interim.They fhall take for their fecretary a perfon fit for that employment, who before he enters on his function fhall take an oath of fecrecy and fidelity. The prefence of feven members of the Council will empower them to act. In cafe of the death of one of their members, the Council fhall give notice of it to the colleagues of the deceafed, that they may chufe one of themfelves to replace him in the Council until the holding of the next general meeting ; and in cafe there fhould be but one of his colleagues living, the fame notice fhall be given to him, that he may come and take his feat until the next fitting.

XVI.

In cafe that Canada fhould be willing to accede ta the prefent confederation, and come into all the meafures of the United States, it fhall be admitted into the union, and participate in all its benefits. But no other colony fhall be admitted, without the confent of nine of the States.

The above articles fhall be propofed to the legifla tive bodies of all the United States, to be examined by them; and if they approve of them, they are defired to authorise their delegates to ratify them in the general Affembly; after which all the articles which conftitute the prefent confederation, shall be inviolably obferved by all and every of the United States, and the union fhall be established for ever.

There fhall not be made hereafter any alteration in these articles, nor in any of them, unless that the alteration be previously determined in the General Affembly, and confirmed afterwards by the legiflative bodies of each of the United States,

Refolved

Refolved and figned at Philadelphia, in Congrefs, the 4th of October, 1776.

THIS fubject was largely debated at home by writers of different characters and capacities.. The crimes of the colonists were painted in the ftrongest colours by feveral court writers. Their perjury in breaking their oath of allegiance to the King, their ingratitude to their mother country, which had nourifhed and brought them up like children, were strongly reprefented and infifted upon. The right of Britain to tax them in all cafes whatfoever was fet forth in the strongest light that the authors were able to reprefent it; and distinctions were devised to fhew, that all colonists when they leave a country must be ruled by laws in many cafes different from those in the mother country. The lawyers found that the colonists poffefs no freeholds in the fame manner that the parent state poffeffes them, and upon this principle concluded, that as the colonists were not freeholders, they had no claim of a representation more than those in Britain who have not freehold eftates.

The friends of the colonists confidered this kind of reasoning as unjust, abfurd, and inconclutive. They infifted that the first colonists carried all the rights of Englishmen along with them, and were as much Eng lifhmen in New England as in Old Engiand. That they were not banished for any crimes they had committed in their own country, nor had they tranfgreffed any laws which they were bound to obey; that they had purchased lands of the original proprietors, and had received a charter of protection from the mo

ther

ther country at the expence of their trade and commerce; and that their obedience to government, and protection from it were reciprocal. It was added,

that no people are obliged to obey an authority which refufes to afford them protection when it is in its power to do it, but much lefs when it is exercifed to deprive them of their liberty, aud tends to enflave them. That there could be no arbitrary power lawful where the rulers are not abfolutely perfect; because the paffions and appetites of men in the poffeffion of power will always he ready to make them abufe it. That an abfolute and uncontroulable power of the parliament over America could never be founded in right or found policy, till once all the members of both Houfes were endowed with as much wisdom, prudence, and rectitude as would infallibly direct them to command what was moft conducible to the good of the whole upon plain and felf-evident principles.---And fuppofe they were poffcffed of thefe qualifications, they fill could have no authority over perfons equally free and wife, without their own confent freely given. The reafoners on this fide of the queftion confidered the metaphyfical quirks of court cafuifts and lawyers, as mean felfifh fubterfuges, calculated to throw mift upon reafon and common fenfe, and in all their argument confined themfelves to thofe topics which were intelligible to the meanest capacities.

The principal objects of the war this campaign were the relief of Quebec, and the recovery of Canada, and attack upon the fouthern colonies, and the reduction of New York. Some of the execution of the first parts of this plan has been fhewn already, and the fuccefs which attended them fully fet forth. Great hopes were founded upon this laft part of the scheme.

The

The greatest part of the province of New York is en clofed in iflands, which being long and narrow were expofed on all fides to the hoftilities of our fleets, and to the descent of our troops, with every advantage in their favour, whilst they continue in a ftate of enmity. When reduced, the protection of the ships of war would be as effectual in their prefervation as their hoftility had been in their reduction. The central fituation of this province afforded great advantages. The war would be carried on with equal facility, either in Connecticut and the continent of New York on the eastern fide, or in New Jerfey and from thence to Pennfylvania on the western; or it might have been transferred to and from either place at pleafure. Só that this fituation enabled the British commander to prefcribe the fcene of action, and to quit it when he had a mind, while if the army was withdrawn from the field, he might by means of the Great North River, and the different channels between the islands and the main land, with his fhips and detachments harrafs and ruin the adjacent countries; at the fame time that the provincial, however powerful, could make no ac2 tempt upon the islands that would not be attended with the greatest disadvantages, and liable to the most eminent danger. Another great object in view from this fituation, was that provided General Carleton could join General Howe by the North or Hudfon's River, they would then cut off all communication between the northern and fouthern colonies. To crown thefe advantages, Long Ifland which was confidered as a ftore-house for both the fleet and army, was ta be held for the fupply of all neceffaries; and it was fuppofed the inhabitants were well-affected to the cause of government. Some part of the plan of oper

ation was not fo very difficult, but experience proved that the whole fcheme was by no means practicable.

The management of this laft part of the plan was committed to Lord Viscount Howe and his brother Sir William Howe, two officers of good characters and known abilities, in whom the nation put much confidence, and the government feemed alfo to trust. A powerful army was appointed for this fervice, bes fides the British forces of about 1000 Waldeckers and Heffians. The whole force, provided all the parts had been united at firft, was fuppofed to ha ve amounted to 35,000 men. Perhaps this might be only the calculation which was made upon paper, that gene rally exceeds the true complement by a confiderable degree. It is not likely that ever fuch a number at one time could be brought to action in any place.It was, however, a formidable armament, and a larger army than ever had been fent by any European power to the continent of America. With an army inferior in number to this, Alexander the Great made himtelf master of the whole Perfian empire. The troops were fuppofed to be the best in the world, and under the command of as good officers as were in all Eu rope. They were well provided with all forts of provifions, warlike ftores, and ammunition, and befides fupported by a numerous fleet, well appointed and commanded by the best officers. The General and Admiral, befides their military power, were invested with authority as commiffioners by act of parliament, for restoring peace to the colonies, and for granting pardon to fuch as fhould deferve mercy. It inay be obferved here that the ideas of mercy fuppofed in political ftates feldom anfwers the ends propofed by the offering of it, and this appeared evidently in the me

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