The Virginia Gazette

LONDON, March 29.

A CORRESPONDENT is sorry to observe to the publick, that our Admirals and commanders of our fleets and armies seem totally deficient of the spirit, animation, and bravery of the immortal WOLFE, who, in his last dispatches from Quebec to the great Minister who then guided successfully the affairs of this then flourishing kingdom, observed, "that he knew the affairs of this kingdom demanded great and vigorous exertions, and that nothing should be left unattempted on his part, but at the same time declared, that the lives of a handful of brave men, should not be wantonly thrown away in vain and visionary enterprizes."

A favourable moment presented itself, which his wisdom and judgment immediately induced him to lay hold of, and in which his victorious troops, with the utmost confidence in their General, surmounted every difficulty, and ran into the arms of victory!

Can we say so much of the conduct and behaviour of our commanders since the commencement of the present war?

Delays, difficulties, and dangers imaginary, have continually marked their conduct, and we are no nearer accomplishing the great object of our armaments, than we were on the fatal and unfortunate day of Bunker's Hill.

Some infatuation or evil spirit, either in our Cabinet or Councils, or in the executive part of our Government, calls aloud for redress, by a generous, but injured people!

We have been upon the tiptoe of expectation, for these five years, that every western wind would bring us peace, reconciliation, or victory, from America:

But every campaign ends with the disgust of our Generals and officers by sea and land, and a change of men brings no change of measures, or means of terminating a destructive war.

Our West India affairs go on no better: Admirals and Generals come home, and all are promiscuously received with open arms of adulation by Ministers, for fear their conduct might be called in question.

Opposition act just in the same manner, and for the same reasons; what set of men, then, shall we say, are friends to their country, when every thing said and done, tends to its ruin!

The last gazette gives us but a melancholy prospect of conquering America. To persevere surely is madness; and if we go on, the motto may well be applied to our Ministers, "quos Deus vult perdere, prius dementat."

The late and almost unanimous resolution of the Parliament of Ireland, has much surprised and disappointed our government here, who did not think they would go so far, as to tell his Majesty, "No other expedient, but a free trade, would relieve them."

The Administration of Ireland had it early in command, to endeavour to have every thing left to the gracious beneficence of the best of Kings, and his Privy Council; but the wrongs and poverty of the people, could no longer mince the matter; and the Attorney General himself, that brazen drawcansir, was obliged to meet the unanimous demands of the people.