of an act of parliament to grant general and part clar pardons to all thofe, who in the midft of the tumult and diforder of the times, might have deviated from their juft allegiance, and who were willing, by a speedy return to their duty, to reap the benefits of the royal favour, and of declaring any province, county, town, port, diftrict, or place to be at the peace of his Majefty; in which the penal provifions of that law would ceafe in their favour. It alfo promifed that a due confideration fhould be had to the fervices of all perfons who contributed to restoring the public tranquility.

These papers were immediately forwarded by General Washington to the congrefs, and as speedily published by them in all the newspapers, with a preface and comment in form of a refolution, fetting forthr their opinion of the nature and tendency of that declaration. They faid that they had published it, that the people of the United States might be informep of what nature are the commiffioners, and what the terms, with the expectation with which the Court of Britain had endeavoured to amuse and difarm them; and that the few who ftill remained fufpended by a hope found ed either in the juftice or moderation of that court, might now at length be convinced, that the valour alone of their country, is fufficient to fave their liberties. The comment, added to the declaration, took away all the influence and force that was in it, to produce the effect that was intended by it. It anfwered none of thefe purposes which the government and the admiral had in view. The Americans turned it into ridicule, and branded it with the epithets of infidious and foolish. At this time feveral flags were fent on fhore by Lord Howe, accompanied with letters to George. Washington,

Washington, Efq; which that officer refused to re ceive, as not being addreffed with the title, and in the form due to the rank which he held under the United States. The Congrefs highly applauded the dignity of this conduct in a public refolution paffed for the purpofe; by which they directed, that for the future none of their commanders fhould receive any letter or meffage from the enemy, but fuch as fhould be directed to them in the character, which they refpectively sustained. At length Adjutant-general Patérs fon was fent to New York by General Howe, with letter to George Washington, Efq; &cb&c. Washing ton received him with great politenefs, and the ufual ceremony of blindfolding him in pafling throughtho fortifications was difpenfed with in his favori Paterfon regretted, in the name of his principal, the difficulties which had arifen with refpect to addrefling the letters; declared their high efteem for his perfon and character, and that they did not mean to derogate from the refpect due to his rank and it was hoped the etceteras implied every thing, and would remove the impediments of their correfpondence. The Get neral replied, that a letter directed to any one in a public character, fhould have fome description or indication of it, otherwise it would appear a mere private letter; that it was true the etceteras implied everything, but they alfo implied any thing; and that lis, fhould absolutely decline, any letter that was direct ed to him as a private perfon, when it related to lis public ftation. A dong conference enfaed on the fubject of prifoners, and the complaints that were made on both fides, particularly by the congrefs, re Jative to the treatment they received. The Adjutant having obferved that the commiffioners were armed quimial

with

with great powers; that they fhould derive the greateft pleasure from effecting an accomodation; and that he himself wished to have that vifit confidered as mak ing the first advances towards that defirable object. He received for anfwer, among other things, that by what had appeared, their powers were only to grant pardons; that thofe who had committed no offence, nor done any fault, wanted no pardon; and that they were only defending what they deemed their indifput able right. Paterfon was received by Washington in great military state, and the utmoft politenefs was ob? ferved on both fides.

It was about this time, and previous to the arrival of the fleet and army at New York, that plots in fa vour of the royal caufe were discovered in New York and Albany, which occafioned much trouble. Some few were executed, great numbers were confined, and many abandoned their houses through the influence of their fears. Thefe were purfued as outlaws and enemies to their country. The eftates of thefe unfor tunate people, against whom there were proofs, were feized. In the mean time fome new forms of government were established in all those colonies which judge ed the former infufficient for their firuation, and the others made the neceffary alterations to adopt old forms to their new fyftem. The declaration of independency was also published in all the colonies, and every where received and accompanied with the greateft teflimonies of joy. This confidence and boldness in the midst of fo untried and dangerous a ftruggle, and at the approach of fo formidable an invafion, mades many conclude that the colonies were either very prefamptuous, knew of fome internal ftrength, or had certainty of foreign affiftarce. This might have been a.

larming

larming to Great Britain, had not her governors been infatuated with the ideas of dominion and arbitrary power, that they could neither perceive what was for their own honour, nor the intereft of their fovereign.

It was a long time before all the troops destined for this fervice arrived; the first divifion of the Heffians, with a number of British which attended them, failed directly to Halifax, as Lord Howe had done, being ftill ignorant of the General's departure from that place. By this means the month of Auguft was confiderably advanced before they arrived at New York, and it was of courfe longer befoae any expedition of importance could be undertaken by the commiffioners. They were joined in the mean time by Sir Peter Parker and General Clinton, who had returned with the fquadron and forces from South Carolina, as well as by fome regiments from Florida and the West Indies. When all the forces, except the Heffians, which were expected were arrived, an attempt upon Long Island was refolved, as being most practicable, and therefore better fitted for the firft effay than New York, because it afforded a greater fcope for difplaying of military skill and experience with advantage it alfo abounded with thofe fupplies which fo great a body of men as were now affembled by fea and land, demanded. Upon the 22d of Auguft, the fleet having taken neceffary meafures for covering the defcent the army was landed without oppofition near Utrecht and Gravefend, on the fouth weft end of the island, and not far from the Narrows, where it approaches nearest to Staten Island. At that time General Put nam was encamped with a strong force at Brookland and Brooklyn, at a few miles distance on the North coaft, where his works covered the breadth of a small peninfula

peninfula, having the Eaft River, which feparated him from New York, on his left; a marsh which extended to Gowan's cave on his right, with the Bay and Governor's Ifland to his back. The armies were feparated by a range of hills covered with wood, which interfect the country from eaft to weft, and are in that part called the Heights of Guana. The direct road to the enemy lay through a village called Flat Bufh, where the hills commenced, and hear which was one of the most important paffes. As the army advanced, the north coaft was to the left, the fouth to the right, and Flat Bush was nearly in the centre be. tween both. The ifland, in that part, is formed narrow by Jamaica Bay in the right, but foon turns wide. General Putnam had detached a good part of his army to occupy the woody hills, and poffefs the paffes; and provided the commanders had been skilful and vigilant, they could not have eafily paffed. It appears, however, that it was not the plan of the colonifts to attempt any defperate experiment, till once they had exercifed their troops in fkirmishes, and taught them the poffibility of conqueft in their turn, They knew that the British troops were brave, and longed for nothing more than an opportunity to fig'nalize themselves, and put an end to the war by a bold pufh.Their intereft and fafety both depended much upon fpeedy action. The colonists

were as yet raw troops, and wanted experience in war; a fudden attack, and a fignal overthrow, would have difpirited them, and fruftrated all their hopes of defending their country, and gaining their liberty.What was by our troops called cowardice, was in them the greateft prudence, and trueft wisdom.-They induftriously avoided coming to any general ac