8930. WAR, Security against.—
The justest dispositions possible in ourselves, will
not secure us against war. It would be necessary
that all other nations were just also.
Justice, indeed, on our part, will save us from
those wars which would have been produced
by a contrary disposition. But how can we
prevent those produced by the wrongs of other
nations? By putting ourselves in a position
to punish them. Weakness provokes insult
and injury, while a condition to punish often
prevents them. This reasoning leads to the
necessity of some naval force; that being the
only weapon by which we can reach an enemy.—
To John Jay. Washington ed. i, 404.
Ford ed., iv, 89.
(P.
1785)
