In Massachusetts, a different fate awaited it. Upon its arrival, the inhabitants endeavoured to procure its return, but this being impracticable, the tea having been consigned to the relations and friends of the royal governor, Hutchinson, they resolved to destroy it. Accordingly, a number of persons, dressed like Indians, repaired to the ships, and discharged three hundred and forty-two chests of tea into the water, without, however, doing any other damage.

Intelligence of these proceedings was, on the 7th of March, 1774, communicated in a message from the throne to both houses of parliament. The excitement was pecularly strong. In the spirit of revenge against Massachusetts, and particularly against Boston, which was considered as the chief seat of rebellion, a bill was brought forward, called the "Boston port bill," by which the port of Boston was precluded from the privilege of landing and discharging, or of loading and shipping goods, wares, and merchandise.

A second bill, which passed at this time, essentially altered the charter of the province, making the appointment of the council, justices, &c., dependent upon the crown, or its agent. A third soon followed, authorizing and directing the governor to send any person indicted for murder, or any other capital offence, to another colony, or to Great Britain, for trial.

Early the next year, January 7th, 1775, Lord Chatham, Mr. Pitt, after a long retirement, resumed his seat in the house of lords, and introduced a conciliatory bill, the object of which was, to settle the troubles in America. But the efforts of this venerable and peacemaking man wholly failed, the bill being rejected by a majority of sixty-four to thirty-two, without even the compliment of lying on the table.

The crisis, therefore, had arrived; and the signal of war being given, the blood shed at Lexington opened the scene. The circumstances of the case were as follows; General Gage, the king's governor of Massachusetts, learning that a quantity of military stores had been deposited by the provincials at Concord, eighteen miles from Boston, detached Lieutenant-Colonel Smith, and Major Pitcairn, with eight hundred grenadiers to seize them. It is said, also, that another and more important object of the same expedition was to obtain possession of the persons of two distinguished leaders of the patriots, John Hancock and Samuel Adams. They receiving timely intimation of the design through the means of Dr. Warren, an ardent lover of freedom, who afterwards fell on Bunker's Hill, they made their escape. When the detachment arrived at Lexington, a small town lying in their course, they found a body of militia, numbering about seventy, under arms. Major Pitcairn, riding up to them, cried with a loud voice, "Disperse, disperse, you rebels; throw down your arms and disperse." The sturdy yeomanry not immediately obeying his orders, he approached nearer, discharged his pistol, and ordered his soldiers to fire. The result is known. They succeeded in destroying the stores, but were compelled to retire with the loss of 273 men, while the loss on the side of the colonists only amounted to 84.

The provincial congress of Massachusetts, being in session at this time, despatched a minute account of the affair at Lexington, to Great Britain, with depositions to prove that the British troops were the aggressors. In conclusion, they used this emphatic language; "Appealing to heaven for the justice of our cause, we determine to die, or be free."

While these things were passing within and about Boston, the other provinces were making their preparations for war with extreme activity. The city of New York itself, in which the English had more friends than in any other on the continent, and which hitherto had manifested so much reserve, at the first news of the battle of Lexington, was seized with a violent emotion, and resolved to make common cause with the other col onies. The inhabitants adopted the resolutions of the general Congress

with the determination to persist in them until the entire re-establishment of constitutional laws. They drew up an energetic address to the common council of the city of London, which had shown itself favourable to the cause of the colonies; they declared, that all the calamities in the train of civil war, could not constrain the Americans to bend to the will of Great Britain, and that such was the universal sentiment, from Nova Scotia to Georgia; they conjured the city of London to exert all its endeavoura to restore peace between the two parts of the empire; but as to themselves, they protested their determination no longer to endure tyranny.' The second continental Congress met at Philadelphia on the 10th May, 1775, and as war had now actually commenced, it became necessary to fix upon a proper person to conduct it. The one unanimously selected by Congress was GEORGE WASHINGTON, a member of their body, from Virginia. General Washington, in his reply to the president of Congress, who announced to him his appointment, after consenting to enter upon the momentous duty assigned him, added; "As to pay, Sir, I beg leave to assure the Congress, that as no pecuniary consideration could have tempted me to accept this arduous employment, at the expense of my domestic ease and happiness, I do not wish to make any profit from it. I will keep an exact account of my expenses. These I doubt not they will discharge, and that is all I desire." A special commission was drawn up and presented to him, as commander-in-chief of the American forces; on presenting it, Congress unanimously adopted this resolution: "That they would maintain and assist him, and adhere to him with their lives and fortunes, in the cause of American liberty." Following his appointment, was that of four major-generals, Artemas Ward, Charles Lee, Philip Schuyler, and Israel Putnam; and eight brigadier generals, Seth Pomeroy, Richard Montgomery, David Wooster, William Heath, Joseph Spencer, John Thomas, John Sullivan, and Nathaniel Greene.

It may not be inappropriate here to give a table of the time and order of the principal battles which led to the freedom of the colonies from their mother country, together with the name of the commanding officer of either force, with their respective losses. The war commenced, as we have said, with the battle of

LEXINGTON, April 19, 1775; British, Major Pitcairn, loss 273; American yeomanry, loss 84.

BUNKER HILL, June 17, 1775; British, Lord Howe, loss 1054; American, Col. Prescott, loss 453.

FLATBUSH, Aug. 12, 1776; British, Lord Howe, loss 400; American, Putnam and Sullivan, loss 2000.

WHITE PLAINS, Oct. 28, 1766; British, Lord Howe, loss 300 to 400; American, General Washington, loss 300 to 400.

TRENTON, Dec. 25, 1776, British, General Rahl, loss 1000; American, General Washington, loss 9.

PRINCETON, Jan. 3, 1777; British, General Mawhood, loss 400; American, General Washington, loss 100.

HUBBARDSTON, Aug. 7, 1777; British, General Frazer and Baron Reidesel, loss 180; American, Cols. Francis and Warner, loss 800.

BENNINGTON, Aug. 16, 1777; British, Generals Baum and Breyman, loss 800; American, General Stark, loss 100.

BRANDYWINE, Sept. 11, 1777; British, Lord Howe, loss 500; American, General Washington, loss 1200.

STILLWATER, Sept. 17, 1777; British, General Burgoyne, loss 600; American, Gen. eral Gates, loss 350.

GERMANTOWN, Oct. 4, 1777; British, General Grey and Col. Musgrave, loss 600; American, General Washington, loss 1200.

SARATOGA, Oct. 17, 1777; British, General Burgoyne, surrendered 5752 men, his entire army, to General Gates.

RED HOOK, Oct. 22, 1777; British, Count Donop, loss 500; American, Col. Greene.

loss 32

MONMOUTH, June 25, 1778: British, General Clinton, loss 400; American, General Washington, loss 130.

RHODE ISLAND, Aug. 29, 1778; British, General Pigott, loss 260; American, General Sullivan, loss 211.

BRIAR CREEK, March 30, 1779; British, General Prevost, loss 13; American, General Ash, loss 400.

STONY POINT, July 15, 1779, British, General Johnson, loss 600; American, General Wayne, loss 100.

CAMDEN, Aug. 16, 1780; British, Lord Cornwallis, loss 375; American, General Gates, loss 610.

KING'S MOUNTAIN, Oct. 1, 1780; British, Major Ferguson, loss 950; American, Cols. Cleveland, Campbell, and Shelby, loss 96.

COWPENS, Jan. 17, 1781; British, Col. Tarleton, loss 800; American, Col. Morgan, loss 72.

GUILFORD COURT-HOUSE, March 15, 1781; British, Lord Cornwallis, loss 523; Amer ican, General Greene, loss 400.

HOBKIRK'S HILL, April 25, 1781; British, Lord Rawdon, loss 300 to 400; American. General Greene, loss 300 to 400.

EUTAW SPRINGS, Sept. 8, 1781; British, General Stewart, loss 1000; American, General Greene, loss 550.

YORKTOWN Oct. 19, 1783; British, Lord Cornwallis surrendered 7073 men, his entire army, to General Washington.

This last surrender was the final conclusion of the revolutionary war. The whole expense of the struggle to the Americans, estimated in round numbers, was $135,191,700. The occasion of peace, as may be well imagined, was celebrated throughout the country with the most fervent demonstrations of joy; and General Washington, the American Fabius, who had with such signal ability conducted this great contest to a successful issue, was unanimously called to preside over the councils of the nation.

Provisional articles of peace, acknowledging the independence of the United States, were signed in Paris, Nov. 30th, 1782, by John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, John Jay, and Henry Laurens, on the part of the United States, and Mr. Fitzherbert and Mr. Oswald, on the part of Great Britain. The definitive treaty was signed September 30th, 1783. The confederation of the states, which in time of the war had given to the resolves of Congress the force of law, now that the danger was passed, evinced that its power was inadequate to all the purposes of an efficient government. It could neither meet the claims against the United States, provide for the public debt, raise a revenue, or harmonize the jarring interests of the states. Indeed, the difficulties which attended the formation of this new government, it is said, though different in kind were scarcely less than those of achieving its independence. But by a happy concurrence of circumstances, a Constitution was at length formed and ratified, when has effectually secured the happiness and prosperity of the people, and stauds as an illustrious proof of the wisdom of the fathers of the revolution, and a model for other nations in the pursuit of freedom. The Constitution is here appended.

CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES

ANTICLE I.

Sec. I.-All legislative powers herein granted, shall be vested in a con gress of the United States, which shall consist of a senate and house of representatives.

Sec. 11.-1. The house of representatives shall be composed of members chosen every second year, by the people of the several states; and