XXXX IT PREFACE. would be a bad return to the continued favours we experience from the Public, if our zeal and induftry was not proportioned to the importance of the subjects on which we treated, and to their intereft in them. The transactions of foreign nations, however general or extensive their confequences, however connected by intereft or alliance we might be in them, or however brilliant the matter which they afforded for history, are not only of a fecondary but very remote confideration, when placed in any degree of comparison with the fubjects of which we now treat. Our public affairs are unfortunately at prefent the hiftory of all that part of the world which affords materials for any. Britains, however deeply, are not alone interested in the confequences. They may extend, not only to the refined, but widely into the more uncultivated parts of the Globe. It therefore therefore behoved us, not to pass through negligence, omit through hurry, or render obfcure by an ill-timed brevity, any matter which tended to the elucidation of a subject, in which our Readers are so immediately and deeply concerned. The time of publication was with us, and we will believe with them, by no means the principal object of attention. We might have faved much labour and time by publishing early, and of course, more imperfectly. Our Publisher has liberally feconded our views in affording the expence confequent of fo great an extenfion of the Hiftorical Article. He thinks he cannot do too much to testify his gratitude to the Public, and defires we would obferve, that from the abundance of matter which is now neceffarily discussed, it trebles in extent the amount of the History in any year of the late war. For ourselves, if we have the happiness to experience a continuance of that approbation with which we have been so long honoured by the Public, it will be an additional spur to our future industry. THE THE ANNUAL REGISTER, For the YEAR 1776. THE HISTORY O F EURO ROP E. CHA P. I. Retrofpe&ive view of American affairs in the year 1775. Motives which led to the invasion of Canada. Forts of Chamble and St. John taken. Montreal taken. General Carleton retires to Quebec. Armed vessels furrender. Arnold appears before Quebec. Is joined by General Montgomery. The city fummoned. Siege. Attempt to take Quebec by efcalade. Montgomery killed. Arnold wounded. Rebels retire from before the walls. A S the hopes of a reconciliation with the mother country, upon the conditions claimed by the Americans, became more faint, fo they grew more daring in their defigns, and extended their views to the remote confequences, as well as to the immediate conduct of a war. The apparent tendency, and avowed de. VOL. XIX. fign of the Quebec act, had early drawn their attention and awakened their apprehenfions, in relation to the dangers with which they were threatened from that quarter. Thefe apprehenfions produced the addrefs to the French inhabitants of Canada, of which we have formerly taken notice. The fuccefs which attended the [4] expe expedition to the Lakes, with the reduction of Ticonderoga and Crown-Point, in the beginning of the fummer 1775, by which, it might be faid, that the gates of Canada were thrown open, ren dered the affairs of that country more immediately interefting, and encouraged the Congrefs to a bold measure, which they would not otherwife perhaps have ventured upon. This was no lefs than the fending of a force for the invafion and reduction of that country. A measure of fo extraordinary a nature required the moft ferious confideration. The commencing of an offenfive war with the fovereign, was a new and perilous undertaking. It seemed totally to change the nature of the ground on which they flood in the prefent difpute. Oppofition to government had hitherto been conducted on the apparent defign, and avowed principle only, of fupporting and defending certain rights and immunities of the people, which were fuppofed, or pretended, to be unjustly invaded. Oppofition, or even refiflance, in fuch a cafe, fuppofing the premifes to be fairly ftated, is thought by many to be entirely confiftent with the principles of the British conflitution; and this opinion is faid to have received the fanction of precedents of the first authority. At any rate, the questions in difpute were of fuch a nature, that mankind might for ever be divided in opinion, as to the matter of right or wrong, juftice or injuftice, oppreffion or good government. But to render themselves at once the aggreffors, and not content with vindicating their own real or pretended rights, to fly wantonly in the face of the fovereign, carry war into his dominions, and invade a province to which they could lay no claim, nor pretend no right, feemed fuch an outrage, as not only overthrew every plea of juftifiable refiftance, but would militate with the eftablifhed opinions, principles, and feelings of mankind in general. On the other hand, the danger was preffing and great. The extraordinary powers placed in the hands of General Carleton, the Governor of Canada, by a late commiffion, were new, alarming, and evidently pointed out the purpofes for which they were granted. By thefe he was authorized to embody and arm the Canadians, to march them out of the country for the fubjugation of the other colonies, and to proceed, even to capital punishments, against all thofe, and in all places, whom he fhould deem rebels and oppofers of the laws. The frong powers of government which he alfo poffeffed within his province, were equal to thofe of the moft arbitrary European monarchs, and had been already felt both by the English and French fubjects. Thus, though the Canadians had hitherto refused to be embodied, or to march upon any terms out of the province, it was easily seen, that as foon as the Governor's authority was fupported by the arrival of a body of English forces, they would be obliged implicitly to obey him, as well in that, as all other matters. He had befides already engaged a confiderable number of the Canada, and other Indians, in his fervice, and if his arms once became predominant, the defire of spoil and blood would bring them in crowds from the remoteft defarts to his afitance. |