ADDRESS.

Two events, of ever increasing importance, have marked the progress of this continent, destined hereafter to be regarded, as the great epochs of its history -the grant of authority from the British Crown, under which Colonies were planted in America,1 and the final surrender of the continent to the English race, by the conquest of Canada from France the former obtained through the efforts of the sagacious and enterprising Sir Ferdinando Gorges, the latter achieved by the heroic valor of Wolfe. France, at one time, dividing with Spain the whole of North America,2 saw its power broken,

1. See Appendix A.

2. On the evening in which this paper was read in New York, there was presented to the Historical Society, a Spanish Globe, dated 1542, engraved on copper, which shows the boundaries of Florida, and of " Verrazzan or New France"-Florida extending as high as the 33° north,— New France reaching north to Terra Corterealis. This Globe is one of the most valuable contributions yet made, to the history of North America. It was presented to the Society, by Buckingham Smith, Esq., late Secretary of Legation at Madrid.

Map of the world by Hondius. 1580.

and its dominion in the new world extinguished, when at the charge of the British bayonet, the hitherto invincible columns of Montcalm, broke and fled from the Plains of Abraham, and the morning sunlight of September 18, 1759, revealed to the disappointed soldiers of De Levis, the proud Cross of St. George, floating in triumph over the ancient Citadel of Quebec.1

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The dominion of a continent was changed by a single encounter, and English institutions are now planted, as the fruits of that victory, over a region of territory greater than all Europe, extending from the northern ocean to the gulf of Mexico, and from the Atlantic to the Pacific seas.

The future of this conquering race, no statesman or philosopher of this day is able to foretell. My purpose is, to trace the earliest practical efforts to plant it in America, and to vindicate the claims of Sir Ferdinando Gorges, the Proprietor of my native State, to the proud title of FATHER OF English COLONIZATION IN AMERICA.

The greatness of England is due to her colonization in America. She was but a second rate power at the commencement of the 17th century, till raised to greatness by the iron will of Cromwell. After the destruction of the Dutch fleet, the conquest of Acadia from France in 1654; of Jamaica from Spain in 1655; the establishment of her navigation

1. Histoire Du Canada, F. X. Garneau. Vol. i. p. 329.

laws, and her protective policy, she was admitted as an equal, into the community of nations. The Venetians and the Swiss sought the friendship of the Protector. All the northern nations respected his power, and the great Mazarin acknowledged his authority as the lawful sovereign of Great Britain."

The necessity of encouraging the Colonies previously planted in North America, led to the navigation act of Cromwell, in 1651, which was the foundation of the maritime superiority of England. That statute remained for nearly two centuries,2 and secured to England the entire trade of all her colonies. It stimulated the commercial enterprise of her people. It allowed strangers no importations, unless of their own products in their own vessels. This act fell with crushing weight on the trade of Holland, and left England mistress of the commerce of Europe. The protective policy of Cromwell, also, gradually drew to her own shores the manufactures of Holland and Flanders, and finally those of France after the revocation of the edict of Nantes, by Louis XIV., on the 24th of Oct., 1685. This celebrated edict of Henry IV., in 1598, secured liberty of conscience and perfect toleration to the Protestants of France, with a right to share the public offices; and

1. Heeren's Political History. Vol. i. p. 145 and seq.

2. The navigation Act of 1651 was repealed with the corn laws, June 26, 1846. Ch. 22, 9 and 10 Victoriæ.

its repeal inflicted a blow on France from which it has never recovered. Over 800,000 of her best people fled from the persecution that followed, most of them to Great Britain and her Colonies. The most skilful artizans of France sought refuge in England, over 50,000 taking up their residence in London. They established the manufacture of silks, jewelry, crystal glasses, and other fine works hitherto unknown in England, but since that time successfully prosecuted throughout the British realms.1 Such has since, been the increase of the productive power of England, that according to the statement recently made by Lord Brougham in the British Parliament, the machinery of England, at this time employed, in the various branches of industry, equals in effective power, the labor of 800,000,000 of men, an aggregate three-fold greater than the entire laboring population of the globe. Yet England was the latest of all the European powers to encourage its subjects who came to America, by the direct aid of its government, or to take measures to plant its race in the new world. It was not so much the efforts of the government, as the genius of the people, and the enterprise of individuals, that gave to its sons the inheritance of this fair land, where free institutions have developed an expansive energy, that demands for its race, supremacy of the sea and dominion over the land.

1. Anderson's History of Commerce.

The discovery of North America by Sebas1497. tian Cabot,1 in the service of Henry VII., in 1497, seventeen months prior to the time when Columbus saw the mainland of the continent, and the exploration of its coast from latitude 67 deg., 30 m. north, to Florida, has often been urged in modern times, as giving to England claim of title. But it was followed by no act of jurisdiction, or of occupation for nearly a century, while all the other maritime powers of Europe were engaged in schemes of colonization.

1500.

Emmanuel, King of the Portuguese, whose subjects, at that time, were the great navigators of Europe, and whose vessels had visited the East, by the way of the Cape of Good Hope, mortified at his neglect of the offer of Columbus, determined to make up for it, by new conquests in the

1. Memoir of Sebastian Cabot, with review of the History of Maritime Discovery. London, 1831.

2. The Government of England was the first to lay down the true doctrine as to the right to newly discovered countries. They distinctly affirmed in 1580, in the reign of Elizabeth, that discovery and prescription are of no avail unless followed by actual occupation. Prescriptio sine possessione haud valeat." Camden, Eliz. Annales, 1580. Hearne's Ed., 1717, p. 360.

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Occupation confers a good title by nature, and the laws of nations." Parl. Debates, 1620-1, p. 250.

Denonvilles' Memoir, on French Limits in America. N. Y. Doc. His. Vol. ix. p 378.

"The first discoverers of an unknown country, not inhabited by Europeans, who plant the arms of their Prince, acquire the property of that country."