estates of some individuals, whom they declared enemies to the liberties of America. They emitted the sum of twenty thousand pounds sterling, in bills of credit. These measures, and the presence of general Lee, secured the tranquillity of Rhode Island.

Governor Wentworth still continued in New Hampshire; but, little by little, the patriots acquired the superiority, and his authority declined in proportion. Fearing, at length, some vexatious accident, he withdrew into the castle denominated William and Mary.

The popular administrations had also succeeded the ancient authorities, in Georgia. The partisans of the king were, however, the prevailing number; and the general Congress had sent thither, by way of precaution, a battalion armed at the expense of the Union. But, before it had reached its destination, a very sanguinary action had happened in the city of Savannah, between the patriots, who occupied the fort, and the royal troops, who assaulted and retook it. The capitulation was observed, and the vanquished had not to complain of any cruelty. The patriots were, however, predominant in the rest of the province; and gallantly prepared themselves to recapture, by storm, the citadel of Savannah. They were better armed, and more united, than their enemies, who were unprovided with munitions, and found themselves dispersed in different places.

Thus ceased, as we have related, the royal authority in the different provinces. It was replaced, progressively, by that of the people; that is, by the congresses or conventions extraordinary, that were formed in each colony. But this was deemed insufficient, by those who directed the affairs of America. Their real object being independence, and the present state of things, as irregular and precarious by its very nature, leaving a way open of arrangement with England, and of return to the ancient connexion and dependence, they desired that such a system should be established in each province as should have the appearance of a permanent constitution, in order to satisfy the world that the Americans were capable of governing themselves by their own laws. But the chiefs of the popular party had many difficulties to surmount in the execution of this design, notwithstanding the ardor which manifested itself in all parts to second their operations. The greater number approved resistance, but were opposed to independence, or at least shuddered at the idea of openly asserting it. For this reason, those who had the supreme direction of affairs, fearful of injuring their cause by too much precipitation, resolved to proceed with extreme circumspection; and marched up to their object, always protesting that their efforts were aimed in quite another direction.

It was highly important to commence the execution of this plan, with the provinces which discovered the greatest aversion towards England. It was hoped, that when it should be accomplished in one or more, the others would soon imitate the example. No pro

vince appeared more suitable to give it than that of Massachusetts. The provincial Congress of this colony issued circulars, for the election of representatives, authorised to constitute the form of government. Two hundred delegates assembled at Watertown, and adopting the ancient forms of the British constitution, resolved themselves into an ordinary assembly, or house of representatives, and assumed all the authority attributed by the ancient statutes to these assemblies. They afterwards established a permanent council, to assist the governor in his deliberations. Thus the royal authority was converted at first into tumultuary popular authority, and at length into regular popular authority. All these operations were performed, as they said, not with any view to independence, but in order to induce the English to consent to just and honorable arrangement. One of the first acts of this house was to raise the sum of thirty thousand pounds sterling, by means of a tax; which excited a dudgeon the more intense, as the people had persuaded themselves that since they were in insurrection to avoid paying taxes to England, they ought at least to be excused from paying any to their own government. But the other colonies discovered great backwardness to follow the route marked out by Massachusetts; either because its views appeared too manifestly aimed at independence, or, that, being placed in peculiar circumstances, the other colonies, differently situated, did not think proper to tread in its steps. But the American chiefs, far from being discouraged, resolved to employ the authority of the general Congress. They procured from New Hampshire new instructions to the delegates of that province, requiring them to take the sense of Congress respecting the mode of administering justice, and the internal government of the colony. This discussion excited violent debates; many members perceived the scope of it but too distinctly. The patriots, however, aided by circumstances, and their own intrepidity, at length prevailed. It was decided, that the provincial convention of New Hampshire should be invited to convene representatives of the people, from all the towns, that they might take such measures, and pass such laws, as they should judge best calculated to secure peace and order in the province, during the present contest. But the provincial convention, either from impatience, or in order to inspire greater interest, by a demonstration of glowing zeal, had anticipated the resolution, and the circulars for the election of representatives were already expedited. They assembled at Exeter, took the name and character of the house of representatives, and established the usual council.

The example of Massachusetts and New Hampshire, appeared still not sufficient to decide the other provinces to take the same resolutions. The inhabitants of the other colonies were not exempt from jealousy towards those of New England. It was therefore

desirable that the plan proposed should be executed in some one of the central provinces. For this purpose Virginia was the best adapted, as well on account of its extent and power, as by reason of the political shocks it had recently experienced, since lord Dunmore, by the proclamation of martial law, had caused the entire cessation, in that province, of all civil authority on the part of England. The general Congress, therefore, made, with respect to Virginia, the same resolutions as in the case of New Hampshire.

Among the members to whom this business was referred, Samuel Adams merits to be remarked, who labored in it with distinguished ardor, and appeared to esteem its success a personal triumph.

At this epoch, it was learned by the news from England, that the government had disdained to make answer to the petitions of Congress, addressed to the king, and transmitted by Penn, the late governor of Pennsylvania. It was understood further, that none of the ministers had condescended to ask him any questions relative to the affairs of America. This was an unequivocal proof of their obstinacy, and irrevocable resolutions. The animosity of the colonists became, in consequence, more violent, and the enterprise of the authors of independence infinitely more easy. They declared, in all places, that nothing could be hoped for any longer from the English government; and that the only way of safety which remained, was to display formidable forces, to shake off an odious yoke, and learn to walk without leadingstrings.

This discourse had no success with the general assembly of Philadelphia, who, though inferior to none in their zeal for resisting the extraordinary laws of parliament, would hear no mention of independence. They manifested their discontent, by enjoining it upon their deputies to the general Congress, to oppose every proposition that should tend towards a separation from the parent state, or any change in the form of government. In the midst of such conflicting efforts, America moved onward to independence.

But it is time to return to the war that was carried on under the walls of Boston. The Americans had to contend with two capital difficulties; the one was the want of powder, which still continued, notwithstanding all the efforts used to procure a sufficient supply; the other was the approaching expiration of the term for which the soldiers were enlisted. Either persuaded that the war would be of short duration, or jealous of standing armies, the colonists had engaged their troops but for one year. They were therefore in danger of seeing the whole army disbanded, at the conclusion of the present year, and the siege thus raised in a day. To remedy, in the first place, the scarcity of powder, as their country could not furnish it in sufficient quantity, they determined to exert all their efforts to procure it from foreigners. Several fast-sailing vessels were sent to the coast of Guinea, whence they brought home

immense quantities, having purchased it of the European ships employed in that trade. The Philadelphians, knowing the favorable dispositions of the inhabitants of the Bermudas, and their great want of provisions, despatched thither a large brig, and the Carolinians a corvette, which brought away about one hundred and ten casks of powder. The assembly of Massachusetts prohibited the consumption of it in firing at game, or in rejoicings. Then only began to be less felt the defect of this first instrument of war. It remained to obviate the inconveniences of the expiration of the soldiers' term of service; the Congress sent a deputation to the camp, in order to concert with general Washington the most efficacious means to prevent the dissolution of the army. The deputies were all men of distinguished sagacity; and, among the most conspicuous for authority and reputation, was doctor Benjamin Franklin. They managed this negotiation with such address, that almost all the troops consented, but not without extreme difficulty, to continue in the pay of the Union.

The Congress ordained, besides, that the besieging army should amount to the number of more than twenty thousand men ; and that each colony should levy battalions, at the expense of the continent.

About this time Dr. Church, first physician of the army, was declared traitor. He kept up a secret correspondence within Boston. Being detected, he was brought before the house of representatives, whereof he was a member. He did not deny, but said he had only acted for the good of the country. Unable to prove it, he was expelled the assembly. Some persons pretended that this whole affair was but an artifice. The Congress decreed that the accused should be confined in the prisons of Connecticut.

General Gage returned to England, having been recalled by the king. His conduct had not answered the expectation of the government; he had employed the ways of mildness, when he should have displayed force; and violence, when persuasion would have sufficed. He arrived in America, accompanied with general affection; he left it abhorred; perhaps less through his own fault than that of the ministers, who, in place of rigorous decrees, should have sent powerful armies; or, instead of armies, conciliatory conditions, consonant with the opinions of the Americans. But men commonly know neither how to exert all their force, nor to surmount the shame of descending to an accommodation; hence delays, hesitations and half measures so often prove the ruin of enterprises. William Howe, a commander much esteemed for his talents, and distinguished for his birth, succeeded general Gage.

Washington found himself, at that time, surrounded with many and serious difficulties; they proceeded from the organisation of his army; and increased, every day, in proportion as the first ardor of his troops abated. Every hour it became more evident, that the success of

wars resides not in popular impulses, but in good arms, discipline, and obedience; things the American camp was far from offering; and especially the two last. One principal vice was this; the greater part of these troops not having been raised by authority of Congress, but by that of the provincial assemblies, their organisation, instead of being uniform, presented an excessive variety in the formation, equipment, rank, pay, discipline, and, generally, in all that relates to military service. It is easy to conceive how much it must bave suffered from such a disparity. Washington had placed great dependence upon the troops of Massachusetts, not only as they were the most numerous, but also as he believed them animated with that zeal which distinguished their province, and therefore qualified to undertake and support whatever might contribute to the success of the war. The general was much deceived in his expectation. The soldiers of Massachusetts, guided by the enthusiasm of liberty, had themselves elected their own officers,-a thing incompatible with discipline; these officers not being respected, they exacted obedience in vain. It must be admitted, moreover, that some of them degraded themselves by a rapacity which fell indiscriminately upon private as well as public property. They clamored liberty, in order to be able, without restraint, to satiate their incredible avarice. The state of affliction in which their country was plunged, far from touching them with compassion or concern, seemed rather to increase in them their infamous propensity for pillage. This disastrous scourge has at all times been one of the first results of political revolutions. The most depraved, the most profligate men, while they profess the most ardent love for the public good, are even those who, under this veil, abandon themselves without shame to the thirst of rapine that consumes them. In this disorder, the voice of good citizens is not heard because the wicked are the loudest in their protestations of the same zeal; and the wicked cannot be repressed, because their services are wanted. Another vice of the American army was that each colony, and not the general Congress, paid, clothed, and victualled its own troops; which resulted in a confusion extremely prejudicial to good order and discipline. As yet it had not been thought of, or, perhaps, in the midst of so many different interests, it had not been possible to create a commissary or intendant-general, having charge of all these details of administration. The disorder was greater still Some American generals, dissatisfied with the promotions made by Congress, had retired disdainfully to their homes. Maladies, also, had found their way into the camp, and especially the dysentery, a pest so fatal to armies. The close of autumn already had rendered the cold very sensible; the soldiers suffered severely, from want of barracks. The Congress, however, had not neglected this point; but the contractors, after having received the necessary funds, furnished nothing; and, according to their custom, exclaimed every