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    To Cyrus King

    Cambridge, Massachusetts        14 February 1814

    My dear Sir

    I left home on Thursday, when your family & friends were all well—I thank you for the several communications, & particularly for the speeches of Mr. Miller, & Webster1—They are valuable documents of the ability & good spirit that rule in the minority of political Heroes. Your labours for the true interest of commerce, & releaf to the co[a]sters are duly appreciated by your immediate constituents and others2

    I see by the papers that the Secretary at War has made a long report of documents & letters on the causes of the fa[i]lure & disgrace of the American arms by land3—This is looked upon as a valuable communication, & every body is looking out for its detailed contents—If you should have a spare number you will very much oblige me in communicating me one of them!

    The news papers will tell you and the world what massachusetts, think of the Laws & proceedings of Congress—& what all wise discern[ing] statesmen can not but see, will be the result of what Jefferson called his system of restrictive energies,4 upon the northern States!

    My friend the moment is vastly important—& the measures of Congress seem to demand an immediate revision, or be assured, a civil war is as certain as the vegitation of returning Spring.

    Is [James] Madison deranged? Let him have a Guardian—Is is [he] mad? Let him be bound hand & foot & confined where he can no longer hurt any body but himself—If he yet retains but a ray of that knowledge & fore sight he was once thought to possess, tell him—to his face & in words that he will understand, that the people of Massachusetts have borne much—infinitely more than they borne from the Boston Port-bill & the whole of Ld. Norths administration;5 but they begin to think they have reached the confines of forbearance, & resistance to wicked men & unconstitutional measures, are now a duty paramount to all others, & be assured this duty will soon be discharged at all hazards—Your Grandies & associates from the Western States must not think they are ruling Slaves! We will resist tyranny—& such now are the direct result of Congressional measures as they relate to this State.

    Your leaders must now choose between resistance to what is deemed unconstitutional tyranical measures, & a speedy change of those measures—My dear sir, Another month & your continental armies may have another object than that of marching to Cannada! I well remember the history of the feelings & proceedings of the people from 1772 to the melancholly 19th of April 1775.6 I saw & felt & heard the whole! Tell your blind & mad leaders, that the people have already endured more than an hundred fold the tyranny of Congress over that of Lord North! And if they proceed the consequence is inevitable! This is no false alarm—

    Yours. most sincerely

    * * *

    ALS, Cyrus King Papers, [ca. 1791]-1817, Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Columbia University, New York. Addressed to Washington, D.C.; answered 23 February.