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Show . (34) taken. y We can for our prefent purpofe reckon onl erWife be epiplpyed on fo much of it, as might oth kave. 1 e towards leffening the capital of our debt: , ipc an, tne now had twelve years of peace, inwhichti o tgt ions that we have difcharged about eight mill e ghive us y capital. This will therefore-at an averag more the year two'thirds of a million, or rforriet. mg ialt we than fix hundred thoufand pounds. lhis is w iave we But s. may look to for one of our refource o (35) the merchandize of Great Britain ; more of debts here at hone withheld and kept back from our duties, our . culloms and our excife. What an operation on the revenue ! ls our million one hundred thoufand pounds to fupply all this belides? How is it pofhble either on the one hand, that a perfon having thefe circumflances before his eyes, {hould fet on foot the prefent meafures againl't our colonies; or on the other, that any one having capacity or underllanding to be at the head of the government and ailiniiiillration of a great now likewife another, which is the landtax._ 'l hatis at mes eti at three {billings in the pound, but it is fom four. We may therefore count, in cafe of eXigency, kingdom, {hould fo overlook them 3 This feemsto be like not difcerning the fun at noon-day, or the moon and on one {billing more, that is on half a million. _ lhefc There is from the general condition of our country, two fums amount together, to about one million one hundred thoufand pounds. Thefe are our refources, f and without borrowing, thefe are all. Let us next turn in our thoughts, whether the e eleven hundred thoufand pounds a year, being a little more than a tenth part of our prelent. income, are likely to be fufficient for this American occafion. Fleets and armies, {hips of war and regiments are the means, the tip fiaves and the con-llahles, which are to execute the meafures in quellion. A. million goes but a very little way with us in fuch articles. lhis bulinefs mul't in it include a fuppofition, that all our antient colonies on that continent, may, in the progrefs of it, be combined and united in one common alienation, intereft and defence. 'lhere can be no reafonablc hopes of fuccefs, nothing but mortification and (Map- pomtment directly in view by proceeding on any plan, which does not comprehend the probability of that circumflance. What a field is then here opened? ' 15 our million or eleven hundred thoufand pounds to furnilh us there l'ikewife ? However,.thefe things concern only our expences. Let us confider the other fide of our fitnation; how much our income is at Ihc the {tars by night. but too much reafon to apprehend, that the public re- venue is, without thefe additional caufes, finking and decreafing. This could not but add greatly to our difficulties in the lituation before defcribed. However it is to be hoped, that this is only furmife and opinion. I {hall not take it into the prefent account; but molt afiuredly any one at the head of our affairs ought not to forget itin his, ifit is true. But it may be faid, that we will in the fuppofed exi-_ gency, borrow, as our predeceflors have done before us. I anfwer, that this may very probably be then out of our power. I will not go upon a general dif« cuflion. whether we fliould enter into another war, with the fame credit we have hitherto had ; although We may have but too much reafon to reflect on that fubjeét. But the confideration properly before us, is, What would be the {late of our credit, under a revolt and feparation of our fettlements in America, that great and elfential fource of our riches and revenue .' Loans and money advanced to us, have as yet been reckoned equally fecure, there has been no doubt made of the regular payment of the interell, nor in confequence, of a public market for the principal. Whether we fhould ourfelve: happen to be more or lefs ling yearly of the produce of America 5- as manyd:Jf fuccefsful fame time, likely to be lelTened. Four millions fie? |