his Moft Chriftian Majesty their ally, or to confider propofitions so derogatory to the honor of an independent nation. The commiffion, under which they act, supposes the people of America to be still fubjects of the Crown of Great Britain, which is an idea utterly inadmissible." The President added, "that he is directed to inform their Excellencies of the inclination of Congress to peace, notwithstanding the unjust claims from which this war originated, and the favage manner in which it had been conducted. They will therefore be ready to enter upon the confideration of a treaty of peace and commerce, not inconsistent with treaties already subsisting, when the King of Great Britain shall demonftrate a fincere disposition for that purpose; and the only folid proof of this disposition will be an explicit acknowledgment of the Independence of the United States, or the withdrawing his fleets and armies."

The Commiffioners, finding the door of negotiation shut against them, published very unwarrantable appeals to the people at large, calculated to excite discord among the several Colonies, or feditious tumults against the established Governments. These producing no manner of effect, they promulgated a most signal valedictory manifefio, containing a dark and mysterious menace, warning the people of America of the total and material change which was to take place in the future conduct of the war, should they still perfevere in their OBSTINACY.

The Congrefs, who had taken little notice of their former addresses, were now provoked to publish a counter manifesto, in which they say, " If our enemies presume to execute their threats, we will take fuch EXEMPLARY VENGEANCE as shall deter others from a like conduct." The Commiffioners now returned to England, after having executed their conciliatory commission, in a mode which left America in a far worse state of irritation and inflammability than they found it *. The Earl of Carlifle had brought with him an order, little calculated to add weight to his miffion, for

* Governor Johnstone had very early fallen into extreme difgrace by an indirect attempt to bribe some of the leading Members of the Congress; which Affembly thereupon passed a formal resolution, that they would have no farther intercourse with him in his public capacity, and his name was accordingly omitted in the papers subsequently addressed by the Commissioners to the Congress. This ridiculous and ineffectual overture was made through the medium of a Mrs. Ferguson, who was suspected not to have been endowed with all that SECRECY requifite to the difcharge of fo delicate an office. Governor Johnstone, who, on his first arrival in America, had complimented the Congress in high-flown and extravagant terms, on this mortifying exposure changed his language to the lowest abuse. The fact, however, was clearly afcertained; and the Governor, in his ludicrous diftress, might be allowed feelingly enough to exclaim, in the words of SHAKESPEAR,

"Let not the heavens hear these tell-tale women!"

the

the immediate evacuation of the city of Philadelphia, and the retreat of the army to New York. This was a measure, however mortifying, which was rendered very necessary by the departure of a strong squadron from the port of Toulon in the month of April, which was supposed destined for the Delawar, and which the naval force under Lord Howe was in no condition to oppose.

On the 18th of June the whole British army paffed the Delawar. Some weeks previous to this event, General Howe had refigned the command to Sir Henry Clinton. Though uniformly in a certain degree fuccessful in his enterprises, this officer acquired little accession of military reputation in America. Brave as a foldier, but, in the capраcity of General, flow, cautious, and indecisive, he deviated into an extreme the oppofite of General Burgoyne, who was censured as rash, presumptuous, and romantic. The march of the British army through the Jerseys was not unattended with difficulty. Encumbered with an enormous train of baggage, extending the length of twelve miles, the whole country hoftile, the bridges broken down before, and a vigilant enemy preffing clofe behind, the utmost prudence and circumspection of the new General were neceffàry to make a vigorous and effectual defence against those attacks to which a retreating army is so peculiarly exposed. Instead of proceeding in a direct route to Brunswick, the General

4

General determined, by bending his march to the right, and approaching the fea-coaft, at once to disappoint the expectation of the enemy, and to avoid the difficulty attending the passage of the Rariton.

On the evening of the 27th of June the royal army encamped in the vicinity of Monmouth Court-House, and early the next morning they recommenced their march. Scarcely were they in motion when the enemy were discovered moving in force at fome distance on both flanks. The first divifion under General Knyphausen proceeding with the escort of carriages to the heights of Middletown, the English commander immediately formed his troops, with a view to bring on a general engagement. General Lee, who had been some time fince exchanged, advanced with the van of the American army to the attack, in conformity to the directions of General Washington; but feveral of the brigades under his command being thrown into confufion by an impetuous assault of the British cavalry, he ordered a retreat, with a view to form anew in an advantageous pofition behind a ravine and morass. In the interim General Washington arrived at the head of the main army, and expressed in strong terms his astonishment and indignation at the retrograde motion of the van. General Lee replied with equal warmth; but in the refult the troops of the van were ordered to form VOL. II.

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in front of the morass, where an obftinate engage ment ensued, till the Americans being again worsted and broken, General Lee was again under the neceffity of ordering a retreat, which he conducted with great skill and courage, himself being one of the last who remained on the field. The British light infantry and rangers, in the mean time, who had filed off to the left, and attempted an affault on the American main body, where General Washington commanded in person, met with such a reception as compelled them after repeated efforts to desist from the attack; and the day being intensely hot, the action, in which the two armies appear to have sustained nearly equal lofs, ceased, from mere weariness and fatigue. At midnight Sir Henry renewed his march in profound filence, and on the 30th of June arrived in safety at Sandy Hook, from whence he passed over to New York without farther moleftation.

The high fpirit of General Lee could not, however, brook the language which General Washington had hastily used, and he wrote him in confequence a paffionate letter, which occafioned his being put under immediate arrest; and a courtmartial being held upon him for disobedience of orders, misbehaviour in action, and disrespect to his commander, he was found guilty upon every charge, and fufpended from all his military commands for twelve months. It was suspected that the