66

that

and several others such appear in the ranks of Congress; yet, looking to them as a whole, and confining the remark to this period, it is impossible not to be greatly struck at their ill-conduct and incapacity. On that point, although it would not be difficult to accumulate evidence from several of their warmest partisans, the testimony of that great and good man who commanded their armies may suffice. In the winter Washington had gone to concert his measures with them at Philadelphia, and he writes from thence as follows: - "If I were to be called upon to draw a picture of the times "and of men from what I have seen, heard, and in part know, "I should in one word say, that idleness, dissipation, and "extravagance seem to have laid fast hold of them; "speculation, peculation, and an insatiable thirst for riches 'seem to have got the better of every other consideration, "and of almost every order of men; that party disputes "and personal quarrels are the great business of the day; "whilst the momentous concerns of an empire, a great and "accumulating debt, ruined finances, depreciated money, "and want of credit, which in its consequence is the want "of every thing, are but secondary considerations, and post"poned from day to day, and from week to week, as if our "affairs wore the most promising aspect.... Our money is "now sinking fifty per cent. a day in this city; and I shall "not be surprised if in the course of a few months a total "stop is put to the currency of it; and yet an assembly, "a concert, a dinner, or supper, that will cost three or four "hundred pounds, will not only take men off from acting in "this business, but even from thinking of it; while a great "part of the officers of our army, from absolute necessity, 66 are quitting the service.... I have no resentments, nor "do I mean to point at particular characters. This I can "declare upon my honour, for I have every attention paid "to me by Congress that I can possibly expect.... But such "is the picture, which from my soul I believe to be a true "one; and I confess to you that I feel more real distress, on account of the present appearances of things, than Mahon, History. VI.

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19

"I have done at any one time since the commencement of the “dispute.” *

In Washington's opinions these defects were produced in no slight degree by the erroneous policy at this time of the several States. Their system was, it seems, to retain their best men for their local offices or local Assemblies, while as to the central body, they either left their deputations vacant, or filled them with inferior persons. In those days, far unlike our own, the Congress resembled a Committee, or a Junta, much rather than a chamber for debate. The speeches, it is said, were all in the style of private conversation. There were never more than forty members present, often no more than twenty. These small numbers, however, by no means insured harmony, nor precluded violent and unseemly quarrels, rumours of which were not slow in passing the Atlantic. "For God's sake," thus wrote La Fayette from France, "For God's sake prevent "the Congress from disputing loudly together. Nothing so "much hurts the interest and reputation of America."** Thus the object of concealment, unless, perhaps, for private purposes, was most imperfectly attained, although in name, at least, the deliberations of Congress at this time were secret. Historically, even the Journal which they kept gives little light as to their true proceedings. An American gentleman, who has studied that document with care, laments that it is "painfully meagre, the object being ap"parently to record as little as possible."***

The rival legislature of the mother-country met again this year on the 25th of November. Vehement debates immediately arose, and the spirits of the Opposition were revived by a division which at this time appeared among the Ministry. Lord Gower and Lord Weymouth, disapproving the continued warfare with America, and desiring coalition with some members of the other party, resigned their offices. *Letter to Benjamin Harrison, December 30. 1778. Writings, vol. vi. ** Letter of La Fayette to Washington, June 12. 1779. *** Life of President Reed, by Mr. William Reed, vol. ii. p. 18.

p. 151.

"I feel," said Lord Gower, "the greatest gratitude for the "many marks of Royal goodness which I have received, but "I cannot think it the duty of a faithful servant to endeavour "to preserve a system which must end in ruin to His Majesty "and to the country." In his stead the Presidency of the Council was bestowed upon Lord Bathurst, and the Seal of Secretary upon Lord Hillsborough. A second Secretary of State was also at this time appointed, Lord Stormont, lately ambassador at Paris, in place of Lord Suffolk, who had died some months before.

The secession of Lord Gower especially was felt by the Government as a heavy loss. Lord North, in a letter to the King, declares that he has done his utmost to dissuade his Noble colleague from his purpose. But the Prime Minister adds the following remarkable words: "In the argument "Lord North had certainly one disadvantage, which is that "he holds in his heart, and has held for three years past, the แ same opinion with Lord Gower!"*

Thus gloomily for England — with a formidable league against us on either side of the Atlantic Scotland deeply stirred by the No Popery cry - Ireland ready to burst into flame discord and contention more rife than ever in our councils and at the heart of the nation's strength commenced, certainly not amidst congratulations, the New Year, 1780.

*To the King, circa October, 1779. Appendix.

CHAPTER LIX.

VOYAGES OF DISCOVERY.

EXPEDITIONS in pursuit of treasure, or of conquest, under the lofty titles of Galleons or Armadas, have sometimes too much engrossed the attention of historians. Not less deserving of commemoration, and far more entitled to respect, are voyages undertaken for the enlightenment of savage nations or the extension of scientific knowledge.

For voyages like these, the long reign of George the Third is most deservedly renowned. They had been a favourite object with His Majesty ever since his accession to the Crown, and were only delayed until the conclusion of general peace. Next year after that peace were sent forth, on a cruise of discovery, towards the Magellanic Strait, two ships, under Commodore Byron - the same whose adventures as a midshipman, whose duties as an Admiral, have already been commemorated in these pages.* His instructions, bearing date the 17th of June, 1764, commence as follows: "Whereas nothing can redound more to the ho"nour of this nation as a maritime power, to the dignity of "the Crown of Great Britain, and to the advancement of the "trade and navigation thereof, than to make discoveries of "countries hitherto unknown —."

The main scope for such discoveries in the reign, and by the wish, of George the Third, was that vast ocean which, dividing Asia from America, extends from pole to pole. It was on the 25th of September, 1513, that this Ocean was first beheld by European eyes. On that day Vasco Nuñez, of Balboa, advancing with a party of Spaniards through the isthmus of Darien, and apprised by his Indian guides that

*Look back to p. 41. of the third, and to p. 284. of the present volume.

the "Sea of the South" was near, commanded his men to halt, and climbed a mountain-summit alone. There, as the long-desired spectacle blessed his view, he fell upon his knees, and returned thanks to God; and when marching onwards they had come close upon the waves, he entered them, with his sword in one hand and his shield in the other, and exclaimed that he took possession of that sea in the name of his liege-lords, the Kings of Leon and Castille.*

As a Spaniard first beheld, so did a Portuguese first navigate far from shore, the wide expanse of the Southern Seas. Ferdinand de Magalhaens, or, as we have termed him Magellan, a native of Portugal, having quitted his own country and entered the service of Castille, was sent by Cardinal Ximenes on a voyage of exploration, with a squadron of five ships. He coasted the shores of South America until he found and steered through the narrow and winding strait which ever since has borne his name. On the 27th of November, 1520, he emerged into the Southern Ocean, and sailed onwards many weeks in the same direction, without the sight of land; that Ocean, in the phrase of his historian, seeming to grow vaster and vaster every day.** So calm and free from storms did he find its waters that he gave it the appellation of Pacific, which, though with little reason, it still retains. At length, after many toils and dangers, his perseverance was rewarded and his fame secured by the discovery first of the Ladrones and afterwards of the Philippine Islands, where, however, he was unhappily killed in a skirmish with the natives.

It was not long ere, from the isthmus of Darien, the Spaniards spread their conquests along the eastern shores

*Herrera, Decada I. lib. x. ch. i. and ii. It is curious to compare the demeanour of the Spaniard Nuñez with that of the Moor Akbeh several centuries before. This chief (who is commemorated by Florian in his Précis Historique sur les Maures, p. 31.), having extended his African conquests to the shores of the Atlantic, drew his sabre, and spurred his horse into the waves, crying out, "Dieu de Mahomet, tu le vois, sans cet élé"ment qui m'arrête, j'irais chercher des nations nouvelles pour leur faire "adorer ton nom!"

** Aviendo Hernando de Magellaneo navegado por aquel Mar del Sur que parecia cada dia mas espacioso. (Herrera, Decada III. lib. i. c. 3.)