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An Humble Address and Earnest Appeal to Those Respectable Personages in Great-Britain and Ireland, Who, by Their Great and Permanent Interest in Landed Property, Their Liberal Education, Elevated Rank, and Enlarged Views, Are the Ablest to Judge, and the Fittest to Decide, Whether a Connection with, Or a Separation from the Continental Colonies of America, Be Most for the National Advantage, and the Lasting Benefit of These KingdomsTucker, Josiah

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An Humble Address and Earnest Appeal to Those Respectable Personages in Great-Britain and Ireland, Who, by Their Great and Permanent Interest in Landed Property, Their Liberal Education, Elevated Rank, and Enlarged Views, Are the Ablest to Judge, and the Fittest to Decide, Whether a Connection with, Or a Separation from the Continental Colonies of America, Be Most for the National Advantage, and the Lasting Benefit of These Kingdoms

Name: An Humble Address and Earnest Appeal to Those Respectable Personages in Great-Britain and Ireland, Who, by Their Great and Permanent Interest in Landed Property, Their Liberal Education, Elevated Rank, and Enlarged Views, Are the Ablest to Judge, and the Fittest to Decide, Whether a Connection with, Or a Separation from the Continental Colonies of America, Be Most for the National Advantage, and the Lasting Benefit of These Kingdoms
Author: Tucker, Josiah

Tucker, Josiah

Great Britain -- Colonies -- America -- Early works to 1800; United States -- Politics and government -- 1775-1783

The Minutes which I took at that Time relative to this Affair, and which I
intended to have inserted in the Body of this Treatise, were the
following, that the leading Men in the Government of the Province of
_Massachusets_, had, some Time before their famous Expedition against
_Cape Breton_, been guilty of certain Mal-Practices in the Administration
of public Affairs, for which they were in Danger of being called to an
Account. That in order to divert the Storm, and to throw a Barrel to the
Whale, they projected the Plan of an Expedition, knowing the Temper of the
_English_, and their Rage for Conquests. Therefore, hearing that the
Fortifications of _Cape Breton_ were very ruinous, and the Garrison both
weak and mutinous for Want of Pay, Cloathing, and Provisions, they bent
their Forces against this Place. The Scheme succeeded, and _Cape Breton_
was yielded up; but the Joy of the _English_ Nation knew no Bounds: For
the People, from the highest to the lowest, were so intoxicated with
Notions of the Importance of this Port, [tho' now it is evident, that it
is a very useless one if compared with others] that they forgot every
other Idea in the general Transport; so that the Planners and Conductors
of the Expedition, instead of their being called to an Account for their
former Misdemeanors, found themselves caressed and applauded by the whole
Nation; and to crown all, the Parliament itself voted a prodigious Sum of
Money to reimburse the _New-Englanders_ for their Expences, and their
Services in this glorious Work.

This, I say, or to this Effect, was the Account which I received;--and
which I believe in my own Mind, will be found to be for the most Part very
true, when it can be very thoroughly _examined into_. But as I have been
hurried, by the _early_ Meeting of Parliament, to publish the present
Treatise at least three Months sooner than intended, I cannot at present
_authenticate_ Facts and Dates in the Manner I wish to do, in an Affair of
such Importance. Therefore I give this public Notice, that I build nothing
on the present Narration; and I only offer it (because not corroborated by
sufficient Evidence) as a probable Case, and as my own Opinion.

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