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Lorsque Ie document est trop grand pour Atre reproduit en un seul cllchA, ii est film6 A partir de i'angle supArieur gauche, de gauche A droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant Ie nombre d'images nAcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mAthode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 ESSAY O N MODERN MARTYRS.- WITH A LETTER T O GENERAL BURGOYNE, ** SUPKRAT* IT CRIICIT MALU JtRAqUS NOSTRA FRUITUR/ Seneca, In HercuU Purente^ t N D N s Printed for Messrs. Paynes, At the Mbu»< GatB} and R. Faulder, New Bono Srset, MDCCL3CXX, A. \} » - . . r A / E « If MODERN MARTYRS. IN the annals both of religious and pblltical controvcrfy, it has long been a remark, that the fufFcrings of martyrdom have gained morecon- vens, than the terror of authority, or the perfuafi« on of eloquence. Every paffion was armed againft thofe who invaded the freedom, who fettered the confcienee of man ; every fentiment applauded the fincerity of him who braved dangers, mif- fortunes, and death, in fupport of the tenets he had adopted, or the party he had efpoufcd. The conftancy of religious martyrs was, in- deed, fuunded in hopes extending far beyond the limits of our prefent exiflence ; in hopes which neither were blended witl> che dtfire of immediate praife, nor anticipatea the honours of poflhumous celebrity. Yet even thefe fublunary motives have been foilnd fufficient to kindle, and Jkecp alive the flame of political cnthufiafm, and » tht ( 2 ) the patriots of former times refifted the temptat tions ©f intercfl:, or defpifcd the menaces of pow- er i often without other incitement than the love of well earned fame, without other allurement than the plcafure of lelf approbation. Such were the fimple ijiotives^ fuch the li- mited views of th< ff, by who:"e enterprizes, or whole fofFerings the conftitution of this kins- dom has been eftabliflied, defended and improv- ed. If it wus a reproach on f me, that, warped- by ambition, they connculed their private aggran- dizement with the purluit of public utility ; if ic be juftly oblcrvcd of others, that, in the warmth- ©f incautious zeal, they advanced dodlrincs fubvcr* five in the end of that freedom, which they had. laboured to lupport •, yet it fecms never to have been doubted, whether they were fcrious in the chitf objed of their purfuit -, whether the dan- gers, to which ihey were expofed,. were real, and: the misfortunes, which they underwent, afflic- ting. i 'It m k \n ad in dii mi To the ingenuity of modern times, ever buff in rcfearches and ftrtilc in improvement, it has* been kft to difcover a new fyflem of martyr- dom ; a fydem, into which neiiher wheels, nor Qames, nor axes, are per(iiitted to enter ^ bu6 v»^ ;% . , ( 3 ) .. ..^ in -which triumph refults from pnnilhmfnt, and advantage fprings from calamity ; by which the infignificant may rife to importance, and the in- digent to affluence, by the efficacy of mock misfortunes, and the emolument of lucrative lieroifm. f. 1 •f ^ufjF ■•*t' ha8> 1 •tyr- nor 1 bue 1 i» 1 Tt cannot, however, be denied, that the mo- drrn candidates for martyrdom, have in the Jeading principle of their conduct, complied with the maxims of philofophy, and, in fome ienfe, obeyed even the diftates of religion \ for we fliaU 6nd their plan to be founded, in a juft eftima- tion of the good and evil of life : we ihall find them often ficrificing the prelent to the future, and fubmirting to a temporary, and at lealt to an lapparent inconvenience, from the almoft certain profpcft of fubftantial reward, Amongfl: the devi( es by which pirblic atten- tion may be excited, and public compafTiolfl awakened tow.irds thofe^ whom neither genius, nor induftry, nor virtue would have forced into diftindion, the moft frequent, and perhaps the rtioft fuccefsful, is the art of connecting ille- gal tranfgreflions with popular purfuits, and ren- dering the adminiftration of juftice odious by ^mplainc and clamour, againft that corredion which ( 4 ) which has been defer vcdly, nay often dcfigncdly, incurred. There arc a fpecics of offenders in this coun- try who claim merit from the avowzi of delibe- raie malignity ; whofe public virtue is diftin- guiflicd on«y by an oppofition to public juftice, and whofe policy cor.fifts in taking advantage of that ditpofition in feme minds, that confiders all government as an oppreflion, that fetls all fub idinaiion as a mifery. Such a difpofuion, infiame-^i by pipuljr clamour, and dire died to the piirpolcs ot faclioHs has otten counterafted the ends of j»-'ilice, by convtitir g; it's fertcncc into a reward -, and the delpTate rioter, the ma* licious libeller, or the treafonable difpcrler of fedition, have been enabled to revel in, the dain- ties of a luxurious impnfonment, qr thrive on the revenue of a profitable pillory. There is another fource of advantage to thi^ lirft and loweft ipecies of martyrs, in the topics of eloquence they often furnilh, and the popur larity they fometimes procure to parties adverfe to govcrniiient. They may be confidered as leffer inftruments, as lubordinate wheels in the - great and complicated machine of oppofition. The duties and fcrvices reauired by the lyftem of party, I i t I M (h el ti M- ? s > party, arc fo various, and even oppofite in their nature, as to dcmaad abilities of every degree, and charafters of every denomination. T»)er© arc fome invcftives too indecent, fomc accufa- tions too malevolent, and iome fuKhoods too niamcltrfs, to be propagated or avowed by any, but the luweft drudges of faction. The archi- ttdl, however accurate his judgment, however elegant his tafle, mud be indebted for the execu- tion of his plans to the humble labours of meaner am Beers ; and fmce the mighty fabri- cators of fedition cannot themfelves accomplifli every mifchief they projeft, they muft on fome occafions purchafe the affilUnce of hirelings, to whom treafon is a pradical trade, and Icurrility $1 daily occupation. To illuftrate this theory by examples, may feem almofl: fuperfluous, in an age h fertile in candidates for martyrdom. The common coun- cil-man of almoft every ward, and the printer of almoft every newfpaper, feeds on the hope, or enjoys the recoUcdion of authority infultcd, or juftice provoked i fpeculates on the profit of fufferings, and pants for the celebrity of perfe- cution.— Perfecution, the ever fuccefsful pre- tence by whkh contending fadions have alter, pately triumphed: by which, in the days of Sacheverel^ ( 6 ) IhehtomU « popular adm'miftration was render- ed odious, a diftinguifhcd conqueror difgraced, and a national confederacy diflblved : by which the more cclebruicd adventurer of our own times has been enabled, through a progreffivc courle of beneficial punidiments, to attain the highcft objrds ol modern inariyrdom ; to derive lafety and lubfi Hence from exile, the enjoyment of l4jxurics and the difcharge of debts from im- prilonment, and the firm pofTefliort of parlia- mentary honours from expulfi >n -, and at length (whtrn the bubble ofparriotifm wasalmofl: broken) to fecure the more efiential reward of an affluent iacome ; and thus to crown otjr admiration oi' wit, "that almoft reconciles us to fraud, ai ii>* genuity that almoft atones for irppolture, A fecent^ fpecics of ma-tyrdom, more ha- zardous indeed, bu ofren produdli\'C of greater ctivilunciit than the fc-rmer, confifts in the Tiohie An^ d/iiterefted aft ( f relinquifhing lomc ' preicnt an- an cage, in the fuppoled certain pro- ' fj.ed of more exalted power, or more ample pci^fic. Suvh a lyilem is, jndeed, from it*s na- '' tu.re, confined to the higher order of fufferers, " and luch as may be eirphatically ftiled the poll' ^ iics\ as thoCf before defcnbed, may be rather '' jtrnKtl ihtfcnal martyrs. To fatnficc the pof* ( 7 ) fifflion of a lucrative employment, wears at tlw? tirlt glance fo ftrong an appearance ot" fmcerity, ^hat we almolt overlook the foJly of unfleadL- ncfs, and forget the treachery of defertion. Yet on a nearer view of circumilances and charac- ters, we fhall not coniidcr the political martyr, merely as a convert to falfe popularity, but ra- ther as a refined (though oftt.Mi difappointed) fpe* culatill, who weighs the cl ances of events, and calculates the fluduations of power with an al« molt arithmetical nicety. This examination will ferve as a clue, by v^hichmanyof the moll intricate mazes in political condudl may beeafily unravelled. Timidity alone, lor inftance, might be deemed a fufficient caufe, when an unpopular minifter abruptly deferts hi« allociates, and ihrinks on the lirlt alarm of a de- Greaiing influence. But fhould we obferve the lame miniiter, after a temporary fhelter from the llorm^ and when it's violence is part:, return ta ikn elevated, though a lefs sefpoafible office, It will then become app;ircnt, that a wife regard for the main chance of life, almoft equally ba- lances the fond attention to perfonal fccurityi Should wc fee in procefs of time, the fame mi- BifteR, on the firft appearance of ill futcefs, veer ■ with S^^pf'^'la { 8 ) with the gale of fortune, court arid corftbine with his old and inveterate enemies, condennn the meafures he had fuggeftcd, and viUfy the perfons with whom he had a^d, accufe with more than fadious rancour, and threaten with worfe than patriotic fcurrility, we (hall then admit that nothing can be wanting to the com- pletion of fuch a charadler ; we (hall then look back with wonder at the fteps by which he has reached a fuinmit of political infamy, unknown before ; and the mind of an honeft fpedlator, Ihocked by the example of perfidy, ftiamed by the outrage on decency, will find no other quiet than in reconciling indignation with contempt. An inftance fo eminent and fo notorious, wil! be fufficient to charaderize and exemplify this fecond clafs of martyrs*, nor is the charitable and forgiving temper of thofe, who fo cordially cherilh tlie repentant (inner, a kfs worthy fub- jeft of admiration. It has often been abfu'-dly imagined, that political refcntmcnt ought, in fonse refpeds, to differ from perlonal enmity ; and that the latter, on adequate atonement and due reparation, ought entirely to ceafe*, but that the former, when founded in public and patriotic motives, Ihould at leaft prevent an intimate URion with one whom wc have loudly declar«4 ■f ,( 9 ) declared the enemy of his country. To vulgar minds it is not an eafy fuppofition, that an op- prefllve and corrupt minifter can (without a mi- radc) be metamorphofed into a true patriot, and that the perfecutor Ihould inftantly and. unac- countably become a prolelyte •, yet fo mighty are the effcds, lb wonderful the confequences of political converfion, that it fhall eafily extin- guilh offences, for which impeachment was once deemed too mild a prpfecution ; the cri- minal fhall be adopted by his accufers, as a worthy aflbciate, as a glorious leader of party : and who fhall dare fuppofe their forrner enmity malevolent and unjuil, or impute their recenK; friendlhip to motives of interefl: and fadion ? ^y?^ The third fpecies of martyrs would be deemed too ludicrous to deferve ferious notice, did not the lupport they receive originate in a very dangerous, as v/cil as curious fyftem of modern policy. Thefc arc the felf-created martyrs, the felf-proclaimed vidims, who court the public favour, or pacify the public refent- ment, not only by voluntary but even by vi- fionary filterings. In the front of this vene« rable band appear the military martyrs, armed with recriminating invcdlivcs, (hieldcd by new- formed connexions, ftored with voluminous G har: i "'. I li ( 10 V fiJfffigiJtfs, af rayed in all the portipof burtefq^^ inquiries, and adorned with all the trophies ol partial approbation. In varn would common fenfe oppole her ftrengih agalnft the power of mili- tary eloquence •, in vain might flie reprefent^ that true valour would require no aid from the refinements of fophiftry, that real exploits would borrow no ornament from the pomp of decla- itjation i that the commanders of former days eftabli(hed the glory, and extended the empire of their country, not by tedious recitals, but by ' aflual and effedual enterprizes ; that the proofs of meritorious fervice did not then reft iipon the opinion of friendly witncflcs, but oa the records of impartial hiftory, on the gratc- |"ul applaufe of their countrymen, on the unU Vcrfal fcnfe of mankind. — Vain, indeed, would- be fiich arguments with thofe, who deem it their intercll to conjure up ideal accufers, t(> complain of fancied oppreflions, and to repre-' icnt as mere infinuations of a miniftry, that general d:.Tatisfadion which their own condudk has infpi-ed throughout the kingdom. ■?i.vilJ Ycr, perhaps, the refult of thefe inquiries (tTiough purfucd almoft wholly on one fide) has wrought little change in the fcntimcnts of men, unconnc'fled with the views, and unbiaffed by the V »'% M .# •4 -1'! 1 ■■% '^. .«}■ tHc piotives of party. It has not yet appeared to them, utterly impofllble to gain conquefts with brave and numerous troops, to oppofe diforder by difciplint*, or to purfue an enemy whofe on-l^ hope of iafety is in retreat. Prccraftinatiqn apd dcliy are not yet dtemed abfolutcly ntccOkry to* the fuccels of martial cnterprize, nor indolence apjjl voluptuoufnefs the only quaUfications of an able general. Neither, on the contrary, are we y?t pofitively certain, that honour and advantage can be acquired by no other means, than plut)- ging headlong into defeat, difgrace, and capti- vity. The obftinate adherents to ancient prejg•^ <3ice would ftill rejoice at fome inftance of ac-. 4oiir obedient to the dircdion of judgoiept* and caution invigorated by fhc alacrity of zeal.* In ihcir weak apprchen&ons, though failuj:c might often be pitied, and error lorpejifti^s atoned, yet beneficial conquefts and di.Uingu^- ed fuccefs could alone warrant the claim tP-;ajp- plaufe and admiration. , , ,',t -.(11 And indeed there is fome plaufibility in this nnode of reafoning : nor will it be very eafy to ^nd an inltance, in which it*s truth has bsen f:alled in question from the days of Cj^ejij^y ;o Mindcn. • It may be unneceflary to fay, that this fentcnce wa« written before the account of General Frevoft'j fuccefs in Georgia had ]^«n recuvcdt li J il i. ,ii ( u i \ The faft is, :he principles of fame arc nearly inverted by the ingenuityof modern times. The celebrity of military martyrs commences from thtir failures : there is a gradual and equal pro- grefs in thtir lofles, and their praife •, and their private ambition is elevated, in proportion as the public intercft declines. — Thus, the not im- proving an c.ily viftory, (fucb, for inftancc, as at Long Ifldnd and Ticonderoga) is no flight omen of their rifing merit — an injudicious and ha- Zlirdous i^etachn cnt, ill lupporred, (as at Tren- ton and Bennington) woniierfuliy ei.hances the Ctedit of their dilcretion— not taking meafures itb check an increafing and approaching enemy, (fuch as at Qiiibleiown or Stilwater; really be- gins to tiivt an aufpicious prefage of the everit-^ but if one candidate f t" military rriartyrdom hats the wjfdom, unnecrlTarily to facrifice a part of hk army, (as at Redbank) in the injudicious at- tack of a poft, which he never fhoiild have fuf-* fered to be eftabiiilied, and which by another method might have then bten tjiken, Cas after- wards it ivas) with very inconfiderable lofs •, then indeed may he exult in the fecurity of im- mortal fame-, then indeed may he claim ap- * plau!e,' inferior only to the honours of that General, who, by the furrender and 'ruin, of his army, may congratulate himfelf on the pe- • : . cuiiar i^: f ■LS. III ▼ c riearljr s. The es from ual pro- nd their rtion as not im- cc, as at ht omen and ha- lt 1 ren- ices the meafures ; enemy, •ally b^- I event-^ dom has : part of cioiis at'- lave fuf-* another as after- fs ; then of im- aim ap- of that ruin, of I the pe- culiar m ••gf. { ii ) culiar lot of having ftrengthened domeftic revolt^, by the acceflion of foreign hoftility. '■' ^ The objc6t of military purfuit, being thus to- tally changed in it's nature, the operatJons of war muft of courfe be condufled on a correfpbn- dent fyftem — That fagacious i^rcad of fuccefs, manifcfted by a great General of antiquity, in de* liberating upon the probable confequtnces of a fecond battle, may, vviih more literal precifion, be applied to a modern hero, even before he has hazarded the firft. " J! viSlory m ~^his Hrcum- fiances would he ruin." — For having duly revolved the fortune of war, and eftimated the advantages of failure, compared with thofe of fuecefs, he very confidently prefers the lofing as the iureft game. Thus, like one fpecies of adventurers ih a lottery, the modern General infures oh thfe blanks of war -, and what, to vulgar apprchen- fions, might appear deftruftive to his hopes, in fecret fecures a profit far beyond the ordinal^ prizes of good fortune, or the ufual attainmehss of victory. Neither does the condufl: of a modern General, after his retirement from half fought battles and ignominious furrenders, bear the molt exafl re- femblancc to tha^ venerable cafe, that modeft dignity, m ■ ■I I! 1 , III! in m ( '4 V dignity, "which in former times diftinguifl^cd th^ here in retreat. Far different the views, far brighter the profpedVs that flatter the pride of our idcaJ conquerors, and gild the evening of their iJay. What, tho* the teftimony of public applaufe be livanting to commeiiiorate their ferviccs ? yet tlic partiality of friends, the intereft of depend- ants, and the fury of party zealots (hall raife a clamour, loud at leaft, if not wniv^rf^l, vehe- ment » if not fin cere, :''.',, » f I. ( i It ^as a complaint in the declining days of Athens, that their Generals had combined with rthc orators to fubvert the conftitution of their country. F ir be it from us to countenance ^ fimilar jreproach on that iHuftrious and extraor- i f ,6 ) thofe public evils fo frequently lamented and induftrioufly cxpofcd. -^i^d.^ ^li l:v "1 .?-i- 'v ■To dlftinguifli thofc clafles of men, who, the* adverfe to goverment, cannot be friends to free- dom, to deted the arts of hypocrify, and to expofe the pretences f'f impofturc, is furely an undertaking worthy ojt ibmc approbation, when prompted by truth, and performed with fincerity. If (as we arc often told) it is only by an union of the purert intentions, of the wifeft councils, of the moft adtive and vigorous meafures, that na- tional dignity can now be rcftored, or national ruin averted, we niuft fcrupuloufly examine the charaifler of every candidate for power, of every competitor for fame and dittinftion. And though neither difcrction nor decency admit us raihly to pronounce on their feveial degrees of virtue and ability -, yet it requires little confidcration to point out fome, in whom public corrfidencc ought never to abides it requires Httle «^xperi- cnce to afliire ourfelves, that thofe who moft ve- hemently oppofe, are not for that rcafon alone the fitteft to dircdl the meafures of governmenr, (' novandis, quam gerendis rebus, dptiora inpc- nia ilia ignea') nor ought vice to be honoured, malevolence praifcd, or treachery rewarded, mere- ly becaufe the perfon adorned with fuch qualities, employs them in the glorious fervice of oppofition. f •€ •*;. m •t w UK »sB« ( 17 > To proclaim the errors, to triumph in the fai- lures, to vilify the charadlers cf n-ini(try, have long been the favourite topics of pirty declama- tion ; and there never, perhaps, was a tiiiie in which fo loofe a rein was given to the imps^tuo- fity of political refcntmcnt.- -That m-n who have fo little regard for the credit and repolc of others, fhould arrogate to themfclves an inviolable fan6liry, is a caprice fo unaccountably ridicu- lous, fo prepofceroufly unjuil, that it nn)£l be ;( ft to their own explanation j tor Ihould a fingle error in their condufl be fnewn, Ihould the abi- lities of the meaneft, or the integrity of the ba- fell in their phalanx, be called for a moment into ■queftion, the facrilegious attempt Ihall draw on it*:, devoted author the harfheft epithets that ever yet were combined by rhetorical acrimony^ But it is not by any illiberal imputation that <^\(ors^rc can be affixed to the freedom of juft enquiries and remarks : an impartial obferver will rather applaud the juftice of thole who mark the features of political treachc^r/^ and devciope the intrigues of facflious cabil, in whatever party they defcern them 5 who by an honeft endeavour to feparate falfe pre- tences from real meri-^, by warning their country againfl: malignity never to be counte- nanced, and perfidy never to be truiled, have made it the leading objeft of their views to en- hance the value of patriotifm, and to exalt the idignitv of virtue, D 1 il ^fm^ "•" <«« VKV'i %l .4 .M.. A d Vi h 111 LETT R fi T O GENERAL BURGOYNE, ;i r . •: ^^',^** '^i viUnii i ' ' -J'S; IG' 'M' .r(. ».■ 'I. r. ^^r*' );i,lh I . I I |1 > *',.'! . M^L.-TiH in •^'.l- ; U ■- I i i- 1 1 . * LETTER '' T O GENERAL BURGOYNE, SIR, HAVING in the preceding EfTay, offered ibme general obfervations on that claf$ ot men to which you belong, I am naturally led to a more particular difculTion of your cafe, as not only the molt recent, but, perhaps, the moft extraordinary that ever has occurred in the hif** tory of modern martyrdom. A companionate. -cfpcd): for misfortune, and a delicacy even to- wards falfe honour, would have fliielded you from any feverity of cenfure, had your fuppoled adverfanes met with civility or even juftice at your hands. But fince your ingenuity has been acflive in mifreprefenting their motives, and tra- ducing their charafters, you cannot wonder, that your own (hould be deemed the proper fub- jcft for an unrcfervcd, though candid examina- tion: il Pi !'? I'Ji i"'' iSi' n: ( 22 ) rion : nor, fince you have folicited, nay demand- td the public judgment, by a voluntary appeal, can you be juftly offended at the freedom oi this enquiry. It is, indeed, rendered more peculiarly neceflary by your late declaration in Parliament : for you have declined the purfuit of any other mode of vindication, and refted your caufe folely on the general opinion of your conduft, and on the efficacy ot your printed Hefence. My ob- ject is, therefore, to examine the merits of your difpute wit-k ^ovef-nment, moM »>% and mi- nutcly than any writer has yet attempted dur- ing the couife of this controv^rfy : in the exe- cution ot which neceffary, though painful, tafk, i fha'ii ftudioufly avoid a41 perplexity of argu- ment, or of cxpreffioHi the queilions being fimply thcfe -, V/hat are the real t^:fes of your continuance in England ? and What the motives which impelled Government to order your re*- tarn to America ? The latter queOion will oe- ceffarily include fome oblervations on the order iifelf, and on the arguments by which you have •itempfed to invalidate or pervert it. •*' On the firft part of the fubjed, k will, I thmk, be allowed, that your di (obedience to the cr>mmand of your Sovereign m jft have pro- ceeded from one or other of the three following caufes : ■,<■■ Mi' / f ( «3') canfes : tfic ri^cietttty' 6f fc-cftabllihing health, the defirc of vindicating your charafter, Or the hope of ferving your new political confe- derates, and promoting the views of oppofition. For I can hardly fiippofe you fo loft to the dig- nity of a man, or the duty of a foldier, as to be afluated by no other inducement, than a love of eafe, anti an attachment to the luxuries of this country. So unworthy a confideration could on your mind at moft have operated only as a lecondary motive. I «■ # The ftrft of thcfe obje(5ls, I mean the rceda* blilhment of health, ought to have been the only rule of your conduft. When, in the terms of humble petition, yon firft folicited leave of abfence from that aflfcmbly, who had joined a degrading inlult on your ** perfonal honour^*' to the moft attrocious violation of public farth, the chief pretence on which your rcqueft was urged, and the only one on which it was granted, was, the ill ftate of your health.* And a (hort time before your departure from America, you declared to Sir W. Howe, Cm his quality of Commander ii. Chief) a determination of re- turning • '♦ Refolved that Litist. General Bur^oyne, on account of 1M5 ill Aatc of health, have leave to embark for Eno-land." fit/olutiom of CoHgreffj March -^d, 177I,, M I i i| V ! ( 94 ) turning to your d;.ty, the moment your health fhoud pc mu you. This was, therefore, the or t;inal condition on which you prorefTcd, and Tv^s allowed, to gain a temporary exempcjon fr )fr» the controul of the enemy, and from the fervicc of your country. — I am aware, in this yu.it oi the cale, of the delicacy due to every man on the /ubjed of his health, and that the ipfe dixit ui Qvcn an imaginary invalid outweighs all ar^umf nts : (o that, noLwlthftarding every ** appearance.,^* if he will not allow himfclf tp have the ^'' fcnf^iticn'* vA health, or even if he does, ( but after Wards retrads ii } no conjedli.; rej, however probable, no «xt; "-ior fyniproms, however clear, can juftify the indignity of prefuming him to be in lefs d ctoger than he mugines, or cjaring to eom- plin^enc him on thp profprct of- hsre^o^ery, Ifc'-, I hope, you will pardon n\y oblerving. that this tnaljdy, which apj.ea's chiefiy to coi.filt of a kmd of horror of an American winter, and a a prediie(fii»'n for the Bath waters in Summer, is, ot all others, the molt unfortunate tor an officer on the Am- rican llafF; and for this plain j-calon, that ti e only intervals for his military atchitvements, are coniamed in the Spring and Autumn nionrlis, which, however, m- ft un- fort'jrat'ily he devote i to the two voyages of going snd rccurntng. — rl will not, therefore, en? quire i m KV hi y^ m r*5 ) quire, intp any qf the peculiarities which fecm t(5 attend this complaint j fuch as the very agree- able regimen and diet it requires ; for it is pbf- fiblc that fome diforders may be of fo excentric a nature, as to demand, the inverfion of ev&ry, common rule. Tlie toil of parliamentary debate, though prejudicial to all other Conftitu- tions, may, perhaps, have refreftied and invigo- rated your's. But, though I have conieired that this extraordinary diftemper is above my cornprehjnfion, yet I muft beg leave to exprefsi my fmcere congratujatjonj that one of it's m.oft remarkable Xymptoms has fo longceafed fO exlft, '^hat complaint, which required the Ba:K wa- ters, has not, I prerume, troubled you finc.c the Autumn of feventy-eisiht ; .(for I'thinK that ■ .Im., -1., . .. ./ .w v>, ,'.. ^ ■ ■>'w; * ''^ • J was the laft. time you honoured Bath with y?)ur ■■'''' • • r ■ : ' . . _ .. ' , ; .0 'iJi't ?• '13 prefence) and though your averfion from.Amc- rican (crvice has continued, and' even Incir'caTea ' fince tJhat period, yet it appears by yoiff tart letters, .that ill health is np longer the pretenc.c bv which vou attempt to excufe it. . . " ■'•]*.• v.'H • t ■ • >*^ Vi!'.! ♦ 'f!:tyr:"i, '!':£"•» rhe next conlideration.is the fuppoled .anxiety to vindicate your charaifler and honour. And, however miftaken, t^e mode adopted in the purfuit of this objcft. we cannot without fomc % " par- ^11 J i I n t \ - : ( 2« ) partiality, reflet: upon the principle which ap^ paremly gave rife to it. Almoll immediately after your return to Eng- land, it was his Majclly's pleafure that the con- du<5t of the expedition under your confimand, and th<; caufes of ii.*s friilure, Ihould be fubmittcd to the judgment of your profeffion : and in this the will of your fovereign coincided with your Qwn profeflcd defire;. ' , *^ I; ■ •) J • • '(] That the purpofe of this inquiry was not ful- filled, was owing to difficulties arifing from the narure of your fituatibn, and '^he confequences that any.decifion on your merits, might prpduce to the troops of the Convention.-^Thc profeflidn- aland only proper examiria,tion being thus, ne- ccirarily dclayedp not' by any miniiteri'al manag«* ment, not by any fecj-et meafure of Sate," Wt by^ the wife and humane caution of the moft expe- rienced and refpedlablii officers, it muifl: have ap- peared ncii her wholly refpectful' totke op?nion ©f your military fuperiors, nor pcrfedly confid- ent with the decency becoming your fituation, to obtrude upon parliaririent a detail little adapt- ed to the proceedings, and/almoft foreign to the objefts of a legiflativc'alTcmbly, Bui Cncc your "^i t '^•fi. . /life (r 2jr, h, jCftjefs iqipatienfc/or an irnmediace, tho' an in- complete jiiltificaaon, or a more reftlcfs dcfirepf^ throwing the blame of your failure on mlniftcrs, urged you to i'uch an incffcdual inquiry j it bc» came amcalure ot propriety, as well as oF com- padion, in thole you ha4 endeavoured to crimi- nate and provoice, not to concur in an cxamina* tion already declared dangerous, by perfons the beft qualified to judge of it*s tende cy. You were therefore permitted to proceed throughout the whole enquiry in ftating your own cafe, ex- amining your own witnefles, and drawing your own conclufions, without the (lighteft accufacio% contradidlion, or controvcrfy, : i £;- Gn the conduiEl of this curious parliamentary trial, it is not my bufinefs to rcmaik 5 nor wrlll examine what degree of weight, the opinionol'ii few officers, attached to their General by gratii^ tude or friend fhip, can be fuppofed to have m the unbiaified judgment of his profeHion and and country. My only purpofe is to Ihew, that the objed: of canvafling, (or if you pleafe of julr- tifying) your condud, had long fincc been attain- ed : as far at leafl' as it can be attained durint? your prelent fituation 1 and conft^quently that we are not to afcribc your ^^ilobedience of his Majefty's Wi i 'i. < 28 ) Maj fifty's order, fpe which, however 3 a pretence cious it might at fiift have appearc allowed to have entirely ceafed long bcfot-e period, when you lo confidently relied on it. uft be that Since the-'efore it cannot be pretended that the true motive of your continuance in England arole from anxiety concerning your health, or zeal in tne defence of your charafter; I am un- avoidably led to confider the only remaining caufe; which, tho' at firft it may appear but little to your credit, will give us occafion not only to obferve fomc curious manoeuvres of modern poiitics, bur to dojuftice to marks of benevolence and charity in your difpo- fition, not hitherto taken notice of by your warmcll admirers. Not that I feel any great ^pleifure in recurring to the viev^^ of thaC ilrange phaenomenon, a modern military politi- c'lSMi who accepts or refuks a command, at- tacks or retires from the enemy, courts the de- lights of indolence, or rufbes on the precipice of deilrudion, merely for the acquifition of po- litical importance, or the gratification of poli- tical rdcntment : nor is it my purpofe to ^ in- quire what rank you may be entitled to hold in this rcfpedablc phalanx.. I wou'd only (with great; 50^!/ Hi or -'v.? § a; ■■.-vj f ir V great deference) fuggcft, that vehement clamo^rS and ponrpc us harangues are not the- only con- vincing proofs of merit, and that it may dill be doubted, whether recrimination is in all cafes tlie moft unexceptionable mode of defence : not to mention, that the conduft of one, who at firft, ftrenuoufly lupports and zeabufly defends the views and meafures of government, and af- terwards furioufly attacks the fame miniftfr'^, re- probates the fame meafures, and declares his determination in every future oc currence, and on every poffible event to accufe and oppofe them, is never wholly exempt from fome kind of fufpicion. But as this part of the fubjedt can produce no very agreable or flattering reflexions, allow me to turn from thence to a more pleafing objefb, and to ad- mire a magnanimity and moderation in one in- ftance ctf your late condufl, fo inconfiftcnt witn the general idea of your charader, and fo much the reverfe of your American proclamation. It will be obvious that I al- lude to your union with the parties in op- pofition; for furdy it mull require a more than heroic generofity, not only to forgive, but to affociate with men who have accufed us of the blacked: cruelties, and aflaiPd us with the fevereft ridicule. Such was the condud of op. pofjtion towairds you, whilft your arn-.s were crown'd I >. I 11 /;t: II- I 1!! ■ 11 ■ ll m i, 11 ) ■ . , ill (: 30 ) crown'd with fucccfs. Every news-paper was fil* Jed with accounts of ravages and maflacrcs conl- mitted by your order •, every party declaimer expref- fed,.inv^hining!amentationsorblufteringmenaces, his abhorrence of the inhuman plan, and more in- human. condu6l of the northern expedition. The general employed in fuch a mcafure was invari- ably reprefented as a fit inftrument to execute any the mod fa vage fcheme which the vindic- tive fpirit impured to minifters might' project : .jand, (what to you muft have been infinitely more moriifying even his judgment was called ;4n qutftion, his talents wefe depreciated, and ^his language burlefcjucd. Such was the treatment you once received from your preft-nt political confederates j who certainly at that time had fome other views than to^^ fiive their country: *** fjnce they made it st, prindpal object to libel and traduce one of it*s tnilitary fcjvants, merely becaufc his efforts ha^ been fucctfsful, and bccaufe the obloquy thrown upon him, would draw a Hill heavier imputation on the civil officers of government. On what terjjr fich an union was made, or what />^//V/-« ^ationf is intended to relult from it, neither my ^'" i • Aibjcft * General Biii*goyne's letter, p. S. •J- The lame letter page 3, I 4 •'I ■ -1 i •J* m -^i .$■ ( P J fabjfc(5l nor my inclination leid me to ftiquifci The common fcnfe of mankind will ptrha'ps deem it unnatural, the fpirit of your profcflloii may confider it fomewhat unworthy your form- er charader, and every obfcrvcr of political tranfadions may find it dif?icult to perfuad* himfelf, that it could have been produced wholly by difinterefted views and laudable purfuits: but it is enough for my purpofe that the motive (whatever it be) of this new aU liance is fuificiently powerful to have counter* aded the duty of military obedience : and finct your condutfb imports this to have been the real caufe of your continuance in England, I (hall leave to (ome of your more ingenious advocates the difficult tafk of reconciling it to confiften of feveral military fundions was exprefsly rc- ferved to them; and the officers of every rank retained in it's full extent, the power of preferv- ing regularity, of enforcing difcipline, and of re- warding fidelity j but a far ftronger argunnent, a far more interefting motive arifcs from the pe- culiar nature of their fituation •, the fretfulnefs of difappointed hopes, the preflTure of accumulated misfortunes, the allurement of artful temptations, might prove highly dangerous to the, virtue of men, whofe fortitude decs not ufually arife from principle, whofe patience is feldom the refult of philofophy. To counterpoife the weight,, and fruftr^te the operation of fuch motives, no cirr cumftance, perhaps, could be fo efficacious, as the prqicnce and vigilance of thofe fv>perior ofia.- cers, whofe example they were accullomcd to follow, and whofe authority they had been taught to revere. The Congrefs would, na dpubt, -moft chearfully acquiefce in granting a parole to any officer of rank, whofe fituation afforded a teafon, or whofe invention could furnifh.a pretence for rcqutfting it. But fortunately for the fidelity of thefe troops, fortunately for the intei-elt of this country, it has not yet become the falhion with every General to defert his fellow foldiers in the hour of diftrefs. The condudt of one diftinguiflied officer in the fame army, appears to have been guided I ■#■- M ■■1- ( 31 ) guided by very different principles of honour,' by far nobler ideas of duty. You will immedi- ately perceive me to mean General Philips •, who appears to have thought it highly necelfary, that the troops fliould llill have an officer of rank to command them j for tho* he had voluntarily embarked m the expedition, and did not pro- perly belong to your army, f yet he genc- roufly waved his prior right to enlargement i and, leaving it to others to fupplicate a favour, from inlblcnt and perfidious rebels, has chear- fuliy ihaied the luffcrings of his gallant com- panions, and by the diligence of his attention, by the influence of his example, has maintained (even in captivity,) a regularity and difcipline, that do honour to the Britilh fervice. ^. •It' . Should it from thefe circumftances appear, that the prefence of their fuperior officers is cffential to the welfare, and even exigence, of this army, every argument above ftated, will apply to your fituation, with additional force. To acquiefce, tho* tacitly, in the fliamelefs vio- lation of your own treaty, (by accepting your liberty on different condicions, and giving the parole of an abfolute prifoner of war) would ap- F pear 'f ©enwtl BwrgojTie'» letter to Sir W.Howe, April ^ih, 177? n : ! '' i I '! m \i Wl: ( 34 ) pear to mod men hanily confident with the wif- dom of a politician or the Ipirit of an officer > but lo dtfcrt your fellow foidiers in calamity, which your meafures had produced, lo exempt yourtelt wholly from misfortunes, ot which you ought in jviftice, to have born the principal Ihare, will meet with approbation from none, but ycur new advocates in parliament,,. , ... ,, , ■jt Such, vi may prefume, were the {entiments, fuch the motives ot government in iliuing ihc or- der you firll recLivtd lo return to your Outy, yet fo Great was ihcir attention to the re-ellabli(hmenc of your health, (I'or which objc<5l alone, the parole had been granted) that, without waiting for any application on your part, they voluntarily made their order conditional, and let no other bounds to the time alloted for your ftay, than the ac- complilhraent of your avowed intention. „ .^ ,,, ,., It may feem rather inconfiflent that ypu, who boldly qutftion the authority of fuch an order, Ihould yet bcftow fo much toil and ingenuity to elude it's purpole, and pervert it':* conftruclion* Your objcdion to it*s authority, muft either be founded on feme new idea of the charader and fituation of a priioner on parole, or on fome inferenot r.._ f ..-# ■( 35 ) inference fuppofed to arife from the report or ttiat board of general officers, who had taken your cafe into confiJcratioii. 'i .,•<■'•■■ The acknowledged laws of war, the practice of all civilized nations, and indeed the very terms of a parole, ft-em repugnant to the idea, that a prilbner relealed on thofe terms, is exempt from any civil or military fubordinatioii in his own country. It appears whimfical enougli to lup- pofe that a rcltraint from bearing arms againil a particular enemy, and a promife to return on their requifition, -ftiould at once diffolve every tie of allfiTJance to our lbvereii»n and of obcdi- cnce to our fuperior officers; but your own de- clarations render a further purfuit of this argu- ment riecdlefs : for you more than once alTert, thit the board of Generals were millakeii in re- porting ;,as you fuppofe them to have reported) that you were exempt from all mil'tary fubordi- nation. The fame aflferiion would likewife pre- clude you from objedhng to the validity ot your fovereign's order on the ground of any thing con- tained in the report -, but as you have endeavoured (with fo ne art) to involve government in a fimi- lar contradidtion, by reprefenting their condu6t fn iffuiflg fuch an order, as dirc may be pallia- ted by our refpeft for even romantic honour, yet we cannot but regret a meafure, the myfterious policy of which proved a foundation of endlefs dilpuies, and furnilhcd a thoufand pretences for v).ai ai'^JLi «!tiv ■'^^^fltuatronm which this treaty fiacl placed yotj, wis fo novel in it*s kind, and even the con* tinuancc ot your prt* lent immunities, as well ias theaccdiTipHlh ncnt of your future hopes, fo prc- c4nius, fo entirely dejDcndent on the plcifbre or the enemy, as to require every poflible attention to the dictates of prudence, of candour, and of mo- deration. Yet you fought almoft immediately for caufes of diipute, with thofe intowhofe power you had delivered yourfelf and your army, and on whoie faith alone you muft of neccflity de- pend for your enlargement. You iaccufed them of • T ic convention made by General Arnold with Captain Fof- ter, for an exchange of pni'oners taJc^en at the Cedars, and eyad^ hj C«n£rer». ( +7 €f a direft and wUlfui breach of the convention^ merely becaufe you had not been accommodated quke fo gentecly and conveniently during youjr journey as you might wi(h and expeA. This charge, fo captious, and fo inofftnfivc, ks it cer- tainly aiTorded the chief pretence, fo it probablf fuggefted the tirft idea of a real and eflfential vio- lation. Your injudicious, and (in fome inftan* ces) miftaken difputes with General Heath, were fumewhat of a fimilar nature, though poflibly no< quite fo pernicious in their cojnfequcnces. ,. , '■'♦■- ^' On the propriety of yoUr quitting the conVcn* tion troops under fuch circumdances, fufficient has been faid already. Neither is it neccl&ry c<^ ^xpatiate at large on the degrading humiliaMon of fuliciting a favour of the Congrefs» frpBi whom you had juft received the fcvereft infujts nor on the indifcretion of giving fuch a parole as might be conftrued into an dmiffionthatypij, and confeqiicntly your army, might be l^^fuJW confi^cred at ftbfolute prifoners of war.; ' ' ^ '. «Olll lU U-il: Let me now attend your return to this couiV* try, in which your exploits have been as nume- rous and perhaps even more extraordinary thaa your American operations. ..» ,_ . riy Thi; r r J fc.:. ;Mi , If h' ' '■ Kl!. i ( 4» > ' The political fyftcm adopted Immediately on your arrival, does not indeed owe it's origin to ihe fertility of your own invention. On the firft account of your defeat and furrendcr, the con- fternation and grief univerfally excited by fuch an opprobrious calamity, was deemed by oppo- fition the moft favourable occalion to introduce a new charge againft their adverfaries -, and the Secretary lor the American department was cho* ien as the principal objedt of this partial, antici- pated, and unfupportec cenfure. Thus was the track of your future condudt previoufly prepa- red, and induftrioufly delineated. But whilO: every art of political management was exerted, and every finew ttrained to procure a frcfh inftru- inent for thepurpofcs of party-, it was, I believe, the wiih of every friend finccrcly zealous for yqur honour, and really attached to your welfare, that you might fpurn with contempt ibch unworthy, luch incrifeclual means of juitificatioRtf Unhap- pily the allurement of party connexions was too ftrong to be counterafted by the influence of candour and difcretion. The accufation of ml. nifters appeared to you the necelfery engine of your own defence : and though it w^is n6t eaiy to (hew the defeat and error of a plan, aflented to, and aded upon by yourfelf ; though it coul^ not be denied, that you were furnilhed with cvcty ■-.' C requifitc r c c n o ft ( 49 ) > -ir/ ' rcquifite for tNat im,)ortiint fervice ; yet' the want of dllntial tads, and well grounded af'^umentg, was at kaft apparently liijipiitci I y a profiifioh of dccJaniatory charges, and pLvvilh eyinpl.iint?'. Thus Involved in party meafures, and perver- ts.' J by paiiy zeal, you appear even to this mo- n^hat his Majefty*s order for your return to America, was pdvifed by Miniftcrs who ' were paitits in a diipute with vou, proves. as ill grounded as it was illiberal ; that they never ton- ijderec^ ihemlelves as fiich, is c'ear, from their conduct during the whole of your parlianVdnta£y inquiry. ■- . - ' \ -. :^ ■■ ■ > • ■ ■ ■•:'-'•-: let evin the extravagance of this kft fuppo- .fition will lefs furprrze us, when compared to H your ^M ' ii ill If f ( so ) your very original' and entertaining idea of im- putations on the conduct of your troops. — Had you at any time condefcended to inform us trom whom thrfe pretcn kd imputarions originated, by whom thtjj were propagat-ed^or in* what they con- fift, we might indeed have inquired whether this was the proper mode to be employed in defence of your "troops j w. flight have doubted how far your condutit had been really aduatcd by zeal for »heir honour, but we Ihould at leall: have allowed you the merit of iome art in con- nedting the caule of your army with your cv/n. But fince the aipcrfions you mention were per- haps never heard or dreamt- oi by any man living but yourfelf •, fince the convention troops (cfpe- cially the Britifii , have invariably received the appiaukdue to their intrepidity, and perftve- rance •, we mult of ntct ilky afcribe all that rap- fody about " i?inocent men^ bafe and barh'irous cifpcrftons^ maUgnitj andpisJtr^^ to the vjtni'»;y of exhibiting an image ot creative fancy. Of dif- playing a period of tuneful compofiiion,. ;.j .)-\ n ft is unnecefTary here to repeat the remarks on yo^ir dilobedieace of his Mjje{l,v*s order^ or on the pretences by wh ch that difobedience is at- tempted to be ji'ftified. They may all be com- prized in thelc tnrcc propofitions : that the con- vention troops arc in the ftate of abfolure pri- I t: 1 i. ' i' I! r'''''! Toners of war •, that his M^jefty fiiperfeded the court of inq'-iiry on the grovind thac yoti were not amen^bk to any ^military jurifdidtion ; and that the brde.'itfelf was fc entirely optional, that from it's"Tiati'ii!»e it could never be dilbbeyed. Ai! which pretences will, (I think) have no other efFcCt than to prove a happy ingenuity in argument, and to exemplify the powers of a heated ima;^ination. \er^ To anfwcr the general charges, and hackny'd imputations on government, is inapplicable, to the prefent lubjed •, as littk is it iiecefiary tb take any notice of the petty injuries, and vifi- onary wrongs, complained of in the perfons of your friends. As to your own, I have dwelt on iheni long enough to be heartily weary of the difcufiion. And perhaps, as they were almoft: forgotten by the world, your vanivy will thank me for having revived them, thour^h not entirely in the mod flattering manner. For whatcann x be cfFefted by ihc vanity of di^.x man, who, be- caufe he was once of fufficient importance to al- moft ruin the flare, thinks it can now be a mea- fure of ftate to compafs his deftrudion ? At length, fir, I take my leave of a fubjecl, by no means agreablc in the difcufiion. I will freely own the firft motive that IcH me to this in- quiry, was a defirc of vindicating zhara^'lcrs very power- 4' ,.t j: !.i'i / ( 52 ) powerfully, or at kaft Jpecioufly aflailed. Every llep I haVc proceeded in it, every view in which I have confidered it, has i:nifcrnily tended to con- firm me in this opinion, that you are not thatop- prelltd cfiicer, not ihit unprejudiced polit'cian, "whicb your fpeeches and publications have fo in- dullrioufly proclaimed you — that whatever misfor- tunes you m.iyhavtTiffcrtd, a h^iteverlufTcs you may have end'ired, have beer, the conlVquence of your ownads,;or the tffcfts Oi your Own Iblicitation. to— Had the cale appeared otherwifeio my mind, no confidr ration could ever have induced mc to throw the lead imputation en your coiuk;d, or ir£niiate tht flij^htell douctvi )oui iinc;r,ty. — 1 will only add, th-t it is ha; py ior yourleif, if .your *''' cmtilicn is dead.",—!: will p.rhaps be no lefs happy tor ths country, when your prf f.^nt political *' occupation is gofie.'* Let ivx hope, that, ill the preJ^rv:Jt:on of your private friend- JJoips^ you mr.y prove kfs capricious than in your public conn 'Xions ; and that the boaited tran- ^itiiUty of yuur mind, may in future ar fe from po other fources, ihan tl)e finccrity of candour, fivA the- conkiouihelbof truth, j ...^i •^- •'' y- V INI S, 1- n, n- Dr- ur )n. to or if no cur rem