No change in the administration has taken place since
my last, unless we may consider as such, Monsieur Cabarrus's refusal
to stand in the lines. Thinking he should be forced to follow, too
seriously, plans formed by others, he has declined serving.
Should this war take place, as is quite probable, and should it be as
general as it threatens to be, our neutrality must be attended with
great advantages. Whether of a nature to improve our morals or our
happiness, is another question. But is it sure that Great Britain, by
her searches, her seizures, and other measures for harassing us, will
permit us to preserve our neutrality? I know it may be argued, that the
land-war, which she would superadd to her sea-war, by provoking us to
join her enemies, should rationally hold her to her good behavior with
us. But since the accession of the present monarch, has it not been
passion, and not reason, which, nine times out of ten, has dictated her
measures? Has there been a better rule of prognosticating what he
would do, than to examine what he ought not to do? When I review
his dispositions and review his conduct, I have little hope of his
permitting our neutrality.
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