42 
at 
length, 
having 
decided 
with 
himself, 
he 
stopped, 
and 
addressed 
the follow- 
her in nearly 
ing 
words : 
ct Madam: 
have 
always 
esteemed 
y0Ll1' 
character 
and 
endowments, 
I am fully 
and 
sensible of 
which you are 
the noble principles by 
actuated 
OH 
this 
occasion ; 
1101' 
has 
any man in 
the whole continent 
IIIOPB 
confidence 
in 
the 
tegrity of his friend, 
have in the honour of 
than 
Duchey. 
But 
I 
am 
here 
entrusted 
by 
the 
people of America with sovereign authority. 
They 
have 
placed 
their 
lives 
and 
fortunes 
at 
my 
dis- 
PO53-1: 
because 
they 
believe 
H16 
to 
be 
an 
honest 
IIIHIL 
Were 
L 
therefore, 
to 
desert 
their 
cause, 
and consign them again to the British, what would 
be the consequence? 
to myself perpetual infamy; 
and to them endless calamity. 
The seeds of ever- 
lasting 
division 
are 
SOWII 
between 
the two coun- 
tries ; 
and, 
to become our 
were the British again 
masters, 
they 
would 
have 
to 
maintain 
their 
minion 
by force, 
and 
would, 
after 
all, 
retain 
US 
in subjection only so long as they could holdbtheir 
bayonets 
to 
our breasts. 
Madam, 
the 
Pro. 
posal of Mr. Duchey, 
though conceived with the 
best intention, is not framed in wisdom. 
America 
and 
England 
must 
be 
separate 
states ; 
but 
theY