The Connecticut courant, and the weekly intelligencer — Hartford [Conn.], 1781-10-09 00:00:00, page 1

assembled, pass that memorable: ad, by which they assumed
an equal Ration among the nations. ..-
\ This immortal Declaration, of the 4th of July, 1776, when
America was invaded by an hundred vessels of war,.and, ac
cording to estimates laid before Parliament, by 55,000 of
veteran troops, wls,notthe effeX of any sudden. pafkon, or
enthusiasm; but a'meafure which had been long in delibera
ting among the people, maturely difeuffed income hundreds
of popular affemblies,and by public writings in all the States :
It was a measure which Congress did not ^dopt until they
had received the pofirive inftruXions of their constituents j^
all the States : ,lc was then unanimously adopted by Con-'
.grefs, fubferibed by all i^members, transmitted to the af
'fcmblies of the several States, -and by them refpeXively ac
cepted, ratified arid recorded among their archieves :So
that no decree, ediX, ftatutt, placart or fundamental law of
any nation was ever made with more Solemnity, or with
more unanimity or cordiality adopted, as the aft and con
fentof the whole people, than this; and it has been held fa
drea to this day by every State, with such unshaken firmnefs,
that not even the smallest has ever been induced to depart
from it; although the English have wafted many millions,
and v all fleets and armies in the vain attempt to invalidate
it. On,the contrary, each of die thirteen states has institut
ed a form of government for itfelf, under the authority of
the people; has ere&ed itslegiflacure in the feverJ branches;
its executive authority! with all its officers ; its judiciary de
partments and judge,; its army, militia, revenue, arid
some of them their naty : And all those departments of go
vernment have been regularly and constitutionally organiz
ed under the associated fgperintepdency of Congress, now
these five years, and have acquired a conGhency, solidity
and aXivity, equal to the oldest and malt established govern
ments. It is t{ue, that in some speeches and writings of the
English it is flill contended, that the .people of America arc
hill in principle and affection with them; but the assertions
are made against such evident truth awldemonstration,
that it is furprizing they should find at this day one believer
in the world. One may appeal to the writings and record
ed speeches of the English for the sass seventeen years, to
shew,,that limilar miireprefentations have been incessantly
repeated through chat whole period, and that the coriclufion
of every year has in fad confuted the confident assertions
and predictions of the begiuning:of it. The fubferiber begs
leave' to fay, frenthis own knowledge of the people of Ame
rica (and he has a better right to obtain credit, because he
has better opportunities to know than any Briton whatso
ever) thatthey are unalterably determined to maintain their
independence. He confefles, tint notwithstanding his con
fidence through his whole life in the virtuous sentiments and
Uniformity ofcharaX.-rs among his countrymen, their una
nimity has furprized them ; th.lt all the power, arts, intrigues
and bribes, which have been employed in the Several
States, should have fedaced fro n the (tapdard of virtue, so
contemptible 4 few; is more fortunate than could have
been expelled. This independence Hands upor tfo broad
and firm a bottom of the people's interests, honor, .conferen
ces and affiaionsy civic ichrill not be affected by any fuccedes
the English may obtain cither in America, or againd the
European powers at wav, nor by any alliances they can pof
hbly form ; if indeed in so unjust ^nd desperate a cause they
6%^ obtiqq any., Nevcrdfda^ aUho' Compaq by necfr
gA MEMORIAL to their High Mightiness, the States-General
of the United Provinces of the Low-Countries.
High and Mighty Lords,
THE Subscriber has the honor to propose to your High
Mightiness, that the United States of America, inCon
grefs atfemblea, have lately thought fit to fend him a Com
iniffion (with full power and inftruXions) to confer with
your High Migheineffes, concerning a treaty of amity and
commerce, an authentic copy of which he has the honor to
annex ts this memorial.
Ac the times when the treaties between this Republic and
the frown of Great-Britain were made, the people, who nqw
Gompofe the United States of America, were a part of the
English nation ; as such, alliesmf the Republic, and parties
to those treaties ; entitled to all their benefits, and fubmit
tjng chearfully to all their obligations.:% /.
It is true, that when the British admihiftration, renounc
ing the ancient character of Englishmen, for gencrofiry,
justice and humanity, conceived the defigri :of fubvercing
she political fyltems of the Colonies ; depriving them pfthe
rights and liberties; of Englishmen, and reducing them to
the worst of all forms.of government, starving the people by
blockading the ports, and cutting off their fisheries and com
merce ; fencing-fleets and armies to defroy ever, principle,
andferttiment of liberty, and to consume theirhabirations and
their lives ; making conpriXs for foreign. troops and alliances
with lavage nations to allift them in their enterprises ; cas
ing formally, by aX of Parliament, three millions of people:
It once out of the protection of the crown ; Then, and.,
not till then, did the Suited States of America, jn Corigrefs
@ ^Qm^wg ^m^
WEEKLY INTELLIGENCER.
HAR ST FOR D : Printed by H U D S'O N and GOODWI N, near the Great Bridge.
T UE S D A Y, October 9, 1781.
fity, and warranted by .the fundamental laws of the Colo
nies, and of the British ^onftitution, by principle avowed in
the English laws, and confirmed by many examples in the
English hiftory,by principles interwoven into the hiHeiy
and public right of Europe, in the great examples of the
'Helvetic and Eelgic confederacies, and many^others, and
frequently acknowledged and ratified by the Diplomatic bo
dy ; principles founded in eternal justice, and the laws of
God and fi4 rorr, to cut asunder forever, all the ties which had
connected them with Great-Britain ; yet the people of Ame
rica did not consider themselves as Separating from their al
lies, especially the Republigof the United Provinces, or de
partingfrom their connexions with an, of the people un
der their government ; but, on the contrary, they preserved
the fame affe&ion, esteem and.refpeX for the Dutch nation,
in every part of the world, which they and their andeltors
had ever entertained. ! . . >1 .
When found policy dilated to Corigrefs the precaution of
fending persons to negotiate natural alliances in Europe, it
was not from a Failure in refped' that they did mot fend a
Minister to your High Mightinefles, with the firft whom they
sent a broad : But, inftru&cd in the nature of the connexions
between Great-Britain arid the republic, and in the fyflein
of peace and neutrality, which she has so long pursued, they
thought properto refpeX bothfo far, as not to fee^ to em
broil her with her allies,<to excite divisions in the nation, er
lay embarrafl'ments before it., But since the British admini
fcation, uniform tend rerfeveri/ig in ininftice, despising
their allies, .asimifeh as meircolonifts and fellow fybjeXs ;
disregarding the f^ith of treaties, as much as that of royal
charters; violating the law of nations, as they had before
done the fundamental laws of the colonies and the inherent
rights of Britsh fubjeXs, .have arbitrarily fe, .aside all the
treaties between the crown and the, republic, declared war
and comnfenced hostilities, the fettled intentions of which;
they had manifefted long before ; all those motives, winch
before restrained the Congress, ceased: And an opportunity
prefenty of proposing such connexions, as the United Spites
of America have a right to form, confidentw ith the treaties
already formed with France and Spain, which they are un
der every obligation of duty, incereft and inclination to ob
serve sacred and inviolate, and confident with such other
treaties, as it is their intention to propose to other fove
reigris...
If there was ev,er among nations a natural alliance, one
may be formed between the two Republics. The firft plan
ters of the four northern States found in this country an af
fyium from perfection, and resided here from the year one
rhoqfand fix hundred and eight, to the year, one thousand fix
hundred and twenty, twelve years preceding their m.igra
tiqn. They ever entertainedand have transmitted to poste
rity, a graceful remembrance of that proteXion and'hofri
tality, and especially of. that religious liberty they found
here, having fought it in vain in England.
The fifli inhabitants of two other Stites, New York and
New-Jersey, were # immediate emigrants from this nation,
and have tranfmitred their religion, language, &tf%>ms,
manners and charaXer ; and America in general until her
connexions with the House ofßourboh, has ever considered
this nation as her fift friend in Europe, whose niltory, and
the great charaXers it exhibits, in the varies arts of peace,
as well is atchievemepts of war by sea and land, hart been
partic * rly Rudied, admired and imitated in every State.
A similitude of religion, although it is not deemed so ef
fenri il in this as in former ages to the alliance, of nations,
is Bill, as it ever will be thought, a durable circumstance.
Now it may be faid'with truth, that there are no two nati
ons, whose worship, doctrine and discipline, are more alike
thanthofc of the two Republics. In this particular there
fore, asfar as it is of weight, an alliance would be perfeXly
natural.
A similarity in the Forms of government, is usually con
sidered as anothercircu raftance, which ' renders alliances na.
rural : And although theconftituti ons of die two Republics
are.not perfeXly alike, there is yet analogy, enough between
them, to make a connexion easy in this reipeX.,
In general usages, and in the liberality/of sentiments in
those momentous points, the freedom of inquiry, th£ right
r.f private judgment and the liberty of concience, of so much
importance to be supported ih rhe world, and imparted to
all mankind, and which at this hour are in more danger
from Great-Brita in and that intolerant spirit which is secret
ly fomenting there, than from any other quarter, the two
nations referable each other more than any others.
The originals of the two Republics are so much alike,
that the history of one seems but a tranfeript from that of
the other : So that every Dutchman inftruXed in the fubjeXs',,
must pronounce the American revolution just and necessary,
or pass a censure upon the greatest aXions of his immoral
ancestors? AXions which have been approved and applaud
ed by mankind, and juftifcd by the decision of Heavin.
;But due circuimlanct, wichh frethap+ in this age has
Wronger influence than any other in the formation offriends-.
ships between nations, is the great and growing interest of
commerce; of the whole sy stem of which through the globe
your High Mightinesses are too perfect masters for me to
fay any thing that ishot familiarly known. It pray not how
ever be amifs'to hint, thabthc central situation of tlus coun
try, her extensive navigation, her poifeiiions in the Bast arid
Weft-Indies, the intelligence of her merchants, the number
of her capitalists and the riches of her funds, render a con
nexion with l her very definable to America : And on the
other hand, the abundance and variety of the piodu&ions of
. America, the materials of manufaXures, navigation and*
commerce : the vast demand and consumption in America
of the mantifaXures in Europe, of merchandises from the
Baltic, and the Raft-Indies, and the filiation of the Dutch
poffeffiops in the tyeft-lndies, cannot admit of a doubt ttyp
aconneXion with the United States would beufeful to d'is RQ
public.. The English are so fen£ible oPthis, that rto„M*
Handing all their profeffions of friendship, they have eve^
coQSdeted this nation as their rival in the American trade ;
a sentiment which dilated and maintained their severe a#
pany, by carrying their effi ff, dirc@ly to th- American mar
ket ; or how much even the trade of the Baltic thi^lw be se
cured and extended by a free int^rqourft with America,which,
has ever had so large a demand, and will haye foore fop
hemp, cordage, fail-cloth, arid other afcklcfet that c<Qv
mere : : How much the national navigation would be here-,
feed by building and p'urchafog ships there : How niqch
the num§cr of seamen might be' encteaftd, 01 ho w faugh ad
vantages to . both countries, to. have their ports nwtuafy:
opened to their men ofwar and privateers and their prizes.
Iftherefore.an analogy of religion, government, original,
manners, and the molt executive and lafling coipmerciul in*
terefts, can form a ground and an invitation to politicalcon
n<&i<,s, the fubferibri betters himfclf, that in all these par—
ticulais die Union isfo obviously natural, that there has sel
dom been a more didhX designation of Providence to any
two diftinX nations to moire thcmftlves together.
It is further fubmiyted to the wildoin and humanity, ofyour
High Mightiheffes, whether it is not v/fihly for the good of
mankind', that the powers of Europe, who are convincedof
the justice of the American cause fond where is one to be
found that is not ?), should make haft to acknowledge the
Independence of the United States, and form equitable pea -,
ties with them, as the surest means of convincing Greaf-
Britain of the impracticability of her purffo/ Whether th#
late Marine Treaty concerning the rights of neutral vessels ?
rioble and uftful as it is, can be established against Great-
Britain, who will never adopt it, nor Submit to it, but from
meet Afar, without the Independence of America? Whether
the return of America, with her nuiferies of seamen and ma-,,
gazines of materials for navigation and cpm'mer^e,. to die
domination and monopoly of Great-Brita in, if that were
pAc Xicable would rot put the poffeibons of other nations be
yond fess wholly in the power of that enormous empire,
which has been long governed wholly by the feeling of its
own power, at least without a proportional Attention to jus
tice, hamhuity or decency. When it isofoicus aHdeertain
that the Americans arc not inclined to submit again to the
Biitish government, Q the one fcnd/amj that the powers of
Europe ought not ang could riot ^tb fafety consent to it, if
they were on the other, m by should a .source of conprtora
be left o'pen for future contingencies to involve the nations
of Europe in still more bloodshed, when, by one decisive
itep of the maritime powers, in making treaties with a na
tion long in poffc Mion of fovefeignty by right and in fiX, iL
might be closed ?
The example of yOirrHighMighrineffes would, it is hoped,
be followed by all the maritime powers, rfpcci.llv those
which are parti sto the late Marine Treaty: Nor can a'p
pfrehenfion, that the,lndependence of America would be in
jurious torhe trade of the Baltic, beanv obfe Qibn Tda
jealou, js so groundless, tbafee reverse would happen.
The freight and iofurance in voyages a: ofs the Atlantic are
so high, and the price ofl ^bour in America so gear, th^r
tar, pitch, turpentine, and ship-timber never can be traufi
pp ted to Europe at so cheap a rare, as ft has be^n and will
W afforded by countries round the Baltic. This commerce
of navigation, as injurious to the commerce and naval pow
er of ths country, as it was both to the trade and the rights
of the Colpnifts There is now an opportunity offered t®
both,to sh^ke off this shackle forever. If any confideratio^i
whatever could have induced diem to have avoided a war,
with your High Mightiness, it would hive Leer the appre*
hehnon of an alliance between the two Republics-: And i^
is easy to forfee, thatincthihg will contribute rribre toobiige
them to a peace, than such acQhne&ion ore ecompleted,
formed. It is needless to point out particularly, what a<R
vantages might be derived to the pof. Hipns of the Republic
in the tyeft Indies fiord a trade opened, profited arid en
couraged between them and th? Confirert of America ; qg
w&'t profits height be made by the Dutch E ft-lndia damn
(No. 87^.)