Address of the Town of Leith

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Address of the Magistrates, Incorporated Societies, and principal Inhabitants of the Town and Port of Leith, transmitted to the Earl of Suffolk, one of his Majesty' s principal Secretaries of State, by Henry Dundas, Esquire, Lord Advocate in Scotland and Representative in Parliament for Edinburghshire, and presented to His Majesty.

Most Gracious Sovereign:

We, your Majesty' s faithful subjects, the Magistrates, Incorporated Societies, and principal Inhabitants of the Town and Port of Leith, think it our duty on this occasion with unanimous voice to testify our loyalty at the foot of your throne.

The differences between Great Britain and some of her Colonies have now come to such a crisis, that every community feels itself a part of the Nation, and every good citizen is interested in the publick cause.

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We cannot reflect, without concern, on the agitations that must have arisen in your sacred and paternal breast, upon this unnatural division; nor think, without horrour, on those of your Majesty' s subjects who have sown the seeds of dissension, and kindled the flames of civil war between one part of your Majesty' s Dominions and another.

Attached to that order flowing from good Government, which is the basis of human felicity, and fully justified with that liberty which is derived from the laws, we look upon the audacious attempts to overturn our happy Constitution with indignation, and abhor the vile artifices that are used to alienate the affections of your people from the best of Sovereigns.

Sensible of the great increase of our trade and commerce, and certain that industry, when cherished by liberty and protected by valour, will ever be crowned with success, our hearts overflow with gratitude for the happiness we enjoy under your Majesty' s Government; and we rest

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But if our unhappy and deluded fellow-subjects in America shall continue in their unnatural and unprovoked rebellion, with our fortunes and with our lives we will assert the supremacy of our King and Parliament over every part of the British Empire; and teach the sons of anarchy, that the same arm which was lately stretched out for their defence and security, and which drove all their enemies far from their borders, can with equal ease chastise ungrateful and rebellious subjects; happy that the rod is in the most mild and merciful hand, in the hand of the father and friend of his people.

Signed in our name, in our presence, and at our appointment, by our Praises, one of the Magistrates of Leith, and the seal of the said Town is hereto affixed.

JAMES CUNDELL, Praeses.

Leith, October 12, 1775.