The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 5 (of 9): Being His Autobiography, Correspondence, Reports, Messages, Addresses, and Other Writings, Official and PrivateJefferson, Thomas
History
The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 5 (of 9): Being His Autobiography, Correspondence, Reports, Messages, Addresses, and Other Writings, Official and Private
Jefferson, Thomas
United States -- Politics and government -- 1775-1783; United States -- Politics and government -- 1783-1865
The late change in the ministry I consider as insuring us a just
settlement of our differences, and we ask no more. In Mr. Fox, personally,
I have more confidence than in any man in England, and it is founded
in what, through unquestionable channels, I have had opportunities of
knowing of his honesty and his good sense. While he shall be in the
administration, my reliance on that government will be solid. We had
committed ourselves in a line of proceedings adapted to meet Mr. Pitt's
policy and hostility, before we heard of his death, which self-respect did
not permit us to abandon afterwards; and the late unparalleled outrage on
us at New York excited such sentiments in the public at large, as did not
permit us to do less than has been done. It ought not to be viewed by the
ministry as looking towards them at all, but merely as the consequences
of the measures of their predecessors, which their nation has called on
them to correct. I hope, therefore, they will come to just arrangements.
No two countries upon earth have so many points of common interest and
friendship; and their rulers must be great bunglers indeed, if, with such
dispositions, they break them asunder. The only rivalry that can arise
is on the ocean. England may, by petty larceny thwartings, check us on
that element a little, but nothing she can do will retard us there one
year's growth. We shall be supported there by other nations, and thrown
into their scale to make a part of the great counterpoise to her navy.
If, on the other hand, she is just to us, conciliatory, and encourages
the sentiment of family feelings and conduct, it cannot fail to befriend
the security of both. We have the seamen and materials for fifty ships
of the line, and half that number of frigates; and were France to give
us the money, and England the dispositions to equip them, they would
give to England serious proofs of the stock from which they are sprung,
and the school in which they have been taught; and added to the efforts
of the immensity of sea coast lately united under one power, would leave
the state of the ocean no longer problematical. Were, on the other hand,
England to give the money, and France the dispositions to place us on the
sea in all our force, the whole world, out of the continent of Europe,
might be our joint monopoly. We wish for neither of these scenes. We
ask for peace and justice from all nations; and we will remain uprightly
neutral in fact, though leaning in belief to the opinion that an English
ascendancy on the ocean is safer for us than that of France. We begin to
broach the idea that we consider the whole Gulf Stream as of our waters,
in which hostilities and cruising are to be frowned on for the present,
and prohibited so soon as either consent or force will permit us. We shall
never permit another privateer to cruise within it, and shall forbid our
harbors to national cruisers. This is essential for our tranquillity and
commerce.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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