United we Stand, Divided we Flee

There's plenty of reason these days to wonder about historical precedents for relations between countries after a war. Our own relations with the British between the Revolution and the War of 1812 were not the smoothest. In fact, we didn't really get on such great footing until World War I, despite sharing a common language and distaste for the French:-) The argument was played out in the newspapers, both in America and in Britain, as the following reprint illustrates:

Portsmouth, May 13th (Taken from The London Times, July 16th, 1785)

To such a pitch has British insolence arrived that, added to their prohibiting all American vessels from entering their ports in the West Indies, they will not suffer an American to command a British bottom, unless he can produce a certificate that he served in the British forces during the late war: an American Captain lately arrived here from Grenada, was thrown out of employ (after engaging his freight with the expectation of sailing for Europe) upon no other pretext than that he was an American. If any American vessel happens to appear within gun-shot of any British Frigate or fort, with their colours flying, they are interrogated with the greatest impertinence, and very often complimented with a genteel broadside. If they put in through distress, lack of water &c, they are ordered to come to an anchor at some distance; when a boat is ordered on board either from their shipping or forts , to enquire of their business, and on being informed that they are in want of provision &c, they will not suffer them to send their boat ashore, but by a stretch of their boasted humanity, bring it off to them in their boats, accompanied with the most peremptory orders for their immediate departure. These are stubborn facts, which the warmest advocates for Britain cannot deny.

From the above circumstances, the necessity and importance of investing Congress with full powers to regulate both internal and external commerce, must appear plain and obvious; and the policy of several States acquiescing in such measures as they in their wisdom may adopt is too clear to need any comment.

Clearly a call for unity amongst the young states in the post Revolutionary period couched in terms of Naval distress. United we sail, divided we sink. We continued to sink for another decade until the six heavy frigates (the famous constitution is one of them) were authorized in a direct response to the Barbary Pirates (modern day Lebanon) who liked kidnapping American sailors and treating them like dogs, thanks to religious differences.