believed, and suffered with impunity by Great Britain, that there ever will or can be any cordiality between the two countries?  I answer, No.  And I will undertake, without the gift of prophecy, to predict that it will be impossible to keep this country in a state of amity with Great Britain long, if the posts are not surrendered.  A knowledge of these being my sentiments would have little weight, I am persuaded, with the British administration, and perhaps not with the nation, in effecting the measure; but both may rest satisfied that, if they want to be in peace with this country, and to enjoy the benefits of its trade, to give up the posts is the only road to it.  Withholding them, and the consequences we feel at present continuing, war will be inevitable.”

Jay meantime had been well received in England.  Lord Grenville expressed the most friendly feelings, and every desire that the negotiation might succeed.  Jay was also received at court, where he was said to have kissed the queen’s hand, a crime, so the opposition declared, for which his lips ought to have been blistered to the bone, a difficult and by no means common form of punishment.  Receptions, dinner parties, and a ready welcome everywhere, did not, however, make a treaty.  When it came to business, the English did not differ materially from their neighbors whom Canning satirized.

  “The fault of the Dutch
  Is giving too little and asking too much.”

So the Americans now found it with Lord Grenville.  There were many subjects of dispute, some dangerous, and all requiring settlement for the benefit of both countries.  Boundaries, negro claims, and British debts were easily disposed of by reference to boards of arbitration.  Two others, awkward and threatening, but not immediately pressing, were the impressment of British seamen, real or pretended, from American ships, and the exclusion of American vessels from the trade of the British West Indies.  The latter circumstance was no doubt disagreeable to us, and deprived us of profit; but it is difficult to see what right we had to complain of it, for the ports of the British West Indies belonged to Great Britain, and if she chose to close them to us, or anybody else, she was quite within her rights.  At all events, Lord Grenville declined to let us in, except in a very limited way and under most onerous conditions.  The right of search and the right of impressment were simply the rights of the powerful over the weak.  England wanted to get seamen where she could for her navy; and so long as she could violate our flag and carry off as recruits any able-bodied seaman who spoke English, she meant to do it.  It was worse than idle to negotiate about it.  When we should be ready and willing to fight we could settle that question, but not before.  In due time we were ready to fight.  England defeated us in various battles, ravaged our coasts, and burned our capital; while we whipped her frigates and lake flotillas, and repulsed