3301. FRIENDSHIP WITH ENGLAND, Desired.—[continued].
Instead of fearing and
endeavoring to crush our prosperity, had the
British cultivated it in friendship, it might
have become a bulwark instead of a breaker
to them. There has never been an administration
in this country which would not
gladly have met them more than half way on
the road to an equal, a just and solid connection
of friendship and intercourse. And
as to repressing our growth, they might as
well attempt to repress the waves of the
ocean.—
To John Melish. Washington ed. vi, 403.
(M.
1814)
