I said this, or something to this effect. If it gives
offence to Ireland, I am sorry for it: it was the reason I gave for my
silence; and it was, as far as it went, the true one.
With you, this silence of mine and of others was represented as
factious, and as a discountenance to the measure of your relief. Do you
think us children? If it had been our wish to embroil matters, and, for
the sake of distressing ministry, to commit the two kingdoms in a
dispute, we had nothing to do but (without at all condemning the
propositions) to have gone into the commercial detail of the objects of
them. It could not have been refused to us: and you, who know the nature
of business so well, must know that this would have caused such delays,
and given rise during that delay to such discussions, as all the wisdom
of your favorite minister could never have settled. But, indeed, you
mistake your men. We tremble at the idea of a disunion of these two
nations. The only thing in which we differ with you is this,--that we do
not think your attaching yourselves to the court and quarrelling with
the independent part of this people is the way to promote the union of
two free countries, or of holding them together by the most natural and
salutary ties.
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