by the terms of our treaty, and by regard to our safety, to
continue in it to the end_.

That it hence appeared to be the obvious interest of Britain
immediately to cut the cords, which tied us to France, for that,
though we were determined faithfully to fulfil our treaty and
engagements with this Court, _yet it was a different thing to be
guided by their or our construction of it_.

That among other things we were bound not to make a separate peace or
truce, and that the assurance of our independence was avowed to be the
object of our treaty. While therefore Great Britain refused to yield
this object, we were bound, as well as resolved, to go on with the
war, although perhaps the greatest obstacles to a peace arose neither
from the demands of France nor America. Whereas, that object being
conceded, we should be at liberty to make peace the moment that Great
Britain should be ready to accede to the terms of France and America,
without our being restrained by the demands of Spain, with whose views
we had no concerns.

That it would not be wise in Great Britain to think of dividing the
fishery with France and excluding us; because we could not make peace
at such an expense, and because such an attempt would irritate America
still more; would perpetuate her resentments, and induce her to use
every possible means of retaliation by withholding supplies in future
to the fishery, and by imposing the most rigid restraints on a
commerce with Britain.

That it would not be less impolitic to oppose us on the point of
boundary and the navigation of the Mississippi;

1st. Because our right to extend to the Mississippi was proved by our
charters and other acts of government, and our right to its navigation
was deducible from the laws of nature, and the consequences of
revolution, which vested in us every British territorial right. It was
easy therefore to foresee what opinions and sensations the mere
attempt to dispossess us of these rights would diffuse throughout
America.

2dly. Because the profits of an extensive and lucrative commerce, and
not the possession of vast tracts of wilderness, were the true objects
of a commercial European nation.

That by our extending to the Mississippi to the west, and to the
proclamation bounds of Canada to the north, and by consenting to the
mutual free navigation of our several lakes and rivers, there would be
an inland navigation from the Gulf of St Lawrence to that of Mexico,
by means