MR small's biographical SKETCH OF PROF. ADAM FERGUSON. 627 



that the powers of the former commissioners had been unduly restricted, the 

 new commissioners were expressly authorised to discuss and settle every point 

 in dispute between Great Britain and her colonies. 



The commissioners were the Earl of Carlisle ; Mr Eden, one of the Commis- 

 sioners of Trade, and Under-Secretary to Lord Suffolk ; and George Johnstone, 

 originally a captain in the navy, and at one time Governor of West Florida. With 

 these three commissioners were conjoined Lord Howe, and his brother General 

 Sir William Howe, the members of the commission formerly appointed. 



The three newly appointed commissioners met at Portsmouth in April 1778, 

 and proceeded to open their instructions, after which they embarked at Spithead 

 on board the Trident, and arrived at Philadelphia, on the 5th of June 1778. 

 The appointment of a Secretary was one of their first acts on reaching America. 

 They had expected that Mr Henry Strachey, the Secretary to the former com- 

 missioners, would continue his services to the new commission, but they found 

 that as he had already returned to England a new appointment was necessary. 

 By virtue of their powers they elected Ferguson as their Secretary on the 6th 

 of June, having special confidence in his ability for discharging the diflBcult and 

 delicate matters intrusted to them. 



The commissioners, on proceeding to business, found many unforeseen circum- 

 stances of discouragement in an undertaking which had never been very hopeful. 

 In consequence of the expected war with France, orders had been sent from 

 England in March for the British troops to evacuate Philadelphia and retire to 

 New York, and these orders, of which no previous intimation had been made to 

 the commissioners, were in process of execution when they landed. The treaty 

 between the Colonies and France, concluded by Franklin on the 6th of February, 

 had also arrived in America, and was the occasion of great rejoicing to the 

 American people. 



Nothing daunted by these untoward symptoms, the commissioners proceeded 

 to open negotiations with General Washington and the Congress. They inti- 

 mated to the former that it was their intention to send Ferguson with despatches 

 to Congress, and requested that he might receive the necessary passport for that 

 purpose. They then drew up a letter to that body, in which they stated their 

 powers, and expressed their desire to concur in every just arrangement for the 

 cessation of hostilities and the restoration of free intercourse between Britain 

 and the Colonies. This letter was ordered to be delivered to Congress by Fer- 

 guson in person. 



On reaching the outposts of the American army with this letter, Ferguson 

 was met by the officer commanding the piquets, who informed him that he 

 could not be allowed to proceed to headquarters without a passport, and that 

 the application for this document previously made could not be granted until the 

 pleasure of Congress was known. In order, however, that the object of the com- 



VOL. XXIII. PART III. 8 G 



