House of Lords, March 5th, 1776:

"The Americans," says Lord Talbot,* "have been obstinate, undutiful,
and ungovernable from the very beginning, from their first early and
infant settlements; and I am every day more and more convinced that
this people never will be brought back to their duty, and the
subordinate relation they stand in to this country, till reduced to
unconditional, effectual submission; no concession on our part, no
lenity, no endurance, will have any other effect but that of
increasing their insolence."

* Steward of the king's household.

"The struggle," says Lord Townsend,* "is now a struggle for power;
the die is cast, and the only point which now remains to be
determined is, in what manner the war can be most effectually
prosecuted and speedily finished, in order to procure that
unconditional submission, which has been so ably stated by the noble
Earl with the white staff" (meaning Lord Talbot;) "and I have no
reason to doubt that the measures now pursuing will put an end to the
war in the course of a single campaign. Should it linger longer, we
shall then have reason to expect that some foreign power will
interfere, and take advantage of our domestic troubles and civil
distractions."

* Formerly General Townsend, at Quebec, and late lord-lieutenant of
Ireland.

Lord Littleton. "My sentiments are pretty well known. I shall only
observe now that lenient measures have had no other effect than to