Page:History of the United States of America, Spencer, v1.djvu/416

392 to the immutable laws of justice, and to the uncontrollable counsels of heaven. At the opening of the year, Lord Chatham, among other British patriots and statesmen, had faithfully declared the magnitude of the American controversy, and predicted its issue. He enlarged upon the dangerous and ruinous events that were coming upon the nation, in consequence of the present dispute, and the measures already begun, and now carrying on by his majesty's ministers. 'I know,' said he, 'that no one will avow, that he has advised his majesty to these measures; every one shrinks from the charge. But somebody has advised his majesty to these measures, and if his majesty continues to hear such evil counsellors, his majesty will be undone. His majesty may indeed wear his crown, but, the American jewel out of it, it will not be worth the wearing. The very first drop of blood will make a wound, that will not easily be skinned over. Years, perhaps ages, may not heal it.' The ministers persisted in their measures. Blood was soon shed, and the wound was never healed. The jewel was lost."

It was, it must be confessed, a singular spectacle, which was exhibited to the world, in America, at the present crisis in public affairs. Professedly, the people were in allegiance to a ruler on the other side of a broad ocean, and whose commands they had for ten years, more or less openly, disobeyed. They had zealously adhered to a domestic government, which the king denounced as a traitorous usurpation. They had raised an army avowedly to fight his troops; they had engaged in battle with these troops; and they had invaded the adjacent territory of the king of England. "The very men who were engaged in acts of rebellion, shrunk from the name of rebels. In the tribunals, justice was still administered in the name of the king, and prayers were every day offered up for the preservation and welfare of a prince whose authority was not only ignored, but against whom a determined and obstinate contest was maintained. The colonists pretended that they only desired to resume their ancient relations, and re-establish the royal government in its original shape, when in fact the republican system had long been introduced. They declared it to be their wish to arrive at a certain end, while they recurred to every means which tended to conduct them to the contrary one." So anomalous a state of things as this, could not well subsist much longer, and the alternative became plainer and plainer, submission or independence. The current set strongly in favor of the latter. The great majority were impelled by every consideration, to desire this, as, in fact, the only resource left to them. There were, it is true, worthy men in the community, who could not easily reconcile themselves to the idea of an absolute separation from a country to which they had been long bound by the most endearing ties. They saw the sword drawn, but could not tell when it would be sheathed; they feared that the inhabitants of the several colonies would not be brought