,VH<-»e HSi - KggSBM HIB ■VV fcS^dL NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE Washington Founded 1836 U. S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare Public Health Service m AN OR A T I O N D £ L t VE' Rl'B'D (, . i - -« March ^th, 1772. A T T H E Request of the INHABITANTS O F T H E TOWN of BOSTON; TO Commemorate, the. blolody TRAGEDY O F T H E FIFTH of March, ijjpizif >uis talia faBdo, Quis talia faB ' 'MyTrtnde and hereby are appointed a Committee to return the Thanks of this Town to Jofeph fFarren,Efq; for the Oration juft now delivered by him at their Requeft, in Commemoration of the horrid MalFacrc perpetrated on theEvening of the 5th of March, 1770, by aParty of Soldiers of the XXIXth Regiment; and to defire a Copy thereof foe the Pie&. -dttefi, William Ceppcr, Town-Clerks Gentlemen, HpHE generous Candor of my Fellow-Citizens prevails on me to give a Copy of what was Yefterday dflivered, fo* the Fsefs. I am>. Gentlemen, with much Refpecl, Your moft humble Servant, Josebr Warren. March 6, if}?. v;,i r i (v -jvive.nin :t AN O R A T ■ I O N. WHEN we turn over the hiftoric page, and trace the rife and fall of dates and empires ; the mighty revolu- tions which have fo often varied the face of the world ftrike our minds with, folemn furprize, and we are naturally led to endeavor to fearch out the caufes of fiich aflonifhing changes. That Man is formed fox ficud life, is an obfemtion which- upon our firft enquiry prefents itfelf immediately to our view, and our reafon approves that wife and geaerous principle which actuated the firft founders of eivil government; an inftitution which hath its origin in the weaknefs of individuals, and hath for its end, the Jlrength and fecwity of. all: And fo long as the means of effecting this important end, are thoroughly known and religiouijy attended to, Government is one of the richeft Bleffings to mankind, acd ought to be held in the higheft veneration* In. ■fv.e.-.iri. 6 An Oration. In young and new-formed communities, the gfffl^rlSfenrof tfjjlr.* ^/?• -:« " '' ^ ^ n w -■ ';,ii:-- '-'■ "; '•*•' - "* '' :"^' * c' * - ' '"' " '* lnltitutton is raoit generally understood, and moft flri&ly regarded ; the motive* whicfr urged to the focfal compact cannot be at once forgotten, and that equality which is remembered to have fubfifted fo lately among them, prevents thofe who are cloathed with authority from attempting to invade the freedom of their Brethren ; or if fuch an attempt is made, it prevents the community from fuffering the offender to go uppunifhed ; Efery member feels ft to be his intereft, and knows it to be his duty, to preferve inviolate the con- ' ftitution on which the public fafety depends*, and is equally ready to affift the Magiftrate in the execution of/the laws, and the fubjecT* in defence of his right; and fo long as this noble attachment to a conftitution, founded on free and Benevolent'principles exifts in lull vigor in any ftate, that ftzwi muft be flouriminjg and happy. ) . : ... Ao i *if' tu., hr ?. ■ , ';. ... •' ( '•• "> ... f,-" .:j;,7v! -i; , ; It was this noble attachment to a free constitution,-which raijed antient Rome from the fmalleft beginnings to that bright fummit of happinefs and glory to which (he arrived; and it was the lofs of this which plunged»k«r from that, fummit into1 the x£ in- famy and.ilavcry* y It was this attachment! whl^ttuiiifpirbd herfena-r tors withiwUcJom ; it was this which glsalwed in tbe<>breaflrs* of«her heroes ;-ic?»was^'/iJw'hif^iguardifidr;bdF'^bcruei, tod* extended 'her J dominions, gave peacb at home andjcommandedtr^efl: abroad?: Arid) when; this -decayed, her!magiiWates lotte their reverc^cde for ^juftice aria the'k\fo? ai^'degbnera^d" into'^tyrants' za&'Jfyptdla&U-jXxW'jfer , .iii&m ci z^.iTt .■ 'i.^i -•'•< ")o :>no si &-,err-•>/<>'> ./>» r rijwors: " *.Omnes ordihes ad c<>xiterv.wAawrett$&^^ltozvfch vqfcu^tef^utffy.vmiitv <. voce, con fen ti unc. x' Cicero. rrtim^or&fol ^f ^ir fiMr, ano^ fedUced %y tafe corruption, &tra^ of thdr relatioQ tfctfhe edMhiunhy, and urged W^'^ the hopes of plunder' and rapine, drffeelto#y^ enormities ; dnd hired to the trade of rkatfi, with reliefs' fury they perpetrated the moft cruel rHtirders; wliereby the 'Mets-Of'imperial Rome were drenched with hbrnob&/l ^bdd^rh\2s thhU^fsof the World loft her dominions aorbady andher mibltatiii 'dfflolufceVin their manners, at lengthy beeame'^ntcnted^i;^; and flie ^aftds to this day, the fcorn and' derifmrt of ri&ions, and a mohumdnt of this eternal truth, that PUBLIC'WVttNEtfS b^tVNDS ON A VIRTUOUS AND UNSHAKfN Vttach'ment to a free Constitution. i.i')l .i)*jl z; ! ••» >H?ri It was this attachment to a constitution, founded on free and benevolent principles,which infpired the nrft fettlers of this country: —The/faw with grief the daring outrages committed on the free constitution of their nativeeland—they knew that nothing but a civil war could at that time reftore it's priftinc purity. So hard was it to rcfolve to embrue their hands in the blood of their bre- thren, that they chofe rather to qpit their fair poSTeffions and feek another habitation in a diftant clime—When they came to this new world, which they fairly purchafed of the Indian natives, the only rightful proprietors, they cultivated the then barren foil by their inceiTant labor, and defended their dear-bought poSTeffions with the fortitude of the christian, and the bravery of th by wWch-all the liberties and immunities of BRITISH SUBJECTS were confirmed to this Pro- vince, as fully and as absolutely as' they poffibly could ebe by any human inftrument which, can be devifed* And^ it is undeniably true, that the greateft and moft-important right of a BritiSh fubjeft is, that hejhallbe governed by no laws but fhtjfe to which he either in perfon or by his reprefentative hath given his confent:' And this I will venture to aSTert, is the grand bafis of BritiSh freedom ; it is interwoven with the constitution ; and whenever this is loft, the oon- •SUtution anuft be deftroyed. Tfi e Briti/h conjlitution (of which ours is a copy) is £ happy compound .qf the three forms (under forae of which all govern- ments may be ranged) viz. Monarchy, Ariftpcracy, and Democracy : -Of thefe three the Briti/h Legijlature is compoSed, and without the eorifent of each branch, nothing can carry with it the force of a law : in mod cafes,^ either the ariftocratic or the democratic branch may prqpo& a law, and fuhmk it to the deliberation of the other two ; btit, when a law is to be paCed for railing a tax, that law can origi- nate only in the democratic branch, which i6 theHoufe of Commons in Biitain, and the Houfe of Reprefentaqyes here-----Thereafonis cvbvious : They, and their constituents are to pay much the largeft part An Oration, £ .part of it, but as the ariftrpcratic branch, which in Britain, is the Hoiife of Lords, and in this province, the Council, are alfo to pay fome part, their confent is neceSTary ; and as the monarchic branch, which in Britain is the King, and with us, either the King in peffon, or the Governor whom he Shall be pleafed to appoint to aft in his Stead, is fuppdfed to have a juft ferifc of his own interefl, which is that of all the fubjeas in general, his confent is alfo ne- ceSTary, and when the confent of thefe -three branches 4s obtained, the taxation is moft certainly legal. Xet us now allow ouffelves a few moment* to examine the late acls of the Bmttfh parliament for taxing America-----Let us with candor judge whether they are constitutionally binding upon us :— H" they are, in the name of justice let us fubmirto them, without one murmuring word. 'First, I would aik whether the members of the BritiSh Houfe of Commons are the Democracy of this Province \ if they are, they are either the people of this province, or are dieted by the people of this province, to reprefent them, and have therefore a con~ ftitutional right to originate a Bill for taxing them: It is moft certain they are neither; and therefore nothing done by them can be faid to be done by the democratic branch of our constitution. I would next aSk, whether the Lords who comppfe the aristocratic branch of the BritiSh legislature, arePeers of America? I never heard h was (even in thefe extraordinary times) fo much as pretended, ® and io An Oratton. and if they are not, certainly no aft of theirs can be laid to be the aa of the ariftocratic. branch of our constitution. The power of the monarchic branch we with pleaSure acknowledge,. reiides in the King, who may a# either in perfon or by his reprefentative ; and I freely confefs that I can fee no reafon why a PROCLAMATION for raifing money in America ilfued by the ffingsfole authority, would riot be equally confident with our constitution,.and therefore equally binding upon us with the late aSts, of the Briti/h parliament for taxing us ; for it is plain, that if there is any validity in thofe ails, it mufte arife altogether from the monarchical branch of the legislature : Audi further think that it would be at leaf!'as equitable; for I do not conseivei it\to be ofrthe leaft: importance to us by -whom* our- property is> taken away, Sbilang- as k is- taken without our! con- fent;., and.L am very-much at a^lofs to'know by*' what figure* of rhetoric, the inhabitants of this- province can be cajHed' r-r-ee' sub- jects, when they are obliged to obey implicitly, fuch laws as are made for them by men three thoufand miles off, whom they, know not, and: whom-they never, have im powered to aft for them ; or how they,can be faid to have property, when a body of-men over whom they have not the leaft controul, and who are not' in any way accountable to them, Shall oblige them to deliver up^ any part,. or the whole of their fubftance, without even afking their.confent : And yet, whoever pretends that the Jat&a&s of the BritiSh parliament for taxing America ought to be deemed Ending upon us, muft admit at once that;we are abfolute SLAVES, and>bave no property of our awn y or elfe that we may be Free-men, and at the fame time updef avJieccSIityof obeying, the arbitrary commands of thofe overr An^ Oration, 11 whom wc have no controul or influence } ,andi*hat wc paay have property .oj-ourow-n, which lis-entirety at the difpofal of ano- ther. 'Such .grokabfurdkies,!-believe will not be relifhed in thk enlightened .age : Andit can be no matter of wonder that the peo- ple quickly perceived* andferioufly complained of the inroads which thcfe aasjauft. unavoidably make upon their Liberty, and of the hazard to w.hjch tjieir .tuhdle property is by them expofed ; for, if they may be taxed without then* confent even the fmalleft trifle, they may alfo without their confent bedeprived of «vcry thing they poSTefs, although never fo 'valuable, never fo dear. Certainly it never entered the hearts of our ancestors,-that after fo many dangers in this thee defolate wildernefs, their hard-earned property Should be at the drf- pofal of the BritiSh parliament ; and as k was foon found that this taxation could not be fupported by reafon* and argument, it feemed neceffary that one a& of oppreiTion fliould be enforced by another, and therefore, contrary to our jtfft rights as poSTefllng, or at leaft having a juft title to poSTefs, all the liberties and immunities of BritiSh fubjeas, a landing army was established among us in time of peace; and evidently for the purpofe of effe&ing that, which it was oneprincipal defign of the founders of the constitution to pre- vent, (when they declared a itanding army in>time of peace to be AGAINST LAW) namely, for the enforcement of obedience to aas which upon fair examination appeared to be unjuft and uncoa- ■ftitutional. The 12 An Oration. The ruinous confluences of Standing armies to free communities may be feen in the histories ofSYRACUSE,RoME,and many other once flourishing States ; fomeof which have now fcarce a name ! Their baneful influence is moft'Suddenly felt, when they are placed in populous cities; for, by a corruption of morals,the public happinefs is im medi- ately afTeaed ; and that' this k one of the efFea's of quartering trooos in a populous* city, is* a truth, to which many a mourning parent, many a loft, defpairing child in this metropolis, muft bear avery me- lancholy teStimouy.—Soldiers- are alfo taught to confider arms as the only arbiters by which every diSpute is to be decided between con- tending States*;—they are inftruacd implicitly to obey their comman- ders, without enquiring into the juftice of thecaufe they are engaged to fupport .*• Hence it is, that they are ever to be dreaded "as the ready engines of tyranny and opprefllon.—And it is too obfervable that they are prone to introduce the fame mode of decision • in the difputes of individuals, and from thence have often arifen great ani- snofkies between them, and the inhabitants, who wh'ilft in a naked defeneelef* State, are frequently infulted andabufedby an armed fol- diery. And this will be more eSpeciallyythe cafe, when the troops are informed, that-trite intention of their being Stationed in any city, is to over awe t he I n H a b I t a NvTsv That, this was the avowed defign of Stationing an armed force in this town, is fufflciently known ; and we, my-fellpwrckizens have feen, w-E have felt the tragical effe'a's!— The FATAL FIFTH OF MARCH 1770, can never be for- GpTTEN-^The horrors of that dreadful night are but too deeply imprefled on our hearts—Language is too feeble to paint the en^UQns.of our fouls,when our Streets,were Stained with the blood, op. An Oration. 13 of our brethren,—when our ears were wounded by the groans of the dying, and our eyes were tormented with the Sight of the man- gled bodies of the dead.—When our alarmed imagination prefented to our view our houSes wrapr in flames,—our children fubjeaed to the barbarous caprice of the raging foldiery—our beauteous virgins expofed to all the infbleneeof unbridled paffion,—our virtuous wives endeared to us by every tender tie, falling a Sacrifice to tktm worfe than brutal violence, and perhaps like the famed Luc re ti a, dif- traaed with anguifh and defpair, ending their wretched lives by their own fair hands.—When we beheld the authors of our diftrefs parading in our Streets, or drawn up in regular battalia, as though in a hoftile city ; our hearts* beat to arm* ; we fnatched our weapons, almoft rc- folved by one decifive Stroke, to avenge the death of our slaugh- tered brethren, and to fecure from future danger, all that we held moft dear : But propitious heaven forbad the bloody carnage, and faved the threatned viaims of our too keen refentment, not by their difcipline, not by their regular array,----no, it was royal George's livery that proved their Shield—it was that which turned the pointed engines of deftruaion from their breafts.'f The thoughts of vengeance were foon buried in our inbred afFeaion to Great- Britain, and calm realbn diaated a method of removing the troops more mild than an immediate recouxfe tothefword. With united efforts f I have the ftrongeft reafon to believe that I have mentioned the only eifeumfUnce, which faved the troops from deftruclion. It was then, and now is, the opinion of thofe who were beft acquainted with the (late of affairs at that time, that had thrice that number of troops, belonging to any power at open war with us,, been in this town in the fame expofed condition* fcarce a man would havre lived tp have feen the morning light. 14 >An Oration. efforts you urged the immediate departure of the troops frorn the town —you urged it, with a refolution which enfured fuccefs—r—you obtained your wifhes, and tl^e removal of fhe troops was erTeaed, without one drop of their blood -being fhed by the inhabitants.! The immediate aaors in the:«tragedynbf that night were furren^iled to juftice.-r—