applied, is sufficient to awaken every man to duty. Not a place upon
earth might be so happy as America. Her situation is remote from all
the wrangling world, and she has nothing to do but to trade with
them. A man can distinguish himself between temper and principle, and
I am as confident, as I am that God governs the world, that America
will never be happy till she gets clear of foreign dominion. Wars,
without ceasing, will break out till that period arrives, and the
continent must in the end be conqueror; for though the flame of
liberty may sometimes cease to shine, the coal can never expire.

America did not, nor does not want force; but she wanted a proper
application of that force. Wisdom is not the purchase of a day, and
it is no wonder that we should err at the first setting off. From an
excess of tenderness, we were unwilling to raise an army, and trusted
our cause to the temporary defence of a well-meaning militia. A
summer's experience has now taught us better; yet with those troops,
while they were collected, we were able to set bounds to the progress
of the enemy, and, thank God! they are again assembling. I always
considered militia as the best troops in the world for a sudden
exertion, but they will not do for a long campaign. Howe, it is
probable, will make an attempt on this city [Philadelphia]; should he
fail on this side the Delaware, he is ruined. If he succeeds, our
cause is not ruined. He stakes all on his side against a part on
ours; admitting he succeeds, the consequence will be, that armies
from both ends of the continent will march to assist their suffering
friends in the middle states; for he cannot go everywhere, it is
impossible. I consider Howe as the greatest enemy the Tories have; he
is bringing a war into their country, which, had it not been for him
and partly for themselves, they had been clear of. Should he now be
expelled, I wish with all the devotion of a Christian, that the names