war; and though the Treaty of Peace engaged that Congress
should recommend the several States to compensate them for the losses of
their property, the Legislatures of the several States (with one
exception) refused any compliance with this stipulation of the national
treaty; and the Legislature of New York actually ordered the punishment
of those Loyalists who applied for compensation. At the close of the
war, therefore, instead of witnessing, as in the case of all other
civilized nations at the termination of a civil war, however rancorous
and cruel, a general amnesty and the restoration of all parties to the
rights and property which they enjoyed at the commencement of the
strife, the Loyalists found themselves exiled and impoverished, and
their enemies in possession of their homes and domains. It is true about
3,000 of the Loyalists were able to employ agents, or appear personally,
to apply to the English Government and Parliament for compensation for
their losses; and the preceding chapter records the noble appreciation
of their character and services by British statesmen, and the liberality
of Parliament in making them compensation for their losses and
sufferings in maintaining their fidelity to the mother country. But
these 3,000 constituted not one-tenth of the Loyalists who had suffered
losses and hardships during the civil war; upwards of 30,000 of them
were driven from the homes of their birth, and of their forefathers, to
wildernesses of everlasting snow. It was a policy as inhuman and
impolitic as that of Spain in expelling upwards of 600,000 Moors, the
most skilful and profitable of their manufacturers and artizans; or of
France, in compelling the escape of above 500,000 of the best workers in
the finest manufactures to other countries where they laid the
foundation of industries which have proved a source of boundless wealth
to England at the expense of the commerce and manufactures of France.
The Democrats were then the ruling party in most of the States; the more
moderate voice and liberal policy of the Conservative Republicans were
hushed and fanned down by the Democratic leaders, who seemed unable to
look beyond the gratification of their resentment and avarice; they
seemed to fear the residence and presence of men of intelligence,
ability, and energy, who might in the future rival if not eclipse them.
The maxim of the Loyalists was, obedience to law; heretofore they looked
upon the enactments of the St