2574. EMBARGO, Peace and.—[continued].
There never has been a
situation of the world before, in which such
endeavors as we have made would not have secured
our peace. It is probable there never will
be such another. If we go to war now, I fear
we may renounce forever the hope of seeing an
end of our national debt. If we can keep at
peace eight years longer, our income, liberated
from debt, will be adequate to any war, without
new taxes or loans, and our position and
increasing strength put us hors d'insulte from
any nation.—
To James Monroe. Washington ed. v, 420.
Ford ed., ix, 243.
(W.
Jan. 1809)
