She should therefore have a system of her own, separate and apart from
that of Europe. While the last is laboring to become the domicile of
despotism, our endeavor should surely be, to make our hemisphere that of
freedom. One nation, most of all, could disturb us in this pursuit;
she now offers to lead, aid, and accompany us in it. By acceding to her
proposition, we detach her from the band of despots, bring her mighty
weight into the scale of free government, and emancipate a continent at
one stroke, which might otherwise linger long in doubt and difficulty.
Great Britain is the nation which can do us the most harm of any one,
or all, on earth; and with her on our side we need not fear the whole
world. With her, then, we should most sedulously cherish a cordial
friendship; and nothing would tend more to knit our affections, than to
be fighting once more, side by side, in the same cause. Not that I would
purchase even her amity at the price of taking part in her wars. But the
war in which the present proposition might engage us, should that be its
consequence, is not her war, but ours. Its object is to introduce and
establish the American system, of keeping out of our land all foreign
powers, of never permitting those of Europe to intermeddle with the
affairs of our nations. It is to maintain our own principle, not to
depart from it. And if, to facilitate this, we can effect a division
in the body of the European powers, and draw over to our side its
most powerful member, surely we should do it.
Pages:
621
622
623
624
625
626
627
628
629
630
631
632
633
634
635
636
637
638
639
640
641
642
643
644
645