however, the war continued to rage; and in the West Indies, the British, aided by the Americans, took Havana from the Spaniards. But in 1762, "a definitive treaty of peace was signed at Paris, by which the French king ceded Nova Scotia, Cape Breton, and Canada, to the British king; and the middle of the Mississippi, from its source to the river Ibberville, and the middle of that river to the sea, was made the boundary between the British and French dominions in America. Spain ceded to Great Britain, Florida, and all her possessions to the east of the Mississippi. Such was the state of the European possessions in America, at the commencement of the Revolution."

Before the Revolution, there were three kinds of government established in the British American Colonies. "The first was a charter government, by which the powers of legislation were vested in a governor, council, and assembly, chosen by the people. Of this kind were the governments of Connecticut and Rhode Island. The second was a proprietary government, in which the proprietor of the province was governor; although he generally resided abroad, and administered the government by a deputy of his own appointment; the assembly only being chosen by the people. Such were the governments of Pennsylvania and Maryland; and, originally, of New-Jersey and Carolina. The third kind was that of royal government, where the governor and cocil were appointed by the crown, and the assembly by the people. Of this kind were the governments of New-Hampshire, Massachusetts, New-York, New-Jersey, after the year 1702, Virginia, the Carolinas, after the resignation of the proprietors in 1728, and Georgia. This variety of governments created different degrees of dependence on the crown. To render laws valid, it was constitutionally required that they should be ratified by the king; but this formality was often dispensed with, especially in the charter governments.

"At the beginning of the last war with France, commissioners from many of the colonies had assembled at Albany, and proposed that a great council should be

formed by deputies from the several colonies, which, with a general governor, to be appointed by the crown, should be empowered to take measures for the common safety, and to raise money for the execution of their designs. This proposal was not relished by the British ministry; but in place of this plan it was proposed, that the governors of the colonies, with the assistance of one or two of their council, should assemble and concert measures for the general defence; erect forts, levy troops, and draw on the treasury of England for moneys that should be wanted; but the treasury to be reimbursed by a tax on the colonies, to be laid by the English parliament. To this plan, which would imply an avowal of the right of parliament to tax the colonies, the provincial assemblies objected with unshaken firmness. It seems, therefore, that the British parliament, before the war, had it in contemplation to exercise the right they claimed of taxing the colonies at pleasure, without permitting them to be represented. Indeed it is obvious that they laid hold of the alarming situation of the colonies, about 1754 and 1755, to force them into an acknowledgment of the right, or the adoption of measures that might afterwards be drawn into precedent. The colonies, however, with an uncommon foresight and firmness, defeated all their attempts. The war was carried on by requisitions on the colonies for supplies of men and money, or by voluntary contributions.

But no sooner was peace concluded, than the Ei glish parliament resumed the plan of taxing the colc nies; and, to justify their attempts, said, that the money to be raised was to be appropriated to defray the expense of defending them in the late war."

The first attempt of the British government to raise a revenue in America, appeared in the memorable Stamp Act; but such was the opposition of the colonies to this act, that it was shortly after repealed. The parliament, however, persisted in their right to raise a revenue from the colonies, and accordingly passed an act, laying a certain duty on glass, tea, paper, and painters' colours

• Dr. Morse.

articles which were much wanted, and not manufactured in America. This act was so obnoxious to the Ameri cans, that the parliament thought proper, in 1770, to take off these duties, except three pence a pound on tea. But this duty, however trifling, kept alive the jealousies of the colonies, and their opposition continued and increased. It was not the inconvenience of paying the duty which raised their opposition, but it was the prin ciple, which, once admitted, would have subjected the colonies to unlimited parliamentary taxation, without the privilege of being represented.

After a series of oppressive acts on the part of the British government, and of opposition on the part of the colonies, General Gage was sent over with an armed force to Boston, in 1774, to overawe and reduce the rebellious colonies to submission. But these measures did not intimidate the Americans. The people generally concurred in a proposition for holding a Congress by deputation from the several colonies, in order to concert measures for the preservation of their rights. Deputies were accordingly appointed, and the first Congress met at Philadelphia, in October, 1774. The proceedings of the American Congress had a tendency to confirm the people in a spirited and unanimous determination to resist the oppressive acts of the mother country, and to defend their just and constitutional rights. On the other hand, the British Parliament declared that a rebellion actually existed, and besought his Britannic Majesty to take the most effectual measures to enforce due obedience to the laws and authority of his government; and assured him that they were determined to support him in maintaining the just rights of the crown. "From this moment an appeal to arms became unavoidable, and both parties prepared for the conflict."

The first scene of this sanguinary contest opened at Lexington, on the morning of the 19th of April, 1775. Here was spilt the first blood in a war of seven years duration, a war which severed these United States from the British Empire, and ended in the establishment of the independence of a nation of freemen.

1775

[The first year of the Revolution.]

The principal operations of the war during this year took place in the northern States. As the province of Massachusetts had been foremost in opposition, the British government sent their forces to Boston, the capital, and held it in possession during the year. Soon after the battles of Lexington and Bunker's Hill, Gen. Washington, who was appointed commander in chief of the American forces, arrived at Cambridge, and took the command of the army in July. The army investing Boston amounted to about 15,000 men. They were mostly destitute of good arms, ammunition, clothing, and experienced officers. Washington's first and most I difficult task was to organize and discipline the troops. Owing to his uncommon exertions and influence, he succeeded in bringing high-minded freemen to know their respective places, and to have the mechanism as well as the movements of a regular army.

In the autumn of this year, a body of troops under the command of Gen. Montgomery, besieged and took the garrison at St. John's, which commanded the entrance into Canada. Gen. Montgomery pursued his success, and took Montreal. At Quebec being joined by Gen. Arnold, who had marched a body of men through the wilderness to his assistance, Montgomery made an assault on Quebec, on the last day of the year. In this attack he was killed, his troops defeated, and the American army was finally compelled to evacuate Canada.

During this year nearly all the old governments of the colonies were dissolved; and the royal governors, and the crown officers adhering to British measures, were obliged to leave the country, or suspend their functions. From that time temporary conventions were held, for the purpose of administering the laws, and making regulations to meet the public exigences. In

some of the colonies, however, the British adherents (who were called tories) were numerous and powerful, which weakened the opposition to the British arms.

1776.

This year was opened by the burning of the large and flourishing town of Norfolk in Virginia, by order of Lord Dunmore, the royal governor of that province.

The British King entered into treaties with some of the German States for about 17,000 men who were to be sent to America this year, to assist in subduing the colonies. These troops were generally called Hessians, from the circumstance of many of them being raised in Hesse Cassel in Germany. Gen. Washington who still continued before Boston, in the opening of the spring planted his batteries so judiciously before that town, that the British General Howe, on the 17th of March abandoned the place, and Gen. Washington marched into the place in triumph.

During the summer a squadron of ships commanded by Sir Peter Parker, and a body of troops under Generals Clinton and Cornwallis, attempted to take Charleston, the capital of South Carolina. The fort on Sullivan's Island, near Charleston, was attacked with great fury by the ships of the squadron, but the British were repulsed with great loss, and the expedition was abandoned.

On the 4th of July, Congress published the Declaration of Independence. Soon after the declaration, Gen. Howe with a powerful force arrived near New-York; and landed the troops on Staten Island. Gen. Washington at this time was in New-York with about 13,000 men, who were encamped either in the city, or the neighbouring fortifications. The operations of the British began by attacking the Americans on Long Island. The Americans were defeated with severe loss, and Gen. Washington probably saved the remainder of his troops by ordering them to retreat in the night after the battle.