A.D R ༔,!,་। ICA. THE WAR IN AMERIC 385 wards of Indian warriors, and fuch are the horrors of an Indian war. There is one apology which the miniftry made for employing the favages, namely, that if his Majesty had not employed them, that the rebels would have done it. But this, like many others of their apologies, was without all foundation. There was no proof or evidence that the colonifts ever intended to employ thefe barbarians, or had they ever attempted to enter into any offenfive alliance with them. All that ever they desired of them was, that they would obferve a strict neutrality, and be quiet.— They had actually entered into a treaty of neutrality with the five famous Indian nations, which our ministry had bribed to violate, and to act offenfively against the colonies. At the very time the Americans were entering into treaties of neutrality with as many of the favages as they could perfuade to that measure, the British agents under the direction of the ministry, were hiring the barbarians to destroy the fubjects of the empire from one end of America to another.This was demonftrated by féveral papers that came before the Houfe of Commons. The wickedness of this infernal fcheme will cleave to the authors of it, and, like a milftone, fink down to destruction all the other meafures that ever they fhall be engaged in; for the hiftory of mankind cannot fhew a fingle inftance where providence ever honoured any perfons by being inftruments of doing good, who had wilfully and obftinately perfifted in doing fo much evil. For the fake of having the affistance of favage butchers to maffacre old men, women, and children, the government paid the enormous fum of 150 000l. though they never could bring above 7 or 800 of them into the field. It is a thing beyond all Ccc difpute difpute, that it was not the intention of the miniftry to quash what they called rebellion, but to extirpate the whole race of thofe malcontents in America. For if it had been their intention to have put an end to the rebellion, they would undoubtedly have purfued wifer measures than they have ever yet done. It affords but a melancholy reflection to the fubjects of Great Britain to find that the morality of this war is always put out of the question, and the neceffity for carrying it on is urged upon principles that would difgrace Indian favages. We have paffed the Rubicon, and have entered the field of difgrace and ruin, and for that reafon we must not retract, but go on from evil to worse. Such principles of action, when read in history by impartial future ages, will make our pofterity fhudder to think from what a ftrange race of men they have defcended. Notwithstanding the folly and madnefs of all the fchemes of the miniftry concerning this war, the prime minifter in the Houfe of Commons had the effrontery to declare," that events had turned out very differently from what he had reafon to expect." It is not eafy to fay what idea fome men have of providence, but if this minifter actually believes that there is a di̟vine providence, he could have no reafon to believe that things would fall out otherwife than they have happened; for among all the reafons affigned for this unjust and unrighteous war, there is not one that any fober man could fatisfy his confcience with, or declare was worthy of the blood of one fingle fubject. As the ministry now on account of neceffity, began to think of terms of reconciliation with the colonies, a great part of the public debates of parliament, and difputes through the nation, were employed on that fubject. 1 fubject. The bill itself, and the commiffioners appointed to manage the negociation did not promife, fair for a reconciliation;-they were all the meanest, creatures of the court, and of the miniftry that were, appointed to this commiflion: and though in their own esteem and that of their friends, they were confidered great men, yet no particular action of their whole lives had fo diftinguished them as to give a fanc-, tion to their appointment. The whole of this proceeding was confidered by wife men rather as a minifterial farce, than a real intention of reconciliation with the colonies. It was eafily forfeen what would be the issue of this comic opera, both from the feafon in which it was propofed to be acted, as well as from the wisdom of the managers, and the abilities of the actors on the fide of Great Britain, A treaty was already concluded between France and America, which was not likely to be difannulled by the congrefs for the fake of pleasing a miniftry that had wantonly and cruelly fhed the blood of their beft and near eft friends and relations. Nor were they likely to break their faith and their first public treaty with a new ally, and fo expofe their infidelity to all the world, for the advantage of a parent ftate, that had behaved as a barbarous and cruel ftep-mother. And fuppofe there had been no fuch obftacles in the way, was it probable that they would listen to any terms from the prefent miniftry or their agents. The whole of this political farce was confidered as only a fcheme to wafię a little money upon a needy nobleman and other twa ministerial favourites. One of which had for fome time gained the confidence of the people by acting the hypocrite, and had been in training by the mover of the puppets for fame years, and was judged worthy to act The whole of the act a part in this new comedy.. proceedings at home concerning this conciliatory bill, convinced all parties before the commiffioners depart ed what would be the fuccefs of their commiffion. While matters were agitated at home according to the different humours and difpofitions of party, a fort of key to the commiffioners with respect to their fuc. cefs, was fent through the medium of General Burgoyne to the Earl of Thanet, by General Gates, one of the commanding officers in the American service. This conquering General declares his concern at the unhappy rupture between the mother country and the colonies, and fays that he could not help feeling for the misfortunes brought upon his native country by the wickedness of that administration who began and had continued that unjust, impolitic, cruel, and unnatural war. He ftates, that the difmembering of the empire, the lofs of commerce, of power and confequence amongst the nations, with the downfall of public credit, are but the beginnings of thofe evils which must inevitably be followed by a thousand more, unless timely prevented by fome lenient hand, fome ftate phyfician, with the firmnefs, integrity, and the abilities of a Chatham, joined to the wisdom, virtue, and justice of a Cambden. Such a man, he obferved, aided by perfons as independent in their for. tunes as unfullied in their honours, and who never bowed their heads to Baal, might yet fave the finking ftate. But that great object could only be obtained, he added, by confirming that independency, which the people of the continent of America were determined only to part with along with their lives. Such a minifter, he faid, would do as all other wife ftatefmen had done before him. He would be true to the interefts interefts and welfare of his country, and by refcinding the refolutions paffed to fupport that system which no power on earth can establish, he will endeavour to reftore fo much of the empire in profperity and honour as the circumftances of the times and the mal-admini ftration of those who ruled before him, have left to his government. The United States of America were, he faid, willing to be the friends, but would never fubmit to be the flaves of the parent ftate. They are, faid he, by confanguinity, by commerce, by language, and by affections, which naturally spring from thefe, more attached to England than to any other country under the fun. Therefore, added he, fpurn not the bleffing that yet remains. Inftantly withdraw your fleets and armies, cultivate the friendship and com merce of America. Thus and thus only can England hope to be great and happy. Seck that in a commercial alliance; seek it ere it be too late, for there only you must expect to find it. These were hints which the miniftry might have profited by, had not the things that belonged to their own, and the nations peace been hid from their eyes. After these hints, and others of the like kind that had been frequently given by the greatest authority in America, it was altogether vain to fend commiffioners with any other powers than what had an immediate relation to grant fully and freely thofe leading objects of this great contest. The commiffioners were far from men of either the character or capacity of a Chatham or a Cambden, and the miniftry were far from granting fuch powers as were neceffary to ac complish a reconciliation. This letter which was intended as a friendly hint to Great Britain, was not allowed to be read in the houfe where it was commu nicated. |