Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1841-12-30
DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE.

iiStoricai ooclety Dy the rev. JARED SPARKS.
The following notice of some of the promi-
nent incidents referred to in it will be read
with interest
After reviewing the ground occupied in his
second lecture, Mr. SPARKS stated that from
the passing OF the Stamp Act TO the second
sitting 9th Continental Congress, the Amer
lean people did not entertain the remo,eSt
| idea OF claiming their independence. In all
| the difficulties, and indeed after the battle c!
| Lexington,a separation from the mother coun-
try was no! even talked OF. Their whole aim
and desire seemed to be to conciliale matters.
reserving to themselves at the same time the
| broad principles of liberty, which they were
able and willing-nay, determined 10 enjoy
at all hazards.
What is still more remarkable, no private
letter has yet been found written before the
year l775, in which the idea of independence
Is even limited at. Soon after the battle of
Bunker Hill, some occasionally talked of il,
without however, seriously contemplating any
thing of the kind; and il is fact which can
moi be con,rovertcd, that the subject was not
touched many newspaper, official record,
edict, or known document ofany kind, for ten
years after the passage of the Stamp Act The
continued cry of the Colonies was for recon-
IL
and grievances; and this cry was kept ND until
1t was lost in the din of arms which forced In
dependence upon the people. No doubt
many oithe most sensible patriots of the Re-
volution deemed the separation polite, but il
does not appear tina. thatpolicy was express
sed IN any of their writings, official cores
pondence, or to each other.
In England the matter was not only talked
of, but in IVA, JOHN CARrwRIGuT, after
wards more extensively known as Col Cart
wright, wrote pamphlet entitled "American
Independence" in which he urged Parliament
to declare the Colonies free and independent
He and others equally shrewd, argued the inn
possibility of retaining them, from their local
circumstances and their distance from the
mother country. This individual during his
whole life was the ardent and consistent friend
of reform; and even at this early period, was
DESTROYS that the Colonies should have their
grievances redrcssed. But his views were
not those entertained by the Ministry
Another distinguished writer, DEAN Tuck
Err of Gloucester, was iavorably disposed to-
wards the Colonisis; and also wrote
pamphlet, i'll which he proposed reconciIia-
ton on the part of the Colonists, Of all their
| disloyal acts ard errors, a confession tina; they
were IN the wrong, full and implicit obe-
dience to all the acts ofParliament and laws,
passed in Great Britain for their control, low
atty TO the King, and ''other duiies,' as he was
pleased to term them, which he thought
would render them happy. But finding that
all his propositions Were rcpugnant to their
feelings, and that they still persisted in de-
handing their rights, he became verv arprv.
and framed law denying them all rights as
British subjects, and casting them oii as
outlaws, which, however, was not adopted
by Parliament. Sill he continued to write.
and got some to advocate his views. Al last
he got his viii, though in different manner
from what he desired, for the Colonisls instead
OF waiting to be cut OF, cM themselves OF
JOSIAH QUINCY, VINO was iii London, in
l||4, writes that ina conversation he had with
DR.. FRANKLIN at that time, he found that dis
tngulShcd man strongly DESTROYS that the
Colonies should take a stand for Indepen-
dence. Mr. Quincy was pure patriot, and
longed for similar effort, but died at sea, in
l715, on his return home.
The acts passed al both sessions of the
Continental Congress brea;hed the same tone
Of feeling and spirit of reconciliation, and a
desire amcably to settle matters, that had char
acterlzed all their former proceedings Mr..
JAY, JOHN ADAMS, JEFFERSON, MADISON aud
WASHINGTON, all declared that the Colonies
did not desire independence No doubt some
looked to final appeal toarms; but generally
the desire was to bring about change in the
policy oithe British Ministry towards them.
with redress for what injury had been done
them. But subsequent events, the rejection
OF their petitions, and the naughty and con-
temptuous manner in which all their overturcs
were treated, at length opened their eyes, and
reused them to aciion-they became fully
convinced that but one course was now before
them, unless they would bow down to tyran-
ny, and abandon all for which they had been
so long contending, and quietly submit them
selves TO bondage which their rebellion
would render teu-fold more oppressive. IL
was deemed proper that Congress should not
make the first movement; but that itshould be
left to the people themselves:
individuals now began to speak decidedly.
General GREsNE-a very proud name in our
hosiery, i'll letter to friend dated 18th June,
l7I5, said, Permit me then to recommend
from my heart ready at all times to 5ieed
in my country's cause.-the immediate De
ciaration oflndependence.o This was writ
ten fourteen months before the Declaration of
Independence, and was the boldest expression
OF opinion on this subject at so early day.
As soon as the news of the battle ofLexington
reached Meckcnburgh County, n orth Carroll
ma, the authorities assembled the inhabitants
in Convention, at which resolutions were
drawn up and signed by 27, declaring that
''these Colonies are and of right ought to be