Spirit of the times. [volume] (Ironton, Ohio) 1853-1858, 1855-07-03
PRINTED At PHILADELPHIA, BY ROBERT
BELL, JANUARY l, l776.

|
"VoLuMEs have been written on the
subject Of tho struggle between England
and America. Men of all ranks have
embarked in the controversy, from dir.
ferent motives, and with various designs
but all have been Intellectual, and the
period OF debate is closed. Arms, as
the last resource, decide the contest ;
the appeal was the choice Of the king,
and the continent has accepted the
challenge. .'--,.
II hath been reported Of the late Mr..
Pelham (who, though an able minister,
was not without his faul,s), that on his
being attacked in the house Of commons
on the score that his measures we're only
Of q temporary kind, he replied "1hcy
UH last my time" Should thought
so fatal and unmanly possess the colonies
in the present contest, the name of an.
ccstors will be remembered by future
generations with detestatlon.
The sun never shone or cause Of
greater worth. 'Tis not the affair Of n
city, a county, q province, or a king.
dom but Of u continenl-of at least
one eight part Of the habilabIe globe
'Tis not the concern Of day, a year, or
an age; postcrily are virtually inyolv.
ed in the contest, and will be more or
loss affected, even to the end Of time,
by the proceedings now. Now is the
seed time Of continental union, faith.
and honor. The least fracture now will
be like name engraved with the point
of pin on the tender rind Of a young
oak /; the wound will enlarge with the
tree, and posterity read it IN full.grown
characters.
BY referring the matter from argument
10 arms, new era for politics is str, OK
"a new method Of thinking hath arisen.
All plans. proposals, &C., prior to the
10th of April. e. 10 the commence.
ment of hoStilities-ore like the alma.
macs Of the Las, year, which, though
proper then. are superseded and use.
ess now. Whatever was advanced by
the advocates on either side Of the
question then, terminated in one and
the same point, viz, union with Grca,
Britain. The only difference between
tho parties was the method Of efccting
1.-THE one proposing force, the other
friendship; but it hath, so far, happen.
ed that the first hath failed, nnl the
second hath withirown her influence.
AS much hath been sail Of the al.
vantages Of reconciliation, which, like
an agreeable dream, hath passed away
and left US as we were, it is but righ;
that we should examine the contrary
siIe of the argument, and inquire into
some OF the many material in uries which
these colonies sustain, anil always will
sustain, by being connected with. and
dependent on, Great Brilain-to ex
anime that connexion and dependence
on the principles Of nature and common
sense, 10 see what we have to trust If Sc
parated, and what we are to expect i
dependent.
| have heard it asserted by some, tina
as America hath nourshcd under he
connexion with Britain, that the sam,
connexion is necessary toward her (utur,
happiness, and will always have ,h
same effect. Nothing can be NOR
fallacious than this kind of argumen,
we may as we'll assert, that because
child hath thrived on milk, that it i
never to have meat-or that the frs
twenty years Of our lives are 10 becom
a precedent for the next twenty. Blu
even this is admitting more than is true
for answer roundly that America woul
have nourished as much, and probabl
much more, had no European powe
taken any no,ice OF her. The commerc
by which she hath enriched herself ar
j; the necessaries of life, and will alway
have market while ea,ingis the custo
Of Europe.
But she hath protected US, say som
That she hath engrossei US is true, an
:! defended the continent at our expen!
as we'll as her own is admitted al
she would have defended Turkey fro
n the same motive, viz, the sake Of trat
and dominion.
Alas! we have been long led away
Mt ancient prejudices and made large sa
ri6ces to superstition. We have boa'
ed the protection Of Great Britain, wit
out considering that her motive was I
terest, not attachment that she did r
md protect us from our enemies on our I
count, but from her enc mics on her Of
account--from those who had no quar-
with us on any other account, end "
H. will always be our enemies on the sa
Up account. Let Britain waive her p
ss tensions to the continent, or the &C
n. ,inent throw off the dependence. and
l.. should be at peace with France a
=" Spain were they at war with Britain
c" The miseries Of Hanover, last "
as ought 10 warn US against connexions
n.I
lat 1t hath lately been asserted in par
ne. ment that tho colonies have no relst
as TO each other but through the pare
&c. county,. e. that Pennsylvania {
vas the Jerseys, and 80 on for the rest,
rk sister colonies by the way Of Engl'
not This is certainly very roundabout ,
Lat Of proving relationship. il ! may so
ingli it. France and Spain never were,
tho perhaps ever will be, our enemies
. 10 Americans, but ss our being the subj
and Of Great Britain.
the But Britain is the parent.county,
,ac. some. Then the more the shame q