第75章

TO THE EARL OF SHELBURNE.MY LORD,- A speech, which has been printed in several of the British and New York newspapers, as coming from your lordship, in answer to one from the Duke of Richmond, of the 10th of July last, contains expressions and opinions so new and singular, and so enveloped in mysterious reasoning, that I address this publication to you, for the purpose of giving them a free and candid examination.The speech Iallude to is in these words:

"His lordship said, it had been mentioned in another place, that he had been guilty of inconsistency.To clear himself of this, he asserted that he still held the same principles in respect to American independence which he at first imbibed.He had been, and yet was of opinion, whenever the Parliament of Great Britain acknowledges that point, the sun of England's glory is set forever.Such were the sentiments he possessed on a former day, and such the sentiments he continued to hold at this hour.It was the opinion of Lord Chatham, as well as many other able statesmen.Other noble lords, however, think differently, and as the majority of the cabinet support them, he acquiesced in the measure, dissenting from the idea; and the point is settled for bringing the matter into the full discussion of Parliament, where it will be candidly, fairly, and impartially debated.The independence of America would end in the ruin of England;and that a peace patched up with France, would give that proud enemy the means of yet trampling on this country.The sun of England's glory he wished not to see set forever; he looked for a spark at least to be left, which might in time light us up to a new day.But if independence was to be granted, if Parliament deemed that measure prudent, he foresaw, in his own mind, that England was undone.He wished to God that he had been deputed to Congress, that be might plead the cause of that country as well as of this, and that he might exercise whatever powers he possessed as an orator, to save both from ruin, in a conviction to Congress, that, if their independence was signed, their liberties were gone forever.

"Peace, his lordship added, was a desirable object, but it must be an honorable peace, and not an humiliating one, dictated by France, or insisted on by America.It was very true, that this kingdom was not in a flourishing state, it was impoverished by war.But if we were not rich, it was evident that France was poor.If we were straitened in our finances, the enemy were exhausted in their resources.This was a great empire; it abounded with brave men, who were able and willing to fight in a common cause; the language of humiliation should not, therefore, be the language of Great Britain.His lordship said, that he was not afraid nor ashamed of those expressions going to America.There were numbers, great numbers there, who were of the same way of thinking, in respect to that country being dependent on this, and who, with his lordship, perceived ruin and independence linked together."Thus far the speech; on which I remark- That his lordship is a total stranger to the mind and sentiments of America; that he has wrapped himself up in fond delusion, that something less than independence, may, under his administration, be accepted; and he wishes himself sent to Congress, to prove the most extraordinary of all doctrines, which is, that independence, the sublimest of all human conditions, is loss of liberty.

In answer to which we may say, that in order to know what the contrary word dependence means, we have only to look back to those years of severe humiliation, when the mildest of all petitions could obtain no other notice than the haughtiest of all insults; and when the base terms of unconditional submission were demanded, or undistinguishable destruction threatened.It is nothing to us that the ministry have been changed, for they may be changed again.The guilt of a government is the crime of a whole country; and the nation that can, though but for a moment, think and act as England has done, can never afterwards be believed or trusted.There are cases in which it is as impossible to restore character to life, as it is to recover the dead.It is a phoenix that can expire but once, and from whose ashes there is no resurrection.Some offences are of such a slight composition, that they reach no further than the temper, and are created or cured by a thought.But the sin of England has struck the heart of America, and nature has not left in our power to say we can forgive.

Your lordship wishes for an opportunity to plead before Congress the cause of England and America, and to save, as you say, both from ruin.

That the country, which, for more than seven years has sought our destruction, should now cringe to solicit our protection, is adding the wretchedness of disgrace to the misery of disappointment; and if England has the least spark of supposed honor left, that spark must be darkened by asking, and extinguished by receiving, the smallest favor from America; for the criminal who owes his life to the grace and mercy of the injured, is more executed by living, than he who dies.