to encourage the trade of the American colonies in the utmost latitude; nay, it has been necessary to pass over some irregularities in their trade with Europe; for by encouraging them to an extensive growing foreign commerce, if they gain £.500,000 I am convinced, that in two years afterwards full £.250,000 of their gains will be in his majesty's exchequer, by the labour and produce of this kingdom, as immense quantities of every kind of our manufactures go thither; and as they increase in their foreign American trade, more of our produce will be wanted. This is taxing them more agreeably to their own constitution and ours.” Had the scheme for taxing the colonies been attempted, it would have occasioned a ferment that must have prevented those exertions in the common cause, which were given into by the New-Englanders, especially the Bay-men, so the inhabitants of the Massachusetts Bay are frequently called. War being declared against Spain, a requisition of troops was made to the Massachusetts, and a larger number raised and embarked on his majesty's service than was required, of whom, scarce one in fifty returned. [1744.] Upon receiving the declaration of war with France, the general court, then sitting, made immediate provision for raising forces for Anapolis, in Nova-Scotia: they happily arrived in season; and were the probable means of saving the country. Divers times afterward, Nova-Scotia, when attacked by the French, was relieved by the Bay-men; so that during that unprosperous war, possession was always kept of it for the crown of Great-Britain. [1745.] But, the most important service to be mentioned, is the reduction of Louisburg. Governor Shirley's heart was set upon effecting it. He prevailed upon the two houses to lay themselves under an oath of secrecy; and then communicated his plan of the expedition. A committee was appointed to consider it, and were several days in deliberation. After mature consideration, a majority disapproved of the proposal. The report was accepted, and the members of the court laid aside all thoughts of the expedition. By the governor's influence probably, as well as with his approbation, a petition from a number of merchants was presented to the house of representatives, praying a re-consideration of their vote, and their agreement to the governor's proposal. A second committee reported in favour of it. The report was debated in the house the whole day. It is remarkable that Mr. Oliver* fell down and broke his leg, while going to the house, with a full design of opposing the expedition. * The prefent lieutenant governor. [1772.] VOL. I. L His His presence would have made a majority, and overset it; but this accident occasioned his absence; and upon the division in the house at night, the numbers were equal. The speaker, Thomas Hutchinson, esq.* was called upon to give the casting vote; which he did in favour of it, though he opposed it when in the committee. He was, probably, prevailed upon thus to vote, that he might secure the favour of the governor, and render himself the more popular. [Jan. 25.] The point being now settled, there is an immediate union of both parties; and all are equally zealous in carrying the design into execution, Messengers are dispatched as far as Pennsylvania, to entreat the junction of the several governments in the expedition. All excuse themselves, except Connecticut, New-Hampshire, and Rhode-Island. The first agrees to raise 500 men, the other two 300 each. Connecticut and Rhode Island consent also, that their colony sloops shall be employed as cruisers. The time for preparing is short. But the winter proves so favourable that all kinds of out-door business is carried on as well, and with as great dispatch as at any other season. The appointment of a general officer is of the utmost consequence. He must be acceptable to the body of the people; the inlistment depends upon this circumstance. It is not easy to find a person thus qualified, willing to accept.. Colonel Pepperrell has the offer from the governor: but it has rather pressed into the service than engage voluntarily. His example, in quitting for the present his extensive mercantile business, has considerable influence, and induces inferior officers, and even private soldiers, to quit their smaller concerns,, for the service of their country. Governor Wentworth, of New-Hampshire, offers afterwards to take the command of the expedition. Two or three gentlemen of prudence and judgment, are consulted upon the occasion, by governor Shirley, who finds them clearly of opinion, that any alteration of the present command, would be attended with the greatest risk of entirely disgusting both the Massachusetts assembly and soldiers. By the efforts of a general exertion in all orders of men, the armament is ready, sails, and arrives at Canso the fourth of April. The Bay-men consist of 3,250 troops, exclusive of commission officers. The New-Hampshire forces 304, including officers, arrived four days before. The Connecticut, being 516, inclusive, arrive on the 25th. The 300 Rhode→ Islanders do not arrive till the place has surrendered. *The prefent governor. (1772.) Grand father of the prefent Sir William Pepperrell, (1787) Towar Toward the end of the month, commodore Warren arrives from the West-Indies, with a sixty gun ship, and two of forty; and joins another of forty, which had reached Canso the day before, in consequence of his orders, received while under sail from Portsmouth in New-Hampshire, on her way to Britain. The men of war sail immediately to cruise before Louisburg. The forces soon follow, and land at Chapeaurouge Bay the last day of April. The transports are discovered from the town early in the morning, which gives the inhabitants the first knowledge of the design. The second day after landing, 400 men march round behind the hills, to the north-east harbour, where they get about midnight, and fire all the houses and store-houses until they come within a mile of the grand battery. The clouds of thick smoke proceeding from the pitch, tar, and other combustibles, prevent the garrison's discovering the enemy, though but a few rods distant. They expect the army upon them, and desert the fort, having thrown their powder into a well; but the cannon and shot are left, and prove of service to the Americans. A party, less than twenty, come up to the battery the next morning early; and seeing no signs of men, suspect a plot, and are afraid to enter. At length, an Indian, for a pint of rum, ventures in alone through an embrasure, and discovers the state of it to the rest, just as a number of French are re-landing to recover possession. The army has near two miles to transport their can non, mortars, &c. through a morass. This must be done by mere dint of labour. The hardiest and strongest bodies are employed, and the service performed, agreeable to the advice of major Ezekiel Gilman, of Exeter, who having been used to draw the masts over the swamps, proposed making sleds to put the cannon, &c. upon, and then yoking the men together for draught. The men know nothing of regular approaches. They make merry with the terms zigzags and epaulements; and taking advantage of the night, go on, void of art, in their own natural way. While the forces are busy ashore, the men of war and other vessels are cruising off the harbour, when the weather permits; and on the eighteenth of May, capture a French sixty-four gun ship, having 560 men on board, and stores of all sorts for the garrison. This prize, with the arrival of other British ships, make the commodore's fleet eleven by the 12th of June, consisting of a 64, four of 60 guns, one of 50, and five of 40. it is given out that an attack will be made by sea with the ships, on the eighteenth, while the army do the like by land. Whether a general storm is really intended or not, the French seem, to to expect it, from the preparations on board the men of war, and do not incline to stand it. On the fifteenth, a flag of truce is sent to the general, desiring a cessation of hostilities, that they may consider of articles for a capitulation. Time is allowed; but their articles are rejected by the general and commodore, and others offered, which are accepted by the French, and hostages exchanged. The city is delivered up on the 17th of June. But as it is the time to expect vessels from all parts to Louisburg, the French flag is kept flying as a decoy. Two East-India, and one South Sea ship, of the value of £.600,000 sterling, are taken by the squadron, at the mouth of the harbour, into which they undoubtedly meant to enter. The weather proved remarkably fine during the siege; the day after the surrender the rains began, and continued ten days incessantly, which would undoubtedly have proved fatal to the expedition, had not the capitulation prevented. It is not of material consequence for us to determine whether the land or sea force had the greatest share in the reduction of Louisburg. Neither would have succeeded alone. But there was certainly the strongest evidence of a generous, noble, public spisit, in the New-Englanders, which first inclined them to the undertaking, and of a firmness of mind in the prosecution of it; for the labour, fatigue, and other hardships of the siege were without parallel in all preceding American operations.* The paying of the charges of this expedition in 1748, lessens not the merit of the New-England attempt; for they began it when they had no promise, and very little prospect of being reimbursed. Had it not succeeded, they would not have been reimbursed, and must therefore have been involved in the greatest distress. This they foresaw, and yet cheerfully ran the risk for the public service. It would have cost the crown double the sum paid the NewEngland governments, to have sent an armament from GreatBritain for the reduction of the same place. The colonies met with a heavy loss, not easily repaired, in the destruction of the flower of their youth, by camp fevers, other sicknesses, the hardships and distresses of the siege. Of how much importance Louisburg was in the opinion of the French, appeared from their demanding two hostages of the first nobility in Britain as pledges for its restitution. * Hutchinfon's Hiftory, Vol. II. p. 407-420. The above account varies from Hutchinfon's, being corrected in fome inftances, from a manufcript, copy of the Hiftory of the Reduction of Louisburg, fent by Mr. Shirley, to the duke of Newcafle; and improved in others from information given me, Should Should you hereafter read, "The leading men in the government of the Massachusetts, having been guilty of certain malpractices, for which they were in danger of being called to an account, projected the expedition against Cape Breton, in order to divert the storm: and proving successful, the English nation was so overjoyed that they forgot every other idea in the general transport, so that the planners and conductors of the expedition, instead of being called to an account for former misdemeanors, found themselves caressed and applauded"---believe it not-especially should the writer give "this public notice, I build nothing upon the present narration; and I only offer it (because not corroborated by sufficient evidence) as a probable case, and as my own opinion. Should he be a D. D. you may think it would have been well for him to have recollected the complaint of Jeremiah, "I heard the defaming of many; report, say they, and we will report;" and so to have been silent on the head of Cape Breton. Should you judge it uncharitable to retort upon him; yet you may deem it just to remind him of his'own, do you find him using such like expressions as these, "As I never believed Dr. Franklin in any public matter, excepting in his electrical experiments, I was resolved to see with my own eyes, whether what he advanced was true or not, having a strong suspicion that he fibbed designedly, like Sir Henry Wotton's ambassador, patriæ causa.”✈ 米 But to return, the year after the reduction of Louisburg [1746.] Great-Britain entertained the design of reducing Canada; and requisitions were made to the colonies, from NewHampshire to Virginia, inclusive. It was expected that they should raise at least 5,000 men; they voted 8,200; and the Massachusetts, to the amount of 3,500, were ready to embark by the middle of July, about six weeks from the first notice.‡ Though the expedition was not prosecuted, this did not lessen the merit of the colonies in preparing to second the views of the British government. [1748.] No sooner were the distresses of war closed, by the renewal of peace, than the colonists, particularly of New-England, were alarmed with the report of an American Episcopacy, which it was the most earnest desire of Dr. Thomas Secker, late archbishop of Canterbury, to establish. The doctor, when bishop of Oxford, in his sermon before the society for propagating she gospel, &c. "began those invectives against the colonists and their religious character, which have been unwarily continued, and were founded entirely upon misinformations and misreSee the poftfcript of Dean Tucker's Humble Addrefs. * The Dean's Letter to Edmund Burke, efq. p. 27. Hutchinfon's Hiftory, Vol. II. p. 424. presentations |