From the circumstance of his previous acquaintance with lord Howe, that nobleman, before he made known his commission to Congress, addressed Dr Franklin in the most friendly manner, expressing a hope that he should be assisted by his conciliatory good offices. The reply of Franklin was, as usual, explicit and manly in the declaration of the only measures on the part of the mother country which could possibly reconcile the colonies. The following proceedings in Congress will shew the farther progress of this abortive but very interesting negotiation.

"In Congress, September 2, 1776.

"Congress being informed that general Sullivan, who was taken prisoner in Long Island, was come to Philadelphia, with a message from lord Howe,

"Ordered, that he be admitted and heard before Congress.

"General Sullivan, being admitted, delivered the verbal message he had in charge from lord Howe, which he was desired to reduce to writing, and withdrew."

"September 3.

"General Sullivan, having reduced to writing the verbal message from lord Howe, the same was laid before Congress, and read as follows :—

"The following is the purport of the message sent from lord Howe to Congress, by general Sullivan.

"That though he could not at present treat with Congress as such, yet he was very desirous of having a conference with some of the members, whom he would consider at present only as private gentlemen, and meet them himself as such, at such place as they should appoint.

"That he, in conjunction with general Howe, had full power to compromise the disputes between Great Britain and America, on terms advantageous to both, the obtaining of which delayed him near two months

in England, and prevented his arrival at this place before the declaration of independence took place.

"That he wished a compact might be settled at this time, when no decisive blow was struck, and neither party could say that they were compelled to enter into such an agreement.

"That in case Congress were disposed to treat, many things which they had not yet asked might, and ought to be granted to them; and that if upon the conference they found any probable ground of an accommodation, the authority of Congress must be afterwards acknowledged, otherwise the compact could not. be complete."

"September 5.

"Resolved-That general Sullivan be requested to inform lord Howe, that this Congress, being the representatives of the free and independent states of America, cannot with propriety send any of its members to confer with his lordship in their private characters; but ever desirous of establishing peace on reasonable terms, they will send a committee of their body to know whether he has any authority to treat with persons authorized by Congress for that purpose on behalf of America, and what that authority is, and to hear such propositions as he shall think fit to make respecting the same. Ordered, that a copy of the foregoing resolution be delivered to general Sullivan, and that he be directed to repair to lord Howe."

"September 6. "Resolved-That the committee to be sent to know whether lord Howe has any authority to treat with persons authorized by Congress for that purpose on behalf of America, and what that authority is, and to hear such propositions as he shall think fit to make respecting the same, consist of three.

The members chosen are Dr Franklin, Mr Adams, and Mr Rutledge.

"Dr Franklin, having announced the appointment of this deputation to lord Howe, received from his lordship the following communication.

"Eagle, off Bedlow's Island,

Sept. 10, 1776.

"To DR FRANKLIN.-Lord Howe presents his compliments to Dr Franklin, and according to the tenor of his favour of the 8th, will attend to have the pleasure of meeting him, and Messrs Adams and Rutledge, tomorrow morning at the house on Staten Island, opposite to Amboy, as early as the few conveniences for travelling by land on Staten Island will permit. Lord Howe, upon his arrival at the place appointed, will send a boat, if he can procure it in time, with a flag of truce, over to Amboy, and requests the Doctor and the other gentlemen will postpone their intended favour of passing over to meet him, until they are informed as above of his arrival to attend them there. In case the weather should prove unfavourable for lord Howe to pass in his boat to Staten Island to-morrow, as from the present appearance there is some reason to suspect, he will take the next earliest opportunity that offers for that purpose. In this intention he may be further retarded, having been an invalid lately, but will certainly give the most timely notice of that inability. He however flatters himself he shall not have occasion to make further excuses account.'

on that

"September 13.

"The committee appointed to confer with lord Howe, having returned, made a verbal report. "Ordered-That they make a report in writing, as soon as they conveniently can."

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September 17. "The committee appointed to confer with lord Howe, agreeable to order, brought in a report in writing, which was read as follows:

"In obedience to the orders of Congress, we have had a meeting with lord Howe : it was on Wednesday last, upon Staten Island, opposite Amboy, where his lordship received and entertained us with the utmost politeness.

"His lordship opened the conversation by acquainting us, that he could not treat with us as a committee of Congress; yet as his powers enabled him to confer and consult with any private gentlemen of influence in the colonies, on the means of restoring peace between the two countries, he was glad of this opportunity of conferring with us on that subject, if we thought ourselves at liberty to enter into a conference with him in that character.

"We observed to his lordship, that as our business was to hear, he might consider us in what light he pleased, and communicate to us any proposition he might be authorised to make for the purpose mentioned; but that we could consider ourselves in no other character than that in which we were placed by order of Congress.

"His lordship then entered into a discourse of a considerable length, which contained no explicit proposition of peace, except one, viz. that the colonies should return to their allegiance and obedience to Great Britain. The rest consisted principally of assurances that there was an exceeding good disposition in the king and his ministers to make that government easy to us, with intimations, that in case of our submission, they would cause the offensive acts of parliament to be revised, and the instructions to governors to be reconsidered; so that if any just cause of complaint were found in the acts, or any errors in government were perceived to have crept into the instructions, they might be amended or withdrawn.

"We gave it as our opinion to his lordship, that a return to the domination of Great Britain was not now to be expected. We mentioned the repeated humble petitions of the colonies to the king and parliament, which had been treated with contempt, and answered only by additional injuries; the unexampled patience we had shown under their tyrannical government; and that it was not till the last act of parliament, which denounced war against us, and put

us out of the king's protection, that we declared our independence. That this declaration had been called for by the people of the colonies in general; that every colony had approved of it when made; and all now considered themselves as independent states, and were settling, or had settled, their governments accordingly; so that it was not in the power of Congress to agree for them, that they should return to their former dependent state. That there was no doubt of their inclination to peace, and their willingness to enter into a treaty with Great Britain that might be advantageous to both countries. That though his lordship had at present no power to treat with them as independent states, he might, if there was the same good disposition in Britain, much sooner obtain fresh powers from thence, than powers could be obtained by Congress from the several colonies to consent to a submission.

"His lordship then, saying that he was sorry to find that no accommodation was likely to take place, put an end to the conference.

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"Upon the whole, it did not appear to your committee, that his lordship's commission contained any other authority of importance, than what is expressed in the act of parliament, viz. that of granting pardons, with such exceptions as the commissioners shall think proper to make, and of declaring America, or any part of it, to be in the king's peace, upon submission: for as to the power of inquiring into the state of America, which his lordship mentioned to us, and of conferring and consulting with any persons the commissioners might think proper, and representing the result of such conversation to the ministry, who, provided that the colonies would subject themselves, might after all, or might not, at their pleasure, make any alterations in their former instructions to governors, or propose in parliament any amendment of the acts complained of, we apprehended any expectation from the effect of such a power would have been too uncertain and pre