1822 April 15

Rid Yourselves

Letter 18 Relinquisht. mode

' 4 Case III. Subjection contested.

Buyers foreigners

Case 3. Dominion /Subjection/ contested: hands looked to for payment,

the hands of a foreign power - the money - purchasers money.

In this case, on the part of the refractory province there must be a disposition to

subject itself /be subject/ to the dominion of the foreign power, though not to that

of your rulers: and to prefer that subjection in a state of quiet to the continuance

of the contest for independence. If a disposition to this effect is not thought to

have place, no foreign power will have to do with any such bargain: for no power will

pay money for a pretence for engaging in war: if disposed to engage in any such war

they will employ the money in carrying on the war rather than in the purchase of a

pretence for it. A pretence may be made by any body at any time for any thing: in

addition to the expence of printing, writing or speaking it costs but a few words. Be

the rulers in question who they may if it be too much trouble to them to make it

themselves any lawyer will make them a pretence for a few dollars. Pretence for

universal war and universal despotism are they not every day put on paper, put by men

whose names if put upon the paper would defile it Rulers who give such men offices

and pensions for such service do so from sympathy not from necessity: for as many

dollars as could be held between two fingers as good pretences might be had as are

got for as many offices or pensions.