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440 X. AMERICAN STATE TRIALS.

hia duty to espouse the cause of those assembled in King
street? I think not; but lest my opinion should not have any
weight, let me remind you of an author, who, I could wish,
were in the hands of all of you; one whom I trust you will
eredit, I am sure you ought to love and revere him, I wish
his sentiments were engraven in indelible characters on your
hearts, You will not suspect him of being unfriendly to lib-
erty; if this cause and its events must be interwoven with a
matter so foreign to it. I allude to the third letter of the
“Farmer of Pennsylvania,”’ to his eountrymen.*

“The canse of liberty,’’ says that great and good writer,
‘tig a cause of too much dignity to be sullied by turbulence
and tumult; it ought to be maintained in a manner suitable
to her nature. Those who engage in it should breathe a
sedate yet fervent spirit, animating them to actions of pra-
dence, justice, modesty, bravery, humanity and magnani-
tity.” What has there transpired on this trial, savoring of
any of these virtues? Was it justice, or humanity, to attack,
insult, ridicule, and abuse a single sentinel on his post? Was
it either modest, brave or magnanimous, to rush upon the
points of fixed bayonets, and triffe, vapor and provoke, at the
very mouths of loaded muskets? It may be brutal rage, or
wanton rashness, but not, surely, any true magnanimity,

“T hope,’’ says the same eminent writer, ‘‘my dear coun-
trymen, that you will in every colony be upon your guard
against those, who at any time endeavor to stir you up, under
pretence of patriotism, to any measures disrespectful to your
sovereign, and our mother country.’’ By this it should seem,
as though the ‘‘Farmer’’ never expected any pericd would
arrive, when such measures would be warrantable. Now
what more disrespectful to our parent country than to treat

©The celebrated “Farmer's Letters” were written against the reve-
nue acts of Great Britein, by John Dickinson, of Pennsylvania, The
depth of researeh, force of argument, and perspicuity of style, which
appeared in these letters, made them popular with all classes of read-
ers in America. Dr. Franklin caused them to be reprinted in
England, with a commentary preface from his own pen. Sparke’a
Life of Franklin, p. 456.

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