Norfolk Gazette And Publick Ledger

FROM THE REPERTORY.

Thoughts and Reflections on the present STATE OF AFFAIRS.

No. IV.

Many persons appear to have understood the scope of No. II, of the Reflections, in the last Friday's Repertory, as an expression of the writer's opinion that Great Britain must fall; that war can promise no triumphs to her arms, and peace would bring no material respite from her burdens; that these must be augmented till they crush her, and therefore, as from these premises, it would be inferred that her ruin is inevitable, it would seem as if her future inactivity was to be justified by her despair. Her efforts could only waste her remaining strength, and sharpen the last agonies of her political dissolution.

These are desponding inferences, which the writer, with whatever anxiety of heart he may view the crisis, did not mean to draw. Whether the misconception of his meaning arose from his performance not having been written with perspicuity or read with attention, he thinks it his duty to the publick, to attempt an explanation. This he is so much the more disposed to make, as he knows the administration, and a servile host of its adherents, are more willing, and claim popular favour, because they are more willing, that our nation should endure ignominy, than expense, and that it should be devoted, by a destiny very near its accomplishment, to carry chains, because it will not carry muskets. No man, who deems the fatal folly of this niggardly unforesight policy almost as obvious as its baseness, would be willing to partake of its infamy, by suggesting, however indirectly, any pretext for its vindication.

If Great Britain, with her gigantick force cannot resist, surely the United States need not prepare. We may wait with our horns confined to the crib, stall-fed on commerce, till our turn comes round for the knife.

In No. II of the Reflections, it is admitted, that it is in the last degree difficult to conceive how Great Britain can much longer sustain the intolerable and continually augmenting pressure of the burdens of either war or peace. When her regular army is as large as it should be, to make her safe, her peace establishment, it is really apprehended, could not be supported for less than a million of dollars a day.

It was allowed that we could not so much as conceive how she could furnish and continue, probably for half a century, to furnish, possibly to augment, this enormous contribution. It was stated, that there was wealth enough, but that no government, no matter of what form it may be, could extract it by loans or taxes from a disheartened and reluctant people. And that we Americans, of all men, ought to suppose such resources unattainable by the government: we, who call a tax on loaf sugar and coaches oppression, and flew to arms against the tyranny of an excise on whiskey. It was our tacit inference, and perhaps for greater clearness we should have drawn it, that, of course, the British capacity for self defence, so far as the command of adequate pecuniary means is in question, must depend on a supposition, which the sordidness of our democracy will deem incredible, that the spirit of Englishmen will cheerfully and abundantly supply what no government could exact; that they may be convinced, and what is better still, be made to feel, that it is economy to give and prudence to dare. What they refuse to their defenders will go to augment the conqueror's booty. The habitual contemplation and near approach of danger, cannot fail to excite fear, and to make it universal; and when fear is mingled with shame, it cannot produce submission, but must kindle rage and enthusiasm. Enthusiasm is a worker of miracles, and like Cadmus, will sow the British soil with a sudden crop of patriots and heroes.

There is not a nation in Europe more capable than the British of acting the magnanimous part that this dire crisis requires, and if it should become the people's duty, if the love of existence should subdue or extinguish the love of gain, so that all ranks of men might forget their burdens and think only of their glory, the glory of triumphing in the world's cause as well as their own, surely in this case, Great Britain will be invincible. Will she not submit to bear as much, and she need not bear more for liberty and independence, than the French have endured for despotism? It was far from our design to say that the spirit of that nation has actually mounted so high. From the