An Address of the Represen Convention of the
State of New York to their Constituents1

At this most important Period, when the ^the^ Freedom & Happiness or ^the^ Slavery & misery, are to be of the present & future Generations of Americans is to be determined on a solemn appeal to the great & Supreme Ruler of all Events to whom every one of you will Individual must one Day answer for the Conduct [illegible] on this great Occasion ^Part he now acts^, it becomes the Duty of this y the Convention to call your most serious ^Representatives of a free People to call their^ Attention to this most serious Subject. And the more so at this critical ^[in margin] Juncture when the Fate of America seems ^in which^ our Enemies^ ^a time when^ Enemies by false ^artful Misrepresentations &^ Suggestions, insidious Promises of Protection & artful Misrepresentation ^their Enemies^ are industriously endeavoring to delude & seduce you & intimidate by false suggestions artful Mispresentations & insidious Promises of Protection.

The Great God of the universe created you and all Men free, & authorized them to establish ^civil^ government for their Convenience Preservation of their Rights agt. oppression & ^the^ Security of the Liberty he had given them agt. the rapacious Hand of Tyranny & lawless Power. And it ^is^ not only necessary to the Well being of Society ^[in margin] but the Duty of every Man to oppose & repress all those by whatever Name or Title distinguished who prostitute the Powers of Govt. to the purpose of destroyg the Happiness and Freedom of the People from ^over^ whom they recd. it may be app[ointe]d to rule.^

In the Course of under the ^Under the Auspices &^ Direction of his divine Providence your settled ForeFathers removed to the Wilds & Wilderness of America. By their Industry they made it a fruitful, & by their Virtue a happy Country— Them and their Posterity under mild Administration of his their Kings who resideded in great Britain And we shd. still have enjoyed all ^a Continuance of^ the Blessings of Peace and Plenty Had we not forgotten the Hand ^Source^ from which those Blessings flowed, & permitted our Country to be contaminated by the Vices in which follow the Introduction of Luxury and the many fashionable Irreligion & the many shameful tho fashionable Vices have b which have prevailed among us.

It is a well known Truth that no Nation ^virtuous People^ were ever oppressed, and it is also true a that a Scourge was never wanting to those wi of an opposite Character. Even those who were the peculiar People God were res treated in like manner By Tyrants of their own as by well as By the Jews those favorites of Heaven ^[in margin] ^met with the Frowns whenever they forgot the Smiles of their Benevolent Creator. By the Tyrants of Egypt, of Babylon, of Assyria, and ^and of^ Rome, they were ^severely^ chastised when they departed from their Duty. And when those Tyrants had executed the Vengeance of the Almighty their own Crimes burst on their ^own^ Heads and they received the Rewards justly due to their wicked ^Violations^ of the sacred Rights of Mankind— You were born equally free with the Jews, and haveing as good a Right to an Exemption from the law arbitrary Domination & Tyranny of Great Britain as they had from the wicked Invasions of Egypt, Babylon, Assyria or Rome but they for their wickedness were ^permitted to be^ scourged by the latter and we for our Wickedness ^are scourged^ by the latter. Tyrants as cruel and implacable as those—^

Our Case however is peculiarly distinguished from theirs— Their Enemies were the Strangers unenlightened and bound to them by no Ties of Gratitude or Consanguinity.— Our Enemies on the contrary ^call themselves Christians^ are of a Nation and People bound to us by the Strongest Tyes—a People whose Battles we ^by whose Side we^ have fought ^& bled^, whose Power we have contributed to Raise, who owe much of their Wealth to our Industry, and whose Grandeur has been augmented by our Exertions.

It is unnecessary to remind you that ^during the space of^ two centuries between one and two hundred Years that we hav enjoyed our Liberty & Property secure Every Man sat under his own Vine & his own Fig Tree & there was none to make him afraid—that the People of Britain never claimed a Right to dispose of us & every thing belonging to us according to their Will and Pleasure till the Reign of the present King of that Island. And that to inforce that abominable Claim they have invaded this Country by ^Sea & by^ Land. It i From this very extrava—^[in margin] gant & impudent ^iniquitous^ Claim & the unreasonable as well as cruel manner in which it was ^Submission^ to it is sought, it seems as if Providence were determined to use it as an Instruments to punish the Guilt of this Country & bring us back to a Sense of Duty to our Creator^

You surely ^may^ remember that the most dutiful Petitions were presented for a Redress of the many Grievances to w. that King ^had^ subjected us to, not merely by the Congress by General Assemblies only by the several Assemblies But By the Representatives of all America in general Congress—and you cannot have forgoten with what Contempt they were rejected— Even a most humble Petition only to be heard was not answered except by the Sound of the Trumpet & the Clashing of Arms This however was ^is^ not the only Instance in which the the ^[in margin] Hearts of Kings have been^ hardened [for] Here and There & in all probability will add to the Number of Instances in which their Injustice— Oppression & Hardness of Heart have workd their Destruction^

Being bound therefore ^by the strongest obligations^ to defend the Inheritance which God had given us, we referred our Cause to him, we opposed their Assaults ^of our Enemies Task masters,^ and determined rather to die free rather than live Slaves our Selves, & entail Bondage on our Children

By the Good^ness of^ divine Providence and our own vigorous Efforts ^and the Goodness of divine Providence^ those cruel Invaders were driven the last Campaign from our Country And we flattered ourselves that the signal Success ^of^ our Arms, ^&^ the unanimity & Spirit of our People who ^would^ have deter induced our Enemies to have ^to^ desisted from the further Prosecution of their wicked Designs agt. us and disposed them to Peace. But it seems we had not as yet deserved Peace— Exultation took place instead of Thanksgiving and we ascribed that to our own Prowess which which was only to be attributed to the great Guardian of the Innocent—

The Enemy with greater Strength again invaded us—invade ^us^ not less with by their Arts than ^their^ Arms. They tell you that if you submit to the you shall have protection That their King breathes nothing but Peace that he will revise (not repeal) all ^his cruel^ acts & Instructions & will recieve you into Favour— But what are these Terms on which you are promised Peace— None but ^Have you heard of any except^ absolute unconditional obedience & servile Submission— If his Inte Pretentions Professions are honest If he means not to deceive and cajole you, why are you not informed what ^of^ the Terms, and ^and whether^ the Parliament means to tax you hereafter at their will ^[in margin] & will Pleasure upon this & the like Points, these military Comr of Peace are silent, and indeed, are not authorised to say a word— They speake Peace but swords are hold Daggers in their Hands. They gracious invite you to accept of Blessings & strew your Habitations with Blood and Destruction— Their voice is like ^resembles^ the Voice of Jacob, but their Hands are like the Hands of Esau.^

Why if he ^their benign Sovereign^ intends to repeal any of the Acts of which we complain, are they not named, why if he designs you shall be free, does he not promise that the Claim of his Parliament to bind you in all Cases whatsoever shall be given up and relinquished— Why if a reasonable Peace is intended, did he not empower his Comrs. to treat with the Congress or with Dep[utie]s. from all the Assemblies or ^why was not^ some other mode devised in which America might be heard Is it is highly ridiculous for them to pretend that they was are authorized to treat of Peace ^between Britain and Amer[ic]a between a whole People^ with every Man they meet. Was such a Method of treating of Peace was ever heard of before Is an ^a like^ ^such an^ Instance of the like kind to be found in the History of Mankind. The Truth is no Peace is meant & the pretty ^their specious^ Pretences & Proclamations are calculated only to deceive and disunite and deceive.

If a Peace becoming a freemen to accept ^worthy the Acceptance of a free People^ was an Object of his Desire ^why^ did he order all your Vessels to be seized and confiscated, nay Why did he most cruelly command that the Men found on Board such Vessels should be added to the Crews of his Men ^Ships^ of War and compelled to fight agt. their own Countrymen & spill the Blood of their Friends & ^Neighbours^ nay of agt. their Fathers their Brothers & Children ^& All this before the pretendd Emb. of Peace had arrived here.^ Does any History sacred or prophane record any thing more horrid more impious, more execrably wicked tyrannical or devilish— Why if he there be a single of Idea of Peace in his Mind does ^he^ order your Cities to be burnt, your Country desolated, your Brethren to die ^starve^ and languish, & starve in ^die in^ Prisons Why If any thing but Destruction Bloodshed and Devastation was intended are the Savages of ^Barbarians of^ Germany hired and transported near thr four thousand Miles to plunder your Houses—to ravish your Wives and Daughters to strip your Infant Children to expose whole Families naked miserable and forlorn to Want to Hunger to inclement Skies & wretched Deaths— If Peace was not reprobated by him would why are those pusillanimous deluded time serving ^servile^ Wretches among you, who for present Ease or impious Bribes would sell their Liberty their Souls & their Children & their Souls, who like Savages will worship any Devil M that will promise not to hurt them or execute any Maner Barb obey any Mandates however cruel for which they are paid— How is it that these sordid degenerate Creatures who bow the Knee to the Serpant ^this King^ and daily offer Incense at his Shrine should be denied the Peace so repeatedly promised ^them^— Are not [illegible] It is a Fact not to be denied ^well known^ that they are ^Why are they^ indiscriminately abused robbed and plundered with their more deserving Neighbours—2 But in this World as in the other it is right and just that the Wicked should be punished ^by^ their Seducers— If I In a word if peace was their ^the^ Desire of your Enemies and Humanity their object why do they thus trample under Foot every Right & ^every^ duty human & divine—^Why like the Daemons of old will they be satisfied only with human Sacrifices^—why do they excite the Savages Savages of the wilderness to murder our Inhabitants, why do they po & exercise Cruelties unheard of among Civilized Nations— If any ^No^ Regard for Religion or Virtue remaineds among them why do they not ^at least^ spare our Churches! ^Your very Churches are bear Witness to their Impiety— Why are they converted into^ They hesitate not to use them as^ Stables & Houses for Sport & Theatrical Exhibitions— Whyat Faith, ^what Trust^ is what Confidence what Trust can you have ^repose^ in a People ^Men^ thus deaf to the Calls of Humanity, thus dead to every Sentiment of Religion & ^devoid^ of all Regard for the Temples of the Lord of Hosts— The very dead have not not ^[illegible]^ been permitted to remain at peace in their graves, their Tombs held sacred by Barbarians have been opened & plundered by their sacreligious Hands. And why all this Desolation, Bloodshed, and unparalleled Cruelty— They tell you to reduce you to obedience—^Obedience^ to what?— To their Sovereign Will & Pleasure—& what then— Why—then we ^you^ shall be pardoned, & treated like good ^because you consent to be^ Slaves And why should you be Slaves now having been Freemen ever since this Country was settled—for no other Reason than because forsooth the King & Parliam[en]t of Britain an Island 3000 miles off chuse that you shd. be Hewers of Wood & Drawers of Water3 for them. And is this the Peace which some of you so ardently desire Is this the People you so ardently wish to obey And is this the People whose proud Domination you are taught to solicit Is this the Peace which some of you so ardently desire— Are these the People then with whom to ^whom^ some among ^you^ seek fellowship and wish to be connected ^so ardently desire to be Slaves & to obey^ The ^very^ wish is impious and louldly calls for Repentance For shame! For Shame

But they tell ^you^ that their Armies are great ^numerous^, their Fleet Strong, their Soldiers valiant, their Resources great; That you will be conquered, that Victory ever attends their Standard, and therefore that your opposition is vain your Resistance fruitless. ^What then— You can but be Slaves at last—if you shd. think Life is worth holding on that So base ^a Tenure^

^But^ Who is it that gives Victory? by Whom is a Nation exalted? Since what period is it that that the Race is always to the swift or the Battle to the strong? Can you be persuaded that the ^merciful^ King of Kings has surrendered his Crown & Sceptre to the merciless Tyrant of the Island of Britain, and committed the Affairs of this lower World to his uncontroulable Guidance & Direction

We learned otherwise from our Fathers and God himself hath told us that Strength and Numbers avail not against ^him^. Seek then to be at Peace with him, sollicit his Alliance & fear not the ^boasted^ power and Strength of your Enemies.

You may be be told that your Forts have been taken, your Country ravaged, & ^that^ your Armies ^have^ retreated, and therefore that God is not with you— It is true that our ^some^ Forts have been taken our Country Ravaged and that our Armies have retreated, and that our Maker is displeased with us, but it is also true true that the King of Heaven is not like the King of Britain implacable— If his Assistance be sincerely implored it will ^surely^ be obtained— If we turned from our Sins he will turn from his Anger—then will our Arms be crowned with Success and the Pride and Power of ^our^ Enemies vanish like the Morning dew ^Courage^ arrogance & Majesty of Nebuchadnezar, will vanish away— Let us but Dut do our Duty and Victory will be our Reward. But why are Let a general Reformation of manners take Place— Let no more Widows and off orphans compelled to fly from their peaceful Abodes complain that you make a Market of their Distress & take cruel Advantage of their Necessities— When your Country is invaded and demands ^cries aloud for^ your aid fly not to some secure Corner in a neighbouring State & remain an Idle Spectators of her Distress, but share in her Fate and manfully support her Cause— Let universal Charity, publick Spirit and private Virtue be inculcated incouraged & practiced— Unite in preparing for a vigorous Defense of your Country as if there was no God and all depended on your own Exertions, and then when you have done that rely upon his good Providence of Almighty God for blessing for Success as if your own Exertions in full Confidence that all your Efforts without his Blessing will inevitably fail.

A People moving on these principles never have been, & never will be, subjected by any Tyrant whatever. ^[in margin] Cease then to desire the Flesh Potts of Egypt—remember their Task Masters & Oppression, nor any longer hestitate about rejecting a Dependence on a King who will rule you only with a Rod of Iron— Tell those who blame you for declaring yourselves Independent, That you did no more than what your late King had done for you—he declared you to be out of his Protection—he absolved you from all Allegiance he made war upon you, & instead of your King became your Enemy & destroyer. By his own Act, by his Consent, you became independent on his Crown— And if you are wise you will continue so— You now have it in yr. Power to chuse what Govt. you please, and to chuse what Rulers you think proper. This is a Priviledge with which few Nations are indulged—value the heavenly Gift and remember that if you despise it, you offer an affront to the divine Hand that bestowes it nor despair of keeping it.^

Banish Des Let Despair and Despondency an mark a little Mind and indicate a groveling Spirit— When Rome was

After the Roman armies had been repeatedly defeated by Hannibal at th that Imperial City was closely besieged by that brave and experienced General at the Head of a Victorious and numerous Army—but so far were those glorious Citizens from [me?] ^being^ impressed by an effeminate and childish dismayed by the Loss of so many Battles and of All their Country that during the Seige the very Land on which the Carthaginians Camp was pitched was sold at public Auction for more than the usually ^Price^— Those heroic Citizens disdained to recieve his Protections or regard his Proclamations. They remembered that their Ancestors had left them free— Ancestors who had bled in rescuing their Country f ^& Posterity^ from the Tyranny of their Kings— They invoked the Protection of their Gods, they bravely defended their City, with undaunted resolution ^they^ repelled the Enemy and drove him from and recovered their Country.

Who can read this Instance of roman the noble Magnanimity of those illustrious Citizens, without blushing for the Degenerate Spirit of those among us who because the Enemy have marched over three or four Counties in this & a neighbouring State, give all over for Lost, and await his Majestys Commissioners ^basely fly^ to have the Yoke of Slavery fixed about their Necks and to swear that they & their Children after them (unless more valorous than themselves) shall & will be Slaves forever. Such Men deserve to be Slaves, & are fit only for Beasts of Burden to the Rest of Mankind, and it would be well for America if they were removed from the Country & not by continuing in it fill people it with a Race of Animals who from their Form and Shape will always be Classed with the human Kind, but deserve not the Name of Men possess none of those Qualities which render Man more respectable than other Animals ^Brutes^

There never yet was a War in ^the Course of^ which Victory and Success did not sometimes change Sides, and nothing very singular or decisive has as yet happened in this— Inquire dispassionately how the Account stands and dont not be led away but by the artful Tales which Emissaries from the Enemy so industriously circulate.

A powerful ^& well-disciplined^ Army invade this Country—seconded ^supported^ by a respectable Fleet— They are opposed by an Army tho numerous & well commanded yet undisciplined— Notwithstanding al these Disadvantages the Enemy have never thought it prudent to give them Battle, tho they have often had the fairest Opportunities particularly at the White the Plains— On the contrary they had thought it expedient to content themselves with pillaging the Inhabitants Inhabitants & committing divers Eno[r] mities on Women & Children. It is true ^[in margin] that taking Advantage of the critical Moment when our Armies were almost disbanded^—they have penetrated into Jersey & marched over a good deal of Ground their there, and have not been considerable distance without being attacked—but let those who are alarmed at this consider that it is not for a few acres of Land that we are fighting it is for Freedom, it is for the Liberty & Happiness of Millions yet unborn, and would it not be highly imprudent to risque Events so important on the Issue of a general Battle, when it is most certain Great Britain cannot long continue the War and that by protracting it were become certain of Success. The Ministry well knowing of sensible ^of this truth & convinced^ that the People of England are aware of this Truth ^it^ have promised that the ^Present^ shall be the last Campaign and therefore They are greatly & justly alarmed at their Situation their Country drained of Men and Money the Difficulty of supplying a Fleet and Army at so great a Distance, ^daily encreasing^ the Danger of domestic Insurrections, the Probability that the politic Nation of France will take Advantage of their present defenceless Situation ^the Destruction of their Trade by our Privateers^ are Circumstances truly alarming and and it is well known that the People will not remain long content in such a dangerous Situation— Hence it is that the Enemys Generals press so hard to make this Campaign decisive and hence it is that ours are ^we should^ endeavoring to avoid it. Suppose ^even^ Philadelphia taken which many think so important, taken or abandoned—the Conquest of America be ^will^ nevertheless be at a great Distance

It is well known that the People of those Southern States are brave & will defend their Liberties & there is little Reason to doubt of their Success ^Millions will still remain to be subdued, Millions who are resolved to be free and who will nobly refuse to part with their Liberty their Conscience, & the Happiness of their Posterity for infamous Protections & dishonorable Pardons^

Consider But amidst all the Dismay and Terror which has possessed some weake Minds Let the Advantage under which the Americans prosecute this War be considered—we have our country supplies us with almost every Commodity necessary for Life or for Defense— Gun Powder is ^Arms & Ammunition^ are now abundantly manufactured in almost all the Colonies American States in great Abundance and our armies ^now^ have and always hereafter will have ^will have^ ample Supplies Arms of all military Stores— We have more fighting men in America than Great Britain can possibly send into it—our Trade is free, and every Port of France ^& Spain^ affords Protection to our Ships & other Nations ^invited by the advantages of our Commerce^ doubtless will ^doubtless^ soon follow their Example As to the british Navy we find Experience must convince the most incredulous that the british Navy cannot exclude us from the Sea, & of the Truth of this the many Prizes of our Privateers have taken & the many valuable Cargoes imported this Fall from foreign Countries bear Testimony. The article of Salt abt. which some of you have been uneasy will soon be fully supplied—our Shores ^The Shores of America^ are washed for ^by^ the ocean for above one ^two^ thousand Miles in Extent, and Works for manufacturing it have been erected & proved successful ^[in margin] and many Cargoes of this necessity Commodity are daily arriving in our the neighbouring States^. Add to all this Nor is there Reason to apprehend a Scarcity of Cloathing ^of^ any of the Necessities of Life— Food, of & Provisions of Every kind abound among us—out of our Stores great Britain it is well known has heretofore supplied her Wants ^Necessities^, tho she now wantonly & ^ungratefully^ abuses those who fed her— Cloathing will not be wanting—the Manufactures of this Country have rapidly increased, and the Supplies which are ^daily^ obtained from beyond Sea quiet all Fears on that Head— By the most authentic accounts from France we are assured that the People of that Kingdom are ripe for a War with Britain and will not omit the Opportunity of humb extending her Commerce and humbling her Rival— Every European State viewed with a Jealously Eye the growing Power of Britain and the additional Strength she daily recd from this amazing Continent and will never be satisfied wisely perceiving that their Security was diminished in Proportion as her Power to injure them increased— Whence is it then that some pretend to assure you that France and other Kingdoms ^States^ of Europe are not disposed to favour ^us^. Several of their greatest Men have pronounced our Cause to be just and approved the Manner in which it has been conducted. It is Policy of our Enemies to

Whoever therefore considers the natural Strength & Advantages of this Country, the its ^the^ Distance ^it is removed^ from Britain, the obvious Policy of many European Powers the ^great^ Supplies of Arms & Amunition obtained ^chearfully^ afforded us by the French, ^& Spaniards &^ the feeble & destitute Condition of Britain ^that she is^ drained of Men & Money, its ^her^ Inhabitants divided, its ^her^ King unpopular, its ^her^ Ministry execrated, obliged to hire Mer foreign Mercenaries to execute her Wicked Purposes, its ^& her^ Trade ruined, ^unable to pay her Troops who have now a twelve months Pay in arrear^ ^That she is^ overwhelmed with a monstrous Debt, cut off from the ^vast^ amazing Revenue heretofore arising ^obtained^ from taxes on American Produce, its West India Islands ^in a^ starving ^Condition^, their ^its^ Ships Taken, their ^its^ Merchants involved in Bankruptcy, their Designs agt. ^us^ wicked unjust cruel contrary to the Laws of God and Man & pursued with a Spirit unrelenting implacable, and in a Manner barbarous and opposed to the Usage of civilized Nations—whoever we say seriously considers these things that our Cause is the Cause of God and ^of^ human Nature & Posterity, that we fight not for Conquest but only for Security, that We have humbly sought Peace & been refused, that we have been denied even a Hearing, all our Petitions rejected, all our Remonstrances disregarded, Whoever we say, seriously considers these things, must entertain very improper Ideas of the divine Justice to which we have appealed, and be very little acquainted with the Course of human Affairs, to harbour the most distant Doubt of our being successful—

Remember the long and glorious Struggle of the State of Holland with Spain. Those State[s] were once subject to Spain— Their Extent was small, their Country poor, their People far from numerous— Spain attempted to enslave them— They Dutifully remonstrated agt. the Design, their Petitions were treated with Contempt & Fire and Sword were carried into their Country to compell Submission— They nobly resolved to be free, they opposed Force to Force, they declared themselves independent States, and after an Obstinate Struggle [illegible] frustrated the Wicked Intentions of Spain— And it is worthy of Notice that Spain was then the most powerful Kingdom in Eup Europe, Their ^her^ Fleet was formidable, Their ^her^ Armies great inured to War, commanded by the best Generals of the Age, Their ^her^ Treasury full and Holland in its ^her^ Neighbourhood.

Switzerland presents us with another Instance of Magnanimity. They That Country was oppressed by cruel Tyrants, the People refused to be in Bondage—with Arms in their Hands they expelled those Tyrants, and left their Children free—

Even England itself whose Genius ^now^ blushes for the Degeneracy of her Sons has afforded Examples of opposition to Tyranny worthy the Imitation of all Nations. His sacred Majesty Charles the first lost his Head & his Crown by attempting to enslave his Subjects— And his sacred Majesty James the second ^with all his Family^ was expelled [from] the Kingdom for the same Reason, and the Prince of Orange elected King in his Stead.

They [the English] were too wise to believe the Person of any Tyrant to be sacred, and thus and suffered no Man to wear the Crown who attempted to exercise the Powers of Royalty to the Destruction of the People from whom they recd. those Powers were derived. If therefore your Caus This Practice is not only consistant with human Reason but perfectly consonant to the Practice and God will of God himself— By him were The Jews You know were under his particular Direction—and you need not be informed of the many Instances in which the Almighty took the Crown from such of their kings as refused to govern according to the Laws of the Jews.

If then this War be not of our seeking, if it be necessary and in Defence of our dearest Rights and Priviledges agt. the Enemies Oppression & Tyranny as it most certainly is, we God has given us Freedom, are we not responsible to him for the Loss of that as well as of other Talents? If it be our Birth Right, Let us not sell it for a Mess of Pottage or suffer it to be torn from us by the Hand of Violence! If the Means of Defence are in our Power what Excuse shall we make to our Children & to our Creator for not using them? There are Questions of the deepest Concern to us all and materially affect our Happiness here as well, ^not only in this world but^ in the world to come as well as this. ^[in margin] For if (as says a ^great & virtuous^ nobleman Lord) if ever a test for the Trial of Spirits can be necessary it is now if ever those of Liberty & Faction ought to be distinguished from each other it is now if ever it is incumbent on the People to know what Truth is it is now.^

Rouse, therefore—do your Duty like Men and be persuaded that the divine Providence will not permit this Western World to be involved in the Horrors of Slavery—consider that Religion, Liberty & Empire have from the earliest ages of the world been travelling ^bending their Course^ toward the setting Sun.4 The Gospel is yet to ^be^ preached to those western Regions, & we have the highest Reason to believe that the Almighty will not suffer Slavery & the Gospel to go Hand in Hand—it cannot, it will not be—

But if ^there be any among us^, dead to all Sense of Honor & Love to your ^their^ Country; if you deaf to all the calls of Virtue Religion, & Liberty; If forgetful of the Magnanimity of your ^their^ Ancestors, and the Happiness of your their Children If neither the Example & Success of other Nations, the Dictates of Reason & of Nature or the great Duties you ^they^ owe to your ^their^ God your^them^selves or your ^their^ Posterity have any Effect upon you ^them—^ If notwithstanding all that can be said to If neither the Injuries you ^they^ have recd., the Prize you ^they^ are contending for the future, the future Blessings or Curses of your ^their^ Children, the applause of & or Reproach of all Mankind, the Approbation or Displeasure of your ^their^ Great Judge—or the Happiness or Misery consequent to your ^their^ Conduct in this & a future State can move you ^them^— Then ^let them^ be assured that you ^they^ deserve to be Slaves, and have a Right to nothing but Tribulation & Anguish—^Let them^ banish from your ^their^ Memories the Reputation of your ^their^ Forefather[s], the Freedom & Happiness they left ^you^ them, forget every Duty human & Divine—remember not that you ^they^ have Children, & beware how you ^they^ call to Mind the Justice of the supreme being—^Let them^ Go into Capacity like the unbelieving ^idolatrous^ disobedient Jews, and be a Reproach and a Bye word among the Nations—

Bec But we think better things of [the P] you— We believe & are persuaded that you will do yr Duty like men, knowing & chearfully refer your Cause to the great & Righteous Judge— If Success crown your Efforts Freedom & All the Blessings of Freedom will be your Reward— If you fall in the Contest you will enjoy be happy with God & Liberty in Heaven— For if (as says a noble Noble Lord) If ever a