I79I' LIFE OF SIR JAMES STEWART. 7 



1 748, at which period a very large fum was- dC2 to it 

 by the king. 



The method fallen upon to difcharge the debts con- 

 trailed during this war was to impofe, at the peace 

 1748, the firft twentieths, inftead of the tenth, which 

 had then ceafed, and thefe twentieths, with the 

 amount of allocated taxes, amounting to fifty-two mil- 

 lions three hundred and thirty-eight thoufand livres a- 

 year, were fuppofed to be fuflicient, in twelve years, 

 to extinguifh the debt. 



We now come to the war 1756, which ended in the 

 year 1763, by the peace of Paris, during which period 

 amazing fums were levyed in France every year, and 

 an amazing fum of debt was ftill due at the peace. 

 You will find, in his Political Oecon. from p. 420 

 onward, a very particular account of the ways and 

 means employed during every year of this war, for 

 raifing the fupplys ; and in the third branch, p. 431, 

 are Itated the taxes impofed for difcharging the debts 

 contrafted during the war, amounting to the annual 

 fum of 68,690,787 livres. The whole amount cf thein- 

 tereft of debts at the peace of Paris, the MiffiflTippi, tlie 

 war44,andthe war 56, amounted to 12 1,028,787 livres. 

 The plan, therefore, at the peace, was to difcharge gra- 

 dually the immenfe debt, by keeping up the tliree 

 twentieths, with all other war taxes, during the peace ; 

 but the extravagance of the court and other circum- 

 ftances, rendered this plan abortive, at Isaft in a great 

 meafure. 



When France came to prote£l our revolted Colonies 

 in America, thefe mortgaged revenues were diverted 

 from their purpofe of exSnguifhing capital debt to car- 

 ry on the American war j and it ended in fecuring the 

 independance of the United States of America, by the 

 capture of Lord Cornwallis, and the acknowledgment 

 of their independance by the peace 1783. 



Thus, our aftonifhment mull ceafe on the remem- 

 brance of the etforts France made to humble Gisat 



