The two primary reasons the colonists gave for not wanting to declare their independence were 1) that they would be going up against the greatest military in the world (Britain), and that 2) they would loose their military protection.
I believe it's "so the United States colonize the Western hemisphere"
Answer: It was assumed that the future sale of western lands would enrich the landed states and possibly allow them to operate without any form of taxation. The landless states feared that they would lose residents and dwindle into insignificance.
Explanation: The claims to the western lands were usually rooted in the vague wording of old colonial charters.
Hope this helped! :)
The most obvious legacy was the removal of the French presence in North America