Page:American History Told by Contemporaries, v2.djvu/387

No. 125] Authorities given them. They did not leave it in the Power of any one to obtain a Copy of it, and send it Home ; but strictly forbid their Secretary to give any Copy, except to the Colonies. Nor did they ever agree to any Thing more, than to carry it to their respective Governments, and lay it before their Constituents. And agreeable to the Resolve of the Board of Commissioners, those from Rhode-Island, did lay this Plan, with all other their Proceedings at Albany, before the General Assembly, at their Session in August last, for their Consideration. Was this criminal ! Was this betraying their Trust ! Or was there any Thing more in this, than their Duty ! Even Envy and Ignorance joined together, cannot say there was ! And those who have been bold enough to assert, That any Thing more relating to this Plan of Union, was done, suffered to be done, or connived at, by the Commissioners, are hereby publicly called upon, to prove their Assertions, or confess their Falshood.

Once more, let us hold up this so much talked of Plan of Union, and view it in another Light : And here, to do my Adversaries all the Justice they can possibly desire, I will, for Argument-sake, confess it to be as bad as they represent it to be. Viewing it in this Light, it must be found contrary to, and subversive of our happy Constitution, and all those valuable Privileges we enjoy under it. This destructive Plan was laid before the General Assembly, for their Consideration, in the Month of August last : This gave an Opportunity to those Patriots belonging to the Council, who now say so much against this Plan, to have exerted themselves in Defence of our Liberties, so much in Danger, and prevented the Dismal Effects so much feared. Well ! What have these Champions for Liberty, done in this Matter? Have they not let it lie before the Assembly between six and seven Months, without taking it once under Consideration? Or, Have they ever rejected it? or so much as once in all this Time, moved to have one Word wrote Home, to prevent its taking Place ? Was it bad, as they say tis, then certainly 'twas their Duty to have done all in their Power to prevent its taking Effect. All Men must confess, the Plan was either good or bad ; if 'twas good, Why do they blame it ? if twas bad, Why have they done Nothing about it? . ..

What could the Commissioners for Rhode-Island have done more? or what could they have done less than they did, relative to this Plan? It was not in their Power to procure a better ; and whether it was good or bad, it was equally their Duty to lay it before the Assembly who sent