The Virginia Gazette

February 3. The Ministry have not yet come to any Resolution what to do with America. Their Councils are discordant, their Penetration superficial, and their Courage rank Cowardice. In a Word, America, like France or Spain, is now a Match for them. They are unequal to the Business, and therefore true Types of the Hand that made them; nor is it difficult to guess for what Purpose they are continued in Office, since daily Experience convinces the whole World that the British Empire is mouldering away in their Hands.

By all Accounts from New England, the People are in such a Ferment about the Tax upon Tea, and the East India Company's sending at this Time such a Quantity of it there, as bids fair to disturb the Peace of all our Colonies in America. The Conduct of Government, towards all our Colonies, has been highly detrimental and injurious to the Trade and Commerce of this Kingdom. The Ministry do not seem to know that the principal Advantages which this Country can reap from its Colonies are the Increase of its Trade and Commerce, and also of its Navigation. But it is the Misfortune of this Nation to have Persons in Power who turn all publick Advantages into private Jobs; and instead of increasing the Trade, Commerce, and Navigation of this Kingdom, by the Means and Intercourse of its Colonies, they study to impose Taxes upon our Fellow Subjects in those Countries, in Order to create Places of Profit for their Creatures and Dependents. This is the Source and Foundation of all the Uneasiness and Disturbances which have arisen, and are now got to the greatest Height, in our American Colonies; and this is the Cause that hath deprived this Nation of almost all its Trade and Commerce with them. For the Taxes which the Ministry have in vain endeavoured to saddle upon them were such as would have raised only a trifling Sum, such as could have been of no publick Service or Benefit whatsoever, but were calculated merely for promoting the Interest of the Minister, by enabling him to provide for more of his Dependents; and thus the Advantages of Trade, Commerce, and Navigation of this Kingdom, with its Colonies, have been lost in endeavouring to create Places of Profit for the Creatures of the Ministry.