our fellow-subjects in America, incited and supported by
factions and designing men at home," and that "we shall have no
hesitation in convincing your rebellious and deluded subjects in
America, that with the same cheerfulness we so profusely spilled our
blood in the last war, in defending them against their and our natural
enemies, we are now ready to shed it, if necessary, in bringing them
back to a just sense of their duty and allegiance to your Majesty, and
their subordination to the Mother Country."

The magistrates and town council of Inverary met on November 28, 1775,
and to their "Most Gracious Sovereign" they were also the "most dutiful
and loyal subjects," and further "enjoyed all the blessings of the best
Government the wisdom of man ever devised, we have seen with
indignation, the malignant breath of disappointed faction, by
prostituting the sacred sounds of liberty, too successful in blowing the
sparks of a temporary discontent into the flames of a rebellion in your
Majesty's Colonies, that we from our souls abhor;" and they desired to
be applied "such forcive remedies to the affected parts, as shall be
necessary to restore that union and dependency of the whole on the
legislative power."

At Thurso, December 6, 1775, there met the noblemen, gentlemen,
freeholders, justices of the peace and commissioners of supply of the
county of Caithness, and in an address to their

"Most Gracious Sovereign" declared themselves also to be the "most
dutiful and loyal subjects;" they approved the "lenient measures" which
had hitherto been taken in America by parliament, "and that they will
support with their lives and fortunes, the vigorous exertions which they
forsee may soon be necessary to subdue a rebellion premeditated,
unprovoked, and that is every day becoming more general, untainted by
the vices that too often accompany affluence, our people have been
inured to industry, sobriety, and, when engaged in your Majesty's
service, have been distinguished for an exact obedience to discipline,
and a faithful discharge of duty; and we hope, if called forth to action
in one combined corps, it will be their highest ambition to merit a
favorable report to your Majesty from their superior officers. At the
same time, it is our most ardent prayer to Almighty God, that the eyes
of our deluded fellow-subjects in America may soon be opened, to see
whether it is safe to trust in a Congress unconstitutionally assembled,
in a band