History of Westchester County, New York, Vol. I
"happy and flourishing Continent: At this most "interesting period, it is the duty of every indi- " vidual, for the good of himself and posterity, to " pursue that course which conscience dictates to be " right. No one, if impartial, can be at a loss for the " clue of direction, the object is plain to every honest, "tho' ever so illiterate capacity: The loyalty we owe " to the best of Kings is the grand magnetic point, "that will infallibly fix us on a solid basis. There are " none amongst us (if we cooly reflect) but what will " find themselves bound by the strongest ties of grati- "tude, to acknowledge that we have been, and still " may be, the happiest people on earth, under the "glorious and unparalelled constitution of Great "Britain! And if prejudice, popular declamations, "and the hateful current of party faction, are not too " strong for truth and matters of fact ; we must allow " that the grand pitch of commerce we have arrived "at, the progress we have made in arts and sciences; "the amazing repadity in extending, settling and im- " proving our land estates ; the magnificent appear- " ance and flourishing condition of our towering cit- " ies ; the opulence of the inhabitants, and every other " blessing under God which we do, and still may en- "joy, derived their origin from, and have their exis- "tence in the laws, the lenity, and the unlimited " indulgence of our parent state ; which has hitherto " protected us, is ever able, and would be ready, if we " deserve it, to defend us against all invadere of our " peace and tranquility, by sending to our support the "terror of the universe, the British Arms! -- For a " proof of this let us revert to the late war, when the "French and Savages with fire and sword, were rav- " aging the country ; when the cries of murder and "scalj)ing were echoed from everj' quarter of the " woods ; the infants brains dashed out before the eyes " of its afflicted parents ; the parents tortured to death " by the horrid and shocking barbarities of the Indi- ■' ans ; and numbers flying from their habitations, ex- " posed to famine, and every species of distress.