[PDF]The revolution of America

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The

Robert E. Gross
Collection

A Memorial to the Founder
of the


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Business Administration Library
Los Angeles


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RE VOLUTION


O F


AMERICA.


B Y


THE ABBE RAYNAL,

AUTHOR OF THE P HILOSOT H I C AI. AND POLITICAL
HISTORY OF THE ESTABLISHMENTS AND COM-
MERCE OF THE EUROPEANS IN BOTH THE INDIFS.


**


LONDON

PRINTED FOR LOCKYER DAVIS, HOLBOR

MDCCtXXXI.


ADVERTISEMENT,
BY THE TRANSLATOR.

THE Philofophical and Political
Hiftory of the Eftablifliments and

Commerce of the Europeans, in
both the Indies, by the Abbe
Raynal, is certainly one of the
lineft works which have appeared
fince the revival of letters ; and
perhaps the mod inftru6live of
any which have been known. It
is an original as to its formation ;
and ought to ferve henceforward
for a model. An additional part
to this work, difcufling the dis-
putes of Great Britain with her
Colonies, has been long and ar-
dently expe&ed. In the courfe
of his travels, the translator hap-
pily Succeeded in obtaining a copy
of this exquiiite little piece, which

A 2 h.i


[ iv ]

has not yet made its appearance
from any prefs. He publifhes a
French edition, in favour of thofe
who will feel its eloquent reafoning
more forcibly in its native lan-
guage, at the fame time with the
following tranflation of it ; in
which he has been defirous, per-
haps in vain, that all the warmth,
the grace, the ftrength, the dig-
nity of the original, fhould not
be loft. And he flatters himfelf,
that the indulgence of the illuf-?
trious hiftorian will not be wanting
to a man, who, of his own mo-
tion, has taken the liberty to
give this compofition to the pub-
lic, only from a ftrong perfuafion,
that its momentous argument will
be ufeful, in a critical conjuncture,
to chat country which he loves

with


[ v ]

with an ardour, that can be ex-
ceeded only by the nobler flame,
which burns in the bofom of the
philanthropic author, for the free-
dom and happinefs of all the
countries upon earth»

It may not, perhaps, be quite
needlefs to obferve, tho' it ought
to be under flood, that the valua-
tion of fums, made in the ori-
ginal in foreign money, is, in
the tranflation, made in fterling.

The abundant good fenfe, the
political fagacity, and even the
falutary farcafm, to be found,
amidft the effufions of benevo-
lence, in this hiitorical tract, could
never, it is apprehended, be more
opportunely laid before thofe
whom it may concern, than now.
It now feems to be the general
and anxious expectation, that, be-

A 3 fore


C vi ]

fore the riling of Parliament from
its prefent feffion, fome proper
and efficacious fteps will at laft,
at this high time, be thought of,
towards doling the unnatural, the
ihameful, and diitrefsful breach,
between the mother-country and
her colonies ; a breach in which,
as it is obferved, with great truth,
by the author of a Plan of Accom-
modation*, founded in j uitice and
liberality, " The people on both
li fides are robbed of their trueft
" interefts, and made to facrifice
" their mutual happinefs, to gain
" nothing but contempt and mi-

" fery."

Let not Wifdom xitter her
voice in the ftreets, and no man
regard her.

* Printed in 2780.

The


C vii ]


The Tranflator cannot help moil
folicitoufly wifhing that fome of
his fellow-fubjefts, of the Britifh
dominions, may enter the litis for
the prize propofed in the follow-
ing Advertifement from the Aca-
demy of Lyons, in the hope that
he fhall have the happinels to fee
it borne from the reft of the lettered
world, by a hero of that people,
who have been dear, tarn Marti
quàm Mercurio, who are yet dif-
tinguifhed for their eloquence, and
who, he trufts, when fraternal
feuds fhall be reconciled, will
vindicate their fuperiority in arms.
lie humbly offers his fervice to
any candidate for this prize, pro-
ductive of fo great celebrity, who
may not know the readv means

A 4 of


[ ™* ]

of doing it himfelf, to get his
performance conveyed to Lyons,
free of poftage, provided that
it be left with his Bookfeller,
Mr. Lockyer Davis, before the
firft of December, 1782»


London, March 5, 1781


A D-


[ bt ]


ADVERTISEMENT

FROM

THE ACADEMY

OF SCIENCES, POLITE LITERATURE, AND ARTS,
AT LYONS.

1 HE Abbe'Raynal, after hav-
ing inftrudted mankind by his
writings, would ftill contribute to
the improvement of their know-
ledge, by exciting emulation. An
Affociate in the labours of the
Academy of Lyons, he propofed
to it to give out two fubje&s for
prizes, of which he has confti-
tuted the fund, to be diiiributed
by the Academy, to the authors

whom


[ x ]

whom it fliall judge to have beft
anfwered the views of the pro-
pounded qxieftions.

The Academy accepted of the
offer with gratitude, and pub-
lishes the iubjedis without delay.

I'he jirfl fubjecl propofed for the year
1782, relating exclujively to the
manufactures and prof per ity of
the city of Lyons , is omitted here,
as, however judicious and pa-
triotic in the founder of the prize,
it is an object only of particular
concern, and, confequently, itot
interefling, like the fécond, to
the world at large.


®www%


FOR


[ xi ]

FOR THE YEAR 17S3.

The Academy propofes the
following iubjedt.

Has the difcovery of America
been ufeful or hurtful lo mankind f

If advantages have ref tilted from
ity what are the means to preferve
and inereafe them ?

If dif advantages^ what are the
means to remedy them ?

The prize conflits of the fum
of fifty Louis d'or, which will
be remitted to the fuccefsfui au-
thor, or his affigns,

CONDITIONS.

Any pcrfon of any nation may
be a competitor for this prize, ex-
cept titulary and veteran acade-
micians. The aikxiatcs of acade-
mies will be admitted. The au-
thors


[ xii ]

thors muft not let themfelves be
known, dire&ly or indiredtly ;
they will put lome line, or motto,
at the head of their performance,
which will be accompanied by a
note fealed up, containing the
fame line, or motto, with their
names and places of abode.

The Academy, confidering the
importance of the fubjeft, fets no
limits to the length of the compo-
sition, but only wifhes the author
to write in French or Latin.

No work can be admitted after
the firft of February, 1783. The
Academy will proclaim the prize
the fame year, in it's public affem-
bly, after St. Lewis's day, or the
25th of Auguft.

The packets are to be fent to
Lyons, free of poftage, directed to

M. La


[ xin ]

M. La Tourrette, Secretaire
perpétuel pour la clajjè des Sciences ,
Rue BoiJJac ; or to

M. deBory, Secretaire perpétuel
pour la clajje des Belles-Lettres, Rue
Boiffac ; or to

M. Aime7 de la Roche, Impri*
meur-Libraire de P Académie, mai-*
Jon des halles de la Grenette.

Signed,

La Tourrette,
Perpetual Secretary.


Lyons, Sept. 5, 1780.


The


The Reader is entreated to correct the fol-
lowing errors of the prefs, and to pardon
fom? inaccuracies and gallicifms, occa-
sioned bv the well -meaning zeal, which
hurried the translator to give this piece
to his country with all poflible defpatch.

Page Line

13. — 1- for happy people, read happinefs

of the people.
54. — 6. for whom, read which.
84. — 8. for Form pleas, read Form plans.
89. — 20. for began, read begin.


CON-


I xv ]


CONTENTS.

Distressed flaw of England in

1763. page t

England calls her colonies to her aid 3

England exacts from her colonies what fhc
fhould but have requeued 14

After having o-iven way, England would

be obeyed by her colonies. Meafures

hich they take to refill: her 20

The colonies were in the right to fèparatc
thcmfelves from their mother-country,
independently of all difcontent 33

What was the part which England mould
have taken, when ihe faw the fermenta
tion of her colonies 6o

England determines to reduce her colonics
by force 7 S

The colonies break the ties which united
them to England, and declare thcm-
felves independent of her 90

Commencement of the war between the
United States and England 102

\ Vh v


[ xvi ]

Why the confederate provinces did not
fucceed in driving the Englifh from the
continent of America 123

France acknowledges the independence of
the United States. This meafure occa-
sions war between this crown and that
of England 135

Spain, not having fucceeded in reconciling
England and France, declares for the
latter power 156

What ought to be the politics of the Houfe
of Bourbon, if victorious 166

What idea ihould be formed of the thirteen
united provinces 1*72


THE


THE

RE VOLUTION

O F

AMERICA.

JlLNGLAND was jull difengaged from a Die
long and bloody war, in which her fleets England
had difplayed the banner of victory in all '
feas ; in which a dominion, already too
vail, was augmented by an immenfe ac-
cefllon of territory in both the Indies. This
fplendid face of things might have an hn*
pofing air abroad ; but the nation was re-
duced within to groan for its acquittions
and its triumphs. Overwhelmed with a
debt of £148,000,000, which coil her an
interefl of £4,959,000, fhe was fcarcely
fufficient to the moll necellary cxpences
with the five millions eight hundred thou-
fand pounds which remained to her of her
revenue ; and this revenue, fo far from
being capable of increafe, had no certain
and allured confiflency.

B Land


C * ]

Land remained loaded with a higher tax
than it ever had been in time of peace.
New taxes had been laid on windows and
on houfes. Thefe acts laid a heavy
charge on all real eftate. Wine, plate,
cards, dice, all that was regarded as an
object of luxury, or amufement, paid more
than could have been thought poflible. To
reimburfe itfelf for the facrifice made to
the prefervation of the public health, in
the prohibition of fpirituous liquors, the
treafury had recourfe to malt, beer, cyder,
and all the ufual beverages of the people.
The fea-ports difpatched nothing to fo-
reign countries, and received nothing from
them, but wha£ was burthened cruelly with
duties, on the import and the export-
Raw materials and workmanlhip were rifen
to fo high a price in Great Britain, that
her merchants found themfelves fupplanted
in countries where they had never before
experienced a competition. The profits of
her commerce, with all parts of the globe,
amounted not annually to above two mil-
lions and a. half; and, from this balance
in her favour, there muft have been de-
ducted


[ 3 ]

dueled a million and a half, paid in intereft
to foreigners, on their capitals placed in
her public funds.

The fp rings of the flate were drained.
All the mufclcs of the body-politic, expe-
riencing at once a violent tendon, were in
fome fort difplaced. It was a critical mo-
ment. It was neccfTary to let the people
breathe. They could not be relieved by a
diminution of expence. That of the go-
vernment was neceffary, either to give va-
lue to conquefts bought at the price of fo
much treafure, at the price of fo much
blood ; or to reftrain the houfe of Bour-
bon, angered by the humiliations of the
laft war, and by the facriflces of the laft
peace. In default of other means, to fix
both the fecurity of the prefent, and the
profperity of the future, an idea was
formed of calling the colonies to the aid.
of the mother-country. This view was
wife and juft.

The members of a confederacy ought Engl* d
all, in proportion to the extent of their
powers, to contribute to its defence and
to its fplendour, fincc it is by the public

B 2 power


[ 4 J

power alone that each clafs can preferve
the intire and peaceable enjoyment of its
poflemons. The indigent man has, with-
out doubt, lefs intereft in it than the rich -y
but he has the intereft of his quiet in the
flrft inftance, and in the next, that of the
preservation of the public wealth, whicrr
he is called upon to partake of by his in-
duftry. There is no principle of fociety
more evident ; and yet no fault in politics
more common than its infraction. Whence
can arife this perpetual contradiction be-
tween the knowledge and the conduct of
thofe who govern ? From the vice of the
legillative power, which exaggerates the
maintenance of the public power, and
ufurps, for its fancies, a part of the funds-
deftined to this maintenance. The gold of
the trader, and of the hufbandman, with»
the fubfiftence of the poor, torn from them,,
in the name of the ftate, in their fields and
their habitations, and proftituted in courts
to intereft and to vice, goes to fwell the
pomp of a fet of men who flatter, hate,
and corrupt their mafter ;. goes ultimately
into lull viler hands, to pay the fcandal

^and


t 5 J

•and the ignominy of their pica fu res. It
is prodigally fquandered in a fafhious fhew
of grandeur, the vain decoration of thofe
who cannot attain to real grandeur, and in
feftivities and entertainments, the rcfource
of impotent idlenefs, in the mid ft of the
cares and labours which the right govern-
ment of an empire would demand. A por-
tion of it, it is true, is given to the public
wants; but inattention, and incapacity, ap-
ply it without judgment, as without ceco-
nomy. Authority deceived, and which
will not condefcend even to make an effort
nt being undeceived, fuflers an unjuft dif-
tribution in the taxes, and a manner of ga-
thering them which is itfelf but an op-
preflion more. Then is every patriotic fen-
timent extino-uifhed. A war is eflablifhed
between the prince and fubjedts. They
who raife the revenues of the ftate appear
to be no other than the enemies of the ci-
tizen. He defends his fortune from taxa-
tion as he would defend it from invafion.
Whatever cunning can purloin from power
fcems lawful gain ; and the fubjedts, cor-
rupted by the government, make reprifals

B 3


C 6 ]

on the matter by whom they are pillaged.
They perceive not, that in this unequal
combat, they are themfelves dupes and
victims. The infatiable and ardent trea-
fury, lefs fatisfied with what is given, than
irritated by what has been refufed, reaches
eagerly, with a hundred hands, after what
one alone has dared to divert from its gripe.
It joins the activity of power to that of
intereft. Vexations are multiplied, under
the fpecious name of chaflifement and juf-
tice ; and the monfter who beggars all thofe
whom he torments, thanks heaven devoutly
for the number of the criminals who have
been punifhed by him, and of the crimes
by which he is enriched. Happy the fo-
vereign who mould not difdain, for the
prevention of fo many abufes, to render
to his fubjedts a faithful account of the em-
ployment of the fums he might exaâ: î But
this fovereign has not yet appeared; and,
without doubt, he never will appear. The
debt, however, of the protected people,
towards the protedtor-ftate, is not a lefs
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