The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1842-01-04

age. The flag ship ofD Estaing, carrying 90 guns
lost all her masts. AitW absence OF ten days
the shattered French Hrel returned to Newport
"A council Uf war was held, and although Greene
| and Lafayette were anxious to have tho original
| plan OF attack upon Newport carried out, il was
decided that the condition Of the fleet rendered the
measure unadyisable, and ID Estaing sailed for
! Boston.
An advance had been made by the land forces
upon Newport during the absence Of the feet, but
the departure Of the flsst had disprited the militia
and caused many Of them to leave, and Sullivan,
finally, found himself compelled to give up the en-
torprse. The failure Of this expedition excited
much murmuring umtHg the people. Sullivan and
the American forces wore highly indignant towards
D'Estaing and his officers, and il was feared that
their reception in Boston would be such as to mar
the beneficial results expected from the alliance -
Great pains were, hevevor taken by the authori.
ties Of Massachusetts, aud the citizens Of Boston to
show tho French nycry mark Of respect,-and
much was done by ti,o able and eloquent pen Of
DR. Cooper in the public journals, and by tho exer
ions OF Washington 10 remove the popular pred
JUDGES excited towards their new allies In fact,
AFTER time had been Given for cool reflection, there
was general conviction that the III success of the
French tleet in their various expeditions had been
the effect rather Of train OF unfortunate circum.
stances, than from disinclination to render the
Americans every assistance in their power
Count ID 'Estaing renamed in the harbor Of Bos.
ton about two months and, having reftted and vic
lualed his ships, 50 ilrd Tor the West Indies, He
captured Grenada sud St Vincent, and grined
much credit in an engagement with Byron's fleet.
These events oce urred in 1879. Gen. Lincoln,
who at this time commanded the Southern division
Of The American army, and he wrote to d 'Estalng,
desiring him to join ~ attack upon Savannah
The proposal was accepted by Tho French Admiral
and he arrived off ha coast Of George in Seprem
her. Ills appearance $ unexpected, that he
surprised and capmrrd British ship Of the line
and three higates. lie landed aud marched to
Savannah with $500 troops, where Gen Lincoln
joined him with 100 men The combined forces
summoned the town to surrender, but delay Of
p hours was grar 'ed the British officer, and in
the night the garrison was reinforced. After q
siege five days, ihe assaIants were forced to re
rest. One Of the u,ort melancholy of this disas
r0us affair was g. death Of Coun, Pulaski.
About this time ongrcss had formed magnif
ce@t scheme Gsr ~ conquest Of Canada, by the
Cooperation Il t',s - ,ch troops and feet. LaFay
cite a9oi the camPatga in Rhode Island obtained
urlouGh 20 VISIT Fr1rcs and he was entrusted with
Use t8,S 81 lawns thu scheme before the French
government, Whor ihe project had been some
what matnred tI part Of Congress, il was com
munica'sd fn w ashitrton. lie at once pronoun
rsA she whole rChsae impracticablo in a II its dc
tails Dr.. spa,hs u.eut at some length into the
reasons given By Washington against the scheme.
The Cauadas bad trginaiiy belonged to France,
sad she cousidurrT I'm wrongfuy wrested
5r"ve successful. ani the war terminate fayorably
tbr French would aoabtlcss claim the Canadas as
their right, oiai.r Ne could not we'll refuse. But
the French government declined uniting in the
PROJECT. Couut Vergcune wrote to Congress that
Frpuco did cot o. rr into a treaty with the United
States or tho Purpfss 81 conquest, but only to as.
go hem iu throwing OF the British yoke. The
French m5uisuy vlauld not interfere with any de.
~ Co, hmencnbs might think proper to adopt
Tor The INVASION OF Canada, but she would have
nothing 70 do with any schemes of conquest. Dr.
Sparks said that from his examination of the cor
resPondence ON the subject, he had no hesitation
in declaring it the settled policy of France from
the First, not to obtain any possessions on this
continent through her assistance to the Americans;
that the suspicious excited this head at vari.
times were nntirely un!ounded rive may
here remark that DR.. Sparks has invariably assum
ed that France disinterested in the motives
which induced their treaty with the Union so far
! as any acquisitions TO France this continent
were oonceTnod, and in far the suspicious of the
Americans unjust, although il is perhaps fair
10 conclude that originally indebted for
her assistance much TO her Jealousy and ancie nj
hatred Of Engtod as 20 any love of free institu.
tons by the French government. However
France fulfilled all her engagements to US in un>
questioned good faith, aud TO her debt OF
gratitude which every true American heart will
never hesitate 20 render. She took us by The hand
in our feeblcness and in the hour Of darkest
peril and TO France the Union will ever render the
! need due 10 her nobleness and her generosity
The lecturer also spoke Of the objections which
| existed in the minds Of many rejecting Americans
to union of jho French and American troops
Among large class Of the people the French were
/ associated with the Indians in their remembrances
OF the border warfare OF former times, and they
I had almost nreai prejudice against the French
, as against the Indians themselves. These feelings
: 90 n,rs in Iv vounger and noble