FRANKLIN'S PLAN OF UNION. It might be better, perhaps, as was said before, if the Crown appointed a Vice-President, to take place on the death or absence of the PresidentGeneral; for so we should be more sure of a suitable person at the head of the colonies. On the death or absence of both, the Speaker to take place (or rather the eldest King's Governor) till his Majesty's pleasure be known. OFFICERS, HOW APPOINTED. That all military commission officers, whether for land or sea service, to act under this general constitution, shall be nominated by the PresidentGeneral; but the approbation of the Grand Council is to be obtained, before they receive their commissions. And all civil officers are to be nominated by the Grand Council, and to receive the President-General's approbation before they offi ciate. It was thought it might be very prejudicial to the service, to have officers appointed unknown to the people or unacceptable, the generality of Americans serving willingly under officers they know; and not caring to engage in the service under strangers, or such as are often appointed by gov. ernors through favor or interest. The service here meant, is not the stated, settled service in standing troops; but any sudden and short service, either for defence of our colonies, or invading the enemy's country (such as the expedition to Cape Breton in the last war; in which may substantial farmers and tradesmen engaged as common soldiers, under officers of their own country, for whom they had an esteem and affection; who would not have engaged in a standing army, or under officers from England). It was therefore thought best to give the Council the power of approving the officers, which the people will look on as great security of their being good men. And without some such provision as this, it was thought the expense of engaging men in the service on any emergency would be much greater, and the number who could be induced to engage much less; and that therefore it would be most for the King's service and the general benefit of the nation, that the prerogative should relax a little in this particular throughout all the colonies in America; as it had already done much more in the charters of some particular colonies, viz.; Connecticut and Rhode Island. The civil officers will be chiefly treasurers and collectors of taxes; and the suitable persons are most likely to be known by the Council. VACANCIES, How SUPPLIED. 103 But, in case of vacancy by death or removal of any officer, civil or military, under this constitution, the Governor of the province in which such vacancy happens, may appoint, till the pleasure of the President-General and Grand Council can be known. The vacancies were thought best supplied by the governors in each province, till a new appointment can be regularly made; otherwise the service might suffer before the meeting of the PresidentGeneral and Grand Council. EACH COLONY MAY DEFEND ITSELF IN EMERGENCY, ETC. That the particular military as well as civil establishments in each colony remain in their present state, the general constitution notwithstanding; and that on sudden emergencies any colony may defend itself, and lay the accounts of expense thence arising before the President-General and General Council, who may allow and order payment of the same, as far as they judge such accounts just and reasonable. Otherwise the union of the whole would weaken the parts, contrary to the design of the Union. The accounts are to be judged of by the PresidentGeneral and Grand Council, and allowed if found reasonable. This was thought necessary to encourage colonies to defend themselves, as the expense would be light when borne by the whole; and also to check imprudent and lavish expense in such defences. In Carey's American Museum, 1789, February (pp. 190-194), March (pp. 285-288), April (pp. 365-368), there is an elaborate article, "Albany Plan of Union," at the conclusion of which appears the following: "Remark February 9, 1789. "On Reflection it now seems probable, that if the foregoing Plan or something like it had been adopted and carried into Execution, the subsequent Separation of the Colonies from the Mother Country might not so soon have happened, nor the Mischiefs suffered on both sides have occurred perhaps during another Century. For the Colonies, if so united, would have really been, as they then thought themselves, sufficient to their own Defence, and being trusted with it, as by the Plan, an Army from Britain for that purpose would have been unnecessary; the Pretences for framing the Stamp Act would then not have existed, nor the other projects for drawing a Revenue from America to Britain by Act of Parliament, which 104 ENGLAND DECLARES WAR AGAINST FRANCE. were the Causes of the Breach & attended with such terrible Expense of Blood and Treasure; so that the different parts of the Empire might still have remained in Peace and Union. But the Fate of this Plan was singular. For then after many Days thorough Discussion of all its Parts in Congress it was unanimously agreed to, and Copies ordered to be sent to the Assembly of each province for Concurrence, and one to the Ministry in England for the Approbation of the Crown. The Crown disapproved it, as having placed too much Weight in the Democratic Part of the Constitution; and every Assembly, as having allowed too much to Prerogative. So it was totally rejected." The above, as printed in The Museum, omits the word "Remark." but bears date at the bottom, Philadelphia, April 9, 1789. It was written by Dr. Franklin and accompanied the following letter: "Sir, I thank you for the Opportunity you propose to give me of making Alterations in these old Pieces of mine which you intend to republish in your Museum. I have no Inclination to make any change in them; but should like to see Proof Sheet, supposing your Copies may possibly be incorrect, and if you have no Objection, you may follow the Albany Plan with the enclosed Remark but as from me. "I am, Sir, Your humble Servant "B. Franklin.” * CHAPTER XXIII. 1756-1764. END OF THE FOURTH INTERCOLONIAL WAR: PONTIAC'S CONSPIRACY. War declared between England and France - Bradstreet's expedition against Oswego Montcalm's arrival in America Armstrong's attack upon Kittanning - Expedition against Louisburg determined upon - Loudon sails with troops - Montcalm attacks Fort William Henry-William Pitt takes charge of affairs in England He plans the conquest of Canada - Abercrombie commander-in-chief - Louisburg captured — Abercrombie's expedition to Ticonderoga - Death of Lord Howe- Bradstreet captures Fort Frontenac Expedition of General Forbes against Fort Duquesne - Plan of the campaign against Canada Amherst at Ticonderoga and Crown Point - Destruction of St. Francis by Rogers-Johnson captures Niagara-Wolfe arrives before Quebec - The plan of attack-English gain Heights of Abraham - Battle of the Plains of Abraham and death of Wolfe and Montcalm - Garrison capitulates-Attempt of de Lévis to recapture Quebec — Montreal captured Operations in other parts of the world - Treaty of Paris ends war Effect on the colonists War with the Cherokees in the South Beginning of the conspiracy of Pontiac- Attack on Detroit and other posts in the west - Battle of the Bloody Run - Fort Pitt besieged - Attempts at pacification - Peace arranged - The "Paxton Boys" retaliate - Bouquet's expedition into the Ohio country Pioneer settlements in the west - Crogham's expedition — Founding of St. Louis - Affairs in the South Marriage of Washington. Appendix to Chapter XXIII.-The Treaty of Paris. with an additional force, but John Campbell, Earl of Loudon, the new commander-in-chief, did not arrive until about the end of July. A garrison had already been established at Oswego, and it was his first object to send reinforcements there. Accordingly, Lieutenant-colonel John Bradstreet was dispatched with a small *See Smyth, The Life and Writings of Benjamin Franklin, iii., 226-27. FRENCH CAPTURE OSWEGO; MONTCALM. body of troops and succeeded in making his way thither in safety. The French attempted to intercept him, but Bradstreet was too prompt for them to accomplish their object. On his return up the river, Bradstreet was waylaid by the French and Indians, but after a sharp conflict succeeded in repulsing them. Shortly after this skirmish, a fresh body of troops joined them and the combined forces descended the river to Oswego, which was now placed in an excellent state of defence. On joining Abercrombie, Bradstreet warned him of the French intentions to seize Oswego and fresh troops were sent there to further reinforce the garrison, but Loudon procrastinated so long in sending them that the movement when made in August was found to be too late, as the fort had already surrendered to the French under Montcalm. By this surrender more than 1,000 men, 135 pieces of artillery, a large quantity of stores and provisions, and a fleet of boats and vessels constructed for the Niagara expedition fell into the hands of the French. The British troops which were then on the march under Daniel Webb, upon hearing of the expedition, quickly returned to Albany.* Fiske, New France and New England, pp. 301309; Parkman, Montcalm and Wolfe, vol. i., pp. 393-416; Roberts, New York, vol. i., pp. 327-328; Lamb, City of New York, vol. i., p. 660; N. Y. Col. Docs., vol. vii. and x.; Documentary History of New York, vol. i., pp. 488-497; Bradley, The Fight with France for North America, pp. 153160; Miles, Canada, pp. 316–319; Smith, Canada, 105 The energetic movements of the French at this time were chiefly due to the vigor infused into the French authorities by the arrival of the new commander-in-chief, Louis Joseph Marquis de Montcalm-Gozon de St. Véran. Montcalm was born at the Chateau de Candiac, near Nîmes, in 1712, of an illustrious family. Though he had been destined for the army, an excellent education had been given him by his parents. Throughout his life he retained a taste for scientific and literary pursuits, and undoubtedly, had not his career terminated so suddenly, he would have been chosen a member of the French Academy. Before coming to America, Montcalm had attained an enviable reputation in European warfare, and when war was declared between the two nations, the French realized the importance of retaining their possessions in America, and Montcalm was selected to take command of all the forces in the colonies.* During this year there were few movements which had any result and none which were of any importance. Colonel John Armstrong made a successful attack on on Kittanning, the chief town of the Indians on the Alleghany River, but this consti 106 PREPARATIONS FOR WAR; LOUDON'S EXPEDITION. tuted the most noteworthy exploit of the whole year. Loudon's greatest achievement was the frightening of the citizens of New York, Philadelphia and Boston into acceding to his demands for gratuitous quarters for his officers.* However, at the beginning of the next year, 1757, more extensive operations were decided upon, and at a council held at Boston it was concluded not only that the frontiers should be defended, but that an expedition should be sent against Louisburg. The New England colonies were requested to furnish 4,000 troops for the expedition, and New York and New Jersey 2,000. In Pennsylvania at the present time the colonists were quarreling with the proprietors regarding the taxes on the proprietary estates in America, and finally under compulsion the Assembly voted a levy of £100,000, but they protested against this taxation and sent Benjamin Franklin to England to urge their complaints.† In Virginia Washington was exerting all his energy and influence to secure forces to defend the frontier, but little could be done so long as Fort Duquesne remained in the hands of the French. Further south the In For the details of these disputes see Colonial Records of Pennsylvania, vol. vii., pp. 358-380; Smith, History of New York, part ii., p. 242; Massachusetts Archives, vol. lxxvi., p. 153. Franklin's Autobiography, edited by Bigelow, pp. 277-282; Weld, pp. 250-254; Morse, Life of Franklin, p. 59 et seq. At this time the planters experienced some very hard times. The able-bodied men were away on the frontiers, and crops became so short that dians were causing the colonists considerable trouble. Having equipped the necessary forces, Lord Loudon sailed from New York in June, 1757, with 6,000 regulars accompanied by a small squadron under Admiral Hardy, and at Halifax he was joined by a fleet of 15 ships of the line and three frigates under Admiral Admiral Francis Holbourne, who brought also an additional body of 5,000 troops. But again Loudon's procrastination resulted disastrously to the colonists. Before arriving at his destination, 22 French ships of the line and several frigates entered the harbor of Louisburg, and as a strong garrison was already there, it was deemed useless to attempt to reduce the place. Loudon therefore returned to New York.* While Loudon was thus engaged, Montcalm, displaying his characteristic energy, determined to strike a heavy blow against the English. tobacco rose to the value of six shillings a pound. The first paper money issued in Virginia was now voted by the Assembly, with a decree that for the next ten months debtors might pay their obligations at the rate of two shillings per pound. This practically amounted to a repudiation of about 60 per cent., of existing liabilities, but the relief afforded was great. * Parkman, Montcalm and Wolfe, vol. i., pp. 468-473 and authorities there cited particularly John Knox, Historical Journal of the Campaigns in North America, 1757-1760, vol. i. (London, 1769); Chevalier Johnstone, Campaign of Louisburg; Beatson, Naval and Military Memoirs, vol. ii.; Bradley, The Fight with France for North America, pp. 169-184; W. C. Ford (ed), General Orders of 1757 issued by the Earl of Loudoun and Phinus Lyman, in the Campaign against the French, Webb series, No. i. (New York, 1899). CAPTURE OF FORT WILLIAM HENRY. With a force of * * In a letter written by Gabriel Christie, Captain of the Forty-eighth Regiment, and dated Albany, Aug. 4, 1757, it is stated that an express had been received from General Webb, who was in command of the British troops at Fort Edward, and who apprehended an attack of the French and Indians under Montcalm upon the latter stronghold. Captain Christie then goes on to say: "I sent, from this, expresses everywhere to raise the Militia. Intelligence was well, too, grounded, as the signal guns was fired yesterday, and the General sent all the men he possibly could spare, previous to that, from Fort Edward. The Militia, except the Mohocks River, have been dilatory. General Webb says the fate of this colony depends upon assistance. About an hour since express received, containing an order from Fort Edward, Aug. 3, 11 at night. Fort William Henry was this morning invested by a large body of Indians and Canadians. After daybreak boats landed with troops and artillery within sight of the fort. A Canadian prisoner informs us their number is 11,000 men, fifty-six pieces of cannon, and five mortars. All communication is cut off. There has been a continual firing, till a little before sun sett, but we know not what has been the issue. We are in no situation to assist them not having 1,500 men. You will write to all the Governors by the General's orders, likewise to the Colonels of the Militia. The fate of this colony depends on it. After the above, Sir, I need say no more." Sir William Johnson had joined Webb and had obtained the latter's consent to relieve Monro, but when he had proceeded four miles on his * 107 capitulation, the garrison was to be journey, Webb peremptorily recalled him and refused to allow him to start again, because he feared Johnson would share the fate of Braddock. See Buell, Sir William Johnson, pp. 172-173; Griffis, Sir William Johnson and the Six Nations, pp. 162-163. * Benson J. Lossing, Pictorial Field-Book of the Revolution, vol. i., pp. 110-111; Livingston, Life of Putnam, pp. 65-69. |