That a country has a right to be as foolish as it pleases, has
been proved by the practice of England for many years past: in her
island situation, sequestered from the world, she forgets that her
whispers are heard by other nations; and in her plans of politics
and commerce she seems not to know, that other votes are necessary
besides her own. America would be equally as foolish as Britain,
were she to suffer so great a degradation on her flag, and such a
stroke on the freedom of her commerce, to pass without a balance.
We admit the right of any nation to prohibit the commerce of another
into its own dominions, where there are no treaties to the contrary;
but as this right belongs to one side as well as the other, there is
always a way left to bring avarice and insolence to reason.
But the ground of security which Lord Sheffield has chosen to
erect his policy upon, is of a nature which ought, and I think must,
awaken in every American a just and strong sense of national
dignity. Lord Sheffield appears to be sensible, that in advising the
British nation and Parliament to engross to themselves so great a part
of the carrying trade of America, he is attempting a measure which
cannot succeed, if the politics of the United States be properly
directed to counteract the assumption.
But, says he, in his pamphlet, "It will be a long time before the
American states can be brought to act as a nation, neither are they to
be feared as such by us."
What is this more or less than to tell us, that while we have no
national system of commerce, the British will govern our trade by
their own laws and proclamations as they please.
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