A
bolder front in the beginning, would have prevented the first loss, and
consequently, all the others. Holland, Prussia, Turkey, and Sweden, lost
without the acquisition of a single new ally, are painful reflections
for the friends of France. They may, indeed, have in their places the
two empires, and perhaps Denmark; in which case, physically speaking,
they will stand on as good ground as before, but not on as good moral
ground. Perhaps, seeing more of the internal working of the machine,
they saw, more than we do, the physical impossibility of having money
to carry on a war. Their justification must depend on this, and their
atonement, on the internal good they are doing to their country; this
makes me completely their friend.
I am, with great esteem and attachment, Dear Sir, you friend and
servant,
Th: Jefferson.
LETTER CLV.--TO M. CATHALAN, August 13,1788
TO M. CATHALAN.
Paris, August 13,1788.
Sir,
I have to acknowledge the receipt of your two favors, of June, and
July the 11th, and to thank you for the political intelligence they
contained, which is always interesting to me.
Pages:
754
755
756
757
758
759
760
761
762
763
764
765
766
767
768
769
770
771
772
773
774
775
776
777
778