8992. on manufactures and agriculture. 243 
' In this way the suppoit of the people must be ren- 
dered not only more expensive, but also much more 
precarious than it otherwise would have been ; and, 
by consequence, the prosperity thus obtained must 
be extremely unstable. Nor can either the producs 
tivenefs of that country, or its population, be ever 
carried nearly to that height of which they are na- 
turally susceptible; far lefs can the the felicity of 
its inhabitants be secured, or the internal tranquilli- 
ty of the state be maintained for any continuance of 
time. : 
The demand for manufactures, especially to fo- 
reign parts, must ever be precarious, and liable to 
_ great interruptions. Not only-may the demand be - 
slackened from a capricious change of*taste, or a ca- 
sual disgust in the people ; but it may also at plea- 
sure be affected by the political operations of go- 
. vernment; which, by imposing duties, may make a 
total revulsion in the stream of trade ; or by stop= 
ping the course of justice, (as was done in Ame- 
¥ica,) may make the recovery of just debts impof- 
sible, and thus occasion innumerable bankruptcies. 
‘Jn all these ways, many thousands of people who 
‘ete in the practice of living in affluence, may in a few 
months be laid entirely idle. And ali ihe farmers 
“and mechanics who depended on these manufac- 
turers for their custom, must in like manner be re- 
duced to the greatest distrefs. 
Should this, however, be only a temporary inter- 
ruption, the evil, though great, may perhaps be 
bearable for a time; but if it fhall be permanent, 
what must be the consequence? Either the per- 
