I believe he forms a right estimate of the nature of
this peace, and that it will want many of those circumstances which
formerly characterizes that state of things.
If I am right in my ideas of this new republic, the different states of
peace and war will make no difference in her pursuits. It is not an
enemy of accident that we have to deal with. Enmity to us, and to all
civilized nations, is wrought into the very stamina of its Constitution.
It was made to pursue the purposes of that fundamental enmity. The
design will go on regularly in every position and in every relation.
Their hostility is to break us to their dominion; their amity is to
debauch us to their principles. In the former, we are to contend with
their force; in the latter, with their intrigues. But we stand in a very
different posture of defence in the two situations. In war, so long as
government is supported, we fight with the whole united force of the
kingdom. When under the name of peace the war of intrigue begins, we do
not contend against our enemies with the whole force of the kingdom.
No,--we shall have to fight, (if it should be a fight at all, and not an
ignominious surrender of everything which has made our country venerable
in our eyes and dear to our hearts,) we shall have to light with but a
portion of our strength against the whole of theirs.
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