Tuesday, Dec. 3, 1776. Abundance of Political puffs and lies told to amuse the public [i.e., to keep them hoping]. It is a matter of dispute with me whether the Whigs or Torys are the greatest propagators of falsehood.
Journal of Nicholas Cresswell
Nicholas Cresswell, a young Englishman visiting America, was strongly (though not very openly) opposed to the Revolution. More than anything else at the time, he wanted to get back to England. Rumors of all sorts were flying around as to who was winning the war; it was hard to tell what was true, and Cresswell was frustrated with it all.
If “Whigs or Torys” were replaced with “Republicans or Democrats” or the names of various politicians or pundits, I think this journal entry could well have been written today.