court, as to create uneasiness and distrust in the jealous mind of Ferdinand, and made it neceffary for Columbus again to return to Spain, in order to counteract their machinations, and to obtain fuch further fupplies as were neceffary to his great political and benevolent purposes. 55. On his arrival at court, and stating with his usual dignity and confidence the whole history of his transactions abroad, every thing wore a favorable appearance. He was received with ufual honors, and again folicited to take charge of another squadron, to carry out further supplies to purfue his discoveries, and in every respect to use his discretion in extending the Spanish Empire in the New World. In this third voyage he discovered the continent of America, at the mouth of the river Oronoke. 56. He rectified many diforders in his government of Hifpaniola, which had happened in his abfence; and every thing was going on in a profperous train, when an event was announced to him, which completed his own ruin, and gave a fatal turn to the Spanish policy and conduct in Ame raca. This was the arrival of Francis de Bovadilla, with a commiffion to fupercede Columbus in his government; and with power to arraign him as a criminal, and to judge of his former administration. 57. It feems that by this time the enemies of Columbus, defpairing to complete his overthrow by groundless infinuarions of misconduct, had taken the more effectual method of exciting the jealousy of their fovereigns. 58. From the promifing samples of gold and other valuable commodities brought from America, they took occafion to represent to the King and Queen, that the prodigious wealth and extent of the countries he had difcovered, would foon throw fuch power into the hands of the Viceroy, that he would trample on the royal authority, and bid defiance to the Spanish power. 59. These arguments were well calculated for the cold and fufpicious temper of Ferdinand, and they must have had fome effect upon the mind of Isabella. The confequence was, the appointment of Bovadillo, who had been the inveterate enemy of Columbus, to take the government from his hands. This first tyrant of the Spanish nation in America, began his administration by 1 ordering Columbus to be put in chains on board a ship and fending him prifoner to Spain. 60. By relaxing all discipline, he introduced diforder and licentiousness throughout the colony. He subjected the natives to a moft miferable fervitude, and apportioned them out in large numbers among his adherents. Under this severe treatment perished, in a short time, many thousands of those innocent people. 61. Columbus was carried in his fetters to the Spanish court, where the King and Queen either feigned or felt a fufficient regret at the conduct of Bovadilla towards this il-. lustrious prifoner. He was not only released from confinement, but treated with all imaginable respect. 62. But although the King endeavored to expiate the offence, by censuring and recalling Bovadilla, yet we may judge of his fincerity from his appointing Nicholas de Ovanda, another bitter enemy of Columbus, to succeed in the government, and from his ever after efusing to reinstate Columbus, or to fulfil any of the conditions on which the difcoveries were undertaken. 63. After two years folicitation for this or fome other employment, he at length obtained a squadron of four small vessels, to attempt new discoveries. He now set out with the ardor and enthufiafin of a young adventurer, in quest of what was always his favorite object, a passage into the South Sea, by which he might fail to India. He touched at Hifpaniola, where Ovado, the Governor, refused him admittance on shore, even to take shelter during a hurricane, the prognostics of which his experience had taught him to difcern. 64. By putting into a fmall creek, he rode out the ftorm and then bore away for the continent. Several months in this most boisterous season of the year, he fpent in exploring the coast round the gulph of Mexico, in hopes of finding the intended navigation to India. At length he was shipwrecked, and driven ashore on the Island of Jamaica. 65. His cup of Calamities seemed now completely foll. He was cast upon an Island [of favages without provisions, without any vessel, and thirty leagues from any Spanish settlement. But the greatest providential misfortunes are capable of being imbittered by the infults of our fellow creatures. 66. A few of his hardy companions generously offered, in two Indian canoes to attempt a voyage to Hifpaniola, in hopes of obtaining a vessel for the relief of the unhappy crew. w. After fuffering every extremity of danger and hardship, they arrived at the Spanish colony in ten days. Ovando, through perfonal malice and jealoufy of Columbus, after having detained these messengers erght months, dispatched a veffel to Jamaica in order to spy out the condition of Columbus and his crew, with positive instructions to the Captain not to afford them any relief. 67. This order was punctually executed. The captain approached the shore, delivered a letter of empty compliment from Ovando to the Admiral, received his answer and returned. About four months afterwards a veffel came to their relief; and Columbus, worn out with fatigues and broken with misfortunes, returned for the last time to Spain. 68. Here a new distress awaited him, which he confi dered as one of the greatest he had fuffered in his whole life. This was the death of Queen Isabella, his last and greateft friend... 69. He did not fuddenly abandon himself to despair... He called upon the gratitude and justice of the King, and in terms of dignity; demanded the fulfilment of the former contract. 70. Notwithstanding his age and infirmities, he even folicited to be further employed in extending the career of difcovery, without a profpect of any other reward but the confciousness of doing good to mankind. But Ferdiwand, cold, ugrateful, and timid, dared not to comply with a fingle proposal of this kind, lest he should increase his own obligations to a man, whose services he thought it dangerous to reward. 71. He therefore delayed and avoided any decifion on these subjects, in hopes that the declining health of Columbus would foon rid the court of the remonstrances of a man, whose extraordinary merit was, in their opinion, a fufficient occafion for destroying him.. 72. In this they were not disappointed. Columbus languished a short time, and gladly resigned a life, which had been worn out in the most effential services that perhaps were ever rendered, by any human character, to an ungrateful world. 1. A SKETCH of the HISTORY of the late War in THE attempts of the British Parliament to raife a revenue in America, without her confent, occasioned the late war, which feparated this country from GreatBritain. 2. The first attempt of consequence was the famous Stamp Act, March, 1765. By this the Americans were obliged to make use of ftamped paper, for all notes, bonds and other legal inftruments; on which paper a duty was to be paid. 3. This act occafioned fuch general uneafiness in America, that the parliament thought proper to repeal it the year after it was made. 4. But the next year (1767) the Tea Act was framed, by which a heavy duty was laid upon tea, glass, paper, and many other articles, which were much used in America. This threw the colonies into confufion, and excited such refentment among the people, that the Parliament, three years after, took off three fourths of the duty. 5. The duty was still disagreeable to the Americans, who entered into refolutions not to import and confume British manufactures. 6. A few years after (in 1773) the people of Bofton, who were determined not to pay duties on tea, went on board, fome thips, belonging to the East-India company, which lay in the harbour, and threw all the tea overboard. In other parts of America, violent oppofition was made to British taxation. 7. This opposition enkindled the resentment of the British Parliament, which they expreffed the next year (1774) by fhutting the port of Boston, which ruined the trade of that flourishing town. This act was followed by others, by which the constitution of Maffachusetts was new modelled, and the liberties of the people infringed. 8. These rafh and cruel measures, gave great and universal alarm to the Americans. General Gage was fent 430 to Boston, to enforce the new laws; but he was received with coldness, and opposed with spirit in the execution of his commission. 9. The assemblies throughout America, remonftrated and petitioned. At the same time many contributions of money and provisions from every quarter, were fent to the inhabitants of Boston, who were fuffering in confequence of the port bill. 2 10. The fame year, troops arrived in Boston, to enforce the wicked and unjust acts of the British parliament. Fortifications were erected on Boston neck, by order of Gene-ral Gage; and the ammunition and stores in Cambridge and Charlestown were feized and fecured. wrote a II. In September, deputies from most of the Colonies, met in Congrefs at Philadelphia. These delegates approved of the conduct of the people of Massachusetts; letter to General Gage; published a declaration of rights; formed an affociation not to import, or use British goods; sent a petition to the King of Great Britain; an address to the inhabitants of that kingdom; another to the inhabitants of Canada; and another to the inhabitants of the colonies. 12. In the beginning of the next year (1775) was paffed the Fishery Bill, by which the northein colonies were forbid to fish on the Banks of Newfoundland, for a certain time. This bore hard upon the commerce of thefe colonies, which was in a great measure fupported by the fishery. 13. Soon after another bill was paffed, which refstrained the trade of the middle and northern colonies, to Great-Britain, Ireland, and the West-Inies, except under certain conditions. These repeated acts of oppreffion on the part of Great Britain, alienated the affections of America from her parent and fovereign, and produced a combined oppofi. tion to the whole system of taxation. 14. Preparations began to be made, to oppofe by force, the execution of these acts of Parliament. The militia of the country were trained in the use of arms, great enconragement was given for the manufacture of gun-powder, and measures were taken to obtain all kinds of military stores. 15 In February, colonel Leslie was sent with a detachment of troops from Boston, to take poffeffion of |