The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1849-07-04
DUBUQUE, IOWA, JULY 4, 1849.

! ington, spoke Of tho "fixed aim at total indie
pendence,' evinced by the Massa chusetts peo
pie. In his reply, during the following month
Washington says:
"Although you are taught, say, bv discours
Ing with such men, to believe that the people
of Massa chusetts are rebellous; setting up 70,
INDEPENDENCE and what not, give me leave, nv
good friend to tell you that you are abused
grossly abused "Give me
leave to add, and think can announce it as
a fact, that it is not the wish or intention OF
, that Government, or any other upon this con.
tinent, separately or collectively, to set up TO,
independence"
And again, at the close Of the same letter
recapitulating his opinions, he writes:
| IL am we'll satisfied that no such thing is de-
sired by any thinking man in all North Anne
| RIGA. On the contrary, that it is the arden,
wish of the warmest advocates for liberty that
peace and tranquility upon constitutions
grounds may be restored, and the horrors of ci
vii discord prcvented.'
In letter of John Jay to George A. Otis
| the translator of Botta's History, dated Bed.
ford, 10Th January, 1921, he thus refutes an a s.
sertioh in the pages Of that work, as 10 the ear
]y yet marked desire on the part of America
| for independence:
Dur country" says he ''does not deserve
this odious and disgusting imputation. During
| the course of my life, and until after the second
petition of Congress in IT'S, 1nevcr did hear
| any American OF any class or of any descrp
ton express wish for the independence of the
| colonies"
| Few Americans had more or better means
| and opportunities Of becoming acquainted with
the sentiments nd dispositions of the oolonist IS
relative 10 public affairs than Dr.. Franklin
In Il letter to his son, dated 22d M.rch, ITS,
he relates conversation which he had with
Lord Chatham in the preceding month of Au
gust. His lordship having mentioned an opin
ion prevailing in England, that America aimed
at setting up for herself as an independent State,
the Doctor thus expressed himself
~ assured him, that having more than once
travelled almost from one end Of the continent
to the other, and kept great variety of com.
pany, eating, drinking, and conversing with
them freely, never had heard, in any CONVEX.
saton, from any person, drunk or sober, the
least expression Of a wish for a separation, or
hint that such thing would be advantageous
to America"
ut does not appear to me necessary to en-.
large further on this subject. 1t has always
our country was prompted and impellcd to in
dependence by necessity, and not by choice
They who know how we were circumstanced,
know from whence that necessity resulted"
Mr.. Otis, in replying to Judge Jay, introdu-
ces into his letter two extra cts from communi.
cations made to him by President Adams, (the
edcr) and Jefferson, which are strong and in
teresting testimony OH this point Mr.. Adams
says, lit is true there always existed in the
colonies desire for independence Of Parlia-
ment in the articles Of internal taxation and
internal policy, and very general, if not a
universal opinion, that they were constitution.
ally entitled to it, and as general determine.
ton, If possible, to maintain and defend It; but
there never existed desire ofindepcndcnce of
the Crown. or of general regulations Of com
merce, for the equal and impartial benefit of
all parts of the empire. 1t is true, there might
be times and circumstances in which an indi-
yIdual, or few individuals, might entertain
and express wish that America was ndepen-
dent in all respects; but these were 'rari nantes
in gu :gite uasto.' For example, in 1867,
and 8, the conduct of the British Generals
Shirley, Braddock, London, Webb, and Aber.
cromb!c, was so absurd. disastrous, and des-
tructIve, that a very general opinion prevailed
that the war was conducted by a mixture Of
ignorance, trcachery, and cowardice; pnd some
persons wished we had nothing to do with Great
Britain forever or this number distinctly
remember / was myself one; fully believing
that we were able to defend ourselves against
the French and Indians, without any assistance
or e'nba7vassments from Great Britain. In 1853
and g, when Amherst and Wolfe had changed
the fortunes of the war, by more able and
faithful conduct Of it. again rejoiced in the
name of Briton, and should have rejoced in it
to this day, had not the King and Parliament
committed high treason and rebellion against
America as soon as they had conquered Cana.
da and made peace with France. That there
existed q general desire of independence of the
Crown, in any part of America, before the Re-
vol, 10 cor l.
is from the nadir. The encroa ching disposition
OF Great Britain, it was carly foreseen by many
wise men in all the States, would one day at
tempt to enslave them by requiring uncond-
tional submission to Parliament, and rule them
with rod Of iron; that this attempt would pro-
duce resistance on the part of America, and
an awful struggle, was also foreseen, but dread
ed and deprecated as the greatest calamity that
could befall them. For my own part, there
was not moment during the Revolution when
would not have given every thing possessed
for restoration to the state of things before
the contest began, provided we could have had
a sufficient security for its continuance" &c.
Mr.. Jefferson says, IN few words, Il con-
firm by my belief, Mr.. jays criticims on the
passages he quotes from Botta. I can answer
for its truth from this State southwardly, and
northwardly, believe, to New York, for which
State Mr.. Jay himself is competent witness.
w hat, edst"dEu OF tuat, might nave been the
disposition towards England before the com
mencement Of hostilit1es, know not: before
that never had heard whisper of DISPOSE.
ton to separate from Great Britain; and after
that, its possibility was contemplated with af.
Fiction by all,' &c.
In July, IT'S, Congress reported their last
petition and address to the King. The first
draught was drawn up by Mr.. Jefferson; but
he says it was "too strong for Mr.. Dickinson"
This gentleman, distinguished as the author Of
the "Farmer's Letters which produced such
great effect in rousing the colonies to sense
of their rights and dangers, was yet lingering
on the side of Cancellation, and unwilling to
break off from the Royal authority. His early
efforts in the cause Of the colonies induced the
members Of Congress to treat him with defer
ence, and he was therefore suffered to take Mr..
Jefferson's draught and remodel it to his own
views and sentiments; which he SO effectuaIly
did, as only to leave four and half of the pa
ragraphs of the original. Mr.. Jefferson, in bis
valuable notes. relates the following interest
ing anecdote of its reception: 1.-The disgust a.
gainst its humility was general; and Mr.. Dick
inson's delight at its passage was the only cir.
cumstance which reconciled them TO do it.
The vote being passed, although further obser.
"a