Page:Sketches of the life and character of Patrick Henry.djvu/457

 APPENDIX. V

under, will not be more oppressive to her people than destructive of the in- terest of Great Britain: for the plantation trade, confined as it is to the mo- ther country, hath been a principal means of multiplying and enriching her inhabitants; and, if not too much discouraged, may prove an inexliaustible source of treasure to the nation. For satisfaction in this point, let the pre- sent state of the British fleets and trade be compared with what they were before the settlement of the colonies; and let it be considered, that whilst property in land may be acquired on very easy terms, in the vast uncultivated territory of JVorth America^ the colonists will be mostly, if not wholly, employ- ed in agriculture; whereby the exportation of their commodities to Great Britain, and the consumption of manufactures supphed from thence, will be daily increasing. But this most desirable connexion between Great Bri- tain and her colonies, supported by such a happy intercourse of reciprocal benefits as is continually advancing the prosperity of both, must be intermpt- ed, if the people of the latter, reduced to extreme poverty, should be com- pelled to manufacture those articles they have been hitherto furnished with, from the former.

" From these considerations, it is hoped that the honourable house of com- mons will not prosecute a measure which those who may suffer under it, can- not but look upon as fitter for exiles driven from their native country, after ignominiously forfeiting her favours and protection, than for the posterity of Britons, who have at all times been forward to demonstrate all due reverence to the mother kingdom; and are so instrumental in promoting her glory and felicity; and that British patriots will never consent to the exercise of any an- ticonstitutional power, which, even in this remote comer, may be dangerous in its example to the interiour parts of the British empire, and will certainly be detrimental to its commerce."

��Note B.

Council Chamber, Octobei^ l7th, 1785.

Sir — Since the last session of assembly, I have received sundry acts, reso- Ivitions, and other communications from congi-ess, which I transmit to the ge- neral assembly, marked No. 1, and which will claim the attention of the legis- lature, according to their nature and importance, respectively.

The execution of the militia law hath caused much embarrassment to the executive. Compelled to name all the field officers throughout the state, and possessing sufficient infoi-mation as to the fitness of individuals for these of- fices in a few counties only, they were constrained to search out proper per- sons, by such means as accident furnished, and by lettei-s addressed to the se- veral counties. In some instances, the gentlemen to whom they were address- ed, refused to give any information. In many others, the answers came too late to avail; the law directing the commissions to issue the 1st of April. In this situation, the business has been conducted: and from a partial Icnowledge of characters in some counties, and a total ignorance of them in other.s, I am

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