Me kos CE oie. cian Ave Nii. i) Si 
plies would be a proper infult to an obftinate minifter; but now ! 
in the moment of RETURNING vicTory *! it would be a mea~ 
fure fraught with certain danger and poffible parricide. 
«< T am not of confequence enough to trouble you with pro- 
feffions, efpecially as I have no other object than to add my 
mite to ferve my country; I fhall only detain you, while I ac- 
quaint you with the fteps I took after I had formed the refolution 
of exciting the county to affemble on this occafion. I drew 
up the requifition to the fheriff: I fent it, accompanied with a 
letter, expreflive of my fentiments, to the three worthy gentle- 
men before mentioned. That I did not fend it to more, was 
for want of time, not of refpect. From my letter, and from 
the fubftance of a petition I fent with it, they might judge of 
the utmoft limits of my intentions, that in cafe they difapproved 
of my defign, they might decline fubfcribing to my requifition. 
It was returned to me, figned by an ample number, to whom I 
beg leave to return thanks for the compliment they were pleafed 
to pay me. 
“ T objected in that letter, and I do now in the ftrongeft 
manner object; to all party-affociations, and for myfelf decline the — 
honors of committee-man. 
*¢ Tue former may end in combinations injurious to our peace, 
and perhaps fatal at the laft to thofe who embark in them. We 
must not fend our reprefentative to the houfe with our prayer 
in one hand, and a dagger in the other. We must not attempt 
to intimidate the houfe from freedom of debate, at the time we 
are ftriving to wreft from men of power the peftilential baits 
© Lord Rodney’s defeat of the Spanifh fleet, January 16th, 1780. 
Bana of 
107 
