The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1862-01-11
From the Boston Journal
The Present Revolution FOretold Sixty.
five Years Ago.

five Years Ago.
One Of the English Field Officers, who
served against the United States during
the Revolutionary War, after his return
to En- gland, wrote an account Of bis Life
and Adventures, which was published in
London in 1901. In many respects he
was remarkable man, but most remark
able IN the prophecies which he uttered
at Philadelphia about the year 1893, which
were published in his autobiography in
2sU1- These prophecies now coming TO
pass, constituted portions Of q conversation
, held at the d nner table of General Dick
enson, brother TO the famous Dickenson,
better known to many in that day by his
nan, dc plume o. the Pennsylvania Farm
err
Upon q certain occasion, only few
weeks after peace had been definitely ,on.
/ cluded between the Thirteen Colonies,
which had become Independent States,
and Great Britain, General Dickinson re.
/ quested the Englishmans opinion of our
Government and its stability. His reply
was as follows:
Sir as long as General Washington
and the other principal military charao-
tiers aud leading men in Congress, who
have brought about this Revolution, are
alive, the Government viii remain as il is,
nnited; but, when all o. you are in your
grUyes, there will be wars and rumors of
war in this country.f There are too many
different interests in it for them to be
united under one government just a.
this war commenced, you were going 10
fight among yourselves, and would have
fought had not the British interiered-
You then, one and all, united against us
as your common enemy but one of these
days the Northern and Southern powers
will fight as vigorously against each ether,
as they bsth have united to do against the
British This country, when its popua-
tion shall be completed, is large enough
for three great empires Look, ge itiemen
at the map of it view how irregular the
provinces are laid out, running into each
other: look particularly y at the State Of
New York ]; extends $50 miles in length (
due north and in no place in breadth,
above 20 miles. No country can be said
TO have boundary or frontier, unless its
exterior limits are marked by an unford-
able river or o chain Of mountains not to
sf FEET 1ffr iaaer tf 81 stfe has distinctly point
ed out three extensive boundaries 10 your
country The North River, the first; the
Great Potomac, which runs three hundred
IpilssSS frap AlszapdEia. t. ta the ssss pp
the third and last When the country of
kentucky IS completely settled, and the
back country farther on the banks Of the
Missippi shall become populous and pow
erful, do you think they ever will be
subjected to a government seated at Phi
ladeiphia or New York, at tho distance of
So many hundred miles But such de-
fec,ionii will not happen for yer; long
period Of time, until the inhabitants o!
10,
fulS The Northern and Southern powers
will first divide and contend in arms.
Il will risk further opinion relative to
America Should ! live to good old
age, ! am confident that | shall hear of
the Northern and Southern powers in
Amarica wagug wor against each other
when one party viii solicit assistance from
France, the other from Great Britain. 1t
will tLen depend on the Judgment OF
those men who at that period, may be at
the head of the French and British coun-
ellis, whether or not they will interfere in
American disputes. In my humble opin-
ion, it would be better for both countries
to let them settle il among themselves i
will be SO bod as 20 offer another opinion.
We should give W Canada and Nova
Scotia to the Americans, provided we
could make this sacrifice the foundation
/ of ad alliance offensive and defensive with
/ the United States Then we ahall not be
obliged to send the prime of the British
Army to die like rotten sheep in the
West India Islands. In America we could
recruit forces for the West Indies with
men Injured 10 the hot climate, who would
not suffer by death and sickness IN any
degree equal to the new levies sent from
England with the additional advantage
. -, F,,ij
vigor at home ! anxiously hope and
trust ! shall live TO see the day when an
alliance offensive and defensive will be
+ formed between tha two countries; as
Great Britain end America may defy the
united powers of all Europe. Surely such
an alliance between the two countries
would lie more advantageous and natural
fox both, than with +. auce
| remember perfectly we'll General
Dickenson's reply to my opinion - God
forbid that should ever live TO see that
! day, or that such dire calamity should
ever befall my country after my death !,
Yet | am afraid there may be some Just
| ground of suspicion for the foundation Of
/ your opinions.
Again, in another place, the English
officer remarks, The Americans at that
/ time acted on the truest principles OF
! liberty and honesty Little did they sus-
pect that, so young as they now are as an
I independent nation, for their independ-
/ ence has existed only about twenty odd
years, dating from l,76,) venality and
corruption should have established its
aScendency with such rapid strides of
of which we have at this day such con-
vincng proofs for although the States of
! America are not thirty years old, infants,
/ they may be called as Il power, yet ve!e-
rams are they in corruption and State IN
! trisue | claim no greater merit tor my
| opinions relative to America, than Is due
( to Mother Shiptou, who prophesied that
! London would go to Hampstead; and We
already know that it is already arrived
| within a few hundred yards Of It,.
| ..One further observation, recollect,
made at Gen. Dicksnson's table - In
/ process of time, when your western ter
| ritories are perfectly settled from the Ohio
! to the Mississippi, which in time cannot
| fail to be perfected; and when your West
ern and Southern colonies become in pop
ulation as numerous as the sands of the
sea-then will the riches Of Potosi attract
| the attention of Americans to the conquest
of Mexico and Peru. This is an object
Survivors who witnessed or participated In the
for independence are very scarce among
trhs rebellion of Is60-6l is no, the first threat Of
disunien have heard Burr, Calhoun. and others
not as well known. abored for disruption at remote
dates beginning with the generation who rJoicea Ia
This must refer to Long Island. Staten Island New
| York and westehester counties The Virginia " Fan
Handle" another strip geographically inappropriate
| to peaceful continuance in its status
Sit is not $50 niles from AisAandra 10 sho en-
trance Of Chesapeake Bay.
This has often been talked about.
sThe new country OF Kentucky at tha. time vas but
in ira infn