thod now propofed of offering mercy to the colonists. It was mercy which was to be merited by actions, to be performed contrary to reafonable conviction of error, and was no way calculated to gain their affections or reach their hearts. Mercy never fuppofes merit, but always implies forgivenefs freely and graciously beftowed, from a fenfe of which, all rebellious principles and errors of mind are overcome, and thofe that are forgiven, obey and return to their duty, merely out of love. Had Lord and General Howe's mercy proceeded upon this principle, the American war had been ended long ago, and Great Britain would not have smarted under the rod of a civil war, nor groaned under fuch a load of taxes and national debt as she does at prefent.

The fituation of the army at Halifax, was far from being eligible; the country was barren, and not capable of affording a fufficient quantity of provifions, nor was the place even fit to afford fufficient quarters for the private men, who were obliged to continue aboard the ships during the whole time they stayed there.

While the general waited at Halifax for reinforcements from Britain, he grew impatient, being preffed by the want of provifions, and other difadvantages.He at laft, without waiting for his brother Lord Howe, departed from Halifax with Admiral Shuldham, about the 10th of June, and arrived at Sandy Hook about the end of the month. Sandy-Hook is a point of land that lies at the entrance into that confluence of founds, roads, creeks, and bays, which are formed by New-York, Staten, and Long Islands, the continent on either fide, with the North and Rariton Rivers. On their paffage they were joined by fix tranfports

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tranfports with Highland troops on board, who had been feparated from feveral of their companions in their voyage. Thefe that were mifling, with about 450 foldiers, and feveral officers, were taken by the American cruizers, and carried into Bofton. General Howe found the places of access to New-York Island strongly fortified, defended by a numerous artillery; and guarded by a vast number of troops little inferior to our army. This made the general alter his refolution of making a defcent on that part. Long Ifland on account of its extent, did not admit of being fo ftrongly guarded;-it was however in a tolerable ftate of defence, and had confiderable encampments on the end of the island next to New-York, and feveral works thrown up on the most acceffible parts of the coast, as well as at the ftrongeft internal paffes. Staten Ifland being of lefs confequence, was neglected, and not fo much attended to. This was certainly a great neglect in the provincials, who ought undoubtedly to have guarded against all poffible attempts of their enemies, and from what they had experienced in the defence of Sullivan Iland, ought to have remembered that a good refiftance at firft would have been ready to have damped the courage of the invaders, and have made them more timorous in their future attacks.

On the third of July, the general landed on the ifland without oppofition, to the great joy of many of the inhabitants, who being on the fide of government, had fuffered greatly for their loyalty. The troops were cantoned in the villages where they received plenty of provifions which they now much wanted, and regaled themselves with the fruits of the ifland, and refreshed their fpirits. General Howe was here met by Governor Tryon, with feveral others,

well

well-affected to government who had taken refuge on board a fhip at Sandy-Hook. Thefe gave him an account of the strength of the provincials. He was alfo joined by about fixty gentlemen from New-Jersey, who came to take up arms in the royal cause, and about 200 militia of the island, which were embodied for the fame purpose. This afforded a flattering profpect to the general, that when the army was landed and collected in force to fupport the loyalifts, fuch numbers would join it, as would contribute much to bring the war to a fpeedy conclufion.

This was an idea that misled both the government at home, and the officers abroad, and ruined the fuccefs of the greatest part of their measures; they judged of the body of the colonists from a few famples which they had of creatures that were under the influence of crown-officers, and falfely concluded that all the provinces would be of the fame temper as foon as they had an opportunity to difcover their loyalty, but experience convinced them that they were mistaken, though they continued to boaft of the number of their friends, and of the multitude of loyal colonists that flocked to the royal standard.

Lord Howe arrived at Halifax about a fortnight af ter the general's departure, from whence he proceeded to Staten Island, where he arrived about the middle of July. His first act was to fend a flag afhore, with a circular letter to the feveral late governors of the colonies, acquainting them with his power, civil and military, and defired that they would publish, as generally as poffible, for the information of the people, a declaration which accompanied the letter. In this declaration he informed the public of the powers with which he and his brother were invefted, by virtue

of

of an act of parliament to grant general and particular' pardons to all thofe, who in the midst of the tumult and disorder of the times, might have deviated from their just allegiance, and who were willing, by a speedy return to their duty, to reap the benefits of the royal favour, and of declaring any province, county, town, port, district, or place to be at the peace of his majefty; in which the penal provifions of that law would cease in their favour. It also promifed that a due confideration fhould be had to the fervices of all perfons who contributed to reftoring the public tranquility.

These papers were immediately forwarded by General Washington to the congrefs, and as fpeedily published by them in all the news-papers, with a preface and comment in form of a refolution, fetting forth their opinion of the nature and tendency of that declaration. They faid that they had published it, that the people of the United States might be informed of what nature are the commiffioners, and what the terms, with the expectation with which the Court of Britain had endeavoured to amufe and difarm them; and that the few who still remained fufpended by a hope founded either in the juftice or moderation of that court, might now at length be convinced, that the valour alone of their country is fufficient to fave their liberties. The comment, added to the declaration, took away all the influence and force that was in it, to produce the effect that was intended by it, It answered none of these purposes which the government and the admiral had in view. The Americans turned it into ridicule, and branded it with the epithets of infidious and foolish. At this time feveralflags were fent on fhore by Lord Howe, accompanied with letters to George Washington,

Washington, Efq; which that officer refufed to receive, as not being addreffed with the title, and in the form due to the rank which he held under the United States. The Congrefs highly applauded the dignity of this conduct in a public refolution paffed for the purpose, by which they directed, that for the future none of their commanders fhould receive any letter or meffage from the enemy, but fuch as fhould be directed to them in the character which they refpectively fustained. At length Adjutant-general Paterfon was fent to New-York by General Howe, with a letter to George Washington, Efq; &c. &c. Wafhington received him with great politeness, and the usual ceremony of blindfolding him in paffing through the fortifications was dispensed with in his favour. Paterfon regreted, in the name of his principal, the diffi. culties which had arifen with respect to addreffing the letters; declared their high efteem for his person and character, and that they did not mean to derogate from the refpect due to his rank; and it was hoped the etceteras implied every thing, and would remove the impediments of their correfpondence. The general replied, that a letter directed to any one in a public character, fhould have fome defcription or indication of it, otherwife it would appear a mere private letter; that it was true the etceteras implied every thing, but they alfo implied any thing; and that he should abfolutely decline any letter that was directed to him as a private perfon, when it related to his public ftation.A long conference enfued on the fubject of prisoners, and the complaints that were made on both fides, particularly by the congrefs, relative to the treatment they received. The adjutant having obferved, that the commiffioners were armed