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Irishmen, did not make themselves very agreeable to the CHAPTER New England troops.

While Washington was engaged in organizing the 1775. army, the Continental Congress was busy with measures for its support, pay, and government. In conformity with the suggestions of the New York Provincial Congress, it was voted to issue two millions of dollars in con- June 23. tinental bills of credit. Articles of War were agreed to, June 30. and a Declaration was issued, setting forth the "causes July 6. and necessity for taking up arms." "Our cause is just," said this declaration; "our union is perfect. Our internal resources are great; and, if necessary, foreign assistance is undoubtedly- attainable." Any intention, however, to dissolve the union with Great Britain was emphatically disclaimed. "We have not raised armies with the ambitious design of separating from Great Britain and establishing independent states." "In defense of the freedom that is our birthright we have taken up arms. We shall lay them down when hostilities shall cease on the part of the aggressors, and all danger of their being renewed shall be removed." A petition to the king, firm but respectful, drawn by Dickinsonthe last attempt at reconciliation on the part of the colonists was adopted and signed by all the members. July 8. An Address to the Inhabitants of Great Britain re-stated the chief points of the controversy, and called upon the British people, as "men, countrymen, and brethren," not to countenance proceedings as dangerous to British as they were to American liberty. As a pendent to this address, a letter of thanks was sent to the mayor and livery of London for their spirited opposition to the oppressive and ruinous ministerial system of colonial administration. These documents were intrusted to Richard Penn, then about to visit England, a grandson of the

CHAPTER founder of Pennsylvania, late governor of the province, XXXI. and brother of the present governor, for many years past 1775. a resident in America. An Address to the People of July 21. Ireland, returning hearty thanks for the sympathy exhibited for the colonies, significantly alluded to the griev ances under which that island labored. A letter to the July 25. Assembly of Jamaica returned thanks also for their sympathy. "The peculiar situation of your island forbids your assistance. But we have your good wishes. From the good wishes of the friends of liberty and mankind we shall always derive consolation."

Five

The importance of keeping on good terms with the Indians was not overlooked. Three boards were constituted for Indian affairs: one for the Six Nations and other northern tribes; a second for the Cherokees and Creeks; and a third for the intervening nations. hundred dollars were voted for the education of Indian youth at Wheelock's school, recently established at Hanover, in New Hampshire. In the camp before Boston, Massachusetts already had a body of Stockbridge Indians. the last remains of the tribes of Western New England. Overtures had also been made to the Six Nations through Kirkland, a missionary to the Oneidas, whose support was presently assumed by Congress. But Kirkland, and all the other dissenting missionaries, were soon ordered out of the country by Guy Johnson, the British Indian agent, whose hostile attitude occasioned some apprehensions. John Adams, dining some time after at Cambridge with Mifflin, the quarter-master, found at table some Indians of the Cagnawagas, or French Mohawks, who "made a savage feast of it." Louis, head chief of the Cagnawagas, half blood of the negro and Indian, was complimented with a commission as colonel, and faithfully adhered to the American cause.

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Ever since Franklin had been dismissed from his office CHAPTER of post-master, William Goddard had been traveling from colony to colony, exerting himself to get up a "constitu- 1775. tional post-office" in opposition to the royal mail, which

by this time was nearly broken down from failure of

postages. Congress now established a post-office system

of its own, and appointed Franklin post-master general. July 26. An army hospital was also organized, the directorship July 27. of which was given to Dr. Benjamin Church, a physician of Boston, who had almost rivaled Warren in his zeal for the colonial cause. Washington was authorized to keep up in Massachusetts such a body of troops as he might think necessary, not exceeding twenty-two thousand men.

To meet increasing expenses, another million in bills. of credit had already been authorized. Two joint treas- July 17. urers were also appointed, George Clymer and Michael Hillegas, the latter of whom remained in office as long as the confederation lasted. The liability for the three millions of bills already out was distributed among the July 29. colonies, subject, however, to future revision, in the ratio of their supposed "number of inhabitants, of all ages, including negroes and mulattoes;" the bills to be redeemed in four annual installments, to commence at the end of four years.

While the Continental Congress was thus busy with the common interests, the local conventions and committees were by no means idle. In Massachusetts, agreeably to the advice given by Congress, a House of Representatives was presently chosen, as if under the charter, and an election for counselors was had as usual, the July 19. members of the last-chosen council being present to vote. By the terms of the charter, in the absence of the gov ernor and lieutenant governor, the executive authority

CHAPTER devolved on the council. Those offices being considered XXXI. as vacant, that authority was assumed by the council; 1775. and under this system the government went on till the adoption of a Constitution five years afterward. In place of the various committees of correspondence, safety, and inspection, hitherto existing in the several towns, a single executive committee was authorized, to combine all those powers.

The democratic charter governments of Rhode Island and Connecticut, as they placed the management of affairs in officers chosen directly by the people, required no change. Under the administration of the firm and energetic Trumbull, Connecticut took a foremost stand. Nor was Rhode Island wanting, though the extent of her coast exposed her greatly to maritime depredations, and made it necessary to raise a regiment, in addition to those before Boston, for local defense.

Wentworth, governor of New Hampshire, having lost all control over that province, shut himself up in the fort at Portsmouth, whereupon his house was pillaged July. by a mob. He prorogued the Assembly, now in session for the last time, and presently retired to Boston for safety, leaving the political control of the province in the hands of the Provincial Congress and the local committees.

June 25.

About the time that Washington passed through New York on his way to Boston, Governor Tryon returned from England; and the same escort of honor which the Provincial Congress ordered for the continental commander-in-chief was ordered also for the royal governor. In spite of the efforts of the Congress to prevent it, the city corporation presented to Tryon a loyal address.

Immediately after the seizure of Ticonderoga and Crown Point, Allen and Arnold had written to Congress,

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urging an advance upon Canada, where there were only CHAPTER two British regiments, about eight hundred strong. This seemed, at first, too much like taking the offensive; the 1775. New York Provincial Congress had expressly disclaimed any intention to make war on Canada. Soon, however, a different policy prevailed. To the four regiments which the Congress of New York had undertaken to raise, a fifth was added of Green Mountain Boys. Including these regiments, one of which was commanded by M'Dougall, and another by James Clinton, brother of George Clinton, five thousand men were voted by the Continental Congress, nominally for the defense of New York, but really for the invasion of Canada. A separate northern military department was established, the command of which was given to Schuyler. Wooster, with his troops at Harlem, was ordered to Albany.

Sears was presently sent at midnight to remove the Aug. 22. guns on the battery at the southern point of the city of New York. Some shots fired at a boat from the Asia, a ship of war which lay in the harbor, were answered with a broadside, which killed three of Sears's party. Among those engaged in this affair was Alexander Hamilton. A native of Nevis, in the West Indies, a youth of eighteen, for a year or two past a student in King's College, he had made himself quite conspicuous among the patriots by some able essays in the newspapers, and a few months after, through the interest of M'Dougall, notwithstanding his extreme youth, was appointed captain of a company of artillery.

Having issued $112,000 in bills of credit, to be redeemed by taxes in two years, the New York Congress adjourned for a month, leaving the management of affairs Sept. with a Committee of Safety. An unsuccessful attempt was made by that committee to disarm the people of Long