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Show V ,,.__M__,-. m -=s-..-~ '\ 40 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS._ VVe {hall be able, in eighteen or twenty months, to make within ourfelres gunpowder, cannon, fire-arms, and all the implements of war. The efiablifhment of fuch manufac‘tures will find employment for the poor, and be a prodigious faving to the country. A limit (economy may lellbrt our expences in other particulars. The pay of the army may, perhaps, hereafter be re" duced, and a well-dil‘ciplined militia, under proper regulations, might put us in a condition to difband a con- fiderable part of our regular forces. Should the Colonills conduit the war with prudence and fuccefs, loans of‘money may, perhaps, be ncgociated among foreigners, and even in England, on eafy terms ; a contraband trade will enrich {dine of our merchants, and bring in gold and lilver. The procurement of thefe precious metals is in obje& of the utmoilconfequence; a certain pron portion will be requifite to give credit to our paper cur- rensy. Our country abounds with all the necellhries of life; we have iron, copper, and lead mines, and we al- ready make iron in quanti:ies equal to our confum ption, and the encreafing demand. Men Convinc ed of the jullice of their canto, animated with the love of liberty, and lighting in defence of it, are capable of incredible efforts; conduc‘l, valor, virtue, and perfeve rance comm bined are irrefil'tible ; necefi‘ity may require the full exer- tion of all thefe, but the lkilful politician would not with to fee the patriotifm of his countrymen put to f0 feverc a trial. ‘ . Suppofe the war to continue fix years, and that it will colt us three millions per annum. lf viétory at the end of that period {hould elicit and fecure our independance, eighteen millions will not perhaps on rcfleétion be thought any fuch mighty incumbrance. An unconfined trade will Open new fources of treafure ' ; domei'tic will fuppiy the place of foreign manufac tures, and pre- vent a very great drain of our wealth ; foreign luxuries may be fuhjeet to high duties; the burthen too, as it will be divided among a greater number , will fall the lighter on'the tiling generation; lix millions Will probably difcharge the debt contracted of people by three; ' I ' the CASE IN POINT, 4x the vacant and ungranted land may be made a fund for paying off a part of this debt, by appro priating the purchafe-inoney and the refeived quit-rents to that purpofe. The pernicious confequcnces of a heavy na- tional debt, fo fatal to Great-Britain, ihould teach the colonies wililom, and induce them to get rid of the load as quickly as poflible. it is not the interell of flutes more than ofindividuals to be indeb ted; but as in- dividuals on fome occafions may contraé't debts with a view to future gain, to Rates may prudently in particular emergencies anticipate their revenues by borrowin prelent capitals on the credit of future intere l'ts, that the abilities of feveral years may be cafi into one. WE CANNOT PAY TOO GREAT A PRICE POR LlBtLR'l‘Y, AND POSTERI'I‘Y VVlLl.l THINK INDEPENDANCE A CHEAP PURCHA SE AT EIG-HTEEN MlLLlONS, CASE IN POINT. "/7252! caution is M be ufld, [tfl pub- lic caunfl/s (122/1 afilfiyrtu'r/iz‘z'cr 9/ managing aflz'rs lie lqfl, under pretence q/‘a long treaty, [Mm out on purpo/é by COMMISSIONERS of the clay/wflte party. FTER the firl't commotions and tumults in the Netherlands, the Spaniards and Dutch treated di- vers times about reconciling their differences; for which end they called divers meetings, or ali‘emblies, where in the Spaniards conllantly did this, that they protra e'ted the time by long debates, and at length made no con- cellions; and to in the mean time would depri ve the Dutch of proper opportunities to carry on the war, and eitablifh their liberty. At length they met once more at Breda, where the deputies of both parties being prefe nt, thole for Spain infifled upon having all things acted and examined in order; that order confilted herein, when private and particular things, which were impediment s to a general reconciliation, were firlt dilpatched and removed out of the way; and then they would treat about citablifhing a general li'iendlhip and unity between the patties: which, when the Dutch deputies underltoogl, W 0 |
