"A Sufficient Security": British Public Discourse on Proposals for Reconciliation with the Thirteen American Colonies, 1778-1780

Authors

Katie Richards, Brigham Young University

Keywords

Alliance, Independence, American Colonies

Abstract

"The storm of their malice is now ready to burst upon our heads," wrote John Cartwright of the allied relationship between British North America and France, Britain's "ancient enemy." With the signing of the Alliance Treaty on February 6, 1778, the French began officially extending their support to the thirteen American colonies fighting for independence from Great Britain. Such an alliance was bound to provoke many responses within England. In his pamphlet "The Memorial of Common-Sense," Cartwright wrote that the very act of France entering into a treaty with the American colonies admitted those colonies to the rank of independent states, and that such an act threatened the economic interests of the Empire. Joining with France would not only provide the Americans with more resources with which to fight; it would also give France direct access and prerogative to American resources and trade, regardless of the war's outcome.

Recommended Citation

Richards, Katie (2024) ""A Sufficient Security": British Public Discourse on Proposals for Reconciliation with the Thirteen American Colonies, 1778-1780," The Thetean: A Student Journal for Scholarly Historical Writing: Vol. 45: Iss. 1, Article 10.
Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/thetean/vol45/iss1/10