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psi-1.6:»: , an- 4.. 2r; REMARKS ON THE THOUGHTS [G.P.] ON THE PEOPLING or COUNTRIES. z: not dif'tinét from that of their foldiery: For the ners. u'fe of ftanding armies has deprived a military feldom to be found where a fpirit of commerce people of the advantages they before had over others; and though it has been often land, that civil wars give power, becaufe they render all pervades every thing; yet the perfeétion of commerce is, that every thing fliould have its price. We every day fee its progrefs, both to our be¢ Steady virtue, and unbending integrity, are men foldiers, I believe this has only been found nefit and detriment here. true in internal wars following civil wars, and not in external ones; for now, in foreign wars, more: forbid to be fet to fale, are become its objects, and there are few things indeed extra- Things that éom" The legiflative power itfelf has 3 fmall army with ample means to fupport it, is commercium. of greater force than one more numerous, with been in cammrrcz'o ; and church livings are feldom. lefs. given without confideration, even by fi-ncere' Chrittians; and for coniideration, not feldom to This lafl: faél has often happened between France and Germany. The means of fupporting armies, and, confe- quently, the power of exerting external firength, Very unworthy perfons. The rudenefs of an- cient military times, and the fury of more mo- are bel't found in the indufiry and frugality of dern enthufiaf'tic ones, are worn off; even the the body of a people living under a government fpirit of forenfic contention is afionifhingly di- for com- minifhed (all marks of manners foftening;) but merce is at this day almof'c the only flimulm that forces every one to contribute a {hare of labour for the public benefit. luxury and corruption have taken their places, and feem the infeparable companions of Commerce and the Arts. 1 cannot help obferving, however, that this is and laws that encourage Commerce; But fuch is the human frame, and the world is [0 conflituted, that it is a hard matter to pof- fefs ones-{elf of a benefit, without laying ones- felf open to a lofs on fome other fide; the improvements of manners of one fort, often de- prave thofe of another: Thus we fee induf'try' and frugality under the influence of commerce, (which I call a commercial fpirit) tend to defl-roy, as well as fupport, the government it flourifhes linden-Commerce perfects the arts, but more the mechanical than the liberal, and this for an obvious reafon; it foftens and enervates the manncrs. much more the cafe in extenfive countries, efpecially at their metropolis, than in other places. It is an old obfervation of politicians, and fre- quently made by hif'torians, that fmall Rates al- ways beit preferve their manners.-Whether this happens from the greater room there is for attention in the legiflature, or from the lefs room there is for ambition and avarice; it is a {trong argument, among others, againtt an incorpo- rating Unzbn qf #26 60/0722}?! in America, or even a federal one, that may tend to the future reducing |
