History of the United States of America, from the Discovery of the Continent [to 1789]

CHAPTER XXXI.

GERMANY AND THE UNITED STATES. 1778.

The Germans, p. 96- - Their Conversion to Christianity, 96- Their Struggle

against the Saracens, 96 - Charlemagne, 97-Dispute between Emperor and

Pope, 97-Victory of the Pope, 97 - German Emperor and Nobles, 98 - Free

Cities and People, 98 - The Consequences of Infallibility, 99 — Greek Diviners

absolved from Sin, 99 - The Papal Power organizes the System of Absolution,

100-Absolute Power self-destructive, 100 Luther, 100-The Enfranchiser

of Mind, 100- Justification by Faith alone, 100-Scope of Luther's Teaching,

101 Leibnitz on Luther, 101 - Rights of Reason, 101 - Applied to Monarchi-

cal Power, 101-To Conscience and Private Judgment, 102-Rights of the

Congregation, 102 — Luther's Rules of Colonization, 103 - The Synod of Hom-

berg, 103-Compromise in Germany between the Reformation and Civil

Authority, 103 - French Protestants make no such Compromise, 104- The

Reformation finds an Asylum in the Free Cities, 104-Saxony loses the

Headship of Protestant Germany, 104 - The Hohenzollerns, by becoming Cal-

vinists, prepare themselves for the Headship of Northern Germany, 104 — Par-

allel between Events in Germany and in America, 105- Gustavus Adolphus,

105

Oxenstiern, 105- Upper German Circles, 106-State of Germany before

the Thirty Years' War, 106- After the War, 106 — German Emigration, 107 —

The Head of the Hohenzollerns acknowledges the Rights of the People and of

Conscience, 107-The Huguenot Exiles in Berlin and in America, 107-Influence

of the English Revolution in America and in Prussia, 107- Saying of Leibnitz,

107 The Pope foresees his Danger, 107- Aspect of the Peace of Utrecht on

America and on Prussia, 107 Protestant Exiles of Salzburg in America and in

Prussia, 108-Joint Action of Pitt, Frederic, and Washington, 108-Effect of

Bute's Policy on Frederic and on the United States, 109- Kant and the United

States, 109 - On Slavery, the Sale of Troops, and Rights of Man, 110 — Opin-

ions of Lessing on America, 110-Herder, 111- Klopstock, 111-Goethe, 111

-Schiller, 112― Niebuhr, 113 —The Youth of Germany, 113.

CHAPTER XXXII.

THE RELATIONS OF THE TWO NEW POWERS. 1778.

Duke of Saxe-Gotha, p. 114-Refuses Troops to England, 114- His Patriot-

ism, 114-Charles Augustus of Saxe-Weimar, 114-Goethe and the Class

called the Lower, 115- Frederic Augustus of Saxony, 115-Fate of the Ger-

man Houses that sold Troops, 115 — Of Saxe-Weimar, 115-Cause of the Con-

trast, 115 Frederic of Prussia, 116 - The Six Qualities of a Great Man, 116

- His Relation to the Nobility, 116-To German Letters, 116-To other

Powers, 116-To German Liberty, 117— To Republican Government, 117 —

To England and France, 117-His Good-will to America, 117 - Thinks English

Government tending to Despotism, 118 - Condemns the King's Proclamation,

118- Justifies the Americans, 118-Wonders at the Indifference of the Eng-

lish, 119 Condemns the British Court, 119-Predicts American Independence,

119 - Observes the Eclipse of English Liberty, 119- Devotes himself to Prus-

sia, 120- Declines a Direct Commerce with the United States, 120- Receives

- Protects

their Declaration of Independence as a Proof that they cannot be subjugated,

120-Hume's Prophecy, 120-Opinion on the Tory Party, 120- - Consents to

an American Commerce through French Ports, 120-Predicts the Bankruptcy

of France, 121 -Anxious as to the Bavarian Succession, 121 Makes Ap-

proaches to France, 121-Declines the Overture of Franklin, 121

Arthur Lee, 122-Frederic again declines the English Alliance, 123-Con.

fesses his Maritime Weakness, 124- Seeks the Aid of France and Russia in the

Bavarian Succession, 124-Gains the Good-will of Maurepas, 124- Encour-

ages Maurepas to a War with England, 125 - Seeks to escape a New War with

Austria, 126 - Interposition of Marie Antoinette for America, 126 - Maurepas

consults Frederic, 126 — His Opinion of England's Position after the Defeat of

Burgoyne, 127 — His Judgment on its Ministry, 127-Ascribes its Defeat to its

Departure from English Principles, 127-Opens Dantzic to the Americans, 128

- Forbids the Transit of Troops, 128-Proposes to recognise American Inde-

pendence, 128.

CHAPTER XXXIII.

THE BRITISH RETREAT FROM PENNSYLVANIA. May-June, 1778.

France and England change Places, p. 129-The French a Landed People,

129-The English a Landless People, 129-Congress ratifies the French Trea-

ties, 129-Their Reception in Washington's Camp, 130- Address of Congress

to the People, 130-Festival to General Howe, 130-He marches to capture

Lafayette, 131-Grant outgeneralled, 132-Lafayette escapes, 132-Howe

sails for England, 132-Ilis Mistakes as a General, 132 - At Bunker Hill, 132

-In Retreating to Halifax, 132-On Long Island, 132- Divides his Army,

133- His Waste of Time, 133-His Winter in Philadelphia, 133 — Congress

rejects the British Conciliatory Acts, 133-Will treat only as an Independent

Nation, 133 — Arrival of British Commissioners, 133 — Their Characters, 134 —

Germain's Plan for the Coming Campaign, 134- Preparations for evacuating

Philadelphia, 135 - The Commissioners exceed their Authority in their Offers

to Congress, 135-They sail for New York, 135-The American Officers and

the Commissioners, 136-Congress refuses to permit the Army of Burgoyne to

embark, 136 Crossing the Delaware, 137 - Intrigue of Lee, 137 - Washing-

ton pursues the British Army, 138-Advice of Lee, 138-He commands the

Advanced Corps, 138- His Negligence, 138- His Confused Orders, 139

Movements of Clinton, 139— Lee's Retreat, 140- Washington orders him to the

Rear, 140-The Battle of Monmouth, 141-Conduct of Greene, 141 - Of

Wayne, 141-Death of Monckton, 141- The British defeated, 141- They

retire by Night, 141— Opinion of Frederic, 141 - Congress thank Washington,

142- Black Americans in the Battle, 142- Insolence of Lee, 142 - Suspended

by Court-martial, 142— Dismissed by Congress, 142-Character, 142 - Death,

142.

CHAPTER XXXIV.

HOW FAR AMERICA HAD ACHIEVED INDEPENDENCE AT THE TIME OF THE

FRENCH ALLIANCE. July-September, 1778.

Wyoming Valley, p. 143-Takes part in the War, 143-Revenge of the
Senecas, 143-Sucingerachton, 143 - Butler, 144-Defeat of the Men of Wyom-

ing, 144-The Senecas and Germain, 144 - Result for Pennsylvania, 145 –

Trials for Treason, 145- State of the British before the French Alliance, 145-

Contrast of the American and British Soldier, 145- Change in the American

Mind, 146 In the English Mind, 146 — Opinion of Gibbon, 146-Howe, 146-

Clinton, 146-Germain, 146-North, 146-Lord Amherst, 146 - Parliament,

147 - The King, 147-Lord Rockingham, 147-Fox, 147 Change in Parlia-

ment, 147-Fox, Pownall, and Conway for Independence, 147 - Opinion of

Barrington, 148-Mansfield, 148- The Landed Aristocracy, 148-Change of

Ministry desired, 148-Congress in Philadelphia, 148 — Confederacy signed by

all the States except Maryland, 148-D'Estaing in Delaware Bay, 149-D'Es-

taing at Sandy Hook, 149 Wishes to capture Newfoundland, 149-Plan for

the Recovery of Rhode Island, 150 -- D'Estaing off Newport, 150 - Congress

receives the French Minister, 150 - Sullivan lands on Rhode Island, 151 — The

French Squadron pursues the British, 151— A Hurricane, 151 — Suffering of

the Troops on Land, 151-Howe steers for Sandy Hook, 151-D'Estaing for

Boston, 151-Sullivan retreats, 152-Good Conduct of Greene, 152 - Lord

Howe retires from America, 152 - Discontent of New England, 152 - Result of

the Campaign, 152- Opinion of Washington, 153 — Of Trumbull, 153 — Fare-

well of the British Commissioners, 153-Their Menaces, 153- Their Conduct

condemned in the House of Commons, 154-And in the House of Lords, 154

Shelburne opposes Independence, 154- Ravages of the British around New

York, 154-Of Tories and Indians in the Interior, 155 - South Carolina Con-

stitution, 155-Negatived by Rutledge, 155-Constitution adopted, 156- Its

Principal Clauses, 156-South Carolina Law against Treason, 156 — British

plan the Conquest of the Southern States, 157-Clinton at New York reduced

to a Starved Defensive, 157.

Policy of Spain towards the United States, p. 158-Its Tergiversations, 158

- Count Montmorin, 159- Florida Blanca abhors American Independence, 159

- Distrusts France, 159-Chides the French for their Deference to America,

159 -Seeks to make a Tool of Great Britain, 160— Policy of the French Coun-

cil, 160-Why the Campaign was inactive, 160- Indecision of the King of

Spain, 161 His desire of Gibraltar, 161 - Refuses an Alliance with the United

States, 161-Evil Consequences to France of Delay, 161-Admiral Keppel

captures a French Frigate, 161-D'Orvilliers sent out to meet Keppel, 162–

Insignificant Fight, 162- Keppel's Conduct, 162- The French Camp in Nor-

mandy, 162-Capture of Chandernagor, 162-Of Pondicherry, 162- Financial

Measures, 163-Florida Blanca dupes Grantham, 163-His Territorial Plans

in North America, 163 — Answer of Waymouth, 163-Waymouth proposes an

Alliance, 163-Spain formally offers Mediation, 164 - Asks of France her Con-

ditions of Peace, 164-Waymouth rejects Mediation, 164-Benjamin Franklin

Sole American Minister in France, 164.

CHAPTER XXXVI.

A PEOPLE WITHOUT A GOVERNMENT. August-December, 1778.

United States without a Government, p, 166 - Paper Money, 166 - Counter-
feited by the British, 166-Loan Offices, 166-Lottery, 166-Forced Circu-

lation, 166- Paper Money in the States, 166-Regulation of Prices, 166-

Certificates of Debt, 167-Unprotected Bills of Exchange, 167 - Rate of Inter-

est, 167

-States to become Creditors of the United States, 167 Quotas of the

States, 168 Hopes of Foreign Loans, 168 - From France, Spain, and Tuscany,

168 - Loan Office Certificates paid by Drafts on Commissioners at Paris, 168-

Increase of Paper Money, 168- Trade blighted, 169 — Richard Price declines

the Superintendency of American Finances, 169 — United States seek Protec-

tion from France, 169-More Paper Money, 170-Its Worth doubted in Con-

gress, 170-Expenses of 1778, 170 Errors of Judgment of Germain, 170 —

Influence of Refugees, 171- William Franklin, 171-Influence of the Jesuits,

171 Clinton courts the Irish successfully, 171-Unreasonable Requirements

of Germain, 172-Nothing to be expected of Clinton, 172-Confidence of the

Americans, 172- Impracticable Plan for emancipating Canada, 172— Spirit of

Independence increases, 173 - The Army in Winter-quarters, 173 - The Brit-

ish had made no Progress during the Campaign, 173 — - Want of a Central Power

in the United States, 174-Separate Power of the States, 174-People of the

United States less heard of, 174-Thirteen Sovereignties, 175 - Washington

pleads for American Union, 175.

CHAPTER XXXVII.

THE KING OF SPAIN BAFFLED BY THE BACKWOODSMEN OF VIRGINIA.

1778-1779.

Negotiations between France and Spain, p. 176 - State of Mind of Florida

Blanca, 176 - He observes the Attachment of the United States to England,

176-Wishes to bridle their Power, 176-How far Vergennes consented, 177

-Intrigue of the French Minister at Philadelphia, 177 - Opinion of Gouverneur

Morris, 177— Of Jay, 177 — Vergennes on the American Government, 177

The French Conditions of Peace, 178 - Florida Blanca wishes to qualify the

Independence of the United States, 178 - Insists that France shall suggest the

Advantages Spain is to gain by the War, 178-Gibraltar, 179 — How it was to

be taken, 179 — Dilemma of Vergennes, 179- Lafayette at Versailles, 180—

His Reception by the Queen, 180 - His Zeal for America, 180- France Impa-

tient for Peace, 180- Dissimulation of Florida Blanca, 180-He proposes to

mediate a Truce, 180-Embarrassment of Vergennes, 181-Answer of Way-

mouth, 181-Motives of his Policy, 181- How long it endured, 181 — Ver-

gennes drafts a Convention with Spain, 181-Cavils of Florida Blanca, 181

Gibraltar a Condition, 182-France undertakes an Invasion of England, 182 —

Pettifogging of Florida Blanca, 182-Refusal to acknowledge the United

States, 182-The War Treaty between France and Spain, 183- How far it

altered the Treaty between France and the United States, 183- The Mississippi

the Bond of American Union, 183-The Bourbons would exclude the United

States from that River, 184 - Preserved to the United States by the Backwoods-

men, 184-Movements of George Rogers Clark, 184- Consultation with Vir-

ginia Statesmen, 185-Clark at Redstone, 185-At Louisville, 185-Schemes

of Hamilton at Detroit, 186 - Vincennes, 186- - Kaskaskia, 186- Its Capture

by Clark, 186-Kahokia, 186–Gibault and Vincennes, 187 - Plan to take the

North-west, 187- Hamilton recovers Vincennes, 187-Threatens St. Louis, 187

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History of the United States of America, from the Discovery of the ..., Volume 6