3123. FRANCE, Commerce with.—[continued].
The French [in their recent
treaty with England] have clearly reserved
a right of favoring, specially, any
nation not European; and there is no nation
out of Europe, who could so probably have
been in their eye at that time, as ours.
They are wise. They must see it probable, at
least, that any concert with England, will be
but of short duration; and they could hardly
propose to sacrifice for that, a connection
with us, which may be perpetual.—
To John Jay. Washington ed. ii, 112.
(P.
1787)
