"When the ap

tain such a system was impossible." peal was first made to arms, and the battle of Lexing. ton was fought, a great majority of those who guided the councils and led the battalions of America, wished only for a repeal of the obnoxious acts of Parliament, which had occasioned their resistance to the authority of the crown; and they would have been truly unwilling to venture into the unexplored regions of selfgovernment."

But these prejudices and these feelings were totally incompatible with the present state of things. No subject can ever love or respect a monarch, who proposes to him to take away either his liberty or his life, and who, with arms in his hand, shows himself determined to enforce his command. It was well known to the colonists, that immense preparations were making in England, to bring the American Colonies to a state in which they could no longer resist any of her claims. In all probability she would tax them until they had paid the utmost farthing she had expended in effecting their subjection. Add to this, the consideration of the burning of houses, destruction of property and lives, sometimes wantonly, by the British soldiery; and no man in his senses, could think of ever submitting to such authority.

Some of the colonists, therefore, began to think of independence; and this subject soon became a leading topic of conversation, and excited a general wish that it might be attained.

Congress at the same time, knowing the sentiments of the people, began to take higher ground. Their language respecting the British government, was no longer in the tone of loyal subjects. The assumption of authority began to characterize their doings; and their acts purported to emanate from a body possessing the highest power in America. General letters of marque and reprisal were granted, and the Ameri

can ports were opened to all nations and people, not subject to the British crown.

But a measure of Congress, adopted on the 6th of May 1776, was considered as deciding the disposition of that body, in favour of disavowing all allegiance to Great Britain. Before that time, each colony had adopted temporary forms of government, to continue only during the contest; this course having been recommended by Congress. But now Mr. John Adams, Mr. Rutledge, and Mr. Richard Henry Lee, were appointed by that body to frame a preamble to resolutions, recommending generally to the colonies to adopt a system of government without limitation of time, and which should be adequate to existing circumstan

ces.

A part of the preamble was in these words: "Whereas his Britannic Majesty, in conjunction with the Lords and Commons of Great Britain, has, by alate act of parliament, excluded the inhabitants of the United Colonies from the protection of the crown; and whereas no answer whatever to the humble petitions of the colonies for redress of grievances, and reconciliation with Great Britain, has been, or is likely to be given; but the whole force of the kingdom, aided by foreign mercenaries, is to be exerted for the destruction of the good people of these colonies; and whereas it appears absolutely irreconcileable with reason and good conscience, for the people of these colonies now to take the oaths and affirmations necessary for the support of any government under the crown of Great Britain; and it is necessary that the exercise of every kind of authority under said crown should be totally suppressed; therefore resolved, that it be recommended to the respective assemblies and conventions of the United Colonies, where no government sufficient for the exigencies of their affairs hath been already established, to adopt such government as shall, in the opinion of the representatives of the people,

best conduce to the happiness and safety of their constituents in particular, and America in general."

The step recommended by Congress was so decisive, that several of the colonies at first hesitated whether it should be adopted. But public opinion was in favour of the decision which Congress had made; and all the Colonies finally adopted the plan of government recommended.

The time was now fast approaching, when the great and decisive step was to be taken. The people in all parts of the country were impatient openly to throw off all allegiance to his Britannic Majesty, and declared themselves ready to support their independence with their fortunes and their swords. Several of the State conventions instructed their representatives in Congress, to move resolutions declaring the United Colonies free and independent. Under this general state of feeling, the following resolution was moved in Congress, by Richard Henry Lee, and seconded by John Adams;" Resolved, that these United Colonies are and of right ought to be, free and independent States; and that all political connexion between them, and the state of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved." This resolution, which was read on the 7th of June 1776, was referred to a committee of the whole Congress, where it was debated daily. Copies of it were sent to the state conventions requesting instructions to their delegates in Congress. All the colonies, except Pennsylvania and Maryland immediately expressed their approbation of the measure. In both these colonies, the friends of independence made the strongest exertions to obtain the consent of their conventions to favour the resolu tion. The apprehension of which they availed themselves, that those colonies which did not join in this last and most important step, would be left out of the Union, was an argument which produced the desired

effect; and on the 28th of June these provinces directed their representatives to assent to the resolution.

Having thus obtained the consent of all the provinces, the declaration of independence which had already been prepared was read, commented on, and finally passed, by a unanimous vote of Congress.While this most important step was preparing in the American cabinet, great exertions were making for its defence in the field. The British administration had become convinced, from the effects of continental arms on their troops, that America could be made to submit, only by a force vastly superior to any thing they had yet sent against her. While the colonists, having declared themselves a nation free and independent, had determined, in virtue of this assertion, to repel every hostile invasion of their territories, and every encroachment on their rights as citizens. As had been predicted by Washington, the movements of the British army now evinced that an attempt would be made to ascend the Hudson.

Lord Howe, who on the evacuation of Boston, retired to Halifax, had now arrived, with his whole army, at New-York. Here, although he had seen the declaration of independence, he sent letters to the late governours of the provinces, offering terms of pacification, and proclaiming pardon to such persons as had violated their allegiance, provided they would immediately return to their duty. These letters were put into circulation, by such friends of royalty among the Colonists, as had not yet convinced themselves that Great Britain had no right to them as slaves. These circulars, so far from producing what was designed, actually produced an effect entirely opposite; and so salutary was their influence in favour of the American cause, that Congress ordered their publication in all the newspapers in the colonies. Meantime reinforcements from England and Germany were arriving daily, and the British army from the South had joined Gen

eral Howe. His force was now estimated at about twenty-four thousand men.

The American army, including the regular troops and militia, amounted to about twenty-seven thousand men. One fourth part of this number was sick and unable to do duty. A portion of this army was stationed on Long Island, under the command of Major General Sullivan. The residue occupied different stations in the neighbourhood of New York, viz. on York Island, on Governour's Island, at Powles-Hook, and East and West Chester. An attack from the enemy was now daily expected, and Washington exerted all his faculties in preparing for it. He visited every post, and encouraged the men to show to the British and to the world, with what firmness freemen defend their liberties. In his orders, he says, "the time is now near at hand, which must probably determine whether Americans are to be freemen or slaves; whether they are to have property they can call their own; whether their houses and farms are to be pillaged and destroyed, and themselves consigned to a state of wretchedness, from which no human efforts will deliver them. The eyes of all our countrymen are now upon us, and we shall have their blessings and praises, if happily we are the instruments of saving them from the tyranny meditated against them."

To the officers, he recommended the greatest possible coolness during the action; to the soldiers, the strictest obedience to orders. As the time approached when Washington had every reason to believe a great and perhaps decisive engagement was to take place, his anxiety and vigilance increased.

Just before the landing of the enemy on Long Island, in an address to the army, he says "Be ready for action at a moment's call, and when called into it, remember that liberty, property, life and honour, are all at stake; that upon your courage and conduct rest the hopes of your bleeding and insulted country; that