ALL manner of Scripture is given by inſpiration of God, and is, at all times, profitable for reproof or inſtruction, that we may have knowledge upon whom the ends of the world are come.—As war is pernicious in it's nature, ſo it is hurtful to individuals, as well as to communities, and brings with it numbers of misfortunes: extortion and injuſtice are it's companions; it makes many wealthy,—brings many to poverty, and, in general, the forerunners thereof ſeem the firſt to avoid it, and would willingly give up the laborious taſk, without honour or profit.

But, as the hearts of all men are in the hands of the Lord, and he can turn them as it ſeemeth good unto him; ſo he can reverſe the fortune of war, and relieve thoſe who have been mightily oppreſſed.—He is the great and univerſal Author of all mankind;—he ruleth and reigneth in the armies of heaven, and amongſt the inhabitants of the earth, and there is none to ſtay his hand, or ſay unto him, what doeſt thou?—His interpoſition, in behalf of his own people, has often appeared, and brought them a joyful morning, after the long and tedious night of oppreſſion, cruelty, and bondage: ſuch deliverance as this the royal Pſalmiſt had often experienced, and in return to his bountiful benefactor he utters forth theſe words— Unto thee, O God, do we give thanks: unto thee do we give thanks for that thy name is near thy wondrous works declare.

In further treating on this ſubject, I ſhall endeavour to give a ſhort deſcription of the divine goodneſs towards his creatures, in all ages, and to America in general, and then ſum up the whole by addreſſing myſelf to the citizens of South-Carolina in particular.

The goodneſs of the munificent Creator has always been diſplayed towards his creatures; and, whoever has read the ſacred writings, cannot fail of ſeeing deliverance in every page:—He delivered Iſrael from the hand of Pharaoh, when he had them in bondage, in the cruel land of Egypt, for four hundred and thirty years:—he commiſſioned his ſervant Moſes to ſpeak in the ears of this tyrannical monarch theſe awful words—If you will not let my ſon go, even Iſrael my firſt-born, I will ſlay thy ſon even thy firſt-born.—Ex. iv. 22, 23.

But this haughty Monarch, like Britain's preſent King, hardened his heart againſt the Lord, and it ended in his utter deſtruction; the Red-ſea overwhelmed him and his furious hoſt. The protection of the divine goodneſs appeared further for Iſrael, in the wilderneſs; David from the hands of Saul, Daniel from the lions mouth, Shadrach, Meſhach and Abednego, from Nebuchadnezzar's fiery furnace, Jonah from the devouring whale, and Peter from the tyrannical Herod. Acts. xii. 6, 7, 8, and following verſes. There are many other wonderful deliverances recorded in the ſacred writings for your farther information. Thus did God deliver his people from their cruel oppreſſions in ancient days; and as he was the God of Iſrael, ſo he is the God of America, and will, in his own time, deliver her from all her enemies, foreign and domeſtic, external and internal. Unto God then let all America give thanks, for his delivering hand has been near unto them, ſince the commencement of this horrid war. You have been wonderfully bleſſed by the propitious hand of Providence, ſo as to be able to withſtand the vigorous attack of Britain's formidable forces, at the commencement of her hoſtilities: when an infant country, no men, no money, no allies, no diſciplined troops, to meet a veteran army commanded by able generals. The fair fields of Boſton ſtand as eternal monuments of their ſavage proceedings;—the blood of an Attucks, and a Maverick can tell!

O Britannia! Britannia! Let not avarice that fatal rock, or ambition that earthly deity, compel you to ſpill innocent blood, and to delight in making carnage;—the blood of the murdered Americans will cry aloud for vengeance and retaliation. O unfortunate Huddy! where is thy indignant ghoſt to prompt America to retaliate? O America! patroniſe Mrs. Aſgill, and, by ſupplication and foreign mediations, ſnatch your citizens from death to life: let not a woman's weakneſs triumph over your ſtrength.

Fear not, ye virtuous and brave Americans, rewards and puniſhments are in reſerve for thoſe who have merited them. You who have fought and bled for your country, have got great conſolation; the conſciouſneſs of having diſcharged your duty faithfully when in the field, muſt make you ſmile in affliction, and rejoice in tribulation. Your cauſe, conduct, fortitude and courage, have been unſhaken, and intitled you to an alliance with one of the firſt powers in Europe; the conduct of that Monarch has not been equalled in any age whatever.—O brave Americans! by him, under heaven, ye have been able to contend with the imperious and haughty ſons of Britain. Your ſuſtaining Britain's formidable forces, before your alliance with her, aſtoniſhes the world, and will be the admiration of future ages;—but remember it is not your own arm that has ſaved you; it is through the mercy of him, whoſe compaſſion never fails.

O Britain! little Britain! if the earth was commiſſioned from it's great Creator to avenge innocent blood, it would have ſwallowed you up, as it did the company of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. Be aſhamed, O ancient Britons! of your paſt conduct towards thoſe, who were once the bone of your bone, and fleſh of your fleſh; but now for ever diſſolved, and as far diſtant as the north is from the ſouth. A ſecond burning of a Norfolk, a Kingſton, a Charleſtown, or any other hoſtile attempt, will never eradicate from America's boſom her growing independence. North-America, this new world, far excels you in humanity, generoſity, and valour; they have catched the genial flame from, your ancient fires, and it is cheerfully diſtended through theſe magnificent United States— States that have reſiſted misfortune with manly firmneſs, and conquered adverſity in her moſt ghaſtly ſhapes;—her lenity towards you has been unequalled; ſhe has not only ſpared the tranſgreſſor, but the guilty murderer has eſcaped the ſword of juſtice. and permitted to go free: but alas! he is not free—he will be found. "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, ſaith the Lord." Though his vengeance ſeems ſlow, he will not let the guilty go unpuniſhed. It is noble to revenge, more noble to forgive;—but your lenity towards her has been of no avail; it has been like adding fuel to the burning flame, and ſerved to embitter the captivity of your ſuffering countrymen, who now lie expoſed in dark dungeons, and loathſome priſon ſhips, naked, half ſtarved, and waiting there theſe alternatives— death, exchange, or your conquering their conquerors. Riſe and diſpel, diſſipate and ſcatter them from their laſt ſtrong hold; drive out theſe Canaanites from their dwelling amongſt the true Iſraelites: they have too long dwelt amongſt you—too long afflicted your citizens, the freemen of America.

Ye hills and dales! ye mountains and vallies! cry aloud, Retaliate, relatiate.—O Britain! have thy ſavage ſoldiery and ruthleſs ſword wantonly and barbarouſly deprived the man of integrity of his life, made his children fatherleſs, and his wife a widow: you ſhall not go unpuniſhed: their blood will cry to heaven for vengeance, as the blood of the Gibeonites did to the houſe of Saul, in the days of David. 2 Sam. xxi. 1. For you, O Britain! there is wrath in ſtore; under ſome hidden cloud, there is a rod for the oppreſſor, and a ſword of juſtice for him that delighted in blood. Juſtice will find out the wilful murderer and the private aſſaſſin, after expiring years, as the ſon of Timoleon did the murderer of his father in the temple. Your robberies and plundering, murders and depredations, have gained you the abhorrence of all America. Death and deſtruction have been the lot of her virtuous ſons, whenever fortune throws them into your hands. No diſtinction has been made; the noble and the ignoble fell victims alike in one common carnage: though you may imagine you have been always victorious, if you recollect the defeats and retreats, you will ceaſe boaſting, and call upon your ſkilful General, retreating before the undiſciplined army of the magnanimous Waſhington.— White Plains, Red Bank, Brandywine, Bunker's Hill, Princeton, Monmouth, Germantown and Trenton, are ſufficient evidences againſt your boaſtings. Your experienced Generals forget their leſſons, when attacked by Americans—and no wonder; the former endeavouring to take away liberty, heaven's choiceſt bleſſing; the latter determined to defend it to the laſt extremity. Her unſhaken and intrepid ſoldiery have overcome difficulties, (even with a treacherous Arnold) that ſeemed to mankind unſurmountable, and gained him the character of Hannibal. The cold regions of Canada, Lake Champlain, and Ticonderoga, have nobly told of her heroic ſons.

Dear ſons of liberty, excuſe an Aethiopian; reward your military for their eminent ſervices done you in the field; they have endured, with a veteran firmneſs, the powerful attacks of Britain's ſuperior force, whenever brought to action. The wounded ſoldier, who has loſt a leg or an arm, or both legs, in the defence of his country, calls loudly for your approbation, and immediate aſſiſtance. Dear fellow citizens, let not ſuch merit go unrewarded. Courage deſerves applauſe, and heroic acts your beſt approbation. Let not the deceaſed ſoldier's widows and orphans want bread, in any of your ſtates. The ſoldier thus rewarded, will always be ready to take the field with vigour and ſpirit, when the public cauſe demands his aſſiſtance againſt any foreign invaders, or domeſtic uſurpers: theſe are the men who have been ſubſervient towards erecting the magnificent edifice of your flouriſhing Independence; and, if I may be allowed the expreſſion, are as ſo many branches of that American tree—that tree which Britain has been endeavouring to eradicate from your minds, but cannot, and, I hope, will not while America has a name.—Be no more her ſlaves, leave that condeſcenſion to foreign petty princes, who have hired their troops to ſubdue you.—But all is in vain;—they, tired of deſpotiſm, deſert the royal cauſe, remain in America as tillers of the earth, hewers of wood, and drawers of water, and left their hire in the hands of a tyrannical King and factious Parliament to decide. O ye Americans! exalted by heaven—Say with the Pſalmiſt, Unto thee, O God, do we give thanks, for delivering us from the bitter enemies of America. May we be thankful, and make our ſtates independent ſtates indeed, by gradually aboliſhing ſlavery, and making the Aethiopian race comfortable amongſt us.

I have greatly enlarged on America in general, yet have not forgotten Carolina in particular, and will, immediately after this one remark, addreſs myſelf to its inhabitants on the evacuation of Charleſtown.

Fear not, ye ſons of Columbia! Britain has riſen to her zenith, as the empires of Cyrus and Belus; like them ſhe will meet her approaching diſſolution, and moulder with them into ruin. The ſword of America, and her allies, will yet cauſe Britain's King to tremble on his throne, and ſhake it to it's very foundation. Her ſucceſs, with the navy of our allies, in the Weſtern Iſles, and her defeating the combined forces at the Rock, have made her more arrogant and haughty; though her boaſt lies in her naval force, ſhe will not always be victorious: the race is not always to the ſwift, nor the battle to the ſtrong. Britiſh veteransBattle at Stony-point. have intreated for mercy from the undiſciplined Americans, and mercy they found from that officer whoſe name has been a terror to them, Major General Wayne.

Now let me addreſs my worthy ſons of Carolina's ſtate. All hail, you ſtaunch Carolinians, you ſuffering Americans! I welcome you to your own ſtate once more. I congratulate you on the happy event. My returning fellow citizens, my worthy Carolinians—I mean you who have been eye-witneſſes of national faith and ſolemn capitulations ſcandalouſly broken—You who have been politically ſent away three hundred miles ſouth of your own country, to ſuffer eleven months captivity in the dreary deſart of Eaſt-Florida—You who have had your beloved wives ſent with their children to the north, by your implacable and bitter enemies—I congratulate you on the evacuation of Charleſtown; a period long expected by you, though never deſired by your enemies; they, with the loyal ſycophant, never expected your return: but all their hopes are vain. Even an infatuated miniſtry had ſome ideas, that America was ſubdued, when your capital was reduced by Sir Henry Clinton: great honour he gained with his thouſands, and a formidable fleet, when he obliged a handful of men, one half of whom were diſaffected, to ſurrender; and this they did not do, until compelled by neceſſity, and not before the American cannon thundered in his ears, and ſlew ſome of his choſen men. O Charleſtown! did Britain ſend her thronged legions to thy peaceful ſhore, to diſtreſs, poſſeſs, and then to evacuate it? they thought that America's independent ſun was ſet in darkneſs, when Clinton marched into your capital; but how have they been deceived! though it ſet in the ſouth, it roſe in the north, and compelled the ſouthern hero to capitulate with his thouſands. You who have without delay, ſince your exchange, joined your American brethren in the field, under that reſpectable and gallant Commander, Major General Greene. You who have endured with him watching, and every ſoldierly hardſhip—you I congratulate on the happy event. You wealthy farmers, who have had your houſes and eſtates plundered; you who have ſuffered in every part, and have now returned, praiſe ye the Lord: you who uſed to live by the ſweat of your brow, in peace and contentment, return; the gates of your city are now wide expanded for your reception, and, I hope, will never be barred any more, except by you againſt invaders.

Britain's hoſtile forces unable to conquer, and tired of being defeated, quaked with fear, and were obliged to evacuate your capital; the many battles which have been fought, ſince the reduction of Charleſtown, are more than I can at preſent recollect; their barbarities, at the battle of Camden, are unparalleled in any civilized country. See them, though boaſting, yet worſted at the battle of Guildford, by the gallant General Greene. See them ſhamefully beaten at the Cowpens. See their ſhattered army, under Stewart, flying into Charleſtown, from the battle of the Eutaw Springs, though they boaſted of their victory by fortune throwing into their hands Lieutenant Colonel Waſhington, and ſome other priſoners. See Lord Rawdon flying before the country militia, and retreating into Charleſtown. See them checked all over your ſtate by the Generals Greene, Wayne and Marion. See them at laſt driven in from the out poſts which they held, and circumſcribed to the capital. See them reduced to the wretched alternative of bartering merchandize for produce, for the ſuſtenance of their troops. See them at laſt obliged to ſend a ſtrong force for the neceſſary ſupply of water. See them at laſt obliged to quit their temporary habitation, and to ſeek an aſſylum in the mighty deep, and the Weſtern Iſlands. Let Carolina rejoice, and all her numerous citizens, at the goodneſs of the Lord, for delivering their land from a ſavage foe; enemies that are worſe than the Heathens who dwell in the dark regions of Africa. See them gone; though not before permitting their adherents to ſpill innocent blood.

O Britain! Britain! thy vice has given ſanction to numberleſs barbarities in America. Exaſperated at leaving your ſtate, they ſhed the blood of war in the time of an evacuation fixed by treaty; but no ties of honour can bind a loſt nation; your ſervants they have carried away in violation of the treaty, and ſome of them will feel the effects of their folly, in the places whither they are gone. Rejoice ye United States with your ſiſter Carolina, for her preſent glorious ſituation; rejoice with her particularly Maſſachuſett's Bay, Pennſylvania, and Georgia. You have felt with her Britiſh impoſition, and they have left your ſtates as they left her in haſte, and great precipitation. The embarraſſment of a Dorcheſter hill in the Maſſachuſett's government, cauſed them to take ſhipping, and flee away in great fear. The manoeuvres of a Waſhington, in defeating their armies, when they laid in Pennſylvania, and the expectation of a D'Eſtaing, produced a ſpeedy evacuation. A gallant Wayne, before the lines of Savanna, compelled them to leave the capital alſo. The vigilance of a Greene, under Heaven, has terrified them, and brought about to your great joy, the evacuation of your capital: then unto God give thanks, and ſay, the ſword of the Lord, and of General Green, O inhabitants of South-Carolina, great and ſmall! rejoice, the Lord has done great things for you, whereof we are glad: therefore, laud and magnify his name for ever.

O Britain! all your intrigues and moſt ſecret machinations have been wonderfully diſcovered. An Andre could not bribe, a treacherous and infamous Arnold could not ſucceed. O unhappy for America, that thou, O maledict Arnold, haſt eſcaped her vengeful ſword! but your puniſhment is ſure. I will not deviate from my point in view.

Come, my beloved Carolinians, ye who have been bereft of all domeſtic happineſs; ye who have been diſtreſſed in every quarter; ye who have been robbed, plundered and ſpoiled, come, reinſtate, and poſſeſs yourſelves of your invaluable rights, given to your anceſtors by the indulgent hand of Heaven. Come all ye females, who have been 〈◊〉 ſeparated from your 〈…〉 return, enjoy your beloved companions, who have long ſuſtained indefatigable hardſhips, and have overcome their cruel oppreſſors. Come you noble youths, who have been torn from your ſtudies and books, to take up arms; come, you have been in the wilderneſs, fighting for your country; come, and view the land of freedom and liberty; come, you who have been abroad in diſtreſs; come, and once more ſit down, and, I hope, have none to make you afraid; come, ye babes and young men, once more recroſs the mighty deep, and land on your native ſhore; come, and ſee the ſtrong hold deſerted by it's late temporary owners.

I am afraid I ſhall tranſgreſs upon my readers; but, indulge me a few moments longer. My tongue faulters in the characters I am now about to deſcribe. What muſt be done to the loyal ſubjects now amongſt you, who took ſhelter under the tyrannical ſtandard, and who were ſome of the chief promoters of your diſtreſſes. Neceſſity and policy obliged ſome to ſeek protection; but thoſe have ſince joined you: reſtore them to favour, and acquieſce with the law: thoſe who have neither joined you, nor fled their country, I will not be too raſh in judgment. I leave them in the hands of thoſe who hold the reins of government: if they go unpuniſhed, what will be the iſſue? Why, the ſoldier who has been fighting your battles, and hazarded his life in defence of your ſtate, will look for a high reward. Every partial grant is injuſtice to them who have been ſpilling their blood in defence of your ſtate.

Your officers—your volunteers deſerve your notice: if juſtice be permitted to draw her ſword, ſhe will cut down the briar and bramble, which are now cheriſhed; and, in their ſtead, place thoſe ſalutary plants which have been beneficial to the ſtate, in the time of her diſtreſs: theſe are the men, and theſe only, who deſerve promotion in the United States; theſe ought to be the men, who ſhould ſit in the Senate, and aſſiſt in enacting ſuch laws, as will be a terror to the diſaffected, and a praiſe and ſafeguard to thoſe who have been doing well. View your 〈…〉 campaigns, and piercing winter's rigorous and hoary ſeaſon—See the man who has been invincible in danger, and intrepid in the field of battle—View him caſt down with dejected look and gloomy countenance; if you aſk him the reaſon, he will anſwer you thus, "I am afflicted to ſee virtue and courage trampled upon, and vice and cowardice cheriſhed." He will tell you, he thinks the man that is come from a foreign country, and though a native of America, has no right to a vote in the ſenate of his country, after hiding himſelf from the heat and burden of the day, when his fellow citizens have borne it with fortitude and patience.

Thoſe who have been ſpilling their blood in the cauſe of liberty, and offered their lives a willing ſacrifice, have reaſon to be jealous, if they ſee partiality laviſhed upon thoſe the leaſt deſerving of it. Let your Conſtitution be your Magna Charta, your Bill of Rights. Enact good and wholeſome laws in your ſtate; you will make every individual a citizen, and they will be your ſafeguards, bulwarks, and fortifications: then, when this is done, all the ſurrounding nations will be aſtoniſhed at your courage, perſeverance, fortitude, and wiſdom; and poſterity will read with pleaſure, in the annals of your country, your glorious atchievements and warlike actions, and children yet unborn ſhall ſing of America and her warfare. Liberty ſhall rear her head in theſe United States, and oppreſſion and tyranny ſhall tremble and hide their heads, and ſink into oblivion. The mouth of the loud thundering cannon ſhall be ſtopped, and the carnage of America by Britain's ſword, be for ever done away.

Now, ye Carolina Americans, enjoy yourſelves; yet ſtill be on your guard, until Britain ſends this appellation to the United States, of your being the Lords and Rulers of North-America: if there be any amongſt you like unto Achan, avaricious and treacherous, treat them as Joſhua did him in the valley of Achor. Joſhua vii. 17, 20, and following verſes. O my friends! you will yet be happy in ſpight of all oppoſition; your ſtate will yet be a haven for foreign ſhips, and trade and commerce will come unto you in great abundance; and you ſhall appear as in the times of old. Come all ye miniſters of God, who have been baniſhed your country, return, reaſſume your former work in the ſanctuary, and adminiſter in the duties of your ſacred functions: though the ſanctuaries have been defiled and corrupted, yet bleſs the Lord in them, and with your returning fellow citizens, praiſe and magnify him for ever.

O Carolina! have you no worthies to lament, before I conclude? Yes, ye have, though ſome long forgotten by many: the remembrance of a Polaſki at Savannah, the death of the amiable and gallant Laurens, muſt dwell near your hearts; he fell a victim to Britiſh fury. O noble youth! in the bloom of life, thou native of Carolina, thou who left thy gentle ſpouſe, thy near relation, to croſs the Atlantic, and fight the battles of thy country; we lament thee, O Stono's plain! let no dew or rain fall upon thee, for there the gallant Laurens fell a martyr in defence of his country. Are there no more? Yes, there is the murdered blood of a Lining crying aloud for vengeance. O ye mourning widows and orphan children! ceaſe to weep, dry up your tears, the Lord will avenge your wrongs. Ye ſons of his, perhaps you ſhall revenge your father's death, as Solomon did the tranſgreſſors of his father's reign, though they had caught hold of the horns of the altar. O Haynes! I revere thy character, I pity thy deſtiny, thy untimely, and unhappy death: thy lawleſs accuſers and murderers, though fled, are not yet out of the reach of the ſword of juſtice; thy blood crieth aloud for vengeance, and though the enquiry of your execution was expelled a Britiſh tribunal, though ſtrenuouſly introduced by a Richmond, there remains a higher tribunal, where a Rawdon and a Balfour muſt undoubtedly appear. O ye orphans of his! Heaven will avenge your father's blood.

Now having imperfectly finiſhed the plan firſt laid down, let me conclude as I began, Unto thee, O God, do we give thanks, unto thee ought all America to give thanks, for that thy name has been near unto them, thy wondrous works▪ declare. Amen and amen.