By seizing any part of those wealthy regions, we shall
stop the fountain of their treasure, reduce them to immediate penury,
and compel them to solicit peace upon any conditions that we shall
condescend to offer them.
The necessity of invading these countries, my lords, was perfectly
understood, and very distinctly explained, when the forces destined
for that expedition were delayed, and when the attempt at Carthagena
miscarried; nothing was more pathetical than the complaints of the
patriots, who spared no labour to inform either the senate or the
nation of the advantages which success would have procured. But what
measures have been taken to repair our losses, or to regain our
honour; or what new schemes have been formed for making an attack more
forcible upon some weaker part?
Every one can remember, that the miscarriage of that enterprise was
imputed, not to its difficulty, nor to the courage of the Spaniards,
nor to the strength of their works, but to the unskilfulness of our
officers, and the impropriety of the season; and it was, therefore,
without doubt thought not impossible to attack the Spanish colonies
with success; but why then, my lords, have they hitherto suffered the
Spaniards to discipline their troops, and strengthen their works at.
Pages:
433
434
435
436
437
438
439
440
441
442
443
444
445
446
447
448
449
450
451
452
453
454
455
456
457