XVIL. tion, to prevent all ingress or egress. Other BOOK principal leaders of the aristocratic party were also at the same time put under an arrest; and 1776. the king, mounting his horse, followed by his officers and soldiers, rode through the streets of Stockholm, addressing himself to the innumerable crowds which were gathered together, and protesting "that he only meant to defend them, and save the country from ruin; and that, if they could not confide in him, he would resign his sceptre and his kingdom." The deluded peo ple, with loud acclamations, applauded his patriotism, and entreated him not to abandon them. No symptom of resistance any where appeared; and the diet being in a few days convened, the king addressed the states in a long. harangue, in which, after describing in forcible language the disorders and misfortunes in which party divisions had plunged the nation, he ordered the new formula of government to be read, which he now proposed for their acceptance.. By one article of the new constitution, the king was vested with the power of assembling and dissolving the states at pleasure. By another he was to have the sole disposal of the army, the navy, the finances, and all employments civil and military. By a third, all existing taxes were made perpetual; and the king, in case of pressing necessity, might impose new taxes till the states BOOK should be assembled. And by a fourth, the XVII. states, when assembled, were to deliberate only 1776. on those questions which the king thought proper to refer to them. The instrument of government being read, the king demanded whether they approved of it? Cannon being planted in the court facing the hall where the states were assembled, and matrossesstanding over them with lighted matches, the assembly declared with one voice their entire assent to these articles; and the oath of fidelity was immediately administered to them. After which Te Deum was sung by his majesty and the assembly, in devout commemoration of this most happy event. And thus was a revolution accomplished, which converted one of the most limited monarchies in Europe into one of the most absolute, without shedding a single drop of blood; and the nation at large, which had been grievously oppressed under the former aristocratic constitution, and which had never attained to true and rational ideas of liberty, were delighted with the present change of government, from which they hoped to enjoy tranquillity and security at least, if not the felicity and advantages of political freedom. It is now necessary to revert to the more proper subject of the present history, and to resume the narration of military operations in America. It has been before remarked, that the siege or General XVIL blockade of Quebec, notwithstanding the dis-воок astrous issue of general Montgomery's attempt, was continued through the winter with astonish- 1776. ing resolution by colonel Arnold, who was afterwards superseded by general Sullivan. Early in the spring, before the Americans could be joined by their expected reinforcements, a naval armament from Great Britain, consisting of the Isis of 54 guns, accompanied by the Surprise frigate and the Martin sloop, forced their passage. through the ice before the navigation of the St. Laurence was deemed practicable. Carleton, animated no less than strengthened by the welcome and seasonable succours they brought, immediately marched out in force in order to attack the American camp; but the besiegers, weakened by hardship and disease, and now altogether despairing of success, had already begun their retreat, abandoning their baggage, artillery, and stores, and directing their march towards Sorel, which they reached in a few days in a very ill condition. Towards the end of May, all the reinforcements being now arrived from England, a very great force was collected in Canada, the general rendezvous of which was appointed at Trois Rivières, half way between Montreal and Quebec, about ninety miles from each. General Burgoyne, who was second in command, had orders to XVII. 1776. BOOK pursue the continental army up the Sorel to St. John's. This post was now abandoned by the Americans, who retreated in confusion to Isle aux Noix, and from thence to Crown Point. Montreal and Chamblée had been also previously evacuated, and the garris ns with difficulty avoided being entirely cut off. Still the Americans were masters of Lake Champlain, and the greatest exertions were made by the generals Carleton and Burgoyne to construct a number of vessels of sufficient force to give them that superiority which was essential to the success of the expedition now meditated to the southward; and, till this purpose was effected, military operations were entirely suspended in the province of Canada. A strong squadron, commanded by sir Peter Parker, with about 3000 land forces on board, sailed from Cork in the month of February, on an expedition to the middle or southern colonies. The departure of this fleet was delayed by a singular circumstance. The lord lieutenant of Ireland, lord Harcourt, doubting his power to permit the troops to leave the kingdom, a clause expressly authorizing him so to do was inserted in a bill then pending in the parliament of Ireland. When the bill came to England, the clause was struck out with indignation, as implying an undue limitation of the prerogative. But XVII. 1776. the lord lieutenant, conceiving himself pledged BOOK by the king's word solemnly given to the Irish parliament, refused to permit the troops to embark without leave of the legislature; and a new clause was hastily inserted in another bill, which was transmitted and passed, though not without great resentment against the lord lieutenant, who, on his arrival in England some time after wards, met at court with a very indifferent reception. On the 3d of May, 1776, admiral sir Peter Parker anchored off Cape Fear, where he was joined by general Clinton; and finding that nothing could be attempted with probability of success in Virginia, it was determined to try the event of an attack on the city of Charlestown, the capital of South Carolina; and in the beginning of June the whole fleet anchored off Charlestown bar. Prior to their arrival the city had been put into a proper posture of defence; and works were erected on Sullivan's Island, mounted with thirty pieces of cannon, in a very advantageous situation for annoying ships in their approach to the town. The militia of the province were now collected in great numbers for the defence of the metropolis, aided by several continental regiments, and the whole were commanded by general Lee, who had traversed the whole extent of the continent with wonderful |