America cannot be more independent of
her, nor a greater enemy to her, hereafter than she now is; nor can
England derive less advantages from her than at present: why then is
ruin to follow in the best state of the case, and not in the worst?
And if not in the worst, why is it to follow at all?
That a nation is to be ruined by peace and commerce, and fourteen or
fifteen millions a-year less expenses than before, is a new doctrine
in politics. We have heard much clamor of national savings and
economy; but surely the true economy would be, to save the whole
charge of a silly, foolish, and headstrong war; because, compared with
this, all other retrenchments are baubles and trifles.
But is it possible that Lord Shelburne can be serious in supposing
that the least advantage can be obtained by arms, or that any
advantage can be equal to the expense or the danger of attempting
it? Will not the capture of one army after another satisfy him, must
all become prisoners? Must England ever be the sport of hope, and
the victim of delusion? Sometimes our currency was to fail; another
time our army was to disband; then whole provinces were to revolt.
Such a general said this and that; another wrote so and so; Lord
Chatham was of this opinion; and lord somebody else of another. To-day
20,000 Russians and 20 Russian ships of the line were to come;
to-morrow the empress was abused without mercy or decency. Then the
Emperor of Germany was to be bribed with a million of money, and the
King of Prussia was to do wonderful things.
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