The Virginia gazette — Williamsburg, Va., 1776-04-12 00:00:00, page 1

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ALwAYs ron LctIBERTY,
ALEXANDER PURDIE,
PulN'qsik. '
IN C O N G R E 8 8, March 14, 1776.
* ESOLVED, that it be recommended
_to the several Assemblies, Conventi
ons, and Councils or Committees ofsiSuse
ty of the- United Colonies, immediately
10 cause all persons to be disarmed within
their respective coloctnies who nre notorious
ly disaffected to the cause osAmerica, or
who have not associztted, and refuse to
associate, to defend, by arms, these United
Colonics against the hosiile attempts of
the British flccts and armies, and to apply
the arms taken from such persons in each
respective colouy, in the first place, to the
arm'tng the continental troops raised in said
' colony; in the next, to the armin such
troops as are raised by the colony for its
owfidesence, -'and the residue to be applied
to the arminsig the assuciators" : That the
.?tns, when'taken, be appraiscd by indis
e'rent persuns, "and such as are applied to
the arming continental troops to be paid
by the Congrcss; and the residue by the
rclpectivc Assemblies, Conventions, or
Conncils or Com-nittces ofSascty.
Extract fi'om the minutes.
CHARLES THOMSON, secrctary.
ss so Mr. Auzxuozn. Puxme.
5 1 R,
]"IIE independence of the colonies daily
- becomes more and more a topick of
"very noxious disquisition. The subject
appears, 'in general, to lie under the dis—
_siculties of being misreprescnted by our
enemies, gnd mctisunderstood by some
ssamon st ourselves. Without flattering
myself that the following remarks will
remove either, I shall be obliged by your
inserting them.
It may with certainty be affirmed, that
among the ends which the colonies, srom
South Curolina to New York inclusively,
had in view, when they began the present
contest, independence held no place; and
that the New England governments, is
they had it in view at all,ss considered it as
,a remote and continzent object . The ter
sours otssimsimcdiate oppreffion engrossed our
' mind: too fully to leave much room for
ambition. Admitting this fact with regard
toNcwEngland (ofwhich,however,]know
no proof) it was not the effect of:: scditious
character in the people, hut ofa consci—
oushcsi] that by their union and pripulou-s
nesis the approached more nearly, than
any sing :: culony, to that period ospower
when independeucc would have become a
natural .vcnt, and dependence a political
absurdicysi. That the colonics were pro—
ceeding pretty rapidly to such a period of
power seems to be a point acknowledged,
by all difimflionntc rcasoners on both sides.
The king's ministers, indeed., have induced
him to believe, and to tell his parliament,
that our prcscflisims of attachment and
loyalty WCX'C mczmt only to amuse, while
We were meditating :] general rcvolt.
The heart of am Amcrican tells him that
the charge is crruncuus, and the single
external evidence osuur having begun the
war with so sc-uny :1 proviiiuu for its sup
port will prove it so to all the unpz'cju—
—l
(liccd world. In truth, thcsi: profes
siuns were founded in such dcep-rootcd
attachments, that even now, when our
live:; and properties are the sport and prey
us every tender's motley crew, that can
catch them, many o'sour brethren [huddcr
at the name of independcncc.
The use of words, without settling their
determinatc meanings, often occasions
disputes with men whose sentiments in
reality exactly correspond. 'l'his appears
to be particularly the ease in the present
question.
ln many, the name of independcnce is
accompanied with the terrify'mg idcas of
an everlasting separation srom Great Bri
tain, ofthc destruction of the fimst consti
tution in the world (as the phrase is) and
of the substitulion of republican govern
ments in the coloflies. Thm follow a
dreadful train of domestick convulsions in
each republick, of jealousies, chflcntions,
wars, and all their attendunt m'xiL-rics, in
the nei hbouring republicks; in which
form ofggovemment, thcy sizem to ima
gine that nature breeds
All monstrous, al] prodigious things,
Abominable, unutterablc, and worse
Than fables yet have feign'd, or fear
conceiv'd,
Gorgom and hydras, and chimera: dire!
Under the pressure of real calamities,
which, isactually felt, cannot be exceed
ed, do men find comfort in the contem
plation ofthose that are imaginary; and
which, were we surc they would bt'sil] us,
might claim our preference, by being
remote?
Others, with the idcas of the former,
connect some dark mysterious scheme sor
tricking us into independence, to which
most of our contincntal measures, however
specioufly introduced, are supposed to be
ultimately subservient. Thesi: men, my
friends, are enemies to harmony. The
motions of their spirits are dark and dull;
and whatever be their prosesiions, or con
dition, let them not be trusted,
Of a much more numerous and respec
tahle class are those who think that our
opposition is founded in a virtuous deter
mination to defend our liberty against a
pyranny instant and impending; that no
acrisice, no suffering, should divert us
from the necessary means of effcct'mg so
important a purpose; that is, in the course
of'events, & declaration of independcnce
should become essential to our safety, we
should instantly adopt thc measure, consi
dering it not as a primary object of the
war, but, inn secondm-y view, as ameuns
oscunducting it sixcccsssully. Now I verily
believe this is all that nine tcnths us the
Congrrsr mean, notwithstunding that the
prellbs Of Plliladc*17>/li(!]171\'c lately brought
forth Common Scn/Z', [Wontgoulcrssysss Clwst,
and mhersrig/ztfizlfimm, tn \ he no small irr
rourosmzmy of'his nmjcsty's liege (ssuhjcctc.
\\ 'uhont attempting to prm e that these
fears are much of tho szmsiuc pm-rilc cast us
those with which the armour ()sun heroick
and ufl'c-csi'thmzltc parent imprcssccl the sun
oslchtor, l shall endcsiwourw show, that
,.si.
the pmpriety of speedily declaring a tem
]wrmyimlcpendcnce, at least, may be de
rived from :! circumstance more universidly
interesting and sulid than from the machi
natian: us the Congrcsis.
]t is Cunscsscd, cton all hands, that wcss
cannot continue the war, with very pros
perous hopes, unless we can be supplied
from surcign countries with warlike ltures,
with many necesilnies, of which the res
trictions on British trsiadc deprivc us, and,
unless some market be furnished for tbesi
productions of our labour. Accordiugly
men expect with impaticnce the freedom
of exportntion, when this tradc may he
ushed to the utmost extant. But, alas!
m the small cflhys wc'havc :tlrcady'mnde,
We havcsound forcigners reserved and cold .
They will tell us, " In justice to your
" vcmcity, we must believe that you um
" he cordially reconciled to Great Britain,
!! l' t'
lu won as certain acrs or parliament
shall be repealed; now, as she cannot
carry on & vigorons war without yon,
she must either sit a paffivc spectatut
of our triumph, and of' her own rnin,
or repeal the acts, and, in conjunction
with you, take vengeance for ourss
friendly intentions;, besure _we have re
ceived any advantage from them . Wc
cannot, therefore, hazard si) much with
so precarious a prospect of an cquix-j
lent. We insist not that you should
declare an everlafling scpuration szum
Britain, and thereby cut offail prospect
of an honourable rcncwal of old friend
ships, but that you will, with she srcc
dom, solemnity, and good faith of
sovereign states, enter into a treaty of
commerce for a certain time, and into ::
treat)- osueutrality, at least, should cur
efforts m sirve yon produce a ruptm'c
with that power." A commerce thmct
estnblilhed would hebenesicial, and honour)
able. Such manly and kigsiorous conduct
would render us respectable 39 forcigners,_
'auu turnnuaolc to our enemies,. But if
we cart only venture to steal a soreign
trade, ] can see nothing but disappoint
ment, disgracc, and contempt, from all
quarters. In the one case, the malice of
our enemies will he awcd into moderation,
by the increase of our power; in the other,
by its decline, they may enjoy, uncontroulf
ed by any other passion, the rich prospect
osa revenge insutiuhlc. Here, however,
independcnce steps in to terrisy us. For
my part, I see no terrour in it; but in an
uncomlitionul dependence, which seems
at present our only alternative, ] si*c a
thousnns-l- ]t wczu-s, indeed, the ruggcd
aspect os virtue; hut, like the shicld of
Pallas, it ]m'sirZsies alone thc timid ahd the
base: [( is the imincible guardian of the
brave and virtuous.
I sssmcy that many qualms on this sub
ject would be overcome, if men would
more thoroughly consider how vcry sctr
we have already proceeded in essectingindc
pendcncc ; and that many, who have en—
gaged in this business, arc irrevocubly
dcstincd to the cord, vshnttvrr vain hopes
they may entertain of drawing out a few