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Dr. J. Mayhew to Hon. James Otis, Jr.-Communication between the American Colonies

Pursuing this track, and never losing sight of it, may be of the utmost importance to the colonies on some future occasions, perhaps the only means of perpetuating their liberties; for what may be hereafter, we cannot tell, how favorable soever present appearances may be. It is not safe for the colonies to sleep, since they will probably always have some wakeful enemies in Britain; and if they should be such children as to do so, I hope there are, at least, some persons too much of men and friends to them to rock the cradle, or sing lullaby to them. You have heard of the communion of churches, and I am, very early to-morrow morning, to set out for Rutland, to assist at an ecclesiastical council. Not expecting to return this week, while I was thinking of this, in my bed, with the dawn of day, the great use and importance of a communion of colonies appeared to me in a very strong light, which determined me immediately to set down these hints in order to transmit them to you. Not knowing but that the House may be prorogued or dissolved before my return, or having an opportunity to speak to you, you will make such a use of them as you think proper, or none at all.

I have had a sight of the answer to the last extraordinary speech, with which I was much pleased. It appears to me solid and judicious, and though spirited, not more so than the case absolutely required, unless we could be content to have an absolute and uncontrollable, instead of a limited and constitutional Governor. I cannot think the man will have one wise and good, much less one truly great man at home, to stand by him, in so open and flagrant an attack upon our charter right and privileges. But the less asperity in language the better, provided there is

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Lord Howe to Dr. Franklin-Correspondence as to Peace.

firmness in adhering to our rights in opposition to all encroachments.

I am, sir, your most obedient, humble servant,

JONATHAN MAYHEW.

XIII.-CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN LORD HOWE AND DR. FRANKLIN AS TO PEACE.

Lord Howe to Dr. Franklin.

EAGLE, June 20th, 1776.

I cannot, my worthy friend, permit the letters and parcels which I have sent (in the state I received them), to be landed, without adding a word upon the subject of the injurious extremities in which our unhappy disputes have engaged us.

You will learn the nature of my mission from the official despatches which I have recommended to be forwarded by the same conveyance. Retaining all the earnestness I ever expressed to see our differences accommodated, I shall conceive, if I meet with the disposition in the colonies which I was once taught to expect, the most flattering hopes of proving serviceable in the objects of the king's paternal solicitude, by promoting the establishment of lasting peace and union with the colonies. But, if the deep-rooted prejudices of America, and the necessity of preventing her trade from passing into foreign channels, must keep us still a divided people, I shall, from every private as well as public motive, most heartily lament that this is not the moment wherein those great objects of my ambition are to be attained, and that I am to be longer deprived of an opportunity to assure you, personally, of the regard with which I am your sincere and faithful humble servant,

HOWE.

Dr. Franklin to Lord Howe-In Reply.

P. S. I was disappointed of the opportunity I expected for sending this letter at the time it was dated, and have ever since been prevented, by calms and contrary winds, from getting here to inform General Howe of the commission with which I have the satisfaction to be charged, and of his being joined in it. OFF OF SANDY HOOK, 12th of July.

XIV.-IN REPLY.

Dr. Franklin to Lord Howe.

PHILADELPHIA, July 30th, 1776.

MY LORD: I received safe the letters your Lordship so kindly forwarded to me, and beg you to accept my thanks.

The official despatches to which you refer me contain nothing more than what we had seen in the act of Parliament, viz.: "Offers of pardon upon submission," which I was sorry to find, as it must give your Lordship pain to be sent so far on so hopeless a business.

Directing pardons to be offered to the colonies, who are the very parties injured, expresses, indeed, that opinion of our ignorance, baseness, and insensibility which your uninformed and proud nation has long been pleased to entertain of us; but it can have no other effect than that of increasing our resentments. It is impossible we should think of submission to a government that has, with the most wanton barbarity and cruelty, burned our defenceless towns in the midst of winter, excited the savages to massacre our (peaceful) farmers, and our slaves to murder their masters; and is even now bringing foreign mercenaries to deluge our settlements with blood, These atrocious injuries

Dr. Franklin to Lord Howe-In Reply.

have extinguished every spark of affection for that parent country we once held so dear; but were it possible for us to forget and forgive them, it is not possible for you (I mean the British nation) to forgive the people you have so heavily injured; you can never confide again in those as fellow-subjects, and permit them to enjoy equal freedom, to whom you know you have given such just causes of lasting enmity; and this must impel you, were we again under your government, to endeavor the breaking our spirit by the severest tyranny, and obstructing, by every means in your power, our growing strength and prosperity.

But your Lordship mentions "the king's paternal solicitude for promoting the establishment of lasting peace and union with the colonics." If, by peace, is here meant a peace to be entered into by distinct States now at war, and his Majesty has given your Lordship powers to treat with us of such a peace, I may venture to say, though without authority, that I think a treaty for that purpose not quite impracticable, before we enter into foreign alliances. But I am persuaded you have no such powers. Your nation though, by punishing those American governors who have fomented the discord, rebuilding our burnt towns, and repairing, as far as possible, the mischiefs done us, she might recover a great share of our regard, and the greatest share of our growing commerce, with all the advantages of that additional strength to be derived from a friendship with us; yet I know too well her abounding pride and deficient wisdom to believe she will ever take such salutary measures. Her fondness for conquest, as a warlike nation, her lust of dominion, as an ambitious one, and her thirst for a gainful monopoly, as a commercial one (none of them legitimate causes of war), will

Dr. Franklin to Lord Howe-In Reply.

join to hide from her eyes every view of her true interest, and continually goad her on in these ruinous, distant expeditions, so destructive both of lives and of treasure, that they must prove as pernicious to her, in the end, as the Crusades formerly were to most of the nations of Europe.

I have not the vanity, my Lord, to think of intimidating, by thus predicting the effects of this war, for I know it will in England have the fate of all my former predictions—not to be be lieved till the event shall verify it.

Long did I endeavor, with unfeigned and unwearied zeal, to preserve from breaking that fine and noble porcelain vase-the British empire; for I knew that, being once broken, the separate parts could not retain even their share of the strength and value that existed in the whole; and that a perfect reunion of those parts could scarce ever be hoped for. Your Lordship may possibly remember the tears of joy that wetted my cheek when, at your good sister's in London, you once gave me expectations that a reconciliation would soon take place. I had the misfortune to find these expectations disappointed, and to be treated as the cause of the mischief I was laboring to prevent. My consolation, under that groundless and malevolent treatment, was, that I retained the friendship of many wise and good men in that country; and, among the rest, some share in the regard of Lord Howe.

The well-founded esteem, and, permit me to say, affection, which I shall always have for your Lordship, make it painful to me to see you engaged in conducting a war, the great ground of which (as described in your letter) is "the necessity of preventing the American trade from passing into foreign channels." To me, it seems that neither the obtaining nor retaining any trade,

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