22.

fion of arms, and refer their petition to parliament, 1776. where they might be confident it would be duly confidered and answered. All the reafonings of thofe who fupported the motion were totally ineffectual: it was rejected by a majority of near three to one. Thus ended a debate, which put a period, for a while, to all attempts for conciliatory measures, in either house of parliament. But the lord mayor, aldermen, and commons of the city of London, ftill continued their endeavours, in an humble and decent addrefs, which they prefented to his majefty. The anfwer, though not according to Mar. their petition, was no wife irritating; and expreffed as much mercy and clemency to the Americans, adjudged to be in a ftate of rebellion, as could be expected, confidering what coercion was going forward. Some of the April Brunfwick troops failed from Spithead under convoy of two men of war, and were followed the next day by gens. Burgoyne and Phillips; Burgoyne had left Bofton in December, and returned home after a fhort paffage. Letters patent, by his majesty's order, paffed under May the great feal, conftituting lord Howe and gen. Howe, to be his majesty's commiffioners for reftoring peace to the colonies in North America, and for granting pardon to fuch of his majesty's fubjects there, now in rebellion, as fhall deserve the royal mercy. The fame day, commodore Hotham, with all the tranfports, having the first divifion of Heffians on board, failed from St. Helen's for North America. The troops are to affift in forcing the rebels to afk mercy. Five days after, his lordship followed in the Eagle man of war,

According to the estimates laid before parliament, the army to be employed against the Americans, in different

6

4.

1776. quarters, amounts to 55,000 men, befide all the recruits raised in Canada and other parts of the continent, which may amount to 5000. Thefe eftimates must however have fuppofed the regiments full. But after deducting for deficiencies in all conceivable ways, we may allow the whole land force, with which the united colonies will have to combat, to be at least 40,000 privates and officers, His majefty went to the house of peers; gave his royal affent to fuch bills as were prefented; and then put an end to the feffion, In his speech he faid, "It is with pleasure I inform you, that the affurances which I have received of the difpofitions of the feveral powers in Europe, promife a continuance of the general tranquillity."

May

23.

Many in Britain are more than ever difgufted with coercive measures, from the ill fuccefs which has attended their execution. The difafters which have happened, have made a deep impreffion upon their minds; and they are ready to impute them, rather to the iniquity, than to the imprudence of the schemes in agitation. But adminiftration has been fupported by both the prefs and the pulpit. Several pamphlets, composed with much art and ability, and recommended by many of the beauties of language, have painted in black and hateful colours, the claims and conduct of the Americans, and have, by that mean, not a little inflamed the refentment of the mother country. One of the leading methodist preachers, Mr. W-, has revived the doctrines of paffive obedience and non-refiftance, nearly as afferted in the last century. He declines practising them toward his fuperiors in the English church, of which he profeffes himself a member. The doctors Johnfon and Shebbeare

5

Shebbeare, as in duty and gratitude bound for their re- 1776. fpective penfions, have published many ingenious things on the fide of miniftry. But none have distinguished themselves more among the political champions of the day, than Dr. Price. He published in February a most admirable piece, ftiled, "Obfervations on the nature of civil liberty, the principles of government, and the justice and policy of the American war." Such was the avidity with which it was read, that it ran through four editions within a month. His opponents may write against it as much as they will, but they will never be able to confute it. On the 24th of March, at a court of common-council, a motion was made and carried, "That the thanks of the court be given to Dr. Price, for his excellent pamphlet on civil liberty; alfo, that the freedom of the city be prefented to him in a gold box." Three days after, at a court of affiftants of the drapers company, a motion was made and carried to prefent the doctor with the freedom of that company. The doctor has conveyed his acknowledgments to the lord mayor, aldermen, and common-council; and expreffed his hope that their approbation would lead the public to fix their views more on fuch measures as fhould fave a finking conftitution, and preferve us from impending calamities. You may wish to know the fentiments of the French relative to the American conteft. Thofe of the nobility and gentry, who are tolerably verfed in the English language, accustom themselves to the reading of the papers containing the difputes between Britain and the colonies. The generality conceive of the affair as a family quarrel, which the parties will make up after a while. Whatever they may wifh, as to its continuance and increafe, and however

R 4

1776. however they may covertly contribute toward its fup

port, they will decline, for the prefent, all public interference, and give the moft fatisfactory affurances to the court of London, from an apprehenfion that both fides would otherwife accommodate, unite and fall upon them. Should the late acts which parliament have paffed, and the hiring of German auxiliaries, force the congrefs into a declaration of independence, they will ftill remain inactive, whatever preparations they may make, until fome very favorable occurrence brings them forward. Till then, they will not think of taking the colonies by the hand; left Britain fhould, upon its being done, offer every thing fhort of independence, and thereby unite them afresh to the mother country; which might difgrace France in the eyes of other European powers, if not expofe her to worfe confequences.

You will eafily conceive of my eager expectation of hearing from you fhortly. The operations in America will foon be extremely interefling. Let your informations be as early and frequent as poffible.

3

LETTER V.

Roxbury, July 19, 1776.

HE affairs of Canada fhall employ our first atten

THE

tion.

Sir Guy Carleton has treated the prifoners, taken at the attack of Quebec, both officers and privates, with the

utmoft

atmoft humanity. In converfation with major Meigs, 1776. when returning his fword, Sir Guy faid, "You were certainly deceived in our numbers, and did not expect we were fo ftrong." The major anfwered, "No, we knew your ftrength." Carleton perfifted, "You must have been deceived; for you never could have attacked

us, had you known that we were double your number." The major rejoined, "We were not deceived; but were perfuaded, that many of your men would not fight, and thought that fome of them might join us." The difcourfe was changed, and foon ended.

25.

The blockade of Quebec was continued; but great were the fears of the Americans, as they had no more than 400 men to do duty, while there were upward of three times the number in the city. They were in daily expectation, that the latter would fally out upon them. At length capt. Seaborn, with twenty-feven men Jan. from the Maffachusetts, arrived for their encouragement; and was followed by other small reinforcements, whereby they were enabled to reft one night out of two, which had not been the cafe for a month. They advanced, and began again to erect works before Quebec: but their ordnance proved inadequate. All the troops that could be fpared from the garrifon of Montreal were fent down: but it was not till late in February, that the Feb. army before the city amounted to 960, officers included; of rank and file fit for duty, the number was only 772. Mr. Beaujeu imbodied a party of Canadians, with the defign of raifing the fiege; but was encountered, Mar. and eafily difperfed by a detachment from the continentals. The misconduct of the American foldiery however, lost them the friendship of the Canadians. The

account

18.

25.