2671. ENGLAND, Perversity of Court.—[further continued] .
We, I hope, shall be left
free to avail ourselves of the advantages of
neutrality; and yet, much I fear the English,
or rather their stupid King, will force us
out of it. For thus I reason. By forcing us
into the war against them, they will be engaged
in an expensive land war, as well as
a sea war. Common sense dictates, therefore,
that they should let us remain neuter:
ergo, they will not let us remain neuter.—
To John Adams. Washington ed. ii, 283.
Ford ed., iv, 456.
(P.
1787)
