Part 2

Which being finished, the French horns sounded; and after another discharge of the cannon, compleating the number Ninety-Two, the gentlemen in their carriages repaired to the Greyhound Tavern in Roxbury, where a _frugal_ and _elegant_ entertainment was provided. The music played during the repast: After which the following toasts were given out, and the repeated discharge of cannon spoke the general assent.

_1._ _The King._ _2._ _Queen and Royal Family._ _3._ _Lord_ Cambden.

3. A strenuous upholder of the Constitutional rights of the Colonies and a strong defender in the House of Lords of the doctrine, "No taxation without representation." Contemporary writers frequently spelt Camden's name as above.

_4._ _Lord_ Chatham. _5._ _Duke of_ Richmond.

5. Another friend of America in the same body.

_6._ _Marquis of_ Rockingham.

6. Under whose ministry the Stamp Act was repealed.

_7._ _General_ Conway.

7. The leader in the House of Commons during the Rockingham Ministry.

_8._ _Lord_ Dartmouth.

8. President of the Board of Trade in the Rockingham Ministry, much loved in the Colonies. Dartmouth College bears his name.

_9._ _Earl of_ Chesterfield.

9. A warm adherent of America.

_10._ _Colonel_ Barre.

10. The companion of Wolfe at Quebec; in replying to Townsend during one of the debates over the passage of the Stamp Acts he characterized the Americans as "Sons of Liberty," a term which immediately was applied throughout the Colonies to those who were resenting the interference of Parliament with their home government.

_11._ _General_ Howard.

11. A member of Parliament from Stamford who was active in obtaining the repeal of the Stamp Act.

_12._ _Sir_ George Saville.

12. Represented Yorkshire in the House of Commons; a strong supporter of the Rockingham Ministry.

_13._ _Sir_ William Meredith.

13. Member of Parliament from Liverpool. Lord of the Admiralty during the Rockingham Administration.

_14._ _Sir_ William Baker.

14. Also energetic in securing the repeal of the Stamp Act.

_15._ _John_ Wilkes, _Esq., and a Speedy Reversal of his outlawry_.

15. The struggles of Wilkes excited keen interest in America.

_16._ _The Farmer of_ Pennsylvania.

16. It is noted that this was the second time Dickinson's health was drunk that day. No other American residing in this country was toasted.

_17._ _The Massachusetts_ Ninety-Two.

_18._ _Prosperity and Perpetuity to the_ British Empire, _on Constitutional Principles_.

_19_. North America: _And her fair Daughters of Liberty_.

_20._ _The illustrious Patriots of the Kingdom of Ireland._

20. In Letter X Dickinson warns against the fate of Ireland.

_21._ _The truly heroic_ Paschal Paoli, _and all the brave Corsicans_.

_22._ _The downfall of_ arbitrary _and_ despotic Power _in all Parts of the Earth; and Liberty without_ Licentiousness _to all mankind_.

_23._ _A perpetual Union and Harmony between_ Great Britain _and the Colonies, on the Principles of the Original Compact_.

_24._ _To the immortal Memory of that_ Hero _of_ Heroes _William the Third_.

_25._ _The speedy Establishment of a_ wise _and_ permanent administration.

_26._ _The_ right _noble Lords, and_ very worthy _Commoners, who voted for the Repeal of the_ stamp Act _from_ Principle.

_27._ Dennis De Berdt, _Esq; and all the true Friends of_ America _in Great Britain, and those of Great Britain in America_.

27. The agent of Massachusetts in London.

_28._ _The_ respectable _Towns of_ Salem, Ipswich _and_ Marblehead, _with all the Absentees from the late Assembly, and their_ constituents, _who have publickly approved of the Vote against_ Rescinding.

28. Representatives of these towns voted in favor of rescinding. Town meetings, however, were held, and the citizens of these places recorded themselves as endorsing the action of the majority in refusing the "Ministerial Mandates" and condemned the position assumed by their own representatives. In letters which appeared in the press a number of absentees from the Assembly boldly endorsed the action of the majority.

_29._ _May all_ Patriots _be as wise as Serpents, and as harmless as Doves_.

_30._ _The_ Manufactories _of_ North America, _and the_ Banishment _of Luxury_, Dissipation and _other Vices, Foreign and Domestic_.

30. Referring to the proposal of Dickinson quoted on page xxiii of the Introduction.

_31._ _The removal of all Task-Masters, and an effectual Redress of all other Grievances._

_32._ _The_ Militia _of_ Great Britain _and of the_ Colonies.

_33._ _As_ Iron _sharpeneth_ Iron, _so may the Countenance of every good and virtuous Son and Daughter of Liberty, that of his or her Friend_.

_34._ _The Assemblies on this vast and rapidly populating Continent, who have treated a late haughty and "merely ministerial" Mandate "with all that Contempt it so justly deserves."_

34. Referring to the replies of the various Assemblies to the circular letter and endorsements of the action of the Massachusetts Assembly.

_35._ Strong Halters _and_ sharp axes _to all such as respectively deserve them_.

_36._ Scalping Savages _let loose in_ Tribes, _rather than_ Legions of Placemen, Pensioners, _and_ Walkerizing Dragoons.

_37._ _The Amputation of any_ Limb, _if it be necessary to preserve the Body_ Politic _from_ Perdition.

_38._ _The oppressed and distressed foreign Protestants._

_39._ _The free and independent Cantons of Switzerland._

_40._ _Their_ High Mightinesses _the States General of_ Seven _United Provinces_.

_41._ _The King of_ Prussia.

_42._ _The_ Republic _of_ Letters.

_43._ _The_ Liberty _of the Press_.

_44._ Spartan, Roman, British Virtue, _and_ Christian Graces joined.

_45._ _Every man under his own Vine! under his own Fig-Tree! None to make us afraid! And let all the People say, Amen!_

45. See page 51.

Upon this happy occasion, the whole company with the approbation of their brethren in Roxbury, consecrated a tree in the vicinity; under the shade of which, on some future anniversary, they say they shall commemorate the day, which shall liberate America from her present oppression! Then making an agreeable excursion round Jamaica Pond, in which excursion they received the kind salutation of a Friend to the cause by the discharge of cannon at six o'clock they returned to Town; and passing in slow and orderly procession through the principal streets, and the State-House, they retired to their respective dwellings. It is allowed that this cavalcade surpassed all that has ever been seen in America. The joy of the day was manly, and an uninterrupted regularity presided through the whole.

The two illustrations in this volume were selected for the purpose of recording prevalent contemporary opinions of Dickinson.

The frontispiece is a reproduction (slightly reduced in size)[5] of the very scarce print in which John Dickinson is crudely portrayed as the author of the "Farmer's Letters." It was first advertised for sale in the Pennsylvania "Chronicle" under date of October 12-17, 1768, as follows:

Lately published and sold by R. Bell at JAMES EMERSON'S, in Market-street, near the river, and at JOHN HART'S vendue store, in Southward (Price One Shilling)

an elegant engraved COPPER PLATE PRINT of the PATRIOTIC AMERICAN FARMER; The same glazed and framed, price Five Shillings.

[5] Reproduced through the courtesy of the Library Company of Philadelphia. I wish also to express my obligation to my friends Messrs. Wilberforce Eames of the Lenox Library and Robert H. Kelby of the New York Historical Society for repeated access to the volumes of Colonial Newspapers, etc., in the collections under their charge.

This specimen of early American engraving, the work of some unknown artist and engraver, was undoubtedly inspired by the following article which appeared in the Pennsylvania "Chronicle" for May, 9-16, 1768, as well as the many other newspapers in the colonies, so eager was the press to publish any information concerning the author of the "Farmer's Letters." The inscription is thus explained as well as the elimination of the vowels from Dickinson's name.

PHILADELPHIA

On Tuesday last, by order of the Governor and Society of Fort St. David's, fourteen Gentlemen, members of that Company, waited upon J-n D-ck-nson Esq; and presented the following address, in a Box of Heart of Oak.

RESPECTED SIR,

When a Man of Abilities, prompted by Love of his Country, exerts them in her Cause, and renders her the most eminent Services, _not to be sensible_, of the Benefits received, is Stupidity; _not to be grateful for them_, is Baseness.

Influenced by this Sentiment, we, the Governor and Company of Fort St. David's, who among other Inhabitants of _British America_, are indebted to you for your most excellent and generous Vindication of Liberties dearer to us than our Lives, beg Leave to return you our heartiest Thanks, and offer to you the greatest Mark of Esteem, that, as a Body, it is in our Power to bestow, by admitting you, as we hereby do, a Member of our Society.

When that destructive Project of _Taxation_, which your Integrity and Knowledge so signally contributed to baffle about two years ago, was lately renewed under a _Disguise_ so _artfully contrived_ as to delude Millions, You, sir, _watchful_ for the Interests of Your Country, _perfectly_ acquainted with them, and _undaunted_ in asserting them, ALONE detected the Monster concealed from others by an altered Appearance, exposed it, stripped of its insidious covering, in its own horrid Shape, and, we firmly trust by the Blessing of God on Your Wisdom and Virtue, will again extricate the _British_ Colonies on this Continent from the cruel Snares of Oppression; for we already perceive these Colonies ROUSED _by your strong and seasonable_ Call, pursuing the salutary Measures advised by You for obtaining Redress.

Nor is this all that you have performed for Your NATIVE LAND. _Animated by a sacred_ Zeal, _guided by Truth and supported by Justice_, YOU _have penetrated to the Foundations of the Constitution_, have _poured_ the clearest Light on the important _Points_, hitherto involved in a Darkness bewildering even the Learned, and have _established_ with an amazing Force and Plainness of Argument, the TRUE DISTINCTIONS and GRAND PRINCIPLES, that will _fully instruct Ages_ YET UNBORN, what Rights belong to them, and the best Methods of defending them.

To Merit far less distinguished, ancient _Greece_ or _Rome_ would have decreed Statues and Honours without Number: But it is _Your Fortune_ and _your Glory_, Sir, that You live in _such_ Times, and possess _such exalted Worth_, that the _Envy_ of those, whose _Duty_ it is to applaud You, can conceive no other Consolation, than by withholding those Praises in Public, which all honest Men acknowledge in Private that you have deserved.

We present to you, sir, a small gift of a Society not dignified by any legal authority; But when you consider this gift as expressive of the _sincere Affection_ of many of your Fellow Citizens for Your Person, and of their _unlimited Approbation_ of the noble Principles maintained in your unequalled Labours, we hope this Testimony of our Sentiments will be acceptable to you.

May that all-gracious Being, which in kindness to these colonies gave your valuable Life Existence _at the critical Period_ when it will be most wanted, grant it a long Continuance, filled with every Felicity; and when your Country sustains its dreadful loss, may you enjoy the Happiness of Heaven, and on Earth may your Memory be cherished, as we doubt not it will be, to the latest Posterity.

_Signed by the Order of the Society_, JOHN BAYARD, Secretary.

The box was finely decorated, and the Inscription neatly done in Letters of Gold. On the Top was represented the Cap of Liberty on a Spear, resting on a Cypher of the Letters I. D. Underneath the Cypher in a semicircular Label----Pro Patria----Around the whole the following words:

THE GIFT OF THE GOVERNOR AND SOCIETY OF FORT ST. DAVID'S TO THE AUTHOR OF THE FARMER'S LETTERS, IN GRATEFUL TESTIMONY OF THE VERY EMINENT SERVICES THEREBY RENDERED TO THIS COUNTRY, 1768.

On the Inside of the Top--

THE LIBERTIES OF THE BRITISH COLONIES IN AMERICA ASSERTED WITH ATTIC ELOQUENCE, AND ROMAN SPIRIT, BY J-N D-K-NS-N[6] ESQR.; BARRISTER AT LAW.

[6] The Name at length.

On the Inside of the Bottom--

ITA CUIQUE EVENIAT UT DE REPUBLICA MERUIT.

On the Outside of the Bottom--A sketch of _Fort St. David's_.

_To which the following Answer was returned._

GENTLEMEN,

I very gratefully receive the Favour you have been pleased to bestow upon me, in admitting me a Member of your Company; and I return you my heartiest Thanks for your Kindness.

The "Esteem" of worthy Fellow Citizens is a Treasure of greatest Price; and as no man can more highly value it than I do, Your Society in "expressing the Affection" of so many respectable Persons for me, affords Me the sincerest Pleasure.

Nor will this Pleasure be lessened by reflecting, that you may have regarded with a generous _Partiality_ my Attempts to promote the Welfare of our Country; for the Warmth of your Praises in commending a Conduct you _suppose_ to deserve them, gives Worth to these Praises, by proving _your_ Merit, while you attribute Merit to _another_.

Your Characters, gentlemen, did not need this Evidence to convince Me, how much I ought to prize Your "Esteem" or how much You deserved _Mine_.

I think myself extremely fortunate, in having obtained your favorable Opinion, which I shall constantly and carefully endeavor to preserve.

I most heartily wish you every Kind of Happiness, and

## particularly that you may enjoy the comfortable Prospect of

transmitting to your Posterity those "Liberties" dearer to You than your Lives, "which God gave to you, and which no _inferior Power_ has a Right to take away."

[Illustration: CHELSEA DERBY PORCELAIN STATUETTE OF CATHERINE MACAULAY]

The potter's art, which from time immemorial has been the means of transmitting history, furnishes the other illustration and also perpetuates the estimate of Dickinson's character held by William Duesbury, England's greatest manufacturer of porcelain. It pictures a porcelain statuette of Mrs. Catherine Macaulay, a well-known historian, whose "History of England from the Accession of James the First to that of the Brunswick Line" and other historical writings met with great approval among the Whig party in England and whose decided approval of the stand taken by the colonies, gave her great popularity in America. This statuette, measuring 13½ inches in height, is modeled to a certain extent after the statue of this lady which was erected in 1777 in the Church of St. Stephen, Walbrook, London. Mrs. Macaulay appears leaning upon her "Histories of England," which rest on the top of a pedestal, on the front of which is the inscription, "Government a Power Delegated for the Happiness of Mankind conducted by Wisdom, Justice and Mercy." Beneath are the words, "_American Congress_." On the side of the pedestal the name of _Dickinson_ appears, preceded by the names of those noble writers, England's great advocates and expounders of Constitutional liberty, Sydney, Hampden, Milton, Locke, Harrington, Ludlow and Marvel. This beautiful porcelain statuette was moulded at the Chelsea factory in 1777, the same year in which Boswell chronicles Dr. Johnson's visit there, noting, "The china was beautiful, but Dr. Johnson justly observed it was too dear, for he could have vessels of silver as cheap as were here made of porcelain."

The space at my disposal prevents my quoting many a "Letter to the Printer" appealing for justice for the Colonials as well as numerous contributed articles which appeared during the next few years in the English press, the contents of which clearly show how strongly Dickinson's arguments had influenced their respective authors. While it is true that these sentiments were attacked both at home and abroad, the attacks soon lost their vehemence. Strange as it may seem, more protests against the course of the ministry than denunciations of the doings of the colonial Assemblies are found in the columns of the English press of the period. The demand for the arguments contained in the "Farmer's Letters" was not lessened by subsequent events as their popularity demanded the publishing of another London edition in 1774.

Certainly to John Dickinson for his masterly defence of the rights of the Colonies America owes an everlasting debt of gratitude. The logic of his claims and his warnings as to what must be the ultimate result of the ministerial encroachments upon the liberties of Englishmen did much to win over to the American cause in England that strong ally, the support of a large body of thoughtful Englishmen. These men actively condemned the ministerial actions and during the war which followed caused the course of the government to be bitterly opposed by an influential and constantly growing minority in Parliament. Through their efforts was fostered a public sentiment which caused the war to be prosecuted in a half-hearted manner and obliged a power-loving King to fill the depleted ranks of his army with German mercenaries, so impossible was it to force a sufficient number of his own liberty-loving subjects to fight against their kindred living in the land so happily alluded to by a contributor to the London "Chronicle" (June 3-6, 1769), in the following poem:

_The Genius of_ America _to her Sons_

Who'd know the sweets of Liberty? 'Tis to climbe the mountain's brow, Thence to discern rough industry, At the harrow or the plough; 'Tis where my sons their crops have sown, Calling the harvest all their own; 'Tis where the heart to truth allied, Never felt unmanly fear; 'Tis where the eye with milder pride, Nobly sheds sweet pity's tear; Such as America yet shall see, These are the sweets of Liberty.

NOTES.

I.

An address from the Moderator and Freemen of the Town of Providence in the Colony of Rhode-Island, and Providence Plantation convened in open Meeting the 20th day of June, 1768, to the Author of a Series of Letters signed

A FARMER.

_Sir_,

In your Retirement, "near the Banks of the River Delaware," where you are compleating, in a rational way, the Number of Days allotted to you by Divine Goodness, the consciousness of having employed those Talents which God hath bestowed upon You, for the Support of our Rights, must afford you a Satisfaction vastly exceeding that, which is derived to you from the universal Approbation of Your Letters,--However amidst the general Acclamation of your Praise, we the Moderator and Freemen of the ancient Town of Providence cannot be silent; although we would not offend your Delicacy, or incur the Imputation of Flattery in expressing our Gratitude to you.

Your Benevolence to Mankind, fully discoverable from your Writings, doubtless caused you to address your countrymen, whom you tenderly call _Dear_ and _Beloved_, in a Series of Letters, wherein you have with a great Judgment, and in the most spirited and forcible Manner explained their Rights and Privileges; and vindicated them against such as would reduce these extensive Dominions of His Majesty to Poverty, Misery, and Slavery. This Your patriotic Exertion in our Cause and indeed in the Cause of all the human Race in some Degree, hath rendered you very dear to us, although we know not your Person.

We deplore the Frailty of human Nature, in that it is necessary that we should be frequently awakened into Attention to our Duty in Matters very plain and incontrovertible, if we would suffer ourselves to consider them. From this Inattention to Things evidently the Duty and Interest of the World, we suppose despotic Rule to have originated, and all the Train of Miseries consequent thereupon.

The virtuous and good Man, who rouses an injured Country from their Lethargy, and animates them into active and successful Endeavours for casting off the Burdens imposed on them, and effecting a full Enjoyment of the Rights of Men, which no Human Creature ought to violate, will merit the warmest Expressions of Gratitude from his Countrymen, for his Instrumentality in saving them and their Posterity.

As the very Design of instituting civil Government in the World was to secure to Individuals a quiet Enjoyment of their native Rights, wherever there is a Departure from this great and only End, impious Force succeeds. The Blessings of a just Government, and the Horror of brutal Violence are both inexpressible. As the latter is generally brought upon People by Degrees, it will be their Duty to watch against even the smallest attempt to "innovate a single Iota" in their Privilege.

With Hearts truly loyal to the King, we feel the greatest concern at divers Acts of the British Parliament, relative to these colonies. We are clear and unanimous in Sentiment that they are subversive of our Liberties, and derogatory to the Power and Dignity of the several Legislatures established in America.

Permit us, Sir, to assure you that we feel an ineffable Gratitude to you, for sending forth your Letters at a Time when the Exercise of great Abilities was necessary. We sincerely wish that You may see the Fruit of your Labours. We on our parts shall be ready at all Times to evince to the World that we will not surrender our privileges to any of our Fellow Subjects, but will earnestly contend for them, hoping that the "Almighty will look upon our righteous contest with gracious approbation." We hope that the Conduct of the Colonies on this Occasion will be "peaceable, prudent, firm, and joint; and such as will show their Loyalty to the best of Sovereigns, and that they know what they owe to themselves as well as to Great-Britain."

Signed by Order

JAMES ANGELL, Town Clerk.

II.

FROM THE MONTHLY REVIEW. LONDON, JULY, 1768.

"_Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania, to the Inhabitants of the British Colonies. 8vo. 2s. Almon. 1768._

"We have, in the Letters now before us, a calm yet full inquiry into the right of the British parliament, lately assumed, to tax the American colonies; the unconstitutional nature of which attempt is maintained in a well-connected chain of close and manly reasoning; and though from this character, it is evident that detached passages must appear to a disadvantage, yet it is but just to give our Readers some specimens of the manner in which the author asserts the rights of his American brethren; subjects of the British government, as he pleads, carrying their birthrights with them wherever they settle as such.

'Colonies, says he, were formerly planted by warlike nations, to keep their enemies in awe; to relieve their country overburthened with inhabitants; or to discharge a number of discontented and troublesome citizens. But in more modern ages, the spirit of violence being, in some measure, if the expression may be allowed, sheathed in commerce, colonies have been settled by the nations of Europe for the purposes of trade. These purposes were to be attained, by the colonies raising for their mother country those things which she did not produce herself; and by supplying themselves from her with things they wanted. These were the _national_ objects in the commencement of our colonies, and have been uniformly so in their promotion.

'To answer these grand purposes, perfect liberty was known to be necessary; all history proving, that trade and freedom are nearly related to each other. By a due regard to this wise and just plan, the infant colonies, exposed in the unknown climates and unexplored wildernesses of this new world, lived, grew, and flourished.