CHAP. XI. hand, beside those in Pennsylvania. As public 1757. business obliged him to take another route, he had no more time left to settle this material affair, and must take the necessary steps before his departure, in case they were not done by themselves.

The general court passed a law. This law was short of Loudoun's expectations, which he failed not to communicate by a letter, which the governor laid before the assembly. They answered it by an address to his excellency, in which the spirit of their forefathers seemed to revive. They again asserted, that the parts of the act of parliament relating to this subject did not extend to the colonies and plantations; and that they had therefore enlarged the barracks at the castle to accommodate the number recommended, and passed a law for recruiting parties, as near the act of parliament, as the nature of the country and its settlements would admit that such a law was necessary to give power to the magistrates, and they were willing to make it, when the troops were necessary for their protection and defence. They asserted their natural rights as Englishmen; that by the royal charter, the powers and privileges of civil government were granted to them: that the enjoyment of these was their support under all burdens, and would animate them to resist an invading enemy to the last, as their loss or hazard would dispirit them. If their adherence to their rights and privileges in any mea

sure lessened the esteem which his lordship had CHAP. XII. conceived for them, it would be their great 1757. misfortune; but that they would have the satisfaction of reflecting, that both in their words and actions they had been governed by a sense of duty to his majesty, and faithfulness to the trust committed to them. This address being forwarded with assurances from the governor, lord Loudoun affected to rely on them for making the matter of quarters easy in future. He countermanded the march of the troops, and condescended to make some conciliatory observations respecting the zeal of the province in his majesty's service. For these he received a very ample return by a message from the two houses to the governor, wherein they explained their law to have been made not to enforce an act of parliament, but to supply measures in a case where it did not reach them; that they are willing, by a due exercise of the powers of civil government to remove, as much as might be, all pretence of the necessity of military government. Such measures they were sure would never be disapproved of by the parliament of Great Britain, their dependence upon which they never had a thought of lessening; that the authority of all acts of parliament, which concerned the colonies and extended to them, was ever acknowledged in all courts of law, and made the rule of all judicial proceedings in the pro

CHAP. XII. vince; that there was not a member of the 1757. general court, nor did they know of an inhabitant within the bounds of the government, who ever questioned this authority.

To prevent any ill consequences that might arise from their holding such principles, they then utterly disavowed them, as they should readily have done at any times past, had there been occasion for it: and they prayed that his lordship might be acquainted therewith, that they might appear in a true light, and that no impressions might remain to their disadvantage.

This explicit avowal of sentiments on the part of Massachussetts, so different from those which had long been cherished respecting the relations which connected them with their mother country, would induce an opinion that their modes of thinking had recently become more colonial than they appeared to be on all former occasions. This was probably the fact; but mr. Minot, who may be presumed to have had a personal acquaintance with the transaction, does not attribute entirely to that cause the conciliating temper which was manifested at the close of the contest, which had commenced with such appearances of asperity. Massachussetts had made large advances for the prosecution of the war, for which she expected reimbursements from parliament; and she was unwilling at such a juncture, to make impressions unfavourable to the success of her claim.

Minot.... Belknap.

CHAPTER XIII.

Review of affairs at the close of the campaign of 1757.... Great preparations for the campaign of 1758....Admiral Boscawen and general Amherst arrive at Halifax.... Plan of the campaign....Expeditions against Louisbourg, ....Ticonderoga, and Crown Point....General Abercrombie repulsed under the walls of Ticonderoga....Fort Frontignac taken by colonel Bradstreet....Expedition against fort du Quesne....Preparations for the campaign of 1759 ....General Amherst succeeds general Abercrombie.... Plan of the campaign.... Ticonderoga and Crown Point taken....The army of Amherst put into winter quarters at Crown Point....French repulsed at Oswego....Defeated at Niagara, and that place taken....Expedition against Quebec....Check given the English army....Battle on the plains of Abraham....Death of Wolfe and Montcalm....Victory of the English....Quebec capitulates.... Garrisoned by five thousand men, under command of general Murray....Attempt to recover Quebec....Battle near Sillery....Quebec besieged by monsieur de Levi ....Siege raised....Montreal capitulates.... War with the southern Indians....Battle near the town of Etchoe.... Grant defeats them and burns the towns of the middle settlements....Treaty with the Cherokees....Negotiations between England and France....Altercations with Spain ....Mr. Pitt proposes a declaration of war against that monarchy....Is over-ruled and resigns his office.... War with Spain, and great success of the English....Treaty of peace.

THE campaign of 1757 had closed, leaving Review of

affairs at the

the affairs of Great Britain in North America close of the campaign of in a more gloomy situation than at any former 1757. period. By the acquisition of fort William Henry, the French had obtained complete

CHAP. XIII. possession of the lakes Champlain and George, 1758. which afford the easiest admission either into

Canada, or from that province into the northern British colonies. By the destruction of Oswego, they in like manner had acquired the dominion of those lakes which connect the St. Lawrence with the waters of the Mississippi, and unite Canada to Louisiana. By means of fort du Quesne, too, on the Ohio, they maintained their ascendency over the Indians, and held undisturbed possession of all the country west of the Alleghany mountains; while the English settlers were driven to the Blue Ridge. Thus the great object of the war in that quarter had been gained, and France now held the country, for hostilities had been commenced. With an inferior force the French had been successful in every campaign, and had uniformly obtained advantages over the English, and gained ground on their colonies. Nor were they less fortunate elsewhere. The flame of war, we have seen kindled in America, had communicated itself to Europe and Asia; and in every quarter of the world, where hostilities had been carried on, the British arms had been attended with defeat and disgrace. Those were not wanting who believed the character of the nation to have changed, and its ancient courage to have been lost. The most gloomy predictions respecting its destinies were uttered, and serious apprehensions seem to have