Internal Improvements^ by Roads, ^c. 271 



nance. With the view to each other's annoyance, we have been, 

 for a long course of time, subjected to the violences of both. One 

 claimed the right of visiting our ships, at its pleasure. If they 

 escaped the fangs of the visitants ; the other burnt them, for being 

 thus visited. TVe were driven from the ocean ; and resorted first to 

 ineffectual expedients, for repelling aggressions ; and finally arc 

 involved in all the vicissitudes and dangers of war. Under this 

 predicament, our active and enterprizing character, prompts to the 

 employment of capital and labour, in other objects than external 

 commerce. Manufactures are now the prevalent passion ; and 

 agriculture seems to be regarded as only important, according as 

 it is subservient to them. Yet agriculture and commerce are 

 the great and leading interests of our country. They will so re- 

 main : although we are now thrown into an attitude, requiring our 

 attention and exertions to the supply, among ourselves, of the 

 fabricks we have been accustomed to receive from abroad ; in re- 

 turn for the exports of our products. 



The Plough, and the Sail, are the appropriate emblems ; and 

 *' laissez nous faire*^* the motto, of an agricultural and maritime 

 nation. The less the governments of such nations interfere with 

 those leading interests, agriculture and commerce ; (except to 

 foster, promote, and protect them,) the better they flourish. And 

 they must flourish, or fail, together ; their interests being insepa- 

 rably connected. Manufactures^ to a certain degree, may be, at all 

 times, and are especially in our present situation, necessary, and 

 highly desirable. They should always, however, be secondary to 

 the more general interest, — agriculture : — with and to which, 

 if not extended too far, they are compatible, and auxiliary. When- 

 ^soever they are predominant, the situation is temporary, and unna- 

 tural. But suppose, that we were to state an extreme case, not 

 likely to happen ; and say, that,— to accommodate our agriculture, 

 and facilities of water powers, to the present state of things ; — the 

 greater part of our farms were converted into sheep walks ; and, 

 (reserving the fewest possible for grinding our bread-stufis,) alnlbst 



* " I.ct us vianage our otvn business,'* 



