all their feelings, and among others, the known attachment of the Canadians to France, were very dexterously

not, by tamely bearing the yoke, suffer that pity to be supplanted by contempt.

"When hardy attempts are made to deprive men of rights bestowed by the Almighty, when avenues are cut through the most solemn compacts for the admission of despotism, when the plighted faith of government ceases to give security to dutiful subjects, and when the insidious stratagems and manœuvres of peace become more terrible than the sanguinary operations of war; it is high time for them to assert those rights, and, with honest indignation, oppose the torrent of oppression rushing in upon them.

"By the introduction of your present form of government, or rather, present form of tyranny, you and your wives and your children are made slaves. You have nothing that you can call your own, and all the fruits of your labour and industry may be taken from you, whenever an avaricious governor and a rapacious council may incline to demand them. You are liable by their edicts to be transported into foreign countries, to fight battles in which you have no interest, and to spill your blood in conflicts from which neither honor nor emolument can be derived: Nay, the enjoyment of your very religion, on the present system, depends on a legislature in which you have no share, and over which you have no controul; and your priests are exposed to expulsion, banishment, and ruin, whenever their wealth and possessions furnish sufficient temptation. They cannot be sure that a virtuous prince will always fill the throne; and should a wicked and careless king concur with a wicked ministry in extracting the strength and treasure of your country, it is impossible to conceive to what variety and to what extremes of wretchedness you may under the present establishment be reduced.

❝ We

dexterously assailed; and the effort was very earnestly made, to kindle in their bosoms that enthusiastic

"We are informed you have already been called upon to waste your lives in a contest with us. Should you, by complying in this instance, assent to your new, establishment, and a war break out with France, your wealth and your sons may be sent to perish in expeditions against their islands in the West Indies.

"It cannot be presumed that these considerations will have no weight with you, or that you are so lost to all sense of honour. We can never believe that the present race of Canadians are so degenerated, as to possess neither the spirit, the gallantry, nor the courage of their ancestors. You certainly will not permit the infamy and disgrace of such pusillanimity to rest on your own heads, and the consequences of it on your children for ever.

"We, for our parts, are determined to live free, or not at all; and are resolved that posterity shall never reproach us with having brought slaves into the world.

"Permit us again to repeat, that we are your friends, not your enemies, and be not imposed upon by those who may endeavour to create animosities. The taking of the fort and military stores at Tyconderoga and Crown Point, and the armed vessels on the lake, was dictated by the great law of self-preservation. They were intended to annoy us, and to cut off that friendly intercourse and communication which has hitherto subsisted between you and us. We hope it has given you no uneasiness, and you may rely on our assurances, that these colonies will pursue no measures whatever, but such as friendship, and a regard for our mutual safety and interest, may suggest.

"As our concern for your welfare entitles us to your friendship, we presume you will not, by doing us injury, reduce us to the disagreeable necessity of treating you as enemies.

"We yet entertain hopes of your uniting with us in the defence of our common liberty; and there is yet reason to believe, that should

thusiastic love of liberty which was too strongly felt by the authors of the letter, to permit the belief that it could be any where inoperative.

The middle and southern colonies, though not so forward as the northern, were every where preparing for hostilities, and the established government was, in all of them, laid aside.

In Virginia, Lord Dunmore, the governor, had just returned to Williamsburg, from an expedition against the Indians, in which his arms had been crowned with success, and he had thereby acquired a considerable degree of popularity. Presuming, perhaps, too much on the public favour of the moment, and dissatisfied with some recommendations concerning the militia and independent companies, made by the colonial convention which had assembled in Richmond, principally for the purpose of electing delegates to Congress; he employed the Captain of an armed vessel then lying in James's river, a few miles from Williamsburg, to convey, by night, on board his ship, with a detachment of his marines, a part of the powder in the magazine belonging to the colony.

should we join in imploring the attention of our sovereign, to the unmerited and unparalleled oppressions of his American subjects, he will at length be undeceived, and forbid a licentious ministry any longer to riot in the ruins of the rights of

mankind."

The committee appointed to draw this letter consisted of Mr. Jay, Mr. Samuel Adams, and Mr. Deane.

This measure, though conducted with great secrecy, was by some means discovered; and the people of the town assembled next morning, in arms, for the purpose of demanding restitution of the property which had been taken. The magistrates prevailed on them to disperse without the commission of violence; and presented an address to the governor, remonstrating against the removal of the powder, which they alleged to be the more injurious, because it was necessary for their defence, in the event of an insurrection among their slaves.

The governor acknowledged that the powder had been removed by his orders to a place of perfect security, because he did not think it safe in the magazine; but he gave the most explicit assurances that he would restore it, if an insurrection of the slaves should render such a measure necessary.

Unsatisfactory as was this answer, no further means were used in Williamsburg for the recovery of the property which had been carried off; but from this time, nightly patroles were kept for the future protection of the magazine.

This subject was not permitted to pass off quietly by the inhabitants of the interior country. Meetings were held in several counties, and the conduct of the governor greatly condemned. In Hanover and King William, the independent

compa

companies, at the instance of Mr. Patrick Henry*, a member of Congress, assembled and set out for Williamsburg with the avowed design of compelling a restitution of the powder, or of obtaining the value thereof. They were, however, stopped on the way by the active interposition of a Mr. Braxton, who obtained from the king's receivergeneral a bill for the value of the property which had been removed, with which he returned to the companies, and prevailed upon them to relinquish a further prosecution of their enterpriset.

The alarm occasioned by this movement induced Lady Dunmore, with the governor's family, to retire on board the Fowey man of war in James river, whilst his lordship fortified his palace, in which he placed a detachment of marines as a garrison. From thence he published a proclamation, in which he charged those who had procured the bill from the receiver-general, with rebellious practices. The country, however, took part against him, and his own conduct was generally censured, while that of Mr. Henry was very

*The same gentleman who had introduced into the assembly of Virginia THE original resolutions against the STAMP ACT.

+ The independent companies in the upper part of the northern neck, also assembled, to the number of about six hundred men, and proceeded on horseback as far as Frede ricksburg, where a council was held, in which Richard Henry Lee, then on his way to Congress, presided; and who advised THEIR return to their respective homes.