that, in proportion as every person showed a zeal for the court
measures, he was then earnest in circulating an opinion of the extent of
the supposed powers of that commission. When I told them that Lord Howe
had no powers to treat, or to promise satisfaction on any point
whatsoever of the controversy, I was hardly credited,--so strong and
general was the desire of terminating this war by the method of
accommodation. As far as I could discover, this was the temper then
prevalent through the kingdom. The king's forces, it must be observed,
had at that time been obliged to evacuate Boston. The superiority of the
former campaign rested wholly with the colonists. If such powers of
treaty were to be wished whilst success was very doubtful, how came they
to be less so, since his Majesty's arms have been crowned with many
considerable advantages? Have these successes induced us to alter our
mind, as thinking the season of victory not the time for treating with
honor or advantage? Whatever changes have happened in the national
character, it can scarcely be our wish that terms of accommodation never
should be proposed to our enemy, except when they must be attributed
solely to our fears. It has happened, let me say unfortunately, that we
read of his Majesty's commission for making peace, and his troops
evacuating his last town in the Thirteen Colonies, at the same hour and
in the same gazette. It was still more unfortunate that no commission
went to America to settle the troubles there, until several months after
an act had been passed to put the colonies out of the protection of this
government, and to divide their trading property, without a possibility
of restitution, as spoil among the seamen of the navy. The most abject
submission on the part of the colonies could not redeem them. There was
no man on that whole continent, or within three thousand miles of it,
qualified by law to follow allegiance with protection or submission with
pardon. A proceeding of this kind has no example in history.
Independency, and independency with an enmity, (which, putting ourselves
out of the question, would be called natural and much provoked,) was the
inevitable consequence. How this came to pass the nation may be one day
in an humor to inquire.

All the attempts made this session to give fuller powers of peace to the
commanders in America were stifled by the fatal confidence of victory
and the wild hopes of unconditional submission. There w