probable that in time they must be fubjected to the British crown, or driven out of the country.

Such fettlements may better be made now, than fifty years hence, because it is eafier to fettle ourfelves, and thereby prevent the French fettling there, as they seem now to intend, than to remove them when strongly settled.

If these fettlements are poftponed, then more forts and stronger, and more numerous and expenfive garrisons must be established, to fecure the country, prevent their fettling, and fecure our prefent frontiers; the charge of which, may probably exceed the charge of the propofed fettlements, and the advantage nothing near fo great.

The fort at Ofwego fhould likewife be ftrengthened, and fome armed half-gallies, or other small veffels, kept there to cruife on lake Ontario, as proposed by Mr. Pownall in his paper laid before the commiffioners at the Albany treaty +.

.

If a fort was alfo built at Tirondequat on lake Ontario, and a fettlement made there near the lake fide, where the lands are faid to be good, (much better than at Ofwego;) the people of fuch fettlements would help to defend both forts on any emergency *.

[See his Work above quoted, Vol. II. p. 234. et feq. et ibid. P. 179. et feq. E.]

[This whole propofal was neglected, though the French thought a confiderable fettlement very practicable, in order to get at the Obia. See Governor Pownall, Vol. II. p. 236.

Dr. Franklin alfo failed in another propofal for fettling to the South of the Ohio. E.]

The

The Interest of Great Britain confidered, with regard to her Colonies, and the Acquifitions of Canada and Guadaloupe

I Have perùfed with no small pleasure the Letter

addreffed to Two Great Men, and the Re

* [In the year 1760, upon the prospect of a peace with France, the late Earl of Bath addreffed a Letter to two great men, (Mr. Pitt and the Duke of Newcastle,) on the terms neceffary to be infifted upon in the negociation. He preferred the acquifition of Canada, to acquifitions in the West Indies.-In the fame year there appeared Remarks on the letter addreffed to two great men, containing oppofite opinions on this and other fubjects. At this moment a philofopher ftepped into the controverfy, and wrote a pamphlet entitled, "The Intereft of Great Britain confidered, with regard to her Colonies, &c. The arguments he ufed, appear to have carried weight with them at the courts of London and Paris, for Canada was kept by the peace.

The Editor_thinks it neceffary to add the following further explanations.-The above piece (which firft came to his hands in the shape of a pamphlet, printed for Becket 1761, 2d edit.) has none of the eight fubdivifions it is now thrown into, marked out by the author. He conceived however that they might be useful, and has taken the liberty of making them, but guards it with this apology.-The better to fuit his purpose, the divifion of the paragraphs, &c. and the Italics of the original, are not accurately adhered to. It was impoffible for him however to alter one word in the fenfe, ftyle, or difpofition, of his author: This was a liberty for which he could. make no apology.

In the original, the author has added his obfervations concerning the Increase of mankind, peopling of countries, &c. (printed in the beginning of this work); and introduced it with the following note. "In confirmation of the writer's opinion concerning population, "manufactures, &c. he has thought it not amifs to add an extract "from a piece written fome years fince in America, where the facts "must be well known, on which the reasonings are founded. It is intitled, Obfervations, &c."

With refpect to the arguments ufed by the authors of the Letter, and of the Remarks, it is useless to repeat them here. As far as they are neceffary for the understanding of Dr. Franklin, they are to be collected from his own work. E.]

mark's

marks on that Letter. It is not merely from the beauty, the force and perfpicuity of expreffion, or the general elegance of manner confpicuous in both pamphlets, that my pleasure chiefly arifes; it is rather from this, that I have lived to fee fubjects of the greatest importance to this nation publicly difcuffed without party views, or party heat, with decency and politenefs, and with no other warmth than what a zeal for the honour and happinefs of our king and country may inspire ;-and this by writers whofe understanding (however they may differ from each other) appears not unequal to their candour and the uprightness of their intention,

But, as great abilities have not always the best information, there are, I apprehend, in the Remarks, fome opinions not well founded, and some mistakes of fo important a nature, as to render a few obfervations on them neceffary for the better information of the public.

The author of the Letter, who must be every way beft able to fupport his own fentiments, will, I hope, excufe me, if I feem officiously to interfere; when he confiders, that the fpirit of patriotifm, like other qualities good and bad, is catching, and that his long filence fince the Remarks appeared has made us defpair of feeing the subject farther difcuffed by his mafterly hand. The ingenious and candid Remarker, too, who must have been mifled himself before he employed his fkill and address to mislead others; will certainly, fince he declares

others 3

U

declares he aims at no feduction*, be disposed to excufe even the weakest effort to prevent it.

And surely if the general opinions that poffefs the minds of the people may poffibly be of confequence in public affairs, it must be fit to fet thofe opinions right. If there is danger, as the Remarker fuppofes, that "extravagant expecta"tions" may embarrass" a virtuous and able miniftry," and "render the negotiation for peace a "work of infinite difficulty +;" there is no less danger that expectations too low, through want of proper information, may have a contrary effect; may make even a virtuous and able ministry less anxious, and lefs attentive to the obtaining points, in which the honour and intereft of the nation are effentially concerned; and the people less hearty in fupporting fuch a miniftry and its measures.

The people of this nation are indeed respectable, not for their numbers only, but for their understanding and their public fpirit: they manifeft the first, by their univerfal approbation of the late prudent and vigorous measures, and the confidence they so justly repose in a wife and good prince, and an honest and able administration; the latter they have demonstrated by the immense supplies granted in parliament unanimously, and paid through the whole kingdom with cheerfulness. And fince to this fpirit and these supplies, our ❝ victories and fucceffes +" have in great measure been owing; is it quite right, is it generous to + Ibid. p. 7.

• Remarks, p. 6.

1 Ibid.

Lay,

fay, with the Remarker, that the people" had no "fhare in acquiring them?" The mere mob he cannot mean, even where he speaks of the madness of the people; for the madness of the mob muft be too feeble and impotent, armed as the government of this country at prefent is, to "over"rule*,” even in the flightest inftances, the virtue

and moderation" of a firm and steady ministry.

While the war continues, its final event is quite uncertain. The Victorious of this year may be the Vanquished of the next. It may therefore be too early to fay, what advantages we ought absolutely to infift on, and make the fine quibus non of a peace. If the neceffity of our affairs fhould oblige us to accept of terms lefs advantageous than our prefent fucceffes feem to promife us; an intelligent people, as ours is, muft fee that neceffity, and will acquiefce. But as a peace, when it is made, may be made haftily; and as the unhappy continuance of the war affords us time to confider, among feveral advantages gained or to be gained, which of them may be moft for our intereft to retain, if fome and not all may poffibly be retained; I do not blame the public difquifition of these points, as premature or useless. Light often arifes from a collifion of opinions, as fire from flint and steel; and if we can obtain the benefit of the light, without danger from the beat fometimes produced by controverfy, why fhould we difcourage it?

Suppofing then, that heaven may ftill continue to bless his Majefty's arms, and that the event of Remarks, p. 7.

U 2

this