The Virginia gazette — Williamsburg, Va., 1776-03-08 00:00:00, page 5

,ss'sszsstz'xsi-sizzfsi} s U_ PsiPsictLssEsiM E N TsssiNctctsi,
A DlctllssQGUE between the GHOS'T of '
gem-ruf MONTGO'MEnra'nd a DELE- ss
GATE, in a wood near Philade/phia.
ELCOME to this retrcat,
Dctlctgcttct' my good friend . "! mis
take not, ] now see the ghost of the brave
general Mofltgomcry. '
General Nloutgometysi . I am glad to see
vou. [still love Ilbcrty and Amcriea, and
sithe cmnemplation of the future grealncsis
. of this continent now forms a large share
of my present happiness. ] um lL-ut here
. upon an important errand, [0 warn you
- against listening to terms us accommodati
\0n t'mm_tlle court of Britaiu.
Del. I shall be happy in receiving in
struction srmn you, in the present lrflng
cxigcncy OFW pnbsicksi affairs. Sut l'up- '
pulct'c the terms you speak ut'shuusid bcjust
and honourable.
Geu. Asout. llow can youexpect these
after the king h-siu proclaimel you rebelssi
from the throne, and after both houses ut
parliament" h-n'e resolved tu suppurt him
in carrying on :: war against yuu? N0,_
I see no offers from Great Brituin but of
pardon. The very word is an iusult upon
our cause. To whom is pardon qffrxed? -
'1'0 virtuous fi'cemen. For what.) For
flying to arms in defence of the rights of
humanity. And from whom do: these
'ossers come? From a royal criminac'.
Y-Gu hade furnished me with a new reason
'for tisiinmphing in my death, for ] had
rather have it si-sizid that ] died by his t'en
geance than that ] lived by his mercy.
Del. But you think nothing of the
destructive consequences of war. How
mzmy cities must be reduced to ashes, how
msimy shmilies must be ruined, um! how
-man widows_and orphans must he msilde,
shouiil the present \\m' he continued any
longer with Great Britain'.
Gen- ]lflnnt. ] think ofnothing but of
the destructive consequenccs uj flsiwery.
.The 'cahmities of war are trunsitory, and
confined in their effects; but the Cuhuni
ties osflavcry are extensive, :md lasting- in
their operation. ] ]uve mankind a: well
as you, and ] coul ! never.:sieltruiu & tear
when my love oisijsitllice has obliged me
to shed the blood of ?. ('t-how creature.
' It is my humauity Lh-lt m nkea me ur—ssL-sse
you against a rccnnciliatinn with Great
Britain; for if this ta-kessiplzice, nothing
cctm prevent the Americau colunies from
being the seat of war as often as the king
'os Great Britnin rencws his quarreis with
any of the culunies_, or with any of the
bellissi'erant puwers us Europe.
De}. ] tremble at the doctrine vou
have advanced. ] see you are for the in
dcpcndence of the colouies on Great Bri
tuin. '
Gen. Mont. ] am for permancnt liber
ty, peace, and security to the Anterican
colonies.
Dgl. These can only be maintained by
phcmg the colonics in the lituation they
were in the ycctr 1763.
Gan. Mont. And is no satisfaction to
be made to the colon'ncs for the blood and
treasure they have cxpended in rcliltingsi'
the arms OF Great Britain? Who can
susten the Prcctjucliccs of the king, the
parliament, and the nation, each oswhom
will he: avctsc to maintain ;: peace with
you in proportion to the advantages you
have gztimd over them? \\'ho shallmdkc
rcl-siitutilm to the witlows, the mothers,
zm'l the children, of the men who were
shiu by their :n'ms? Can no hand With]
the sceptre of government in America,
except that which has been stained with
the blood of )nur countrymcn? For my
part, is] thought this cuntiucnt would
cvcr ad noulcclqc the sovct'cimztv osthe
crown of Britct'm again, I should for ever
tament the day in which ] offered up my
life for its salvation.
De]. You should distinguish between
the king and his ministers. ,
Gun. Alont. I live in a work] where all
political supershtion is done away. The
king is the author of all the measures car
ried un against Amcrica. 'l'hc influence
Dsbud ministers is no better apology for
these measures than the influence ofde
Compzmy is for a murderer, who expiates
his crime: under :! gallows. You all com
plain us the corruption of the parliament,
and of'the venality us the nation, and yet
you forget that the crown is the source of
them both. You shun the streams, and
yet jou arc willing to sit down at the sivery
hmntain, oscormption and venality.
Del. ()ur distance and charters will
protectus from the inflnenCe of the crown..
Ceu. IVlant. Your distance will only
render your danger more imminent, and
your ruin more irretrievable. Charters
are no restraints against the lust of power.
The onlv reason why you have escaped
so long; is, because the treasure us the
nation has been employed sur these fifty
years in buying up the virtue of Britnin
and ]rehmd. Hcrcastcr, the setluctionus
[he representativcs of the penpk of Ame—
1'ica will be the only aim oi :qhnhxish'ation,
should you Continue to be connected with
them. '
_ -si .. .. n —
Uel. but I turelee many evils irom me
independencc of the culonics. Our [rude
will be ruined, from the want of & navy
to protect it. Each cuiony will put inits
claim for iupelimity, and we shall have
domestic]: wars without end.
Cusi'. '.M(mt As ] know that Divine
Providence intends this country to be the
:tsyhmt vi'pcrsccuted virtue, from every
quarter oissthcgiobc, so ] think your trade
\\ill he: the which that will come) it to
you. Heat en has iumilhcd vou with
51 eatet- rcsuurccs (or a naty than any
ti: ltion in the world, Nothil ;; but an ig
norzmcc of vour strenffth could have led
you to simisicc _\out' trade for the protec
tion of an lmcigri nmy. A freedom from
the reliraiuts ut the acts osnatigation, ]
intciee, will ]noduce luch immcnle addi
tious to the wealth of this country, that
posterity w illwnncler that ever ) ou thought
your present [lade w*'oith its protection.
Asto the supposedcontemionsbctweeniister
cohmics, they have no inundation in truth;
but, supposing thc have, will delaying
the inclc—pendence ociythe colonies fifty years
pit vent them ) No, ' the weaknesh ok the
colunies, which at first produced their
union, uiil always presci've it, till it shall
he— their interest to be separated. Had
the colonv ofMasi'achusetts Buvbccn nos—
lissed utssthe military reshurces which it
\A (mld probably have had fifty years hence,
would (he have hold out the figna] of dil
trcss to her sister colonies, upon the news
ofthe Boshm port bill ? No; she wouhl
have withstood all the power of Brituin
alone, and astcrw ards the neutral colonics
might ]uve Imrcd the tate of the colony
of Canacla. Moremcr, had the connec
tinn vcilh Great Bxitain been continued
fifty )c are; longe! , the progress of British
laws, customs, and manners (now totally
cmrupted) would haue been such, that
the colonies would have been prepared
tu \\ elcome sizn erv, ' but had it been other
\\isc, they must have asi ertcd their inde
penclence Ksi'llll arms. This is neatly done
already. lt \\ ]" be one] to bequeath
another contest to your postenty
Dcl. But ] dread all innovatimrs m go
-vernments. They :ne very dangerous
things.
Gerz. Monl. The R evolntion, Which
;: nc a temp nary ihhilitv to the liberties
of Blituin, was am hmovatiou in govern
ment, and yet no illconscqucflces have
ariscn from it . lnnovations arcdangcrous ,
only as they shukc the prejudicea of ,a.
people; but there are now, ] believe,
but few prejudices to be tuund, in this
country, in favour of the old connexion
with Great Britain. ] except those men,
only, who are under the influence of their
pallions and ofliccs. -
Del. But is it not most natural for 11:
to wish for a connexion with a people wlio
speak the sameianguage with us, and pos
scss the same laws, religion, and forms bf
government, with ourselves?
Gen. March The immortalMorsiitefctquie'u
says, that nations should shrm alliances
with those nations only which are as unlike.
lo themselves as possible in religion, laws,
and manners, is themean ctto presei-ve
their own constitutions. Your dependcncc
upon the crown is no advantage, husit ra—
[her an injury, to the people of Britain,
3 It mcreales the power and influende
of the king. The people are benefitcd
only by your trude, and this they may
have alter you are independent of the
crown. Should you be disposed to snrgive
the king and the nation for attempting to
enflave you, they will never forgive you
for having baffled them in the attempt,
Dul . But we have many friends in both
houses of parliament. ; *
G'cn. Mans. You mean the minisiry
have many enemies in par'iament who
connect the cause of merica with their
clzunuurs at the door of udminish-ation.
Lord Chatham's concisiatory bill wouldI
hint: ruiued you more effectually thun
hml Nurth's motion. The marquis of
Ruckinghztm was the author uf'tllc decla
mter) bill. Mr. M'ilkes has added insu
my to the weakness of your cause; and
the duke of Graston, and lord Lyttlctc—m, \
have rendered the minority jundto, is yes
sihle, more contemptible thxu ever.
Dcl. But if we beccfie ihdepcndent, ,
we shall become : commonu ealth. '
Gcn. Mont. I maintain, that it is your
interest to be independent of Ureut Britain,
but I do not rEcommcnd any new form us
goxcrnmcnt to you. ] should think it
strange that a people who have virtue
enough to defend themselves against the
most powerful nation in the world lhculdss
want wisilom to conttsiive a perfect and'
free form of government . You hzn e been
kept insi subjectiotssz'to the crown of Britaiu
by :] miracle. Your liberties have hitherto
been suspended by a thread. Your coo—
nexion with Great Britain is unnatural,
and unnecessary. All the wheel: efa go—
vernment should move within itself. ]
wouhl only beg leave to-obscrve to you,
that monurchy and aristocracy have, in
all ages, betn the vehicles osflavery.
Del. Our governments will want force
and authority, if we become independent
uf' Great Britain.
(sun. Mant. ! bcg leave to contradictf
that usscrtion. No royal eclicts, or acts
osussemblv, have ever been more faithfully
or universally obeyed than the resulves of
the Cougrcss. ] udmire the virtue of the
colonies; and did not some of them still
hang upon the hugvgard breafls of Great
Britain, lshould think the time now come
in which they had virtue enough to be
happy under any form of government.
Remember, that it is in :1 commonwealth
only that you can expect to find every
man'a patriut or ;: hero. Arishdes, Epasi
minondas, l'ericlcs, Scipio, Camillus, and
a thousand other illustrious Grecian and
Roman hemes, would never have ailonish—
cal the world with their names, had they
lived under royal governments.
Del. Will not a dcclsitration of'mdepcn-si
dance lesse" the number usour friends. mnlfss
increase lhc mgc usuurcnrmics in BritsizinZ!
)