For, why is it that you have not conquered
us? Who, or what has prevented you? You have had every opportunity
that you could desire, and succeeded to your utmost wish in every
preparatory means. Your fleets and armies have arrived in America
without an accident. No uncommon fortune has intervened. No foreign
nation has interfered until the time which you had allotted for
victory was passed. The opposition, either in or out of parliament,
neither disconcerted your measures, retarded or diminished your force.
They only foretold your fate. Every ministerial scheme was carried
with as high a hand as if the whole nation had been unanimous. Every
thing wanted was asked for, and every thing asked for was granted.
A greater force was not within the compass of your abilities to
send, and the time you sent it was of all others the most favorable.
You were then at rest with the whole world beside. You had the range
of every court in Europe uncontradicted by us. You amused us with a
tale of commissioners of peace, and under that disguise collected a
numerous army and came almost unexpectedly upon us. The force was much
greater than we looked for; and that which we had to oppose it with,
was unequal in numbers, badly armed, and poorly disciplined; beside
which, it was embodied only for a short time, and expired within a few
months after your arrival. We had governments to form; measures to
concert; an army to train, and every necessary article to import or to
create. Our non-importation scheme had exhausted our stores, and
your command by sea intercepted our supplies.
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