ご 6. 14. 1776. fentatives of the free and independent ftates of America, they cannot with propriety fend any of their members, to confer with his lordfhip in their private characters, but that ever defirous of eftablifhing peace on reasonable terms, they will fend a committee of their body to know whether he has any authority to treat with persons authorized by congrefs for that purpose in behalf of America, and what that authority is, and to hear fuch propofitions Sept. as he fhall think fit to make refpecting the fame." The next day they elected by ballot for their committee, Meffrs. Franklin, John Adams, and Edward Rutledge. Eight days after, the committee met lord Howe upon Staten Ifland, oppofite to Amboy, where his lordfhip received and entertained them with the utmost politenefs. The committee in their report, fummed up the account of the conference, by mentioning that it did not appear to them, that his lordfhip's commiffion contained any other authority of importance than was contained in the act of parliament; for that as to the power of inquiring into the ftate of America, which his lordship mentioned to them, and of conferring and confulting with any perfons the commiffioners might think proper, and representing the refult to the ministry, they apprehended any expectation from the effect of fuch power would have been too precarious for America to have relied upon, had she still continued in her state of dependence. Thus the hopes of negotiation by the commiffioners ended. The friends to independency rejoiced that it was brought to fo happy a conclufion. They almost trembled left it should prove infnaring, and fomething fhould take place under it, which, in the prefent diftreffed circumftances of their military affairs, might demolish the fabric they were erecting. It ferved to 1776 gain time for recovering from the fhock occafioned by the loffes fuftained on Long Island. If it delayed the operations of gen. Howe, it anfwered another valuable purpose and it is hard otherwife to account for his delay. The committee managed with great dexterity; and maintained the dignity of congrefs. Their fentiments and language became their character. His lordfhip was explicitly and authoritatively affured, that neither the committee, nor the congrefs which fent then, had authority to treat in any other capacity than as independent ftates. His lordship had no inftructions on that fubject." The Americans muft therefore fight it out, and truft in God for fuccefs. General Washington's fituation, after evacuating Long Ifland, was truly diftreffing. The check, which the detachment had sustained, difpirited too great a proportion of the troops, and filled their minds with apprehenfion and defpair. The militia were difimayed, intractable, and impatient to return. Great numbers went off, by companies at a time, by half regiments, and in fome instances almost by whole ones. The flying camp was too literally fuch. Whole battalions of them ran off from Powle's (the mode of fpelling Paul's two hundred years back *) Hook, and the heights of Bergen, upon the firing of a broad-fide from a man of war, when no one was hurt by it. An entire difregard of that order and fubordination neceffary to the well being of an army, made his condition ftill more alarming; and oc * See queen Elizabeth's Bible, printed 1577, for Jugg in Powie's 'Church Yard. 6. 14. 1776. fentatives of the free and independent states of America, they cannot with propriety send any of their members, to confer with his lordship in their private characters, but that ever defirous of eftablishing peace on reasonable terms, they will send a committee of their body to know whether he has any authority to treat with perfons authorized by congrefs for that purpose in behalf of America, and what that authority is, and to hear such propositions Sept. as he fhall think fit to make respecting the fame." The next day they elected by ballot for their committee, Meffis. Franklin, John Adams, and Edward Rutledge. Eight days after, the committee met lord Howe upon Staten Ifland, oppofite to Amboy, where his lordship received and entertained them with the utmoft politenefs. The committee in their report, fummed up the account of the conference, by mentioning that it did not appear to them, that his lordship's commiffion contained any other authority of importance than was contained in the act of parliament; for that as to the power of inquiring into the ftate of America, which his lordship mentioned to them, and of conferring and confulting with any perfons the commiffioners might think proper, and representing the refult to the ministry, they apprehended any expectation from the effect of fuch power would have been too precarious for America to have relied upon, had she still continued in her state of dependence. Thus the hopes of negotiation by the commiffioners ended. The friends to independency rejoiced that it was brought to fo happy a conclufion. They almost trembled left it should prove infnaring, and fomething fhould take place under it, which, in the present diftreffed circumftances of their military affairs, might demolish the fabric they were erecting. It ferved to 1776. gain time for recovering from the fhock occafioned by the loffes fuftained on Long Island. If it delayed the operations of gen. Howe, it answered another valuable purpose and it is hard otherwife to account for his delay. The committee managed with great dexterity,; and maintained the dignity of congrefs. Their fentiments and language became their character. His lordfhip was explicitly and authoritatively affured, that neither the committee, nor the congrefs which fent them, had authority to treat in any other capacity than as independent ftates. His lordship had no inftructions on that fubject." The Americans muft therefore fight it out, and truft in God for fuccefs. General Washington's fituation, after evacuating Long Ifland, was truly diftreffing. The check, which the detachment had fuftained, difpirited too great a proportion of the troops, and filled their minds with apprehenfion and despair. The militia were difinayed, intractable, and impatient to return. Great numbers went off, by companies at a time, by half regiments, and in fome inftances almoft by whole ones. The flying camp was too literally fuch. Whole battalions of them ran off from Powle's (the mode of fpelling Paul's two hundred years back *) Hook, and the heights of Bergen, upon the firing of a broad-fide from a man of war, when nò one was hurt by it. An entire difregard of that order and fubordination neceffary to the well being of an army, made his condition still more alarming; and oc *See queen Elizabeth's Bible, printed 1572, for Jugg in Powie's Church Yard. 1776 cafioned a want of confidence in the generality of the troops. The number of men fit for duty, taking in the main body and all the out-pofts, was for fome days under 20,000: but the militia, too contemptible to merit the name of foldiers, with the new levies alike despicable, compofed more than a third of the army. The militia did inexpreffible damage, by telling the other troops all is gone-the regulars must overcome." By fuch language the men became more and more difheartened. What is faid of the militia is not peculiar to those from any one ftate as to their intractablenefs, and difregard of order and fubordination, it is common to all militia, and must be generally expected; for men who have been free, and never fubject to restraint or any kind of control, cannot, in a day, be taught the neceffity, or be brought to fee the expediency of strict difcipline. Within nine days after the evacuation, the number of the fick, by the returns, formed one quarter of the whole army. Such were circumftances, that they demanded the greatest harmony poffible among the troops; whereas no finall animofity prevailed between those of the northern and fouthern ftates, occafioned by general and illiberal reflections freely dealt out at head quarters. It was not countenanced by the commander in chief; but the adjutant general affiduously endeavoured to make and pro'mote it; so that his excellency, in order to remedy it in fome measure, appointed David Henley efq; deputy adjutant general. The day this appointment was announced to the army in general orders, the 6th of September, a letter was written to a member of congrefs, which fays, "The infamous defertions, the shameless ravages, feditious fpeeches and mutinous behaviour, |