The writings of George Washington; being his correspondence, addresses, messages, and other papers, official and private, selected and published from the original manuscripts; with a life of the author, notes and illustrations. By Jared Sparks.

PART II.] THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. 371
but refers me to his official letter to you for his thoughts
at large.* In general he holds up an idea, which perfectly accords with my opinion, that nothing will be
concluded until the meeting of the British Parliament;
and, if matters are not brought to a favorable issue in
a month afterwards, that the war will rage in all its
fury.
Ever since the secession of Mr. Fox and others from
the administration, I have been decidedly of opinion,
that peace would not take place before that epoch;
that it would depend upon the strength of the contending parties and their influence on the nation, whether it would then happen or not; and that the intermediate space would be employed in intriguing, in an
investigation of powers, in hearing propositions, and in
probing the intentions of one another to the bottom.
These I suppose would have been pretty well understood on all sides by the 26th of November,t as the
ground on which Lord Shelburne is placed also would.
It follows then, in my judgment, that the ministry
would communicate to, and take the sense of Parliament on the terms upon which peace could be obtained; and leave it with the nation to accept them, or
furnish the means of prosecuting the war vigorously.
The power given to Mr. Oswald, to treat with any
commissioner or commissioners properly authorized
from the United States of America, is more than I
expected would happen before the meeting of Parliament. But, as the gentlemen on the part of America
could not treat with him unless such powers were
given, it became an act of necessity to cede them to
effect their other purposes. Thus I account for the
indirect acknowledgment of our independence by the
* See this letter in the Diplomatic Correspondence, Vol. X. p. 8.
t The day for the assembling of Parliament.