glish in
favour of the liberty and independence of America, according to all
appearances, the resolution taken by the Congress, towards the end of
the last year, to wit, to forbid in all America the importation of
British manufactures and productions, has greatly contributed: a
resolution, of which they perceive in England, too visibly, the
consequences ruinous to their manufactures, trade, commerce, and
navigation, to be able to remain indifferent in this regard. For all
other commercial nations, who take to heart, ever so little, their own
prosperity, will apply themselves ardently, to collect from it all the
fruit possible. To this effect, it would be unpardonable for the
business and commerce of this Republic in general, and for those of this
city in particular, to suffer to escape this occasion so favourable for
the encouragement of our manufactures so declined, and languishing in
the interior cities, as well as that of the commerce and navigation in
the maritime cities; or to suffer that other commercial nations, even
with a total exclusion of the mercantile interests of this Republic,
should profit of it, and this, upon an occasion, when, by reason of the
war, equally unjust and ruinous, in which the kingdom of Great Britain
has involved this Republic, we cannot, and ought not to have the least
regard or condescension for that jealous State, being able even to
oblige this arrogant neighbour, in the just fear of the consequences
which a more intimate connection between this Republic and North America
would undoubtedly have, to lay down the sooner her arms, and restore
tranquility to all Europe.

That the petitioners, notwithstanding the inclination they have for it,
ought not nevertheless to explain themselves farther upon this object,
nor make a demonstration in detail of the important advantages which
this Republic may procure itself by a connection and a relation more
intimate with North America; both, because that no well-informed man can
easily call the thing in question, or contradict it; but also, because
the States of Friesland themselves have very lately explained
themselves, in a manner so remarkable, in this respect; and which is
still more remarkable, because in very different circumstances, with a
foresight, which posterity will celebrate by so much the more, as it is
attacked in our time by ill designing citizens, the Lords your
predecessors thought, four years ago, upon the means of hindering this