Page 43. "Se le ministere anglais avoit eu la patience d'attendre," &c.
Having seen and intimately known the positions of the Americans at that moment, I am certain that this conjecture would not have been verified. The determined resolution with which they met every effort of the ministry, whether made in the form of force, fraud, or persuasion, gives us a moral certainty they would have been equally immoveable, if tried in the way of privation here proposed.
Page 51. The substitution of Gage for Hutchinson was not intended as a favor, but, by putting the civil government into military hands, was meant to show they would enforce their measures by arms. See page 109, where Congress makes it one of their grievances.
Page 102. "Plusieurs criminals," &c. Notwithstanding the laws the English made, I think they never ventured to carry a single person to be tried in England. They knew that reprisals would be made, and probably on the person of the governor who ventured on the measure.
Page 149. The fact that the English commenced hostilities at Lexington being proved beyond question by us, and even acknowledged by the English, justice requires it should be plainly asserted and left clear of doubt. Few of the facts which history asserts and relies on, have been so well established.
Page 150. "L'humanité des Britons." I doubt whether this is the character of the nation in general. But this history, and every one which is impartial, must in its relation of this war show, in such repeated instances, that they conducted it, both in theory and practice, on the most barbarous principles, that the expression here cited will stand in contradiction to the rest of the work. As examples of their theory, recollect the act of Parliament for constraining our prisoners, taken on the sea, to bear arms against their fathers, brothers, &c. For their practice, recollect the exciting the savages against us, insurrections of our slaves, sending our prisoners to the East Indies, killing them in prison ships, keeping them on half rations, and of the most unwholesome quality, cruel murders of unarmed individuals of every sex, massacres of those in arms after they had asked quarters, &c., &c.
Page 150. "A cé que l'on dét à 20,000 hommes." It was of 22,000 men. I was in a situation to know the fact from General Washington's own information.
Page 158. 1. 8. Strike out "ét probablement," and insert "mais veritablement." I remember the fact well, and the leading persons of Connecticut, and particularly their delegates in Congress made no secret, that their object was to overawe New York into its duty. Page 159. "Et fut resolvè de la reduire [i. e., nouvelle York] en cendre." This was proposed and considered in Congress, but they refused to come to this resolution, nor do I recollect that any other body resolved it.
Page 163. Doctor Franklin has been called by that title as early as 1760, within my own knowledge; I do not know how much longer.
His quality in France was that of Minister Plenipotentiary, and not as Ambassador. We have never appointed an Ambassador. France offered to receive one.