1782. the execution of a scheme, which we have been dreading every night." [The fcheme alluded to was that of betraying the army into the power of the enemy.]

The South Carolina reprefentatives having been elected agreeable to the writs iffued by governor Rutledge, the general affembly met in January, at Jacksonborough, a fmall village on the Edifto. The governor, at the opening of the feffion on the 18th of the month, deliJan. 18. vered a fpeech to both houfes; for which he received the thanks of each in their addreffes. The conftitution of the state established a rotation, which made it neceffary to choose a new governor. The fuffrages of a majority were in favor of the former lieut. gov. Christopher Gadfden efq; who declined the laborious office, but continued to serve both in the affembly and council. He, with many other gentlemen, who had been delivered as exchanged in Virginia and Philadelphia, foon found their way back to South Carolina, and were chosen members of the legislature. The general affembly afterward elected the honorable John Mathews governor ; filled up vacancies in the different departments; and re-established civil government in all its branches. Laws were then paffed for confifcating the eftates, and banishing the perfons of the active decided friends of British government, and for amercing the eftates of others, as a fubftitution for their perfonal fervices, of which their country had been deprived. Mr. Gadfden, notwithstanding the long confinement he had fuffered in the castle of St. Auguftine, and the immenfe lofs of his property, opposed the first law, and with equal zeal and judgment contended that found policy required to forget

1

and

and forgive. Two hundred and thirty-feven perfons or 1782. estates were comprehended under that law, and fortyeight under the other. Thofe whofe fubmiffion to the British appeared to be neceffary and unavoidable, and who did not voluntarily aid or abet their government, were generally overlooked. The execution of these laws induced gen. Leflie, who commanded the royal forces in Carolina, to fend a part of them to feize the negroes and other effects belonging to the whig-citizens, with the avowed intention of applying the fame to the relief of the sufferers by the faid laws. After a fuccefs- April ful excurfion, he wrote to gen. Greene on the 4th of 4• April; and befide urging the motives of humanity, policy and example, for the fufpenfion of fuch procedures, propofed a meeting of commiffioners on each fide, whereby to leffen the devastations of war and fecure inviolate the property of individuals. Greene immediately returned for anfwer, "that he had the honor to command the forces of the United States in the fouthern department; but had nothing to do with the internal police of any ftate." On this Leslie addreffed himself to gov. Mathews, and enclosed the letter he had addreffed to Greene. The governor anfwered on the 12th, after delaying a while, that he might have an opportunity of investigating the truth as to certain matters advanced in Leflie's letter; and told him-" You entirely miftake my character when you fuppofe me to be intimidated by threats, and thereby deterred from executing the duties of the office with which the ftate has honored me. For be affured, Sir, the laws of this ftate trusted to me must and shall be carried into execution-maugre the confequences." He clofed with VOL. IV. S

faying

1782. faying

Your propofition for fufpending the operation of the confifcation act, without offering an equivalent, is inadmiffible. If you have any thing serious and folid to propofe on this head, I am ready to appoint commiffioners on my part to meet thofe of yours to confer on the bufinefs." Thus ended that affair. It might have ferved the friends to the British government far more effectually, had gen, Leflie adopted vigorous measures for their fupport anfwerable to his proclamation, and for the difperfion of the legislative body.

When the reduction of lord Cornwallis was completed, the Pennsylvania line marched to South Carolina. This increase of force enabled gen. Greene to detach a part of his army to Georgia. Gen. Wayne, who commanded, having previously ordered the Americans at Augufta to join him at Ebenezer, croffed the Savannah in January at Two Sifters ferry, with about 100 dragoons under col. Anthony Walton White. He was foon after reinforced by 300 continental infantry under lieut. col. Pofey. The British commander in Savannah, on hearing of this irruption of the Americans, fent orders to the different pofts to burn, as far as they could, all the provifions in the country, and then to retire within their works. The margin of the river Savannah, and the islands in the vicinity of it, were foon covered with fmoke, and prefented to the aftonishing eye a grand but awful fpectacle. What remained of the last year's crop was fo generally deftroyed, that the American forces have been fince obliged to depend chiefly on South Carolina for their fupport.

LET

LETTER IX.

Rotterdam, Sept. 13, 1782.

FRIEND G.

THE

HE date of my last letter scarce admitted of its 1782. being mentioned, that admiral Keppel was created

9.

a viscount, and Mr. Dunning baron Ashburton, and afterward made chancellor of the dutchy of Lancaster. On the 9th of April, Mr. Fox brought a meffage April from his majefty to inform the house, "That being concerned to find difcontents and jealoufies prevailing among his loyal fubjects in Ireland, on matters of great importance, he earnestly recommended to the house the taking of the fame into their moft ferious confideration, in order to fuch à final adjustment as might give mutual fatisfaction to both kingdoms." A like meffage was delivered to the house of lords.

Administration proceeding in this weighty business in confort with the parliament of Ireland, a meffage conceived in the fame terms was fent by the duke of Portland, the lord lieutenant, to the commons of that kingdom, on the 26th, immediately after his arrival to take upon hin the government. The address to the king in confequence of it, was moved by Mr. Grattan, the great and eloquent leader of the popular party. This addrefs, after a full and explicit affertion of the independent rights of the kingdom of Ireland, proceeded to state the causes of thofe jealoufies and difcontents which

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1782. trary to the wifh and without the knowledge of the in

I

habitants in general. Mr. Thomas Chittenden, the goJan. vernor, was addreffed in a letter of January the 1ft, upon the fubject, by a gentleman of the first confequence; to whom he gave the moft pofitive affurances, that fuch negotiations were fo far innocent, that there never was any serious intention of joining Great Britain. in their attempts to fubjugate the United States. But the intercourse had undoubtedly a bad tendency; and gave the British fome ground to hope, that they should annex the people of Vermont to their interefts.

General Washington wrote to gov. Hancock on the 31. 31st of January. The letter was upon public business, and urged the speedy pointed and effectual compliance of the ftate, with the requifitions of congrefs for completing their battalions; that fo all the fruits of the fucceffes of the preceding campaign might not be thrown away, by an inglorious winter of languor and inactivity. It infifted on the neceffity of having a powerful army early in the field. "Soon," fays the general, "might we hope to enjoy all the bleffings of peace, if we could fee again the fame animation in the cause of our country inspiring every breaft, the fame paffion for freedom and military glory impelling our youths to the field, and the fame difinterested patriotifm pervading every rank of men, as was confpicuous at the commencement of this glorious revolution." He preffed the furnishing of the recruits in feason, and the establishing of checks to prevent impofitions as to the quality of the men, that none might be accepted but able bodied and effective, and that it might not be attempted to impofe upon them decrepid or improper men or boys as foldiers.

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