The Howes’ Declaration — And Explanation
With the American army having suffered serious setbacks, the Howe brothers, in their role as British peace commissioners, published another declaration on September 19, 1776 (the first was on June 20), urging the Americans to “reflect seriously, … return to their allegiance, accept the blessings of peace, and to be secured in a free enjoyment of their liberties and properties , upon the true principles of the Constitution.” In response, an anonymous American published an “explanation” of this declaration, with many of the phrases reversed in meaning, and a few more added in. Here is the declaration, with parts of the “explanation” added in brackets:
By Richard Viscount Howe, of the Kingdom of Ireland, and William Howe, Esquire, General of His Majesty’s Forces in America, the King’s Commissioners for restoring Peace to His Majesty’s Colonies and Plantations in North-America [deluding the good people of America by insidious offers of peace, or shedding their blood without mercy], &c., &c., &c.
Declaration.
Although Congress, whom the misguided [much-injured] Americans suffer to direct their opposition to a reestablishment of the Constitutional Government [the establishment of tyranny, and an unconstitutional Government] of these Provinces, have disavowed every purpose of reconciliation not consonant with their extravagant and inadmissible claim of Independence [that liberty to which they have the most clear and undeniable right], the King’s Commissioners think fit to declare that they are equally desirous to confer with his Majesty’s well-affected subjects [(if any so weak and abandoned are to be found)], upon the means of restoring the publick tranquillity, and establishing a permanent union with every Colony as a part of the British Empire [establishing a permanent tyranny over every Colony and fix them the everlasting slaves of the British empire]. The King being most graciously pleased to direct a revision of such of his royal instructions to his Governours as may be construed to lay an improper restraint [not to lay a sufficient restraint] on the freedom of legislation in any of his Colonies, and to concur in the revisal of all acts by which his Majesty’s subjects there may think themselves aggrieved [for the better strengthening and confirming the same], it is recommended to the inhabitants at large to reflect seriously upon their present condition and expectations, and judge for themselves whether it be more inconsistent with their honour and happiness to offer up their lives as a sacrifice to the unjust and precarious cause in which they are engaged, or return to their allegiance, accept the blessings of peace, and to be secured in a free enjoyment of their liberties and properties , upon the true principles of the Constitution [risk their lives in defence of a glorious Independency, or return to the galling yoke of a tyrannick usurpation, and be deprived of every security in the enjoyment of their liberty and properties upon the true principles of a wicked and destructive policy].
Oaths of Allegiance and Non-Allegiance
But despite the Howe’s best efforts and intentions — and I think that at least Lord Howe (and possibly General Howe as well) sincerely wanted the best for America, though they saw it differently than some people — it was too late. As if to illustrate this fact, it so happened that New Jersey passed a law on that very day, requiring that “all officers, civil and military, within this State” take the following two oaths (note: “A B” simply means that the person would state their first and last name):
I, A B, do sincerely profess and swear (or, if one of the people called Quakers, affirm) that I do not hold myself bound to bear allegiance to the King of Great Britain; so help me God.
I, A B, do sincerely profess and swear (or, if one of the people called Quakers, affirm) that I do and will bear true faith and allegiance to the Government established in this State, under the authority of the people; so help me God.
Thus, while the British commanders were trying to get the people to “return to their allegiance,” the American political leaders were trying to make sure that the people publicly, officially and entirely renounced their old allegiance to the king and pledged their allegiance to the new government.
See what else happened in September 1776
Sources
- American Archives, Fifth Series, 2:397-398.