The Virginia Gazette

To THE PEOPLE of VIRGINIA.
Friends, Countrymen, & Brethren,

WHEN we made our first efforts to rescue the
liberties of America from the fetters of arbitrary
power, the VIRGINIANS stood foremost in the
exercise of publick virtue; the love of our country
seemed to predominate over every other passion, and
military glory alone was the object that fired the pride
of our ambition: Wisdom presided over our measures,
and the stamp of policy marked the determination of
our Councils. Difficulties at length grew upon us.
and we have learnt to forget our duty; a strange de-
generacy of manners, and a total subversion of prin-
ciple has almost obfuscated the radiancy of our hopes
For God sake my countrymen rouse from your lethargy,
look into consequences, and return to your pristine
vigour. Pause but for a moment, and seriously ex-
amine into the motives which influenced your former
conduct, and the reasons that directed and governed
your latter. Have you already forgot that we are
fighting for the inestimable blessings of liberty, and
that we are setting up a new empire in opposition to
the most imperious power upon earth? Have you for-
got the insults that were offered us by Great Britain,
and the solemn promise we made to each other when
we appealed to the sword for justice, "that we would
die or be free in the struggle?" Can you suffer reflec-
tion to have the exercise of deliberate reason and
not feel a virtuous indignation at the ravages committed
by the enemy on our land; the cruelties inflicted upon
our inhabitants in their solitary huts, and the barba-
rities practised upon our soldiers while they were fighting
for our safety, and bleeding for our property? I say
can these things be reflected on and not agitate the
feelings of every generous mind? Gratitude and duty
ought to stimulate our actions to the accomplishment of
that end which involves in it the happiness of every
persecuted son of liberty. I mean the independence of
America
There is a dignity in the soul of man, which, when
interwoven with the interest of his country, makes
him act as if he was immortal; every power of his
mind seems heightened to a peculiar greatness, and all
his actions blaze with the resulgency of magnanimity
and patriotism. The moment is near at hand when
we shall all be tried to the very quick, and if a manly
and virtuous spirit is not immediately cherished, the
bayonet will be in the bowels of our country before
we shall have power to mark the limits of its vengeance.
From the best and most authentick accounts we are
assured that the greater part of the British force will
be turned the next campaign against Virginia, and
that every preparation is now on foot to make the con.
quest of it (as they think) certain and inevitable.
Great God what a picture of distress would a conquest
of this country present to a sensible mind! Let us
suppose, by way of trying our feelings, that they
should succeed (detested thought! was it possible, I
should weep over it) what would be our hopes and
expectations? A life of infamy dragged out in chains,
and rendered forever miserable by severe and bitter
reflections: the epithet of rebel eternally crammed
down our throats by some haughty Scotchman or im-
perious Briton; and a confiscation of property, the
pains of bondage, and the disgrace of the gibbet to
ornament the black catalogue of consequences would
attend our downfall. Virginians think of the danger
that threatens a bleeding country Awake to publick
virtue and sleep no more in the arms of indifference
and supineness.
A people struggling for liberty, become always
the favourites of Heaven; and though some have failed
in their attempts, it proceeded more from their apoca-
ly than any power their enemies had to conquer them.
The Dutch persevered through a war of twenty years
and upwards, maintained their independence against
the power of Spain, and broke the chain of tyranny
that had for such a length of time fettered them to the
block of oppression. The people of Switzerland pos-
sessed of an elevated notion of liberty, contended for
their rights, and fixed the sovereignty of their inde-
pendence against every attempt that could be made to
subdue then. If we look back into more ancient
times we shall view the free states of Greece rising to
eminence and glory through a cloud of difficulties.
The Persian army terrible in numbers seemed to fix
their total ruin, but fate itself could not intimidate or
alarm them; the brave Leonidas made a noble sacrifice
of himself and 300 of his countrymen at Ther-
mopylæ, to convince the haughty Persians that men
determined to be free would be so; and although the
force of Xerxes appeared sufficient to conquer and sub-
due the world, yet such was the impression which the
valour of the Grecians made upon him that he aban-
doned the expedition. In Rome patriotick zeal
and a sense of liberty directed the actions of some of her
citizens to such deeds of glory that their names have
been handed down from age to age with all the gilded
ornaments of immortal fame.
We are now in a situation that has fixed upon us the
attention of the whole world; expectation sits upon
us like with an hundred eyes to view our actions, and
every misfortune proclaims aloud a neglect that must
stain us with dishonour.
Then my countrymen, let us learn to be great by
the example that is gone before us; let us catch from
the Dutch, the Swiss, the Grecian, and the Roman
spirit a spark to enkindle valour in our breasts, and
a character of fortitude, resolution, and
magnanimity, to stem the torrent of our approaching
danger, and assert a freedom which dare maintain.

TIMOTHY STANLAST.