urrendering a distant Province voluntarily,
and of free Choice, notwithstanding it was greatly their Interest to have
done it. The _English_ in particular have given remarkable Proofs of their
Unwillingness. For tho' it was undeniably their Interest to have abandoned
all the Provinces which they held in _France_, yet they never gave up one
of them, 'till they were compelled to it by Force of Arms. Now indeed, and
at this Distance of Time, we see clearly, that our Fore-Fathers were
wretched Politicians in endeavouring to retain any one of the _French_
Provinces, which, if it was a little one, would be a continual Drain, and
perhaps an encreasing Expence; and if it was a great one, might grow up to
be a Rival, and become the Seat of Empire. I say, we can see these Things
clearly enough at present: Yet alas! what Advantages do we derive from
this Discovery? And what Application do we make of such historical
_Mementos_ to the Business of the present Day? The remotest of our
Provinces in _France_ were hardly 300 Miles distant from our own Coasts;
the nearest of those in _America_ are about 3000. The Provinces in
_France_ were already fully peopled, and peopled for the most Part by
Inhabitants extremely well affected at that Time to the _English_
Government: Whereas the Deserts of _America_ require first to be peopled
by Draughts either from ourselves, or from our _European_ Customers; and
then when these Emigrants have been settled for a Generation or two, they
become native _Americans_, who naturally forget the Supremacy of that
Country, with whose Government they have so little Connections, from whose
Seat of Empire they are so far distant, whose ruling Power they so seldom
feel (and therefore do not regard) and consequently whose Claims they
consider as so many audacious Attempts to rob them of their beloved
Independence.

But this is not all: And the Absurdity of our present Conduct in not
abandoning the _rebellious_ Provinces of _North-America_, becomes still
more glaring, when we consider farther, (what we now find by Experience to
be true) that we can live and flourish, even in our commercial Capacity,
without the Assistance of these refractory Colonies. For tho' it doth by
no Means follow, that we should be destitute of their Trade, if each
_American_ Province was erected into a separate and independent State;
nay, tho' the contrary hath been made to appear by such a Chain of
Evidences, as no Man hitherto hath attempt