and policy of the English Government in relation to America. "ENGLAND," fays he, "at this period, had involved herself in a war with her Colonies, undertaken in the fpirit of defpotifm, and conducted in that of folly. It was BUTE who ftill governed the King, and directed the Councils of the kingdom. Like one of thofe malignant fpirits who are perpetually talked of, and never feen-he enveloped himself in profound darkness, whilft, by means of his fecret inftruments and emiffaries, he moved the whole political machine at his pleasure, His fyftem was that of the ancient TORIES, who maintain the unlimited power of the Crown to be neceffary to the public welfare. Haughty and harth in his deportment, little folicitous as to the selection of the means which he employed in the accomplishment of his purposes, his obftinacy could be exceeded only by his indiscretion; a civil lift of one million fcarcely fufficed to gratify the venálity of Parliament. The English Nation, DEGRADED by its SOVEREIGN, appeared to have no will feparate from that of the Court. But, as if this was not enough, the Minifter Bute engaged the King to attempt an arbitrary taxation of the American Colonies, at once to augment his revenues, and to establish a precedent which might at a future time be imitated in Great Britain. The Americans, whom the Court had not deigned to corrupt, opposed themselves openly to these imposts,

fo

fo contrary to their charters, their customs, and to the liberties which they had enjoyed uninterrupted fince their firft eftablishment. A wife Government would have haftened to appease these growing troubles, but the Court of London acted upon other principles. The rigor and violence of their proceedings completed the alienation of the Americans. A Congrefs was convened at Philadelphia, in which it was determined to shake off the Englith yoke; and from this time we see Great Britain engaged in a ruinous war with her own Colonies. France, the perpetual rival of England, faw with pleasure thefe civil commotions, and fecretly encouraged the Americans to defend their rights against the defpotifm which George III. was defirous to establish, by holding out to them a profpect of future fuccours." During the course of

the

"L,ANGLETERRE étoit engagée dans une guerre civile avec fes Colonies, entreprise par efprit de defpotifme, conduite avec mal-adresse. C'est l'Ecoffois Bure qui gouverne le Roi et le Royaume. Semblable à ces efprits mal-faifans dont on parle toujours, et qu'on ne voit jamais-il s'enveloppe ainfi que fes opérations des plus profondes ténèbres. Ses émiffaires, fes créatures font les refforts avec lefquels il meut cette machine politique felon fa volonté. Son fyftème politique eft celui des anciens FORYS, qui foutiennent que la bonheur de l'Angleterre demande que le Roi jouiffe d'un pouvoir defpotique. Impérieux et dur dans le gouvernement, peu foucieux fur le choix des moyens qu'il emploie, fa mal-adreffe dans la maniement des affaires l'emporte encore fur fon obftination. Un million de

the preceding winter 1774-5, no tranfactions of fufficient moment to demand a particular recital had occurred in America. Military preparations contiuued to be made with unremitted ardor, and the cannon and stores belonging to Government were feized by the Provincials in Rhode-Island and other parts; as, on the contrary, General Gage had made various feizures of ammunition, powder, &c. depo

livres ferlins que la Nation paye annuellement au Roi pour l'entretien de fa Lifte Civile ne fuffifoit qu'à peine pour contenter la vénalité des Membres du Parlement. La Nation, dégradée par fon Souverain même, n'eut depuis d'autre volonté que la fienne. Mais, comme fi ce n'étoit pas affez, le Lord Bute engagea le Roi à taxer des impôts arbitraires les Colonies Americaines, autant pour augmenter fes revenus que pour donner un exemple qui par la fuite des tems pût être imité dans la Grande Bretagne. Les Americains, qu'on n'avoit pas daigné corrompre, s'opposèrent ouvertement à cet impôt fi contraire à leurs droits, à leurs coutumes, et furtout aux libertés dont ils jouiffoient depuis leur établissement. Un Gouvernement fage se seroit hâté d'appaifer ces troubles naiffans; mais le Ministère de Londres agit d'après d'autres principes. La dureté et la violence acheval de foulever les Americains. Ils tinrent un Congrès à Philadelphe, où, renonçant au joug Anglois qui deformais leur devenoit infupportable, ils fe declarèrent libres et indépendans. Dèslors violà la Grande Bretagne engagée dans une guerre ruineufe avec fes propres Colonies. La France, toujours rivale de l'Angleterre, voyoit avec plaifir les troubles. Elle encourageoit fous main l'efprit de revolte, et animoit les Americains à foutenir leurs droits contre le defpotifme que le Roi George III. vouloit y établir, en leur préfentant en perspective les fecours qu'ils pouvoient attendre."-Euv. de Frederic III. tome iv.

fited in the vicinity of Boston. The King's Speech, and the fubfequent proceedings of Parliament, left no hope of accommodation; for the refolution and refentment of America rofe in proportion to the arbitrary and oppreffive acts of Britain and a fingle fpark only was now wanting to fet the whole continent in a flame. General Gage, having intelligence of a confiderable magazine depofited at the town of Concord, about twenty miles diftant from Boston, where the Provincial Congrefs was alfo held, detached, on the night preceding the 19th of April, Soo grenadiers and light infantry, under the command of Colonel Smith, who proceeded on their march with great filence; but by the firing of guns and ringing of bells they at length perceived themfelves difcovered; and on their arrival at Lexington, at five in the morning, they found the company of militia belonging to that place drawn up on the Green; on which Major Pitcairn, who led the advanced guard, cried out, 'Difperfe, Rebels! throw down your arms, and difperfe!" This not being immediately complied with, he ordered the foldiers to fire; eight or ten of the Provincials were killed, and the rest speedily retreated. The King's troops immediately marched on to Concord, destroyed fuch ftores as they found, and fpiked three or four pieces of iron cannon. On their return, the paffage of a bridge being difputed by a party of Provincials, a fkirmish enfued, in

which feveral men were killed on both fides; and the whole country being by this time alarmed, rofe on all quarters, preffing close upon their rear; and a scattering and irregular fire was alfo directed against them from behind trees, houses, and hedges, which fupplied the place of lines and redoubts. It fortunately happened, that General Gage, apprehenfive of the danger of the fervice, had early in the morning ordered Lord Percy, with a fecond detachment equal in number to the firft, and two field pieces, to march to Lexington, where they were joined in a fhort time by Colonel Smith, who would otherwife have found great difficulty in forcing his way back to Bofton, his ammunition being entirely expended. As foon as the troops resumed their march, they were again harassed and affailed in the fame manner as before; and with great fatigue and great damage, they at length arrived about funfet at Charlestown, whence they. croffed the harbor in boats to Bofton, under the protection of the Somerfet man of war. In the different actions of the day, the loss of the King's troops was estimated at near 300 men, in killed, wounded, and prisoners, while that of the Provincials did not exceed 90. Such was the inaufpicious commencement of this difaftrous war, and fo ill did facts correfpond with the boaftful language of thofe BOBADILS who at the head of a few regiments had threatened to carry terror through the conti

nent.