[Sourced from a publisher in London on Nov 3, 1785]

The British government has been under a foolish delusion for a while now. They have been trying to unite the empire through taxation rather than mutual goodwill. This strategy was a disaster in America, and it would have been a disaster in Ireland, too, but the Irish people fought back, secured their own constitution, and successfully resisted the British system.

After that failed, the incompetent and fraudulent politicians, who are at the forefront of running our country, suddenly had a new idea: creating a global trade monopoly. Once they forced it on Ireland, they arrogantly thought they could deceive France, America, and other countries into accepting it too. But their plans immediately became obvious. In retaliation, an angry America heavily restricted British ships in its ports, and France passed hostile decrees banning the import and sale of our manufactured goods. Because French orders have entirely ceased, half of our country's manufacturers have been devastated. The city of Norwich is currently a tragic sight, with thousands of people out of work and only two manufacturing businesses still operating.

This is a caricature by James Gillray anticipating conflict among Parliament over the Eden Treaty. The Eden Treaty, signed September 20, 1786, briefly ended the trade war mentioned here.

Prior to the French government recently passing laws to ban English goods, we were winning the trade war. English wool, leather, glass, and all types of hardware are still highly sought after in France because their own versions are terrible. The only thing they make better than us is thread lace, and most of that actually comes from Flanders. Their linens are much worse than ours, and we can easily live without the cheap trinkets we import from them.

It's true that French silk and especially their satin is cheaper than ours, but you have to remember they are also much lower quality. If I pay eight shillings for a yard of English satin, I am getting a much better deal than if I pay five shillings for a yard of French satin, simply because the English fabric will last three times as long. Therefore, we trust that our representatives will negotiate a new trade deal with France that works out well to our advantage.

The preliminary peace treaty between the Holy Roman Emperor and the Dutch looks a lot like our infamous Irish trade propositions: full of lies, shady dealings, and sneaky wording that leaves plenty of room for future wars. It makes sense, considering the French helped write it—the document shows its heritage. Any part of the treaty that helps the Emperor at the expense of the Dutch is perfectly clear. But the parts that are supposed to protect the Dutch from the Emperor, with one exception, are incredibly vague, confusing, and are filled with double-meanings and deceptiveness.

A Dutch East India Company ship at anchor, 1785. Drawn by Jan Brandes (d.1808).

Update from Amsterdam, dated October 14th: "The recent riots here have mostly died down since the four East India Company ships sailed out to Texel. The lawless sailors on those ships were the main ones causing all the trouble."

Regarding the recent speech by Mr. Gardner: There is only one conclusion to draw. It was unoriginal and irrelevant. The only notable part about it was how incredibly long it was. Nobody wanted a history lesson, his public address and speaking ability left a lot to be desired.

In regards to the American national pride, the way Americans constantly praise their own national character sickens me. Before you Americans claim to have moral integrity, you should back it up with basic, decent behavior. My response is short and simple: "Pay your debts", which you racked up both before and after the war.