34 NATURAL AND CiViL 



manner, by jnry-i in criminal ones. To the 

 Roman Catholic clergy, regulars excepted, the 

 peaceable enjoyment of their own estates, and 

 of tythes from those of their own persuasion, 

 were secured.* The complexion and spirit of 

 this bill was so different from the laws and 

 genius of the British, or of any free government, 

 that it was not in the power of the Americans 

 to doubt but that it was designed to enable the 

 kind's governor in Canada to avail himself of 

 the influence of the French noblesse and priests, 

 to engage the whole body of the Roman Catho- 

 lics in Canada, to assist in subjugating the Eng- 

 lish provinces. As soon therefore as hostilities 

 broke out, it became an object of the highest 

 importance to the colonies to guard against any 

 such attempts from the governor of Canada. 



The only effectual method by which this 

 could be done, v/as to secure the forts at Tycon- 

 deroga and Crown Point. It was yet fresh in 

 the memory of the people, what they had suf- 

 fered when these posts were in the hands of the 

 French ; the prospect now was that it would be 

 equally fatal to their peace and safety, and more 

 dangerous to their liberty to have them remain 

 in the hands of the British. The necessity of 

 their being secured was so apparent, that it en- 

 gaged the attention of several adventurers in 

 Connecticut and Massachusetts, without acting 

 in concert, or having any previous knowledge 

 of the designs of each other. The first steps 

 seem to have been taken by some gentlemen in 

 Connecticut ; and Messrs. Deane, Wooster;^ 



• Siiiollet's Hist. England, Vol. 5, p. ijro. 



