Table of Contents List of Archives Top of Page
<< Page 1 >>

at the foot of the Throne, and to express our warmest gratitude for your Majesty's paternal goodness to this your Kingdom of Ireland, so recently and so amply shown by several acts of the British Parliament for the encouragement of our commerce, manufactures, and agriculture. And our duty also leads us to acknowledge the grateful sense we entertain of your Majesty's peculiar indulgence, in sending to preside over us so excellent a Chief Governour; to whose faithful representation of our loyalty and attachment we attribute those important advantages which have flowed to us from your royal protection and favour.

Alarmed with apprehensions for what we have heard, and grateful for the blessings we feel and enjoy, we cannot avoid fervently to offer our prayers to the Almighty for the preservation of your Majesty's royal person and family; that your reign over us may be long and happy, and that you may ever triumph over the enemies of our glorious Constitution.


PAUL MICHEAU TO THE NEW-YORK CONGRESS.

Richmond County, December 1, 1775.

SIR: I received yours of the 24th ult. last night, and expected that our Committee had acquainted the Congress ere this of the state of the County relative to the choosing new Deputies.

When I returned from Congress, I immediately acquainted them that the Congress was dissolved, and had ordered the Committees in each County to convene the people to elect deputies, and desired them to advertise all such persons in the County as had a right to choose representatives in General Assembly. I am now to inform you, that, agreeably to my request, a meeting of the Committee was called to advertise, and not a majority appearing, those that did appear, concluded they were not empowered to act. Since which nothing has been done.

Should be glad the Congress would write the Committee to send their reasons for not convening the people. A list of their names you will see at bottom.

The situation of my family is such, at present, that if the people should think proper to choose me again, I can, by no means, serve.

That the present Congress may endeavour to keep tranquillity and good order in our Province, and make peace with our mother country, is the sincere and fervent wish of, your most sincere friend and humble servant,

PAUL MICHEAU.

P. S. Please to communicate this to the Congress.

To Mr. Robert Benson.

Committee's names:—Captain John Kettletas, Captain Christian Jacobson, Captain Cornelius Disisoway, Henry Perine, David Latourette, Esq., Peter Mersereau, John Poillon, Moses Dupuy, Lambert Merrill, John Tyren, Joseph Christopher, George Barnes, Daniel Corsen.


PROCLAMATION BY GOVERNOUR TRYON.

By his Excellency, WILLIAM TRYON, Esq., Captain-General and Governour-in-Chief in and over the Province of NEW-YORK and the Territories depending thereon, in America, Chancellor and Vice-Admiral of the same.

A PROCLAMATION.

Whereas the General Assembly of this Province stands prorogued to the sixth day of December instant, I have thought fit, for His Majesty's service, to prorogue, and I do by and with the advice of His Majesty's Council, further prorogue the said General Assembly to the first day of January next; of which all His Majesty's subjects concerned therein are required to take notice, and govern themselves accordingly.

Given under my hand and seal at arms, in the City of New-York, the first day of December, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five, in the sixteenth year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Third, by the grace of God, of Great-Britain, France, and Ireland, King, De-fender of the Faith, and so forth.

WM. TRYON

By his Excellency's command:

SAM. BAYARD, Jr., Secretary.

GOD save the King.

RECANTATION OF DAVID TAYLOR, JUN.

Danbury, December 1, 1775.

Whereas I have, for, some time past, spoken rashly and inadvertently about the Congress, particularly against the present mode of proceeding of the United Colonies, in many of my past conversations, by which I have incurred the displeasure of many of my friends, and my country-men in particular: I therefore now most sincerely ask for giveness of my friends and countrymen for those unfriendly speeches, and from real conviction do declare, that I am heartily sorry for my late conduct against my country, and further promise that, for the future, I will not directly or indirectly speak against the Continental, or any other Congress or Assembly struggling for their just liberties; neither will I do any thing to frustrate any of the Colony Associations, but, on the contrary, will do every thing in my power to aid and assist the United Colonies in opposing the wicked and tyrannical measures of the British Ministry, and make known all plots against America, which shall come to my knowledge, and, by my behaviour, hope to be again restored to the favour of my countrymen.

DAVID TAYLOR, JUN.

To the Gentlemen of the Committee of the Town of Dan-bury.

GENERAL LEE TO GENERAL BURGOYNE.

Camp on Prospect Hill, December 1, 1775.

p class="bodytext">DEAR SIR: As I am just informed you are ready to embark for England, I cannot refrain from once more trespassing on your patience. An opportunity is now presented of immortalizing yourself as the saviour of your country. The whole British Empire stands tottering on the brink of ruin, and you have it in your power to pre-vent the fatal catastrophe; but it will admit of no delay. For Heaven's sake avail yourself of the precious moment; put an end to the delusion; exert the voice of a brave, virtuous citizen, and tell the people at home they must immediately rescind all the impolitick, iniquitous, tyrannical, murderous acts; that they must overturn the whole frantic system, or that they are undone. You ask me, in your letter, if it is independence at which the Americans aim ? I answer, no; the idea never entered a single American's head until a most intolerable oppression forced it upon them. All they required was to remain masters of their own property, and be governed by the same equitable laws which they had enjoyed from the first formation of the Colonies. The lies of connection which bound them to their parent country were so dear to them, that he who would have ventured to have touched them, would have been considered as the most impious of mortals; but these sacred ties the same men who have violated or baffled the most precious laws and rights of the people at home, dissipated or refused to account for their treasures, tarnished the glory, and annihilated the importance of the nation—these sacred ties, I say, so dear to every American, Bute and history administration are now rending asunder.

You ask whether it is the weight of taxes of which they complain ? I answer, no; it is the principle they combat; and they would be guilty in the eyes of God and men, of the present world and all posterity, did they not reject it; for if it were admitted, they would have nothing that they could call their own. They would be in a worse condition than the wretched slaves in the West-lndia Islands, whose little peculium has ever been esteemed inviolate. But wherefore should I dwell on this ? Is not the case of Ireland the same with theirs? They are subordinate to-the British Empire, they are subordinate to the Parliament of Great Britain, but they tax themselves. Why, as the case is similar, do not you begin with them? But you know, Mr. Burgoyne, audacious as the Ministry are, they dare not attempt it. There is one part of your letter which I confess I do not thoroughly understand. If I recollect right, (for I unfortunately have not the letter by me,) you say that if the privilege of taxing themselves is what the Americans claim, the contest is at an end. You surely cannot allude to the propositions of North. It is impossible that you should not think with me, and all mankind, that these propositions are no more or less than adding to a most abominable oppression a more abominable insult. But to recur to the question of America's aiming at inde-

Table of Contents List of Archives Top of Page
<< Page 1 >>