provincial congrefs published an addrefs to the inhabitants, of the fame nature with feveral others that have been mentioned, containing the ftrongeft expreffions of loyalty and affection, and declaring an earnest defire of reconciliation. Such were the proceedings in the fouthern colonies during this feason ;-but we must now return to the proceedings in MaffachufettsBay, and particularly of the armies in and about Bofton.

General Gage having returned to England the beginning of October, the command in chief devolved upon General Howe.-This officer foon after his taking upon him the command iffued a proclamation, by which fuch of the inhabitants as attempted to quit the town without licence, were condemned to military execution, if detected and taken; and if they efcaped, to be proceeded against as traitors, and their effects to be forfeited.-By another proclamation, fuch as obtained permiffion to leave the town, were by fevere penalties excluded from carrying more than a fmall fpecified fum of money along with them. He also enjoined figning and entering into an affociation, by which the remaining inhabitants offered their perfons for the defence of the town, and fuch of them as he approved of were to be armed, formed into companies, and were to be inftructed in military exercifes and difcipline, the remainder being obliged to pay their quotas in money towards the common defence.

The limited time for which the folliers in the provincial army before Bofton were inlifted, was near about expired, and it was neceffary that fome measures fhould be taken for fupplying their place. A committee of the general congrefs, confifting of fome of

tho

the most refpectable members, were fent thither to take the neceffary meafures, in conjunction with Geit from difbanding.This was a work of fmall difficulty, for the whole army inlifted for an year to come, for certain. Of all the difficulties which the Americans met in attempts towards establishing a military force, nothing affected them fo grievously, or was fo hard to remedy as gunpowder. For though they used the utmoft diligence in collecting nitre, and all the other parts of the manufacture, the refource from their industry was flow and with regard to any confiderable effect it was diftant. They had not yet opened that commerce, nor entered into thofe measures with foreign ftates, which have fince procured them a fupply of military ftores. The fearcity of powder was fo great, that it was faid the troops at Bunker's Hill had not a fingle charge left at the end of that fhort engagement; and it is alfo faid by fome that the weaknefs of the army before Bofton in that refpect was at one time fo great, that no-, thing but General Howe's ignorance of that circumftance could have faved them from being difperfed and ruined. They left nothing undone to fupply that defect, and among other temporary expedients had contrived to purchafe without notice or fufpicion all the powder upon the African coaft, and plundered the magazines on the island of Bermuda of about 100, barrels, which was carried off, as was pretended,. without the knowledge of the inhabitants.

neral Washington, for keepin

While plundering, threatening, and hoftility was conftantly carried on upon the fea coaft, the town of Falmouth in the northern part of Maffachusetts-Bay, was doomed to fhare in the calamities which were difpenfed to Norfolk in Virginia, upon October 18,

on

on account of fome violence or misbehaviour relative to the loading of a maft-fhip, drew the vengeance of the Admiral in that ftation upon this devoted place, and occafioned an order for its deftruction.

The officers who commanded the fhips upon that occafion, gave two hours previous notice to the inhabitants to provide for their fafety, and this time was further enlarged till next morning, under the cover of. a negotiation for delivering their artillery and finall arms at the price of faving the town. This however. they refufed to comply with, but had made ufe of the intermediate time in removing as many of their effects as they could procure carriages for, or as the darknefs and the confufion of the night would admit.

*

About nine o'clock in the morning a cannonade was begun and continued with little intermiffion thro' the day. Above 3000 fhot, befides bombs and carcafes, were thrown into the town, and the failors landed to compleat the deftruction, but were repulfe d with the lofs of a few men. The principal part of the town which lay next the water, confifting of about 130 dwelling-houfes, 275 ftores and warehoufes, with a large new church, a new handfome courthoufe, with the public library, were reduced to aftes; about 100 of the worft houfes being favoured by their fituation and distance, efcaped deftruction, though net without damage. Tho' the fettlements in this quar ter were new, being moftly established fince the laft war, this fmall town was amazingly thriving, being fituated on a fine harbour, and having a very confiderable trade, fo that it was computed to contain about 600 families, though little more than one-third of that number of dwelling-houfes. The burning of churches and libraries is a new fpecies of warfare, left to

the improvement of this polite age to be practifed by a people who boast of their civilization, humanity, and politenefs. In the most barbarous ages, churches, colleges, and feminaries of learning were held facred by all parties, and it was never known, that either in the civil wars or in any foreign ones that Englishmen waged war with learning and religion. This fpecies of warfare was left to difgrace the prefent age, and to be handed down as a reproach to the government of Britain to the latest pofterity.

The deftruction of Falmouth provoked the Congress to the last degree, and probably pushed on the affembly of Maffachusetts-Bay to the daring measure of granting letters of marque and reprifals, and establishing courts of admiralty for the trial and condemnation of British fhips. In this law they declare an intention of only defending the coafts and navigation of America, extending the power of capture only to fuch fhips as fhould be employed in bringing fupplies to the armies employed against them. From this time they did all that was in their power to seize such fhips as brought fupplies to the troops.

During the course of the fummer, articles of confederation and perpetual union between the feveral colonies which were already affociated, with liberty of admission to thofe of Quebec, St. John's, Nova Scotia, the two Floridas and Bermudas, containing rules of their general government in peace and war, both with refpect to foreigners and each other, were drawn up by the general congrefs, and by them tranfmitted to their different colonies for the infpection and confideration of their refpective affemblies. If thefe articles met with their approbation, they were to empower their delegates to the enfuing congrefs to ratify and

confirm them; and from that time the union which they established was to continue firm until, befides a redress of grievances, reparation was made for the loffes fuftained by Boston, for the burning of Charlestown, for the expences of the war; and until the Bri tish troops were withdrawn from America:-When these events should take place, the colonies were to return to their former connections and friendship with Great Britain; but on failure thereof, the confederation was to be perpetual.

The people in general were not however fufficiently provoked, nor their affections and prejudices fufficiently broken, to accede to a confederacy, tho' conditionally framed and worded, which yet led to a total separation from the mother country. For tho' they had taken up arms, and oppofed the government, yet still it was general, under the hope of obtaining thereby a redress of grievances; and that being the more near and agreeable object, they would not willingly look to any thing further, especially to one so dreadful as a total feparation. It required more time in the contemplation of real or fuppofed injuries, and in speculation upon future ones, together with fresh and conftant fources of irritation, to arrive at that habit of hatred and vexation, which was neceffary to break the ties of fo long a continuance, to render fo new an idea familiar.

When the autumn approached, and appearances of plenty gave the colonists grounds to conjecture what might be spared out of the abundance of a plentiful harvest, it was refolved by the congrefs that if the late reftraining laws were not repealed within fix months from the 20th of July, on which they commanded that the custom-houfes fhould be every where fhut up,and