/m/Uty/j
fJi//7?u?i^' ^^^^Z//?.«i^<;/^^#7Z!^/Z/-
^-/'.^^ _ ^/fa/mc,/7S3
^k
/ _
The Snare broken,
4
A
Thankfgiving-Difcourlej
PREACHED
At the Dcfire of the Weft Church
IN
Boston, iV. £. Friday May 23, i^dd^
OCCASIONED BY THE
E P E A L
OF THE
Stamp-Ad.
BY
Jonathan Mayhew, D. DJ
Paftor of faid Church.
-Brethren^ ye have been called unto liberty ; only ufe not
Liberty /er an ccccjijn to the flsjh, but tj love ftrvs om
another, A p. Pawl.
t m. • II - f^" i ^ I. ' " •
B O S T O N.t
Printed and Sold by R. &S. Draper, inNew-
bury-Street ; EdesSc Gill, in Quecn-Str-^ct ;
and T. 8c J. Fleet, in GornhllL 3766.
.%v^:ilfjkf}:»pc^i:
THE
DEDICATION,
To THE Right HoNoRABLti
William Pitt, Efq;
ONE OF HIS
Majesty's
MOST HONORABLE PRIVY COUNrTL,'
AND AN ILLUSTRIOUS
PATRON OF AMERICA.
o
Ki
ID not a Wide ocean intervene, the
Author of the enfaing Difcourfe
v/ould not prefumc to prefix fo great
a NAiriF. to a littlePerformanceof his,v/kh-
oar. firft humbly requefling the indulgence,
and obtaiiiino; it. Nor would he truft to
\x\t fufiidcncy of that apology for taking
this
iv D E D I C AT 10 N.
\t\as liberty, did not fome perfons perfwade
.him to hope, it will be kindly and con«
defcendingly taken as a teftimony of that
iincere gratitude and high veneration,
which not only he but his country has for
ONE, who hath twice at leaft been a prin-
cipal Inftrument in the hand of GOD, of
favingGREAT Britain and her Colonies
from impending ruin : Once, by magnani-
moufly condu6ling a juft and glorious war
againft foreign nations ; and once, by pre-
fcrving peace in His own *, — by exerting
Himfelf to prevent a fatal rupture between
Br i TA IK and hcrCoionies, and to re-eftab-
liPn fuch an harmony as elTentially con-
ceriis the \velfare of bo the '
At the late moll important crisis, You,
Sir, whom no rewards could ever tempt,
no frowns of the Great ever difmay, no
dangers difconcert ; and to whom* fo good
jand great inYouifehv no cities,,' ho vvevjpr
high, could pojTibly add any new dignity or
lu(h-e; You, Great Sir, was not "waJhamcd
Qt cur chain",or reluctant at {landing forth
to plead the caufc of poor .America ; ar^d
to Item clic mighty tGircnt that was againft
her.
D E D IC AT JO m ^p
ber, which threatened to end in a deluge of
blood ! When it was accounted criminal
by many, even to Hfp but a broken word dr
two milcicfavor, You, Sir, was not afhamr»
ed or afraid to pour forth all Your unri-
vall'd eloquence in a ftrenuous vindication
lof Her infringed Rights. And, indeed^
her caufe being fuppofed good, the moite
friendlefs She was, the more She needed^,
and in fome fore deferved, fo powerful *a
patronage. For, furely, great talents were
given for great occafions ; to be employed
in defence of the innocent and feeble.
God made fomc men firong, on purpofe to
. *' bear the infirmities of the weak!';
that they might be able to afllft and fup-
port them in their dangers and extremities ;
as You, Sir, have ever done, fince You
> ^adorned the British ienate; and particti-
^^larly in a late ever-memorable inftariee."
■ -^fo. Ycu, Great Sm, under" GOD and
theKiN0, grateful ArviERiCx-i cbiefly attri-
butes it, that She is nov/ happily re "inflated
in the enjoyment of her former liberties
and privileges ; tho' She has, at the irime
time, a vcrv deep fenfe cf her oblip-ations
to other great r>nd Uluftrioils F'&fona2;es.
" If.
n DEDICATION:
lF,3i?.,you could^at this diftance^^aVeS
adequate conception of the univerfal joy of
A TIE RIGA, preceeded by the moft alarm-
ing apprehenfions for Her liberties : If
You could be fully fenfible how much vrd
afciibeitto You, that they are not^loft*^.
hov;, next to the King, wc blefs You as:
our common Father, and fend up ardenr
vows to Heaven for You ; this would, it
muft give You a fublime, and truly
Godlike pleafure. It might even fuf-
pend, for a while, the fcverefl: pangs of that
'cxcruciatino; diforder, which has fo often de-
tain'd you from the Br i t i sh Senate, to the
great detriment of the public ; particularly
when the late dreadful Stamp-act was
palled. Nay, it might, perhaps, without
any other miracle, grveYou fuch fplnes and
vigor, as to " take up Your bed and v/alk,"
like thofe fick and lame perfons inftantly
cured by the word of liim, who cam^
from Heaven to make us ^' free indeed'V ''^
: ) c ^ \\ I \ ] ver ial , fo great is oi ir j cy , aitd :ra
mncli, Sir, are we indebted forit to-yoqr'
good oH'c^s ! But, al:is ! what can pot^
Ami- RICA (loin rccum? Nothing but jTc-
knovricdp-e
DEDICATION. >i
Joiowledge the obligation with as much
fincerity as a grateful country ever acknow-
ledged one ; Nothing but call you, over
and over again, her Father, her Father;
and endeavour to make goodYour generous
engagements for her prudent, dutiful be-
havoiur towards her Mother-country;
Nothing but ere6i: a few marble, brafs or
copper ftatues in honor to You ; (for
America has but little filver or gold)
flatues that will be of no fervice to You,
fince they will go to decay long before
Your name and memory will need any
fuch poor helps to preferve them.
Alas ! ASiBRVc A can Ao no more !-— .'
Yes, Sir, there is one thing more : She
will pray that Yon may long live in health,
happinefs and honor, that if there fliould
be any occafion hereafter, as in time paft.
You may flep in and prevent Hers and
Br I T A I N s ruin, Vv^hen no other man could ;
and thatt when You muft, according to
the common lot of men, however great
and good (O may it be late !) ceafe to
plead the caufe of Liberty on earthy
You may in Heaven, as Your reward,
enjoy
l?iu DEDICATION.
enjoy " the glorious Libertx of the fons
of God"!
I AM, With the wanneft gratitude, and
higheft veneration. Right Honorable and
Moft Worthy
Tom- moft ohedientj, .
Mofi Dutiful
"JUni Moft Humhk S^rvcinty
Jonathan MAYHE^y,.
( ^ )
PSALM CXXIV. 7, 8.
Our fotdis efcaped as a bird from the fnar^
ojftbefo'wlers ; the fnare is broken^ and
ive are efcaped.
Our help is in the name of the Lord, v^ho
made heaven aiid earths
THE late gracious appearance of divine pro=*
Vidence for us, in the day of our trouble,
feemed fo feafonable, fo fignal, f(? impor^
tant; in a word, fo interefting to the prefentand
future generations, that we of this Society thought
it expedient to agree among ourfclves upon a day,
in -order to take a particular, religious notice of
it j and to pralfe the name, of the Lord, in whom
is our help. If there had been any probability
of our being called together for this end by
Proclamation^ as upon fome lefs memorable
occafions, we ihould not have been defirous to
anticipate the day ; v/hich might have had the
appearance of oftentation. But of that, fo far as
1 have heard, there was- vety little, if any,
profpe<ri. By this perfectly voluptarv, and free^
S ' ml!
( 2 .) i.
iviUvofrering, I hope wc fhall render to God, jn
foine poor meafure, the glory due to his name ;
and that he will graciouily accept it, thro' our
Lord Jefus ChrlH: the righteous, our mediator
and advocate with the Father. At the fame time,
it is fuppofed that, in proceeding thus, we give
no jud ground of offence to Jew or Gentile, or
to the chuich of God ; which we would by no
iiieans do. W^ only exercife that liberty, w^here*-,
with Chrill hath made us free, being defirous that
all other perfons and churches fhould do the
iame; and not chufing that either they or we
fhould. be " entangled with any yoke of bondage.''
Having rendered our devout thanks to God,
whofe kingdom ruleth over all, and funghis high
]5raifes ; permit me now, my friends and bre-
thren, with unfeigned love to my country, to
cohgmulate you on that intercfting event, which
is the. fpecial occafion of this folcmnity : An
event, as I humbly conceive, of tlie utmoft im-
portance to the whole Britifh empire, whofe
peace and profperity we ought ardcnly to defire;
and one, very peculiarly affcding the welfare of
thefe colonies. Believe me, I lately took no in- -j^
cohfid^rable part with you in your grief, And
gloomy apprehenfions, on account of a certain
fAR*L-iAMENTARY ACT, which yOU fuppofed
ruinous in its tendency to the American planta-
tions, and, eventually, to Great-Britain. 1 now
partake no lefs in your common joy, on account
of the REPEAL of that aft ; whereby thelc colo-
nies are emancipated from a flavifli, inglorious
bondage.; are re-inflatcd in the enjoyment of
their
(
3 )
their ancient rights and privileges, and a fonii-
dation is laid for lading harmony bt tweenGrcat^
Ikitain and them, to their mutual advantage.
But when you requeued me to preach a fer-
mon on this joyful occafion, I conclude it was
neither your expe<flation nor defire, that I fhould
enter very particularly into a political confidera-
tion of the affair. Had I conceived this to have
been your intention, I mull, tho' with reluctance,
have given you a refufal ; pirtly from a convic*
tion of the impropriety of minutely difculling
points of this nature in the pulpit, and partly
from a fenfe of my own inability to do it as it
ought to be done. 1 fuppofe I :thali belt anfwer
your expectation, as well as mqfi: gratify my own
inclination, by waving political controverfy, and
giving you fiich counfels and exhortations re-
fpe61ing your duty to God and man, as are agree-
able to the facred oracles, to the dictates of fober
reafon, and adapted to the occafion. This is,
therefore, what f chiefly propofe to do in the
enfuing difcnurfe, as God (liall enable me : And
may the Father of lights trach me to fpeak, and
you to hear in fuch a manner, that ouradembling
together at this time, out of the ordinary courfe;
may be to bis honor, and to chrilrian edification.
However, if my dilcourfe is to be particularly
adapted to this great occafion, inftcad of being fa
general, as to be almoft as fuitable to any other,
you are fenfible "it is neceflary thai the occafion
hfeif fhould be kept in view. I iliali therefore
briefly prcmife a few things ralative thereto, by
way of intiodu»flion to the main defign; fuch
B z hiaiif .
--iJ&fj, Tm€an,i5 feall bow be taken for granted.
*' Jn mentioning which^my aim will be to exprefs,
r.; in brief, what I t^ke %P be the general fenfeof
. !thefe colonies, rather than to explain my o\vn.
For it is on fuch comraOnly-receivcd opinions,
that my exhortations and cautions will be ground*
cd ; leaving the particular difcuffion of them to
Others, who are better qualified for it, and to
whom it more properly belongs. And if I
Ihould. be miftaken in any pf thefe particulars,
it is hoped candor will excufe it ; fteing thefp
are matters out of the way of my profeffioh.
In purfuance of this plan, it fhall now be taken
for granted, that as we were free-born, never
made (laves by the right of conquelt in war, if
there be indeed any fuch right, nor CM as {laves
in ^ny open lawful m^Lvkctj for mcney , fo wc
iiave a natural right to our 'oiOn, till we hav?
freely confented to part with it, either in perfon,
or by thofe whom we have appointed to repre-
fent, and ro a(5l: for us.
It fhall be taken for granted, that this natural
right is declared, affirmed and fecured to us, as
we are Britiih fubje(fts, by Magna Charta ; all
a^s contrary to which, are faid to be ipfo fatlo
null and void: And, that this natural, conilltu-
tional right has been further confirmed to moti:
of the plantations by particular fubftquent royal
charters, taken in their obvious fenfe ; <he lega-
lity and authority of which charters wa?- never
once denied by either ^oufe of Parliament ; hut
Implicitly at leafl; acknowledged, ever fince they
were {e{oe<fl;vcIy granted, till vcJry lately.
J^^'^. - It is lakcn for granted ajfo, that the right of
^a^'l^rial by juries, is a eonftitutiohal '6ffe-' wirii'Tct'
lofe<5l to all Britifli fubjeds m gen'crd,JJa^dcuIa^-
,;r!iy to the colonills ; and that the plant^iDn^ in
which civil, goverpment has been eftatlifhed^
have all along, .till pf late, been in the uhintcr*
53 ,ri»ptcd. enjoy me-nt of both the rights '^forefeid,
c » ^hich arc of the utmoft importanee, being eP
icntial to liberty. r ■' /^'^^^''■^■
It ihall, therefore, be taken for gratttfed, that
the colonics had great reafon to petition and rer
^jfuonftrate againft a late afl of Parliament, as be-
,n33|4ng an infraftion of thcfe rights, and rending di*-
i3v-dire<5tly to reduce us to a ftate of flavery.
It is, moreover, taken for granted, whatever
becomes of this queftion about rights, that an
yff (^6t of that fort was very hard, and juftly grievous,
- ' not to fay opprelTive ; as the colonies are poor,
as molt of them were originally fettled at the
fole and great expence of the adventurers ; the
expence of rheir money, their toil, their blood ;
^iu;#s they have expended a great deal from time to
b^ jgctime in their wars with their French and Savage
fi .neighbours, and in the fupport of his Majefty's
Pjt"^ government here; as they have, moreover, been
miii^ycr ready to grant fuch aids of men and money
Ota ^%^ the crown, for the common caufc, as they
'loi were able to give ; by which means a great load
pi 4>f debt ftill lies on feveral of them ; and as
y^fi Great Britain has drawn vaft emolument from
d.-:«them in the way of commerce, over and
,f|> ^above all that fhe has ever expended for them,
fiiher in ceac« or war : So that ilie h^ beyond
( 6 )
all comparifan, richer, more powerful and rei"
.pe<n^able now, than fhe would have been, if ouji-
fathers had never emigrated: And both they and
their pofterity have, in eiTe<51:, been labouring,
from firfl: to laft, for the aggrandizement of the
mother-country. In this light, that fhare of
common jenje^ which the colonics have, be it more
or lefs, leads them to confider things.
It is taken for granted, that as the furpiifing,
^lncxampled growth of thefe colonics, to the
extenfion of his Majelly's dominion, and pro-
digious advantage of Britain in many refpe^U,
has been chiefly owing, under God, to the liberr ..^
ty enjoyed here; fo the infiaOion thereof in two- i>
fuch capital points as thofe before referred to,
would undoubtedly difconrage the trade, induf-
try and population of the colonies, by rendering
property infecure and precarious; would foon
drain them of all their little circulating money;
would put it abfolurely out of their power to
purchaie Britifh commodities, force them into
manufactures of their own, and terminate, if not
in the ruin, yet in the very cfTential detriment of
the mother- country.
It fliall, therefore, alfo be taken for granted,
that altho' the colonics could not juflly claim an
exclufive right of taxing themfelvcs, andth^.^^
right of being tried by juries ; yet they had
great reafon to remonflrate againll the ^t\ afore- .
faid on the footing of incxpediencc, the great .
hardship, and dcllructive tendency .of it ; as a
meafure big with mifchief to Britain, as well as
to themfelvcs ; and promoted at fujlf perha^:^,
only by pcrfons v.'ho were real fdcnds to neither.
( 7 )
jButas to any methods of oppofition to that
meafure, on the part of the colonies, befidcs
thofe of humble petitioning, and other ftridlly
legal ones, it will not, I conclude, be fiippofed,
that I appear in this piece as an advocate fot~
them, whatever the general CcvSc of the colonics
iiiay be concerning this point. And I take for
granted, that we are all pcrfecflly agreed in
condemning the riotous and fellonions pro-
ceedings of certain ?nen of Be Hal, f as they have
been julHy called, who had the effrontery tc
eloke their rapacious violences -with the pretext
of zeal for liberty ; which is fo far from being
a new thing under the fun, that even Great
Britain can furnifh us with many, and much
more flagrant examples of it.
But,' my Brethren, however unconflitutlonalj. '
oppreiTive, grievous or ruinous the aforefaid aft
was in its nature, and fatal in its tendency, his
Majefty and the Parliament have been pleafed to
hearken to the jufi: complaints of the colonies,
feconded and enforced by the prudent, fpirited
conduiil of our m.erchants; by certain noble
and ever-honored patriots in Great Britain, ef-
poufing our caufe with all the force of reafon
and e!ov]uence, and by the general voice of ihe
iiation : i3o that a total repeal of that dreadful
ad is now obtained. His Majefty and the Par-
liament were far too wife, juft and good to per-
fillin a meafure, after they were convinced it was-
wrong ; or to confider it as any point of honor,
to enforce an aft fo grievous to three millioa
good fubje(5ls; fo contrary to the intercil of the
Bndih
t Tlifi Book of America, Clrap. II. v. 13,
( 8 )
Britifh merchajits and manufa^rers, ^nd to tht
general fenfc of the nation. They have been
pleafed, in the a(5b of repeal itfelf, greatly to
their honor, implicitly to acknowledge their fal-
libility and erroneous judgment in the other a<fl,
by faying, that " the continuance of the faid a^
" would be attended with many inconvenience*,
" zndmight beprodu<5livc of confequences great-
'* ly detrimental to the conrmercial intereils of
" tbqfe kingdoms." Thefe being the rcafons
afligned for the repeal, we may juftly conclude^
that if thofe manj inconveniences and detrimen-
tal confiquences could have been forcfccn, the
aft complained of would never have been pafTed.
And as the fame reafons will doubtlefs operate
atleaftas ftrongly, probably much more ftrongly
hereafter, in proportion to the growth of the
colonies, than they do at prefent, we may natu-
rally conclude alfo, that an a<n: of the like nature
will never again be heard of.
Thus " our foul is efcaped as a bird from the
raare;of the fowlers ; th<3 fnare is broken, and)
we, areefcaped ;" tho' not without much ftrug-
gUng in the fnare, before it gave way, and fee
us at liberty again. But when I fpeak of that
pernicious a(ft as a fnare, and thofe who pre-
pared, it for us ^ fowler y, greedy of their prey,,
let it be particularly obferved, that I intend not
the lead reflexion on our gracious Sovereign
or the Parliament; who mull not be fuppofed
to have any evil defigns againft the colonies,
which are fo neceflary to Great Britain, and
by which fo,many thoufands of her raanufac-
twters
( 9 ]
(nrcrs are fupported, who, but for them, muft
actually ftarve, emigrate, or do what I chi.]4e
fo forbear mentioning. No ! I apply this, as'I
conclude you will, only to fome evil-minded
individuals in Britain, who are true friends nei-
ther to her nor us ; and who accordingly fpa-
red no wicked arts, no deceitful, no difliono-
fflble, no difhonclt means, to pufli on and ob-
f;iin,'as it we're by /urp?'Ifif an a61 Co prejudicial
to both ; and, in fome fort, to the enfnarhig of
his M.ijcfty and the Parliament, as well as the
good people of America : Being, not improba-
bly, in the interefts o'i the Houfes of Bonrbbii
ahd the Pretender, whofe caufe they meant to
ferve, by bringing about' an open rupture be-
tween Great Britain and her colonies ! Thefe,
thcfe menj my Brethren, are the cunning fcvj-
Iers\ thcle the enjharcrsy from whofe teeth " bur
foul is efcaped as a bird :" Arid fuch traitors
will, doubtlefsj e'er long be caught in another
fnarc, fuitable for them, to the fatisfaclion of
the King's good fubjects on both fides th.e;'At-
lantic, if his Majefty and the Parliament iliould
judge it neceffary for the vindication bf their
own iibnor, or for the public good, tb^'bfi'jig
'th-cTn to condign punifnment. ' ■'■■'■^■^';
' ; Let mc jufl add here, that according to Qljr
iatcd and bed advices, the King, his, truly, pa-
triotic Minidry and the Parliament ' have t&
^irucrefl, particularly the commercial iri'tcrcrf 'of
.the colonies much at heart ; being wct^ difpcfed
*'ercn to enlarge, inftead of curtailing their pri-
. vilegcs. and to grant us everv indylgcnce, con-
( lO )
ilftent vvith the common good of the Britifh
empire ; More than which we cannot reafona-
bly, and, I am perlliaded, do not defire.
Thcfe things being premiledjlet me now pro-
ceed to thofe reflexions, exhortations and cau-
tions relative to them, which were the chief
dcUgn of this difcourfe. And the prefent oc-
cafion being a very peculiar one, fuch as never
before occurred in America, and, I hope in God,
never will again ; I fiiall crave your indulgencp
if i am confiderably longer than is cuftomary
on other occafions, which are lefs out of the
ordinary courfe. -
In the firfi: place then, it is evident from the
preceding view of things, that we have the
greatell caufe for thankfulnefs to AlmightyGod,
whodoeth his will among the inhabitants of the
earth, as well as in the armies of heaven. He,
in whofe hands are the hearts of all men, not
excepting thofe of Kings, fo that he turneth
them whithcrfoever he will, as the rivers of
•w'ater, hath infpired the people of America with
a noble fpirit of liberty, and remarkably united
them in (landing up for that invaluable blefllng.
He hath raifed us up friends of the greatell emi-
nence in Britain, in our perilous circumftances.
He hath united the hearts of almoll all wife
and good men there, to plead our caufe and
their own fuccefsfully. He hath blcffed the
King with an upright Miniftry, zealous for the
public good, and knowing wherein it confifls.
He hath given the King wifdom to difcern, and
integrity to purfuc, the inrerclis of his people,
at
( II )
at the iafe .^larming CRISIS, wheq To much
depended on the meafuresthat were then fpee-
dily to be taken ! He hath changed his royal
purpofe, and that of his Parliament, in a mat-
ter which nearly and eflentially concerned, at
leaft o//r temporal happinefs ; difpofing theitl
to take off from our necks that grievous and
heavy burden, which, to be fure, was not put
xjpoii us but with reluclance, and thro' the dif-
honefl artifices of certain wicked men who,
perhaps, intended, if poflible, entirely to alie- ^
nate the alfeclions of the colonifts from their
common Father the King, and from theirMo-
ther-country. O execrable defjgn ! to the ac-
compliiliment of which, the pernicious meafure
. albrcfaid apparently tended. But blcfled be He,
who goverueth among the nations, that he hath,
confounded the devices of fuch treacherous
men. To allude to the pfalm, a part of which
J mentioned as my text ; " If it had not been
the Lord who was on our fide, when men rofe
, up againil us," and if they could have had their
'wicked will, " then they had fwdUowed us up
*' quick ;"—*' then the waters had overwhei-
" mcd us, the {tream had gone over our foul ;
''then the proud waters had gone over our foifl.
" BlelTcd be the Lord, who hath not given us
,'' as a prey to their teeth j" the ravening teeth
bf^'thofp cumiing/ow/^rj, from whofe treachc-
^cs^^fnare we havejuftefcaped ; " our help be-
" ii)g in the name of the Lord, who made hea-
*' ven and earth." To Him, therefore, \ve
jiiftly owe tlio undiiTemblcd gratitude of our
C 2' ' heartSj
( 12 )
hearts, as well as the joyful praifcfs of our lips :
For I take it for granted, that you all firmly
believe, that Fie who made the world, exerci-
fes a providential government over it ; fo that
the very hairs of our head *' are all numbered
by," and that *' a fparrow doth not fall to the
ground without" Him. How much more then,
is his providence to be acknowledged in the rife,
in the prefervation, in the great events, the in-
volutions, or the fall of mighty ftates^and kiugi-
doms ? ■ ' -"■■^^ '.■i'\ .i.j'-o
To excite our ^^ratitude to God the more^ef-
fecluaily, let us confider the greatnefs of mir
late danger and of our deliverance : Let us rake
a brief reirofpc6live view of the perplexed,
wretched ftate, in which thefe colonies were,
a few months ago, compared with the joyful
and happy condition, in which they are at pre-
fent, by the removal of their chief grievances.
We have never known i'o quick and general
• a tranfition from the depth of lorrow to the
height of joy, as on this occafion ; nor, indeed,
fo great and univerfal a flow of cither, on any
other occafion whatever. It is very true, we
ha \^e heretofore ken times of great ad verfity.
We have kiiown leafons of droughr,dear'th;and
fpreading mortal difeafes ; the pdlilenceHv.aik-
ing in darknefs, and the deftrudion waftingrat
noon day. We have (ecn wide dovaflacions,
made by fire ; and amazing tempefts, the hea-
vens on flame, the winds and the waves roaring.
We have known repeated earthquakes, threat-
ning us with fpccdy d^(tru(^lion. We have
been
( 13 )
been under great apprehenllons by reafon. of
j^ormidable fleets of an enemy on our coafts,;
menacing fire and fword to all our maritime
towns. We have known times when theferench
and Savage armies made terrible havockon our
frontiers, carrying all before them for a while ;
when we were not without fear, that fome ca-
pital towns in the colonies would fall into their
mercilefs hands. Such times as thele we have
known ; at fome of which almoft every " face
gathered palenefs," and the knees of all but the
good and brave, waxed feeble. But never have
we known a feafon of fuch univerfal confter-
nation and anxiety among people of all ranks
and ages, in thefe colonies, as was occafioned
by that parliamentary procedure, which threat-
ned us and our poilerity with perpetual bon-
dage and flavery. For They^ as we generally
fuppofe, are really (laves to all intents and puf-
pofes, who are obliged to labor and toil only
for the benefit of others ; or, which comes to
the fame thing, the fruit of whofe labour and
induftry maybe Azw/////)' taken from them with-
out their confent, and they juftly puniflied if
. vthey refufe to furreuder it on demand, or ap-
hiply it to other purpofes than thole, which their
viaafters, of their mere grace and pleafurc, fee
jf;fit to allow. Nor are there many ylmencan
c2(under{tandings accute enough to dilHnguifli
'Sany material diilerence between this being
:';?done by a fingk perfon, under the title of an
-labfolute Monarch, and done by a far-diftant
ovjbgiliature confiiling ^i many perfpns.in w^hich
nWv ^hcy
( 14 )
they are not reprelerxted ; and the inernbjens.
\\'her^of, infteadof feeling, and Hiaring equally
"With rhem in the burden thus impofed,are eafed'
qf their own in proportion to the greatnels and
Wcight'of it. It may be queftioned, whether the,
ancient Greeks orRomans, or any other nation
in which flavery was allowed, carried their
idea of it much further than this. So that our
late; apprehenfions,3nd univerfaiconflernation,
on account of ourfelves and poderity, w^fe
far, very far indeed, from being groundkfs.
For what is there in this world more wretched,
than for thofc who were born free, and have
si right to continue fo, to be made Haves thera-
felves, and to think of leaving a race of Haves
behind ihcm ; even though it be to mailers^
confefledly the moll humane and generous in
the world ? Or what wondsr is it, if after
groaning with a low voice for a while, to no,
purpofe, we at length groaned fo loudly, as
to be heard more than three thoufand miles ;
and to be pitied throughout Europe, wherever
it is not hazardous to mention even the name
of liberty, unlefs it be to reproach It, aS piily\
another name for fedition,fa(fi:ion or rebellion?
Oil the otUer hand, never did the tide of
jov fwell fo high; or roll io rapidly thro' . the
bofoms and veins of the people in general, on
any public occafion, as on the news of THE
REPEAL. " Then was our mouth tilledwith
*' laughter, and our tongue with fmging," vjbek
the Lord turned our captivity ; this was received
^s an emancipatinr. indeed, from -unmerited Jlaverj.
Nor
I '5 )
Norwere there ever before fo great extetmal,
demon ft rations of joy among the people q{^
America ; not even when all Canada was rcr
duiced, or when it Was fecured to the crown of
England by treaty, and ourapprehenfions of co-
ming under the yoke of France were vanilhed
away. And fome there arc, who fuppofe, that
Franee would not have hejfitated at allowing fuch
ii (lupber of Hourilhing colonies the exclufive
right of taxing themfeivcs, for the fake of a
free , trade with them, could they have beeu
prevailed on,by violating their allegiance,to put
themfclves under her protedion ; as I am fully
perfuaded thefe colonies would not do, for all
thatPrance has to give. In m}^ poor opinion,
we never had fo much real occafion for joy,
op any temporal account, as when we were
thus emancipated, and our foul efcaped as a bird
from the dreadful fnare. And I am perfwa-
ded it would rejoice the generous and royal
heart of his Majefty, if he knew that by a
fingle turn of the fccpter, when he affentcd to
THE Repeal, he had given more pleafure
to three million good fubjecls, than ever he and
his royal Grandfather gave them by all the tri-
unaphs of their arms, from Lake Superior Eaft-
ward to thelfles of Manilla ; tho* fo numerous/o
great, fo illullrious ; and though WE partook
fo largely in the national joy on thofe occar
fi ons. A PEPPER-CORN "^ a J ear added to his
Majefty s exchequer, would not furely— — ! Biij:
I forbear.
* Sec a certain ever memorable Speech to an auguf! sfTcrably-
If
( i6 ) .
If you pleafc, we will now defcend to fome
farther particulars, rehuve to our late unhappy
axid prefent joyful circumilances, in order to
excite our thankfulnefs to God, for fo memo-
rable a deliverance.
This continent, from Canada to Florida, and
theWefl-India Iflands, mod of them at ieail,
have exhibited a difmal mixed fcene of mur-
muring, defpondence, tumult and outrage ;
courts of juftice fiiut up, with cuftom-houfes
and ports ; private jealoufies and animoCties,
evil furmifings, whifperings and back-bitings,
mutual reproaches, open railing, and many
other evils, fmce the time in which the grie-
vous ad aforefaid was to have taken place.
Aim oft every Britifh American, as was before
obferved, confidercd it as an infradion of their
rights, or their dearly purchafed privileges,
call them which you will; and the fad earneil
of fuch a galling yoke to be laid on our necks,
already fome what fore by preceding grievances,
as neither we nor our Fathers were able to
bear; or rather, as being itfelf fuch a yoke,
and likely to grow heavier by length of time,
without any increafe, cither of ability or pa-
tience to endure it. The uneafniefs was,.thece-
fore, juftly great aaid univerfal^, except, per-
haps, among a few individuals, _ whoeirlicr
did not attend to confcquenccs, or.who cxpiec-
tcd to find their private account in, the public
calamity, by cxcrcifing the gainful,, tho' invi-
. dious, and not very reputable ofiice oi tajhinap'
ters oTcv their groaning countrymen and bro-
.- three ;
-.tlitcn. Even our honght Negrp Jlavcs appareiitly
fhared in the commoti diftrcfs : For which otie
cannot eafily aGCOunt, except by fuppofihg that
even fome of them faw, that i^ the aft took place,
theirmafters might foon be too poor to provide
them fuitable food^rid raiment ; and thought it
would be more' ignominious and wretched to be
the fervants offervants, than of free-men.
a»h But to return. The general difcontent Ope--
.;med very differently upon the minds of different
.people, according to the diverfity of their na-
'■: turai tempers and conftitutions, their education,
'teligious principles, or the prudential maxims
Wihich they had efpoufed. Some at bnce grew
'melanclioly, fitting down in a kind of lethargic,
dull dcfparation of relief, by any means what-
ever. Others were thrown ihto a fort of con-
fternation, not unlike to a phren^y occafioned
by a raging fever ; being ready to do any thing
or every thing, to obrain relief; but yet, unhap-
pily, not knowing v/hat, when, where, how; nor
having any tv/o rational and confifteht ideas a-
bout the matter ; fcarcc more than a perfon in a
-Sidetirium has of the nature of, or proper method
of curing the fever, which is the caufe of his
madnefs. Some fev/ were, I believe, upon the
:|3rinciples of Sibthorp, Man waring, Filmer, and
-:that goodly tribe, determined to go no farther in
Dibrder to obtain redrefs, than in the way of pe-
tition and remonfhance ; and this, even tho' they
had bisen fare of fuccefs in fome hardy enter-
prize. Others, who had no religious fcruples of
dii? kiiid, yet thought it extremely imprudent
P ' mi
V
i8 ;
and hazardous to oppofe a fupci lor power m
inch a manner as might, perhaps, draw rhe whole
Xvcighc of itsrcfentmcnt on the colonies, to their
dcftruiflion. But the greater part, as [ con-
ceive, tho' I rnay be miftaken in this, were firm--
ly united in a confiftent, however imprudent or
defperate a plan, to run all rifques, to tempt ail
hazards, to go all lengths, if things were driven
to extremity, rather than to fubmit ; preferring
death itfelf to what they eftecmcd fo wretched
and inglorious a fervitude. And even " of de-
^' vout women not a few" were, I imagine,
fo far metamorphofed into men on this fad
occaiion, that they would have declined hardly
any kind of manly exertions, rather than live
to propagate a race of flaves, or to be fo.them-
felves. In fhort, fuch was the danger, and in their
opinion, fo great and glorious the caufe, that the
fpirit of the Roman matrons in the time of the
commonwealth, fecmcd to be now equalled by
the fairer daughters of America. The uneafinefs
of fome perfons was much encreafed by an ima-
gination, that the money to be raifed by the
duty on flamps, would partly be applied to pay
certain civil officers falaries; whereby they would
become more entirely and abfolutely dependent
on the crcw^n, Icfs on the people, and confe-
qucntly, as was fuppofed, more arbitrary and itf^
folent. Others were anxious, becaufe they Ima-
gined, with how much, or how little reafon you
will befl judge, that the money was to be chiefly
applied towards maintaining a (landing army in
America ; not fo much to defend and fecurc the
colonics
( ^9 )
colonies from enemies, of whom they had noht ,
except the Siforckld fowlers, as to awe the -colo-
nies themfelves into an implicit obedience to'
minifl-erial meafureSj however unjufl: or execrable
in their nature. There is' no end, you know,
to peoples fears 2.n6. jealaufes^ w^hen once they,
are thoroughly alarmed. And fb Tome fufpec^edj
that this money was partly intended to maintain
a (landing army of bifhpps,and other ecclefiadics,
to propagate the importance of certain rites and
ceremonies, to which they had an averfion ; the
divine right of diocefan epifcopacy and tythes^,
with many f/ ctetards, of the like facred and in-
terejling importance. 'Th<^^tjhange notions and
Fears prevailed very much among certain odd peo-
ple, who liked their old religion, and were not
able to fee the reafonablenefs of their paying for
the fupport of any other. I am not accountable
for other people's %ubimftcal apprehcnfions : J
^m here only reprefenting the perplexity, into
which peoples minds were thrown by the novL-l
taxation, according to their different views of li ;
a taxation, which was probably never thought of
till a few years ago, when it was propofed to a
great and good Secretary of State, who was far
too friendly to the colonies, as well as too v^'ifei ,
to burn H i s fingers with an American S T a m f^
Act.
-:-'This diverfity of humours, fentiments and or!-
nions among the coloniHs, of which I have been
fpeaking, naturally occafioned great animoii:';cs,
mutual cenfures and reproaches: Infomuch ihv:
it was hardly fafe for any man to (peak h;^
thoughts on die times, unlefs he cnuld n
D ^
( 20 )
tear fof' He under the imputation 6f hdng -^
coward, an incendiary, rebel, or enemy to his
country ; or to have fome o^her odium cafl: up-
6n hini. In the mean time moft of the courts
were fhut up, and almpH: all bufinefs brought $b
a ftand ; and, in fome colonics, wide breac^^s
were made between their fevcral Governors anjd
Houfes of Aflembly ; thofe governors thinking
It their duty to pufh the execution of the ftam^p-
aft ; and fome of them trying to prevent the af-
femblies petitioning, in the joint manner propofed.
In this (late of general diforder, approaching (6
near to anarchy, fome profligate people, in dif-
ferent parts of the continent, took an opportu-
nity to gratify their private refentments, and to
get money in an eafier and more expeditious
way than that of labor; committing abomina^
ble excefTes and outrages on the perfons, <?jr.p.rQ-
perty of others. :x^.;:^ j "
What a dreadful fcene was this! Who can
take a curfory review of it even nov/, without
Iiorror, unlefs he is lofl to all fenfe of religion,
%'irtue and good order ? Thefe v/cre fome of the
bitter, and in a good mcafure, the natural fruijjs
of that unhappy mcalure which prececded tJ^^B.
Nor were we wholly unapprehenfiye of fome-
thing ftill worfe ; of having a more dreadft|l
fcene, even a fcene of blood and flaughtcr opened !
I will not be particular here ; but alk you what
you think of Britilli fubje^ls making war upon
l^ritirti fubjc(5l5 on this continent ! What might
U^is have terminated in ? Perhaps in nothing Icfs
^to th^ ynia of the colonics, and ihe downfall
C 21 >
of a certam great kingdom, vi^hich- has^ Idng *fe#ei.i
the fupport of other ftates, the terfor of her
enemies, and the envy and glory of Europe f-r^
If I had myfelf, once, fome apprehenfions" of this
kind, as Iconfefs I had, I was very far from be-
ing (ittgukt therein. One of th^ beft judges of
'ibch matters, that any nation or age ever afford-
ed, as well as one of the beft men, and moftac-
T^ipmplifhed orators, fpeaking on this point in a
"fertain auguft aflembly, is reported to have ex-
'|fefled himfelf thus. ** On a good, on a found
^* bottom, the force of this country can crufh
*- America to atoms. I know the valor of your
"troops ; I know the fkill of your officers.*^-^
-** But on this ground, on the Stamp-Act,
^■^- when fo many here will think it a crying in-
*' juftice, I am one that will lift up my hand
" againft it. In Jiicb a caufs your fuccefs may
*' be hazardous. America, if she fell, would
*' fall like a ftrong man, would embrace the pil-
" lars of ftate, and pull doivn the conftituHon
** along with her.'' Thus the great patron of
America, t Even the remoteft apprehenfions of this
kind, muft give a very fenfible pain to any Ame-
rican, who at once flncerely loves his own couri-
ity, and wifhes that the happy civil conftitution,
th<J ftrehgth and glory of Great Britain may be
•^---'i'-' ■ as
'^.:^e Right H6n. William Pitt, Erq;-^But the author thinks
Jt a, piece of juftice due to fo great and rerpe(5table a came, to
actnowJedgc that he has no better authority for mentioning it
on this particular occafica, than that of the pubh"c prints, late-
ly fpread over America ; giving an account of feme debates ii^
,, the honorable Houfe of Cotrmons. He alio ackrov,iedp,«s,
^ that this is ?.1J the authority he lias for citing Uvrit. olhcr faf-
( 2^ )
ais lafting as the world, and ftill Iiicreafing • 5s
God is my witnefs, I both wifli and pray. If
Britain, which has long been the principal fup--
port of liberty in Europe, and is, at leaft iva^^
the chief bulwark againft that moft execrable of
all tyrannies, Topery^ fhould in deftroying her
colonies deflroy herfelf ; (Heaven forbid it ! )
what would become of thofe few Itates which
ate now free ? what, of the proteflant religion i"
The former might,, not improbably, fall before
the Grand Monarch on this fide the Alps ; the
latter before the Succejfor of the apoftle Judas,
and Grand Vicar of Satan, beyond them ; and {o\,
at length, one univerfal defpotifm fwallow up all [
Some of us had, lately, painful apprchenfions of
this kind, when there was talk of a great mili-
tary force coming tojlamp America into a parti-
cular kind of fubjeclion, to which moil: people
here have an invincible avcrfion.
It would, doubtlefs, have been a noble efTort
of genius and humanity in the — what fhall I
call them ? foivkrs or financiers ? — to extort a
little money from the poor colonies by force
of arms, at the rifque of fo much mifchicf to
America, to Britain, to Europe, to the world.
And the golden temptation, it is faid, took with
too many, for a while. A Pandora's box, or Tro»
jan horfe, indeed ! 0^*\2^1^"^^
O miferi, quse tanta infania, cives b-:'-\'
Creditis ave6tos hqfles ? aut ulla putatis . ;.
Dona carcrc dolis Danaum ? (ic notus — I f .
But not to digrefs. I have now briefly re-.
mii'ided you of our late fad, perplexed, alarming
clrcumftances;
I ^.n II.
( 23 )
circti m fiances ; not for the fake of reproaching
thofe who brought us into them, but to excite
your gratitude to God, for our deliverance out
of them, and for our prefent happy comHtion,
i : The repeal, the repeal has at once, in a
good meafure, reftored things to order^ and com-
pofed our minds, by removing the chief ground
of our fears. The courfe of jufHce between man
^nd man is no longer obflrufled ; commerce lifts
up her head, adorned with golden trelles, pearls
and precious Hones. All things that went en
right before, are returning gradually to their for-
mer courfe ; thofe that did not, we have reafoa
to hope, will go on better now; almoft. every
perfon ^ou meet, wears the fmiles of content*
ment and joy ; and even our flaves rejoice, as
tho' they had received their manumiflion. Indeed,
all the lovers of liberty in Europe, in the worlds
liave reafon to rejoice ; thecaufe is in fome mea*
fure common to themand us. BlelTed revolution !
glorious change ! How great are our obligatrons
for it to the fupreme Governor of the world f
He hath given us beaiitj for oJJjes, and the oil of
gladnefs for the fpirit f keavivef : He: hath
turned our groans into fongs, our mournhig inU
daricing : H&h^xh put off our fackcloth^ and gird-
ed us with gladnsjs^ to the end that our tongues,
our glory may fiiig praifes to him. Let us all
then rejoice in thelord, and give honor to him ;
not forgetting to add the obedience of our lives,
a-s the beftfacrifice that ^^e can offer to Heaven ;
and which, if negle<5led; will prove all our other
facriiices have been but oftentation and hypo-
crify, which arc an abomination to the Lord.
The
C H )
T!ie apoftle Peter makes a natural trafifitioii
firom fearing God to honoring the King. Let
me, accordingly, in the next place, exliort you,
my friends and brethren, to a refpedlful, loyal
and dutiful manner of fpeech and condu<5t, re-
fpe<fting hisMajeftyand his government; thereby
making a fuitable return to him for the redrefs
of our late grievances. I am, indeed, well ap-
prifed of the firm attachment of thefe colonies \x\
general, and of our own province in particular,
to the King's perfon, and to the proteftan't fuc-
ceffion in his illuftrious Houfe ; for the prefer-
vation of which, there is hardly a native of New-
England, who would not, upon conftitutional
principles, which are thofe of liberty, chearfully
hazard his life ; or even more lives than one, if
he had them to lay down in fo good a caufe.
I have not the Icaft fufpicion of any difaife^ion
in you to his Majefty : But yet the duty of fub-
jects to Kings, and to all that are in authority, is
frequently to be inculcated by the miniftcrs of
the gofpel, if they will follow the example of the
apoftles in this refpe<fl:. And theprcfent occafion
feems particularly proper to remind you of that
important duty ; fince we have now before us a
recent and memorable proof of his Majefty's
moderation, his attention to the welfare of his
people, and readinefs, fo far as in him lies ac-
cording to the conftitution, to redrefs their grie-
vances, on reafonable and humble complaint.
If any perfons among us have taken it unkindly,
that his Majefty fhould have given his royal
affent to an a<5t, which they think was an infrac-
tion
( 25 )
tion of thofe liberties and privileges, to which
they were juftly intided ; and if the ufual tide
and fervor of their' loyal affedion is m any'
degree abated on that account ; yet, furelyf
the readinefs which his Majefty has fhevVn to'
h'ear ahd redrefs his people's wrongs/ ought tb";
grve a new fpring, an additional vigor to thelt^^
loyalty and obedience. Natural parents, 'thro'
hujiian frailty, and miftakes about h&s ''and
clt^cumftanceSjfometimes provoketheir chtMrtntd
wWih^ tho' they tenderly love them,and'lincere-
ly defire their good. But what affedidnate and
dutiful child ever harboured refcntment bn any
fuch account, if the grievance <\^as rertioYed,
o'i\ a dutiful reprefentatiori of it ? Hardly any
thing operates fo (IrongTy on ihgenuous minds,
tho' perhaps of quick iefentment, aS the mild
cdndefccnfion ot a fuperibrto the force of reafon
and right oil the part of the inferk>r. I fliall
make no application of this, any farther- than
to remind you, that B'ritifli ki'ngs are the p6-.
litical Fa f k e R s of their people, and th^^ p^d- '
pie their 'C^ i l d r e n ; Che formdr afe^;4ioC
tyrants yO^ Wqw maflers ; the latter-are ndt-
Jta^h\Q\f'eym'firvanfs. ■ ^^hinrist^ intml
^ liet me farther exhort you to pay d'Ht"HP^
peel ill all things to the BritiGi Parliament ; tH^
liords and Commons being two branches d'f*
the fupreme legifiative over all his Majefty'isl
don-tinions. The right of parliament to luper-'
intend the general affairs of the colonies, to'
dircd, check or controulthem, fecms to be
fuppofedin their charters ; all which, Ithinl^,
• "*' • ' B while
( 26 )
Tvjiile they grant the power of legiflation, Wrint
the exercife of it to the enading fuch laws as
are not contrary to the laws of England, ot*
Great-Britain ; fo that our feveral legiflatureg'
are fubordinate to that of the niother-counrry,
which extends to and over all the King's do-
minions : At lead, fo far as to prevent any
parts of them from doing what would be either
dellruclive to each other, or manifeftly to thel
ruin of Britain. It might be of the mod dan-'
gerous confequence to the mother-country, to
relinquifh tliis fuppofed authority or rightvt
which, certainly, has ail along been recognized i
by the colonies ; or to leave them dependent
on the crown ow/y, fmcc, probably, within an
century, the fubjccts in them will be more than^l
thrice as numerous as thofe of Great-Briraiim
and Ireland. And, indeed, if the colonics are'>
properly parts of the Britifli empire, as it is
both their interell and honor to he, it feems i;
abfurd to deny, that they arc fubjcc'l to theiL-
highcfl: authority therein, or not bound to yieldiJ(_
obedience to it. I hope there are very fewA
peoplp^ if any, in the colonies, who have theD
lea ft inclination to renounce the general jurif-:o
diction of Parliament over them, whatever we A
may think of the particular right of taxation^^fi
If, in any particular cafes, we Ihould think ourxv\\
felves hardly treated, laid under needlefs andu'l
unreafOnable reftridions, or curtailed of any .'i^
liberties or privileges, which other our fellow"3i
fubjc6ls in common enjoy ; we have an un-riJ
doubted right to complain, and, by humble andiol
refpedful,
( 27 )
refpeclful, tho' not abjecl and fervile petitions,
to feek the redrefs of fuch fuppofed grievances.
The colonics are men, and need not be afraid
to afTert the natural rights of men ; they are
Bricifh fiibjecls, and may juftly claim the com-
mon rights, and all rhe privileges of fuch, with
plainneis and freedom. And from what has
lately occurred, there is reafon to hope, that the
Parliament will ever hereafter be willing to hear
and grant our juli requefls ; efpecially if an}?"
grievances Jliould take place, io great, i^o ge-
neral and alarming, as to unite all the colonies
in petitioning for redrefs, as with one voic^.
The humble united prayers of three or four
miliio-n loyal fubjedls, fo conneded with Great
Britain, will not be thought unworthy of a fe-
rious attention ; efpecially when feconded by
fuch fpirited refolutions and conduct of the A-
merican Merchants, as they have lately given
an example of. Humble petitions, /o enforce J,
always carry great weight with them ; and, if
jufl: and reafonable, will doubtlefs meet with a
fuitable return, as in the late inftance ; iince
Great Britain can fcarce fubfift without the trade
of her colonies, which will be ftill increaling.
And an equitable, kind treatment of them, on
heniparrV'-'will firmly bind them to her by the
//;n?^M'f&ir^of dutyjinterefland filial affection ;
fuch an an one as the wife man fays, is not ea-
Jt I j: broken : This would do more, far more to
recaia the colonies in due fubjeCtion, than all
theiieets or troops fhe would think proper to fend
foi* :tbaC"^urpdfe. "
'yifb^^G\ E 2 But
( 28 )
hut to return ; we ought, in honor to bnr-
felves, as well as duty to the King and pariia-
menc, to fruflrate the malicious prf^phecies, if
not the hopes of fome perfons in Britain, who
have predicted the moll ungrateful and indecent
returns from us to our mother-country, for de-
liverance from the late grievances. It has been
foretold that, in confequence thereof, the co-
lonies would grow infolentand affuming ; that
they would afFecl a kind of triumph over the
authority of parliament ; that they would little
or nothing regard it hereafter, in other cafes ;
that they would give fome broad intimations
of their opinion, that it was not for want of
inclination, but of power, that the late grievous
Sic\ was not enforced ; that they would treat
their brethren in Britain in an unworthy, dif-
refpedful manner ; and the hke. Such things
as thefe have been predicted, and, probably, by
tbofe very/ow/d-rj who contrived the /w^jr^, from
which, to their great mortification, our foul is
now efcaped as a bird. Let us, my brethren,
.(for it is in our power, and it is our duty) make
fuch men falfe prophets, by a contrary beha-
viour ; " prophets of the deceit of /^f/r owfi
*^ hearts." This might, probably; vex theai
forely ; (Ince it is likely, their chief arm is, to
bring about a fixed, confirmi^d difafTedlion on
our part, and a fevere rcfentment on the other,
\vhile the jealous enemies of the growing pow-
er of Britain, wagg their ever-plotting- and en-
terprifing heads, faying, *' Aha ! fo wc would
*' have it. " Let us highly reverence the fu-
preme
: (29 )
.iri-i^r^iiie authority of the Britifh empire, which
'fiil tP us is the higheft-, under that of Ii^aven.—
'fi ^.Let us, as much as in us hes, culdvare har-
oriv.rnony and brotherly love between our fellow
jns iubjedls in Britain and ourfelves. We fhali
^^t> ^^oubtlefs find our account in this at laft,
nascf^H*^^:^^^^ ^^^'^ i^ ^ contrary way of procee-
-00 #ng. There are no other people on earth,
jfirft that fo " naturally care for us." We are con-
3rij -jEe^^ed with them by theflrongefl ties ; in fome
3hiil Hieafure by ^/(5o^ ; for look but a century or
2oif two backhand you will find their anceftors and
noiiPurs, in a great meafure the fame perfons, tho'
o jfitheir pofterity is now fo divided. We are
i,r."..flrongly connected with them by a great com-
mercial intercourfe, by our common language,
by our common religion as proteftants, and
by being fubjeds of the fame King, whom
God long preferve and profper, while his e-
nemies are cloathed with Hiame.
If we confider things properly, it is indeed
our great felicity, our bell fecurity, and high-
efl glory in this world, to ftand in fuch a re-
lation as we do, to fo powerful an empire ;
one which rules the ocean, and wdierein the
ch iprinciplcs of liberty are in general predomi-
c2i frA¥"f' it: would be our mifery,if not our ruin,
fioiiS^^T^^e -cad ofT by Great-Britain, as unworthy
bo ^er farther regards. What then would it be,
)q gin anyfuppofeable way, to draw upon ourfelves
bfifithe whole weight of her juft refentment !
)V7 -What are w^f in the hands of that nation, which
^ri- fo lately triumphed over the united powers of
France and Spain > Though ic muii, indeed,
be
( 30 )
be acknowledged, that fhe did this, in a great
raeaiure, by means of her commercial iii-
tercourfe with, and aids from the colonies :
Without which (he muft probably have
made a more inglorious figure at the end,
than fhe did at the beginning of the lall war j
cv^en tho' Mr. Pitt himfclf had had the
io^e dire^^ion of it under his Majelly. —
Confider how many millions of people there <
sf^e in other countries, groaning in vain -
\inder- the iron fceptre of mercilefs defpotiim>^
\vho, if they were but imperfecftly apprifed oftj
the happineis we enjo\^, would moii ardcndy^^i
defire to be in our fituation, and to ftand in the../
like relati in to Great Britain. Let us not bci-?
inlenhble of our own felicity in this refpecl^v->
jet us not entertain a thought of novelties or
innovations, or be " given to change." Let us ^ .
not indulge to any groundlefs jealoufics of iUx
intentions towards us in our mother-country,;^
"whutever there may be in fome defigning in^,jj
di\iJuals, who do the devil's work, by fowingj,
dilcord. It is for the intereft of Britain, asJJj^r^
luell kwrus, to retain the afre<^ion of tliefcgrpvyr^a-i
jn^ colonies, and to treat them kindly to thatni
end : And this bond of intereft on her part, t^.-ti
the flrcngcil: fccurity to us, which wc can^^"^
have in any political relation whatever. W^yj^
arc hound, i!i honor to the King and Parlja-: , '
incnr, tofuppofe, that it was not for want of ^q
ability to enforce a late acl, and to crufli us,',£»
tlint" it was repealed ; but from a conviction of ^jo
the incxpediencv,the Jan^erons confequences, and -.
711 f^^
( 31 )
rnany- inconvenlencies of continuing it. ^^. And
th'e like rearon« will probably operate forever
againfl: any ad of the fame nature, and grciy,
Itronger and flronger.
It can anfwer no valuable end^ for lis to
harbour grudges or fecret refentinent on ac-
count of reclfefled and pad grievances ; no
good end' wantonly and grofsly to infulr, and
thereby to incenfe any particular powerful
pcrfons on the other fide of the water, as the
fuppofed enemies of the colonies. To me
this feems;/impolitic at lead: ; as it may per-
haps make fuch perfons our enemies, if they
were not fo before ; or, if they were, fix their
enmity; and make them more indutlrious than
ever in feeking opportunities to do us mifchief.
Much lefs can it anfwer any good end, to af-
fcdl: to triumph over the pov^'er of Parliament :
This would, in fliort, appear equally infolent,
didoyal and ridiculous, in the eyes of all fober,
unprejudiced men. May God give us the wif-
dom to behave ourfelves w'lXh humility and
moderation, on the happy fuccefs of our late
remonftrances and druggies ! — We arc bound
in honor fo to behave, not only that we may
fruftrate the malignant predi^ions before re-
ferred to, but that we may anfwer the ju ft
cxpc6lation o^ our friends in Britain, who
fo nobly efpoufed our caufe, and, as it were,
pawned their own honor, (how great and
facred a pledge I ) for our good condu<fl:, if
our grievances were removed. By fuch an
engagement they did us honor,as it manifefted
their candid and kind fentimencs concerning
us.
■ ( 32 )
us, ,-^ This lays us under an additionarobligati-,
on,: in point of gratitude, to that good beh^r '
viour, which would have been our duty with-,
out it. I cannot but here remind you part!-
cuiarly of the words of that in:imortal patriot
in Parliament, who has now a fecond time,
been the principal means offaving Britain and
her colonies from impending ruin.f " Say,**
fuid he, " the Americans have not in all things
" a6ted with prudence and temper : Thel'
" have been wrong'd ; they have been driven
" to naadnefs by injuIHce. Will you now pu--
" ni(h them for the madnefs you have occalio-
" ncd ? Rather let prudence and temper come
" fir ft from this fide ; I w^ill undertake
'* FOR America that flic will follow the ex-
" ample."VVhatSON,eitherofAMERICAorof
LIBERTY is there, that has the leaft fpark of
ingenuity, who can help being touched and
penetrated to the inmoft recefTes of the heart,
by fuch magnanimous and generous exprefli-
ons in behalf of the colonies ? Who is there,
that would notalmoft as willingly die, as that
THAT illuftrious Patron of America lliould.
ever have occafion to be a(hamed of efpouilng^
itscaufe, and making himfclf anfwerablc for
us ? We had other advocates of diftinguidied
eminence and worth, who generoufly came
under fimilar engagements for us. God for-
bid, my brethren, that any one of themfliould
ever have the leaft reafon to blufh for his ill
placed confidence in us ; as all of them will,
if wefhcw any unworthy behaviour towards
Che
' t The Rt. Hon. Mr. PITT,
( 33 )
tlie King, the Parliament or our Mother-coun*
try, after this proof of their moderation, and
regard for us. And if Thej, our friends, ftiould
hive caufe to biufh for us in this rcfpc<^, what
mull: we do for ourfelves ! Where fnail we find
caverns far, enough removed from the light of
day, in which to hide our heads ! Or what rea-
fon fhall we have to expetH: friends, advocates
and fponfors again, how much foever we may
rfeed them, if we have no more regard for the
honor of thofe who appeared for us at the
late alarming crifis ; when it was accounted
ajmoll criminal to fay any thing in onr behalf?
Let me fubjoin, that as the good people of
this province had the honor to lead in a fpiritcd,
tho' decent and refpcclfui application for the
redrefs of our late grievances ; methinks they
ihould now be ambitious to have the honor
of leading in a prudent, temperate, wife beha-
viour, in confequcnce of the fuccefs ; and, if need
be, as 1 hope there is not, ambitious of fetting an
cxanVple of moderation and dlfcretion to other
colonics. This honor v/ould be equal to the
firfl mentioned ; and would probably recommend
iss grcaciv to thofr, whom, it v. ill always be our
3:ite^*ell: and duty to pleafe ; fo long, at leall, as
i^'t catV do it without renouncing our birth-right,
it will contribute to remove any impreflions that
may have been made of late, to our difad vantage.
It will at once gratify our bell friends, and falllfy
the ilanders of our enemies, who delight in re-
prcfenting us as a feditious, faftioLis and turbu-
lent fort of people, who cannot endure the
F wholfome
V 34 .
rwholefoine and necelTary rcftraints of govern*
ment. May God rebuke them for, and forgive
them this wrong ! _
Let none fufpeft that, becaufe I thus urge tKt
duty of cultivating a clofe harmony with qui
*irtoi her- country, and a dutiful fubmifllon to the
King and Parliament, our chief grievances being
redrefTed, I mean to di(I\vade people from having
a juH: concern for their own rights, or le^al,coi>-
ftitutional privileges. Hiftory, one may prefuhiic
to fay, aflbrds no example of any nation, coun-
try or people long free, who did not take fome
care of thcmfelves: and endeavour to guard and
fecure their own liberties. Power is of a grafp-
ing, encroaching nature, in all beings, except in
Him, to whom it emphatically " beiongeth" ;
and who is the only King that, in a religious or
moral fen fe, *'can do no wrong." Power aimsat
extending itfelf, and operating according to mere
-wiilf where-evcr it meets with no ballance, check,
controul or oppofition of any kind. For which
reafon it will always be neceilary, as was faid
before, for thofe who would preferve arid per-
petuate their liberties, to guard them with a
wakeful attention; and in all righteous, juil and
prudent ways, to oppofe the firfl encroachments
on them. '' Obfla principiis." After a while it
will be too late. For in the ftatcs and kingdoms
of this world, it happens as it does in the field
or church, according to the well-known parable,
to this purpofc; That while men Jleep, then the
tnnny comeih and foweth tares, whicli cannot be
rooted out again till the end of the ivorld, with-.
•out rooting out the ivhfat with them. ^f
( 35 )
*-^ff T may be indulged here in faying "a'fcW
^Ords more, rerpe<^ing my notions of liberty -in
general, fuch as they are, it fhall be as follows.
^'' Having been initiated, in youth, in "the doc-
^}hes of civil liberty, as they were taught by
^ch men as Plato, Demofthenes, Cicero and
cither renowned perfons among the ancients.;
"kiii fuch as Sidney and Milton, Locke and Hoad-
ley, among tiie moderns; I liked them; they
feemed rational. Having, earlier ftili learnt
frbm the holy fcriptures, that wife, brave and
Verrtuous men were always friends to liberty';
that God gave the Ifraelites a King [or abfolute
Monarch] in his anger, bccaufe they had not ft^fe
and virtue enough to like a free common-wealth,
arid to have himfelf for their King; that the Son
8f God came down from heaven, to make us
-^^free indeed" ; and that " where the Spirit- of the
■1>brd is, there is liberty"; this made me conclude,
that freedom \^as a great blefling. Having, alfo,
from my childhood up, by the kind providence
of my God, and the tender care o^ a good pa-
rent now at reft with Him, been educated to the
love of liberty, tho' not of licentioufnefs ; which
•-'Chafte and virtuous pafllon was ftill incrcafed in
'-fH^,- as I advanced towards, and into, manhood ;
- 1- would not, I cannot now, tho' pad middle age,
^^I'elinquifh the fair object o£ my youthful affec-
■■ tions. Liberty ; whofe- charms, infleadof de-
. caying with time in my eyes, have daily capti-
vated me more and more. I was, accordingly,
penetrated with the moll fenfible grief, when,
^auf thcf'JI of November Jaf^ that day of dark-
F Z nefs
C 36 )
. Xiefs,.a day hardly to be numbered with the other
days of the year, She feemed about to take her
. jpnal departure from America, and to leave that
^.Oigty Hag ^/jt;^/;>', the deformed child of Satan,
Jia her room, I am now filled, with a propor^
tionablc degree of joy in God, on occafion tif
Hlr fpeedy return, with ncwfmileson her face,
•with augmented beauty and fplcndor.— — Of^ce
more then, Hail! ceicdial iVlaid, the daughter of
God, and, excepting his Son, the fjrd-lbor.n.^^f
heaven! Welcome to thefe fhores again; wel-
come to every expanding heart ! Long maycft
thou relidc among us, the delight of the wile,
good and brave ; the protertrefs of innocenj^e
from wrongs and opprefHon, the patroaefs of
learning, arts, eloquence, virtue, rational loyalty,
religion ! And if any mifcrable people on the
continent or ifles of Europe, after being weaken-
ed by luxury, debauchery, venaUty, ipteftine
quarrels, or other vices, fhould, in the rude
collifions, or now-unccrrain revolutions of
Ivingdoms, be driven, in their extremity, to
feek a fafe retreat from flavery in fome far-
diflant climate ; let them find, O let them
. fin4 one in America under thy brooding,
facred wings ; where dnr opprelTed fathers
once found it, and wc now enjoy it, by the
favor of Him, whofe fervice is the fnof^ glo-
rious freedom ! Never, O never may He per-
jnit thee to forfake us, for our unworthinefs ro
enjoy thy enlivcnins^ prcfcnce! By His high per-
i^ii/ilon, attend us thro' life and death to the
region? of the blcdcd, thy ordinal abode, there
C 37 )
1^-v'^ojoy forever the '* glorious liberty "of^'tKc
iM fons of God 1" — —But I forget myfelf ; whi^
iGther have I been hurried by this enthufiafm, or
.-Sj^hateVer elfe you will pleafe to call i t ? I hope
your candor will forgive this odd excurdon, for
iilvhichl hardly know hovv to account myfelf.
i ^i * There were two or three things mOre which
3i'intended to fay relative to this joyful occafion.
^o To go on then, thefe colonies are better than
^<^ver apprifed of their own weight and confe-
Iqtaence, when united in a legal oppofition to
• iafiy unconftitutional, hard and grievous treat-
r^bent ; which may be an advantage to them.
'>God often bringeth good out of evil ; or what
% intended for evil by men, is by him meant for
,^ood. So it was particularly in the memorable
-eife of Jofeph, whom his hard-hearted, envious
brethren fold as d.JIave into Egypt. There he
became great, and his Father and brethren were
at length obliged to have recourfe to him, to
keep them and their's from peri(hing. And
thus, not improbably, may good come out of
our late troubles, as well as out of thofe oppref-
iifions, which occafioned the flight of our fore-
, Others into the defarts of America. The great
?.ihock which was lately given to our liberties,
vmay end in the confirmation and enlargement
of them : As it is faid, the (lately oaks of the
foreft take the deeper root, extend their ar>ms
the farther, and exalt their venerable heads the
higher for being agitated by dorms and rcrapcfts,
provided they are not aiftually torn up, rent in
piec€% or c[uite blaOed -by thf? lighrniDg of hcn-
( 38 )
wa. And who knows, our liberties being thus
eftabKfhed, but that on fome future occafioti^
when the kingdoms of the earth are moved, arid
roughly dafhed one againfl another, by Him that
" take^h up the ijles as a very little thing," we,
or our poilerity may even have the great felicity
and honor to " fave much people alive," and
keep Britain herfelf from ruin. I hope fhe will
Xiever put it out of our power, by deftroying us'.;
or out of the inclination of any, by attempting iC.
It is to be hoped, the colonics will never abiife
0r raifapply any influence which they may have,
when united as aforefaid ; or difcover a fpirit of
murmuring, difcontent or impatience under the
government of Great Britain, fo long as they are
Juftly and kindly treated. On the other hand,
% is to be hoped, they will never lofe a ju[l rcnfe
of liberty, or what they may reafonably expcft
from the mother-country. Thefe thingis shcy
will keep in mind, if they are wife; and cuLti-
We a firm friendfhip and union with each other
u^pon equal terms, as far as diftince and other
drcumftances will allow. And if ever there
Ihould be OGcafion, as I finccrely hope and pray
there may not, their late experience and lliccefs
^A^ill teach them how to a6l, in order to obtaio.
the redrefs of grievances ; I mean, by joint, man-
ly and fpiritcd, but yet refpe^tful and loyal peti-
liomng. Setting afide fome excefics and ont-
lages, whkh all fohcr men join in condemning^
I believe hifl-ory affords few examples of a more
general, generous and jufl fcnfe of liberty in any
jaur.trv, than has. appealed ia Amcriea within
5k:
( 39 )
the year paft : In which time tlie mercantlk
part in particular have done themfelves mupfe
honor, and had a great fhare in prefervlng the
liberties of the plantations, when in the vrno^
Imminent danger : Tho' this is not faid with the
leall: thought of refle*5ting on any other body of
order of men, as wanting in their endeavours to
the fame noble end. Had we patiently reteivecl
^the yoke, no one can tell when, or whether cvet
it would have been taken off. And if there bt
fome animals/ adapted by nature to bear heavy
burdens fubmiffively, one of which, however, b
faid, on a certain occafion, to have had the gift of
Jpeech, and exportulatcd with his maftcr for an*
jullly fmiting him ; I hope the Americans wilt
never be reckoned as belonging to that fpiritleli^
flavifli kl'nd, tho' their "powers of fpee<:h"t
^ould not, in the opinion of fome namele%
heroic pamphlcteer-fcoffers in Britain, exceed
thofe of the other. Hov/ever defcOive they
may be in point of '* eioqence,"t I thank Godi
they can at iealt /eel^ and complain fo as to be
tolerab ly underJioQd.
^.; If your patience will hold oui', I will add 3,
^few Vvords further, by way of advice, and jo
^cbnclude. While we endeavour to cultivate
harrnony and union with our mother-country
and our fiiler-colonies, in all generous and man*-
ly ways, v/e fhould not, furely, negled to culti-
vate the fame among ourfelves.
^ There have, I am forry to fay it, but really
7.there have lately been many unvvarrai>table jea-
loufies,
t An abufive, fupcrficial pamphlet in 'favor of the roeafures cf
t\">. .<ate cnirjiilry.
( 4<^
lotifics, and bitter mutual reproaches amoftg
the people of this town and province, occa-
fioned by that unhappy mcafure, which has been
fo often referred to. Even wife and good men,
tho' all equally againfl that meafure, could n<H»
however, agree what was to be done, upon
the maxims of prudence, tho' alike concerned
for the public vv^fare. Accordingly fome were
blamed as too warm and languine, others as too
phlegmatic and indifferent, in the common and
noble caufe of liberty. Many were cenfured,
.and fome, I am well affured, very unjuftly, as
•^feeing freinds to, and cncouragers of, the fatal
'mcafure aforefaid. But how far thefe accufations
were jufl: or unjuft, on either fide, I will not take
upon me particularly to determine. Be that as
it may, is it not bell, my Brethren, to let thefe
contentions fubfide, now the end is obtained,
and we have (o fair a profpe^t before us? Are
there any valuable ends to be anfwercd by per-
petuating thefe difputes ? I cannot readily con-
ceive any : Perhaps it is, becaufe I have lefs pene-
tration than moil others. Be it as it v.ill, I
know One, and One whom we all profefs to
reverence, who hath laid, " BlefTedare thtpeac€-
*^ makers^ for they fhall be called the child'ren
" of God." And, "Let us iludy the things that
** make for peace,'' faid he that was not behind the
chief of the apoftles, " and the things wherewith
" one may edify another." Thefe fayings may
apologize for me, if I am wrong in ** preaching
peace" at this time. And if none will be offend-
ed with me for fpeaking plainly as to this matter,
To
I 41 )
To-me it really feems mod prudent, mofl: chrif-
tiah, t;o bury in oblivion what is paft ; to be-
gin our civil, political life anew as it were, from
diis joyful and glorious sera of reflored and con-
firmed liberty; to be at union among ourfelves;
to abftain from all part j names and national re-
flexions, refpeftinganyofour fellow fubiecls ;
arid to exert ourfelves', in our feveral ftations,
to promote the common good, " by love fer-
f' ving one another." Let lis^tiake allowances
mutually for human frailty, for our different
tiews'and conceptions of things, which may
.^e in a great meafure unavoidable; for difference
of natural conflitution, an unequal flow of ani-
mal fpirits, or ftrength of nerves : Let no one
cenfure another more hardly, if at all, than the
Jpecellity of the cafe plainly requires„ I hope
Jhefe counfels of peace will not be difrelifhed
lijby any " Son of peace," or any wife and good
■ man, that does me the honor to be my auditor
on this occafion ; for I mean not to give of-
fence, but only to do good. Such counfels as
they are, I humbly commend them to the God
of love and peace, to whofeholy will I believe
them agreeable,f or his blefling ; that they may
have their juft influence on all that hear them.
, And you will not forget, that we muft all one
^;^^ay give an account to Him ; fo that it nearly
\.*,<:oncerns us to have our ways, motives, and all
y'our doings approved by him. In fine,
Let us all apply ourfelves with diligence, and
in the fear of God, to the duties of our refpec-
G tive
( 42 )
uveftaclons. There has been a general diflipa^
tion amdiig us for a long time; a great negle£t
aiitl ftagnation of bufinefs. Even the poor^
and labouring part of the community, whom
i am very far from defpifing,ha\e had Jo much
to -fay about government and politics, in thh©
lute times of danger, tumult and.«:.CQi^fi4ijai^
tharm-iny of them feemcJ. ta fcj^t^, ,y.^^ey-)ii^^f
any t king^ to do. r;:cchink§,:.Jf5^IYp.i4i^~A§WiMl
c^p-edicut for ibcfji, ^and perhaps ..i>.>r>rrDrt4>(-%
\.-,, to'So-fbmediing more, and talk Ibmer.Hri-gv
L-'^s ; -every one '' iludying to be quiet, and t^o?
^^Kxoii/^ bufinefs;" letting things jcturn peace-
ably into their old channels, and natural couifss^;;
after {o long an interruption. My immediate
aim in what I now fay, being only to recom-
mcnd induflry, good order and harmony,
I will not meddle with the thorny queftion,^
whether, or how far, it may be juftinable for^
private men, at certain extraordinary. conjunc-.
t:ire3, to take the adminillration of government
in , prne reJpech into their own hands. Self-'
prefervation being a great and primary law of j
nature, and to be CQi:ifidercd as antecedent tp. >
all civil laws and inftitutions, v^hich^areiubor- i
dinare and fubfervient to the other ; tji^* right ^
of fo doing, infome circum(l:ances,ca,anot \Yerit,
be denied. Biit' certainly, there is no plaufible
pretence for fuch a conduct among us ;7«?'w/*
Thar which may be excufeable, and perhaps ,
hudable, on fome very fmgular emergencies, -:
woukf. at othci^ times be pragmatical, feditious^
and
( 43 )
afliJ^1^%h-handed prefumption. Let all therer
fere flow join with heart and hand in fupporting
the lawful, eonftitutional government over us
fefit^ jull dignity and vigor j in iupporting his
Majerty's Reprefentative, the civil magiftrates,
and all perfons in authority, in the lawful ex^
ercife<)f their feveral offices. No true friend of
liberty can reafonably obje^i againft this ; and
if any perfons Ihould, it would Ihew that, while
they fpeak great f welling words of vanity, ma-
king liberty the pretext, they themfelves are the^>
ffervants of corruption, the ignoble flaves of fin.
Withotst this due regard to government and
laws/ \Ve (hall flill be mifefable, my friends,
iit)twith(Vahding all thatGod and the King have
done td make us happy. If one had wings
like a dove, it were better to fly far away, and
remain alone in the wildernefs, where he might
b'e at reft, than to live in a fociety where there
is- no orddr, no fubordination ; but anarchy
atid Gohfufion reign. Of thefe we have furely
hadenough already ; tho' at the fame time I
blefs God, that there has not been much more,
confidering the great danger in which we hav^
been, with the general alarm and confternation,
by reafon of that which is faid to make "even
a^Wife'man mad," and much more the rafh and
indilcrete ■ of whom there is a great proportion
in all communities ; confidering alfo the abfo-
lute ncceifity there was, or at lead feeraed to
be, of fume very uncommon ftruggles and ex-
crtionSj in order to break the fnare^ and the
natural
:( 44 )
natural irapetuofity of many pcople*s tempers.
So important a change in the fituation of pub-
lic aifairs, fo great a deliverance, has, perhaps,
feldom been brought about in any country,
with fo little criminal excefs, unlefs it were
done by God alone, without the inftrumenta-
lity or agency, of men, by nature liable to fo
jnany errors and infirmities. But whatever
there has been of this kind, ought to be, and I
hope is, lamented by all good men. May that
God, in whom our help has been, continue to
proted us, our rights and privileges ! May he
dired our paths thro* this uncertain life, and
all the changes of it ; and, of his infinite mer-
cy in Jefus Chrift, finally bring us all to thofe
peaceful and glorious regions, where no evil
fpirits, no wicked foiulers will come ; where
j\o fnares will be fpread for us ; no proud waters
ta go over our foul ! And if we hope for admif-
fion into thofe eternal manfions of joy, let eve-
ry one of us, as theapoflle Peter exhorts, " ho-
" nor all men, love the brotherhood, fear GOD,
** honor the King."
A M E N !
i^^^