Knox, Henry (1750-1806) [draft of a letter to George Washington regarding possible British troop movements from Detroit]
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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02437.09449 Author/Creator: Knox, Henry (1750-1806) Place Written: s.l. Type: Autograph document Date: circa 29 August 1790 Pagination: 4 p. ; 33.5 x 21.1 cm. Order a Copy
This appears to be a preliminary draft of Knox's 29 August 1790 letter to George Washington (in the GW Papers at the Library of Congress) responding to Washington's secret communication of 27 August. In that communication, sent to the members of his Cabinet, Washington asked for opinions as to the proper response to take if the British asked for permission to travel across U.S. territory, from Detroit to the Mississippi, in order to attack Spanish posts. See 02437.08217 for Knox's first draft. See also GLC02437.04709 and GLC02437.08216 for related drafts.
[draft]
1 The great primary question, to be discussed, and decided, whether, under all the various views of the subject, [struck: the situation of the U.S. requires,] The happiness & future greatness [inserted: of the US] is [most] to be promoted by peace or war supposing [struck: that she may] either [option] [illegible] [with] [struck: them]
2. But supposing [struck: tha] the [inserted: actual] situation of the US to be such that [struck: she] she has not the option of peace [inserted: or neutrality] as two [strikeout] [inserted: & perhaps three] powerfull nations are about [inserted: to go to war] but in all probability [struck: will] that [strikeout] [inserted: by they the US] will be dragged into the War, on one side [struck: of t] or the other, it becomes a question which [struck: the] [inserted: side] shall choose provided [struck: she] [inserted: they] has an option? [3]
3 Is it for the interest of the US to contribute to aggrandize Great Britain, at the expense of Spain, even if they [struck: at present apparently] [inserted: the said US] should participate [inserted: at present] largely of the advantages what may result from [stripping] Spain of her dominions
4. [struck: How] If such an arrangement should be apparently for the interest of the US, could it be adopted [struck: consistently,] and pursued without relinquishing our engagements to France?
5 If not [struck: how] what aspect would the Conduct of the [3] US have in the eyes of Europe and of the impartial partial part of Mankind -
France & Spain are connected by the [struck: fa] family compact signed Aug 15. 1761.
The US are bound [struck: by] to France by the treaty of friendship & [commerce] concluded the 6th of [struck: July] [inserted: Feby] 1778. The US entered into this treaty with france knowing her engagements to Spain by [the] above treaty of the family compact -
The family compact must be as obligatory upon france in its present situation, unless formally renounced as [struck: the] [inserted: its] treaty [struck: of that nat] with the U. States - [4] arrangements, convenient, but not honorable, are not to be taken -
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