The New Hampshire Gazette And Historical Chronicle

To the Printer.

IT gave us much Pleasure to read in your Gazette, General LEE's Letter to General BURGOYNE, and his Answer thereto--The former Gentleman writes like a Roman Senator, for while he expresses the greatest Sympathy for his Friend, in the most easy and polite Strain of Diction, he supports at the same Time the Justice of his Cause, with the most conclusive Arguments, and with a Spirit of Firmness & Manliness ever the Attendants on great Minds. General Burgoyne's Answer is very polite and friendly, and discovers him to be a well bred Gentleman, although of opposite Principles in Politicks to General Lee: What a melancholy Consideration does this Difference of Sentiments produce. Here we see two Gentlemen professing the most intire Friendship for each other to day, ready to embrace, and perhaps before the morrow's Sun has finished his diurnal Round, one may lay breathless at the other's Feet, by the Uncertain Fate of War. And for what? Mr. LEE tells you, That his Motive to take Arms is in Defence of the charter'd Rights of the Americans, invaded by administration, Mr. Burgoyne says, he is conscientiously bound to protect the Supremacy of Parliament, over the Colonies, against which he supposes AMERICA resists: if we examine the Principles of these Gentlemen, without prejudice and impartially, we shall soon be able to judge, who has the most Justice on his side, and of Consequence can best justify his Conscience. Mr. Lee is well acquainted with the Intrigues of a Court and of a Ministry and his Sycophants; he wisely judges, that the sole Support of Ministerial Measures, depends upon the Encrease of Revenue, to multiply Dependants, and to procure a Majority in the H-e of Cmm-s. with which he is always sure of Indemnification, a Regular Plan has been laid to filch a Revenue from America, and a set of the most miscreant Wretches, has been found, of her own Sons, who have been so base as not only to plan her Ruin, but even to carry such Plans into Execution; they have sordidly, meanly, and infamously accepted of Pensions and Places as the Returns of their Villainy and the Price of their Blood. They have imposed upon the Nation, and even Administration itself, with their vile Mis-representations, against America: in so many flagrant Instances, that nothing but Perfidy conceals them from the People in England whose Delusion is the only Security to such Wretches Lives-- The Sons of America are attainted of Rebellion against their liege Sovereign, only for a manly Resistance to Measures taken in Consequence of the Advice of their known, open and avowed Enemies, Measures Subversive not only of the American Constitution, but which will eventually involve the whole British Nation in one great Dissolation: Lords Chatham and Camden. those great and good Men have warned Britain of her Fate. can we suppose that France and Spain don't improve by the Sentiments of these great Politicians-whose Councils have formerly so afflicted those Nations? Yes! we may be assured they look on them as the CONS(CRIPT FATHERS of Britain, and will avail themselves of their Discretion. When we can cite those and many other Great Lords, as the Supporters of American Resistance, we have Reason TO REJOICE AT IT. we need do or say no more to prove the Justice of our Cause or bring any greater Authority to support it.

Mr. Burgoyne does not attempt to justify the Conduct of Administration, but tacitly winks out of Sight the Servility of their Measures, with one general Charge and Supposition, that America is aiming at Independency--By this artful Stroke he introduces a System of Policy adapted to his own Conceptions of the Supremacy of the British Parliament, and very roundly Supposes Legislation and Taxation inseparable; but yet condescendingly admits that Britain will never attempt to tax America after this Experiment. Such Reasoning is not Argumentum ad Hominem, for although Britain may not tax America again, yet that does not amount to a total Surrender of the Right of doing it. We are not surprized that Mr. B- should entertain an Idea of American Independency. because we are certain that he has not yet a thorough Knowledge of this People, and he has too implicitly believed the Misrepresentations of American Parricides, by whom he has been trepanned.

We believe there are scarcely ten Men in America who wish an Independency or an unconnection with Great Britain: The very Idea of such a State is amazingly absurd. and so very incompatible with his Interest, that he can not exist without such a Connection. unless he is forced to form another with some other State, which is equally abhorent but thro' the Extremity of the times: this Sovereignty of the King has never been denied but repeatedly recognized;& what greater Hold would Britain have? than.an acknowledgement that her King & his Representatives shall controul all the municipal Laws of the Colonies, and make one Branch of their Legislature. This is an effectual Bar of Independency, and will always operate as such, besides it has always been conceded on the Part of America, that no Laws shall be made by her incompatible or incongruous with the Acts of the British Parliament, but if Parliament can controul the Legislatures of the American Colonies,--then Legislation in them ought to be at an End, for the Subject ought not to be governed by two distinct Codes of Laws, especially when they militate with each other, as in many Instances-they are known to do: That there is a Want of an American Constitution We do not deny. but let the Americans have their Share in the proposal of the Plan, but to be DRAGOONED into a Compliance with any arbitrary Schemes, evidently tending to Slavery, they never will consent till Power overcomes Right, and Death is swallowed up of Victory.