my mind more dear and tender than ever: and turning towards the garden where he was engaged with his little corn-stalk-plough, I screamed out twice with all my might, George! George!-In a moment, as I thought, he threw down his mimic plough, and ran to me saying, "High! Ma! what makes you call so angry!'an't I a good boy-don't I always run to you soon as I hear you call ?" I could make no reply, but just threw up my arms towards the flame. He look ed up and saw the house all on fire: but instead of bursting out a crying, as might have been expected from a child, he instantly brightened up, and seemed ready to fly to extinguish it. But first looking at me with great tenderness, he said, "Oh, Ma! don't be afraid: God Almighty will help us, and we shall soon put it out."-His looks and words revived our spirits in so wonderful a manner, that we all instantly set about to assist him. A ladder was presently brought, on which, as I saw in my dream, he ran up with the nimbleness of a squirrel; and the servants supplied him with water, which he threw on the fire from an American gourd. But that growing weaker, the flame appeared to gain ground, breaking forth and roaring most dreadfully, which so frightened the servants, that many of them, like persons in despair, began to leave him. But he, still undaunted, continued to ply it with water, animating the servants at the same time, both by his words and actions. For a long time the contest appeared very doubtful: but at length a venerable old man, with a tall cap and an iron rod in his hand, like a lightning rod, reached out to him a curious little trough, like a wooden shoe! On receiving this, he redoubled his exertions, and soon extinguished the fire. Our joy on the occasion was unbounded. But he, on the contrary, showing no more of transport now than of terror before, looked rather sad at sight of the great harm that had been done. Then I saw in my dream that after some time spent as in deep thought, he called out with much joy, "Well, Ma' now if you and the family F will but consent, we can make a far better roof than this ever was; a roof of such a quality, that if well kept together, it will last for ever; but if you take it apart, you will make the house ten thousand times worse than it was before." THIS, though certainly a very curious dream, needs no Daniel to interpret it; especially if we take Mrs. Washington's new house, for the young Colony Government-the fire on its east side, for North's civil war-the gourd which Washington first employed, for the American 3 and 6 months inlistments-the old man with his cap and iron rod, for Doctor Franklin-the shoe-like vessel which he reached to Washington, for the Sabot or woodenshoed nation, the French, whom Franklin courted a long time for America-and the new roof proposed by Washington, for a staunch honest Republic-that "equal government," which, by guarding alike the welfare of all, ought by all to be so heartily beloved as to endure for ever. HAD it been appointed unto any man to quaff unmingled happiness in this life, George Washington had been that man. For where is that pleasurable ingredient with which his cup was not full and overflowing? CROWNED with honours-laden with riches-blest with health-and in the joyous prime of 27, sharing each rural sweet in the society of a charming woman who doated on him, he surely bid fair to spend his days and nights of life in ceaseless pleasure-But ah!—as sings the sweet bard of Zion, OUR days, alas! our mortal days, And pains and sins run through the round, FROM this, the universal lot, not Washington himself could obtain exemption. For in the midst of his favourite labours, of the plough and pruning-hook, covering his extensive farms with all the varied delights of delicious fruits and golden grain, of lowing herds and snowy flocks, he was suddenly called on by his country, to turn his plough-share into a sword, and go forth to meet a torrent of evils which threatened her. The fountain of those evils, whence at length flowed the great civil war, which for ever separated Britain and her children, I proceed now briefly to state. AFTER the reduction of Canada, the British officers who commanded on that expedition, came to Boston and New-York, on a visit to their American brethren in arms, who had served with them in that war. Soon as their arrival was announced, the Americans flew to meet and welcome them. They were paraded through the streets as the saviours of the land-the doors of all were thrown open to receive them-and every day, during their stay, was spent in feasting and public dinners, which, for sake of their beloved guests, were made as splendid as possible, though always through the aid of obliging neighbours. The rooms glittered with borrowea plate-wines of every vintage sparkled on the crowded side-boards-while the long-extended tables were covered with finest fish and flesh, succeeded by the richest desserts. The British officers were equally charmed and astonished at such elegant hospitality; and, on their return to England, gave full scope to their feelings. They painted the colonial wealth in the colourings of romance; and spoke of the Americans as a people, who, in comparison of the British, lived like kings. THUS, American hospitality, by a strange perversion, had nearly destroyed American Liberty! For, from that time, the British ministry began to look upon the Americans with an evil eye, and to devise ways and means to make us "bear a part of their Зло burdens !" But what did they mean by this? Did they mean to acknowledge us as sons of Britons; equally free and independent with our brethren in England? and, like them, allowed a representation in Parliament, who should freely vote our money for the common cause? Oh no! an idea so truly British and honourable, was not at all in their thoughts. We were not to be treated as brothers, but as slaves! over whom an unconditional right was claimed, to tax and take our property at pleasure!!! READER, if you be a Briton, be a Briton stillpreserve the characteristic calm and candour of a Briton. I am not about to say one word against your nation. No! I know them too well: and thank God, I can say, after several years residence among them, I believe them to be as Honest, Charitable, and Magnanimous a people as any under the canopy of Heaven. I am about to speak of the MINISTRY only, who certainly, at that time, were a most ambitious and intriguing junto, who by bad means had attained power; and by worse were endeavouring to extend it, even to the destruction of both American and British Liberty, as the excellent Mr. Pitt charged them.-No Englishman can desire fuller evidence than this one tyrannical claim made against us by Lord North-" taxation without representation!" As a plea for such despotic doings, NORTH and his creatures began with boldly trumpeting the wonderful kindness they had conferred on America. "They, it seems, "first discovered the country!— they settled it they always had defended it. It was their blood-their treasure-their ships and sailors, and soldiers, that created the British colonies ! ! O DEAR!-and what then?-why, to be sure, after having done such mighty things for the Americans, they had as clear a right to their gold and silver, as a butcher has to the hair and hides of his cattle! THIS language was actually carried into Parliament! where a Mr Charles Townsend, to enforce the stamp act, cried out," Who are these Americans? Are they not our children, planted by our care, nourished by our indulgence, and protected by our arms?" 66 AT this the brave Colonel Barre, with cheeks inflamed with virtuous indignation, thus thundered forth against the insolent speechifier. "They planted by your care! No, sir: your oppressions planted them in America. They fled from your tyranny to a then uncultivated and inhospitable country, where they exposed themselves to all the evils which a wilderness, filled with blood-thirsty savages, could threaten. And yet, actuated by true English love of liberty, they thought all these evils light in comparison with what they had suffered in their own country, and from you, who ought to have been their friends. They nourished by your indulgence! No, sir! they grew by your neglect. As soon as you be an to indulge them, that boasted indulgence was to send them hungry packs of your own creatures, to spy out their liberties!-to misrepresent their actions-ana to prey upon their substance!—Yes, sir, you sent them men, whose behaviour has often caused the blood of those sons of Liberty to recoil within them-men promoted by you to the highest seats of justice, in that country, who, to my knowledge, had good cause to dread a court of justice in their own!-They protected by your arms !-No, sir! They have nobly taken up arms in your defence; have exerted a most heroic valour, amidst their daily labours, for the defence of a country whose frontier was drenched in blood, while its interior parts gave up all their savings for our emolument!" ALL this was very true. For the Americans had not only planted, but in a great measure protected themselves. In the French and Indian war, from '55 to '63, they lost nearly 30,000 of their stoutest young men! And by regular returns it appears that Massachusetts alone expended about 50,000 sterling in that time!!! And moreover, they had never hesitated for a moment to furnish to the last man and the last shilling wnatever Britain had required. |