the expedition fo numerous, and many of them unknown in practice, that it was no wonder that it did not fucceed. In all its parts it appeared to be the offspring of folly and the creature of madnefs. Carleton did all in his power to give it birth, and though he was not its parent he acted the part of a good nurse, and withheld no affiftance that was in his power to render it effectual.

The minifters at home and especially the lord at the head of the American department were deeply interested in the fuccefs of this expedition; they had founded the most fanguine expectations concerning it, and had in idea anticipated the glorious advantages that would be derived from it. Nothing was left undone on their fide, as far as their penetration could reach, to render it effectual. All things were prepared according to the number of troops that could be fpared for that particular fervice, which were thought conducive to give efficacy to their operations. Canada was expected to afford a warlike though undifciplined militia, well calculated for and acquainted with the nature and fervice of the country. To ftrengthen and increase this irregular force, arms and accoutrements were amply provided to fupply those umerous loyalifts, who were expected to join the royal army as foon as it approached the frontiers of thefe provinces. A powerful artillery was provided to drive the rebels from all their posts and thickets; and it was confidered as a thing impoffible that any number of irregular troops could stand before fuch a well appointed army of veterans. In this particular the miniftry reafoned falaciously; for though the colonifts were not fuch old troops as fome of the regiments which were fent against them, they were far

from

from being irregular. They knew difcipline and obeyed command, with great exactnefs, and were determined to venture their lives for the caufe they were engaged in. And it was found upon trial that they were not so easily combated as Lord George Germaine and General Burgoyne had imagined.

Befides thefe forces already mentioned, several nations of favages had been induced to come into the field; a measure which will fix an everlasting difgrace upon the authors, and leave a blot upon the present reign, that nothing but the death of time itfelf will be able to wipe away. This measure was defended by ministerial advocates upon the fuppofed neceflity of the cafe as if from the character of the Indians it were manifest that they could not be still, and if not engaged in the king's fervice, would join the Americans. This was a vain and falfe apprehenfion; for the colonists had already refused their fervice, and they had agreed to ftand neuter, and live quietly. It was only the prefents given them by minifterial agents, who wanted them to attend the army for the purposes of fcalping and murder, that induced them to take up the hatchet. General Carleton would not employ them, but in the preceding year civilly dimiffed them; his humanity would not permit him to make use of fuch illicit inftruments of war, and as his orders were not so particularly exprefs on that head, he made no ufe of their service. But now a more high and peremptory authority pofitively enjoined the making use of them; and it was fupposed to be one of the favo rite and most enchanting fchemes of that authority, to bring forth those barbarians to the field, for the fake of glutting its revenge upon the refractory colohifts. It will hardly be credited in after ages, that

in a reign marked fo often with the epithet pious, that an order fhould ever have come forth with the royal fanction, to let loofe favage barbarians upon helpless old men, women, and children. Whatever were the reasons why General Carleton did not employ the favages in a more early and effectual manner, they were far from giving fatisfaction to miniftry, and their friends at home. It was infifted that every appearance of lenity was actual cruelty in the effect, because it operated as an incentive to difobedience, and increased the objects of punishment. That on the contrary, partial feverity was general mercy; as timely exertions of justice, and ftrict inflictions of punishments, were at all times the fure means of preventing crimes. That the only method of speedily crushing the rebellion, was to render the fituation of the actors in it, fo intolerable, that a ceffation from danger and bleffings of repofe, fhould become the only objects of their contemplation and hope. That the means were but little to be attended to, when they led to the accomplishment of fo great and happy a purpose as the deftruction of rebellion, and the reftoration of order and legal government. And in all convulfions of ftates the innocent were but two frequently involv. ed in the calamities which were intended for the guilty; but fuch was the lot and condition of mankind, and this evil however much deplored, could not in numberless inftances be prevented. This doctrine was fupported by the avowed friends of the miniftry, whether out of office, or in the fubordinate departments of the ftate; and it was undoubtedly agreeable to the opinions of the minifters, and fhewed that General Carleton's fcruples with regard to employing the favages, were in no refpect acceptable to them.

The arguments made ufe of to fupport this doctrine, were all founded in the firft inftance, upon the moft palpable falfhoods; for they all take for granted what never was nor can be proved, namely, that the colonists were in a state of rebellion according to the fundamental laws of the British conftitution. There were no laws exifting at the time the controverfy began, that determined an oppofition to unconftitution. al acts of parliament, rebellion. It could not therefore be an exertion of justice, to employ favages to inforce new arbitrary ftatutes, which were contrary to the very genius of the conftitution. According to thefe court advocates, it would have been equally just to have employed barbarians to have prevented the revolution, or it is ftill juft to emply them to overturn its principles. Before they had endeavoured to crush a rebellion with all the cruelty of favage barbarity, they ought firft to have enquired whether it exifted, and whether, what they fo called, was not created by themfelves. Legal government confifts in obferving the conftitutional laws of the empire, and not in purfuing modern ftatutes, which are diametrically oppofite to the first principles of our fundamental laws. To make acts of power through the influence of corruption in the legiflature, that infringe the liberties and the natural rights of the fubjects, and then to determine it rebellion to refilt them, is the fame thing as to declare the whole code of fundamental ftatutes, rebellious acts, and the framers of them traitors. It would require no more to prove this point, than only to place the old laws of the land and fome modern ftatutes in oppofite columns. But it was no wonder, that the promoters of this war were not very nice concerning the means they

they made use of, seeing they had adopted the popish maxims, that the end fanctifies the means. After generations, when they read the history of this war, will be equally aftonished, both at the end and the means made use of to attain it. It is a very curious maxim, that partial feverity is general mercy, espe cially when it is confidered that both the guilt and the mifery proceed from thofe that now pretended to have a right to punish. It was fuch mercy as it would be to take away the lives of fo many innocent people that the may be fitter to be made flaves,

10

However och Sir Guy Carleton difapproved of making ufe of the farages, he was now obliged by a fpecial authority to ufe his influence to bring them over to the meafures of government: accordingly prefents were liberally diftributed among them, which anfwered the purpose intended. The regular force appointed to this expedition, conducted by General Burgoyne, confifted of British and German troops, to the number of near 8000; of thefe 3217 were Brunfwickers; watermen and artillery made a corps of about 2000, and the favages about 1200.

Canada was largely rated, and the inhabitants greviously oppreffed: they felt fenfibly the proportion which they were appointed to furnish towards this campaign. In the proposals laid before the minifter, befides the militia and various other kinds of workmen, fuppofed neceffary to be immediately attached to the army, and to accompany it on the expedition, chains of the militia, patroles, and posts, were expected to occupy the woods in the frontiers in the rear of the army, partly to intercept the communication between the enemy and the ill-affected in Canada, partly to prevent defertion, and to procure