John Randolph's "Plan of Accommodations"

Abstract

IN the summer of 1780 the American loyalists who had fled to Great Britain to escape the fury of their rebel countrymen were in an ebullient mood. The capture of Savannah and Charleston by British forces had restored their faith in an ultimate British victory, and southerners even began making plans to return to their American homes. The atmosphere in the London coffee houses where the exiles congregated was one of optimism. For the first time since the heady days of I776, when they had expected an easy triumph, the loyalists were certain that the rebellion would soon be crushed.1 As a result of this renewed confidence in the strength of British arms, several refugee leaders turned their attention to the problem of how to govern the colonies after the expected victory. During the preceding years these same men and others had devoted their time to the production of proposals for winning the war.2 Now that that end was seemingly accomplished, they submitted to the British ministry their suggestions for the reorganization of the colonial governments. The loyalists of course had no assurance that the administration would seriously consider their plans, but Lord George Germain, the American secretary, had on numerous occasions proved himself sympathetic to the refugees' plight. He had been the first to propose that they receive pensions during their stay in England; he had employed an exile, Benjamin Thompson, as his chief assistant; and he had several times specifically requested the advice of loyalist leaders on matters pertaining to the war.3 Therefore it was to Germain that the refugees addressed their proposals. The best known of these plans of conciliation was drafted by Joseph