Though, by a formal treaty, the United States were declared
free and independent, they were still hated in Great Britain as
rebellious colonies. That such was the general opinion is manifest from
the letters of John Adams, our first minister to the court of St. James,
and from other authentic contemporary accounts. Of course there were a
few men of sufficiently enlarged and comprehensive minds to forget the
past and urge, even in parliament, that the trade of America would be
more valuable as an ally than a dependent; but the number of these was
small indeed. The common sentiment in England toward the young republic
was one of scornful detestation. We were despised as provincials, we
were hated as rebels. In the permanency of our institutions there was
scarce a believer in all Britain. This was especially the case prior to
the adoption of the federal constitution. Both in parliament and out, it
was publicly boasted that the Union would soon fall to pieces, and that,
finding their inability to govern themselves, the different States
would, one by one, supplicate to be received back as colonies. This vain
and empty expectation long lingered in the popular mind, and was not
wholly eradicated until after the war of 1812.
Consequently the new republic was treated with arrogant contempt. One of
the first acts of John Adams, as minister to England, had been to
propose placing the navigation and trade between the dominions of Great
Britain and the territories of the United States, on a basis of complete
reciprocity.
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