ably in debt would be ruined. At any rate,
the revenues of
Great-Britain would suffer a vast diminution.
The FARMER, I am inclined to hope, builds too much upon
the present disunion of
Canada,
Georgia, the
Floridas, the
Mis-
sissippi, and
Nova Scotia from other colonies. -- A little time,
I trust, will awaken them from their slumber, and bring them
to a proper sense of their indiscretion. I please myself with the
flattering prospect, that they will, ere long, unite in one
indisso-
luble chain with the rest of the colonies. -- I cannot believe they
will persist in such a conduct as must exclude them from the se-
cure enjoyment of those heaven-descended immunities we are
contending for.
There is one argument I have frequently heard urged, which
it may be of some use to invalidate. It is this, that if the mo-
ther country should be inclined to an accommodation of our
dis-
putes, we have by our rash procedure thrown an insurmount-
able obstacle in her way; we have made it disgraceful to her to
comply with our requisitions, because they are proposed in a
hostile manner.
Our present measures, I have proved, are the only peaceable
ones we could place the least confidence in. They are the
least exceptionable, upon the score of irritating
Great-Bri-
tain, of any our circumstances would permit. The congress
have petitioned his Majesty for the redress of grievances.
They have, no doubt, addressed him in the most humble,
respectful and affectionate terms; assured him, of their own
loyalty, and fidelity in general; endeavoured to
convince him,
that we have been misrepresented and abused; and ex-
pressed an earnest desire to see an amicable termination of the
unhappy differences now existing. Can a pretext be wanting,
in this cafe, to preserve the diginity of this parent state, and yet
remove the complaints of the colonies? How easy would it be
to overlook our particular agreements, and grant us redress in
consequence of our petitions? It is easy to perceive there
would be no difficulty in this respect.
I have omitted many considerations, which might be adduced
to shew the impolicy of
Great-Britains, delaying to
accommo-
date matters, and attempting to enforce submission by cutting
off all external sources of trade. To say all the subject allows,
would spin out this piece to an immoderate length; I shall,