But these events in the south were prosperity itself, compared with the issue of the northern campaign. After the evacuation of Canada by the Americans, in the summer of 1776, the incredible exertions of the British enabled them to drive the enemy from Lake Champlain. In an engagement between the two fleets, memorable for being conducted on both sides by land officers, General Arnold was completely defeated, and the Americans, after abandoning Crown Point, concen trated themselves at Ticonderoga. General Carleton, after his victory over Arnold, had led his troops into winter quarters, and from his former conduct, sanguine expectations were formed of his success in the ensuing campaign, when, much to the public astonishment, General Burgoyne arrived in the spring to supersede him. His object was to form a line of communication between New York and Canada. The first success of of his career formed but too brilliant a contrast with its conclusion. The Americans, unable to resist him, abandoned Ticonderoga, and left behind them an abun dance of stores. Their naval force at Skenesborough was destroyed, and Burgoyne, after a march of incredi ble labour and perseverance, fixed his head quarters at Fort Edward. In conveying his army with all its heavy artillery thus far, he had traversed morasses of pro digious extent ; and, during the latter part of his march, had been obliged to construct forty bridges in the space of only twenty miles. Alter abundance of labour, his army at last came in sight of the North River, which promised many facilities of conveyance to Albany ; but an American army was also before him, and collecting on all sides. His provisions were reduced, and a corps which he detached, to seize some magazines of the enemy at Benington and Fort Stanwix, were cut to pieces. In this perilous state, whilst he was in vain dispatching requests for General Clinton to come to his aid, he was attacked on the 19th of September by the army of General Gates, and, in a battle, which lasted from noon till sunset, the British had the bare advantage of keeping the field. General Clinton having learnt the state ol the northern army, made an effort to push up the North River, and relieve it. He found it im possible, and Burgoyne, with a hostile force forming on his rear, was lelt to his fate. On the 7th of October, an action more fatal to the British than the former, and in which the British camp was nearly taken sword in hand by the provincials, obliged this forlorn body to return to the heights behind their former encampment, and from thence to Saratoga. Here Burgoyne found the passes and the navigation of the river entirely possess ed by the enemy. A nightly retreat to Fort Edward only remained ; but while the measure was in agitation, intelagence was brought that the fords and high grounds on the way to that position had also been seized. Three days subsistence only remained in the camp, and it became necessary to sign a convention with General Gates, that the British troops should lay down their arms, on condition of being transported to Britain not to serve more during the war. Such was the catas trophe of an army, consisting, at its departure from Canada, ol more than 10,000 men, but now reduced by the sword and hardships, to little more than half that number.
The parliament assembled on the 20th of Novem ber. In opposing the address proposed by ministers in in the upper house, Lord Chatham delivered his me morable philippic against the employment of Indians in the war ; but though the house listened for the time, as if electrified by his eloquence, it produced no change on their real temper or votes. The 3d of December was memorable, in the lower house, for the disclosure of the fate of Burgoyne. The minister acknowledged it with dejection, and even with tears ; and, amidst the torrent of sarcasm and invective with which he was assailed by an increasing opposition, he entreated the house, with evident humiliation, to suspend their cen sures, till an impartial investigation of the business should take place. During the recess of parliament, the subscriptions that were raised by individuals for the support of the war, and the regiments which were thus furnished to government by several of the principal towns, seemed to reanimate the drooping spirits of ministers. It was evident, however, that their parlia mentary strength had declined from the late disaster.
On Mr Fox's motion for abandoning the plan of con quering America, the minority divided 165 against 259 ; and although the various other motions made by that speaker, as well as those of Mr Barre and Mr Burke, were rejected, the minister, by offering a second plan of reconciliation, made a virtual concession of past errors, which could not but strike his most determined adherents. The substance of this plan was brought before the house in two bills, on the 17th of February 1778.* To anticipate a little in the order of narration, the commissioners, Governor Johnstone, Lord Carlisle, and Mr Eden, who were empowered by these bills to treat with the congress, arrived at Philadelphia in the month ol June ; and, at the outset, made concessions far greater than the Americans, in their petitions to the king, had ever requested. They offered, that no troops should be kept in the States without their consent : they offered, in fact, to establish a perfect freedom of legislation and internal government, and every pri vilege to America short of total separation. But the secretary to the British commission was refused a pass port to congress, and he was obliged to forward his papers by the common means. The substance GI the answer of congress (delivered by their president, Henry Laurens) was, that the United States of America being independent, would treat with Britain for such terms of peace and commerce, as might be consistent with their other treaties already subsisting. As a solid proof of our sincerity to treat, they required their in dependence to be acknowledged, and our armies and fleets to be withdrawn. In the mean time, a treaty of amity and commerce had been concluded between France and America, and the former power had com pleted her preparations for assisting the youthful com monwealth. In the month of April, Count D'Estaign was dispatched with twelve ships of the line from Tou lon. Admiral Byron, with a fleet from Portsmouth, was ordered to sail after him; but as the destination of the Frenchman was supposed to be the Delaware, and as the fleet of Lord Howe in that quarter was unable to protect our operations, if the hostile fleet should arrive there, the commissioners for peace had brought out to America an order for our own army to CN acuate Philadelphia, and repair to New York.
Leaving for a moment the operations of the war, it may be proper to notice a division between the leaders of opposition in parliament, which may certainly be reckoned to have contributed to protract the duration of the war. The Marquis of Rockingham, and the whole Rockingham connection, maintained the neces sity of admitting the independence of America. It was too late (they argued) to conciliate : it was impossible to overwhelm the colonies by force ; and to persist in attempting it, was only to accumulate our debt, and accelerate our ruin. The Earls of Chatham, Shel burne, and Temple, who had, unhappily for the Whig interests, kept up a separate party, deprecated the con cession of independence as ruinous and disgraceful. In one of the debates during the spring session of the present year, when the duke of Richmond moved to address the king for renouncing the impracticable object of the war, the earl of Chatham came to the house (declaring with a melancholy prediction, that it was probably for the last time,) to express his indignation at the idea of yielding up our sovereignty. He rejoiced that the grave had not closed over him, before he had lifted up his voice against the dismemberment of the empire. The Duke of Richmond having spoken in reply, Lord Chatham rose and endeavoured to give vent to some great idea that seemed to be labouring in his breast ; but, unable to utter a word, he fell amidst the arms of his friends in a convulsive fit, and being conveyed to his villa at Hayes, in Kent, expired, after a few weeks, on the Ilth of May. It would be rash to pronounce upon the consistency of so great a charac ter, or to suppose that his views respecting America were not changed on grounds deserving serious con sideration. Yet it seems at first sight difficult to re concile his opinions on this momentous subject. If we could not force our taxes upon America, it is hard to conceive, that we could wrest from her her indepen dence.