The Life of General Francis Marion — John Locke — John Shaqi
The Life of General Francis Marion
John Locke · en
Some short time before this date, 1779-80, when the war began to rage
in South Carolina, a British captain by the name of Ardeisoff
came up to Georgetown in an armed vessel, and filled the country
with printed proclamations from lord Cornwallis, calling on
the GOOD PEOPLE of South Carolina to submit and take royal protections!!
Numbers of the ignorant and pusillanimous sort closed with the offer.
But the nobler ones of the district, (Williamsburgh,)
having no notion of selling their liberties for a `pig in a poke',
called a caucus of their own, from whom they selected captain John James,
and sent him down to master captain Ardeisoff, to know what he would be at.
This captain James, by birth an Irishman, had rendered himself
so popular in the district, that he was made a militia captain
under the royal government. But in '75, soon as he found that the ministry
were determined to tax the Americans, without allowing them
the common British right of representation, he bravely
threw up his commission, declaring that he would never serve a TYRANT.
Such was the gentleman chosen by the aforesaid liberty caucus,
to go on the embassy before mentioned. In the garb of a plain planter,
James presented himself before the haughty captain Ardeisoff,
and politely asked "on what terms himself and friends must submit?"
"What terms, sir!" replied the angry Briton, "what terms! why, no other terms,
you may be sure, than unconditional submission."
"Well but sir," answered James, very calmly, "are we not to be allowed
to stay at home in peace and quiet?"
"In peace and quiet, indeed!" replied Ardeisoff, with a sarcastic grin;
"a pretty story, truly! Stay at home in peace and quiet, heh? No, no, sir,
you have all rebelled against your king; and if treated as you deserve,
would now be dancing like dogs at the arms of the gallows.
But his majesty is merciful, sir; and now that he has graciously pardoned you,
he expects you will immediately take up arms and turn out
in support of his cause."
"You are very candid, sir," said James; "and now I hope
you will not be displeased with me for being equally plain.
Permit me, then, sir, to tell you that such terms will never go down
with the gentlemen whom I have the honor to represent."
"The gentlemen you have the honor to represent, you d--n-d rebel!"
Vesuvius! Aetna! and Strumbolo! what are your fires and flames,
compared with those that raged in the bosom of James,
when he heard himself called a d--n-d rebel!