island peace conference island peace conference brief meeting held hope bringing end american revolutionary war conference took place september residence colonel new_york participants british admiral lord members lord howe authority design extremely limited congressional delegation meeting outcome conference held days british capture long_island lasted hours failure americans insisted recognition recently declared independence howe limited authority inadequate deal development conference british continued military campaign control new_york_city background british authorities planning deal rebellious north american colonies late early decided send large military expedition occupy new_york_city brothers admiral lord general given command naval land aspects operation respectively believed possible end dispute violence howe brothers insisted granted diplomatic powers addition military roles admiral howe previously discussed colonial grievances informally resolution general howe believed problem colonial taxation resolved retaining supremacy parliament king george iii reluctantly agreed grant limited powers lord took harder line insisted given powers seen giving colonial demands relief taxation representation called acts consequence granted ability issue substantive concessions commissioners mandated seek dissolution establishment pre war colonial assemblies acceptance terms lord north resolution self taxation promise discussion colonial grievances concessions hostilities ended colonial assemblies specific parliamentary supremacy fleet arrived july admiral howe attempts open communications continental_army general george_washington attempts deliver letters washington rebuffed howe refused recognize washington title washington agree meet person howe colonel meeting july washington learned diplomatic powers essentially limited granting responded americans committed faults need lord howe sent letter detailing proposal truce offers franklin read letter congress july wrote admiral directing offered colonies parties injured effect increasing impossible think submission government cruelty burnt town excited massacre peaceful farmers slaves murder masters bringing foreign mercenaries settlements blood pointed admiral gave expectations reconciliation place howe apparently somewhat taken franklin forceful response battle long island august british forces successfully occupied western long_island modern brooklyn compelling washington withdraw army manhattan general howe consolidate gains brothers decided diplomatic battle captured high ranking continental_army officers including major general managed convince sullivan conference members yield fruit released parole deliver message congress philadelphia proposing informal meeting discuss ending armed conflict britain rebellious colonies sullivan speech congress commented diplomatic attempt calling sullivan duck accusing british sending sullivan seduce independence noted appeared attempt blame congress war congress agree send members adams conference lord howe instructed ask questions howe answers authority howe learned committee limited authority briefly considered calling meeting decided proceed discussion brother commissioners believed conference lord howe initially sought meet men private citizens british policy recognize congress legitimate authority order conference place agreed american demand recognized official representatives congress meeting house selected meeting place occupied british troops use barracks condition room cleaned prepared meeting arrangements included british officer left american hostage meeting congressional delegation leaving american lines invited accompany arrival delegation escorted past line soldiers house according adams tongue served meeting lasted hours sides unable find common ground americans insisted negotiations required british recognition recently declared independence lord howe stated authority meet demand asked authority repeal act authorized naval blockade colonies claimed sullivan howe claiming sullivan mistaken howe authority included ability suspend execution provided colonies agreed fixed contributions instead taxes parliament levied colonies agreed end hostilities meeting sides lord howe expressed feel america loss like loss brother franklin informed endeavors save lord howe stated view american delegates british subjects adams replied consider light british subject lord howe spoke past adams franklin stating adams appears decided character effects returned philadelphia reported lord howe america expect total submission learned years later list people specifically excluded pardon offers congress published committee report comment lord howe publish account meeting meeting outcome perceived sign british weakness loyalists british observers suspected congressional report meeting british commentator wrote meeting met talked parted remains fight lord howe reported failure conference brother preparations continue campaign new_york_city days conference british troops landed manhattan occupied new_york_city parliamentary debate terms diplomatic mission actions prompted opposition whig members essentially boycott parliamentary proceedings major peace effort occurred british sent commissioners led occupied philadelphia authorized treat congress body offered self government roughly equivalent dominion status effort undermined planned withdrawal british troops philadelphia american demands commissioners authorized grant house conference took place preserved museum conference house park city park listed national_register_of_historic_places
Staten Island Peace Conference