Imagens da página
PDF
ePub

BOOK himself satisfied with these concessions, but the XVII. utmost coolness from this time subsisted between 1777, the courts of London and the Hague.

The acrimony displayed on this occasion by the former may be without doubt imputed in a great degree to the extreme offence taken, previous to the interchange of these memorials, at the refusal of the States to part with the Scots brigade in their service, at the desire of the king of England, signified by a letter written to their high mightinesses in his own hand. "In what an odious light must this unnatural civil war appear to all Europe!" said one of the deputies of the province of Overyssel, M. Vander Capelle, in the debate which arose on this subject. "More odious still would it appear for a nation to take part therein who have successfully resisted oppression, and fought themselves free. Superlatively detestable must it appear to those who, like me, regard the Americans as a brave people, engaged in defending those rights which they derive from GOD, not from the legislature of Great Britain. For the purpose of suppressing such a revolt, or, as some please to call it, such a rebellion as this, I had rather see janissaries hired than the subjects of a free state."

HISTORY

OF

GREAT BRITAIN.

GEORGE III.

BOOK XVIII.

MILITARY Operations in the Jerseys. General Howe's Expedition to the Chesapeak. Victory at the Brandywine, and Capture of Philadelphia. Second Engagement at German-town. Success on Lake Champlain. General Burgoyne takes Ticonderoga-Arrives at the North River. Disasters at Bennington and Fort Stanwix. Distress and final Surrender of Burgoyne's Army. Session of Parliament-Motion of Lord Chatham. Mr. Fox's second Motion of Enquiry-carried. Motion relative to the Canada Expedition by Lord Chatham. Proceedings of the Committee of Enquiry. Lord North's second Plan of Conciliation. Hostile Declaration of France. Death of the Earl of Chatham. Discontents in Ireland. Act for the Relief of the Roman-Catholics. The Mino rity gains Strength. Failure of Lord North's second Plan of Conciliation. General Howe resigns his Command to Sir Henry Clinton. Battle of Monmouth Court

BOOK
XVIII.

1777.

House-Disgrace of General Lec. Arrival of the French Flect off the Delawar. Lord Howe's able Conduct and subsequent Resignation. Count d'Estaing's unsuccessful Attack at St. Lucia. Destruction of the Settlement of Wyoming. Conquest of Georgia under General Prevost. Indecisive Engagement with the French Fleet off Ushant. Trial and Acquittal of Admiral Keppel. Trial and Disgrace of Sir Hugh Palliser. Motion of Lord Rockingham respecting the American Commissioners. Mr. Fox's Motion of Censure on Lord Sandwich. Bill for enlarg ing the Toleration Act. Memorable Speech of Shipley, Bishop of St. Asaph. Ineffectual Efforts in Parliament for the Relief of Ireland. Motion by Mr. Fox for the Removal of Lord Sandwich. Committee of Enquiry respecting the Conduct of the American War. Motion by the Earl of Bristol for the Removal of Lord Sandwich. Hostile Declaration of Spain. Dissensions in the Cabi net. Lord Thurlow succeeds, Lord Bathurst as Chancellor of Great Britain. Invasion of South Carolina by General Prevost. Alternate Successes of the American and British Armies. Capture of St. Vincent's and Grenada by the French. Count d'Estaing repulsed at Savannah. Charlestown taken by Sir Henry Clinton. The combined Fleets of France and Spain enter the Channel. Alarming Situation of Ireland. Serapis Man of War taken by Captain Paul Jones. Misunderstanding between the Courts of London and the Hague. Pondicherry cap tured by the English. Senegal taken by the French.

THE CAMPAIGN of 1777, in America, commenced early in the spring by the destruction of a considerable magazine of stores at a place called Courtland-Manor, on the banks of the

XVIII.

North River, by a detachment under colonel BOOK Bird; and another at Danbury, by another corps n conducted by general Tryon, late governor of 1777. New York, who was attacked on his return by a large body of provincials, led by colonel now general Arnold, and suffered great loss in his retreat. Arnold on this as on all occasions distinguished himself by acts of extraordinary personal valor. His horse being shot under him, he with difficulty disengaged himself; and seeing a soldier at the same moment with a fixed bayonet advancing towards him, he drew out a pistol and shot him dead on the spot. The Americans on their part retaliated by an attack on the English post and magazine at Saggs Harbour, in Long Island, where they destroyed a large quantity of stores, and burnt a number of sloops and other vessels lying in the harbour, with inconsiderable loss; colonel Meigs, who commanded the detachment on this service, returning to his former station at Guilford in Connecticut, after traversing an extent of ninety miles by land and water in the space of twentyfive hours. Lord Cornwallis continued in his station at Amboy, watched and straitened in a manner which exposed the troops to the hardships of a most severe and unremitting duty, though lately strengthened by a brigade of British, and some companies of grenadiers and light

BOOK tent of the powers vested by it in the crown,

XVII. frankly and explicitly disavowed as to himself all 1777. design of extending the operation of the bill be

yond its open and avowed objects. He said, "that the bill was intended for America, and not for England; that, as he would ask for no power that was not wanted, so he would scorn to receive it by any covert means; and that, far from wishing to establish any unconstitutional precedent, he neither sought nor wished any powers to be vested in the crown or its ministers which were capable of being employed to bad or oppressive purposes." He therefore agreed to receive the amendments proposed; the principal of which were in substance: 1. That the clause empowering his majesty to confine such persons as might be apprehended under this act in any part of his dominions, should be modified by the insertion of the words, "within the realm;" and 2dly, That an additional clause or proviso be inserted, "that nothing in this act shall be construed to extend to persons resident in Great Britain." These concessions gave extreme offence to the leaders of the high prerogative party, who had zealously defended the bill in its original state, and who now exclaimed, "that they were deserted by the minister in a manner which seemed calculated to disgrace the whole measure, to confirm all the charges and surmises of their ad

« AnteriorContinuar »