ivisions upon the isle of Orleans,
situated a little below Quebec, a large fertile island, well cultivated,
producing plenty of grain, abounding with people, villages, and
plantations. General Wolfe no sooner landed on the island of Orleans,
than he distributed a manifesto among the French colonists, giving them
to understand that the king his master, justly exasperated against the
French monarch, had equipped a considerable armament in order to humble
his pride, and was determined to reduce the most considerable French
settlements in America. He declared it was not against the industrious
peasants, their wives and children, nor against the ministers of
religion, that he intended to make war; on the contrary, he lamented
the misfortunes to which they must be exposed by the quarrel; he offered
them his protection; and promised to maintain them in their temporal
possessions, as well as in the free exercise of their religion, provided
they would remain quiet, and take no part in the difference between the
two crowns. He observed, that the English were masters of the river St.
Laurence, so as to intercept all succours from Europe; and had besides a
powerful army on the continent, under the command of general Amherst. He
affirmed, that the resolution they ought to take was neither difficult
nor doubtful; as the utmost exertion of their valour would be useless,
and serve only to deprive them of the advantages which they might reap
from their neutrality. He reminded them that the cruelties exercised by
the French upon the subjects of Great Britain in America, would excuse
the most severe reprisals; but Britons were too generous to follow such
barbarous examples. He again offered to the Canadians the sweets of
peace, amidst the horrors of war; and left it to themselves to determine
their own fate by their own conduct. He expressed his hope that the
world would do him justice, should they oblige him, by rejecting these
favourable terms, to adopt violent measures. He expatiated upon the
strength and power, as well as upon the generosity, of Great Britain, in
thus stretching out the hand of humanity; a hand ready to assist them on
all occasions, even when France was by her weakness compelled to abandon
them in the most critical conjuncture. This declaration produced no
immediate effect; nor indeed did the Canadians depend on the sincerity
and promised faith of a nation, whom their priests had industriously
represented as the most sa