899. BONAPARTE (N.), United States and.—[further continued].
Although we neither expected,
nor wished any act of friendship from
Bonaparte, and always detested him as a
tyrant, yet he gave employment to much of
the force of the nation who was our common
enemy. So far, his downfall was illy timed
for us; it gave to England an opportunity
to turn full-handed on us, when we were unprepared.
No matter, we can beat her on our
own soil, leaving the laws of the ocean to be
settled by the maritime powers of Europe,
who are equally oppressed and insulted by the
usurpations of England on that element.—
To W. H. Crawford. Washington ed. vi, 418.
Ford ed., ix, 502.
(M.
Feb. 1815)
