ed himself in writing farces, which the idle officers played every night for the amusement of the town.

This appeared a favourable moment for an attack upon the town, and the Congress hinted their wishes to General Washington, who having consulted a council of his officers pronounced it to be for the present inexpedient. Subsequent events proved this decision of the commander in chief to be correct; for an attack now if it had proved successful, as most probably would have been the case, would nevertheless have been attended with the loss of many lives, that were saved by a few months delay.

The Congress in the mean time having received information from their agents in England that no notice seemed to be taken of their humble petition to the King, began to lose all hope of any amicable arrangement of their dispute with Great Britain, and therefore set themselves to work more seriously than ever, in preparing for the contest. They determined to increase their army, and to extend the term of enlistments, the shortness of which had already been attended with many serious inconveniences. They took such steps also as compelled the royal Governours to quit their respective Colonies, and leave the government in the hands of the conventions; and that each Colony should raise a certain number of regiments at the expense of the United Colonies. They passed resolutions likewise, imposing upon the members the obligation of secrecy as to all their measures, and forbidding, or rather discountenancing any thing like a petition to the King or Parliament from any individual Colony.

One of the most important military measures of the session was the ordering a body of marines to be raised, and the equipment of several ships of war. It was

also wisely determined to secure the passage of the Hudson, or North River, by erecting fortifications in the Highlands. Committees were appointed to inquire into the state of the several Colonies, and troops ordered to be sent where they were wanted to aid the citizens in defending their rights. The manufacture of powder had been so far encouraged that several mills were established, which promised an abundant supply.

About this time General Howe was guilty of two acts which in some ages and countries, would have consigned his head to the block, and his name to infamy. One of these was to convert one of the oldest and most venerable places of publick worship, into a riding school, and the elegant carved pews, were used as walls to a pig sty. The other act alluded to was his sending out seven hundred of the inhabitants, among whom the small pox was prevailing, into the country, with a design of communicating the infection to the American army. General Howe has been accused by some of his countrymen of too great an attachment for the Americans; to which indeed they have gone so far as to attribute all his misfortunes. But if it can add to General Howe's fame, that his conduct to the Americans was on all occasions dictated by a spirit of revengeful animosity, more than the mere circumstance of situation called for, we freely offer our testimony to his implacable hatred.

General Washington had in the course of the autumn, as much with a view to exercise and discipline his troops as from any prospect of advantage, erected works at several points around Boston. In some of these attempts the troops were occasionally fired upon, but they could not be made to desist from their

labour. They thus established batteries on every eminence in the neighbourhood of the enemy at Bunker Hill, and even carried their approaches to within half a mile of the town; where in the face of a cannonading which lasted for four days they succeeded in making a lodgement.

Captain Mowatt of his Majesty's navy, whose name had been written in characters of blood on the defenceless walls of Bristol, again signalized himself in the course of the autumn, by destroying the flourishing town of Falmouth in Massachusetts. Upwards of four hundred houses were burned by this modern Nero, who feasted his savage heart at seeing the harmless inhabitants flying from the devouring flames.

The commissions which were granted by the Provincial Assembly of Massachusetts for Letters of Marque and Reprisal were found before the end of the year to produce a good effect. Many valuable prizes were made by the enterprising seamen of Marblehead, of storeships from England for the use of the Troops at Boston. In these enterprises Captain Manly, of Marblehead, greatly distinguished himself.

It may not be uninteresting before we close the year to note a curious account which was kept by some of the gentlemen in the vicinity of Boston, of the constant firing from the British Batteries. From the 19th of June to the 25th of December the British threw upwards of 2000 shot and shells, and killed only twelve of the Provincials.

CHAPTER XII.

Events of 1776.-Reasons for the invasion of Canada.-Distresses of Arnold-Dunmore burns the town of Norfolk-Proceedings of the British Parliament.-Duke of Grafton resigns.Mr. Penn examined before the House-Several conciliatory propositions rejected.-Lord North's Prohibitory Bill-Motion of Mr. Fox-Mr. Hartley's motions-His Majesty's Hessian treaties.-Americans alter their flag-Heights of Dorchester taken possession of by the Americans.-General Howe abandons Boston-Washington enters it in triumph-Arnold retires from before Quebec.-General Frazer is repulsed from Three Rivers.— Affair at the Cedars-Arnold retreats from Montreal.-Retreat of General Sullivan from Canada.-Lee arrives at New-York.Pursues Clinton.-Affair of Moore's Creek Bridge.—Attack on Sullivan's Island-Brave defence of Fort Moultrie.--Operations of Commodore Hopkins.-Commissioners sent to Canada.-Lee gives notice in Congress of his intended motion for Independence Proceedings of the Colonies thereon.-Secret proceedings on Lee's motion-Independence declared.

The expedition which had been planned against Canada, seemed, in the opinion of many who professed to approve of the resistance made by the Colonies to the oppressive measures of the Ministry, wholly to change the nature of the controversy. The opposition which had been theretofore made to Government, had been made, it was contended, upon the principle of defending certain natural rights, and was not only perfectly consistent with the British constitution, but warranted by the sanction of that precedent which had placed the sceptre in the hands of his present Majesty. But to wage an offensive war against that portion of his Majesty's dominions, which had taken no part in the contest, was, it was said, at once to lose the cha

racter of the aggrieved in that of the aggressor, and to forfeit all claim to redress on the plea of justifiable resistance.

These were serious charges, to which a proper respect for themselves seemed to demand a reply from the American Colonies. It was well known to them and to the world, that the Act of Parliament, commonly called the Quebec Act, had converted the government of Canada into a complete despotism; and that the powers given to the Governour of that Province were unlimited so far as it concerned his proceedings against those whom he might choose to consider as rebellious subjects of the King. Sir Guy Carleton had already given sufficient evidence, that he was disposed to construe his discretionary powers, in the most arbitrary sense, and that he only waited for a convenient opportunity to exercise his restless spirit beyond the confines of his Province. To march against him, therefore, and prevent the execution of his hostile designs, was considered as much a matter of self defence, as if they had waited to be actually attacked. They were not bound, it was argued, by any law of nature, or by any maxim of reason or policy, to look tamely on, while preparations were making for their destruction. The question with Congress was, shall we lose the time, which the incapacity of the British troops in Boston to do us injury, now affords us of putting a stop to the hostile preparations of General Carleton, or shall we calmly wait until all our exertions shall be required to defend ourselves elsewhere? Whatever might have been the answer to this question by apologists of the divine right of Kings and the supreme power of Ministers, every unprejudiced politician will be willing to acknowledge, that