knew how to make of them, independent of the force of the arguments, and the happy manner in which they are arranged. The first paragraph is filled with expreffions of unfeigned loyalty, of attachment to the fovereign, and his true intereft. The fecond runs thus:

"A fituation without example, neceffitates a conduct without precedent. We are driven in this mode of dreffing your Majefty, reluctantly, to fuperfede thofe forms which, in other circumstances, we fhould highly refpect; and regulate ourselves by no other rules than thofe of our laws, our rights, and the profound reverence we bear to our fovereign."

The third contains an apology for the propofed feceffion, on the grounds of the prefervation of their (the feceders) honour, and what flood next in their eftimation, his Majefty's good opinion, and for inflexibly perfevering in their diffent from every part of thofe proceedings, on the experience of their mifchief, which they originally gave, from a fure forefight of their unhappy and inevitable tendency.

"We deplore, (fay they) along with your Ma jefty, the diftractions and diforders which prevail in your empire. But we are convinced, that the dif orders of the people, in the present time, are owing to the ufual and natural caufe of fuch disorders at all times the misconduct of government; that they are owing to plans laid in error, purfued with obftinacy, and conducted without wifdom. We cannot attribute fo much to the power of faction at the expence of human nature, as to fuppofe, that a combination of men, few in number, not confiderable in rank, of no natural hereditary dependencies, of talents, which, however refpectable, appear to be no way uncom→ monly impofing, fhould, by the efforts of their policy alone, be able to bring the people of your American dominions into the difpofition which has produced the prefent troubles. We cannot conceive,

that, without fome powerful concurring caufe, any management fhould prevail on fome millions of people difperfed over a whole continent, in thirteen provinces, not only unconnected, but in many particulars of religion, manners, government, and local intereft, totally different and adverfe, voluntarily to fubmit themselves to a fufpenfion of all the profits of industry, and all the comforts of civil life, added to all the evils of an unequal war, carried on with circumftances of the greatest afperity and rigour. This, Sire, could never have happened but from a general fenfe of fome grievance, fo radical in its nature, and fo fpreading in its effects, as to poifon all the ordinary fatisfactions of life, to dislocate the frame of fociety, and to convert into fear and hatred that habitual reverence ever paid by mankind to an ancient and venerable government.

"That grievance is as fimple in its nature, and as level to the moft ordinary understanding, as it is powerful in affecting the moft languid paffions. It is an attempt made to difpofe of the whole property of a whole people, without their confent."

Having depreciated this scheme fet up in direct oppofition to the rooted and inveterate prejudices of the whole people of America, they proceed to the following reflections, highly worthy the confideration of every statesman.

"The fenfe of a whole people, moft gracious Sovereign, never ought to be contemned by wife and beneficent rulers, whatever may be the abstract claims, or even rights of the fupreme power. We have been too early inftructed, and too long habituated to believe, that the only firm feat of all authority, is in the minds, affections, and interefts of the people, to change our Tentiments for the convenience of a temporary arrangement of flate. It is not confiftent with equity or wisdom, to fet at defiance the general feelings of great communities, and all the orders which compofe them. "Much power is tolerated, and

paffes unqueftioned, where much is yielded to opinion. All is difputed, where every thing is enforced. This is the tenct we hold on the duty and policy of conforming to the prejudices of a whole people, even where the foundation of fuch prejudices may be falfe or difputable. But, permit us to lay at your Majefty's feet, our deliberate judgment on the real merits of that principle, the violation of which is the known ground and origin of thefe troubles. We affure your Majefty, that, on our parts, we fhould think ourselves unworthy of life, which we only value for the means of fpending it in honour and virtue, if we ever fubmitted to taxes, to which we did not confent, either directly, or by a reprefentation fatiffactory to the body of the people. And we add, Sire, that if fortune, inftead of bleffing us with a fituation where we may have daily access to the propitious prefence of a gracious prince, had fixed us in fettlements on the remoteft part of the globe, we must carry these fentiments with us, as part of our being; perfuaded, that the distance of fituation would only render this privilege the more neceffary, in the dif pofal of property, Abufes of fubordinate authority increafe, and all means of redrefs leffen, as the dif tance of the fubje&t removes him from the feat of the fupreme power. What, in those circumstances, can fave him from the laft extremes of indignity and oppreffion, but fomething left in his own hands, which may enable him to conciliate the favour, and controul the exceffes of government? When no means are poffeffed of power to awe, or to oblige, the ftrongeft ties which connect mankind in every relation, focial and civil, and which teach them mutually to refpect each other, are broken. Independency, from that moment, virtually exifts. Its formal declaration will quickly follow. Such must be our feelings for ourfelves. We are not in poffeffion of another rule for our brethren, When the late attempt, practically to annihilate that privilege was made, great diforders

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and tumults very unhappily and very naturally arofs from it. In this ftate of things, we were of opinion, that fatisfaction ought inftantly to be given, or that at least the punishment of the disorder, ought to be attended with the redress of the grievance.

"Because, whenever a disorder arises from, and is directly connected with a grievance, to confine ourfelves to the punishment of the disorder, is to declare against the reason and juftice of the complaint.'

Having recapitulated the inftruments which minifters employed in their unfortunate plan, recourfe was had to force," and we faw a force" fay they " fent out enough to menace liberty, but not to awe refiftance; tending to bring odium on the civil power, and contempt on the military; at once to provoke and encourage refiftance.

"This mode of proceeding, by harsh laws and feeble armies, could not be defended on the principle of mercy and forbearance. For mercy, as we conceive, confifts not in the weakness of the means, but in the benignity of the ends. We apprehend, that mild measures may be powerfully enforced; and that acts of extreme rigour and injuftice may be attended with as much feeblenefs in the execution, as feverity in the formation."

The concluding part of this addrefs cannot be too highly efteemed by every lover of his king and country, particularly the following paffages:

"We deprecate the effect of the doctrines which muft fupport and countenance the government over conquered Englishmen. It will be impoffible long to refift the powerful and equitable arguments in favour of the freedom of these unhappy people, to be drawn from the principle of our own liberty. Attempts will be made, attempts have been made, to ridicule and to argue away this principle, and to inculcate into the minds of your people other maxims of government, and other grounds of obedience than thofe which have prevailed at and fince the glo

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rious revolution. By degrees, thefe doctrines, by being convenient, may grow prevalent; the confequence is not certain; but a general change of principles rarely happens among a people without leading to a change of government.

"Sire, your throne cannot ftand fecure upon the principles of unconditional fubmiffion, or paffive obedience, on powers exercised without the concurrence of the people to be governed, on acts made in defiance of their prejudices and habits, on acquief cence procured by foreign mercenary troops, and fecured by ftanding armies. Thefe may poffibly be the foundation of other thrones, they must be the fubverfion of your's.

It was not to paffive principles in our ancestors that we owe the honour of appearing before a fovereign, who cannot feel that he is a prince, without knowing that we ought to be free. The revolution is a departure from the ancient courfe of the descent of this monarchy. The people re-entered into their original rights, and it was not becaufe a pofitive law harta, authorized the act, but because the freedom' and fafety of the fubject, the origin and caufe of all laws, required a proceeding paramount and fuperior to them. At that ever memorable and inftructive period, the letter of the law was fuperfeded in favour of the fubftance of liberty. To the free choice, therefore, of the people, without either king or parliament, we owe that happy establishment of which both king and parliament were regenerated.

"From that great principle of liberty thefe ftatutes have originated, which have confirmed and ratified that eftablifhment from which your Majefty derives your right to rule over us, Thele ftatutes have not given us our liberties; our liberties have produced them. Every hour of your Majefty's reign, your title stands upon the very fame foundation on which it was at first laid, and we do not know a better on which it can poffibly be placed. Convinced that you