LEXINGTON. Hushed was his parting sigh, Flashed the last sparkle of liberty's fire. 57 On the smooth green where the fresh leaf is springing, Hark! the death volley around them is ringing! Murmuring low in death, "Tell to our sons how their fathers have died;" Nerveless the iron hand, Raised for its native land, Lies by the weapon that gleams at its side. Over the hill-sides the wild knell is tolling, Fast on the soldier's path Long have they gathered and loud shall they fall Blazing and clanging from thicket and wall. Gaily the plume of the horseman was dancing, Torn is the silken-fringed red cross on high; Low on the turf shall rest, Ere the dark hunters the herd have passed by. Snow-girdled crags where the hoarse wind is raving, Over the darkened hills, Far as the sunshine streams over the plain, Roused by the tyrant band, Girded for battle, from mountain to main. Green be the graves where her martyrs are lying! Spread her broad banner to storm and to sun; Wide as o'er land and sea Floats the fair emblem her heroes have won. Ex. XXXV.-ADDRESS OF THE CONGRESS OF MASSACHUSETTS BAY TO THE INHABITANTS OF GREAT BRITAIN. April 26, 1775. FRIENDS AND FELLOW SUBJECTS: Hostilities are at length commenced in this colony by the troops under the command of General Gage, and it being of the greatest importance that an early, true and authentic account of this inhuman proceeding should be known to you, the Congress of this colony think it proper to address you on the alarming occasion. By the clearest depositions relative to this transaction, it will appear that on the night preceding the 19th of April, instant, a body of the king's troops, under command of Colonel Smith, were secretly landed at Cambridge, with an apparent design to take or destroy the military and other stores, provided for the defence of this colony, and deposited at Concord that some inhabitants of the colony, on the night aforesaid, whilst travelling peaceably on the road between Boston and Concord were seized and greatly abused by armed men, who appeared to be officers of General Gage's army-that the town of Lexington, by these means, was alarmed, and a company of the inhabitants mustered on the occasion-that the regular troops on their way to Concord, marched into the said town of Lexington, and the said company, on their ap ADDRESS TO THE INHABITANTS OF GREAT BRITAIN. 59 proach, began to disperse-that, notwithstanding this, the regulars rushed on with great violence and first began hostilities, by firing on said Lexington company, whereby they killed eight, and wounded several others-that the regulars continued their fire, until those of said company who were neither killed nor wounded, had made their escape-that Colonel Smith, with the detachment, then marched to Concord, where a number of provincials were again fired on by the troops, two of them killed and several wounded, before the provincials fired on them—and that these hostile measures of the troops produced an engagement that lasted through the day, in which many of the provincials, and more of the regular troops, were killed and wounded. To give a particular account of the ravages of the troops, as they retreated from Concord to Charlestown, would be very difficult, if not impracticable; let it suffice to say, that a great number of the houses on the road were plundered and rendered unfit for use; several were burnt; women in child-bed were driven by the soldiery naked into the streets; old men remaining peaceably in their houses were shot dead, and such scenes exhibited as would disgrace the annals of the most uncivilized nation. . These, brethren, are marks of ministerial vengeance against this colony for refusing, with her sister colonies, a submission to slavery; but they have not yet detached us from our royal sovereign. We profess to be his loyal and dutiful subjects, and so hardly dealt with as we have been, are still ready, with our lives and fortunes, to defend his person, family, crown and dignity. Nevertheless, to the persecution and tyranny of his cruel ministry, we will not tamely submit; appealing to Heaven for the justice of our cause, we determine to die or be free. We can not think that the honor, wisdom and valor of Britons will suffer them to be longer inactive spectators of measures in which they themselves are so deeply interested -measures pursued in opposition to the solemn protests of many noble lords, and expressed sense of conspicuous commoners, whose knowledge and virtue have long characterized them as some of the greatest men in the nation-measures executed contrary to the interests, petitions, and resolves of many large, respectable and opulent counties, cities, and boroughs in Great Britain-measures highly incompatible with justice, but still pursued with a specious pretence of easing the nation of its burthens-measures which, if successful, must end in the ruin and slavery of Britain, as well as the persecuted American colonies. We sincerely hope that the Great Sovereign of the Universe, who hath so often appeared for the English nation, will support you in every rational and manly exertion with these colonies, for saving it from ruin, and that, in a constitutional connection with the mother country, we shall soon be altogether a free and happy people. Ex. XXXVI.—WAR INEVITABLE. Speech in the Continental Congress, 1775. PATRICK HENRY. MR. PRESIDENT: It is natural for man to indulge in the illusions of hope. We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth; and listen to the song of that syren till she turns us into beasts. Is this the part of wise men, engaged in a great and arduous struggle for liberty? Are we disposed to be of the number of those who, having eyes, see not, and having ears, hear not, the things which so nearly concern our temporal salvation? For my part, whatever anguish of spirit it may cost, I am willing to know the whole truth; to know the worst, and to provide for it. I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided; and that is the lamp of experience. I know of no way of judg ing of the future but by the past. And judging by the past, I wish to know what there has been in the conduct of the British ministry for the last ten years to justify those hopes with which gentlemen have been pleased to solace themselves and the house? Is it that insidious smile with which our petition has been lately received? Trust it not, Sir: it will prove a snare to your feet. Suffer not yourselves to be be * Patrick Henry was a born orator. With very little preparatory study, and after a youth spent in agricultural and mercantile pursuits, he began to practise law, and distinguished himself so much in his profession that he was soon called into public life, where he filled one office after another until the new government was fairly in operation, after which he resumed his attendance at the bar. His powers of oratory are said by those who heard him to have been indescribable, and this is given as a reason why so few of his speeches have come down to us, except traditionally. He was a native of Virginia, and died in the same year with Washington. trayed with a kiss. Ask yourselves how this gracious reception of our petition comports with those warlike preparations which cover our waters and darken our land. Are fleets and armies necessary to a work of love and reconciliation? Have we shown ourselves so unwilling to be reconciled that force must be called in to win back our love? Let us not deceive ourselves, Sir. These are the implements of war and subjugation-the last arguments to which kings resort. I ask gentlemen, Sir, what means this martial array, if its purpose be not to force us to submission? Can gentlemen assign any other possible motive for it? Has Great Britain any enemy in this quarter of the world, to call for all this accumulation of navies and armies? No, Sir, she has none. They are meant for us; they can be meant for no other. They are sent over to bind and rivet upon us those chains which the British ministry have been so long forging. And what have we to oppose to them? Shall we try argument? Sir, we have been trying that for the last ten years. Have we anything new to offer upon the subject? Nothing. We have held the subject up in every light of which it is capable; but it has been all in vain. Shall we resort to entreaty and humble supplication? What terms shall we find which have not been already exhausted? Let us not, I beseech you, Sir, deceive ourselves longer. Sir, we have done everything that could be done to avert the storm which is now coming on. We have petitioned-we have remonstrated-we have supplicated-we have prostrated ourselves before the throne, and have implored its interposition to arrest the tyrannical hands of the ministry and parliament. Our petitions have been slighted; our remonstrances have produced additional violence and insult: our supplications have been disregarded; and we have been spurned, with contempt, from the foot of the throne. In vain, after these things, may we indulge the fond hope of peace and reconciliation. There is no longer any room for hope. If we wish to be free-if we mean to preserve inviolate those inestimable privileges for which we have been so long contending-if we mean not basely to abandon the noble struggle in which we have been so long engaged, and which we have pledged ourselves never to abandon, until the glorious object of our contest shall be obtained-we must fight! I repeat it, Sir, we must fight!! An appeal to arms, and to the God of Hosts, is all that is left us. They tell us, Sir, that we are weak-unable to cope with |