thorising him so to do was inserted in a bill then pending in the parliament of Ireland. When the bill came to England, the clause was struck out with indignation, as implying an undue limitation of the prerogative. But the lord lieutenant, conceiving himself pledged by the king's word folemnly given to the Irish parliament, refused to permit the troops to embark without leave of the legislature; and a new clause was hastily inferted in another bill, which was tranfmitted and passed, though not without great resentment against the lord lieutenant, who on his arrival in England, some time afterwards, met at court with a very indifferent reception.

On the 3d of May 1776, admiral Sir Peter Parker anchored off Cape Fear, where he was joined by general Clinton; and finding that nothing could be, attempted with probability of success in Virginia, it was determined to try the event of an attack on the city of Charlestown, the capital of South Carolina; and in the beginning of June the whole fleet anchored off Charlestown bar. Prior to their arrival the city had been put into a proper pofture of defence; and works were erected on Sullivan's Island, mounted with thirty pieces of cannon, in a very advantageous situation for annoying ships in their approach to the town. The militia of the province were now collected in great numbers for the defence of the metropolis, aided by several continental regiments, and the whole were commanded by general Lee, who had traversed the whole extent of the continent with wonderful expedition, in order to put himself at their head.

On the 28th of June, the Bristol and Experiment, each of 50 guns, supported by several smaller ships, had with some difficulty croffed the bar, and advanced to the attack of the fort on Sullivan's Island, constructed entirely of the palmetto, a soft and spungy wood, in which a ball entering is buried, and makes no extended fracture. A most furious cannonade now began from the shipping, whích

was

was returned with equal fury and much more effect from the fort. The ships were almost torn to pieces, and the flaughter was dreadful. During the conflict, the seamen looked frequently and impatiently to see the land forces advance from Long Island, where they had some time before effected a landing, to Sullivan's Island, from which it is separated by a creek, in general fordable, but at this time, through a long continuance of easterly winds, deep and dangerous to attempt. The firing did not cease till evening when the ships flipped their cables and withdrew from the scene of action, after an engagement supported on both fides with uncommon spirit and vigor. The Actaon, of 28 guns, having run aground, was abandoned and set on fire. Captain Morris, of the Bristol, after difplaying heroic valor, received a wound which proved mor. tal. Captain Scott, of the Experiment, and lord William Campbell, late governor of the colony, who now with great gallantry served as a volunteer on board the fleet, were also dangerously wounded, with more than 200 men of the crews of these two ships only. Colonel Moultrie, the commandant of the fort, merits distinguished mention, for the skill and cool determined valor with which he conducted his defence. The design on Charlestown was, after this disaster, abandoned; and Sir Peter Parker immediately fet fail for New York.

It being now thoroughly ascertained, that the utmost lenity which America had to expect from Britain was pardon upon unconditional fubmiffion, the minds of the generality of men throughout the continent were by this time fully prepared for a formal declaration of Independency. North Carolina and Pennsylvania, which had long opposed this measure, now fignified their concurMaryland alone still discovered symptoms of reluctance. General Lee, in a letter written at this time to a person of distinction in that colony, in terms very characteristic of his ardent and fiery difpofition, says, "I know not whether, in the whole course of my life, I ever read any thing which so much moved my pity and indignation as the late declaration of the convention of Maryland. They declare, they shall esteem separation from Great Britain as the last of misfortunes. What! when an attempt has been made to rob you and your pofterity of your birthrights-when your fields have been laid waste, your towns have been burnt, and your citizens butchered; when your property is seized and confiscated in all parts of the world; when an inexorable tyrant, an abandoned parliament, and a corrupt pufillanimous people have formed an hellish league to rob you of every thing men hold most dear; is it possible there should be creatures, who march on two legs, and call themselves human, who can be so destitute of sentiment, courage, and feeling, as fobbingly to protest, they shall confider separation from these butchers and robbers as the last of miffortunes?

"Oh, I could brain you with your ladies' fans."

In pursuance, however, at length of instructions tranfmitted from all parts of the province, the Maryland convention passed a vote in favor of independence; and the delegates of all the thirteen colonies affembled in general congress being now unanimous, the DECLARATION of INDEPENDENCE was folemnly promulgated on the 4th of July 1776. This famous declaration commences with the acknowledgment, " that respect to the opinions of mankind requires, that, when in the course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation; and they affert the unalterable right of the people, whenever government becomes destructive of those ends for which it is instituted, to form a new government on principles most likely to effect their fafety and happiness. Prudence

Prudence indeed will dictate, that governments long established should not be changed for light and tranfient causes; and all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to fuffer while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they have been accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and ufurpations, pursuing invariably the same object, evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty to throw off fuch government, and provide new guards for their future security. Such has been the patient sufference of these colonies, and fuch is now the neceffity which constrains them to alter their former system of government. The history of the present king of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and ufurpations; all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over these states." In proof of this affertion, they then proceed to enumerate the particulars of his conduct in relation to America, and the oppreffive and tyrannic acts of his reign. In conclufion they say, " In every stage of these oppressions we have petitioned for redress in the most humble terms; our repeated petitions have been anfwered only by repeated injuries. A prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people. We therefore, the representatives of AMERICA in general congrefs affembled, appealing to the fupreme judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the name and by the authority of the good people of these colonies, folemnly publish and declare, that these united colonies are, and of right ought to be, FREE AND INDEPENDENT STATES, and that they are abfolved from all allegiance to the British crown; and that all political connection between them and the states of Great Britain is and ought to be totally diffolved: and in fupport of this declaration, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our facred honor."

This DECLARATION was received in every part of the

continent with the loudest acclamations of applaufe. Amongst the most enraptured in this glorious moment of enthusiasm, was the heroic and romantic Lee, who, at this period, writing to Patrick Henry, efq. governor of Virginia, thus exultingly expresses himself: " The reveries which I confidered as mere golden castles built in the air, at length bid fair for being realized. We shall now most probably fee a mighty empire established of freemen, whofe honor, property, and military glories are not to be at the difpofal of a fceptred tyrant, nor their confciences to be fettered by a proud domineering hierarchy. Every faculty of the foul will now be put in motion; every fpark of ability which every individual poffeffes will now be brought forth, and form the common aggregate for the advantage and honor of the community."

By advice of the new American minifter, lord George Germaine, the chief command of the vast naval and military force now collected for the fubjugation of America was entrusted to the Howes, brothers of the gallant nobleman who so gloriously fell in the defence of the colonies in the former war at Ticonderoga. "AMERICA," faid the congress, in one of their public declarations, " is amazed to find the name of Howe in the catalogue of her enemies-she loved his brother." It argued, however, very shallow policy to make this nomination under the idea that the found of a once popular name would cause America to waver for a moment in her determination, or in the flightest degree remit her preparations of resistance; though it might indeed be reasonably questioned, whether men fuppofed not unfavorably inclined to America, would be likely to make exertions equally vigorous and ardent with others not inferior in talents, who entertained no fuch predilection. Lord Howe, who was anxious to obtain an enlargement of his powers as commiffioner, in order to effect his favorite purpose of pacification, did not