PART III.] MORRIS BIRKBECK, ESQ. 577 



bear-skins, and gnaw your meat off the bones 

 for the sake of any commercial right that the 

 nation might go to war about. I know that 

 you would not starve; for coffee and tea are 

 not necessary to man's existence; but, you 

 would like to sell your flour and pork, and 

 would be very apt to discover reasons against a 

 war that would prevent you from selling them. 

 You appear to think it very wicked in the At 

 lantic People to feel little eagerness in promot 

 ing the increase of population to the Westward ; 

 but, you see, that, in this want of such eagerness, 

 they may be actuated by a real love for their 

 country. For my part, 1 think it would have 

 been good policy in the Congress not to dis 

 pose of the Western Lands at all ; and I am 

 sure it would have been an act of real charity. 



1030. Having now performed what I deemed 

 my duty towards my countrymen, and towards 

 this country too, 1 will conclude my letter with 

 a few observations, relative to mills, which may 

 be of use to you; for, I know, that you will go 

 on; and, indeed, I most sincerely wish you all 

 the success that you can wish yourself, without 

 doing harm to others. 



1031. You have no mill streams near you; 

 and you are about to erect a wind-mill. Man 

 is naturally prone to call to his aid whatever 

 will save his bones labour. The water, the 



