the obnoxious tax rejected by the House of Commons; but,
before the news of this division reached America, blood had already been
shed.[51] Civil war began. The next year the Colonies, now united in one
solid body, asserted their Independence, taking the title of the United
States; and, though the government at home made more than one effort to
recall the Colonists to their allegiance, and sent out commissioners of
high rank, with large powers of concession; and though in one remarkable
instance the mission of Mr. Penn, in the summer of 1775, with the
petition to the King known as "the Olive Branch," seemed to show a
desire for a maintenance of the union on the part of the Colonial
Congress,[52] from the moment that the sword was drawn all hope of
preserving the connection of the Colonies must have been seen by all
reasonable men to be at an end.

It is beside our present purpose to recapitulate the military operations
of the war, though they verified another of Burke's warnings, that,
supposing all moral difficulties to be got over, the ocean
remained--that could not be dried up; and, as long as it continued in
its present bed, so long all the causes which weakened authority by
distance must continue. In fact, distance from England was one of the
main circumstances which decided the contest. The slowness of
communication--almost inconceivable to the present generation--rendered
impossible that regularity in the transport of re-enforcements and
supplies which was indispensable to success; and, added to the strange
absence of military skill shown by every one of the British generals,
soon placed the eventual issue of the war beyond a doubt. But one
measure by which Lord North's government endeavored to provide for the
strengthening of the army employed in America was so warmly challenged
on constitutional grounds, that, though the fortunate separation of
Hanover from Great Britain has prevented the possibility of any
recurrence of such a proceeding, it would be improper to pass it over.

In his speech at the opening of the autumnal session of 1775, the King
announced to the Houses that, in order to leave a larger portion of the
established forces of the kingdom available for service in North
America, he "had sent a part of his Electoral troops to the garrisons of
Gibraltar and Port Mahon." And the announcement aroused a vehement
spirit of opposition, which found vent in the debates of both Houses on
the address, and in