I'm currently reading Adam Smith "The Wealth of Nations" and there he also writes about the American colonies. He writes that the UK imposes monopoly rights for British traders on all trades with the colonies and then argues that this monopoly is actually detrimental to the British economy. In consequence he argues that the UK should either grant independence to the colonies or grant them representation in the British parliament proportional to their burden of taxation.

This position is clearly in opposition to British politics at the time, however it seems the book was written in times of peace so this is a purely theoretical academic position. The book was published in 1776, the same year as the American declaration of independence and around that time the American Revolutionary War broke out.

Voicing this opinion at a time of war against the American colonies seems way more controversial and potentially carries some risk for him. So question, did Adam Smith still argue that the UK should just grant the American Colonies their wishes and abandon the war as the war was ongoing?