The New Hampshire Gazette And General Advertiser

From the St. James's Chronicle, of September 4, 1781.

ON THE PRESENT POSTURE OF AFFAIRS.

Whoever will take a cool review of the affairs of this kingdom, will not have any reason to pride himself upon having been born an Englishman!

The conduct of government, in respect to America, has brought us into a situation, out of which, it will require greater abilities to extricate us, than are possessed by the members of the present cabinet.

There was one of these two things to be done in relation to America, either to send such a force at the breaking out of the troubles, as should overbear all idea of opposition; or, when the contrary experiment was made and failed, to withdraw in time with a good grace, and declare them INDEPENDENT. Government did neither; and now it has the power of doing nothing.

The best attempt it could make at present would be to publish a declaration of independence, and make PEACE with them; but the time even for that may be past.

What are Lord Cornwallis's victories come to! The proof that the only hope we have is, that of entire defeat. We have heard of five victories, and Lord Rawdon dares not show his nose beyond the cannon of his maritime fortresses. Three regiments gave him one vigorous march; that reinforcement will be as paltry as the rest before the month is expired.

Barbados, ere this, perhaps, is taken; and Gibraltar lost by storm; and we have the additional pleasure to see our affairs, in every other quarter of the globe wear the same appearance. But we have no more prospect of peace than we had the day the quarrel began. What then is to save the nation!

Four and Twenty MILLIONS raised last year; and an estimate of Six and Twenty to be raised for the ensuing year! And they have a moral certainty that even that sum will bring us no nearer to a peace than the present. Does Lord North imagine, that because the riots damped the associating spirits, the whole kingdom, therefore, is for years to come, to sit quietly and see themselves pillaged to the last shilling? If these are his sentiments—there is no friend to his country that must not wish he may be awakened from the reverie!