clares, that he is hereby understood to be comprehended in it as fully, as if his name had been fpeci fically mentioned. HORATIO GATES. This convention, concerning which there appears to have been a great deal of ceremony for very little purpose, fhews more the pride and ambi. tion of the British General, than his wifdom and prudence. The requifitions which he made, provided they had not been granted, would have exposed him and his whole army to certain ruin and destruction; for there was not the leaft probability that he was able to fight fuch a fuperior force, which knew his weak. nefs, and were provided for any attack that he could have made. He might, as he threatened, have led on his men, and refufed quarter; but under the preffing influence of hunger and fatigue, it is not to be fuppofed they would have gained any thing, except the honour of falling like mad-men, for the fake of a caufe which they never examined, but taken upon the werd of their officers and commanders. Men exhaufted with hunger and fatigue, fainting under a decay of animal fpirits, were not foldiers very fit for. rufhing upon an enemy, three times their number, and fupplied with the needful fupplies of nature, which they wanted. General Gates knew well what would have been the confequence, but was unwilling to leave the flaughter of a British army, as a monument in hiftory, of the feverity of the colouifts towards their oppreffing brethren. He feems to have humoured the British General rather, as one under an infatuation, than dealt with him as a general of an army. Gates will be remembered for his humanity, as well as greatness of foul, while hiftory continues to hand down down the tranfactions of mankind to pofterity; and the convention of Saratoga will remain a proof, both of his mercy and politeness. General Burgoyne certainly made as much by this convention as he poffibly could have expected; and much more than his fituation promifed; but his nicenefs concerning punctilios, might have marred all is fuccefs in it, and brought fudden ruin upon a number of brave and innocent men. The mercy of his enemies, and the prudence of their commander, wrought more for him than either his own wifdom, or his merit. Had General Gates and his army been in his fituation, there are many reafons to determine us to think, that he would not have fhewn the fame clemen cy that he himself met with.---His daring and bloody proclamation, to fet loose the fcalping favages upon peaceable and quiet peafants, who were employed about their rural employments, as our people at home,. declared a difpofition that favoured nothing of mercy or clemency and it would have been no wonder, if they had measured to this boasting officer that measure which he threatened to mete out to them. * It was however, happy that the sword was reftrained, and fo many lives preferved; and it ought to teach our commanders to fhew more mercy than they have done on fome occafions. Though our proud nation has declared thefe colonies rebels, the rest of Europe have a different opinion of them, fince they became independent; and our cruelty to them, may on fome future occafion, bring feverities upon our own heads. CHAP. CHAP. XIII. The confufed state of the nation at home.-The Miniftry alarmed by the news of the Convention at Saratoga.— Conceal it as long as they can.-Occafions many debates in parliament.-A treaty of commerce between the Colonies and France. HE national expectations were raised to fuch an high pitch, with regard to the fuccefs of the northern army, that the news of its flow operations and embarrafments, began to operate in creating melancholy and apprehenfions of disappointment throughout the whole nation. The progrefs of General Burgoyne in his march from Canada to Albany, was not fo rapid and fuccefsful as the ministry had given reafon to expect in their confidence of boafting. Tho' fome of his advanced parties had been fuccefsful and defeated their enemy, yet their own lofs was confiderable, and their progrefs to Albany interrupted by fo many accidents, that the people at home began to be uneafy, and concluded that the fecrets of this expedition were not fairly reprefented. They had almost anticipated the whole extent of the disaster before the news of it had arrived; and the cataftrophe was not more extraordinary than many forefaw it would happen to be. The whole nation was in an univerfal murmur concerning the iffue of this expedition. The friends of the minister endeavoured to colour thofe delays and difappointments with all their ufual arts of apology, and promised fanguinely upon the the fuccefs of the event, from the caution that was ufed in execution of this project. All their arts were infufficient to disguise their own apprehenfions, or to perfuade the people that they were not in poffeffion of intelligence the most unfavourable to the nation and dishonourable to themfelves. Of all the com. manders that were fent to America, there were none in whom the zealous promoters of the war pla ced greater hopes and confidence than in Gen. Burgoyne; his abilities were extolled beyond the ordinary bounds of commendation, and it was thought impoffible that any American force could oppofe him. The Scotch nation, who were fanguinary promoters of this ruinous war, at the fame inftant that they were reproaching General Howe, paffed the moft extravagant encomiums upon General Burgoyne. He had threatened the colonifts with feverities, which they approved of, and their fanguine hopes made them believe that he was well able to accomplish his threatenings. Some accounts that came from America preceding the convention at Saratoga, which were not very favourable, were interpreted as reports raifed by the patriots to weaken the hands of government; and of ten fhipmafters, who arrived at Port Glafgow and Greenock brought tidings of great comfort to the mi niftry, which were contrived on their voyages, or received from others, at the fecond, third, or fourth hands. Thefe unauthenticated reports in a fhort time. loft all credit, and even the Scots, who thought the fuccefs of this expedition infallible, began to doubt and waver concerning its fuccefs. General Burgoyne's fuccefs at Ticonderago, with the total defeat and ruin which for a seafon every where attended the Americans in their precipitate fight on the borders of Lake George, excited the greateft triumph and exultation on the fide of the miniftry; and whilft it wonderfully raised their fpirits, was confidered nearly as crowning the hopes of all thofe who had fupported or approved of the war. So ready are mankind to be elevated above measure with what they fondly with for and expect. It was obferved that the northern expedition was the favourite creature of government. The tranfactions on the further fide of Jerfey, and the operations about Phi. ladelphia, were only confidered in a very fubordinate point of view. As the minifter for the American department had all the honour and applaufe of this meafure, which was confidered entirely as a creature of his own, it is not to be reckoned wonderful, that both he and his brethren in office should be deeply interefted in the event, and approve themfelves highly on the appearance of fuccefs. The fubfequent difpatches from their favourite Ge. neral did not long fupport the hopes which were founded on the firft fucceffes. The unexpected diffi culties and delays which the army experienced in advancing a few miles fom Skenefborcugh to the fouthward, were, however, counterbalanced in opinion by its arrival on the Hudfon's River, the retreat of the enemy from the Fort Edward, their abandoning Fort George and the Lake, by which a free paffage was opened from Ticonderago, and St. Leger's fuccefs in defeating and ruining the Tryon county militia near Fort Stanwix. All the former and prefent fanguine expectations which had been formed, were however in a great measure overthrown by the advices which were received fometime previous to the meeting of parliament; an event which was probably this year - held |