ied to live in the most perfect union, he was
nevertheless determined not to suffer the trade of the French colonies
in America to be carried on by the subjects of other powers, under the
specious pretext of neutrality: nor to permit words to be interpreted
as a license to drive a trade with his enemies, which, though not
particularly specified in the articles of contraband, was nevertheless
rendered such in all respects, and in every sense, by the nature of the
circumstances. It is not at all more surprising that the Dutch merchants
should complain, than that the English government should persist in
confiscating the ships that were found to contain the merchandise of
their enemies. The individual traders of every mercantile nation will
run considerable risks in extending their particular commerce, even
when they know it must be detrimental to the general interest of their
country. In the war maintained by the confederates against Louis XIV.
of France, the merchant ships of the Dutch carried on an uninterrupted
trade to the French ports; and, notwithstanding the repeated
solicitations of England, the states-general could never be prevailed
upon to prohibit this commerce, which undoubtedly enabled France to
protract the war. The truth is, they gave the British ministry to
understand, that unless they connived at this traffic, their subjects
could not possibly defray their proportion of the expense at which
the war was maintained. It is well known through all Europe, that the
subjects of the United Provinces reaped considerable advantage, not only
from this branch of illicit trade, but also by providing for both
armies in Flanders, and by the practice of stock-jobbing in England;
consequently, it was not the interest, either of the states-general, or
the English general, between whom there was a very good understanding,
to bring that war to a speedy conclusion: nor indeed ought we to fix the
imputation of partiality upon a whole nation, for the private conduct
of individuals, influenced by motives of self-interest, which co-operate
with the same energy in Holland, and among the subjects of Great
Britain. In the course of the former war, such a scandalous appetite
for gain prevailed in different parts of the British dominions, that
the French islands were actually supplied with provisions, slaves, and
lumber, from Ireland and the British colonies in North America; and
Martinique, in particular, must have surrendered to the c