Whether we shall now engage in this design; whether we shall, for the
defence of the Pragmatick sanction, begin another war on the
continent, of which the duration cannot be determined, the expense
estimated, or the event foreseen; whether we shall contend at once
with all the princes of the house of Bourbon, and entangle ourselves
in a labyrinth of different schemes; whether we shall provoke France
to interrupt our commerce, and invade our colonies, and stand without
the assistance of a single ally, against those powers that lately set
almost all Europe at defiance, is now to be determined by your
lordships.
It can scarcely be expected, that the French will treat us only as
auxiliaries, and satisfy themselves with attacking us only where they
find themselves opposed by us: they will undoubtedly, my lords,
consider us as principals, since they can suffer little more by
declaring war against us.
These, my lords, are the dangers to be feared from the measures which
we are now persuaded to pursue; but persuaded by arguments which, in
my opinion, ought to have very little influence upon us, and which
have not yet been able, however artfully or zealously enforced, to
prevail upon the Dutch to unite with us.
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