The writings of George Washington; being his correspondence, addresses, messages, and other papers, official and private, selected and published from the original manuscripts; with a life of the author, notes and illustrations. By Jared Sparks.

APPENDIX.] AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE. 497
emancipation," or independence. - Memoir of Josiah Quincy, Jr.
p. 250. And Mr. Wirt represents Patrick Henry, as uttering the
same sentiment anterior to the meeting of the first Continental Congress. Yet the manner in which it was received by his hearers
indicates, that it was to them a novel and unexpected doctrine; " at
the word independence the company appeared to be startled, for they
had never heard any thing of the kind before even suggested." —
Life of Patrick Henry, p. 94.
Washington, in his letter to Captain Mackenzie, denies, in very
strong terms, that such was the design of any persons, so far as his
knowledge extended. No man, perhaps, was better informed on the
subject by mingling in the society of others; and it may hence be
confidently inferred, that the topic of independence was not openly
broached by the members of the first Congress, even in their private
discourse among themselves. That he and his immediate friends
had no such object in view is manifest, from a clause in the Fairfax
County Resolves, passed on the ISth of July preceding, at a public
meeting over which he presided. It is there stated as a cause of
complaint, "that the British ministry are artfully prejudicing our
sovereign, and inflaming the minds of our fellow-subjects in Great
Britain, by propagating the most malevolent falsehoods, particularly
that there is an intention in the American colonies to set up for independent states." It was the opinion of Washington, and of the
framers of these resolves, that the colonies had the power, by withholding their support of British commerce, to inflict so much distress
on the people of Great Britain, as to rouse the government to a sense
of the colonial wrongs, and produce a speedy change in their measures. And it was moreover supposed, that spirited resolutions, showing the almost universal sense of the people, that the acts of the
British Parliament in regard to them'were oppressive and unjust,
would tend to hasten so desirable a result. Such were no doubt the
views entertained by all classes of people, and the motives actuating
them in the primary movements of the revolution.
The subject being somewhat curious, as well as interesting in its
historical aspect, I thought it not amiss to obtain the impressions of
Mr. Madison, who could not fail to have a vivid recollection of the
popular feeling and principal events in Virginia at the period in question, and to know the sentiments of the political leaders. The following is an extract from his letter, dated January 5th, 1828.
"You wish me to say whether. I believe,' that at the beginning of
the revolution, or at the assembling of the first Congress, the leaders
of that day were resolved on independence.' I readily express my
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