this just war may put it in our power to retain fome of our conquefts at the making of a peace; let us confider,

1. [The security of a dominion, a justifiable and prudent ground upon which to demand ceffions from an enemy.]

Whether we are to confine ourselves to those poffeffions only that were "the objects for which "we began the war *." This the Remarker feems to think right, when the question relates to Canada, properly fo called; it having never been * mentioned as one of thofe objects, in any of our memorials or declarations, or in any national or public act whatsoever.' But the gentleman himfelf will probably agree, that if the Ceffion of Canada would be a real advantage to us; we may demand it under his fecond head, as an "indem

nification for the charges incurred" in recovering our just rights; otherwife, according to his own principles, the demand of Guadaloupe can. have no foundation.That "our claims before

૪૮

the war were large enough for poffeffion and

for fecurity too though it feems a clear point with the ingenious Remarker, is, I own, not fo with me. I am rather of the contrary opinion, and fhall presently give my reasons.

But first let me obferve, that we did not make thofe claims because they were large enough for fecurity, but because we could rightfully claim

Remarks, p. 19.

Ibid.

по

no more. Advantages gained in the course of this war, may increase the extent of our rights. Our claims before the war contained fome fecurity; but that is no reason why we fhould neglect acquiring more, when the demand of more is become reafonable.It may be reafonable in the cafe of America to ask for the fecurity recommended by the author of the Letter |, though it would be prepofterous to do it in many other cafes. His propofed demand is founded on the little value of Canada to the French; the right we have to ask, and the power we may have to infift on an indemnification for our expences; the difficulty the French themselves will be under of reftraining their restless fubjects in America from encroaching on our limits and disturbing our trade; and the difficulty on our parts of preventing encroachments, that may poffibly exift many years without coming to our knowledge.

But the Remarker "does not fee why the arguments employed concerning a fecurity for a peaceable behaviour in Canada, would not be equally cogent for calling for the fame fecurity in Europe +." On a little farther reflection, he muft I think be fenfible, that the circumstances of the two cafes are widely different. Here we are feparated by the beft and cleareft of boundaries, the ocean, and we have people in or near every part of our territory. Any

1.

H Page 36. of the Letter, and p. 21. of the Remarks.

Remarks,. p. 24.

attempt

attempt to encroach upon us, by building a fort even in the obscurest corner of these islands, must therefore be known and prevented immediately. The aggreffors alfo must be known, and the nation they belong to would be accountable for their aggreffion.-In America it is quite otherwife. A vaft wilderness, thinly or scarce at all peopled, conceals with ease the march of troops and workmen. Important paffes may be feized within our limits, and forts built in a month, at a fmall expence, that may coft us an age, and a million to remove. Dear experience has taught us this. But what is ftill worse, the wide extended forests between our fettlements and theirs, are inhabited by barbarous tribes of favages that delight in war, and take pride in murder; fubjects properly neither of the French nor English; but strongly attached to the former by the art and indefatigable industry of priests, fimilarity of superstitions, and frequent family alliances. These are easily, and have been continually, inftigated to fall upon and maffacre our planters, even in times of full peace between the two crowns; to the certain diminution of our people and the contraction of our settlements*. And though it is known they are supplied

A very intelligent writer of that country, Dr. Clark, in his Obfervations on the late and prefent Conduct of the French, &c. printed at Boston 1755, fays,

The Indians in the French intereft are, upon all proper opportunities, inftigated by their priests, (who have generally the chief management of their public councils,) to acts of hoftility against the English, even in time of profound peace between the two

3

crowns.

supplied by the French and carry their prisoners to them, we can by complaining obtain no redrefs; as the governors of Canada have a ready excufe, that the Indians are an independent people, over whom they have no power, and for whofe actions they are therefore not accountable. -Surely circumftances fo widely different, may reasonably authorise different demands of fecurity in America, from fuch as are usual or neceffary in Europe.

crowns. Of this there are many undeniable inftances: The war between the Indians and the colonies of the Massachusetts • Bay and New Hampshire, in 1723, by which those colonies fuf⚫fered fo much damage, was begun by the inftigation of the French; their fupplies were from them; and there are now original letters ⚫ of feveral Jefuits to be produced, whereby it evidently appears, that they were continually animating the Indians, when almoft tired with the war, to a farther profecution of it. The French not only excited the Indians, and fupported them, but joined their own forces with them in all the late hoftilities that have been committed within his Majefty's province of Nova Scotia. And from an intercepted letter this year from the Jefuit at Penobfcot, and from other information, it is certain that they have been ufing their utmoft endeavours to excite the Indians to new acts of "hoftility against his Majefty's colony of the Maffachusetts Bay; and -The French not only excite the fome have been committed.

• Indians to acts of hoftility, but reward them for it, by buying the English prisoners of them: for the ranfom of each of which ⚫ they afterwards demand of us the price that is ufually given for a fave in these colonies. They do this under the fpecious pretence of refcuing the poor prifoners from the cruelties and bar• barities of the favages; but in reality to encourage them to continue their depredations, as they can by this means get more by ⚫ hunting the English, than by hunting wild-beafts; and the French at the fame time are thereby enabled to keep up a large body of • Indians, entirely at the expence of the English?

The

The Remarker, however, thinks, that our real dependance for keeping "France or any other na "tion true to her engagements, muft not be in "demanding fecurities which no nation whilst

independent can give; but on our own strength "and our own vigilance *."-No nation that has carried on a war with disadvantage, and is unable to continue it, can be faid, under fuch circumftances, to be independent; and while either fide thinks itself in a condition to demand an indem nification, there is no man in his fenfes, but will, cæteris paribus, prefer an indemnification that is a cheaper and more effectual fecurity than any other he can think of. Nations in this fituation demand and cede countries by almost every treaty of peace that is made.-The French part of the island of St. Christophers was added to Great Bri→ tain in circumstances altogether fimilar to those in which a few months may probably place the country of Canada. Farther fecurity has always been deemed a motive with a conqueror to be less moderate: And even the vanquished infift upon fecurity as a reafon for demanding what they acknowledge they could not otherwife properly afk. The fecurity of the frontier of France on the fide of the Netherlands, was always confidered, in the negotiation that began at Gertruydenburgh, and ended with that war. For the fame reason they demanded and had Cape Breton. But a war concluded to the advantage of France, has always Remarks, p. 25.

added