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Show n QUESTiONs AND ANSWERa w Council, or States General of the United Colonies" Such partial controverfies will, for many years at leaIl, of manufaé'tures and fcience; a vai'c influx of foreigners, give way to the public fafety, which would be endana gered by fulfering them to grow to too great a pitch; the common enemy might take advantage of fuch civil encouraged by the mildnefs of a free, equal, and toleratl ing government, to leave their native countries, and fet~ tie in thefe Colonies ; an aftonilhing encreafe of our peo- difcord, and reduce all the colonies under one yoke. ple from the prefent flock. In this tolerating age We have no great caufe to apprehend a religious, war; the fpirit of religious perfecution is wearino off in all the civilized nations of Europe, and will (fill deereafe as they become more enlightened and refined. Can we then rationally fuppofe, that thefe Where encouragement is given to indui'try, where liberty and property are well fecured, where the poor may eafily find fublif'tance, and the middling rank comfortably fupport their families by labour, there the inhabitants mufl' encreafe rapidly; to fome of thefe caufe: we owe the doubling of our num-J bcrs in fomewhat "more than twenty-five years. If fuch Colonies, hitherto eminently diliin'guilhed for toleration', and whofe union will be founded on that humane and politic principle, will, from a frantic zeal for religion, hath been the progiefs of population under the for‘lner refiraints On our trade and manufactures, a population "plunge themfelves into the complicated mifei‘ies of a fiill more rapid may be reafonably expected when thefe reflraints come to be taken oil". ' civil and religious war? If neither the ambition of fome colonies, nor a difference of interefts, nor religious rancour, are likely to produce a civil war, it follows of courfe, that the ellablilhrnent of tyranny (the fecond Should France and Spain, either from inability to contend with Great-Britain, or governed by weak, irrefolute, or corrupted counfels, or influenced by the dan- gerous precedent of countenancing fubjeéts in arm: evil) is extremely improbable and remote" _ But, to preferve Our independence, will not a thong lillllui fleet and army be nee'ell'ary ? Neither can be fupported without a great expence, and {landing armies are dangerous to liberty, befides being burthenfome to thofe who pay them. When thcfe Colonies enjoy an unfettered trade, the profits of it will enable them to equip and maintain a naval force fufficient to guard their coalts and commerce, and this fleet will render a {landing army tiniieceflary ; a well regulated militia will anfwer all the purpofes of {elf-defence, and of a wife and jult got/eminent; the expcnce, therefore, of a regular {landing army may be faved, without expoling ourfelves to danger from a fo- reign enemy, and the militia will be able to fupprefs any internal comtnotions excited by faétious and (life contented men. _ What will be the probable benefits of independance? A tree and unlimited trade; a great acceflion of Wealth, and a proportionable rife in the value of land 3 the eftablilhment, gradual improvement, and perfeélion of again": their fovereign, refufe to enter into any treaty or alliance with thefe colonies, and prohibit their fubjeéts from tradinngith them, could the colonies by their own flrength and internal refources maintain the war for ‘ / five or fix vears? 4 It is not at all probable that this war can lalt fo long. If the firl't efforts of the Britifh Government {hould prove, unfuccefsful, the decay of trade, and the confequent dif-_-_ trefs and ruin brought on the manufacturers and mer- chants of Great-Britain will occafion great diviiions in the'nation, perhaps a revolution, fuch factions and tu- mults‘ would certainly prevent a full exertion of the Britifh nation's firength.‘ Should the war he protracted to three years, even after that {payee of time its opera-'- tions will become languid and feeble; a {mailer force may then be oppofed to the enemy, and as we dimmifh our land-army, we may augment our navy. In the winter we may force, at leaft, a clandei'tine trade With foreigners in fpite of the Britiih marine. During the War, manufaétories may be fet on foot, and promoted by the refpeétive legiflatures of the feveral Colonfi. ' Q |