"But, my countrymen, will you suffer thus rudely to be wrested from you, that goodly inheritance of LIBERTY, which was bequeathed to you by your gallant fathers? Will you thus tamely suffer to be frustrated all the glorious designs of God towards you and your children? For look but around on this great land, which he has given you, and yon bright heavens, which he has spread over your favored heads, and say whether he ever intended those mighty scenes to be the prison-house of slaves? -- the trembling slaves of a small island beyond the sea? -- hewers of wood and drawers of water, planters of rice and pickers of cotton, for a foreign tyrant and his minions? No, my friends, God never intended you for such dishonor -- and can you be so wicked as to bring it on yourselves? I trust you will not. Nay, the voices of your brave countrymen in Congress, have said YOU WILL NOT, and anticipating your heroic sentiments, have already declared you a "FREE AND INDEPENDENT PEOPLE!" "And now my gallant friends, are you willing to confirm their glorious deed? Are you willing this day, in the sight of heaven, to swear allegiance to the sovereignty of your country, and to place her in the highest rank of nations, by proclaiming her INDEPENDENT?" In a moment the air resounded with "Yes! yes! independence! independence for ever! God save the independent states of America!" The oath of allegiance was then tendered to the troops. The officers with great alacrity took it first, which highly pleased the common soldiers, who readily followed their patriotic example. Soon as the solemn rite was performed, the governor ordered a `feu de joie'. Instantly at the welcome word, "handle arms", the eager warriors struck their fire-locks, loud ringing through all their ranks; and presenting their pieces, rent the air with fierce platoons; while the deep-throated cannon like surly bull-dogs, rolled their louder thunders along the field; then madly bounding back on their rattling wheels, they told to fancy's ear, "Freedom's sons are we, and d--n the villains that would make us slaves!" Chapter 6. Times growing squally -- the author sets out a vagrant hunting -- gets into hot water -- narrowly escapes with his life -- catches a host of vagabonds, but learns from experience, that, though a rascal may do to stop a bullet, 'tis only the man of honor that can make a good soldier. "The devil," said George Whitefield, "is fond of fishing in muddy waters" -- hence it is, I suppose, that that grand demagogue has always been so fond of war -- that sunshine and basking time of rogues, which calls them out, thick as May-day sun calls out the rattle-snakes from their stony crannies.