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Show (38) (39) when the Romans had formerly withdraWn themfelves from this ifland, that the pollelhons became here, alone, with a debt of a hundred and forty millions through the weaknefs and helplellnefs of thofe re- fierling on its head! How can any one have before his eyes {uch an event, yet run on the road, which maining, the prize and the prey of all plunderers, pirates, robbers, and conquerors, who came and fcized upon them; until that thefe people themfelves, nice in meafuring our force with that of the Ameri« the Danes, the Saxons, and the Normans replenilhed leads direélly towards it? We need not, perhaps be cans ,- the evil of fuch a day, will but too fufiiciently Whether the decide the contefl. But all is not yet {aid which this fubjec‘t demands. like fcenes, will,on the fame fpot be once more afied, I have hitherto only confidered us and our colonies a: and fircngthened again the country. or what iflhe awaits us, he only knows in whole hands thele events are. But we mull neceffarily expect that the dillant, or detatched parts of our empire, willfall from us; the ltronger and the bigger will probably provide for and govern themfelves, the Weaker and the lefler fink away, or feels another mafter. I don't at all mean, that they have any inclination fo to do, where we give no caufe or yrovocation; but the reins of government will, in fuch a conjunc- engaged between ourfelves, nor a word has been {aid of any Foreign {late meddling inthe matter. yet behind. That is We mull look upon our colonies, in the light of the provinces of Holland, when they contended with Spain. The with, the hand of every man will be againlt us. I will not enter into a general dilcourfe of politics, how far it may be for the common good of mankind, to fplit great {'tatcs into {mall ones, to divide them into a fize fit to profit and ture, of courle, and of themlelves drop out of our benefit others, but not to overbear or diflrefs them. hands; we {hall no longer be able to hold them. Let us confider the fubjec‘l' by examples familiar to us. Mexico and Peru are more dil'tant from Great No man can tell, whether Great Britain itielf might, at that time continue in one, or whether it may again be fplit and divided into two. There have not been Wanting endeavours towards that end. I don't now pretend to decide at whole door this principally lies. lt .13 not perhaps one man, or one party only, that is in fault. '1 here have been on one hand, moll unjull and cruel perfecutions. High and firong relent- Britain, than our colonies of North America, from ments of theie, are no otherwife than natural and ments of Pondicherry, of Mauritius and Madagalcar,» disjoined From it, or its own continent broken once more into feveral different parts and feparate governments, would our endeavours contribute to unite warrantable. But they have in one refpeél been carried to an unreafonable extent. Refleélions have been made and continued. where they are totally ungrounded and unmeritcd. They have hitherto been borne with a nanonal good fenfe, that brings more honour to the parties, than all the ribaldry in the world can ever do them difcredit. But who knows, how their efihc‘ts may be felt in {rich a time, as is before defSrtbedf' What a lituationl Britain, or England left alone, Spain, or France; but were thofe in allate of defeca tion and feparation from the Spaniards, I wonder, whether We fhould find a way to approach them, or to avail ourfelves in any manner of that circumilance. France was pretty well planned in the lall War; but, neverthelefs, were the reviving or beginning fettle- them? Should Batavia, the Spice Illands, and the Cape of Good Hope, revolt from the United Provrnces, would not Englilhmen try to profit by the con« juncture ? [will not touch on the Brazrls, that may be atender point. But would none of all mankind, neither French, or Spaniards, or Dutch, or Portu guefc, |