ernment instructed the colonies to oppose with arms the progress of the French on the British territories, as the western lands were called. In compliance with these instructions, Virginia raised 300 men, put them under the command of col. Washington, and sent them on towards the Ohio. An engagement with a party of the enemy ensued, and the French were defeated. On this the commandant, M. de Villier, sent down 900 men, besides Indians, to attack the Virginians. Their brave leader made an able defence with his handful of men, behind a small unfinished entrenchment, called Fort Necessity; and by his conduct obtained honourable terms of capitulation.

The colonies of Nova Scotia, New York and Virginia were principally affected by the ambitious designs of France; and the encroachments made on them by that power, were a subject of complaint, both here and in Europe.

It was foreseen that this controversy could not be decided but by the sword; and the British determined to be early in their preparations. The earl of Holderness, secretary of state, wrote to the governors 1754. of the American colonies, recommending union

for their mutual protection and defence. To digest a plan for this purpose, commissioners from many of the colonies, met at Albany. They proposed

that a grand council should be formed by deJuly 4. puties from the several colonies, which, with a president general, should be empowered to take measures for the common safety, and to raise money for the execution of their designs. The president general to be appointed by the crown, with a negative voice. The delegates of Connecticut, alone, entered their dissent to the plan, because of the negative voice of the president general.

With this plan of union, a representation was made to the king of the danger in which the colonies were involved. Copies of both were laid before the several assemblies. The fate of the plan of union was singular. It was rejected in America, because it was sup posed to put too much power into the hands of the king; and it was rejected in England, because it was supposed to give too much power to the assemblies of the colonies. This plan of union was the work of Dr. Franklin, commissioner from Pennsylvania. The ministry made another proposal, that the governor, with one or two members of the council, of each col ony, should assemble, and consult for the common defence, and draw on the British treasury for the sums expended; which should be raised by a general tax laid by parliament on the colonies.

The ministerial plan was transmitted to governor Shirley, who was known to be for the parliament's laying on that tax. It was communicated by him to Dr. Franklin, whose answerlembraced the whole subject of the controversy, which soon after ended in the final separation of the colonies from Great Britain. After this the British ministry dropped the idea of an union; but it appears the Massachusetts general court had good information of the ministerial designs to raise a revenue in America, as in the month of November 1755, they thus instructed their agent: "It is more especially expected, that you oppose every thing that shall have the remotest tendency to raise a revenue on the plantations, for any public uses or services of government." May following, the agent wrote them that he had reason to think the inclination still continued to raise a reve. nue out of the molasses trade. The alarming state of public affairs, the country being on the eve of a war with France, might divert the ministry from pursuing their inclinations.

In

Indeed it is obvious that the British ministry laid hold of the alarming situation of the colonies, about the year 1754 and 1755, to constrain them into an acknowledgment of the right, or to the adoption of measures that might afterwards be drawn into precedent. The colonies, however, with an uncommon foresight and firmness, defeated all their attempts. The war was carried on by requisitions on the colonies for supplies of men and money, or by voluntary contributions.

The depredations of the French and their allies the Indians, inade it necessary to endeavor to drive them from the Ohio. The reduction of Niagara, Crown Point, and their forts in Nova Scotia, was also resolved

upon.

Although the war was not yet formally de1755. clared, general Braddock was sent from Ireland to Virginia, with two regiments of foot and on his arrival, when joined by the provincial troops, he found himself at the head of 2200 men. He was a brave officer, but deficient in many qualifications necessary for the service to which he was appointed. The severity of his discipline made him unpopular among the regulars. His pride and haughtiness disgusted the Indians, led him to despise the country militia, and to slight the advice of the Virginian officers.

Col. Washington, who was aid de camp to gen. Braddock, earnestly begged of him, when the army was marching for Fort du Quesne, to admit of his going before, and scouring the woods with his rangers, which

was contemptuously refused. The general had been cautioned by the Duke of Cumberland, to guard against a surprise; the same caution was likewise given him by his own officers, particularly sir Peter Halket, who entreated him to use the friendly Indians by way of advanced guard, in case of ambuscades; and yet he pushed.on needlessly with the first division, consisting of 1400 men, till he fell into an ambuscade of 400, chiefly Indians, by whom he was defeated and mortally wounded, on the ninth of July 1755. The regulars were put into the greatest panic, and fled in the utmost confusion the militia had been used to Indian fighting, and were not so terrified. The general had disdainfully turned them into the rear, where they continued in a body, unbroken, and, under the conduct of colonel Washington, served as a rear guard, which covered the retreat of the regulars, and prevented their being entirely cut off. Such were the scenes wherein this great man showed the dawn of those abilities, which were called forth, at an after period, to establish the liberties of his country.

Previous to the defeat of general Braddock, the Massachusetts assembly raised a body of troops, which were sent to Nova Scotia to assist lieutenant governor Lawrence in driving the French from their several encroachments in that province. The secrecy and dispatch used in this service, was rewarded with success.

The expedition against Niagara was intrusted with governor Shirley; but failed through various causes. Sir William, then colonel, Johnson, was, appointed to go against Crown Point. The delays, slowness, and deficiency of preparations, prevented the several colo

nies joining their troops till about August. In 1755. the mean time, the active enemy had transported forces from France to Canada, marched them down to meet the provincials, and attacked them; but, meeting with a repulse, lost six hundred men, besides baving their general, baron Dieskaw, wounded and made prisoner.

In the year 1756, war was formally declared against France; and the Massachusetts raised a great armament to go against Crown Point; but lord Loudon, on his arrival, did not think it proper that the troops should proceed. A temporary misunderstanding took place afterwards between his lordship and the general court; from his apprehending, that they thought a provincial law necessary to enforce a British act of parliament, and were willing to dispute upon that subject. He determined to have no dispute, but that the troops under his command should be quartered agreeable to what he

thought the public good required; and wrote to governor Pownall, "I have ordered the messen1757. ger to wait but 48 hours in Boston; and if, Nov. 15. on his return, I find things not settled, I will instantly order into Boston the three battalions from New York, Long Island, and Connecticut ; and if more are wanted, I have two in the Jerseys at hand, beside three in Pennsylvania." Notwithstanding this declaration, on December the sixth, the legislature passed an act, which led him to conceive, that he was under an absolute necessity of settling the point at once, and therefore he ordered his troops to march. The general court finding how matters were going, did not venture upon extremities, but became pliable; so that his lordship wrote, December 26, "As I can now depend upon the assembly's making the point of quarters easy in all time coming,I have countermanded the march of the troops." The general court were certainly terrified; and to remove all unfavorable impressions, said in the close of their address to the governor, "The authority of all acts of parliament, which concern the colonies, and extend to them, is ever acknowledged in all the courts of law, and made the rule of all judicial proceedings in the province. There is not a member of the general court, and we know no inhabitant within the bounds of the government, that ever questioned this authority. To prevent any ill consequences that may arise from an opinion of our holding such principles, we now utterly disavow them, as we should readily have done at any time past, if there had been occasion for it; and we pray that his lordship may be acquainted therewith, that we may appear in a true light, and that no impressions may remain to our disadvantage." However they might not question, whether the authority of acts of parliament, concerning and extending to the colonies, was made the rule of all judicial proceedings in the province; yet we are not to infer from their disavowal of the contrary principle, that they admitted the right of parliament, either to impose internal taxes, or to control their colonial government.

1758. Jan. 6.

In the year 1758, the administration of Mr. Pitt, afterwards earl of Chatham, united all parties, and restor ed such order, unanimity and decision to the public councils, that the force of the empire was directed with success, in every quarter of the globe.

In the month of August, admiral Boscawen and gen. Amherst reduced and demolished Louisbourg, which had been restored to the French by the treaty of Aix la Chapelle. Five or six ships of the line were taken;

Frontenac and Fort du Quesne fell also into the hands of the British; acquisitions which overbalanced the check which they had received at Ticonderoga.

Two capital expeditions were planned in the year 1759, to overturn the French power in America, both of which proved successful. The first expedition was against Quebec, the capital of Canada. The command was given, by the minister's advice, to general Wolfe; a very young officer, but of a truly military genius. Wolfe was opposed with far superior force by Montcalm, the best and most successful general the French had. Though the situation of the country which Wolfe was to attack, and the works the French threw up to prevent a descent of the British were deemed impregnable, yet Montcalm never relaxed in his vigilence. Wolfe's courage and perseverance, however, surmounted incredible difficulties, and he gained the heights of Abraham, near Quebec, where he fought and defeated the French army, but was himself killed, as was Montcalm; general Monckton, who was next in command, being wounded, the completion of the French defeat, and the glory of reducing Quebec, was reserved for brigadier general, afterwards lord viscount, Townshend.

General Amherst, who was the first British general in command in America, conducted the second expedition. His orders were, to reduce all Canada, and to join the army under general Wolfe on the banks of the river St. Lawrence. He was so well provided with every thing that could make it successful, and the provincial troops co-operated with him so cordially, that there appeared scarcely any chance for its miscarriage. Accordingly the French empire in North America be came subject to Great Britain.

During this war, which lasted eight years, the colonies furnished 23,800 men, to co-operate with the British regular forces, in North America. They fitted out "upwards of 400 privateers," which ravaged the West India islands and made many captures on the coast of France. Besides these powerful aids, they sent assistance both in men and provisions, out of their own lim its, which facilitated the reduction of Martinico and the Havana.

In the course of this war, some of the colonies made exertions beyond their reasonable quota ; but this was Hot universally the case. In consequence of internal disputes, and their exertions for domestic security, the necessary supplies had not been raised in due time by others. It did not suit the vigorous and decisive genius of Mr. Pitt to depend upon the colonial legislatures