George Bancroft, History of the United States from the Discovery of the American Continent, Vol. 4, 15th edition.

‘ [365] without bound into the inland parts. They will

chap. XVI.} 1760.

increase infinitely from all causes. What the consequence will be, to have a numerous, hardy, independent people, possessed of a strong country, communicating little or not at all with England, I leave to your own reflections.’

‘By eagerly grasping at extensive territory, we may run the risk, and in no very distant period, of losing what we now possess. A neighbor that keeps us in some awe is not always the worst of neighbors. So that, far from sacrificing Guadaloupe to Canada, perhaps, if we might have Canada without any sacrifice at all, we ought not to desire it. There should be a balance of power in America.’ And the writer revealed his connections by advising, that, as the war had been ‘an American war,’ ‘Lord Halifax,’ one of the ‘few’ whom ‘inclinations, studies, opportunities, and talents had made perfectly masters of the state and interests of the colonies,’ should be appointed to negotiate peace.

Private letters¹ from Guadaloupe gave warning that a country of such vast resources, and so distant as North America, could never remain long subject to Britain. The acquisition of Canada would strengthen America to revolt. ‘One can foresee these events clearly,’ said the unnamed writer; ‘it is no gift of prophecy. It is a natural and unavoidable consequence, and must appear so to every man whose head is not too much affected with popular madness or political enthusiasm. The islands, from their weakness, can never revolt; but, if we acquire all Canada, we shall soon find North America itself ’