Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania to the Inhabitants of the British Colonies. John Dickinson
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:
This specimen of early American engraving, the work of some unknown artist and engraver, was undoubtedly inspired by the following article which appeared in the Pennsylvania "Chronicle" for May, 9-16, 1768, as well as the many other newspapers in the colonies, so eager was the press to publish any information concerning the author of the "Farmer's Letters." The inscription is thus explained as well as the elimination of the vowels from Dickinson's name.
On Tuesday last, by order of the Governor and Society of Fort St. David's, fourteen Gentlemen, members of that Company, waited upon J-n D-ck-nson Esq; and presented the following address, in a Box of Heart of Oak.
Respected Sir,
When a Man of Abilities, prompted by Love of his Country, exerts them in her Cause, and renders her the most eminent Services, not to be sensible, of the Benefits received, is Stupidity; not to be grateful for them, is Baseness.
Influenced by this Sentiment, we, the Governor and Company of Fort St. David's, who among other Inhabitants of British America, are indebted to you for your most excellent and generous Vindication of Liberties dearer to us than our Lives, beg Leave to return you our heartiest Thanks, and offer to you the greatest Mark
Reproduced through the courtesy of the Library Company of Philadelphia. I wish also to express my obligation to my friends Messrs. Wilberforce Eames of the Lenox Library and Robert H. Kelby of the New York Historical Society for repeated access to the volumes of Colonial Newspapers, etc., in the collections under their charge.