washington and his comrades in arms-第7章

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broad　acres。　It　was　true　that　America　had　gained　from　the　late　war。　The　foreign　enemy　had　been　struck　down。　But　had　he　not　been　struck　down　too　for　England？　Had　there　not　been　far　more　dread　in　England　of　invasion　by　France　and　had　not　the　colonies　by　helping　to　ruin　France　freed　England　as　much　as　England　had　freed　them？　If　now　the　colonies　were　asked　to　pay　a　share　of　the　bill　for　the　British　army　that　was　a　matter　for　discussion。　They　had　never　before　done　it　and　they　must　not　be　told　that　they　had　to　meet　the　demand　within　a　year　or　be　compelled　to　pay。　Was　it　not　to　impose　tyranny　and　slavery　to　tell　a　people　that　their　property　would　be　taken　by　force　if　they　did　not　choose　to　give　it？　What　free　man　would　not　rather　die　than　yield　on　such　a　point？

The　familiar　workings　of　modern　democracy　have　taught　us　that　a　great　political　issue　must　be　discussed　in　broad　terms　of　high　praise　or　severe　blame。　The　contestants　will　exaggerate　both　the　virtue　of　the　side　they　espouse　and　the　malignity　of　the　opposing　side；　nice　discrimination　is　not　possible。　It　was　inevitable　that　the　dispute　with　the　colonies　should　arouse　angry　vehemence　on　both　sides。　The　passionate　speech　of　Patrick　Henry　in　Virginia；　in　1763；　which　made　him　famous；　and　was　the　forerunner　of　his　later　appeal；　〃Give　me　Liberty　or　give　me　Death；　〃　related　to　so　prosaic　a　question　as　the　right　of　disallowance　by　England　of　an　act　passed　by　a　colonial　legislature；　a　right　exercised　long　and　often　before　that　time　and　to　this　day　a　part　of　the　constitutional　machinery　of　the　British　Empire。　Few　men　have　lived　more　serenely　poised　than　Washington；　yet；　as　we　have　seen；　he　hated　the　British　with　an　implacable　hatred。　He　was　a　humane　man。　In　earlier　years；　Indian　raids　on　the　farmers　of　Virginia　had　stirred　him　to　〃deadly　sorrow；〃　and　later；　during　his　retreat　from　New　York；　he　was　moved　by　the　cries　of　the　weak　and　infirm。　Yet　the　same　man　felt　no　touch　of　pity　for　the　Loyalists　of　the　Revolution。　To　him　they　were　detestable　parricides；　vile　traitors；　with　no　right　to　live。　When　we　find　this　note　in　Washington；　in　America；　we　hardly　wonder　that　the　high　Tory；　Samuel　Johnson；　in　England；　should　write　that　the　proposed　taxation　was　no　tyranny；　that　it　had　not　been　imposed　earlier　because　〃we　do　not　put　a　calf　into　the　plough；　we　wait　till　he　is　an　ox；〃　and　that　the　Americans　were　〃a　race　of　convicts；　and　ought　to　be　thankful　for　anything　which　we　allow　them　short　of　hanging。〃　Tyranny　and　treason　are　both　ugly　things。　Washington　believed　that　he　was　fighting　the　one；　Johnson　that　he　was　fighting　the　other；　and　neither　side　would　admit　the　charge　against　itself。

Such　are　the　passions　aroused　by　civil　strife。　We　need　not　now；　when　they　are；　or　ought　to　be；　dead；　spend　any　time　in　deploring　them。　It　suffices　to　explain　them　and　the　events　to　which　they　led。　There　was　one　and　really　only　one　final　issue。　Were　the　American　colonies　free　to　govern　themselves　as　they　liked　or　might　their　government　in　the　last　analysis　be　regulated　by　Great　Britain？　The　truth　is　that　the　colonies　had　reached　a　condition　in　which　they　regarded　themselves　as　British　states　with　their　own　parliaments；　exercising　complete　jurisdiction　in　their　own　affairs。　They　intended　to　use　their　own　judgment　and　they　were　as　restless　under　attempted　control　from　England　as　England　would　have　been　under　control　from　America。　We　can　indeed　always　understand　the　point　of　view　of　Washington　if　we　reverse　the　position　and　imagine　what　an　Englishman　would　have　thought　of　a　claim　by　America　to　tax　him。

An　ancient　and　proud　society　is　reluctant　to　change。　After　a　long　and　successful　war　England　was　prosperous。　To　her　now　came　riches　from　India　and　the　ends　of　the　earth。　In　society　there　was　such　lavish　expenditure　that　Horace　Walpole　declared　an　income　of　twenty　thousand　pounds　a　year　was　barely　enough。　England　had　an　aristocracy　the　proudest　in　the　world；　for　it　had　not　only　rank　but　wealth。　The　English　people　were　certain　of　the　invincible　superiority　of　their　nation。　Every　Englishman　was　taught；　as　Disraeli　said　of　a　later　period；　to　believe　that　he　occupied　a　position　better　than　any　one　else　of　his　own　degree　in　any　other　country　in　the　world。　The　merchant　in　England　was　believed　to　surpass　all　others　in　wealth　and　integrity；　the　manufacturer　to　have　no　rivals　in　skill；　the　British　sailor　to　stand　in　a　class　by　himself；　the　British　officer　to　express　the　last　word　in　chivalry。　It　followed；　of　course；　that　the　motherland　was　superior　to　her　children　overseas。　The　colonies　had　no　aristocracy；　no　great　landowners　living　in　stately　palaces。　They　had　almost　no　manufactures。　They　had　no　imposing　state　system　with　places　and　pensions　from　which　the　fortunate　might　reap　a　harvest　of　ten　or　even　twenty　thousand　pounds　a　year。　They　had　no　ancient　universities　thronged　by　gilded　youth　who；　if　noble；　might　secure　degrees　without　the　trying　ceremony　of　an　examination。　They　had　no　Established　Church　with　the　ancient　glories　of　its　cathedrals。　In　all　America　there　was　not　even　a　bishop。　In　spite　of　these　contrasts　the　English　Whigs　insisted　upon　the　political　equality　with　themselves　of　the　American　colonists。　The　Tory　squire；　however；　shared　Samuel　Johnson's　view　that　colonists　were　either　traders　or　farmers　and　that　colonial　shopkeeping　society　was　vulgar　and　contemptible。

George　III　was　ill…fitted　by　nature　to　deal　with　the　crisis。　The　King　was　not　wholly　without　natural　parts；　for　his　own　firm　will　had　achieved　what　earlier　kings　had　tried　and　failed　to　do；　he　had　mastered　Parliament；　made　it　his　obedient　tool　and　himself　for　a　time　a　despot。　He　had　some　admirable　virtues。　He　was　a　family　man；　the　father　of　fifteen　children。　He　liked　quiet　amusements　and　had　wholesome　tastes。　If　industry　and　belief　in　his　own　aims　could　of　themselves　make　a　man　great　we　might　reverence　George。　He　wrote　once　to　Lord　North：　〃I　have　no　object　but　to　be　of　use：　if　that　is　ensured　I　am　completely　happy。〃　The　King　was　always　busy。　Ceaseless　industry　does　not；　however；　include　every　virtue；　or　the　author　of　all　evil　would　rank　high　in　goodness。　Wisdom　must　be　the　pilot　of　good　intentions。　George　was　not　wise。　He　was　ill…educated。　He　had　never　traveled。　He　had　no　power　to　see　the　point　of　view　of　others。

As　if　nature　had　not　sufficiently　handicapped　George　for　a　high　part；　fate　placed　him　on　the　throne　at　the　immature　age　of　twenty…two。　Henceforth　the　boy　was　master；　not　pupil。　Great　nobles　and　obsequious　prelates　did　him　reverence。　Ignorant　and　obstinate；　the　young　King　was　determined　not　only　to　reign　but　to　rule；　in　spite　of　the　new　doctrine　that　Parliament；　not　the　King；　carried　on　the　affairs　of　government　through　the　leader　of　the　majority　in　the　House　of　Commons；　already　known　as　the　Prime　Minister。　George　could　not　really　change　what　was　the　last　expression　of　political　forces　in　England。　The　rule　of　Parliament　had　come　to　stay。　Through　it　and　it　alone　could　the　realm　be　governed。　This　power；　however；　though　it　could　not　be　destroyed；　might　be　controlled。　Parliament；　while　retaining　all　its　privileges；　might　yet　carry　out　the　wishes　of　the　sovereign。　The　King　might　be　his　own　Prime　Minister。　The　thing　could　be　done　if　the　King's　friends　held　a　majority　of　the　seats　and　would　do　what　their　master　directed。　It　was　a　dark　day　for　England　when　a　king　found　that　he　could　play　off　one　faction　against　another；　buy　a　majority　in　Parliament；　and　retain　it　either　by　paying　with　guineas　or　with　posts　and　dignities　which　the　bought　Parliament　left　in　his　gift。　This　corruption　it　was　which　ruined　the　first　British　Empire。

We　need　not　doubt　that　George　thought　it　his　right　and　also　his　duty　to　coerce　America；　or　rather；　as　he　said；　the　clamorous　minority　which　was　trying　to　force　rebellion。　He　showed　no　lack　of　sincerity。　On　October　26；　1775；　while　Washington　was　besieging　Boston；　he　opened　Parliament　with　a　speech　which　at　any　rate　made　the　issue　clear　enough。　Britain　would　not　give　up　colonies　which　she　had　founded　with　severe　toil　and　nursed　with　great　kindness。　Her　army　and　her　navy；　both　now　increased　in　size；　would　make　her　power　respected。　She　would　not；　however；　deal　harshly　with　her　erring　children。　Royal　mercy　would　be　shown　to　those　who　admitted　their　error　and　they　need　not　come　to　England　to　secure　it。　Persons　in　America　would　be　authorized　to　grant　pardons　and　furnish　the　guarantees　which　would　proceed　from　the　royal　clemency。

Such　was　the　magnanimity　of　George　III。　Washington's　rage　at　the　tone　of　the　speech　is　almost　amusing　in　its　vehemence。　He；　with　a　mind　conscious　of　rectitude　and　sacrifice　in　a　great　cause；　to　ask　pardon　for　his　course！　He　to　bend　the　knee　to　this　tyrant　overseas！　Washington　himself　was　not　highly　gifted　with　imagination。　He　never　realized　the　strength　of　the　forces　in　England　arrayed　on　his　own　side　and　attributed　to　the　English；　as　a　whole；　sinister　and　malignant　designs　always　condemned　by　the　great　mass　of　the　English　people。　They；　no　less　than　the　Americans；　were　the　victims　of　a　turn　in　politics　which；　for　a　brief　period；　and　for　only　a　brief　period；　left　power　in　the　hands　of　a　corrupt　Parliament　and　a　corrupting　king。

Ministers　were　not　all　corrupt　or　place…hunters。　One　of　them；　the　Earl　of　Dartmouth；　was　a　saint　in　spirit。　Lord　North；　the　king's　chief　minister；　was　not　corrupt。　He　disliked　his　office　and　wished　to　leave　it。　In　truth　no　sweeping　simplicity　of　condemnation　will　include　all　the　ministers　of　George　III　except　on　this　one　point　that　they　allowed　to　dictate　their　policy　a　narrow…minded　and　ignorant　king。　It　was　their　right　to　furnish　a　policy　and　to　exercise　the　powers　of　government；　appoint　to　office；　spend　the　public　revenues。　Instead　they　let　the　King　say　that　the　opinions　of　his　ministers　had　no　avail　with　him。　If　we　ask　why；　the　answer　is　that　there　was　a　mixture　of　motives。　North　stayed　in　office　because　the　King　appealed　to　his　loyalty；　a　plea　hard　to　resist　under　an　ancient　monarchy。　Others　stayed　from　love　of　power　or　for　what　they　could　get。　In　that　golden　age　of　patronage　it　was　possible　for　a　man　to　hold　a　plurality　of　offices　which　would　bring　to　himself　many　thousands　of　pounds　a　year；　and　also　to　secure　the　reversion　of　offices　and　pensions　to　his　children。　Horace　Walpole　spent　a　long　life　in　luxurious　ease　because　of　offices　with　high　pay　and　few　duties　secured　in　the　distant　days　of　his　father's　political　power。　Contracts　to　supply　the　army　and　the　navy　went　to　friends　of　the　government；　sometimes　with　disastrous　results；　since　the　contractor　often　knew　nothing　of　the　business　he　undertook。　When；　in　1777；　the　Admiralty　boasted　that　thirty…five　ships　of　war　were　ready　to　put　to　sea　it　was　found　that　there　were　in　fact　only　six。　The　system　nearly　ruined　the　navy。　It　actually　happened　that　planks　of　a　man…of…war　fell　out　through　rot　and　that　she　sank。　Often　ropes　and　spars　could　not　be　had　when　most　needed。　When　a　public　loan　was　floated　the　King's　friends　and　they　alone　were　given　the　shares　at　a　price　which　enabled　them　to　make　large　profits　on　the　stock　market。

The　system　could　endure　only　as　long　as　the　King's　friends　had　a　majority　in　the　House　of　Commons。　Elections　must　be　looked　after。　The　King　must　have　those　on　whom　he　could　always　depend。　He　controlled　offices　and　pensions