APPENDIX. 503 



to say the least. At the time in question there had occurred some cir- 

 cumstances which prompted the hope of a discontinuance of the war : 

 but that it would be with the acknowledgment of American indepen- 

 dence there was little reason to expect. 



"On the 6th of August, 1782, the Congress, as noticed on their 

 printed journal of that day, received a communication from Sir Guy 

 Carleton and Admiral Digby, dated the 2d of that month, which gave 

 the first opening of the prospect of peace. The pamphlet had been 

 advertised for sale in the Pennsylvania Packet of the 6th, and some 

 copies had been previously handed by the author to a few of his friends. 

 This suspended the intended proceedings in the business; which, in the 

 opinion of the author, would have been justified by necessity, and by 

 no other consideration. 



" It was an opinion commonly entertained, that if there should be a 

 discontinuance of military operations, it would be without the acknowl- 

 edgment of iniependence, as happened after the severance of the 

 Netherlands from the crown of Spain. Of the like issue there seemed 

 probable causes, in the feelings attendant on disappointed efforts for 

 conquest ; and in the belief cherished, that the successes of the former 

 colonists would be followed by dissensions, inducing return to the 

 domination of the mother country. Had the war ended in that way, 

 our obtaining of the succession from England would have been hopeless. 

 The remnant of the Episcopal Church in Scotland, laboring under 

 penal laws not executed, would hardly have regarded the bringing down 

 on themselves of the arm of government. Fear of the like offence would 

 have operated in any other quarter to which we might have had re- 

 course. In such a case, the obtaining of the succession in time to save 

 from ruin, would seem to have been impossible." 



No. V. — Page 309. 



Peregrine Wroth, M. D., of Baltimore, Md. 



The great interest taken in this work by the late venerable Dr. 

 Peregrine Wroth, of Baltimore, in furnishing information in regard to 

 Dr. Smith's life in Maryland, prompted me to write to him to get some 

 of the particulars of his life, out of which to prepare a notice of him in 

 event of his death, which I felt sure would occur ere its publication. I 

 therefore give such extracts from his letters, which will be found entire 



