and Great Britain. The connexions between
their most Christian and Catholic Majesties not admitting of a
separate peace on the part of either, the negotiations between the
belligerent powers of Europe had been protracted by the persevering
endeavours of Spain to obtain the cession of Gibraltar. At length, the
formidable armament which had invested that fortress was repulsed with
immense slaughter; after which the place was relieved by Lord Howe,
and the besiegers abandoned the enterprise in despair. Negotiations
were then taken up with sincerity; and preliminary articles of peace
between Great Britain, France, and Spain, were signed on the 20th of
January, 1783.

[Sidenote: Discontents of the American Army.]

In America, the approach of peace, combined with other causes,
produced a state of things alike interesting and critical. The
officers who had wasted their fortunes and their prime of life in
unrewarded service, fearing, with reason, that congress possessed
neither the power nor the inclination to comply with its engagements
to the army, could not look with unconcern at the prospect which was
opening to them. In December, soon after going into winter quarters,
they presented a petition to congress, respecting the money actually
due to them, and proposing a commutation of the half pay stipulated by
the resolutions of October, 1780, for a sum in gross, which, they
nattered themselves, would encounter fewer prejudices than the half
pay establishment. Some security that the engagements of the
government would be complied with was also requested. A committee of
officers was deputed to solicit the attention of congress to this
memorial, and to attend its progress through the house.

Among the most distinguished members of the federal government, were
persons sincerely disposed to do ample justice to the public creditors
generally, and to that class of them particularly whose claims were
founded in military service. But many viewed the army with jealous
eyes, acknowledged its merit with unwillingness, and betrayed,
involuntarily, their repugnance to a faithful observance of the public
engagements. With this question, another of equal importance was
connected, on which congress was divided almost in the same manner.
One party was attached to a state, the other to a continental system.
The latter laboured to fund the public debts on solid continental
security, while the former opposed their whole weight to measures
cal