3308. FRIENDSHIP WITH ENGLAND, Obstacles to.—
The war interests in England include a numerous and wealthy
part of their population; and their influence
is deemed worth courting by ministers wishing
to keep their places. Continually endangered
by a powerful opposition, they find
it convenient to humor the popular passions
at the expense of the public good. The shipping
interest, commercial interest, and their
janizaries of the navy, all fattening on war,
will not be neglected by ministers of ordinary
minds. Their tenure of office is so infirm
that they dare not follow the dictates of
wisdom, justice, and the well-calculated interests
of their country. This vice in the English constitution, renders a dependence on
that government very unsafe. The feelings
of their King, too, fundamentally adverse to
us, have added another motive for unfriendliness
in his ministers. This obstacle to friendship,
however, seems likely to be soon removed;
and I verily believe the successor will
come in with fairer and wiser dispositions
towards us; perhaps on that event their conduct
may be changed.—
To Thomas Law. Washington ed. v, 556.
Ford ed., ix, 293.
(M.
1811)
