下载辰思小说免费APP
IhadbythistimesocompletelygainedtheearandconfidenceofAmerica,andmyownindependencewasbecomesovisible,astogivemearangeinpoliticalwritingbeyond,perhaps,whatanymaneverpossessedinanycountry,and,whatismoreextraordinary,Ihelditundiminishedtotheendofthewar,andenjoyitinthesamemannertothepresentmoment。Asmyobjectwasnotmyself,Isetoutwiththedetermination,andhappilywiththedisposition,ofnotbeingmovedbypraiseorcensure,friendshiporcalumny,norofbeingdrawnfrommypurposebyanypersonalaltercation,andthemanwhocannotdothisisnotfitforapubliccharacter。
WhenthewarendedIwentfromPhiladelphiatoBorden—Town,ontheeastbankoftheDelaware,whereIhaveasmallplace。
CongresswasatthistimeatPrince—Town,fifteenmilesdistant,andGeneralWashingtonhadtakenhisheadquartersatRockyHill,withintheneighbourhoodofCongress,forthepurposeofresigninguphiscommission（theobjectforwhichheaccepteditbeingaccomplished）,andofretiringtoprivatelife。WhilehewasonthisbusinesshewrotemetheletterwhichIheresubjoin:
"Rocky—Hill,Sept。10,1783。
"IhavelearnedsinceIhavebeenatthisplacethatyouareatBorden—Town。
WhetherforthesakeofretirementoreconomyI
knownot。Beitforeither,forboth,orwhateveritmay,ifyouwillcometothisplace,andpartakewithme,Ishallbeexceedinglyhappytoseeyouatit。
"YourpresencemayremindCongressofyourpastservicestothiscountry,andifitisinmypowertoimpressthem,commandmybestexertionswithfreedom,astheywillberenderedcheerfullybyonewhoentertainsalivelysenseoftheimportanceofyourworks,andwho,withmuchpleasure,subscribeshimself,Yoursincerefriend,G。WASHINGTON。"
Duringthewar,inthelatterendoftheyear1780,IformedtomyselfadesignofcomingovertoEngland,andcommunicatedittoGeneralGreene,whowastheninPhiladelphiaonhisroutetothesouthward,GeneralWashingtonbeingthenattoogreatadistancetocommunicatewithimmediately。IwasstronglyimpressedwiththeideathatifIcouldgetovertoEnglandwithoutbeingknown,andonlyremaininsafetytillIcouldgetoutapublication,thatIcouldopentheeyesofthecountrywithrespecttothemadnessandstupidityofitsGovernment。IsawthatthepartiesinParliamenthadpittedthemselvesasfarastheycouldgo,andcouldmakenonewimpressionsoneachother。GeneralGreeneenteredfullyintomyviews,buttheaffairofArnoldandAndrehappeningjustafter,hechangedhismind,understrongapprehensionsformysafety,wroteverypressinglytomefromAnnapolis,inMaryland,togiveupthedesign,which,withsomereluctance,Idid。SoonafterthisIaccompaniedColonelLawrens,sonofMr。Lawrens,whowasthenintheTower,toFranceonbusinessfromCongress。WelandedatL\'Orient,andwhileIremainedthere,hebeinggoneforward,acircumstanceoccurredthatrenewedmyformerdesign。AnEnglishpacketfromFalmouthtoNewYork,withtheGovernmentdispatchesonboard,wasbroughtintoL\'Orient。Thatapacketshouldbetakenisnoextraordinarything,butthatthedispatchesshouldbetakenwithitwillscarcelybecredited,astheyarealwaysslungatthecabinwindowinabagloadedwithcannon—ball,andreadytobesunkatamoment。Thefact,however,isasIhavestatedit,forthedispatchescameintomyhands,andIreadthem。
Thecapture,asIwasinformed,succeededbythefollowingstratagem:—Thecaptainofthe"Madame"privateer,whospokeEnglish,oncomingupwiththepacket,passedhimselfforthecaptainofanEnglishfrigate,andinvitedthecaptainofthepacketonboard,which,whendone,hesentsomeofhisownhandsback,andhesecuredthemail。Butbethecircumstanceofthecapturewhatitmay,IspeakwithcertaintyastotheGovernmentdispatches。TheyweresentuptoParistoCountVergennes,andwhenColonelLawrensandmyselfreturnedtoAmericawetooktheoriginalstoCongress。
BythesedispatchesIsawintothestupidityoftheEnglishCabinetfarmorethanIotherwisecouldhavedone,andIrenewedmyformerdesign。ButColonelLawrenswassounwillingtoreturnalone,moreespeciallyas,amongothermatters,wehadachargeofupwardsoftwohundredthousandpoundssterlinginmoney,thatIgaveintohiswishes,andfinallygaveupmyplan。
ButIamnowcertainthatifIcouldhaveexecuteditthatitwouldnothavebeenaltogetherunsuccessful。
29。Itisdifficulttoaccountfortheoriginofcharterandcorporationtowns,unlesswesupposethemtohavearisenoutof,orbeenconnectedwith,somespeciesofgarrisonservice。Thetimesinwhichtheybeganjustifythisidea。Thegeneralityofthosetownshavebeengarrisons,andthecorporationswerechargedwiththecareofthegatesofthetowns,whennomilitarygarrisonwaspresent。Theirrefusingorgrantingadmissiontostrangers,whichhasproducedthecustomofgiving,selling,andbuyingfreedom,hasmoreofthenatureofgarrisonauthoritythancivilgovernment。Soldiersarefreeofallcorporationsthroughoutthenation,bythesameproprietythateverysoldierisfreeofeverygarrison,andnootherpersonsare。Hecanfollowanyemployment,withthepermissionofhisofficers,inanycorporationtownsthroughoutthenation。
30。SeeSirJohnSinclair\'sHistoryoftheRevenue。Theland—taxin1646wasL2,473,499。
31。SeveralofthecourtnewspapershaveoflatemadefrequentmentionofWatTyler。Thathismemoryshouldbetraducedbycourtsycophantsandanthosewholiveonthespoilofapublicisnottobewonderedat。Hewas,however,themeansofcheckingtherageandinjusticeoftaxationinhistime,andthenationowedmuchtohisvalour。Thehistoryisconciselythis:—InthetimeofRichardII。apolltaxwasleviedofoneshillingperheaduponeverypersoninthenationofwhateverestateorcondition,onpooraswellasrich,abovetheageoffifteenyears。
Ifanyfavourwasshowninthelawitwastotherichratherthantothepoor,asnopersoncouldbechargedmorethantwentyshillingsforhimself,familyandservants,thougheversonumerous;whileallotherfamilies,underthenumberoftwentywerechargedperhead。Polltaxeshadalwaysbeenodious,butthisbeingalsooppressiveandunjust,itexcitedasitnaturallymust,universaldetestationamongthepoorandmiddleclasses。
ThepersonknownbythenameofWatTyler,whosepropernamewasWalter,andatilerbytrade,livedatDeptford。Thegathererofthepolltax,oncomingtohishouse,demandedtaxforoneofhisdaughters,whomTylerdeclaredwasundertheageoffifteen。Thetax—gathererinsistedonsatisfyinghimself,andbegananindecentexaminationofthegirl,which,enragingthefather,hestruckhimwithahammerthatbroughthimtotheground,andwasthecauseofhisdeath。Thiscircumstanceservedtobringthediscontenttoanissue。TheinhabitantsoftheneighbourhoodespousedthecauseofTyler,whoinafewdayswasjoined,accordingtosomehistories,byupwardsoffiftythousandmen,andchosentheirchief。WiththisforcehemarchedtoLondon,todemandanabolitionofthetaxandaredressofothergrievances。
TheCourt,findingitselfinaforlorncondition,and,unabletomakeresistance,agreed,withRichardatitshead,toholdaconferencewithTylerinSmithfield,makingmanyfairprofessions,courtier—like,ofitsdispositionstoredresstheoppressions。WhileRichardandTylerwereinconversationonthesematters,eachbeingonhorseback,Walworth,thenMayorofLondon,andoneofthecreaturesoftheCourt,watchedanopportunity,andlikeacowardlyassassin,stabbedTylerwithadagger,andtwoorthreeothersfallinguponhim,hewasinstantlysacrificed。Tylerappearstohavebeenanintrepiddisinterestedmanwithrespecttohimself。AllhisproposalsmadetoRichardwereonamorejustandpublicgroundthanthosewhichhadbeenmadetoJohnbytheBarons,andnotwithstandingthesycophancyo
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