to be now all directed to America, we should have
neglected our own immediate defence, and sent over the last man of our
militia to fight with the last man of your volunteers.

To this influence the principle of action, the principle of policy, and
the principle of union of the present minority are opposed. These
principles of the opposition are the only thing which preserves a single
symptom of life in the nation. That opposition is composed of the far
greater part of the independent property and independent rank of the
kingdom, of whatever is most untainted in character, and of whatever
ability remains unextinguished in the people, and of all which tends to
draw the attention of foreign countries upon this. It is now in its
final and conclusive struggle. It has to struggle against a force to
which, I am afraid, it is not equal. The _whole_ kingdom of Scotland
ranges with the venal, the unprincipled, and the wrong-principled of
this; and if the kingdom of Ireland thinks proper to pass into the same
camp, we shall certainly be obliged to quit the field. In that case, if
I know anything of this country, another constitutional opposition _can
never_ be formed in it; and if this be impossible, it will be at least
as much so (if there can be degrees in impossibility) to have a
constitutional administration at any future time. The possibility of the
former is the only security for the existence of the latter. Whether the
present administration be in the least like one, I must venture to
doubt, even in the honey-moon of the Irish fondness to Lord North, which
has succeeded to all their slappings and scratchings.

If liberty cannot maintain its ground in this kingdom, I am sure that it
cannot have any long continuance in yours. Our liberty might now and
then jar and strike a discord with that of Ireland. The thing is
possible: but still the instruments might play in concert. But if ours
be unstrung, yours will be hung up on a peg, and both will be mute
forever. Your new military force may give you confidence, and it serves
well for a turn; but you and I know that it has not root. It is not
perennial, and would prove but a poor shelter for your liberty, when
this nation, having no interest in its own, could look upon yours with
the eye of envy and disgust. I cannot, therefore, help thinking, and
telling you what with great submission I think, that, if the Parliament
of Ireland be so jealous of the spirit of our common Constitu