Wesley Corpus

Why is America all in an uproar? If you can yet give yourselves time to think, you will see the plain case is this: A few years ago, you were assaulted by enemies, whom you were not well able to resist. You represented this to your mother-country, and desired her assistance. You was largely assisted, and by that means wholly delivered from all. your enemies. After a time, your mother-country, desiring to be re-imbursed for some part of the large expense she had been at, laid a small tax (which she had always a right to do) on one of her colonies. But how is it possible, that the taking this reasonable and legal step should have set all America in a flame? I will tell you my opinion freely; and perhaps you will not think it improbable. I speak the more freely, because I am unbiassed; I have nothing to hope or fear from either side. I gain nothing either by the Government or by the Americans, and probably never shall. And I have no preju dice to any man in America: I love you as my brethren and countrymen. 11. My opinion is this: We have a few men in England who are determined enemies to monarchy. Whether they hate His present Majesty on any other ground than because he is. a King, I know not. But they cordially hate his office, and have for some years been undermining it with all diligence, in hopes of erecting their grand idol, their dear commonwealth, upon its ruins. I believe they have let very few into their design; (although many forward it, without knowing anything of the matter;) but they are steadily pursuing it, as by various other means, so in particular by inflammatory papers, which are industriously and continually dispersed throughout the town and country; by this method they have already wrought thousands of the people even to the pitch of madness. By the same, only varied according to your circumstances, they have likewise inflamed America. I make no doubt but these very men are the original cause of the present breach between England and her colonies. And they are still pouring oil into the flame, studiously incensing each against the other, and opposing, under a variety of pretences, all measures of accommodation.