This Bumper I crown for our Sovereign's Health,
And this for Britannia's Glory and Wealth;
That Wealth and that Glory immortal may be,
If She is but just—and if we are but free.
In Freedom we're born, & in Freedom we'll live,
Our Purses are ready,
Steady, Friends, Steady,
Not as Slaves, but as Freemen our Money we'll give.
The following extract from the London "Chronicle" of October 4, 1768, demonstrates how completely the arguments and logic of the "Farmer's Letters" gained popular approval; how constantly Dickinson's name was kept before the public, both at home and abroad; how his fame was toasted; how he was recognized as the leader of political thought in the colonies. It shows also the constantly increasing interest in American matters taken by the press of England since the advent of the "Farmer's Letters," for the "American News," published in this and other London papers, was extensively reprinted in the local journals throughout the kingdom.
Taken from the Boston, in New England, Evening Post of August 22, 1768
On Monday the fifteenth instant, the anniversary of the ever memorable Fourteenth of August, was celebrated by the Sons of Liberty in this Town, with extraordinary festivity. At this Dawn, the British Flag was displayed on the Tree of Liberty, and a Discharge of Fourteen Cannon, ranged under the venerable Elm, saluted the joyous Day. At eleven o'clock, a very large Company of the principal Gentlemen and respectable Inhabitants of the Town, met at the Hall under the Tree, while the Streets were crowded with a Concourse of People of all Ranks, public Notice having been given of the intended Celebration. The Musick began at high Noon, performed on various Instruments, joined with Voices; and concluding with the universally admired American Song of Liberty,[4] the Grandeur of its Sentiment, and the easy Flow of its Numbers, together with an exquisite Harmony of Sound, afforded sublime Entertainment to a numerous Audience, fraught with a noble Ardour in the cause of Freedom: The Song was clos'd with the Discharge of Cannon and a Shout of Joy; at the same time the Windows of the Neighbouring Houses, were adorned with a brilliant appearance of the fair Daughters of Liberty, who testified their Approbation by Smiles of Satisfaction. The following Toasts succeeded, viz.
The following toasts may need brief explanation.—R. T. H. H.:
1. Our rightful Sovereign George the Third.
2. The Queen, Prince of Wales, and the rest of the Royal Family.
3. The Sons of Liberty throughout the World.
4. The glorious Administration of 1766.
4. The Rockingham Ministry which repealed the Stamp Act.
5. A perpetual Union of Great Britain and her Colonies, upon the immutable Principles of Justice and Equity.
6. May the sinister Designs of Oppressors, both in Great Britain and America, be for ever defeated.
7. May the common Rights of Mankind be established on the Ruin of all their Enemies.
8. Paschal Paoli and his brave Corsicans. May they never want the Support of the Friends of Liberty.
8. The struggles of Paoli and the Corsicans excited great interest both in Great Britain and America. Constant references are made to these in the "Letters."
9. The memorable 14th of August, 1765.
9. The day of the demonstration in Boston against the Stamp Officers. Daybreak disclosed hanging on a tree an effigy of the Stamp Officer Oliver. After hanging all day, at nightfall it was taken down by the Sons of Liberty, who placed it on a bier and escorted it through the principal streets in Boston to the home of Oliver, where, in the presence of a large number of people, it was burned.
10. Magna Charta, and the Bill of Rights.
11. A speedy Repeal of unconstitutional Acts of Parliament, and a final Removal of illegal and oppressive Officers.
12. The Farmer.
12. John Dickinson.
13. John Wilkes, Esq.; and all independent Members of the British Parliament.
14. The glorious Ninety-Two who defended the Rights of America, uninfluenced by the Mandates of a Minister, and undaunted by the threats of a Governor.
14. On the 11th day of February, 1768, the Assembly of Massachusetts adopted and sent to the various Colonial Assemblies a circular letter drawn up by Samuel Adams, informing them of the contents of a petition which the Massachusetts Assembly had sent to the King. This letter also urged united action against the oppressive measures of the Ministry, and gave great offense to the King and Ministry. The Secretary for the Colonies, Lord Hillsborough, instructed Governor Bernard of Massachusetts to order the Assembly to rescind this letter, and in case of refusal to dissolve this body. After a thorough discussion this request was refused by a vote of "ninety-two" to "seventeen."
Which being finished, the French horns sounded; and after another discharge of the cannon, compleating the number Ninety-Two, the gentlemen in their carriages repaired to the Greyhound Tavern in Roxbury, where a frugal and elegant entertainment was provided. The music played during the repast: After which the following toasts were given out, and the repeated discharge of cannon spoke the general assent.
1. The King.
2. Queen and Royal Family.
3. Lord Cambden.
3. A strenuous upholder of the Constitutional rights of the Colonies and a strong defender in the House of Lords of the doctrine, "No taxation without representation." Contemporary writers frequently spelt Camden's name as above.
4. Lord Chatham.
5. Duke of Richmond.
5. Another friend of America in the same body.
6. Marquis of Rockingham.
6. Under whose ministry the Stamp Act was repealed.
7. General Conway.
7. The leader in the House of Commons during the Rockingham Ministry.
8. Lord Dartmouth.
8. President of the Board of Trade in the Rockingham Ministry, much loved in the Colonies. Dartmouth College bears his name.
9. Earl of Chesterfield.
9. A warm adherent of America.
10. Colonel Barre.
10. The companion of Wolfe at Quebec; in replying to Townsend during one of the debates over the passage of the Stamp Acts he characterized the Americans as "Sons of Liberty," a term which immediately was applied throughout the Colonies to those who were resenting the interference of Parliament with their home government.
11. General Howard.
11. A member of Parliament from Stamford who was active in obtaining the repeal of the Stamp Act.
12. Sir George Saville.
12. Represented Yorkshire in the House of Commons; a strong supporter of the Rockingham Ministry.
13. Sir William Meredith.
13. Member of Parliament from Liverpool. Lord of the Admiralty
14. Sir William Baker.
14. Also energetic in securing the repeal of the Stamp Act.
15. John Wilkes, Esq., and a Speedy Reversal of his outlawry.
15. The struggles of Wilkes excited keen interest in America.
16. The Farmer of Pennsylvania.
16. It is noted that this was the second time Dickinson's health was drunk that day. No other American residing in this country was toasted.
17. The Massachusetts Ninety-Two.
18. Prosperity and Perpetuity to the British Empire, on Constitutional Principles.
19. North America: And her fair Daughters of Liberty.
20. The illustrious Patriots of the Kingdom of Ireland.
20. In Letter X Dickinson warns against the fate of Ireland.
21. The truly heroic Paschal Paoli, and all the brave Corsicans.
22. The downfall of arbitrary and despotic Power in all Parts of the Earth; and Liberty without Licentiousness to all mankind.
23. A perpetual Union and Harmony between Great Britain and the Colonies, on the Principles of the Original Compact.
24. To the immortal Memory of that Hero of Heroes William the Third.
25. The speedy Establishment of a wise and permanent administration.
26. The right noble Lords, and very worthy Commoners, who voted for the Repeal of the stamp Act from Principle.
27. Dennis De Berdt, Esq; and all the true Friends of America in Great Britain, and those of Great Britain in America.
27. The agent of Massachusetts in London.
28. The respectable Towns of Salem, Ipswich and Marblehead, with all the Absentees from the late Assembly, and their constituents, who have publickly approved of the Vote against Rescinding.
28. Representatives of these towns voted in favor of rescinding. Town meetings, however, were held, and the citizens of these places recorded themselves as endorsing the action of the majority in refusing the "Ministerial Mandates" and condemned the position assumed by their own representatives. In letters which appeared in the press a number of absentees from the Assembly boldly endorsed the action of the majority.
29. May all Patriots be as wise as Serpents, and as harmless as Doves.
30. The Manufactories of North America, and the Banishment of Luxury, Dissipation and other Vices, Foreign and Domestic.
30. Referring to the proposal of Dickinson quoted on page xxiii of the Introduction.
31. The removal of all Task-Masters, and an effectual Redress of all other Grievances.
32. The Militia of Great Britain and of the Colonies.
33. As Iron sharpeneth Iron, so may the Countenance of every good and virtuous Son and Daughter of Liberty, that of his or her Friend.
34. The Assemblies on this vast and rapidly populating Continent, who have treated a late haughty and "merely ministerial" Mandate "with all that Contempt it so justly deserves."
34. Referring to the replies of the various Assemblies to the circular letter and endorsements of the action of the Massachusetts Assembly.
35. Strong Halters and sharp axes to all such as respectively deserve them.
36. Scalping Savages let loose in Tribes, rather than Legions of Placemen, Pensioners, and Walkerizing Dragoons.
37. The Amputation of any Limb, if it be necessary to preserve the Body Politic from Perdition.
38. The oppressed and distressed foreign Protestants.
39. The free and independent Cantons of Switzerland.
40. Their High Mightinesses the States General of Seven United Provinces.
41. The King of Prussia.
42. The Republic of Letters.
43. The Liberty of the Press.
44. Spartan, Roman, British Virtue, and Christian Graces joined.
45. Every man under his own Vine! under his own Fig-Tree! None to make us afraid! And let all the People say, Amen!
45. See page 51.
Upon this happy occasion, the whole company with the approbation of their brethren in Roxbury, consecrated a tree in the vicinity; under the shade of which, on some future anniversary, they say they shall commemorate the day, which shall liberate America from her present oppression! Then making an agreeable excursion round Jamaica Pond, in which excursion they received the kind salutation of a Friend to the cause by the discharge of cannon at six o'clock they returned to Town; and passing in slow and orderly procession through the principal streets, and the State-House, they retired to their respective dwellings. It is allowed that this cavalcade surpassed all that has ever been seen in America. The joy of the day was manly, and an uninterrupted regularity presided through the whole.
The two illustrations in this volume were selected for the purpose of recording prevalent contemporary opinions of Dickinson.
The frontispiece is a reproduction (slightly reduced in size)[5] of the very scarce print in which John Dickinson is crudely portrayed as the author of the "Farmer's Letters." It was first advertised for sale in the Pennsylvania "Chronicle" under date of October 12-17, 1768, as follows:
Lately published and sold by R. Bell
at James Emerson's, in Market-street,
near the river, and at John
Hart's vendue store, in Southward
(Price One Shilling)
an elegant engraved COPPER PLATE PRINT
of the Patriotic American Farmer;
The same glazed and framed, price Five Shillings.