The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-06-06
JBFFERsON'S EIKsBIP OTERTUREs
TO ENGLAND IN 1901.
Thsir Rejeciisn Secured 10 Us from Nnpoieon
the Vast lsuiaInna Territory.

ThsiF Rejection Scared 20 Us from Nnpelesn
the Vast Louisiana Territory.
To ~ EDITOR or THE suH-Sir. In seeking
an alliance with the United States, or, failing
that, in endeavorinR to effect n better under
standing politically between the two nations,
the leading Conservative statesmen OF Great
Britain have created a curious historical anti
thesis 30 far as the traditional American policy
OF thoir party 10 concerned. Successive Tory
Ministries under an lnveterato Tory King drove
tho colonies into revolt, waged a long war and
expended millions of money in q vain effort to
subdue, and. whom independence was at last
achieved, the Same party spurned every PROPOSE
ton looking toward a reconciliation between
tho Two Governments and the two peoples.
There never was \ moment during tho two
Administration OF Washington, ana tho single
one Of the elder Adams that followed, when our
Government was not ready 10 admit tho claims
OF "kinship" between tho two countries. when
1t was not almost enRor. so far as It could pru-
IDENTITY do so, to mould its policy along the lines
naturally marked out by racial sentiment, II not
atection. When Jefferson came into power in
1901, at the head Of the triumphant Republican
party which ho created. he followed In this re-
speot in the footsteps Of his predecessors. subor-
dinating his predispositions in favor OF France
to what he believed to BIO the mutual interest Of
the two countries. This fact 10 clearly set forth
by the great author Of tho Declaration Of indie
pendence In . letter which he wrote to Mr..
King. our Minister to tho Court Of 81. James's
during the first year of his first Administration
Jefferson then said:
laval myself OF this occasion . . . to express
the hope that through your agency we may be able
to remove everything inauSpicious to . cordial
friendship between this country and the one in
which you are stationed, a friendship dictated by
too many considerations not to be felt by the wise
and the dlspaSsionate OF both nations. 1t is, there
fore. with the sincerest pleasure 1 have observed on
the part of tho British Government various NANTES.
tations of q Just and friendly disposition toward US.
We wish to cultivate peace and friendship with all
nations. believing that course most conducive to the
welfare OF our own. II IL natural that these friend.
ships should bear somo proportion to the common
interests OF the parties. The interesting relations
between Great Britain and tho United States are Ger
tainly OF tho nrst order, and as such are estimated
and will be faithfully cultivated by us. These senti.
mentS have been communicated to you from time to
time in the ofncial correspondence of the Secretary
or State. but l have thought It might not be I'M.
acceptable to be assured that they perfectly concur
with my own personal convictions, both in relation
to youuOlf and the country IN which you arc.
This olive branch, hold out to the Phort-lived
Addington Ministry, was contemptuously flung
back by the Tory one that succeeded II. and tho
long series OF insult, injury, and outrage was
begun which finally provoked the second war
with England. The rejection of the Jefrersonian
Overture" to use his own words, toward a
cordial understanding between tho two coun.
tries proved to be indeed fortunate for the
Unitod States. 1t had tho effect of turning the
mind Of Jefferson toward France. thereby win.
ming for us a certain friendship from Napoleon
which bore generous fruit two years later, when
the First Consul gave Jefferson the splendid op.
nnrfInitvh a M ~ 00pSAr npNl~ aaf1AlA NJ ooa,,t.tn-
the vast domain Of Louisiana. In passing over
to us that immense region Napoleon illustrated
his profound craftsmanship in tho remark:
This accession of territory strengthens for
ever the power Of the United States, and 1 have
just given to England q maritime rival that will
sooner or later humble her pride" Franco
could not then, as Napoleon foresaw, have de-
Tended Louisiana against England, and had the
American Administration ut the time been
clasped in the Tory embrace we might to-day
have another Canada confronting us on tho
other side of the Mississippi.
Jefferson, in his correspondence with ex-Presi-
dent Adams after the war of 1912. still mani
tested n disposition to be on terms OF cordial
friendship with England. Writing in 1916 to
Mr.. Adams. he said:
While 1T is much our interest to see this power 70
duced from its towering and borrowed height to
within limits of its natural resources. It ia by no
means our interest that she should be brought below
that, or lose her competent place among the nations
OF Europe.
But still moro interesting. perhaps, is tho fol-
lowing sentiment:
Were they uhe English people, once under a Gov.
eminent which should treat us with Justice and
equity. l should myself feel with great strength the
ties which bind us together. of origin. Language, laws,
and manners; and l am persuaded the two peoples
would become In future as 1t was with the ancient
Greeks. among whom IT was reproachfuI for Greek to
be found fighting against Greek In a foreign army.
The blood is thicker than water" idea has
seldom been more felicitously expressed than it
is here formulated by Jefferson. F.
New YORK, June s.