The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1809-12-06
aDifteiianp.
Mr.. ADAMS
CORRESPONDENCE CONTINUED,
answers 10 Mr.. Kaikoen's Queries.
LETTER v.
Amsterdam, October 9, 1880.

tary revolt et any one or more oil the otatcs
in the American confederation is to be appre-
hended and if one or more were in revolt,
whether the others would not be able to de-
fend themselves :" ~~k
This is very iudicions and material qucs-
ton. conceive that the answer to 1t is ca
sy aud decisive. There is not the least dam
ger of voluntary revolt of any one State IN
the Union. 1t is difficult TO prove a nega.
tive, however: and still more difficult 70
prove future negative. Let us, however,
consider the subject slittie.
Which State is the most likely TO revolt, or
submit Is it the most ancient Colony, as
Virginia, or the Massachusetts Bay Is is
the most numerous and powerful, as Virgin
ia, Massachusetts, or Pennsylvania be-
lieve nobody will say, that any one of these
great States will take the lead in revolt or
a voluntary submission.
Will it be the smallest and weakest States,
that will be most likely to give up volunta-
rily In order to satisfy ourselves OF this,
let us consider what has happened and by
the knowledge of what is passed, we may
Judge of what is to come.
The three smallest States are Rhode-t
sland, Georgia and Delaware.
The English have plainly had it in view to
bring one of these States to submission, and
have accordingly directed very great forces
against them.
Let us begin with Rhode Island. In the
latter end of the year l776, General Howe
sent large army of near seven thousand men,
by sea, Under strong convoy Of men Of war,
detached by Lord Howe, TO take possession
Of Newport, the capital of Khode-IslanG.---
,Ic Tel. xxns
ther fortified nor garrisoncd sufficiently
to defend itself against so powerful .
fleet and army, and therefore the English
made themselves masters of the place. But
what advantage did they derive from it |! Did
the Colony of RhodcIsland, small as it is,
submits? So far from it, that they were rem
dercd the more eager to resist and an army
was assembled at Providence, which confined
the English to the prison-o Rhode Island,
Until the fall of the year 1879, when they
were obliged to evacuate it, and our army en-
tered it in triumph.
The next little State which the English at
tempted was Delaware. This State consists
of three counties only, situated upon the riv-
er Delaware, below Philadelphia, and is the
most exposed to the English men Of war of
any of the States, because they are open to
invasion not only upon the ocean, but all a.
long the river Delaware. 1t contains not
more than thirty thousand souls. When the
English got possession Of Philadelphia, and
had the command OF the whole navigation of
the Delaware, these people were more in the
power of the English than any part Of Amer
lea ever was, and the English generals, admi-
rails, commissioners, and all the tories, used
all their arts to seduce this little State but
they could not succeed they never could
get the appearance Of government erected
under the Kings authority. The people
continued their delegation to Congress, and
continued to elect their Governours, Senate,
and Assemblies, under their new constitu-
ton and to furnish their quota to the CONT
mental army, and their proportion to the mill
tia, until the English were obliged to eyacu-
ate Philadelphia. There are besides, in this
little State, from various causes. more tories,
In proportion, than in any other. And as this
State stood immovable, / think we have no
reason to fear a voluntary submission of any
other.
The next small State that was attempted
was Georgia. This State is situated at the
extremity Of all, and at such distance from
all the rest, and such difficulty of communica-
tiOu OciuS dOONC al nuuuTc0 mltcS IrOm
Charleston, in South Carolina, that it was i'm.
possible for the rieighbouring States to afford
them any assistance. The English invaded
this little State, and took the capital, Savan-
nah, and have held it to this day but this ac-
QUESTION has not Been followed by any sub
mission of the Province on the contrary,
they continue their delegation in Congress,
and their new officers of government. This
Province, moreover, was more Immediately
the child of England than any other tho set
element of it cost England more than all the
rest, from whence one might expect they
would have more friends here than any
Were.
New-Jcrsey is one of the middling sized
States. New-Jcrsey had a large British ar.
my in Philadelphia. which is on one side Of
them, and another in New-York, which is on
the other side, and the British army has