The Pennsylvania evening post — Philadelphia, Pa., 1776-04-20 00:00:00, page 1

The SPEECH of Gov.'JOHNSTONE, in the House
of Commons, on Thursday the 26th of October, 1775.
[Continued from page 144.]
I KNOW there are many men high in favor who are for
abridging the liberties of the people in the colonies. My
system, on the contrary, is for preserving them sacred
and inviolate, according to their several ancient in
stitutions, the variety of which forms the harmony and
beauty of the whole. There is no-middle institution, as in
this country, to balance between the people and the crown ;
the Assemblies are their only barrier; they are, therefore,
the favourite inflitution of the people ; to them they look for
pretedion against the exactions, oppreffibns, and extortions
of Governors, and are, on that account, cautious and jea
lous of any infringement that Ihalj diminish their power.
The honorable gentleman * who seconded this address, has
been long employed as his Majesty's Representative in the co
lonies, firft in Carolina, and lastly in Jamaica. Every thing
he offers to this House muff derive great weight from these
circumstances ; his abilities are undisputed. I have not the
honor of knowing him, but I have heard his talents univer
sally acknowledged. Having been on the spot in some places,
it muff give him many additional advantages, for I maintain
it is impossible for any man who has not seen with his own
eyes, and heard with his own ears, to know equally well
the manners, customs, dispositions, and other circumstances
necessary to form a true judgement on the present contest with
the colonies. But it is also necessary to know some leading
circumstances refpeding the person who offers his informa
tion and advice, before we hastily concur in his opinion. The
honorable gentleman fays, “ it may appear strange, that he,
who has grown grey in the service of America, should now
appear among the firft to propose those coercive measures,
which by some are termed cruel and harsh ;" but this he ex
cuses from his humanity. I fay, it may appeat strange to
some who are not acquainted with the history of that gentle
man's administration so well as I, that he should take this for
ward part. But here I premise, that Ido not enter into the
merit of the dispute which that gentleman had with the As
sembly of Jamaica, because it is beyond my prefect argu
ment. All i assert is, that he had an unfortunate dispute
with that body, which lasted two years; that, during this
period, they would do no business with him, or raise any
money ; that he dissolved the Assembly more than once, and
still a great majority were found against his measures; that he
was at last recalled, and a successor appointed, who can
celled his proceedings, upon one of the molt unfortunate re
presentations that ever attended any man on leaving his go
vernment. I am, therefore, not surprised that the honor
able gentleman should be inimicable to American Assemblies,
or that he should be ready to join with those who have found
out a shorter way of governing them than by the general
sense of the people, feeing they are so troublesome, on many
: -occafions, to the repose of a Governor.
The PENNSYLVANIA EVENING POST.
Vol. lI.J
Price only Two Coders. Publifhed' every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday Evenings.
* 'Gov. Lyttelton.
SATURDAY, APRIL to, 1776.
197
The honorable gentleman has given us some account
of the debilitated state of men in the other provinces he
had the honor to command, and hinted at means for subduing
their spirit, in a manner which inclines me to believe he has
not left many more frierids behind in that colony than in Ja
maica. Administration has been so much milled by those
partial and illiberal accounts of men in the gross, that I dare
lay they will be cautious how they trull to such intelligence
again.,. Neither mfteading or observation give me leave to
think the people in Carolina will be behind any of the; colonies,
in lupporting and defending rights which are so essential to
securing every thing that is dear to them as Bripfh fubjeds.
The honorable gentleman had occasion to lead them to war
on a certain occasion : I wish he would tell the House ’ho'//
they behaved. If southern climates has such strange effects
in enervating the human frame, give me leave to hope at least
that the honorable gentleman has escaped this contagion.
The other scheme he alludes to, of calling forth the Raves,
is too black and horrid to be adopted ; neither would it an
swer, if Administration were wicked enough to make the at
tempt; the Rate of slavery cuts off all the great, magnani
mous, and inventive powers of the human mind, but it rather
Strengthens fidelity and attachment; the Roman hidory fully
confirms this ; amidst the multiplied treachery of friends and
relations, amidst the greatest temptations, during the corrup
tion of that government the slave was seldom or ever unfaith
ful to his master. The principle lives in human nature.
Where mankind are deprived of the means of getting subsist
ence, where they are accustomed te look up to another for
food, raiment and protection, they insensibly forget the original
injury they fußained, and become attached to their mas
ters; in general I mutt also observe, that mailers arc
kind to their Raves. It is net he who uier the fee-urge,
and the whip, which the honorable gentleman has menti
oned, that is the firft to put the mufquet on his fhoalders ia
such glorious contests as these. It is not he who tortures and
frets his fellow creatures; but he who feels that universal be
nevolence which extends his affections to all men in their se
veral stations ; who feels the spirit of equality, whoknows the
principles of liberty, who understands the consequence of
those rights, without which we are always worse men and
worse fubjeSs, and who is willing, for the benefit of chil
dren yet unborn, to seal the truth of his doctrine with his
blood. It is not to men of this temper that Raves will prove
unfaithful. I shall rather expect to fee them flock round his
standard, though 1 admit the experiment is too dangerous on
either fide. I lay again, the whole of our blunders, oppres
sions and mistakes in these unfortunate disputes, have arisen
from ignorance in the firft principles of government ; grots
ignorance in the several constitutions of toe colonies; igno
rance in the power we could apply to subdue them, and Hill
greater ignorance of the end to be obtained by inch an at
tempt. To each of those I will feveraily speak.
1 fay it demonstrates a perfect ignorance of the history of
civil foaiety, to assert (which is the captivating argument
used in this House, for breaking down all the barters or
liberty in America) that two independant legislatures cahoot
[Num. 195.