You will receive this advice, I know, with your accustomed
good nature."
The next letter, dated November 1, 1812, is a very long one, over
eighteen large pages, and is an impassioned appeal to his father to look
at the war from the son's point of view. I shall quote only a few
sentences.
"Your last letter was of October 2, via Halifax, accompanying your sermon
on Fast Day. The letter gave me great pleasure, but I must confess that
the sentiments in the sermon appeared very _strange_ to me, knowing what
I, as well as every American here does, respecting the causes of the
present war.... 'Tis the character of Englishmen to be haughty, proud,
and overbearing. If this conduct meets with no resistance, their
treatment becomes more imperious, and the more submissive and
conciliating is the object of their imperiousness, the more tyrannical
are they towards it. This has been their uniform treatment towards us,
and this character pervades all ranks of society, whether in public or
private life.
"The only way to please John Bull is to give him a good beating, and,
such is the singularity of his character that, the more you beat him, the
greater is his respect for you, and the more he will esteem you.
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