Soon after, we are told that "we shall probably raise the re-
sentment of the Irish and West-Indians : The passions of human
nature" it is said " are much the same in all countries. If
they find us disposed wantonly to distress them, to serve our own
purposes, they will look out for some method to do without us:
will they not look elsewhere for a supply of those articles, they
used to take from us? They would deserve to be despised for
their meanness did they not."

To these objections I reply, first with respect to the inhabi-
tants of Great-Britain, that if they are our friends, as is sup-
posed, and as we have reason to believe; they cannot, without
being destitue of rationality, be incensed against us for using
the only peaceable and probable means, in our power, to pre-
serve our invaded rights: They know by their own experience
how fruitless remonstrances and petitions are: They know, we
have tried them over and over to no purpose : They know also,
how dangerous to their liberties, the loss of ours must be. --
What then could excite their resentment if they have the least re-
gard to common justice? The calamities, that threaten them,
proceed from the weakness, or wickedness of their own rulers;
which compels us to take the measures we do. The insinuation,
that we wantonly distress them to serve our own purposes, is fu-
tile and unsupported by a single argument. I have shewn, we
could have no other resource; nor can they think our conduct
such, without a degree of infatuation, that it would be impos-
sible to provide against, and therefore useless to consult. It is
most reasonable to believe, they will revenge the evils they may
feel on the true authors of them, on an aspiring and ill-judging
ministry; not on us, who act out of a melancholy necessity, and
are the innocent causes in self-defence.

With respect to the ministry, it is certain, that any thing,
which has a tendency to frustrate their designs, will not fail to
excite their displeasure; but since we have nothing to expect
from their justice and lenity, it can be no objection to a mea-
sure, that it tends to stir up their resentment. But their re-
sentment (it is often said) may ruin us. The impossibility of
doing that, without at the same time, ruining Great-Britain,
is a sufficent security.

The same may be said with regard to the Irish and the West-
Indians, which has been said concerning the people of Great-
Britian. The Irish, in particular, by their own circumstances