The Virginia gazette — Williamsburg [Va.], 1777-01-31 00:00:00, page 2

uses; worship every devil who proniset not to hurttiem, er obey lny'
mndnee, however eruel, be which they ne paid? ! How is it, that
tbde sordid degenerated trutvree, who bow the knee to thie King, lnd
army offi-rincensc at hit shrine, should be denied the peace so repeltedly
puniiteu them? Why are they indiscrnminateiy lbused, rubbed. and
iundrred, with thei. more clelsitrving neighbour" But in this world, as
in the other, it is right and joli that the wicked should be punishedlby their
sedzteerz.
lo :. word, is peace woe the desire of your enemieo, end humanity
their ohimfi), why do they thustram le undet foot every right, and ever
duty, humm and divine) Wl'y, sike the Demone of old, il their wrat
to be exp- .teii only by humln sacrifice" Why do they excite the sa
u e: of the Nilklfsntls to murder ourinhabitanu, and exercise crueitiee
un ears! of among civilized nations? No regard for religion or virtue
remains :lmung them. Your very churche. bear witness totheirimpiq.
Your churches are zbui'ed, without hesitntion, n zoll, :: labia, end
as housin of sport and theatriczl exhibjtiou. int him, what trui!
what confidcnce un yuu repose in those men, who m du! to the halle of
hum'mitv, de id to every sentimcnt of religion, and void of ill regard for
the temples of the Lord of Hoste ? ct
And why all thi- desolution, bloodlhed, end unparalelled cruelty?
They tell you, to reduce you to obedience. Obedience! to what? o
their sovereign will md leasurc. And what then? Why then you
shzll he .udoned, beau e' ou consent on be (lane, And why should
yon ho- uvet now, having an freemen ever since thie eoun un set
tled ? Because, forsooth, the King and Parlilmentosln ifland ree thou
sand miles off choak that you should be hewere of wood end drawen of
water for them. And is thin the people whose proud domination you are
taught to solicit ? lo this the pace which some of you so lrdently desire?
For shame! For shame?
But you are told that their lnnies m numerous, their fleet flrong,
their tz-ldi-si-sicts rali-simt, their resourcet rent, that you will be conquered,
that victory ever attend; their hndar , and that your op wiition n vain.
your i-sstilhnce fruidcst, What then? You can be but vel n last, is
yuu should think lite worth hctlding on so bale .1 tenure.
But who is it the! gives viaory? By whom it a nation exalted?
Since wbet heried hath the face been dwayl to the swift, and the bettle
lo the Iron ? Can you be persuuded that the merciful King of King!
iuth surrem ere'd his crown and sceptre to the mercilest tynnt of Britain,
end committed the effairl of an- lower world to hie guidance. eontroul,
and direction ? We learned otherwise from our sathen. end Goo him
self told us that stren li and number. avail not lgainfl him. See]: then
to be at peace with im. solicit hie alliance, and fear not the boded
lsength and povver es your foes.
You may be mld that your foru have been taken. your country ra
mgo-d, and rhn your axmies have mreated, and rheresore that Goo in
not wish you. !! is true that some sum have been taken, thal our coun
try hath hc<n ravagcd, and thatour Maker is displeased with ua. But it
in also true du! the King of Heaven is not like the King of Britain,
implaeable. lshie assiflance be sincerely implored, it will surely be ob
raised. [sue tum fron our sun, he will turn from hia anger. Then
will our arm: he emned with success. and the pride and power of our
enemiea, like the moganee and prideof Nebuchndnezar, will vnnish away.
Let na do our duty, and victory will be our reward. Let a general resorma
tion of mannernake place. Letnomon widouund on-Ehans, compelled to
fly from their peacesnl nbodct, c llin that you ma -e : mM-of their
thirds, and take cruel advanumsheir neeefliries. When "your css un
tr it invaded, and cries aloud for your aid, I not to same securc corner
1 neighbouring Since, and remain idle s atora of her dilkresa, but
share in her sue. and mnnsvlly support her cause. Let universnl charity.
public spi-it, and private virtue, he mculented, encouraged, and practised.
Unin in preparing for : vigormu defence of war country, aa us all de
pended on your own exernom; and'when you have done these thin :
dun reh- upon she gard providenee of Almngln Gan for succesa, m
sin emfidenee thar wit ut hia bleffingall our e I will inevitably faile
A le mourn on hose solld principlea never have been, and never
!! be nhiaga by any tyrant whatever. Cease then to desire the
sh-pon of hand remember their talk-mafiera and opp: efsion. No
longer hchm " njeflin all dependenee on a King who will rule
"only with a nd of iron; Tel those who blame you for declaring your
klveai doe, dutyon had done no more than what your late King
hid done you that be declared you to be out of his protection; that
be abraid yon mal] nllegianee; that he made war u n you, and
inlead olym Kils decline your enemy and delroyer. y hie consent,
by hia m na, you became ent of hia crown: " you are wise
you will Me confine lb. nedom in now in youregower. Value
che heavenly gift. Remember, that if you dare w negl or despise it,
you offer an insult to the Divine flew. Not despair of keeping it.
Pespa'r and desp'onckney lark : little laid, and idea!!! jovelsil'g
lslt- '
? After the armiee of Rome had beeflsirepeatediy descend by Hannibal.
that imperial city wnl besieged by this brave and expen-teed General, it
the head of anumerous and victoriouo arm . But, so (n'ere her glomue
cittzens from beingdismayed by the losao so many bin!"- ?nd Qs 'u Mr
country, so confldcnt in their own tinue, and the protection of Heaven,
that the very land on which the Canthaginiane were encallped tue fold at
puhlic ctuctimt for more than the usual price. . Those her'otc ctnzem
diiclained to receive his protection", or to regard his proclamatwm. They
ttmembned that their ancestol's had let: them free; ancestor: who had
bled in rescuing their country from the tyranny'of Klnp. ' They "!—
voked the ptotefflon of the Sopreme Being; they bl'l'Hy defended their
eity with undaunted resolution ; they repelled the enemy,_ and recovered
their country. Blush then, ye degenmte spirits! who give all over for
lust, bccsituse your enemiea have marched through three or four emnties
in thin and : neighbouring State; ye who basely ly to havesithe yoke
of shvery fixed upon your necke, and to swear thatIott and _ chil
dren aftei you shall be (level for ever. Such dien eserve to. num,
and me fit only for heath of burthen to the rest of mankind. y would
it be for Ametiea is they were removed avay, instead of eatinding m
this country to people it with : face of animals, who, sm- thetr form,
'must be claffed with the human s iea, but possess none osdosequalitiq
which render them more respecta le than the brum. _
There never 'et wn awarjn which victnrmd sueoese dlfl not some.
times change si ee. In the "sent nothin happened either singular
or decisive. In uire dispa onately, and notdeceived by these artful
tale: which emi ariee from the enemy soindush'ioufl ctrculete.
A wei'sul and welldiseiplined army, supported a respectable fleet,
inva ethil country : They are ted by an army. which. though '"E'
merous and bnve, it quite undi ci lined. Notwnthflandmg thu mant
fest disparity, they have never thought it prudent to give ua battle, though
they have often had the fairest opportunitiee. True it in lb" taking 34
vanta of that critical moment, when our forces were almott dilbanded,
they are penetrated into {ersey, and marched : considerahle distance
without being attacked. ! an m alarmed at thin circumstance, let
them consider that we do not si; t for a few aerea of lond, but for free.
dom, for the freedom and ha inest of milliom yet unborn. Would it
not be high] impnident to ri such important evenu u n the issue of a
general hatt e, when it in certain Great Britain cannot ng continue the
war, and by rotracting it we cannot fail of succesa! The British Mi.
nish-y, sensib e of this truth, and convinced that the peo of England
are aware of it. have promised that the sent clmpssaign all be the ialsi.
They are greatly and justly alarmed lt t ir sitnation: A country drained
of men and money; the difficulty of supplying fleeu and mniet at so
great a distance; the danger of domenie tnsumctiom; the probability
that France will take advantage of their deseneelesa condition; the ruin
of their e-imrnerce by our,];rivnteen; these are eircumlancet at which
the boldest are dismuyed. They are convinced that the people will not
remain long content in such a dansetous situation. Hence it it that they
press lo hard to make this campatgn decistve, and hence it it that we
should endeavour to avoid it. Even suppose that Philadelphia, which
many believe to be of such great importlnce, suppose it was token or
abandoned, the conquest of America will flill be at a great distance;
million, determined to be free, Rill remain to be subdued; millions
who disdain to part with their liberties, their consciencel, and the hap.
piness of their poflerity in future ages, for infamous prodectiona, ud
. dishonourabie pardone.
But, imidst all the terror and dismay which hue taken hold upon some
weak minde, let ue consider the advantegee under which we pmsecuu
the present war. Our country suppliee ue with dmoR every eommodity
which is necessary for life or defence. Arme and nmntnmtion ere now
abundantly manusactured in almost I" the Ameriean Smu, end our
armies will be Imply supplied with ." militalz Dares. We hue mon
fighting men in America then Britlin can thly (end.. Our trade il
free, and every port of France end Spain orde pr'ctnn to our flu' .
Other natiom, invited by the advantagee of our comments, will soul;.
lefe soon follow theix exam le; end experience mal cotvinee the man
ineredulo'ue that the Briti nation cznnot exclude m from the sea. !!
their smite have invaded, ranged, end plundered our dominiom and
our people, hnve we not succesefully attacked them on their boafled em.
pire of the ocean? Have not our privateess brought into the port: of
Americn British proper to the amount of nsstore thin fifteen hundred
thousand pound" An do we not dai] receive the most veluable un
goes from soreiin countries, in spite o those fleet! whose colour: hay.
waved in triump over the glohe? The artlcle of sapsiffibout which some
of you heve been uneasy, will soon be fully supplied. The bone of
Ametiea m washed by the qmn so: man the- two Mind lilot,