particularly of thofe in the circle of Weftphalia, he could by no means be indifferent as to the election of a prince to thofe bishopricks, of fo powerful a house as that of Auftria. He therefore earneftly intreated the elector, not to be in too great hafte in a matter of fo much concern; rather to reconfider the bufinefs; to, prefer the welfare of the empire, of his circle and bishopricks, to all other confiderations whatever; to quiet the minds of himself, and of other princes, who held the fame opinion with him; and thereby to continue, their ufual friendly and neighbourly intercourse. The King of Pruffia's logical powers did not produce all the effect in this controverfy, which his arguments of a different nature had ufually done in others. The elector, however, feemed to have had enough of the conteft, for he left him in full poffeffion of the field. But without making any reply, he adhered firmly to his refolution; and the election of the Archduke Maximilian accordingly took place at Munfter about the middle of Auguft. The foregoing circumftances fufficiently fhew, the deep jealoufy which ftill fubfifts, between thofe great rival and neighbouring powers. The peregrination of princes out of their own dominions, with their visits, meetings, and conferences, are things now become fo common, that they fcarcely at all draw the public attention, much lefs excite any alarm. When they were rare, the conjunction of fuch meteors, efpecially if they were of a fuperior magnitude, was deemed portentous to mankind; and the effects generally juftified the prognoftication. Neither the particular novelty of the affait, nor the magnifience with which it was, on one fide at leaft, attended, were able to draw much of the public attention, to the interview which took place this year, between the Emperor of Germany, and the Empress of Ruffia. The latter having accompanied the Great Duke and Duchefs of Ruffia, on their way to make the tour of Europe, proceeded, according to the concerted appointment, to Mohilow in Poland, where the meeting of thofe great potentates took place, in the month of June 1780. Form, etiquette, or ceremonial, were no parts of, nor no interruption to, the fatisfaction which thefe illuftrious perfonages received in each others converfation and acquaint ance. After fome stay at Mohilow, the emperor accompanied the Czarina on her return to Peterfburgh, where he continued for fome time; and where he was received with all the magnificence peculiar to that court, and fo different from the plainnefs and fimplicity of his own habits, manhers, and mode of living. His private life was, however, spent as ufual. Whether this vifit, and the confequent intimacy and friendship which it might be fuppofed to produce, awakened any fufpicion or jealoufy in the breaft of a great and powerful neighbour, can only be a matter of furmife. The return of the emperor from Petersburgh was, however, foon fucceeded, by a vifit which the Prince Royal of Pruffia paid to that capital; a circumftance, which might feem to give fome countenance to fuch an opinion. After After what we have feen of the imperial meeting at Mohilow, and the accompaniment on the return to Petersburgh, it will fcarcely be fuppofed, that the vifit which the King of Sweden made about the fame time to Holland, and his tour in examining the particularities of that fingular country, either caufed any alarm, or excited much notice. This year was particularly marked, by the death of Maria Therefa, Emprefs of Germany, Queen of Hungary and Bohemia, hereditary Archduchefs of Auftria, and natural fovereign of all the widely extended dominions appertaining to that great houfe, She departed this life at Vienna, on the 29th day of November, 1780, and in the 63d year of her age, This great princefs inherited, along with a vaft but difputed patrimony, all the fpirit, magnanimity, and firmnefs, of any the most renowned of her ancestors. These were, however, accompanied with many other virtues and good qualities. In the courfe of her life the experienced great viciffitudes of fortune, On the death of her father, many of the first powers in Europe, excited by the weakness of her fex, and ftill more by that of a long ill-ordered government, in contempt of treaties, and guaranties, rufhed on at once, as to a common prey, to fwallow up the whole of her ample dominions. Scarcely any thing was left unclaimed. The only difficulty feemed to reft in the divifion of the fpoil. From the extremity of diftrefs, and a ftate of fuch imminent danger, that the herfelf doubted, whether fhe could retain the poffeffion of any place, capable of affording The The French King, this year dignified, and for ever rendered memorable his name-day, by a prefent to his fubjects, worthy the humanity and magnificence of a great and enlightened monarch. This was neither the remiffion of taxes or duties, a general pardon to criminals, nor the allotment of great funds for the indigent. It was of a fuperior nature even to thefe It was no less than the abolishing for ever of the inhuman cuftom, of putting the question, as it was called, by torture; a cuftom, which had been fo established and rivetted, by the practice and concurrence of ages, that it feemed to be an original and indivifible part of the conftitution of their courts of justice. It was in vain, that the wifeft and honefteft lawyers and judges, as well as the foundest philofophers, fully perceived, and deeply lamented, the total inefficacy as well as cruelty of this barbarous mode of criminal jurifprudence. They had not only the obftinacy of antient prejudice to furmount; .but this practice was fo favourable to the views of defpotifm, and was falfely fuppofed to contribute fo much to the fecurity of the ftate, that all attempts for its removal, would have been not only ineffectual but dangerous. This relick of barbarism, which had fo long been the opprobrium of the chriftian name, and a ftanding difgrace to the most civilized and learned quarter of the globe, might ftill have lingered in France, if a patriot prince, feeling the happiness of living in the affections of his people, and difcerning, that all poffible fecurity was founded in those affections, had not from thence renounced all defences inconfiftent with that which is fo much more folid. We hope, and indeed it is now fcarcely to be doubted, that the time is not far diftant, when a trace of this inhuman practice, will not be found in any part of the western world. However interefting and valuable the following tranfaction may be confidered in point of political œconomy, and however it may even contribute to leffen the burthens of the people, it is not by way of placing it in any degree of competition with the former meafure, that we in this place take notice of the prodigious reform which was made in the French King's houfehold; that monarch, in pursuance of the new plan of œconomy adopted in his court, having this year at one ftroke abolifhed, no lefs than 406 offices in that department. The attempts (moftly ineffective) made by the court of Spain to raise money by loans in foreign countries, afforded fufficient evi dence how much its treasures had been already exhaufted, by the extraordinary expences of this naval war, as well as of the apparently fruitless fiege of Gibraltar. Although the war is faid to be entirely against the fenfe and liking of the Spanish nation, who confidered it as a ruinous meafure, founded merely upon Bourbon views and principles, yet the influence of the court, and a fenfe of national honour prevailed fo far, that cities, communities, and even individuals, contributed largely to relieve the exigencies of the ftate. Of thefe, the Archbishop of Toledo afforded a fingular inftance, which in a war of another another nature, might have been juftly admitted, as a demonftration of true patriotifm." That prelate magnanimoufly appropriated to the ufe of the war, the whole of his vaft revenues during the time of its continuance. Thus wifely chufing a road to fame, in which he was fure of not being disturbed by rivals or competitors, and of not having his heels trod upon by imitators. The bounty and kindness, extended by the Bishop of Lugo, to the British prifoners in Spain, (acknowledgments of which have been given in the public prints) deferves every degree of praife and gratitude. Although fome of their commanders behaved otherwife, the Spanish nobility and merchants, in general, have fhewn very extraordinary marks of kindnefs, friendfhip, and even affection, to thofe English gentlemen who have fallen in their way during the present war. Among thofe remarkable circumftances which diftinguish the year 1780, the conduct of the Duke of Modena, in abolishing the inquifition in his dominions, fhould by no means be overlooked. It indeed affords a new inftance of the progrefs, which liberal ideas with refpect to toleration, are now making throughout Europe. A farther extenfion of the fame ideas, may be hoped to reach to the civil and religious rights of mankind, as well as to a bare fufferance of their opinions. That prince, upon the death of the Grand Inquifitor at Reggio, immediately ordered that tribunal to be for ever abolished; its revenues to be applied to other, and more laudable purpofes; and the prifons, and other buildings, which could preferve any memorial of its having ever exifted, to be entirely demolished. CHA P. II. Retrospective view of affairs in America and the West Indies, in the pear 1780. State of the hoftile armies on the fide of New York, previous to, and at the arrival, of Gen. Sir Henry Clinton from the reduction of Charles Town. Short campaign in the Ferfies. Connecticut farms. Springfield. Unexpected effect produced by the reduction of Charles Town, in renewing and exciting the Spirit of union and refiftance in America. Great hopes founded on the expected co-operation of a French fleet and army in the reduction of New York, and the final expulfion of the British forces from that continent. Marquis de la Fayette arrives from France. M. de Ternay, and the Count de Rochambeau, arrive with a French Squadron, and a body of land forces, and are put into poffeffion of the fortifications and harbour of Rhode-Island. Admiral Arbuthnot blocks up the French Squadron. Difpofitions made by Sir Henry Clinton for attacking the French auxiliaries. Gen. Washington paffes the North River, with a view of attempting New York. Expedition to Rhode Island laid afide. Great difficulties experienced by Don Bernard de Galvez, in his expedition to West Florida. Befieges and takes the fort at Mobille. Gre, t land and naval force fent out from Spain, in order to join M. de Güich n in the Weft Indies. Function of the hoftile fleets, notwithstanding the efforts of Admiral Sir George Rodney, to intercept the Spanish Squadron and convoy. Sickness and mortality in the Spanish fleet and army, with fome other caufes, preferve the British islands from the imminent danger to which they were apparently expofed by the great fuperiority of the enemy. Thefe caufes operate ftill farther in their confequences; which affect the whole face and nature of the war in the new world, and entirely frustrate the grand views formed by France and America, for the remainder of the campaign. Spanish fleet and army proceed to the Havannah; and M. de Guichen returns from St. Domingo, with a convoy, to Europe. Great preparations made by the Americans for effectually co-operating with the French forces on the arrival of M. de Guichen. Washington's army in creafed, for that purpose, to 20,000 men. Invafion of Canada intended, and preparatory proclamations iffued by the Marquis de la Fayette. Caufes which prevented M. de Guichen from proceeding to North America. Sir George Rodney arrives, with a fquadron, at New York. HE hoftile armies on the fide TH of New York were fo nearly poized, both with refpect to offenfive force and defenfive ftrength, that their mutual fituation, and comparative circumftances, afforded no great opportunity of exertion or enterprize to Gen. Sir Henry Clinton, upon his return from the taking of Charles Town. The advantages, however, derived from the poffeffion of the islands, their vicinity to the continent, the quick and filent movements of a great number of frigates, and other fmaller armed veffels calculated for the purpofe, and mafter of all the channels and intercourfes, as well as of the adjoining fea, together with the unexampled length of ill connected pofts which were to be guarded by the Americans, afforded, almoft, continual opportunities, of hafty descent and fuccefsful furprize, by which much blood was fpilt, and mifchief done, without producing any effect, or at least any good one, with respect to the main objects, and great purposes of the war. This kind of fervice, except where the object was more confi. derable than ordinary, was left entirely to the Refugees; who having arms in their hands, nothing elfe to do, little other provifion, and being edged on by the moft implacable animofity against their countrymen, cagerly embraced every adventure, which afforded any hope of profit, or what was perhaps ftill fweeter, of revenge. They were now grown fo numeraus, that they were ftrangely permitted to fet up a fort of a diftin&t government in New York, under the conduct of a jurifdiction of their own creation, which they called, the Honourable Board of Affociated Loyalifts. This board, it is faid, was authorized from home; but this is hardly credible and having a common stock, and their infant excurfions at fea, having proved extremely fuccefsful, they became every day more numerous and powerful, and poffeffed fomething like a fleet, of fmall privateers and cruizers. Their enterprizes were bold, well conducted, and frequently fuccefsful; in |