and several hundred towns plundered by the Carthagenians, are some excuse for the Roman severity; but the cruel and unnatural treatment which the town of Boston has received from Great Britain, will admit of no palliation. The metropolis of a most affectionate and loyal Colony, which in all the wars of Great Britain hath gloriously supported the British interest in America, and even by their wise and vigorous efforts made a conquest which gave peace to Europe, is now threatened with destruction, for no other cause, but because the people have bravely determined not to become slaves.

We have long felt for the town of Boston; we heartily sympathize with our brethren upon this alarming occasion; we are much pleased with the noble firmness with which this cruel edict is received in Boston. We highly approve the measures taken by the town, and are entirely of opinion that the joint resolution of the Colonies to stop all importations from and exportations to Great Britain and the West Indies, until the Act is repeled, will infallibly produce the desired effect.

The country which we possess, blessed be God! affords every necessary of life. We are morally certain, that with the common blessings of Heaven upon our industry and frugality, we can live comfortably, without importing a single article from Britain or the West Indies; and we are equally certain, that neither England nor the West Indies can subsist long without us; their own preservation therefore, will compel them to do us justice.

This horrid attack upon the town of Boston, we consider not as an attempt upon that town singly, but upon the whole Continent. We are therefore determined to use our whole influence for the support of the town of Boston, in the same manner as if the attack had been made on the metropolis of this Colony; and we doubt not but the other Colonies will consider this arbitrary and tyrannical edict in the same light, and heartily unite with the friends of liberty in Boston in support of the common cause.

That infinite wisdom may direct and preserve all the Colonies, is the ardent prayer of, &c, &c

COMMITTEE OF PORTSMOUTH, NEW-HAMPSHIRE, TO THE COMMITTEE OF BOSTON.

Extract.

Portsmouth, May 19, 1774.

We think the late Act of Parliament, to shut up the port of Boston, of the most extraordinary nature, and fatal tendency. Administration are taking every method to disunite the Colonies, thereby to render the noble opposition to their arbitrary and destructive measures abortive. We hope a firm union of all the Colonies will still subsist, and that such a plan may be devised, and resolutely pursued by ail as may prevent the cruel effects of this Act.

We heartily sympathize with you under your present difficult and alarming situation; and we will exert ourselves to carry any plan into effect which may be concerted by the Colonies for the general relief. We sincerely wish you resolution and prosperity in the common cause; and shall ever view your interest as our own. And are with the highest esteem, &c.

Williamsburg, Virginia, May 19, 1774.

The following Letter is supposed to be written by Mr. Edmund Burke, of the House of Commons.

To the Right Honourable Lord NORTH:

MY LORD: As questions of the highest national importance are now to be decided, and as measures pregnant with danger and ruin are meditated, permit an American to relate a few historical facts, which merit your most serious attention. This is probably the only address you will receive on behalf of the Colonies; when, friends, convinced of the efficacy of reason or truth in the present contest, have resolved to leave the British Government, to gain wisdom by the more certain, but expensive means of unhappy experience; concluding, that the consequences which must result from one hostile effort against America, will produce more conviction than volumes of argument. But as the public papers have been for some weeks abandoned to those incendiaries who wish to spread carnage and devastation through America, I shall make one solitary attempt to frustrate their hopes, and vindicate the claims of the Colonies.

At the discovery of America, no person imagined any part of that Continent to be within the Realm of England, which was circumscribed within certain known and established limits. Whatever was the title of the Kings of England, at that time, to any share of America, it must have been an acquired title: and the Sovereign then had, and still has, an undoubted prerogative right, to alienate for ever from the Realm without consent of Parliament, any acquisition of foreign territory. This right has been constantly exercised by the Kings of England, at almost every treaty of peace, and at the sale of Dunkirk, &c., and it was particularly manifested by the Act for annexing Gibraltar to the Realm. Conformable to this prerogative right King James the First, and Charles the First, did alienate unto certain persons large territories in America, and by the most solemn compacts, did form them into separate civil States, with all the powers of distinct legislation and Government; particularly those of making peace and war, coining money, pardoning crimes, comferring titles and dignities, erecting and incorporating boroughs and cities, establishing ports, harbours, &c., with a grant and release of all subsidies and customs, to be levied within the same, and an express exemption from foreign taxation. This is evident from the most ancient Charters of Virginia and Massachusetts Bay, but especially from that of Maryland, which I have particularly stated in another performance. From these charters it manifestly appears to have been the Royal intention, to form these Colonies into distinct States like Jersey, Guernsey, Isle of Man, &c, dependent on the Crown, but not on the Parliament of England; and conformable to this intention, we find that when a bill was several times brought into the House of Commons, to secure the people of England a liberty of fishing on the coasts of America, messages were sent to the Commons by those Monarchs, requiring them to proceed no further in the matter, and alleging that "America was without the Realm and jurisdiction of Parliament;" and on this principle the Royal assent was withheld, during all those reigns, from every bill affecting the Colonies. These and other facts, which appear on the journals of Parliament, joined to the charters of the Colonies, fully demonstrate that they were really and intentionally created distinct States, and exempted from the authority of Parliament. And their inhabitants having on the faith of such fundamental terms and conditions, accepted, cultivated, and improved the territories thus granted, have an indefeasible right to maintain and enjoy the privileges so acquired; and nothing but an act of union, made with their own consent, can annex them to the Realms, or subject them to its Legislature.

The right of the Crown to alienate the soil of the Colonies, has not been disputed; but the right of exempting their inhabitants from the jurisdiction of Parliament, has been denied without cause. Allegiance and subjection are due from a people to their Sovereign; but the allegiance of subjects to subjects, is an absurdity unknown to the laws of this Kingdom. The freedom of Britains consists in this, that they participate the power of making those laws by which they are governed; and wherever this freedom is enjoyed, the Legislative power must necessarily be confined to those who partake of it, either in person or delegation. So long as the people of America resided within the Realm, shared in its Government, and were protected by it, so long they were necessarily bound to obey, and support that Government; but when, by the consent of their Sovereign, they migrated to Ireland and America, though they continued within the King's allegiance, yet ceasing to participate or enjoy the Legislative power of this Realm, the operation of that power over them necessarily terminated; and nothing more was necessary to emancipate the people of America from the authority of Parliament, than to permit them to leave the Realm; which nobody will deny the King's right of doing; and should the people of England, by their Delegates, continue to exercise the powers of legislation and taxation upon the Colonies, after such separation from the Realm, they must exalt themselves to the sovereignty of America, and render the inhabitants of that country the subjects of subjects; a condition more humiliating than those of the Spartan Helotes; for if a people be subject to any supreme power, in which