Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1801-1806, 1803-10-20

foreign ebiedions, 10 fdch meafcte, reful,ing
from our troops having conaantly Aed before
che Ensliih army. France, the natural and ha-
bituaI enemy of England. and with whom we
therefore courtcd an alliance, concluded, that
VIC were not united in our declaration Of indc-
pcndence, or that there wzs native cowardice
in our character, which we could not purge
away by the force of political enthuGafm. Mr..
Adams was therefore, impatient for general
action, to wipe away thcfe injurious afperhons,
and 10 obvisie thcfc fatal objections. He con-
fdcd in the enthuGafm OF the American army,
more than in the efficiency of difciplipe Gen.
Warrington was unwilling to r,ik TOO much on
one seiion and while he was difciplining HE
troops, at an eafy charge. the enemy were watt
ing theirs at great expencc.
The battle of Bennington. and the glory OF
Saratoga Plains. fully fupported the opinion Of
MIR. Adsms.-Burgoyns's army fnrrender-
ed on the nth of Oa. I777, and the King OF
France Ggned treaty of alliance with the u
nited States, which had been long deGred, on
the 9Th Of Feb. 1878. The conduct OF Gen.
Wahingtons as commander Of the army, through
out the whole war, was prudent, cautious and
valiant. There can be no difficulty in fuPPof.
ing, that both thefe great men were right and
sorred in their ols iions, but the enemies OF
Adams, and the enemies of Warrington, confpif-
ed with the enemies Of the revolution, to fow
the feeds of iealoufy and diicord between them.
The treaty Of peace with England, 10 7S3,
acknowledging the independence OF the United
States, accomplished the wiihcs Of Mr.. Adams.
lie was then in htuation 10 contemplate his
own psit conduct in review with inexpreiIible
fatisfaeion, his penetrating eye had long difcern-
ed. and his patriotic foul had long anticipated
ihe nebu. of glory, TO which his country would
aifc. There is no doubt among his intimate
friends, and indeed it is we'll known 10 bis con-
fidential compatriots, that he was the firR man
In America, who contemplated the idea Of ie-
paration OF the colonies from the mother country.
He wa, convinced, thar the connection could
no, be continued upon plan, which would fc-
cure to the colonias, what was then called the
rights of Englifhmcn. His exertions, therefore,
all tended to sfcpsration. BY his fpeeches, and
gazette productions, a large majority was pro-
cured and maintained In Msnachuiet,s, in opPo-
ftion to the Claims of the niDiRry. IL has been
faid, that he was the man who originated Con-
Srefs of the colonies, he certainly wa, the hrR
man who propoled il in this rate, though Gov
ernor Bowdoin and Doctor Erankiin we're with
him in the mcaiure. The cauic had long been the
common caufe OF all, but there was an sbfolute
sccefIty, to render their oPpoG,ion as confolida-
rcd as their interef was. Ia the year I774, az
ter thc parliament had pa0ed an ad 20 repeal
part of the charter ofths then province, General
Gage carried the General Court from Bottom,
which he was taught by the royaliff, tocall the
hot bed Of iedition, TO the town of Sslem.---
There the houfe Of Representatives, &. the coun-
Gil. then one branch OF the legifature, appointed
a committee of ievcniecn, TO conhder and report
on the fate of the province. Adams was one OF
courfc. In this coms,ttec there happened 10 be
four members, who were for fubmit,ing to the
mother country in all her claims. When they
had wcsried thcmielves with hypothetical argu-
Yrcns in this way, they adjourned from time to
time to meet again. The r. 3 who were oppo!ed
10 che four, met by themielves, and formed, and
reported plan for general Congrefs this re-
port was introduced by Mr.. Adams. TO the great
aftonihment of the four of the committee from
whom il had been kept feSret, as well to the
amazsment OF their adberents. This fecreiy was
recrfTsrv, ,bccaufe the Governor would have dif-
folvea the leginMuge, il he had had hint of
what the majority Of the committee intended.
The doors were cloied. the rcpott accepted, and
the members chofcn before diflolution Of the
legiQMnrc was effsdcd by the Governor.
When the Congrefs Of the colonies affsm-
bled, they unanimously pesitioned the King for
aredrefs Of grievances this petition was founded,
pretty much in the principles which had been
advanced by Mr.. Diskenfon. in his letters,
under the 6gna,ure of the Pennfyltania Farmer.
When Mr.. Adams returned from Copere!s in
the fall OF the year, he gave but lit!c encourage
mert, that the petition would be attended to,
and therefore he urged the provincial congref,,
by eaabl.ihing magazines, to be prepared for
the Iaa rcfort. The parliament could not con-
fiftently with the Enqli(h contribution, relinquih
its authority over the colonies, nor could the
colonies confidently with their rights as freemen,
Iubmis to legilsture in whole election they
had no fohfage. This wac not concealed from
MIR. Adams but an open avowal Of bis princi-
vlc, and plans would have difconcersed the Wing
in,ersH, and dearoyed the force of the oppoG-
tiop.
The petition Of Congref; was rejected. and
Lexington hattie, foon after, announced what
was to be done. The folcmn iifac was Joined;
and arms alone mutt decide on the fate of mil
lions.
The termination Of the war, gave our pat
riot an opportunity to retire from the arduous
huf;nsia Of conqrcis. Ne faw the infuihcienev