Thomas Jefferson wrote to Sir John Sinclair on 30 Jun 1803 a letter =
which included this excerpt.=20
"We are still uninformed here whether you are again at war. Bonaparte =
has produced such a state of things in Europe as it would seem difficult =
for him to relinquish in any sensible degree, and equally dangerous for =
Great Britain to suffer to go on, especially if accompanied by maritime =
preparations on his part. The events which have taken place in France =
have lessened in the American mind the motives of interest which it felt =
in that revolution, and its amity towards that country now rests on its =
love of peace and commerce. We see, at the same time, with great =
concern, the position in which Great Britain is placed, and should be =
sincerely afflicted were any disaster to deprive mankind of the benefit =
of such a bulwark against the torrent which has for some time been =
bearing down all before it. But her power and powers at sea seem to =
render everything safe in the end. Peace is our passion, and the wrongs =
might drive us from it. We prefer trying ever other just principles, =
right and safety, before we would recur to war"
Sinclair
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