were lost on both sides. But, at the same time that the Americans exhibited this feeling toward the French, they could not deny that the French alliance was still useful to them; and hence they had no thought of coming to an open rupture with their government. OPERATIONS OF THE BRITISH ARMY. After relieving Rhode Island, General Clinton returned to New York. On his voyage thither he detached Major-General Grey to Buzzard Bay, in Massachusets, a famous rendezvous of American privateers; and that officer destroyed seventy sail of ships there, with many storehouses and wharfs, and a fort mounting eleven pieces of heavy cannon. Grey then proceeded to an island called Martha's Vineyard, where he took or destroyed several more vessels, destroyed a saltwork, and obliged the inhabitants to deliver up their arms, and furnish him with 10,000 sheep and 3000 oxen. With these supplies he returned to New York, and shortly after he made an incursion into New Jersey, where he surrounded an American detachment in the dead of the night, killed most of them, and took the rest, with Colonel Baylor, their commander, prisoners. About the same time a small squadron, under the direction of Captain Collins, with some troops, under the command of Captain Ferguson, destroyed a nest of privateers at Egg Harbour, and cut to pieces a part of the legion of the Polish Count Pulawski. On the return of this squadron to New York, the British army was placed in winter-quarters, and Washington moved his troops to Middlebrook, in New Jersey, where they hutted, as in Valley Forge. fruit of their conduct towards their brethren. They appear to have conceived that they were in no danger, and especially as some Indian tribes had promised them protection; but their dream of security was su denly disturbed by the appearance of eight hundred men on the bank of the Susquehanna. These were in part savages and in part Anglo-Americans, disguised as Indian warriors. Some of them were in fact the outcasts of Wyoming, who burned to revenge their wrongs. They were led by Colonel Butler, the same who had offered General Carleton the service of the Indians in Canada four years before. On the appearance of this force there were only sixty American regulars in the district, and these were commanded by Colonel Zebulon Butler, said to be of the same family as the officer that was leading on the savages and exiles. There were, however, about three hundred militiamen under Colonel Dennison, and these with the regulars prepared to oppose the invaders. The Indians and their allies entered the valley near its northern boundary; and they quickly took one of the forts called Wintermoots, which they burned. The militiamen and regulars assembled at Forty-fort, a stronger place on the west side of the Susquehanna, and four miles below the camp of the invaders. Had Colonel Zebulon Butler remained in this fort he might have stemmed the onward progress of the invaders till assistance could have been obtained from Washington. Zebulon Butler, however, resolved to leave the fort and encounter the enemy. He found them posted in a plain, partially covered with pine trees, dwarf oaks, and underwood. He moved towards them in single column, but as he was passing along he was saluted by the fire of Indians, who lay concealed behind bushes and trees. ATTACK OF THE SAVAGES ON THE SET- Notwithstanding, Zebulon Butler formed into line and TLEMENT OF WYOMING, ETC. The beautiful district of Wyoming was at this time dotted with eight new townships, each containing a territory of about five miles on both sides of the river Susquehanna. Poets and travellers have fondly fancied that it was inhabited by a peaceful population, in unison with the lovely scenery of the district. Such conceptions, however, are the very reverse of the fact. Greece was as the garden of Eden, and yet fierce warriors inhabited its soil. And so it was with Wyoming. By its geographical position the district seemed properly to belong to Pennsylvania, but the colony of Connecticut claimed it in virtue of an old grant; and it was first settled by the population of that colony. The Pennsylvanians, however, set up a counter claim, and, after many long and angry debates the two colonies went to war about the disputed district. These hostilities lasted till after the breaking out of the war with England; but a near approach of danger caused the belligerents to forego their quarrel. Several Pennsylvanian families by this time had obtained a settlement in Wyoming, and these were all royalists. So also were some of the Connecticut settlers, but there, as elsewhere, the revolutionary party gained the ascendency. They used their power tyrannically, and faction and feuds raged through all the townships. "Fair Wyoming," by the bad passions of its inhabitants, was converted into a very hell. In every house there was division of sentiment, and the sources of domestic happiness were all poisoned by the bitter waters of strife. At length the revolutionary party completely got the upper hand. Oppressed and persecuted indeed, the royalists for the most part left their homes and became fugitives in the back-settlements. After this the revolutionists sent a large reinforcement to serve in the army of congress. By so doing, however, they laid themselves open to attack from the savages and their fugitive brethren. Warnings of their danger were repeatedly given them; but although they built some little forts in order to protect the district, they had but indifferent garrisons to put into them, and it was easy, to foresee that sooner or later they would reap the prepared for battle. His left flank, which was composed of militiamen, was quickly turned by a body of Indians, who poured a destructive fire on his rear, and he was compelled to command a retreat. All fled precipitately, but the enemy was in their front, while on one side was a marsh and a mountain, and the other a deep river. A dreadful scene ensued. Throwing away their rifles and muskets, the Indians and their enraged allies fell upon the fugitives with their tomahawks, and heeded not the loud cry which was raised for quarter and mercy. About sixty men, with Colonels Zebulon Butler and Dennison, escaped by swimming across the river, hiding in the marsh, or climbing the mountain; but the rest, amounting to nearly four hundred men, were butchered on the spot. Zebulon Butler fled from Wyoming with his few surviving men, and Dennison proposed terms of capitulation, which the enemy granted to the inhabitants. These unfortunate people, however, dreading the vengeance of their white brethren, generally, abandoned their homes, and in their turn became outcasts and wanderers. The invaders then collected all the property of the district worth carriage; burned all the houses and levelled the forts; and then returned to the wilderness from whence they came. The troops of congress shortly after made some retaliation. Washington was at the very time of the invasion sending some troops to the defence of Wyoming, and these being reinforced by a great many riflemen of Morgan's corps, they rushed upon the Indian settlements, burned their villages, exterminated all they could discover, and compelled the rest to retire further from the frontiers of the colonies. Those who escaped, however, awaited another opportunity for revenge. ARRIVAL OF THE FRENCH ENVOY AT PHILADELPHIA. After Sir Henry Clinton had evacuated Philadelphia, congress returned to that city. In the course of the autumn M. Gérard arrived there as envoy to the United States from the court of France. About the same time instructions were prepared and sent to Dr Franklin, as minister plenipotentiary at the court of Versailles The French minister and suite received very flattering attention from the majority of the mem-, bers of congress, but beyond this they had reason for complaint. By the people they were looked upon with suspicion, and some considered them in the light of enemies. There was, indeed, a significant distinction drawn at this time between parties in America, which exists to this day: the moderates were called the English party, and the ultra-revolutionists, the French party. But it was soon found that even the French party could not always agree in the plans and schemes of the French ambassador and his government, and that, therefore, the alliance, though solemnly ratified by treaty, was not cemented by reciprocal affection. from a strong position which he had taken on the heights at the end of an inlet, called Grand Cul de Sac. While this was doing, Brigadier-general Prescott landed, with five other regiments, to secure the whole of the bay, and to establish posts in order to preserve a communication with Medows. General Medows pushed forward, and took possession of the important post of the Vigie, which commands the north side of the Carenage harbour; while Brigadier-general Sir Henry Calder occupied other posts upon the mountains which commanded the south side of the Grand Cul de Sac, and Major-general Grant lay on the heights, called Morne Fortune. The British troops were thus situate when d'Estaing arrived off the island, in order to relieve it. On discovering his approach, the British admirals immediately collected all their ships into the MOVEMENTS OF THE BRITISH AND FRENCH Grand Cul de Sac, and then formed a line close and FLEETS. compact right across the entrance of the bay. The fleet under the French admiral was by far the most powerful; but he was thrice defeated in his attacks upon the British squadron, and he then landed 5000 picked troops in a bay, between Gros Islet and the Carenage Bay. D'Estaing resolved, in the first instance, to direct his entire force against Medows, who was cut off, by his movement, from all support from the other divisions of the British. General Medows had only 1,300 men, with two twelve-pounders and four six-pounders, to defend his position; but his force d'Estaing led his forces against them. Three several charges were made upon them; but the French were repulsed, with the loss of four hundred men killed, and more than 1000 wounded. He was compelled to leave the island; and as his fleet disappeared, the Chevalier de Micoud descended from some heights to which he had retired, came into the British camp with the principal inhabitants, and signed a capitulation with General Grant, who granted such favourable terms as won for him the gratitude of the enemy. Thus, while the British lost Dominica, they won St. Lucie. After refitting his ships Lord Howe went to Boston, with design to attack the French admiral in that water. He found the anchorage, however, so effectually protected by batteries, that he was compelled to forego this design, and return to New York. Soon after he received leave of absence, and he resigned the command of his squadron to Rear-admiral Gambier. Howe then proceeded to Rhode Island, where he met with Vice-admiral Byron, to whom he gave up the command of the American station as commander-in-chiefly consisted of veterans, and it was in vain that chief, and then set sail for England. After his departure, Byron, with a part of his force, went back to Boston to look after the French; but his ships were driven off the coast by a violent hurricane, and he was obliged to seek a port in order to refit. While thus situated the French admiral put out to sea, in order to undertake operations for conquests in the West India Islands. On the same day, however, that he stole out of the harbour of Boston, Commodore Hotham sailed from Sandy Hook to escort Major-general Grant, with 5000 men, to protect these islands, and he joined Admiral Barrington at Barbadoes, on the 10th of December. CAPTURE OF DOMINICA BY THE FRENCH. It was not solely with a view of supporting the Americans, and vindicating the wrongs of humanity, that the French entered upon the arena of strife. On the contrary, the principal aim of the French cabinet was aggrandisement. A scheme had been devised for seizing all the sugar-plantations of Great Britain. And some time before d'Estaing set sail for the West Indies the French had commenced putting this scheme into effect. On the 7th of September the Marquis de Bouillé, governor-general of Martinique landed with about 2000 men on our island of Dominica, and proceeded to attack the different batteries and forts by land, while French and American frigates and privateers attacked them by sea. There were abundance of artillery and stores in Dominica, but unfortunately there were not sufficient men to defend the island; and, after a gallant defence of some out-works, Lieutenant-governor Stewart found himself compelled to capitulate the island fell into the hands of the French. : CAPTURE OF ST. LUCIE BY THE BRITISHI. The British commanders, on arriving at Barbadoes, being informed of the loss of Dominica, resolved to take another island from the French. Without suffering the troops to land, therefore, Major-general Grant proceeded to St. Lucie, attended by the joint squadrons of Hotham and Barrington. Five British regiments, with all the grenadiers and light-infantry, under the command of Brigadier-general Medows, first landed, and being ably seconded by Major Harris, he drove the French commandant, the Chevalier de Micoud, RE-CAPTURE OF THE ISLANDS OF ST. Earlier in the year, in consequence of their aggres sion on the coast of America, the French were deprived of their privilege of fishing on the banks of Newfoundland. The little islands of St. Pierre and Miquelon had been ceded to them at the peace of 1763, but they were now re-captured by the British, and the garrisons conveyed to France. FRENCH PLANS REGARDING CANADA The ambitious views of the French cabinet were not confined to the West Indies. This was made manifest to the Americans before d'Estaing set sail from Boston. He published a proclamation to the Canadians, exhorting them to return to their former allegiance: and at the same time Washington, through the ascendency of a French party in congress, was urged to undertake the reduction of that province in conjunction with a French force. He was directed by the committee for foreign affairs to communicate with Lafayette on the subject; but instead of this, he wrote a long letter to congress, urging, in a forcible manner, the impolicy of the measure; and, in consequence of his representations, the plan proposed by congress for the emancipation of Canada, in co-operation with an army from France, was deferred "until circumstances rendered the co-operation of the United States more certain, practicable, and effectual." The truth is, the Ameri cans, enlightened by Washington, saw through the designs of France, and they had no idea of thus ag grandising their allies. Moreover, they found no en couragement in Canada; for, notwithstanding the prc. turned royalists. The whole of Georgia was in the hands of the royalists except the town of Sunbury, and this place was soon after reduced by General Prevost, who was sent to Savannah to take the chief command. He was joined here by many suffering royalists from South Carolina and Virginia, while others repaired to head-quarters at New York. MEETING OF PARLIAMENT. clamation of the French admiral, the Canadians were de- | the Georgians into insurrection and republicanism, now termined to remain quiet under the British government, being fully satisfied with its mild rule, and confident that it was able to protect them in their obedience. Soon after this plan failed, Lafayette returned to France, as he himself reports, to offer his sword to his own sovereign, who was now engaged as a principal in the war, and to induce the French court to send more effectual succours to the aid of congress, without any reference to the conquest of Canada. It is well known, however, that both the Marquis and his court cast a longing eye upon Canada; and it cannot be doubted but that its conquest was the chief end which he had in view when he recommended an increase of French troops in America. On his arrival in France, Lafayette was enthusiastically welcomed by the war party; and although the French monarch pretended, at first, to be offended with him for joining the cause of America, before he himself had espoused it, he was almost immediately honoured with the command of the dragoons of the king's guard. home and procuring respect abroad. Parliament met on the 25th of November. Little notice was taken of the operations in America; but his majesty bitterly complained of the unprovoked hostility of the court of France. His majesty also alluded to preparations going on in Spain, and remarked that however friendly and seemingly sincere the professions made to us might be, it was a subject that must gain the attention of the house. The king noticed the complete failure of the commissioners and of the conciliatory measures passed during the last sitting of par liament, and urged the necessity of the most active CAPTURE OF SAVANNAH BY THE BRITISH. exertions, in order to vindicate and maintain the honour of the crown and the interests of the people. He conDuring this year, soon after the return of the com- cluded with saying, that, according to the powers missioners to England, an important operation took vested in him, he had called out the militia to assist in place on the side of Georgia, and the complete suc- the defence of the country, and that he had with high cess of which gave a hope that the war, if transferred satisfaction witnessed the public spirit, ardour, and love to the south, might prove more successful than it had of their country which animated all classes of his subhitherto been. Some of the southern colonies were injects; and which could not fail of ensuring safety at a state of utter confusion-royalists being arrayed against revolutionists, and province against province. In both houses the address of his majesty was opThus, between the people of East Florida, who re- posed. In the lords it was condemned in toto, with the mained under the British government, and the people king's speech, and the opposition proposed putting an of Georgia, who had joined the cause of congress, absolute negative upon the whole. It was argued in there existed an irreconcilable hatred. These pro- support of this proposition, that ministers were proceedvinces had but recently been at war with each other, ing upon false principles, upheld by obstinacy, folly, when Georgia was successfully invaded by the British. and error, and tending to inevitable ruin; that new Sir Henry Clinton despatched Colonel Campbell thither men and new measures must be adopted before we with 3500 men, by sea, under convoy of Admiral Parker, could hope for success in war, or honour and security and on his arrival his first object was the reduction of in peace; that as ministers had shown themselves the city of Savannah, the capital of Georgia, which was incompetent to the management of the war when they defended by the American General Robert How. The only had the Americans to contend with, it was not to whole country between Savannah and the sea was im- be expected that they would be able to contend with passable to troops, being low, marshy, and intersected the united arms of France and America; and that they by creeks and artificial watercourses. The city stood would be still less able if Spain joined the contest. on the southern bank of the Savannah River, about Ministers and their supporters argued that it would be fifteen miles from the sea; and Parker therefore con- monstrous to refuse addressing, especially as the speech veyed the troops up that river, and after surmounting dwelt solely on the dangers of the kingdom from the some difficulties he succeeded in landing them at a perfidy of France; and as the address was a simple deplantation about three miles below the city. Some claration of supporting his majesty against the machiHighlanders, commanded by a Cameron, first moved nations of the French government. The address was from the river bank along a narrow causeway, with carried by a majority of sixty-seven against thirty-five. some high ground at the end of it where the Americans In the commons the opposition moved an amendment were posted. As they approached the Americans "to assure his majesty that from zeal and affection opened a fire upon them, and Cameron and two of his that house was ready to give the most ample support company were slain. The loss of their leader, how-to such measures as might be thought necessary for ever, urged the clansmen on to desperate enterprise. They rushed upon the enemy with a fierce cry for revenge, and drove them back into some woods nearer the town. When Campbell arrived on the scene of action he found the American general posted outside the town, having swamps, woods, trenches, and deep rice-fields all around him. He discovered a private path leading through the swamp, which covered the enemy's right flank, and having sent some of his High-forth our utmost exertions without any adequate benelanders' light infantry and New York volunteers round by that path, he surprised the enemy in the rear. They Aed for their lives through the town of Savannah, four hundred and fifty of them being captured in their flight; and the town and fort, with an abundance of stores, became the prize of the conquerors. In a few days the remnant of How's army was driven across the Savannah River into South Carolina, and then the inhabitants flocked to Colonel Campbell to take the oath of allegiance to the British monarch. The provincials were greatly conciliated by his lenity and moderation; and even some of the hot preachers, who had excited the defence of those kingdoms, or for frustrating the designs of that restless power which had so often disturbed the peace of Europe; but that they thought it their duty to inquire by what fatal councils and unhappy systems of policy this country had been reduced from that splendid situation which, in the early part of his majesty's reign, made her the envy of all Europe, to her present dangerous state, which had of late called fit." The speakers in opposition, who supported this amendment, chiefly dwelt on the numerous blunders of administration in the management of the war; attributing every failure to their measures, and every successful operation to circumstances over which they had no control. It was argued, indeed, that ministers had only made such preparations as would ensure defeats; and that it was marvellous we were not involved in indiscriminate ruin and disgrace. The blunders of ministers were both numerous and palpable, but it cannot be denied that they were mightily magnified by the opposition, who looked at their every movement with a jealous and jaundiced eye AFFAIR RESPECTING ADMIRAL KEPPEL CHAPTER X. Trial of Admiral Keppel and Vice-admiral Palliser-Attacks on Lord Sandwich- -Investigation respecting the Conduct of General and Lord Howe Relief to Protestant Dissenters--Lebars on the Trade of Ireland-War with Spain-Debates on the Militia Bill-Bill for the Impressment of Seamen-Parliament prorogued-The Causes of the Rupture with Spain- -Spanish Attempt upon Gibraltar---French and English Fleets in the Channel- Affairs in the West IndiesOperations in Georgia- -Ineffectual Attempt of the Americans to reduce Savannah-British Incursions into Virginia.- -Capture of Stony l'oint and Verplanks-British Expedition against ConnecticutStony Point re captured, but deserted at the Approach of the British -British Garrison surprised at Paulus Hook-American Disaster at Penobscot American Retaliation on the Indians, &c.-Spanish Incursions-Action between Faul Jones and Captain Pearson-Changes in the Ministry- -Meeting of Parliament Lord Shelburne artscks Ministers in the case of Ireland Lord Ossory's Attack on Ministers respecting Ireland-Lord North's Proposition for the Relief of Ireland -Debates on Economical Reform. TRIAL OF ADMIRAL KEPPEL AND VICE- A. D. 1779. THE During the debate on the amendment in the commons, Charles Fox introduced the subject of the operations of the fleet commanded by Keppel and Palliser, and attributed all the blame of its failure to the conduct of ministers and the admiralty, who, he said, had not sent a sufficient fleet out, and that it was sent to sea too late to effect the objects for which it was fitted out. This subject was brought prominently before the house of commons on the 2nd of December. Mr. Temple Luttrel said, that the whole of that transaction demanded a particular and close inquiry, and that the two admirals, who were both in the house, were bound to give information for the sake of their own honour, HE trial of Admiral Keppel commenced and also for the sake of public tranquillity. Thus on the 7th of January, at the governor's challenged, Keppel, who was a Whig, stood up to house, Portsmouth. It lasted thirty-two defend his own conduct. He could not consider, he days, and the unanimous sentence of the court-martial remarked, that the British flag had been tarnished in his was:-"That it was their opinion the charge against hands, or that the affair off Ushant was in any way dis- Admiral Keppel was malicious and ill-founded; it graceful. He impeached no man; and was persuaded having appeared that so far from having by misconduct that Sir Hugh Palliser manifested no want of courage. or neglect of duty lost an opportunity of rendering He expressed a hope that he should not be compelled essential service to the state, and therefore tarnished to answer any questions relative to the action or to in- the honour of the British navy, he had behaved as bedividuals, at the same time asserting that he was ready came a judicious, brave, and experienced officer." The to explain his own conduct in that house or elsewhere. acquittal of Keppel was followed by illuminations and Nothing, he said, was left untried to bring the French other demonstrations of joy on the part of the public, to a decisive action. He then adverted to Palliser's with whom he was in favour; and he also received the publication in the newspapers. He was surprised, he thanks of the city and the two houses of parliament. said, that he should have appealed to the public when On the other hand, the house of Sir Hugh Palliser was no accusation was made against him, and have en- broken open by a mob at midnight, and the whole of deavoured to render his superior in command unpo- the furniture either destroyed or thrown out of the pular and odious; and he declared that he would never window, while effigies of the vice-admiral were carried again embark in a fleet with an officer who could about suspended by the neck and afterwards burnt. conduct himself in a manner so fatal to all obedience Work for the glaziers was also made by the destruction and discipline. Sir Hugh Palliser, who was a Tory, of the windows of the Admiralty, and of the houses of then rose and said, that it was his interest to obtain Lords George Germaine and North. The mob even inquiry, and that he was as eager for it as his superior took the great gate of the Admiralty from its hinges, officer. He censured Keppel's reserve, and challenged and having collected all the sedan chairs in the neighhim to deliver his opinions without disguise, that he bourhood made a great bonfire in the court-yard. Sixmight be able to give a full answer. He complained of teen of the mob were afterwards captured by the the aspersions thrown upon his character by the news- soldiers, and the rest were dispersed. A day or two papers, and said that while justice was rendered to his after this, as the acquittal of Keppel seemed to courage, insinuations were thrown out that he might cast a stigma on the character of Sir Hugh Palliser he have neglected or disobeyed the signals of his superior. demanded a court-martial on himself; first giving up He concluded by asserting that he had vainly sought his seat in parliament and all his offices except that of an explanation from Keppel, before appealing to the vice-admiral. His trial was held on board the “Sandpublic with a detail of facts, by which he would stand wich," in Portsmouth harbour, and after the lapse of or fall; by denying that he had refused to obey signals; twenty-one days the sentence of the court was:and by declaring that he feared neither a parliamentary "That, though his conduct and behaviour in battle had inquiry nor a public trial. In reply, Admiral Keppel been in many respects highly exemplary and meritoasserted that one of his signals was not obeyed though rious; they, at the same time, could not help thinking it was flying for five hours, but that he would not it was incumbent upon him to have made known to his charge Vice-admiral Palliser with disobedience, as the commander-in-chief the disabled state of his ship, to condition of his ships might, as represented by him, which he attributed his not joining; but that, notwithhave prevented his coming up. Palliser rejoined by standing his omission in this particular, they were of charging Keppel with having neglected to arrange his opinion that he was not in any other respect chargeships in such a manner as to ensure a general engage-able with misconduct or misbehaviour, and that, therement; with having neglected to tack and double on the French with his van and centre, after these had passed the enemy's rear, whereby he, the vice-admiral, was exposed to be cut off; with having permitted the enemy to rally, and to claim a victory by standing after the English ships; and with having, finally, led the British fleet in an opposite direction, instead of pursuing the enemy. The conversation here dropped, but the charges made by Sir Hugh Palliser were afterwards repeated to the Admiralty; and this led to the trial of both the accuser and the accused before a court-martial. fore, they fully acquitted him." Such was the termination of this ill-judged contest, which was rather a contest between the two parties of Whig and Tory than for personal honour and integrity of conduct. Though both were acquitted, their reputations were injured by their trials, for neither of them was ever afterwards employed in active service. ATTACKS ON LORD SANDWICH. That the trials of Keppel and Palliser were essentially party struggles is proved by after proceedings in both houses of parliament. After the Christmas recess, Mr. Fox moved a vote of censure upon Lord Sandwich for sending Admiral Keppel to sea in the first instance with only twenty ships of the line and four frigates, at a time when a French fleet, consisting, as there was reason to believe, of thirty-two ships of the line, and certainly of twenty-seven with a great number of frigates, was at Brest, and ready to put to sea; thereby hazarding the safety of the kingdom. Fox also announced his intention of moving an address for the removal of the first lord of the admiralty; asserting that there were facts existing which would warrant his impeachment by the house. Keppel, who had determined to resign his command of the fleet, joined in this attack upon Sandwich, by declaring that on his first taking the command, the fleet was in no very good condition; that afterwards the admiralty-board had made soine exertions, but even then had sent him to sea too weak; that he believed the French fleet was as strong as was represented in the papers which he found on board the frigates he had captured; and that, upon that conviction, he was for the first time obliged to turn his back upon the enemy. Lords North and Mulgrave defended Sandwich and the admiralty-board; imputing some blame to Keppel, and the motion was negatived by two hundred and four against one hundred and seventy. Subsequently, Mr. Fox moved that the state of the navy at the breaking out of the war was inadequate to the exigencies of the service. In his speech, Fox observed, that nothing but good fortune had saved the country from invasion and destruction; but Lord Mulgrave, in reply, said, that all the "good fortune had been on the side of France -that nothing but "good fortune" had saved d'Orvilliers from Keppel, and d'Estaing from Lord Howe. The latter admiral, who was now in the house, showed that he was scarcely in a better temper with the administration than was Keppel. He declared that he had been deceived in accepting the command in America; that he had been ill-used while he held that command; and that he would never again accept active service under the existing ministry. On this occasion, Fox's motion was lost, but a few days after he moved that the omission to reinforce Lord Howe in America before the month of June, and the not sending a fleet to the Mediterranean, were instances of gross misconduct and neglect. Fox was again outvoted, yet on the 19th of April he made his promised motion for dismissing Lord Sandwich from his majesty's presence and councils for ever. This motion was likewise negatived, and a similar motion, made a few days after in the upper house by the Earl of Bristol, shared the same fate. Other motions hostile to Sandwich were made in both houses, but they were all lost by majorities of nearly two to one. But even these large majorities exhibited the waning influence and popularity of the administration; for in the earlier days of Lord North's government the majorities were usually four to one. INVESTIGATION RESPECTING THE CONDUCT OF GENERAL AND LORD HOWE. The managers of the war-office were doomed to similar attacks as those of the admiralty. Early in the session General Burgoyne imputing his own misfortune and the failures of all other commanders, whether by land or sea, to the administration, had moved that all the letters written by himself and other commanders to government since the convention of Saratoga, should be laid before the house. Lord North readily granted these papers, and shortly after Sir William Howe, who was now in the house of commons, as well as his brother the admiral, made a similar motion for copies of all letters that had passed during his command between him and the secretary of state for America. It was only against Lord George Germaine that Howe wished to impute blame, and him he charged with interfering on all occasions with the management of the army in America; and of imposing restraints and schemes of his own, which were conceived in utter ignorance of the country which was the scene of the war. These papers were, also, willingly granted, and Lord North further consented that the house should go into committee for inquiring into the whole conduct of the American war. At the same time, an application was made to the house of lords, to permit the attendance of Earl Cornwallis, as a material witness. After this, however, Lord North endeavoured to put a stop to this inquiry, by asserting that Sir William Howe's character was fully cleared by the letters produced, and that government approved in the warmest manner of his services. But this attempt was attended with great odium, and the examination of witnesses was proceeded with. This examination lasted for two months, and the officers examined were, Lord Cornwallis, Major-general Grey, Sir Andrew Snape Hammon, Major Montresor, and Sir George Osborne, whose evidence went to establish the facts that the force sent to America was not equal to the task of subjugating America; that the colonists were almost unanimous in their enmity and resistance to Great Britain; that the nature of the country was beyond all others difficult and impracticable for military operations; and that there was no fairer prospect of success in any future attempt at conquest, than in those which had already been made. On the other hand, Major-general Robertson, and Mr. Galloway, a member of congress who had turned royalist, gave contradictory evidence on all these points, and the latter was severe in his censures on the military conduct of Sir William Howe. At the request of Howe, this witness was directed to attend again for cross-examination; but, on the day appointed, which was the 29th of June, the general not being in the house, advantage was taken of this circumstance to dissolve the committee, and thus no resolution was passed upon this subject. Burgoyne was somewhat more fortunate than Howe, as witnesses were heard in his favour and none against him. His witnesses were Sir Guy Carleton, the Earls of Balcarras and Harrington, Major Forbes, and Captain Bloomfield, who deposed that no general could be braver or more beloved by his army. At the same time they could not make out a case of good generalship in Burgoyne's crossing the Hudson, after the expedition to Bennington, or even give a good colour to that expedition, so that their only evidence went to show that which all men knew; namely, that Burgoyne was brave, persevering, and humane, and that in advancing to and staying so long at Saratoga, he had acted according to the best of his judgment. In the course of the examination, some of the witnesses extolled the bravery of the Americans in action; but it was also shown that Gates's army were nearly six times as numerous as that of Burgoyne's, and that the latter were half-famished, so that it did not require any extraordinary bravery to accomplish a victory other them. RELIEF TO PROTESTANT DISSENTERS. The spirit of toleration which displayed itself during the last session in favour of Roman Catholics, was again exerted in the present session on behalf of Protestant Dissenting ministers and school-masters. A bill to relieve them from some painful and absurd restrictions, was carried with great facility. DEBATES ON THE TRADE OF IRELAND. During the month of January, Lord Nugent, after drawing a forcible picture of the distress which existed in Ireland, gave notice of his intention to move for the establishment of a cotton-manufactory in Ireland, with a power of exportation to Great Britain, and a free trade to America, Africa, and the West Indies. Subsequently a committee was formed to consider the acts of parliament relating to the importation of sugars into Ireland. The intended relief, however, was as usual counteracted by commercial jealousy in England, and all that was done by the commons was to pass two |