The Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution, Vol. 05
History
The Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution, Vol. 05
United States -- Foreign relations -- 1775-1783; United States -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783 -- Sources
Indeed, whoever considers attentively this subject, will see, that
these three circumstances of habit, language, and religion, will for
the future operate as natural causes of animosity between England and
America, because they will facilitate migration. The loss of liberty,
the decay of religion, the horrible national debt, the decline of
commerce, and of political importance in Europe, and of maritime
power, which cannot but take place in England, will tempt numbers of
their best people to emigrate to America; and to this, fashion,
language, and religion will contribute. The British government will,
therefore, see themselves obliged to restrain this by many ways; and
among others, by cultivating an animosity and hatred in the minds of
their people against the Americans. Nature has already sufficiently
discovered itself, and all the world sees, that the British government
have for many years, not only indulged in themselves the most unsocial
and bitter passions against Americans, but have systematically
encouraged them in the people.
After all, the circumstances of modes, language, and religion, have
much less influence in determining the friendship and enmity of
nations, than other more essential interests. Commerce is more than
all these and many more such circumstances. Now it is easy to see,
that the commercial interests of England and America will forever
hereafter be incompatible. America will take away, or at least
diminish, the trade of the English in ship building, in freight, in
the whale fisheries, in the cod fisheries, in furs and skins, and in
other particulars, too many to enumerate. In this respect, America
will not interfere with France, but on the contrary, will facilitate
and benefit the French commerce and marine, to a very great degree.
Here, then, will be a perpetual rivalry and competition between
England and America, and a continual source of animosity and war.
America will have occasion for the alliance of France, to defend her
against this ill will of England, as France will stand in need of that
of America, to aid her against the natural and continual jealousies
and hostility of England.
The boundaries of territory will also be another constant source of
disputes. If a peace should unhappily be made, leaving England in
possession of Canada, Nova Scotia, the Floridas, or any one spot of
ground in America, they will be perpetually encroaching upon the
States of America; whereas, France, having renounced all territorial
jurisdiction in America, will have no room for controversy.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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