At such a juncture, I would implore every man, who retains
the least spark of regard to the yet remaining honor and security of
this country, not to compel others to an imitation of their conduct, or
by passion and violence to force them to seek in the territories of the
separation that freedom and those advantages which they are not to look
for whilst they remain under the wings of their ancient government.
After all, what are the matters we dispute with so much warmth? Do we in
these resolutions _bestow_ anything upon Ireland? Not a shilling. We
only consent to _leave_ to them, in two or three instances, the use of
the natural faculties which God has given to them, and to all mankind.
Is Ireland united to the crown of Great Britain for no other purpose
than that we should counteract the bounty of Providence in her favor?
and in proportion as that bounty has been liberal, that we are to regard
it as an evil, which is to be met with in every sort of corrective? To
say that Ireland interferes with us, and therefore must be checked, is,
in my opinion, a very mistaken, and a very dangerous principle. I must
beg leave to repeat, what I took the liberty of suggesting to you in my
last letter, that Ireland is a country in the same climate and of the
same natural qualities and productions with this, and has consequently
no other means of growing wealthy in herself, or, in other words, of
being useful to us, but by doing the very same things which we do for
the same purposes.
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