The Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution, Vol. 08
History
The Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution, Vol. 08
United States -- Foreign relations -- 1775-1783; United States -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783 -- Sources
It is also important to show the unanimity of this country, in
opposition to what the Court of Great Britain has desired to
inculcate. I have touched upon this in my last letter, and have
endeavored to show it from the conduct, which she herself holds
towards this country. It will never be doubted by those who reflect on
these circumstances, and the ease with which every order of government
is carried into effect, and the few partisans the British have found,
when they marched out into the country. But though we wish these
matters to be understood, yet I am far from recommending it to you to
make a pompous display of them. Your own judgment will direct you on
this subject. Your having been long in a public character, will
naturally lead those who wish to be informed to inquire the state of
our affairs from you. You may avail yourself of the opportunities this
will afford you to speak of them with that temper and moderation, that
cannot fail to make an impression, particularly when these facts
appear rather to be drawn from you by your desire to answer the
inquiry, than urged by a wish to make converts. In the first case, the
hearer is disposed to believe, because you lay him under obligations;
in the second, he is cautious lest he should be led away by your
prejudices. Should these inquiries be made by people who are able to
serve you, be particularly attentive to render your information
agreeable by enlivening it with some little interesting incidents,
which this war has furnished in abundance, and which cannot but give
pleasure to a people, who are too remote to have heard them.
These may possibly be the means, when repeated, of exciting the
curiosity of the sovereign, and procure for you the honor of
conversing with her in the character of a private gentleman. This
incident will be best improved by preparing yourself to answer all her
inquiries with respect to this country, without touching on the
politics of Europe, with which she is infinitely better acquainted
than we can be. The first settlement of the Colonies; their
population, agriculture, commerce, and revenues; their past and
present governments; the progress of the arts and sciences; the steps
which led to this revolution, and the present state of the war, will
probably be the objects of her inquiry. These you will answer with
candor, even though you should thereby expose some of our defects or
imperfections. For you will never cease to bear in mind, that the
celebrated sovereign of the country you are in is too well informed to
be deceived, could our politics ever stoop so low as to make the
attempt.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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