particularly of those in the circle of Weftphalia, he could by no means be indifferent as to the election of a prince to thofe bishopricks, of fo powerful a house as that of Auftria. He therefore earnestly intreated the elector, not to be in too great hafte in a matter of fo much concern; rather to reconfider the business; to prefer the welfare of the empire, of his circle and bishopricks, to all other confiderations whatever; to quiet the minds of himself, and of other princes, who held the fame opinion with him; and thereby to continue their ufual friendly and neighbourly intercourfe. The King of Pruffia's logical powers did not produce all the effect in this controverfy, which his arguments of a different nature had ufually done in others. The elector, however, feemed to have had enough of the conteft, for he left him in full poffeffion of the field. But without making any reply, he adhered firmly to his refolution; and the election of the Archduke Maximilian accordingly took place at Munfter about the middle of Auguft. The foregoing circumftances fufficiently fhew, the deep jealoufy which ftill fubfifts, between thofe great rival and neighbouring powers. The peregrination of princes out of their own dominions, with their visits, meetings, and conferences, are things now become fo common, that they scarcely at all draw the public attention, much less excite any alarm. When they were rare, the conjunction of fuch meteors, efpecially if they were of a fuperior magnitude, was deemed portentous to mankind; and the effects generally juftified the prognoftication. Neither the particular novelty of the affair, nor the magnificence with which it was, on one fide at leaft, attended, were able to draw much of the public attention to the interview which took place this year, between the Emperor of Germany, and the Emprefs of Ruffia. The latter having accompanied the Great Duke and Duchefs of Ruffia, on their way to make the tour of Europe, proceeded, according to the concerted appointment, to Mohilow in Poland, where the meeting of thofe great potentates took place, in the month of June 1780. Form, etiquette, or ceremonial, were no parts of, nor no interruption to, the fatisfaction which thefe illuftrious perfonages received in each other's converfation and acquaintance. After fome ftay at Mohilow, the emperor accompanied the Czarina on her return to Peterburgh, where he continued for fome time; and where he was received with all the magnificence peculiar to that court, and fo different from the plainness and fimplicity of his own habits, manners, and mode of living. His private life was, however, spent as ufual. Whether this vifit, and the confequent intimacy and friendship which it might be fuppofed to produce, awakened any fufpicion or jealoufy in the breast of a great and powerful neighbour, can only be a matter of furmife. The return of the emperor from Peterfburgh was, however, foon fucceeded, by a vifit which the Prince Royal of Pruffia paid to that capital; a circumftance, which might feem to give fome countenance to fuch an opinion. After After what we have feen of the imperial meeting at Mohilow, and the accompaniment on the return to Petersburgh, it will fcarcely be fuppofed, that the vifit which the King of Sweden made about the fame time to Holland, and his tar in examining the particularities of that fingular country, either caused any alarm, or excited much notice. This year was particularly marked, by the death of Maria Therefa, Émprefs of Germany, Queen of Hungary and Bohemia, hereditary Archduchefs of Auftria, and natural fovereign of all the widely-extended dominions appertaining to that great house. She departed this life at Vienna, on the 29th day of November, 1780, and in the 63d year of her age. This great princefs inherited, along with a vaft but difputed patrimony, all the fpirit, magnanimity, and firmnefs, of any the moft renowned of her ancestors. These were, however, accompanied with many other virtues and good qualities. In the courfe of her life the experienced great viciffitudes of fortune. On the death of her father, many of the firft powers in Europe, excited by the weakness of her fex, and ftill more by that of a long ill-ordered government, in contempt of treaties, and guaranties, rushed on at once, as to a common prey, to fwallow up the whole of her ample dominions. Scarcely any thing was left unclaimed. The only difficulty feemed to reft in the divifion of the fpoil. From the extremity of diftrefs, and a ftate of fuch imminent danger, that the herself doubted, whether the could retain the poffeffion of any place, capable of affording a refuge during her lying-in, the had the courage and fortune, not only to furmount all thefe difficulties, and to triumph over her enemies, but to raife the house of Auftria to a degree of real power, which it had not before known fince the reign of Charles the Fifth. A clear and manly understanding, an happy temper, and the able tuition of neceffity, enabled her' to throw off the ungracious, but characteristic haughtinefs of her family. To this the owed much of her fortune and greatness. Charmed by a popular affability, and a captivating condefcenfion, of which they had not before an idea, the gained the hearts of her fubjects in fuch a degree, that they never thought they could act or fuffer too much for her fervice. In other refpećts, as a fovereign, exceping perhaps her inconfiderate engagement in the late war, the was the common parent of her people. She had many amiable and eftimable qualities in private life. She was eminently religious and humane. In the characters of a wife and a mother fhe ftood unrivalled. She was highly bleffed in a numerous progeny, not more diftinguished by the perfections or beauties of nature in mind or in perfon, than by a peculiar goodness of heart, which pervades the whole family. And the had the fortune and happiness to leave her vaft poffeffions in the hands of a darling fon, who feemed formed by nature and application to advance the happinets of his fubjects, and the power and grandeur of his house, to their highest pitch of attainment. The The French King, this year dignified, and for ever rendered memorable his name-day, by a prefent to his fubjects, worthy the humanity and magnificence of a great and enlightened monarch. This was neither the remiffion of taxes or duties, a general pardon to criminals, nor the allotment of great funds for the indigent. It was of a fuperior nature even to thefe. It was no less than the abolishing for ever of the inhuman caftom, of putting the question, as it was called, by torture; a cultom, which had been fo eftablished and rivetted, by the practice and concurrence of ages, that it seemed to be an original and indivifible part of the conftitution of their courts of juftice. It was in vain, that the wifett and honefteft lawyers and judges, as well as the foundeft philofophers, fully perceived, and deeply lamented, the total inefficacy as well as cruelty of this barbarous mode of criminal jurifprudence. They had not only the obftinacy of antient prejudice to furmount; but this practice was fo favourable to the views of defpotifm, and was falfely fuppofed to contribute fo much to the fecurity of the ftate, that all attempts for its removal would have been not only ineffectual but dangerous. This relick of barbarifm, which had fo long been the opprobrium of the chriftian name, and a standing difgrace to the moft civilized and learned quarter of the globe, might ftill have lingered in France, if a patriot prince, feeling the happinefs of living in the affections of his people, and difcerning, that all poffible fecurity was founded in thofe affections, had not from thence renounced all defences inconfiftent with that which is so much more folid. We hope, and indeed it is now fcarcely to be doubted, that the time is not far diftant, when a trace of this inhuman practice will not be found in any part of the western world. However interesting and valuable the following tranfaction may be confidered in point of political economy, and however it may even contribute to leffen the burthens of the people, it is not by way of placing it in any degree of competition with the former meafure, that we in this place take notice of the prodigious reform which was made in the French King's houfehold; that monarch, in purfuance of the new plan of economy adopted in his court, having this year at one ftroke abolifhed no lefs than 4c6 offices in that department. The attempts (moftly ineffective) made by the court of Spain, to raise money by loans in foreign countries, afforded fufficient evidence how much its treasures had been already exhaufted, by the extraordinary expences of this naval war, as well as of the apparently fruitlefs fiege of Gibraltar. Although the war is faid to be entirely against the fenfe and liking of the Spanish nation, who confidered it as a ruinous measure, founded merely upon Bourbon views and principles, yet the influence of the court, and a fenfe of national honour, prevailed fo far, that cities, communities, and even individuals, contributed largely to relieve the exigencies of the ftate. Of thefe, the Archbifhop of Toledo afforded a fingular inftance, which in a war of another HISTORY OF EUROPE. [13 another nature, might have been juftly admitted, as a demonftration of true patriotifm. prelate magnanimously appropriThat ated to the ufe of the war, the whole of his vaft revenues during the time of its continuance. Thus wifely choofing a road to fame, in which he was fure of not being difturbed by rivals or competitors, and of not having his heels trod upon by imitators. The bounty and kindness, extended by the Bishop of Lugo, to the British prifoners in Spain (acknowledgments of which have been given in the public prints), deferves every degree of praife and gratitude. Although fome of their commanders behaved otherwife, the Spanith nobility and merchants, in general, have fhewn very extraordinary marks of kindness, friend. fhip, and even affection, to thofe English gentlemen who have fallen in their way during the prefent war. now ftances which diftinguifh the year Among those remarkable circumModena, in abolishing the inqui1780, the conduct of the Duke of fition in his dominions, thould by no means be overlooked. It indeed affords a new inftance of the progrefs, which liberal ideas with refpect to toleration, are making throughout Europe. A farther extenfion of the fame ideas, may be hoped to reach to the civil and religious rights of mankind, as well as to a bare fufferance of their opinions. prince, upon the death of the That Grand Inquifitor at Reggio, immediately ordered that tribunal to nues to be applied to other, and be for ever abolished; its reveprifons, and more laudable purposes; and the which could preserve any memoother buildings, rial of its having ever exifted, to be entirely demolished. CHA P. II. Retrospective view of affairs in America and the West Indies, in the year 1780. State of the hostile armies on the fide of New York, previous to, and at the arrival of, Gen. Sir Henry Clinton from the reduction of Charles Town. Short campaign in the Jerfies. Connecticut farms. Springfield. Unexpected effect produced by the reduction of Charles Town, in renewing and exciting the spirit of union and refifiance in America. Great hopes founded on the expected co-operation of a French fleet and army in the reduction of New York, and the final expulfion of the British forces from that continent. Marquis de la Fayette arrives from France. M. de Ternay, and the Count de Rochambeau, arrive with a French Squadron, and a body of land forces, and are put into poffeffion of the fortifications and harbour of Rhode-Ifland. Admiral Arbuthnot blocks up the French fquadron. Difpofitions made by Sir Henry Clinton for attacking the French auxiliaries. Gen. Washington pafjes the North River, with a view of attempting New York. Expedition to Rhode Island laid afide. Great difficulties experienced by Don Bernard de Galvez, in his expedition to West Florida. Befieges and takes the fort at Mobrille. Great land and naval force fent out from Spain, in order to join M. de Guichen in in the West Indies. Junction of the hoftile fleets, notwithstanding the efforts of Admiral Sir George Rodney, to intercept the Spanish Squadron and convoy. Sickness and mortality in the Spanish fleet and army, with some other caufes, preferve the British islands from the imminent danger to which they were apparently expofed by the great fuperiority of the enemy. Thefe caufes operate still farther in their confequences; which affect the whole face and nature of the war in the new world, and entirely frustrate the grand views formed by France and America, for the remainder of thecampaign. Spanish fleet and army proceed to the Havannah; and M. de Guichen returns from St. Domingo, with a convoy, to Europe. Great preparations made by the Americans for effectually co-operating with the French forces on the arrival of M. de Guichen. Washington's army increased, for that purpose to 20,000 men. Invafion of Canada intended, and preparatory proclamations iffued by the Marquis de la Fayette. Caufes which prevented M. de Guichen from proceeding to North America. Sir George Rodney arrives, with a fquadron, at New York. TH HE hoftile armies on the fide of New York were fo nearly poifed, both with respect to offenfive force and defenfive ftrength, that their mutual fituation, and comparative circumftances, afforded no great opportunity of exertion or enterprize to Gen. Sir Henry Clinton, upon his return from the taking of Charles Town. The advantages, however, derived from the poffetion of the islands, their vicinity to the continent, the quick and filent movements of a great number of frigates, and other fmaller armed vellels calculated for the purpose, and master of all the channels and intercourfes, as well as of the adjoining fea, together. with the unexampled length of ill connected posts which were to be guarded by the Americans, afforded, almoft, continual opportunities, of hafty defcent and fuccefsful furprize, by which much blood was fpilt, and mifchief done, without producing any effect, or at leaft any good one, with refpect to the main objects, and great purposes of the war. This kind of fervice, except where the object was more confiderable than ordinary, was left entirely to the Refugees; who having arms in their hands, nothing elfe to do, little other provifion, and being edged on by the moft implacable animofity against their countrymen, eagerly embraced every adventure, which afforded any hope of profit, or what was perhaps ftill fweeter, of revenge. They were now grown fo numerous, that they were ftrangely permitted to fet up a fort of a diftin&t government in New York, under the conduct of a jurifdiction of their own creation, which they called, the Honourable Board of Affociated Loyalifts. This board, it is faid, was authorized from home; but this is hardly credible; and having a common stock, and their infant excurfions at fea having proved extremely fuccefsful, they became every day more numerous and powerful, and poffeffed fomething like a fleet, of fmall privateers and cruizers. Their enterprizes were bold, well conducted, and frequently fuccessful; |