e British Parliament, in preference to
the new doctrines propounded by the leaders in the Philadelphia
Congress, for maintaining the unity and life of a great nation rather
than dismember and destroy it. Was it doing as one would be done by? Was
it not a violation of good faith, and hard treatment, for men to be
declared by a new tribunal criminals in July, for maintaining what all
had held to be loyal and patriotic in January? All the arguments and
appeals of the Northern States against the separation of the Southern
States from the Republic, as destructive of the life of the nation, in
the recent civil war of 1864-1869, were equally strong, on the same
ground, against the separation of the American colonies from the mother
country in the civil war of 1776-1783. The United Empire Loyalists of
that day were, as the conservators of the life of the nation, against
the dismemberment of the empire, as are the Americans of the Northern
States of the present day the conservators of the life of their nation
in opposing the dismemberment of the Republic.

IV. But this is not all. This Declaration of the 4th of July, 1776, was
the commencement of persecutions, proscriptions, and confiscations of
property against those who refused to renounce the oaths which they had
taken, as well as the principles and traditions which had, until then,
been professed by their persecutors and oppressors as well as by
themselves. The declaration of independence had been made in the name
and for the professed purposes of liberty; but the very first acts under
it were to deprive a large portion of the colonists not only of liberty
of action, but liberty of thought and opinion--to extract from them
oaths and declarations which could not have been sincere, and which
could have been little better than perjuries, for the sole purpose of
saving life, liberty, or property. They were a numerous and intelligent
portion of the community; were equally interested in the welfare of the
country as their assailants, instead of being designated by every
epithet of opprobrium, and denied the freedom of opinion and privileges
of citizenship.[401] Mr. Elliott remarks:--

"The Tories comprised a large number, among whom were many rich,
cultivated, and kindly people; these last, above all, needed watching,
and were most dangerous. In looking over the harsh treatment of the
Tories by the rebels, it should be remembered that a covert enemy is
more dangerous than an open