"The interests of the United States could not fail to produce the wish; their duty forbids them to indulge it when decided on mere right." Such were the memorable words of Jefferson in 1798. The war of 1812 had nothing whatever to do, as I have shown, with this matter; and it is contrary to the whole tenour of the conduct of the United States Government to suppose that they would go to war with this country for the possible establishment of a maxim contrary to the recognized law of nations.
But it is a new maxim of English policy for English statesmen to give up essential principles of British interest, founded on the recognized law of nations, in obedience to a nervous dread of offending neutral nations. The history of a people with whom such motives are allowed to operate is already ended.
I ought to state, before concluding this chapter, that the reason assigned by the
