Thomas Jefferson
Published: 2015-07-06
Total Pages: 610
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Excerpt from The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 4 Peace being at length concluded with England, we had it also to conclude with them. They had made war on us without the least provocation or pretence of injury. They had added greatly to the cost of that war. They had insulted our feelihgs by their savage cruelties. They were by our arms completely subdued and humbled. Under all these circumstances, we had a right to demand substantial satisfaction and indemnification. We used that right, however, with real moderation. Their limits with us under the former government were generally ill defined, question able, and the frequent cause of war. Sincerely desirous of living in their peace, of cultivating it by every act of justice and friendship, and of rendering them better neighbors by introducing among them some of the most useful arts, it was necessary to begin by a precise definition of boundary. Acccordingly, at the treaties held with them, our mutual boundaries were settled; and notwithstanding our just right to concessions adequate to the cir cumstances of the case, we required such only as were incon siderable and for even these, in order that we might place them in a state of perfect conciliation, we paid them a valuable con sideration, and granted them annuities in money which have been regularly paid, and were equal to the prices for which they have usually sold their lands. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.