the principle, and its utility, were denied by the United Colonies. They confidered the lodging of fuch a power in the hands of men, whofe intereft it was to burden them, to ease themselves, by oppreffing them, was neither juft nor reasonable, and contrary to all found policy. It was faid that when the Romans fent out colonies they made them always as free as thofe at home, and never attempted to tax them more than other citizens: that they were always Romans, however far from Italy, had the fame laws, immunities, and privileges, that all other citizens poffeffed, and that when Governors or Prefects attempted to oppress any province, they were feverely punished by the fenate; and that any Roman citizen in any part of the empire, who had proper qualifications like others, might become a fenator, as well as thofe within Italy. But this was not the cafe of the British colonists, who were not admitted to any fhare in the fenatorial authority, except in a nominal fenfe, which was of no importance, without the fanction of a fuperior power. It was added, that the Romans behaved with much more refpect to conquered nations than we did to natural fubjects and born citizens; for provided the nations whom the Romans fubdued inclined to become Romans, they were ruled by the fame laws, and obtained the fame privileges; and were fupported and defended by the laws of the empire, as if they had always belonged to it.

The British commiffioners having a double authority, when their hopes of negociation failed, they were determined to push their military power with more vigour. It would appear, that men, when they ac in the character of foldiers, confider moral obligation to be different from what it is when they act in other characters.

characters. The two commanders in chief had in the fenate condemned the laws made against the Ameri cans, but now they are employed to execute them at the expence of blood, and the danger of their own lives. The policy of nations and the ideas of perfons in high life concerning justice and equity, are very often contrary to the fundamental maxims of morality which men would defire to have practifed when applied to themselves,

The royal army was now divided from the island of New York by the Eaft River, and the men were impatient to pass that narrow limit, They posted themfelves along the coaft wherever they could fee or front their enemies, and erected batteries to anfwer, if not filence theirs. A fleet confifting of upwards of 300 fail, including transports, covered the face of the waters, while the fhips of war hovering round the island threatened deftruction to every part, and were continually engaged with one or other of the batteries, by which it was furrounded. The fmall islands between the opposite shore were perpetually objects of conteft, until by the force of a well ferved artillery, the aid of the fhips, and the intrepidity of the troops, they fecured thofe that were most neceffary for their future operations.

Thus an almoft conftant cannonade was kept up for many days, and the troops who had fo lately escaped from imminent danger, had little time to quiet their apprehenfions. At length all things being prepared for a defcent, feveral motions were made by the fhips in the North River, with a defign to draw the attention of the provincials to that fide of the ifland. Other parts were also threatened, to encrease the uncertainty of the real object of attack, The feizing of the

island of Montrefor near Hellgate, and erecting a battery on it to filence one which the provincials had at Floren's Nook, had the appearance of landing in' that part, which was near the centre of New York ifland. Whilft the colonists were in this ftate of fufpence and expectation, the first divifions of the army, under the command of Gen. Clinton, with Earl Cornwallis, Major-General Vaughan, Brigadier-General Leflie, and the Heffian Colonel Dunop, embarked at the head of Newton-Bay, which runs deep into Long Ifland, and where they were out of all view of the enemy. Covered by five fhips of war upon their entrance into the river, they proceeded to Kep's bay, about three miles north of New York, where being lefs expected than in fome other places, the preparation for defence was not fo great. The works were notwithstanding tolerably strong, and fupported with men, but the fire from the fhips was fo fevere and well directed, that the works were deferted, and the army landed without oppofition.

The provincials, who dreaded the fury of the men of war, abandoned New York, with their other pofts on that part of the ifland, and retired to the North end, where their principal ftrength lay. They were obliged to leave a great part of their artillery and military ftores, which were confiderable, behind. They had fome men flain, and a few taken prifoners in the retreat, and fkirmishes which happened during their ftay.- ---The King's troops fuffered confiderably, but this lofs was concealed as much as poffible,and was never made public by government accounts. Many of the American regiments behaved badly on this occafion. Their late fevere loffes on Long Island appeared vifible in their behaviour at this time.

Part

Part of the British army took poffeffion of New York, and the reft encamped near the centre of the island, with their right on Floren's Nook, on the Eaft River, and the left near Bloomingdale, and thus occupied the ifland from fhore to fhore, which, though it is about fixteen miles in length, is not above one in breadth. It appeared from the beginning, that the provincials did not account the ifland and city of New York worth rifking a general engagement, nor was it their plan, in general, to venture much at one time, bur to exercise their troops in conftant fkirmishes, and waste the British forces by degrees. General Washington took poft at Kingsbridge, by which he had a communication with the continent at New York, and where he erected strong works on both fides of the paffage, which feemed to defy a ftrong force. Their nearest encampment was on the heights of Haerlem, at the distance of about a mile and an half. There was between them M'Gowan's pafs, and the ftrong grounds called Morris's Heights lay between it and King bridge, which were defenfible against a very fuperior force. In this fituation of the armies, fkirmishes frequently happened, and it was found that by degrees the late apprehenfions of the provincials began to wear away. This was the great object which General Washington. had in view; he knew that when his men once began. to perceive that they could fight without being killed, and could occafionally beat thofe who had defeated them, they would, in process of time, become fitter for greater attempts, and conquer in their turn.

General Howe had not been many days in poffeffion of New York, when that city was fet on fire by fome that had stayed behind, and concealed themfelves for that purpose, being determined, if poffible, to pre

vent its being of any benefit to the conqueror. They had prepared combustibles with great art and ingenuity, and took the opportunity of dry weather and a brifk wind to fet fire to the city veral places at the fame time.

about midnight, in seThus near a third part

of that beautiful city was reduced to afhes; and unless the activity of the troops, as well as of the failors, had preferved the remainder, it had all been confumed, Some of those who were thought to have been concerned in kindling the flames, were thrown into the midst of them by the foldiers, and burnt to death; though it could never yet be afcertained who were the real authors of this conflagration, nor were the foldiers certain that those whom they threw into the flames had any hand in kindling of them. Thofe that know how little foldiers are given to enquire into the truth of a caufe of this fort, will not wonder much at their burning the innocent as readily as the guilty.

General Howe finding that no attempt could bẹ made with fuccefs upon the fide of New York, but that any attempt of that kind would be attended with the greatest danger, determined upon a new plan of operation, which would oblige the provincials either to quit their fituation, or render their holding it extremely dangerous. For this purpose, on the 11th of October the greater part of the army embarked in flat boats, and other fmall veffels, proper for the fervice, and paffed fuccefsfully through the dangerous navigation of Hell-gate, which forms a communication between the East River and the Sound, and landed on Frogfneck, near the town of Eaft Chester, which lies on the continent belonging to New York, on the fide of Connecticut.-Earl Percy, with two brigades of British troops and one of Heffians, continued in the