ページの画像
PDF
ePub

for the death of captain Huddy, who was hanged but on human nature. The object on which I im. by order of capt. Lippincott. The public prints plore your assistance is too heart rending to be all over Europe resounded with the unhappy ca. dwelt upon; most probably the public report of it tastrophe, which for eight months impended over has already reached you; this relieves me from the the life of this young officer. The extreme grief burden of so mournful a duty. My son, my only of his mother, the sort of delirium which clouded son, dear to me as he is brave, amiable as he is be the mind of his sister, at hearing the dreadful fate loved, only nineteen years of age, a prisoner of war, which menaced the life of her brother, interested in consequence of the capitulation of York Town, every feeling mind in the fate of that unfortunate is at present confined in America as an object of family. The general curiosity in regard to the reprisal. Shall the innocent suffer the fate of the events of the war, yielded, if I may say so, to the guilty? Figure to yourself, sir, the situation of a interest which young Asgill inspired, and the first family in these circumstances. Surrounded, as I am, question asked of all vessels that arrived from any with objects of distress, bowed down by fear and port in North America, was always an enquiry into grief, words are wanting to express what I feel, and the fate of that young man. It is known that As- to paint such a scene of ¤isery; my husband, given gill was thrice conducted to the foot of the gibbet, over by his physicians some hours before the arri and that thrice gen. Washington, who could not val of this news, not in a situation to be informed bring himself to commit this crime of policy with- of it; my daughter, attacked by a fever accompa out a great struggle, suspended his punishment: nied by delirium, speaking of her brother in tones his humanity and justice made him hope that the of distress, and without an interval of reason unEnglish general would deliver over to him the less it be to listen to some circumstance which author of the crime which Asgill was condemn- may console her heart. Let your sensibility, sir, ed to expiate. Clinton, either ill advised, or in paint to you my profound, my inexpressible misery, sensible to the fate of the young Asgill, persisted and plead in my favor; a word from you, like a in refusing to deliver up the barbarous Lippincott. voice from heaven, would liberate us from desolaIn vain the king of England, at whose feet this tion, from the last degree of misfortune. I know unfortunate family fell down, had given orders to how far gen. Washington reveres your character. surrender up to the Americans the author of a Tell him only that you wish my son restored to licrime which dishonored the English nation; George berty, and he will restore him to his desponding III. was not obeyed. In vain the states of Holland family; he will restore him to happiness. The vir entreated the United States of America the par- tue and courage of my son will justify this act of don of the unhappy Asgill. The gibbet, erected clemency. His honor, sir, led him to America; he in front of his prison, did not cease to offer to his was born to abundance, to independence, and to eyes those dreadful preparatives more awful than the happiest prospects. Permit me once more to death itself. In these circumstances, and almost intreat the interference of your high influence in reduced to despair, the mother of the unfortunate favor of innocence, and in the cause of justice victim bethought herself that the minister of a and humanity. Despatch, sir, a letter from France king armed against her own nation might succeed to general Washington, and favor me with a copy in obtaining that which was refused to her king. of it that it may be transmitted from hence. I feel Madame Asgill wrote to the count de Vergennes the whole weight of the liberty taken in presenta letter, the eloquence of which, independent of ing this request. But I feel confident, whether of oratorical forms, is that of all people and all lan. granted or not, that you will pity the distress by guages, because it derives its power from the first which it is suggested; your humanity will drop a tear upon my fault and blot it out forever.

and noblest sentiment of our nature.

The two memorials which are subjoined merit being preserved as historical monuments. Letter from lady Asgill to the comple de Vergennes.

"May that heaven which I implore, grant that you may never need the consolation which you have it in your power to bestow on

"THERESA ASGILL."

"SIR-If the politeness of the French court will permit a stranger to address it, it cannot be doubt. It was to this letter that young Asgill owed his ed but that she who unites in herself, all the more life and liberty. His mother was informed almost delicate sensations with which an individual can at the same instant, that the minister of the king be penetrated, will be received favorably by a no- of France had written to general Washington to bleman, who reflects honor not only on his nation, procure the pardon of her son, and that his re

[ocr errors]

quest had been granted. If any thing can convey an idea of the mournful sentiments to which this parent was a prey during eight months, it is that sentiment which her gratitude inspires in the letter addressed to the count de Vergennes, on hearing she owed the restoration of her son to his interference; the greatest talents never produced any thing more noble or equally affecting.

Second letter of lady Asgill to compte de Vergennes. "Exhausted by long suffering, overpowered by the excess of unexpected happiness, confined to my bed by weakness and langour, bent to the earth by what I have undergone, my sensibility alone! could supply me with strength sufficient to address you.

AN HONEST JURY.

[ocr errors]

The refusal of certain gentlemen, returned to serve as grand jurors for Boston, or Suffolk county, in 1774, being frequently alluded to, the following, which shews the reasons why they would not be impannelled, becomes highly interesting: County of Suffolk, BOSTON, Ang. 30, 1774. We, who are returned by the several towns in this county, to serve as grand jurors at the superior court for this present term, being actuated by a zealous regard for peace and good order, and a sincere desire to promote justice, righteousness and good government, as being essential to the happiness of the community, would now most gladly proceed to the discharge of the important duty required in that department, could we persuade our"Condescend, sir, to accept this feeble effort of selves that, by doing thus, it would add to our own my gratitude. It has been laid at the feet of the reputation, or promote the welfare of our country. Almighty; and believe me, it has been presented But when we consider the dangerous inroads that with the same sincerity to you, sir, and to your illus. have been made upon our civil constitution, the trious sovereign; by their august and salutary in-violent attempts now making to alter and annul tervention, as by your own, a son is restored to me, the most essential parts of our charter, granted by to whom my life was attached. I have the sweet the most solemn faith of kings, and repeatedly reassurance, that my vows for my protectors are cognized by British kings and parliaments; while heard by heaven, to whom they are ardently offer- we see the open and avowed design of establishing ed. Yes, sir, they will produce their effect before the most complete system of despotism in this the dreadful and last tribunal, where I indulge the province, and thereby reducing the freeborn inhahope that we shall both appear together; you to rebitants thereof to the most abject state of slavery ceive the recompense of your virtues; myself, that and bondage; we feel ourselves necessarily conof my sufferings. I will raise my voice before strained to decline being impannelled, for reasons that imposing tribunal. I will call for those regis-that we are ready to offer to the court, if permit. ters, in which your humanity will be found record-ed, which are as follows:

ed. I will pray that blessings may be showered 1st. Because Peter Oliver, esq. who sits as chief on your head, upon him who, availing himself of judge of this court, has been charged with high the noblest privilege received from God, a privi- crimes and misdemeanors, by the late honorable lege no other than divine, has changed misery into house of representatives, the grand inquest of this kappiness, has withdrawn the sword from the in-province; of which charge he has never been lenocent head, and restored the worthiest of sons gally acquitted, but has been declared by that to the most tender and unfortunate of mothers.

house, unqualified to act as judge of this court.

"Condescend, sir, to accept the just tribute of 2d. Because, by a late act of the British parliagratitude due to your virtuous sentiments. Pre- ment, for altering the constitution of this province, serve this tribute, and may it ge down to your the continuance of the present judges of this court, posterity as a testimony of your sublime and exem- as well as the appointment of others, from the 1st plary beneficence to a stranger, whose nation was of July last, is made to depend solely on the king's at war with our own, but whose tender affections pleasure, vastly different from the tenure of the had not been destroyed by war. May this tribute British judges; and as we apprehend they now bear testimony to my gratitude long after the hand hold their places, only in consequence of that act, that expresses it, with the heart, which at this moment only vibrates with the vivacity of grateful sentiments, shall be reduced to dust; it shall bear out to offer you all the respect and all the gratitude with which it is penetrated.

"THERESA ASGILL."

all the judicial proceedings of the court will be taken as concessions to the validity of the same, to which we dare not assent.

3d. Because three of the judges, being the major part of the court, namely, the said Peter Oliver, esq. Foster Hutchinson, esq. and William Brown,

and how they were got, and how they were edu. cated, and what befel them. Courteous reader, if thou hast any curiosity to know these things, read

esq. by taking the oath of counsellors under au- and of his mother, and his sister, and wives, and thority of the aforementioned act, are (as we are his servants, now write the history of his children, informed) sworn to carry into execution all the late grievous acts of the British parliament, among the last of which, is one, made ostensively for the impartial administration of justice in this province, the following chapters and learn. but, as we fear, really for the impunity of such Chap. I. Of seven natural children, which John persons as shall, under pretext of executing those Bull had in his younger days by Doll Secretary, acts, murder any of the inhabitants thereof, which his mother's maid; namely, three boys, John, jun. acts appear to us to be utterly repugnant to every or Master Jacky, Yorky, and Jerry; four girls, Peidea of justice and common humanity, and are nelope, Mary, Virgey, and Caroline. How the old justly complained of, throughout America, as high- lady would suffer no bastards in her family; and ly injurious and oppressive to the good people of how the poor infants were turned adrift on the fish this province, and manifestly destructive of their ponds as soon born; how they landed on the westnatural as well as constitutional rights. ern shore, and were there nursed by a wild bear, all under the green wood tree.

4th. Because we believe, in our consciences, that our acting in concert with a court so constituted, Chap. II. How John disowned them, and left and under such circumstances, would be so far be- them to get over the children's disorders the best traying the just and sacred rights of our native way they could, without paying a farthing for land, which were not the gift of kings, but were nurses, or apothecary's bills; and how, as soon as purchased solely with the toil, the blood, and trea. they had cut their eye teeth, and were able to walk sure, of our worthy and revered ancestors, and alone, John claimed them for his own. which we look upon ourselves under the most sacred obligations to maintain, and to transmit the same, whole and entire to our posterity.

[blocks in formation]

Chap. III. How master Jacky turned fisherman and ship-carpenter; Yorky and Jerry drove a great trade; Miss Penny dealt in flour, called the Maid of the Mill, and never curtesyed to any body: How Mary and Virgey set up a snuff-shop, and Caroline turned dry-salter, and sold indigo; how they all flourished exceedingly, and laid out every penny they earned in their father's warehouse.

Chap. IV. Of two children more, which John had afterwards in lawful wedlock, viz. a boy which he called Georgey, after his great patron, and a girl, which he called Peg, after his sister Margaret; how he crammed them with sugar-plumbs, and how they remained sickly, ricketty brats at this day.

Chap. V. How young Master Baboon, old Louis' only son, fell in love with Miss Virgey; and how he came behind with intent to ravish her; how she squealed and alarmed her dad.

"THE HISTORY OF JOHN BULL'S CHILDREN." [We find the following in the "Maryland Gazette," of August, 1776, into which it was copied from Chap. VI. How John called for his stick and his the "London Chronicle." Those who have read barge, and crossed the pond to save his daughter's the history of the "Foresters," will easily take virtue; how young Louis gave him a confounded up the idea, that the design of one of those ar-rap on his fingers, and drove him back, and then ticles may have been copied from the other. We at his daughter again. have followed the copy, as it was printed at the time. It will amuse those who know enough of history to understand it, and perhaps, provoke some to read that they may understand.]

Chap. VII. low her brother Jack came to her how old Louis Baboon flew to help his son, and assistance, and threw young Louis on his back; carried lord Strutt along with him; how John Bull

1, sir Humphry Polesworth, who formerly gave returned and mustered all his children at his back, the world a true and faithful account of John Bull, and to it they went.

Chap. VIII. How they had a long tustle; how, they cry, and then pinch them for crying; and how John's children saved their old dad from a broken George answered and said nothing.

head, and helped to seize young Louis and tie him; how the old folks agreed to leave young Louis in custody, and drink friends themselves; and how John made his children pay a share of the reckoning without giving them any of the drink.

Chap. XV. How John, by means of his new servants, became beloved of his children, and respected by his neighbors; how he obliged Louis Baboon to beat down the wall of Ecclesdown castle, be cause it overlooked his pond, and harbored seagulls to gobble up his fish; how he made him also pay up his note of hand; and how lord Strutt

Chap. IX. How John in his cups bragged of his exploits, and said he had done all himself, and his children nothing; how he made choice of fair But, Mr. Printer, I have given you enough to George, the gentle shepherd, for his house stew-judge of the general plan of this history. Pray ard, because he could tell, without the book, that let me have your opinion as to the publication. two and three made five, and had the multiplication My notion at present is, to send it abroad in six. table by heart. penny numbers, and engage the country carriers to take it down; it may pass for political an hun. dred miles from town.

Chap. X. The whole stewardship of fair George; how he neglected to protest Louis Baboon's note of hand on the day of payment, released lord Strutt from a mortgage on his manor of Eastland; how he took an aversion to cider, and would allow none to be drank in his family; how he rummaged every man's chest for pen, ink, and paper, and obliged those he catched writing to stand a-top of the table, with a wooden neckcloth under their chin, while he counted sixty times sixty; and how this is called the gentle shepherd's benefit of clergy unto this day.

Chap. XI. How fair George took an antipathy to John's children, because he said they put nothing into the box at Christmas; and when they came to pay their shop accounts, they brought in their money at the back door; how he advised John to brand them on the far buttock, as they do stray cattle, that he might know them to be his own.

[The following, said to be from "a late London paper," is also copied from the "Maryland Gazette" of the date aforesaid. It was written to ridicule the idea that manufactures could be carried on in America.]

All the articles of news lately published, that seem improbable, are not mere inventions. Some of them I can assure you, on the faith of a traveller, are serious truths. And here give me leave to instance the various numberless accounts the news

writers have given us (with so much honest zeal for the welfare of poor old England!) of the estab lishing manufactures in the colonies to the prejudice of those of this kingdom. It is objected by superficial readers, who yet pretend to some know. ledge of those countries, that such establishments are not only improbable but impossible; for that their sheep have but little wool, not in the whole Chap. XII. How John's children rode restiff, and sufficient for a pair of stockings a year to each inswore they would not have the broad R. stampt on habitant; and that, from the universal dearness of their b-ck s.des; how John, in heating the irons, labor among them, the working of iron and other burnt his own fingers most d―ly; how all his materials, except in some few coarse instances, is neighbors laughed, and fair George could not find impracticable to any advantage. Dear sir, do not him a plaster. let us suffer ourselves to be amused with such Chap. XIII. How John, in a passion, kicked fair groundless objections. The very TAILS of the George down stairs, and rung up other servants; American sheep are so laden with wool, that each how they advised him to consult his wife; and how has a cart or waggon, on four little wheels, to supMrs. Bull bid him let his children alone; that, tho' port and keep it from trailing on the ground. born in sin, they were his own flesh and blood, and Would they caulk their ships? Would they fill needed no stamp to shew it; how John took her their beds? Would they even litter their horses advice, and let the irons cool again; and how some with wool, if it was not both plenty and cheap? suspected if John's fingers had not smarted, he And what signifies dearness of labor, where an Enwould not have complied so soon. glish shilling passes for five and twenty? Their engaging three hundred silk throwsters here in Chap. XIV. A dialogue on education, between one week for New York was treated as a fable, fair George and lame Will; how Will proved it to because, forsooth, they have no silk there to throw. be both cruel and impolitic to pinch children till Those who made this objection, perhaps, did not

[ocr errors]

-41.

know, that, at the same time the agents from the by congress, who will doubtless give all the en.

couragement to all that the good of the whole will admit of. Some talk of resuming our first charter, others of absolute independency. Our eye is to the congress-may wisdom direct your every ep. -You will see that our governor has told us,

king of Spain were at Quebec contracting for 1000 pieces of cannon, to be made there for the fortifications of Mexico, with 25,000 axes for their in dustrious logwood cutters, and at New York en. gaging an annual supply of warm floor carpets for their West India houses--other agents from the em- that the refusing submission to the late acts of par peror of China were at Boston,in New England, treat-liament is general throughou' the province; and that ing about the exchange of raw silk for wool, to be he should lay the same before his majesty: and since carried on in Chinese jonks thro' the straits of that I have received satisfaction that our friends to Magellan. And yet all this is as certainly true as government are convinced they can't carry these the account, said to be from Quebec, in the papers acts into effect; and are willing, if possible, to keep of last week, that the inhabitants of Canada are matters in a state of suspense until they hear from making preparations for a cod and whale fishery home. At the same time they continue to entrench this summer in the upper lakes. Ignorant people and fortify the neck, professedly, and I believe realmay object that the upper lakes are fresh, and that ly and only, for self-defence."

From Benjamin Kent, esq. to the same, dated Boston,
Sept. 23, 1774. [Extracts.]

cod and whale are salt water fish: But let them know, sir, that cod, like other fish, when attacked by their enemies, fly into any water they think they "Our enemies, for their own further security, as can be safest in; that whales, when they have a mind as well as to bring the town into the most complete to eat cod, pursue them wherever they fly; and deper.dence on the navy and army, spare no labor or that the grand leap of the whale in that chace up pains; they suffer no owner of powder to take a the falls of Niagara is esteemed by all who have single grain out of the town's magazine, and there seen it, as one of the finest spectacles in nature! is none to be bought in the town. Two or three Really, sir, the world is grown too incredulous: days ago, after the men of war had spiked up our Pendulum-like, it is ever swinging from one ex cannon at the battery, they robbed us of six good treme to another. Formerly, every thing printed pieces of large cannon, as we were carrying them was believed, because it was in print: Now things in a gondola through the mill pond to Water-town. seem to be disbelieved, for just the very same rea- They take and keep the guns and cutlasses out of son. Wise men wonder at the present growth of carts and waggons going over the Neck; and no infidelity! They should have considered, when doubt, if they thought they could disarm the town they taught people to doubt the authority of news-they would do it instantly. [He then mentions papers, and the truth of predictions in almanacks, that their friends in Connecticut urged them to act that the next step might be a disbelief in the wellvouched accounts of ghosts and witches, and doubts even of the truth of the A-n creed.

Your humble servant,

A TRAVELLER.

Correspondence of Mr. Adams.

The editor was favored by president Adams with

a large bundle of letters, written to him by dis.

tinguished persons, in the years 1774, 1775, and 1776, and some other papers. Such have been selected as were thought necessary to shew the feelings of those days, and exhibit the character of some of the actors in them.

before general Gage should receive the additional regiments which he expected-but that the people of Boston "would not undertake any thing material before they heard from the grand council of America, which we hope will remain forever."] He then expresses a wish that the congress would consider their case, and says "we are not suspicious that it can possibly be disagreeable to the

grand congress that we should do every thing in

our power towards our defence; but to lie still so long as in any measure to disable us to secure ourselves by and bye, when we can now prevent it, would be very unwise, and it may be fatal to the town." "It is necessary for us, as far as we can, to prepare for the worst that can happen; that we From J. Palmer, esq. dated at Boston, Sept. 14, 1774, may not be unhappily surprised when the worst to John Adams, esq. at Philadelphia. [Extracts.] shall come. Look into Europe and see how ty"The spirit of liberty is amazingly increased, so ranny flourishes; and if the tyrants will but join that there is scarce a tory and hardly a neutral to their forces, in a little time not one free state will be found in the country. This province seems ripe be left on the other side of the Atlantic-which for a more popular government, if not restrained GOD forbid!

« 前へ次へ »