1777.

9

EFORE we proceed to the execu

not be improper to take a fhort retrofpective view of the most remarkable occurrences which happened in America, from the rifing of parliament in May, till its meeting in O&tober. We deem this a neceffary part of our duty, because, in truth, the Hiftory of Parliament, for the two laft feffions, contained little more than an account of the nature of our difputes with the colonies, the measures adopted and purfued in confequence of thofe difputes, and the probable events predicted by thofe, who held different opinions on this interesting and important subject. For thofe feveral matters, we refer our readers to the Hiftory of the last Seffion, where, we flatter ourselves, they will find them faithfully recorded.

The last accounts that reached parliament, previous to its prorogation, were, that General Carleton held Quebec for his majefty, and was fuffering a kind of blockade; but it was believed had a force fufficient to defend the town against the Provincials, till fuccours should arrive from England. That General Howe, and Ad. miral Lord Shuldham, had repaired to Hallifax, to wait the arrival of his brother, Lord Howe, and the Heffians. That the armament under Sir Peter Parker, and General Clinton, which had been blown away by adverfe winds to the Weft-Indies, as foon as they had time to refit and repair the damages they had fuftained, would proceed to the place of their original defination, and to the execution of their original inftructions. That befides this, there was a naval force fent to the American feas, compofed of frigates, floops, and fmaller veffels of war, not only fufficient to carry on all the hoftile operations on the coafts, and up the rivers, according to the variety and extent of fuch operations; but likewife to protect our own commerce on the Atlantic Jan, 1777.

The grand effort was to be made at New York, with a force little short of thirty five thousand men, when all the troops fhould arrive. General Carleton was to be reinforced, to as to be enabled to act at the head of a body of about eleven thousand men, while General Clinton, with the affistance of a confiderable naval armas ment, was to make a confiderable diverfion to the South, where great expectations were formed, not only from the loyalists, who were faid to be very numerous, but likewife from the flaves, who it was confidently affirined were ripe for infurrection, and the Indians at the back of the Carolinas and Virginia, who had made offers of taking up the hatchet, and of coming in numerous bodies to carry fire, defolation, and maffacre through thofe provinces.

Whatever juftice or policy there might have been in this plan as a meafure of parliament, who granted the means of carrying it into execution, there is little doubt, if it had been as punctually executed, as it was ably advised, but that the American war would have been nearly terminated on the first day of the meeting of parlia ment. But matters turned out very different from what might have been reafonably expected. General Howe waited for his brother at Hallifax, till he grew impatient, when he fet fail for New York. Here he waited for feveral days for his brother, where they remained in a great measure inactive, till joined by Sir Peter Parker. In short nothing material was done till the last week in Auguft, when they drove the Provincials off Long Ifland. What has happened from that time to the 2d of December, at which time we may reafonably fuppofe the campaign to have been nearly clofed, thews only that our troops were more numerous, braver and better difciplined; but that it would probably have produced a better effect, if the expedition

10

expedition under Gen. Clinton had been rendered fronger, or that he had not at all undertaken it; or that Gen. Carleton had had fixteen thousand effective difciplined troops, inftead of eleven thousand upon paper; the native corps being for the most part incomplete, and compofed of recruits. General Carleton having done every thing an active, brave, and experienced officer could do, was, after a fruitlefs campaign, obliged to abandon the greater part of the conquefts he had made; and the armament under Sir Peter Parker totally mifcarried. Thus every grand object propofed by the campaign of 1776, was defeated, either through the inevitable impoffibility, of fending out Lord Howe and the other fuccours earlier; or not fending a fufficient force to Carleton, to enable him to penetrate to Albany, and by that means putting Washington between two fires, compel him either to fhut himself up in the New England provinces, or force him to retire to the fouthward and leave thofe provinces at the mercy of the king's army. We all conclude thefe obfervations, with a remark or two, on another part of this plan which failed; that was, that the Provincials were neither prevented from trading, nor was our commerce protected. The great loffes of the West India merchants were feverely felt, and in fome inftances proved fatal. On the other hand, an open trade was carried on between our colonies, and France and Spain; and our veffels were taken up almoft in the very chops of the channel, which could never have been effected with fo much fuccefs, had it not been from the protection given them by the courts of Verfailles and Madrid.

All thofe who know any thing relative to the arguments reforted to in parliament, relative to the propriety of coercing America, and compelling the people of that country to a return to their duty on unconditional terms of obedience, must know, that the argument of expediency was much infifted on by feveral who afferted the right, though they disapproved of the exercife of it. They contended that the attempt to reduce America, would be to the last degree hazardous; because France and Spain might either

Jan.

join our fubjects against us, or they might wait till we had exhaufted ourfelves in the conteft, and perhaps while we were congratulating each other on a complete conqueft, we might find ourfelves in fuch a debilitated ftate, involved in a war with the united force of the houfe of Bourbon. We cannot fay but thofe arguments were weighty, and well worthy of the moft ferious attention and confideration of the king's fervants. But it was plaufibly replied, that the policy of France and Spain would not permit them to fet fo dangerous an example, on account of their own dominions in the new world; and although it were otherwife, that our naval power and foreign alliances were fufficient to defeat any hoftile intentions thofe powers might entertain against us. The ruined itate of the French finances, and the want of both hips and feamen, particularly the latter, were urged as further proofs of the utter improbability of the interference of the houfe of Bourbon, in the prefent difpute. A circumftance however happened a few days before the meeting of parliament, which took off a good deal of the weight, the public were wont, during the two laft years, to give this minifterial argument, which was, the iffuing of prefs warrants. Here it is plain, that the minifters gave up one part of their argument, which was, that nothing was to be dreaded from France and Spain, during the conteft with the colonies; the other part of their argument, namely, the inability of France and Spain, cannot be decided upon, till thofe courts actually declare themselves. Certain it is, that they have been making naval preparations, and recruiting their land forces, fince early in the year 1776; and that in the courfe of the fame year, they have given fuch fecret and avowed affiftance to our American fubjects, as would fully justify a declaration of war on our part, at least, fince the Congrefs have gone the length of declaring themselves independent states, for from that inftant, there is not a prince nor power in Europe, who can hefitate to deem them rebels in arms against their lawful fovereign.

Having laid before our readers, a fhort ftate of the fituation of affairs in America,

1777.

America, previous to the meeting of parliament, it will now be proper to take notice of the information, given to parliament, and the measures in confequence thereof, chalked out by the minifters, through the medium of the fpeech from the throne.

They first affure both Houfes, that nothing could have afforded his majefty to much fatisfaction, as to have it in his power to inform them, that the troubles which, had to long dif tracted his colonies in North America, were at an end; and that the unhappy people there recovered from their delufion, and delivered from the oppreffion of their leaders, had returned to their duty. But that on the contrary, fo daring and defperate were thofe leaders become, whofe object was always power and dominion, that they openly renounced all allegiance to the crown, and all political connexion with this country, rejecting, with circumftances of indignity and infult, the means of conciliation held out to them; and prefuming to fet up their rebellious confederacies, for independent ftates.

They then go on to inform parliament, that if their (the people of A merica) treafon be fuffered to take root, much mischief muft grow from it, to the fafety of the loyal colonies, to the commerce of thefe kingdoms, and indeed to the prefent fyftem of all Europe. One great advantage, they obferve, will however be derived from the object of the rebels being openly avowed and clearly understood, unanimity at home, founded in the general conviction of the juftice and neceffity of the measures to be purfued against them.

They (the ministers) are happy in informing pariament, that by the bleffing of Divine Providence, on the good conduct and valour of the officers, and forces by fea and land, and on the zeal and bravery of the auxiJary troops, Canada had been recovered; and although the operations at New York could not begin before the mouth of Auguft, the fuccefs in that province had been fɔ important, as to give the ftrongest hopes of the molt decifive good confequences; but notwithstanding this fair profpect, por liament must prepare for another campign. That allurances of amity are

* See the Speech in

continued to be received from the feveral courts of Europe. That the utmost endeavours had been used to conciliate the unhappy differences. fubfifting between two neighbouring powers; hoping that all mifunderftanding may be removed, and Europe continue to enjoy the inestimable bleffings of peace. That nevertheless, in the prefent pofture of affairs, it was thought expedient to put the nation in a flate of refpectable defence at home,

The minifters then advise his miajefly to acquaint the House of Commons, that he has given directions, that the proper eftimates be laid before them. That it is a matter of real concern, that the important confiderations just stated, must neceffarily be followed by great expence: it is not doubted, however, but his majelly's faithful Commons will readily and chearfully grant fuch fupplies, as the maintenance of the honour of the crown, the vindication of the juft rights of parliament, and the public welfare fhall be found to require.

The minifters finally advite his majefly to affure parliament, that he can have no object but to promote the true interests of all his fubjects. No people, he afferted, ever enjoyed more happiness, or lived under a milder government, than thofe now revolted provinces; the improvements in every art of which they boat, declare it; their numbers, their wealth, their ftrength by fea and land, which they think fufficient to enable them to make head against the whole power of the mother country, are irrefragable proofs of it. The with of the fovereign was, to restore to them the bitings of law and liberty, equally enjoyed by every British fabject, which they fatally exchanged for all the calamities of war, and the arbitrary tyranny of their chiefs *.