344 THE WAR OF SEPARATION CHAP. 



would choose to offend us whilst we and America were one. 

 Could then the right persons be found and sent out, rather in 

 a private character as friends to both countries than with a 

 public commission ? Something was added of the storm that 

 would arise when the British people discovered how they had 

 been misled in this momentous matter. The Americans were 

 our own stock ; if impetuous, also placable ; let us seek 

 reconciliation, not subjugation by force. 



Barclay probably made a fair copy of this paper for 

 Lord Hyde, retaining Fothergill's rough draft, which is 

 still among Barclay's papers ; and Hyde may have 

 shown it to North. A letter from Barclay to Hyde 

 (Appendix A, No. XI.) probably refers to this scheme. 

 In reply to Hyde's enquiry, what terms the commissioners 

 should be prepared to offer, they must have, he says, 

 ample powers to make reasonable and generous conces- 

 sions, especially as to freedom from taxation and repeal 

 of the Port Acts. Fothergill's idea that he might himself 

 go out found no favour with the authorities ; and he 

 took effectual means to conceal the proposal from others : 

 " it would appear so romantic, perhaps, as to lessen the 

 credit of the writer." 



Barclay had news from his friends in America of the 

 ominous growth of the movement towards separation. 

 Already in July he had written on this to Hyde (No. VIII.), 

 and again in December he wrote, and through him to 

 Lord North (No. XII.), telling them of the imminence of 

 the final sundering of the two countries if another cam- 

 paign were entered upon. Hyde in his reply (No. XIII.) 

 seemed to think further war inevitable, but, he added, 

 " your wishes and mine agree as to the end." In the 

 following year, 1776, Barclay wrote again (No. XIV.) a 

 letter which may have followed the receipt of bad news. 

 He indignantly protested against the hostile measures 

 intended to preserve the dignity of England, pointed to 

 the fulfilment of his prophecies of the previous year, and 

 begged to know what terms the government would admit. 



In March 1776 the government sent out Admiral Lord 

 Howe with more troops ; he and his brother, General 



