereign or difaffedion to their Mother
Country. In the wars She has carried on, they have
exerted themselves whenever required, in giving
her assistance ; and have rendered her services,
which die has publicly acknowledged to be extreme
ly important. Their fidelity, duty and ufefulnefs
during the last war, were frequently and affection
ately confeffed by his late Majesty and the present
King.
The reproaches of those, who are most unfriend
ly to the freedom of America, are principally le
velled against the province of Massachusetts-Bay ;
but with what little reason, will appear by the fol
lowing declarations of a person, the truth of whose
evidence, in their favour, will not be questioned—
Governor Bernard thus addresses the two Houses of
Assembly—in his Speech on the 24th of April 1762,
—" The unanimity and dispatch, with which you
have complied with the requifaions of his Majesty,
require my particular acknowledgement. And it
gives me additional pleasure to observe, that you
have therein acted under no other influence than a
due sense of your duty, both as members of a ge
neral empire, and as the body of a particular pro
vince."
In another speech on the 27th of May, in the
fame year, he fays,—" Whatever shall be the event
of the war, it must be no small fatisfaCtion to us,
that this province hath contributed its full th ire to
the support of it. Every thing that hath been re
quired of it bath been complied with ; and the execu
tion of the powers committed to me, for raising the
provincial troops hath been as full and compleat as
the grant of them. Never before were regiments
so easily levied, so well composed, and so early in
the field as they have been this year ; the common
people seemed to be animated with the spirit of the
general Court, and to vie with them in their readi
nefs to Serve the King."
Such was the conduct of the people of the Mas
sachusetts-Bay, during the last war. As to their
behaviour before that period, it ought not to have
been forgot in Great Britain, that not only on eve
ry occasion they had constantly and chearfully com
plied with the frequent royal requisitions—but that
chiefly by their vigorous efforts, Nova-Scotia was
subdued in 1710, and Louilbourg in 1745.
Foreign quarrels being ended, and the domestic
disturbances, that quickly Succeeded on account of
the Stamp-aft, being quieted by its repeal, the As
fembly of Massachusetts-Bay transmitted an humble
address of thanks to the King and divers Noblemen,
and soon after passed a bill for granting compensa
tion to the Sufferers in the disorder occafioiied by
that a&.
By a Statute commonly called the Glass, Paper
and lea aft, made fifteen months after the repeal
of the Stamp aft, the Commons of Great-Britain
resumed their former language, and again under
took to "give and grant rates and duties to be paid
in these Colonies," for the express purpose of
“ raising a revenue to defray the charges of the
administration of jufice, the support of civil govern
ment, and defending the King's dominions," on this
continent. The penalties and forfeitures incurred
under this statute, are to be recovered in the fame
manner, with these mentioned in the foregoing aCts.
To this statute so naturally tending to disturb the
tranquillity then universal throughout the Colonies,
Parliament, in the fame session, added another no
less extraordinary.
Ever since the making the present peace, a Stand
ing army has been kept in these Colonies. From
reflect for the mother country, the innovation was
not only tolerated, but the provincial legislatures
generally made provision for Supplying the troops.
The assembly of the province of New-Yoik hav
ing paßed an aft of this kind, but differing in some
articles, from the directions of the a& of Parlia
ment made in the fifth year of this reign, the House
of Representatives in that Colony was prohibited by
a statute made in the session last mentioned, from
making any bill, order, resolution or vote, except
for adjourning or chufing a speaker, until provision
Should be made by the said assembly for furnishing
the troops within that province, not only with all
such necessaries as were required by the statute
which they were -harmed with difebeying, but also
with those required by two other subsequent Ratutes,
which were d< dared to be in force until the twenty
fourth dm of March, 1769.*
These Statutes of the year 1767 revived the appre
hensions and difeontents, that had entirely subsided
on the repeal ofthe Stamp-Aft; and amidst the just
fears and jealousies thereby occasioned, a Statute was
made in the next year (1768) to establish Courts
of Admiralty and Vice Admiralty on a new model,
expressly for the end of more effectually recovering
the penalties and forfeitures inflicted by a&s of Par.
liament, framed for the purpose of raising a revenue
in America, &c.
The immediate tendency of these Statutes is, to
subvert the right of having a Share in legislation, by
rendering Ass mblies useless ; the right of proper
ty, by taking the money of the Colonists without
their consent; the right of trials by jury, by sub
stituting intheir place trials in Admiralty and Vice
Admiralty Courts, where single judges preside,
holding their commissions during pleasure, and
unduely to influence the Courts of common law,
by rendering the judges thereof totally dependant
on the Crown for their Salaries.
These Statutes, not to mention many others ex
ceedingly exceptionable, compared one with ano
ther, will be found, not only to form a regular
fytfem, in which every part has great force, but
also a pertinacious adherence to that system, for
subjugating these Colonies, that are not, and from
local circumstances, cannot be represented in the
House of Commons, to the uncontroulable and un
limited power of Parliament, in violation of their
undoubted rights and liberties, in contempt of their
humble and repeated supplications.
After the repeal of the Stamp aft, having again
refined ourselves to our ancient unfulpicious af
fections for the Parent state, and anxious to avoid
any controversy with her, in hopes of a favourable
alteration in sentiments and in measures towards
us, we did not press our objections against the
above mentioned Statutes made Subsequent to that
repeal.
Administration attributing to trifling causes a
conduit that really proceeded from generous mo
tives, were encouraged in the fame year (1767) to
make a bolder experiment on the patience of Ame
rica.
These circumflances and the following extracts
from Governor Bernard's letters in 1768, to the
Earl of Shelburne, Secretary of State, clearly Shew,
with what grateful tenderness they Strove to bury
in oblivion the unhappy occafiop of the late dis
These mandates spoke a language, to which the
ears of English fubje&s had for Several generations
been Strangers. The nature of assemblies implies
a power and right of deliberation; but these com
mands, proscribing the exercise of judgment on the
propriety of the requisitions made, left to the As
semblies only the election between dictated submis
sion and the threatened punishment: A punishment
too, founded on no other a&, than such as is deem
ed innocent even in flaves---of agreeing in petitions
for redress of grievances, that equally affected all.
The hostile and unjultifiable invasion of the town
of Bolton soon followed these events in the fame
year; though that town, the province in which it
is Situated, and all the colonies, from abhorrence of
a contest with their parent state, permitted the exe
cution even of those statutes, againtt which they so
unanimously were complaining, remonstrating and
supplicating.
This letter being laid before the House, and the
resolutions not being refeinded according to the or
der, the Assembly was dissolved. A letter of a
Similar nature was sent to other Governors to pro
cure resolutions approving the conduct of the Re
presentatives of Maflachufetts-Bay, to be refeinded
allo ; and the Houses of Representatives in other
colonies refufing to comply, Assemblies were dis
solved.
The tranquility of the Colonies having been
again disturbed, as has been mentioned, by the
Statutes of the year 1767, the Earl of Hillfboi°°gh.
Secretary of State, in a letter to Governor Bernard,
dated April 22, 1768, censures the “presumption” of
the House of Representatives for " resolving upon
“ a measure of so inflammatory a nature as that of
" ^writing to the other cclonies, on the fubjedt of their
" intended representations againfl feme late f^s of
" Parliament," then declares that “ his M jetty
“ confiders this Step as evidently tending to create
" unwarrantable combinations to excite an unjufti
“ fiable opposition to the constitutional authority
"of Parliament," —and afterwards adds, —“ It is
" the King's pleasure, that as soon as the General
"Court is again assembled, at the time prescribed
“ by the charter, you Should requite of the House
" of Representatives, in his Majesty's name, to
“ refeind the resolution which gave birth to the
" circular letter from the Speaker, and to declare
" their disapprobation of, and dissent to that raSh
“ and hasty proceeding."
“If the new Assembly should refufe to comply
" with his Mijefty's reasonable expectation, it is
“ the King's pleasure, that you should immediately
“ dissolve them."
Under pretence of governing them, so many new
institutions, uniformly rigid and dangerous, have
been introduced, as could only be expected from
incensed makers, for collecting the tribute or ra
ther the plunder of conquered provinces.
By an order of the King, the authority of the
Commander in chief, and under him of the Briga
diers general, in time of peace, is rendered supreme
in all the civil governments in America; and thus
an uncontroulable military power is vested in offi
cers not known to the couftitution of these colonies.
,A large body of troops and a considerable arma
ment of Ships ofwar have been sent to assist in tak
ing their money without their consent.
Expensive and oppressive offices have been multi
plied, and the a&s of corruption indußrioußy prac,
tifed to divide and destroy.
The Judges of the Admiralty and Vice Admi
ralty courts are impowered to receive their salaries
and fees from the effe&s to be condemned by them
selves ; the Commissioners of the customs are im
powered to break open and enter houses without
the authority of any civil magistrate founded on le
gal information.
Judges of Courts of Common Law have been
made entirely dependent on the crown for their
commissions and salaries.
A court has been established at Rhode-Ifland
for the purpose of taking Colomfts to England to be
tried.
Humble and reasonable petitions from the Re
presentatives of the people have been frequently
treated with contempt ; and assemblies have been
repeatedly and arbitrarily dissolved.
From some few instances it will fufficiently ap
pear, on what pretences of justice thole dissolutions
have been founded.
cords, and with what refpe&ful reluctance they en
deavoured to escape other fubjeds of future contro
versy. “ The House, (fays the Governor) from
" the time of opening the session to this day, has
“ Shewn a disposition to avoid all dispute with me ;
" every thing having palled with as much good
" humour as I could desire, except only their con
" tinuing to aft in addreffnig the King, remon
" Jirating to the Secretary of State, and employing
“ a separate agent. It is the importance oj this in
" novation, without any wilfulnefs of my own,
" which induces me to make this remonstrance at
" a time when I have a fair profpe& of having, in
" all other business, nothing but good to fay of the
" proceedings of the Houfe."*
" I Shall make such a prudent and proper use of
'' this letter as, I hope, will perfectly restore the
" peace and tranquility of this province, for which
'' purpose confiaerable Jleps have been made by the
" House of Reprefentatives.''^
The vindication of the province of Massachusetts-
Bay contained in these letters will have greater
force, if it be considered, that they were written
several months after the freSh alarm given to the
colonies by the Statutes puffed in the preceding year.
In this place it seems proper to take notice of
the insinuation in one of these statutes, that the in
terference of Parliament was necessary to provide
for "defraying the charge of the adminif ration of
" j"fi ce > the support of civil government, and de
“ fending the King's dominions in America."
As to the two firft articles of expence, every Co
lony had made such provision, as by their respective
Assemblies, the belt judges on such occasions, was
thought expedient, and suitable to their several
circumstances. Refpe&ing the last, it is well known
to all men the least acquainted with American af
fairs, that the Colonies were established, and have
generally defended themselves, without the least:
assistance from Great-Britain ; and, that at the
fame time her taxing them by the Statutes before
mentioned, most of them were labouring under
very heavy debts contracted in the last war. So
far were they from fparirfg their money, when their
Sovereign, constitutionally, aSked their aids, that
during the course of that war, Parliament repeat
edly made them compensation for the expences of
those Strenuous efforts, which, conlulting their zeal
rather than their Strength, they had chearfully in
curred.
Severe as the afts of Parliament before mention
ed are, yet the conduct of Administration has been
equally injurious, and irritating to this devoted
country.
*' They have acted in all things, even in their
" remonstrance with temper and moderation : they
“ have avoided some fubje&s of dispute, and have
" laid a foundation for removing some causes of
“ former altercation."f
* January 21, 1768.
, January go, 1768.
I February 2, i,z.