1431. COMMERCE, War and.—
The actual
habits of our countrymen attach them to
commerce. They will exercise it for themselves.
Wars, then, must sometimes be our
lot; and all the wise can do, will be to avoid
that half of them which would be produced
by our own follies, and our own acts of injustice;
and to make for the other half the best
preparations we can. Of what nature should
these be? A land army would be useless for
offence, and not the best nor safest instrument
of defence. For either of these purposes,
the sea is the field on which we should
meet an European enemy. On that element
it is necessary we should possess some power.—
Notes on Virginia. Washington ed. viii, 413.
Ford ed., iii, 279.
(1782)
