Page:History of the United States of America, Spencer, v1.djvu/253

] Hampshire and Rhode Island; this number of forty-eight to remain fixed; no colony to have more than seven nor less than two members; but the apportionment within those limits to vary with the rates of contribution. This Council was to undertake the defence of the colonies as a general charge, to apportion quotas of men and money, to control the colonial armies, to enact ordinances of general interest, and to provide for the general welfare. It was to have for its head a president-general appointed by the crown, to possess a negative on all acts of the Council, the appointment of all military officers, and the entire management of Indian affairs. Civil officers were to be appointed by the Council, with the consent of the president. Such was the first official suggestion of what grew afterwards to be our present Federal Constitution."

It is worthy of remark that this plan met with no favor from either the Colonial Assemblies or the Board of Trade. "The Assemblies," says Franklin, speaking of it some thirty years afterwards, "all thought there was too much prerogative in it; and in England it was thought to have too much of the democratic in it." The home government, too, probably felt suspicious of anything like united action among the colonies, since it might teach them their strength and foster the idea of independence. It was determined, therefore, as best, all things considered, to carry on the war by means of royal troops, the colonies furnishing such help as they might see fit.

There being every appearance of war between England and France, the royal governors in the colonies made applications for a levy of militia, which were warmly responded to by the northern colonies, the southern displaying far less zeal. As it was known that a French squadron, destined to carry out four thousand troops, under Baron Dieskau, was preparing to sail from Brest, Admiral Boscawen was sent to intercept it; but the greater .part of the ships succeeded in throwing their forces into Canada and Louisburg, although one or two fell into the hands of the English. No formal declaration of war had as yet been issued, but meanwhile each was engaged in measures to annoy and injure the other.

Dinwiddie was a good deal mortified at the uncompliant humor of the Assembly, and he gave utterance to no light complaints in his dispatches. They did, however, vote a respectable military force, in which, to avoid disputes about rank among the officers, a general order gave precedence in all cases to those commissioned by the king or commander-in-chief, over such as had only colonial commissions. This excited disgust, of course, in the minds of men like Washington and his fellow-officers; and self-respect urged him to resign his commission immediately. Having done this, he devoted himself to looking after his private affairs.

General Braddock was appointed commander-in-chief, and early in 1775,