150 THE OLD FRENCH WAR. Pr. II. and, for ten years, he gave his disinterested services without claiming so much as a cottage or a farm. P:D. III. Whit the two 13. The eloquent Whitfield, with the two Wesleys the three founders of the sect of Methodists, sympafield and thized with Oglethorpe in his benevolence; and each We spent some time in America, assisting him in his enleys. terprise. Whitfield founded, near Savannah, a house for orphans. In 1752, the Trustees, wearied with a troublesome and profitless charge, resigned their office, Georgia. and Georgia became a royal province. Trustees of 14. Louisiana, after having been for fourteen years under a company of avaricious speculators, formed at Paris, reverted to the French monarch; and Bienville was appointed governor. He found the Chickasaws very troublesome, as they favored the English, rather 1732. than the French. The Natchez, under their influence, The had committed murders, for which the whites had de- wholly destroyed them. Bienville ascended the Tomstroyed, becbee to attack the Chickasaws. He was to be aided They came first, When Bienville French arrived, he found the Indians more than a match for army. his force, and immediately retired down the stream. Natchez The Chicka- by a French army from the Illinois. aws de- and the Chickasaws destroyed them. stroy a CHAPTER II. Old French War.-Capture of Louisburg.-French and English claims to the Basin of the Mississippi. 1. IN 1744, war was again proclaimed between England and France. Louisburg, the capital of the island · of Cape Breton, had been fortified with great care and expense, and was called, from its strength, the Dunkirk of America; while, from its position, it com 13. What eminent ministers of the gospel were with him? What change was made in 1752 ?—14. Ünder whom had Louisiana been? To whom did it revert? Whom did he appoint? Give an account of the attack upon the Chickasaws, and its result. CHAPTER II.-1. In what year was the "Old French War What can you say of Louisburg ? PEACE OF AIX LA CHAPELLE. imanded the navigation of the St. Lawrence, and the isheries of the adjoining seas. 151 P'D. III betraye 2. Governor Shirley, of Massachusetts, now medi- cu. i. tated an attack on this fortress. He laid open his designs to the general court of the colony, under an oath of secrecy. The plan being thought too great, too secre hazardous, and too expensive, it was apparently abandoned; but an honest member, who performed the family devotions at his lodgings, inadvertently discovered the secret, by praying for the divine blessing on the attempt. Forces com 3. The people approving the project, with which hey became thus accidentally acquainted, were clamorous in its support. It was revived by the court, and after a long deliberation, the vote in its favor was car- 1745 ried by a single voice. Troops were immediately raised by Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire, manded to aid those of Massachusetts. The command of these Pepper forces was given to Colonel William Pepperell, a merchant of Maine, who sailed on the 25th of March, and arrived at Casco on the 4th of April. 4. A British naval force, under Admiral Warren, having been applied to, joined the armament; and the whole arrived at Chapeau Rouge Bay, on the 30th of April. By a series of the most unprecedented good luck, and by almost incredible exertions, the fortress was taken, and with it the whole island of Cape Breton. by Col. ell. From April 30 to June 16, a great feat. Aix la 5. Peace was proclaimed in 1748, and a treaty, signed at Aix la Chapelle, by commissioners from Enggland, France, and Spain, the basis of which was the 1748. mutual restoration of all places taken during the war: Peace of and Louisburg, to the grief and mortification of the colonies, reverted to the French. Its capture, had, however, done credit to their military prowess; as it had been, by far, the most brilliant exploit of the entire war. 2. What plan was formed by Governor Shirley? What did he in reference to it? How did the general court receive it? How did it come to the knowledge of the people? - -3. What did they think of it? What was finally done by the court? From what states was an army raised? Who commanded?-4. What naval force joined them? What was the result of the combined effort?-5. On what basis was peace made at Aix la Chapelle ▾ Chapelle. 152 P'D. III. CONFLICTING CLAIMS. P'T. II. 6. The blood and treasure of the many, had again been spent without result, and peace was concluded CH. II. without a proper settlement of differences. This was Did not especially the case in regard to the American claims settle of the contracting powers. differences. Extent of 7. The French laid claim to all the lands occupied by the waters flowing into the St. Lawrence and the New Lakes; and all watered by the Mississippi and its France, branches; and, in the west, and on the north, they by were erecting fortresses, with an intent to unite and command the whole of this vast territory. as stated French geographers. British 8. The British, on the other hand, asserted a right to the entire country, as may be seen by their early claim the patents, to which they gave an extension from the same ter- Atlantic to the Pacific. These conflicting claims, it ritory. was clearly foreseen, must soon lead to another war. 9. A number of gentlemen, mostly in Virginia, of whom Lawrence Washington was one, procured in 1750 1750, an act of the British parliament, constituting company them "the Ohio Company," and granting them six formed. hundred thousand acres of land, on, or near, the Ohio Ohio river. They caused the tract to be surveyed, and opened a trade with the Indians in the vicinity. 10. This becoming known to the French, the govHostile ernor of Canada complained to the authorities of New easures York and Pennsylvania, threatening to seize their traFrench. ders, if they did not quit the territory. Several of of the their number were accordingly taken, and carried to the French fort at Presque Isle. 11. Dinwiddie, the governor of Virginia, alarmed Gov. at these movements on the part of the French, had die sent a trader among them as a spy, who returning, inslarmed. creased his fears, by vague accounts of the French Dinwid posts near Lake Erie, without gratifying his curiosity as to the number or object of their forces. 6. Were these subjects of differences remaining unsettled? 7. What part of America was claimed by France? What were they doing to unite and command this territory?-8. What was claimed by the British? Was there any prospect of a peaceable settlement of these differences?-9. Who were the Ohio Com. pany? What grant had they? What did they do in reference to it? 10. What course did the French take?-11. Who was governor of Virginia? What report was brought to him? THE CHILD WASHINGTON 153 CH. III. 1752 12. Dinwiddie determined, although the season was P'T. II. advanced, to send immediately a trusty person, to P'D.III. require the French Commandant to quit the territory; and also to bring such an account of his strength and position, that if he refused peaceably to retreat, some Не feasible method of ejectment by force might be adopted. A young man of twenty-two, an officer of the militia, was chosen. His figure was commanding, his air inspired respect and confidence. His name was GEORGE WASHINGTON Washington selects for a difficult duty. CHAPTER III. George Washington-His birth, parentage, and education-His Law 1. LAWRENCE WASHINGTON, the grandfather of George, and Augustine Washington his father, had continued the family residence in Westmoreland coun- John, ty, Virginia, where his great grandfather John, already rence, mentioned, had fixed his seat: and there he who is Augus tine, and now regarded as the father of his country, was born on GEORGE the 22d of February, 1732. In 1734, his father removed to Stafford county, opposite to Fredericksburg 1732 on the Rappahannock little thinking that his playful boy, then but two years old, was marked by Providence for a career so elevated. WASH INGTON. Law 2. In 1743, Augustine Washington died, and left to each of his sons valuable landed estates. To Lawrence, his eldest, he bequeathed the beautiful tract on 1743 the bank of the Potomac; and to George, the lands and mansion where he died. George was the oldest obtain offspring of a second marriage; and his excellent mother, Mary Washington, was, by his father's will, his 12. What plan did he adopt? Who was chosen? CHAPTER III.-1. What was the name of George Washington's father His grandfather? His great-grandfather? Wher. and where was he born? How old was he when his father removed to Stafford county?-2. What occurred on the death of his father? How old was George? Who was his guardian? George rence Mt. Yoz nou दर 154 P'D. III. ан to girls an example, THE BOY TO BOYS AN EXAMPL.E. PT. n. sole guardian. It was under her maternal guidance. His early ter. 3. When in school he was pains-taking, and exact moral in the performance of his exercises; and he was, at charac- the same time, so true in his words, so righteous in his actions, and so just in his judgments, that his school-mates were wont to bring their differences before him for decision. Superior also in bodily health, and vigor, he excelled in athletic sports, and adventurous exploits. He loved the military; and tradition reports, that the first battles, in which he commanded, were the mimic engagements, which he taught to his school-fellows. - His activity. 4. He learned to read and to write well; and he thoroughly mastered arithmetic. This was all, which the school helped him to acquire. Of himself he practiced composition; and he happily formed a style suited Limited to the lofty tone of his moral sentiments, and the ditages rectness and energy of his character. The higher anced by mathematics he learned with pleasure and mental profit, self-exer- his object being to prepare himself for the occupation tion. of surveyor. He set carefully down in his books, his advan over-bal A sur diagrams, his observations on manners, and his rules 1748. 5. To survey the great estates of Lord Fairfax, then moun 2. What were his advantages?-3. What was his character as a school boy? 4. What did he learn in school? What important exercise did he practice by himself? Did he early fix upon something which he could follow, to obtain an honorable support? What did he learn, in order to prepare himself for his chosen occupation? What did he do, that he night retain, and be the wiser for what he had learned? Did he not find such labor too tedious?-5. Was he trusted with important business when young? By whom? What business was it? Where did he practise his profession? |