30 NATURAL AND CIVIL 



tvveen the crowns of England and France ; anci 

 was consistent with the acknowledged duties of 

 allegiance, civil and moral law. Now it was 

 clothed in all the political horrors, that could be. 

 put upon slaughter and destruction. On the 

 part of" Great Britain, the Americans said it was 

 a long concerted plan of systematic oppression 

 and tyranny, in a British king and parliament. 

 On the part of the Americans, the British min- 

 ister and king declared it was a most insolent 

 scneme of unprovoked treason and rebellion, 

 which must be crushed and punished. 



In this state of irritation and mutual accusa- 

 tion, the sword was drawn, and from all the max- 

 ims and measures of monarchy, the Americans 

 knew it ^vas necessary for thein to throw away 

 the scabbardo Their business now was not to 

 contend about boundaries, tides, gTants, or the 

 decisions of the Bf-itish courts or parliaments j 

 but to prepare for a contest, the event of v/hich. 

 would determine not barely an abstract question 

 ^bout sovereignty, but €vcry thing that con- 

 cerned their rights, properties, aiid lives. And 

 this contest, new and un^xpected^f a duration 

 and issue totally unknown and incalculable, was 

 to be carried on b}' a people divided into several 

 provinces, disunited in their interests, manners^ 

 forms of religion and government, without u 

 ship, without a magazine, and wiLliout a regi- 

 ment ; against one of the most wealthy, power- 

 ful, and warlike nations of Eiarope : A nation 

 whom the Americans loved and revered, with 

 whom they had been connected by the ties of 

 blood, religion, affection, language, coromercCj, 

 interest, and all the considerations which ever 



