Westchester County, New York, During the American Revolution

" ror and dismay are to assault us, all the British *' navy shall knock down our pompous cities ; thou- " sands and tens of thousands of forces are to crimson " o'er the spacious plains with blood ; Canadian big- 41 otry and persecution is to pour in upon us from " the North ; the Indians, with horrid barbarity, are " to torment us from the West ; and perhaps pesti- " lence and Spaniards from the South. -- This, ye sor- '' did mortals, is the true picture of your base hearts ; " this is the scene, on which you could feast your " eyes with rapture, provided the rocks and the " mountains might cover you. -- But now let me tell " you, that were all this possible, there are fifteen out " of twenty, throughout this vast continent, all Free- " dom's sons, whose blood is neither contaminated " with paltry bribe, or coward fear ; who would face " all this terror, rather than sell their birthright for a " mess of pottage, or be a means of transmitting mis- " ery and infamy to their posterity.

" But, O ye men of Cortlandt, let us for a moment " view the windings of that arch serpent which hath ■" beguiled you ; with what pleasing sensations, he " surveys your fine fields, your harvests, and your "herds; and how he commends and admires the ■"trickling drops that pour down your brows; no " doubt these are delicious charms to him ; yet, one ■" thing on your part, is absolutely necessary ; and " that is, your loyalty, only establish that, and he can " easily take care of the rest of your business. -- With " what elegance of stile he describes your fertile " plains, your splendid cities, your noble towers, and "" the oppulence of your marts, which has poured all " the riches of the globe into your laps ! and all this, " thro : the paternal indulgence of a tender mother.