WILLIAM L. CLEMENTS
HILDEBORN.3437

る​437






TH
ROBERT BELL, Bookfeller, to the Public.
Self-defence againft unjuft attacks needs no apology. Bell.
HE pamphlet of large ADDITIONS to Common
Senfe, containing feveral excellent pieces, written
by fome worthy and refpectable citizens of Philadelphia,
are in the opinion of fome gentlemen, who are good judges
of literary merit, thought worthy of prefervation, in fuch
manner as to bind with other pamphlets in an octavo
volume.-Thofe that think as they do, will buy, and
thoſe who do not think in that manner, will let them
alone.
The judicious and difcerning have perception fufficient
to obferve this, without the unneceffary intervention of
the Fofter-Father-Author's optics (whofe felf-imagined
importance hath fwelled him into contemptible confequen-
tiality) becauſe the Provedore to the Sentimentalifts doth
not PRINT decent EDITIONS for fuch ignoramus's as
Lord Dunmore's NEGROES.
The envious Mr. ANONYMOUs, the fhadow of an au-
thor, with his murdering MASK and his DARK LAN-
THORN, fully equipped for the ruffian bufinefs of affafli-
nation (like unto a villainous THIEF, whofe voracious
cravings for PREY conftrain him to forget the fears which
forced him fo lately to fcamper away) hath once more crept
into the field to ROB and to DESTROY the reputation of
authors, whofe literary abilities OUT-SHINE his, as far as
the blaze of a torch OUT-SHINETH the glimmering of
a candle.-
Befide their fuperior talents in literature, they have
thereto added (in his eyes) another moft grievous offence
by their not employing him as a go-between, that he
might thereby have an opportunity to infinuate there is no
WRITERS in America but the wou'd-be author of Common
Senfe-This ftolen applaufe he is avaricioufly attached
unto, although he certainly knoweth the ticklish tenure
of fuch ufurped reputation-For if he poffeffed only a
fmall fhare of internal honefty, he would be conſtrained
to cry out in the emphatic words of the poor Ifraelite,
who loft the hatchet-ALAS! FOR IT WAS BORROWED.
P. S. The judicious part of the public know that the
often fible author was, and ftill is the aggreffor, yet the real
bookfeller, who hateth diffimulation, giveth the following
true KEY to the whole difpute.-
When the work was at a ftand for want of a courageous.
Typographer, I was then recommended by a gentleman
nearly in the following words, "There is Bell, he is a
Republican Printer, give it to him, and I will anfwer
for his courage to PRINT IT.
This

This fame Mr. ANONYMOUS, this Amanuenfis to a
group of authors, on feeing the manly fortitude with
which R. Bell printed his name on the title of the flam-
ing production, to found the depths of the multitude for
a virtuous and glorious independancy; and afterwards be-
holding the fuccefs of the fale and of the fentiment, he
immediately formed the ungrateful defign of jockeying
the Printer, who had to pleaſe the authors, and ferve the
caufe, done fifty pounds worth of work for the fmall price
of twenty pounds, and at the fame time formed the dif
graceful intention to circumvent the real book feller, by
whofe knowledge in bufinefs the pamphlet was made ref-
pectable-Upon the Bookfeller's difcovering thefe fhame-
ful veerings, he laid immediate hold on the indubitable
MAXIM in the law of retaliation, which he holdeth' to be as
invulnerable, in the practice of the world, as the law of felf.
defence, and therefore determined to out-jockey if poffible.
The Bookfeller's fuccefs in this manoeuvre was fo ex-
ceeding galling to the ingrate GO-BETWEEN, who first
made the vicious attempt, that to be convicted and foiled
at his own weapons was more than his capricious difpofi-
tion was able to fuftain. He immediately fell into a fit
of ill-natured, oftentatious, and pretended generofity, which
would moft-certainly have carried him to Bedlam or a
p-n, had he not in the midft of his debafement recol-
lected it was not yet quite impoffible for him to arife
again, by touching public money, and to attain to be the
MASSANELLO among authors and bookfellers, at leaft
for one DAY.
N. B. Robert Bell, in Third-ftreet, continueth to fell
to all who are capable of making proper diftinctions, the
large edition of Common Senfe with ALL the aditions and
improvements; alfo the appendix, and addrefs to the
Quakers COMPLETE.
Juft printed, and published at the defire of feveral Mem-
bers of the Continental Congrefs, and fome of the Milita-
ry Officers of the Affociation; and is now felling by
R. BELL, in Third-freet (Price twenty-fix fhillings,
two volumes in neat bindings)
THE MILITARY GUIDE for YOUNG OFFICERS.
By THOMAS SIMES, Efq.
To which are now added extracts from a military Effay,
containing reflexions on the raifing, arming, clothing and
difcipline of the British infantry and cavalry. By Campbell
Dalrymple, Efq; Lieutenant-Colonel to the King's own
regiment of Dragoons.
The whole is illuminated with eleven COPPER-PLATES

A
DIALOGUE
BETWEEN
THE GHOST
OF
GENERAL MONTGOMERY
Juft arrived from the ELYSIAN FIELDS;
AND AN
AMERICAN DELEGATE,
IN A WOOD
NEAR
PHILADELPHI A.
Thomas Paines
Printed, and Sold by R. BELL, in Third-Street.
MDCCLXXVI.


A
DIALOGUE
BETWEEN THE GHOST OF GENERAL
MONTGOMERY,
AND A
DELEGATE, IN A WOOD NEAR
PHILADELPHIA.
Delegate.
ELCOME to this retreat
W my good friend. If I mif-
take not, I now fee the
ghoft of the brave General MONTGOMERY.
General Montgomery. I am glad to fee
you. I ftill love liberty and America, and
the contemplation of the future greatneſs of
this Continent now forms a large ſhare of
my preſent happineſs. I am fent here up-
on an important errand, to warn you a-
gainst liftening to terms of accomodations
from the court of Britain.
Del. I fhall be happy in receiving in-
ftruction from you in the prefent trying ex-
igency of our public affairs. But fuppofe
A
the

6
MONTGOMERY
the terms you ſpeak of fhould be just and
honorable.
Gen. Mont.
How can you expect thefe,
after the King has proclaimed you rebels
from the throne, and after both houfes of
parliament have refolved to fupport him in
carrying on a war againft you? No, I fee no
offers from Great Britain but of PARDON.
The very word is an infult upon our caufe.
To whom is pardon offered ?-to virtuous
freemen. For what?-for flying to arms
in defence of the rights of humanity: And
from whom do thefe offers come? From a
ROYAL CRIMINAL. You have furniſhed
me with a new reafon for triumphing in
my death, for I had rather have it faid that
I died by his vengeance, than that I lived
by his mercy.
Del. But you think nothing of the de-
ftructive confequences of war.
How many
cities muſt be reduced to afhes! how many
families muſt be ruined! and how many
widows and orphans must be made, fhould
the prefent war be continued any longer
with Great Britain.
Gen. Mont. I think of nothing but of
the deftructive confequences of flavery. The
calamities of war are tranfitory and confined
in

FROM ELYSIUM.
7
in their effects. But the calamities of fla-
very are extenfive and lafting in their ope-
ration. I love mankind as well as you,
and I could never reftrain a tear when my
love of juftice has obliged me to fhed the
blood of a fellow creature. It is
It is my hu-
manity that makes me urge you against a
reconciliation with Great Britain, for if
this takes place, nothing can prevent the
American Colonies from being the feat of
war as often as the King of Great Britain
renews his quarrels with any of the Colo-
nies, or with any of the belligerent powers
of Europe.
Del. I tremble at the doctrine you have
advanced. I fee you are for the indepen-
dance of the Colonies on Great Britain.
Gen. Mont. I am for permanent liberty,
peace, and fecurity to the American Colo-
nies.
Del. Thefe can only be maintained by
placing the Colonies in the fituation they
were in the year 1763.
Gen. Mont. And is no fatisfaction to be
made to the Colonies for the blood and
treaſure they have expended in refifting the
arms of Great Britain? Who can foften the
prejudices of the King-the parliament-
and

8
MONTGOMERY
and the nation, each of whom will be averfe
to maintain a peace with you in proportion
to the advantages you have gained over
them? Who fhall make reftitution to the
widows-the mothers-and the children
of the men who have been flain by their
arms? Can no hand wield the fceptre of
government in America except that which
has been ftained with the blood of your
countrymen? For my part if I thought this
Continent would ever acknowledge the fo-
vereignty of the Crown of Britain again, I
fhould forever lament the day in which I
offered up my
life for its falvation.
Del. You fhould diftinguish between
the King and his minifters.
Gen. Mont, I live in a world where all
political fuperftition is done away. The
King is the author of all the meaſures car-
ried on against America. The influence of
bad minifters is no better apology for theſe
meaſures, than the influence of bad com-
pany is for a murderer, who expiates his
crimes under a gallows. You all complain
of the corruption of the parliament, and of
the venality of the nation, and yet you for-
get that the Crown is the fource of them
both. You fhun the ftreams, and yet you
are

FROM
9
ELYSIUM.
are willing to fit down at the very fountain
of corruption and venality.
Del.
Our diftance and charters will pro-
tect us from the influence of the crown.
Gen. Mont. Your diftance will only render
your danger more imminent, and your ruin
more irretrievable. Charters are no reftraints
against the luft of power. The only reafon
why you have efcaped fo long is, becauſe
the treaſure of the nation has been employed
for thefe 50 years in buying up the virtue
of Britain and Ireland. Hereafter the feduc-
tion of the reprefentatives of the people of
America will be the only aim of adminiftra-
tion fhould you continue to be connected
with them.
Del. But I forefee many evils from the
independance of the Colonies. Our trade
will be ruined from the want of a navy to
protect it. Each Colony will put in its
claim for fuperiority, and we fhall have do-
meftic wars without end.
Gen. Mont. As I now know that Divine
Providence intends this country to be the
afylum of perfecuted virtue from every quar-
ter of the globe, fo I think your trade will
be the vehicle that will convey it to you.
Heaven

10
MONTGOMERY
Heaven has furniſhed you with greater re-
fources for a navy than any nation in the
world. Nothing but an ignorance of your
ftrength could have led you to facrifice your
trade for the protection of a foreign navy.
A freedom from the reftraints of the acts of
navigation I foreſee will produce fuch im-
menfe additions to the wealth of this coun-
try that pofterity will wonder that ever you
thought your prefent trade worth its pro-
tection. As to the fuppofed contentions
between fifter colonies, they have no foun-
dation in truth. But fuppofing they have,
will delaying the independance of the Colo-
nies, 50 years, prevent them? No-the
weakness of the Colonies, which at firft
produced their union, will always preferve
it, 'till it fhall be their intereft to be feparat-
ed. Had the Colony of Maffachufet's-bay
been poffeffed of the military refources which
it would probably have had 50 years hence,
would he have held out the fignal of diftrefs
to her fifter colonies, upon the news of the
Bofton port-bill? No-fhe would have
withstood all the power of Britain alone,
and afterwards the neutral colonies might
have ſhared the fate of the colony of Canada.
Moreover, had the connection with Great-
Britain

FROM ELYSIUM.
II
Britain been continued 50 years longer, the
progrefs of British laws, cuftoms, and man-
ners (now totally corrupted) would have
been fuch that the Colonies would have
been prepared to welcome flavery. But had
it been otherwife, they muft have afferted
their independance with arms. This is
nearly done already. It will be cruel to be-
queath another conteft to your pofterity.
Del. But I dread all innovations in go-
vernments. They are very dangerous things.
Gen. Mont. The revolution, which gave
a temporary ftability to the liberties of Bri-
tain, was an innovation in government, and
yet no ill confequences have arifen from it.
Innovations are dangerous only as they fhake
the prejudices of a people; but there are
now, I believe, but few prejudices to be
found, in this country, in favor of the
old connection with Great-Britain. I ex-
cept thofe men only who are under the in-
fluence of their paffions and offices.
Del. But is it not most natural for us to
wish for a connection with a people who
fpeak the fame language with us, and pof-
fefs the fame laws, religion, and forms of
government with ourſelves.
Gen. Mont.

12
MONTGOMERY
Gen. Mont. The immortal Montesquieut
fays, that nations fhould form alliances with
thoſe nations only which are as unlike to
themſelves as poffible in religion, laws and
manners, if they mean to preferve their
own conftitutions. Your dependance upon
the crown is no advantage, but rather an in-
jury, to the people of Britain, as it encreaf-
es the power and influence of the King.
The people are benefited only by your trade,
and this they may have after you are inde-
pendant of the crown. Should you be dif-
pofed to forgive the King and the nation
for attempting to enflave you, they will
never forgive you for having baffled them in
the attempt.
Del. But we have many friends in both
Houſes of Parliament.
Gen. Mont. You mean the miniftry
have many enemies in Parliament who con-
nect the caufe of America with their cla-
mours at the door of adminiftration. Lord
Chatham's conciliatory bill would have ruin-
ed you more effectually than Lord North's
motion. The Marquifs of Rockingham
was the anthor of the declaratory bill. Mr.
Wilkes has added infamy to the weakneſs
of

FROM
13
ELYSIU M.
of your caufe, and the Duke of Grafton
and Lord Lyttleton have rendered the mi-
nority junto, if poffible, more contemptible
than ever.
Del. But if we become independant we
fhall become a commonwealth.
Gen. Mont. I maintain that it is
your in-
tereft to be independant of Great Britain,
but I do not recommend any new form of
government to you. I should think it
ftrange that a people who have virtue
enough to defend themfelves against the
moft powerful nation in the world fhould
want wifdom to contrive a perfect and free
form of government. You have been kept
in fubjection to the crown of Britain by a
miracle, Your liberties have hitherto been
fufpended by a thread. Your connection
with Great-Britain is unnatural and unne-
ceffary. All the wheels of a government
fhould move within itfelf.--I would only
beg leave to obferve to you, that monarchy
and ariftocracy have in all ages been the ve-
hicles of flavery.
Del. Our governments will want force
and authority if we become independant of
Great-Britain,
Gen.

14
MONTGOMERY
Gen. Mont. I beg leave to contradict
that affertion. No
No royal edicts or acts of
affembly have ever been more faithfully or
univerfally obeyed than the refolves of the
Congrefs. I admire the virtue of the co-
lonies, and did not fome of them ftill hang
upon the haggard breafts of Great-Britain,
I fhould think the time now come in which
they had virtue enough to be happy under
any form of government. Remember that
it is in a commonwealth only that you can
expect to find every man a patriot or a hero.
Ariftides--Epaminondas -- Pericles --Scipio-
Camillus--and a thoufand other illuftrious
Grecian and Roman heroes, would never
have aftoniſhed the world with their names
had they lived under royal governments.
Del. Will not a declaration of indepen-
dance leffen the number of our friends,
and encreaſe the rage of our enemies in
Britain?
Gen. Mont. Your friends as (you call
them) are too few-- too divided--and too in-
tereſted to help you. And as for your ene-
mies, they have done their worst. They
have called upon Ruffians--Hanoverians--
Heffians-- Canadians--Savages-and Negroes
to aflift them in burning your towns--defo-
lating

FROM ELYSIUM.
15
lating your country--and in butchering your
wives and children. You have nothing fur-
ther to-fear from them. Go, then, and awak-
en the Congress to a fenfe of their import-
ance; you have no time to lofe. France waits
for nothing but a declaration of your inde-
pendance to revenge the injuries they fuf-
ftained from Britain in the laft war. But
I forbear to reafon any further with you.
The decree is finally gone forth, Britain
and America are now diftinct empires.
Your country teems with patriots--heroes--
and legiflators, who are impatient to burft
forth into light and importance. Hereafter
your atchievements fhall no more fwell the
page of British hiftory. God did not
excite the attention of all Europe--of the
whole world--nay of angels themſelves to
the prefent controverfy for nothing. The
inhabitants of Heaven long to fee the ark
finished, in which all the liberty and true
religion of the world are to be depofited.
The day in which the Colonies declare
their independance will be a jubilee to
Hampden--Sidney--Ruffel--Warren-- Gar-
diner--Macpherfon -- Cheeſeman, and all the
other heroes who have offered themſelves
as facrifices upon the altar of liberty. It
was

16 MONT. FROM ELYSIUM.
was no fmall mortification to me when I
fell upon
upon the plains of Abraham, to reflect
that I did not expire like the brave General
Wolfe, in the arms of victory. But I now
no longer envy him his glory. I would
rather die in attempting to obtain permanent
freedom for a handful of people, than fur-
vive a conqueft which would ferve only to
extend the empire of defpotifm. A band
of heroes now beckon to me. I can only
add that America is the theatre where hu-
man nature will foon receive its greateſt
military--civil and literary honors.---
S.





































LEN CA
LPA. VA


C
1776
Di
A dialogue between the ghost of
General Montgomery...
BOUND BY MAGRONAL