“As the case now stands, we shall show that they [the Colonies]
are a spring of wealth to this nation, that they work for us,
that their treasure centres all here, and that the laws have
tied them fast enough to us; so that it must be through our
own fault and misgovernment, _if they become independent of
England_.… Corrupt governors by oppressing the inhabitants
may hereafter provoke them to withdraw their obedience, and
by supine negligence or upon mistaken measures we may let
them grow, more especially New England, in naval strength and
power, _which if suffered, we cannot expect to hold them long
in our subjection_. If, as some have proposed, we should think
to build ships of war there, we may teach them an art which
will cost us some blows to make them forget. Some such courses
may, indeed, drive them, or put it into their heads, _to erect
themselves into independent Commonwealths_.”[288]
Davenant then, following Child, remarks upon New England as “the most
proper for building ships and breeding seamen,” and adds:--
“So that, if we should go to cultivate among them the art of
navigation and teach them to have a naval force, _they may set
up for themselves and make the greatest part of our West India
trade precarious_.”[289]
These identical words are quoted by Chalmers, who exclaims: “Of that
prophecy we have lived, alas! to see the fulfilment.”[290]
Chalmers emigrated from Scotland to Maryland, and practised in the
colonial courts, but, disgusted with American independence, returned
home, where he wrote and edited much, especially on colonial questions,
ill concealing a certain animosity, and on one occasion stating that
among the documents in the Board of Trade and Paper Office were “the
most satisfactory proofs of the settled purpose of the revolted
colonies, from the epoch of the Revolution in 1688, to acquire direct
independence.”[291] But none of these proofs are presented. The same
allegation was also made by Viscount Bury in his “Exodus of the Western
Nations,”[292] but also without proofs.
The name of De Foe is always interesting, and I cannot close this
article without reference to the saying attributed to him by Chalmers.
I know not where in his multitudinous writings it may be found, unless
in his “Plan of the English Commerce,” and here careful research
discloses nothing nearer than this:--
“What a glorious trade to England it would be to have those
colonies increased with a million of people, to be clothed,
furnished, and supplied with all their needful things, food
excepted, only from us, and _tied down forever to us by that
immortal, indissoluble bond of trade, their interest_!”[293]