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OF

NORTH AND SOUTH

AMERICA,

FROM ITS DISCOVERY

TO THE

DEATH OF GEN. WASHINGTON.

BY RICHARD SNOWDEN, Esq.

IN TWO VOLUMES.

VOL. I.

PHILADELPHIA:

BLISHED BY BENJAMIN WARNER, NO. 171, MARKET STREET,
AND SOLD AT HIS STORES, RICHMOND, VIRGINIA,

AND CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA.

Checked

1819.

May 1913

VILLIAM GREER, PRINTER, COLUMBIA.

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THE NEW YORK
PUBLIC LIBRARY
162581

ASTOR, LENOX AND
TILDEN FOUNDATIONS.
1899.

DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANTA, to wit:

BE IT REMEMBERED, That on the twelfth day of June, in the twentyninth year of the Independence of the United States of America, A. D. 1805, JACOB JOHNSON, of the said district, hath deposited in this office, the title of a book, the right whereof he claims as proprietor, in the words following, to wit:

"The History of North and South America, from its discovery to the "death of General Washington. By Richard Snowden, Esq. In two "volumes. Vol. I."

In conformity to the act of the Congress of the United States, entituled, An act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of Maps, Charts, and Books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies durng the times therein mentioned;" and also to the act, entitled, "An act supplementary to an act, entitled, An act for the encouragement of learning, hy securing the copies of Maps, Charts, and Books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies during the times therein mentioned,' and extending the benefits thereof to the arts of designing, engraving, and etching historical and other prints."

(L. S.)

D. CALDWELL,

Clerk of the District of Pennsylvania.

PREFACE.

TO furnish the publie with a cheap history of America, from its discovery, to its present state of ci vilization and importance, is an undertaking of such general utility, that the attempt, if `it even fall short of complete execution, has a claim to a considerable share of indulgence. This is more especially the case, when the writer has to follow a historian of such great and just celebrity as DR. ROBERTSON, in at least one half of the work.

To compose such a historical epitome as is desirable, from scattered materials, is a difficulty of such magnitude, as wholly to discourage the attempt; and to abridge the pages of so great. an original, where there is nothing superfluous, nothing the reader would wish omitted, is a design, which to many will seem to border on temerity. But this abridgement has been preferred, as it is attended with the least chance of disappointment; and to borrow is not dishonourable, when the obligation is candidly acknowledged.

In what relates to South America, DR. ROBERTSON's history has, therefore, been implicitly followed. His arrangement of the subject, his chronological order, and his very style have been adopted, as the best that can be chosen. To condense his de tails, to introduce only the most prominent and characteristic events, has been the principal effort, and invariable purpose of the epitomiser endeavouring as he progressed, to preserve un, broken, the connexion and continuity of events; and in the whole, to present the reader with a brief, but interesting view, of one of the most important æras in the annals of the world.

So far the writer travelled with pleasure: but in tracing the subsequent part, the history of North America, he has cause to regret, with all his contemporaries, the absence of so pleasing and faithful a guide....being obliged to collect materials from

different sources, none of which are complete, of all the British settlements in North America, from their first landing to their final separation from the parent state..

The settlement of these colonies being made at different periods, with charters of incorporation extremely variant, and with governments as distinct as their geographical boundaries, rendered a history of the British empire in America' extremely complex and difficult. From this heterogeneous mass, however, the writer has endeavoured, with considerable labour, to educe a summary of those events that paved the way to the American Revolution; and which will constitute the introduction to the future histories of the UNITED STATES.

In that portion of the work which succeeds the confederation of the colonies, and the consequent declaration of Independence, we set our feet on surer ground: we revive events that happened in our own memory; and of which there are faithful records within the reach of most of our readers. In treating on this part of the subject, it is not a very easy task, wholly to avoid that collision of opinions which is inseparable from free governments, and which constitutes so great a part in the annals of United America. This, however difficult, the writer has endeavoured to avoid, confining himself, as much as possible, to a history of facts, and to those only that are of a national concern. His principal object has been to present his readers with a comprehensive view of the whole, without any respect to the politics of a single state or party; and to excite, if possible, a zeal for the general welfare and honour of our country....How far he has succeeded in this, as well as other parts of the work, must be left to the candid reader; to whom it is now very respectfully submitted.

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