The time when you made this retreat was the very time you ought to
have fought a battle, in order to put yourself in condition of
recovering in Pennsylvania what you had lost in Saratoga. And the
reason why you did not, must be either prudence or cowardice; the
former supposes your inability, and the latter needs no explanation.
I draw no conclusions, sir, but such as are naturally deduced from
known and visible facts, and such as will always have a being while
the facts which produced them remain unaltered.

After this retreat a new difficulty arose which exhibited the power
of Britain in a very contemptible light; which was the attack and
defence of Mud Island. For several weeks did that little unfinished
fortress stand out against all the attempts of Admiral and General
Howe. It was the fable of Bender realized on the Delaware. Scheme
after scheme, and force upon force were tried and defeated. The
garrison, with scarce anything to cover them but their bravery,
survived in the midst of mud, shot and shells, and were at last
obliged to give it up more to the powers of time and gunpowder than
to military superiority of the besiegers.

It is my sincere opinion that matters are in much worse condition
with you than what is generally known. Your master's speech at the
opening of Parliament, is like a soliloquy on ill luck. It shows him
to be coming a little to his reason, for sense of pain is the first
symptom of recovery, in profound stupefaction. His condition is
deplorable. He is obliged to submit to all the insults of France and
Spain, without daring to know or resent them; and thankful for the
most trivial evasions to the most humble remonstrances. The time was
when he could not deign an answer to a petition from America, and the