Tea with refpeSl to the Export of Gold and Silver . 293 
of all other commodities, and of all the fervices they will, or 
can, do for us. As far as the nature of their circumftances ad- 
mits, we fee every (late endevors to eftablifh manufactures, as 
an additional weight in their commercial fcale. We abound 
in manufactures, but we ought neverthelefs to add as great a 
weight in gold and silver, as is confident with the free cir- 
culation of profitable branches of foreign commerce ? Under 
this denomination of profitable, I include all trades that are 
necessary, fuch as the Russian, Swedish, &c. juft mention- 
ed, tho’ the ballances of thefe trades are confiderably against 
us, fo far as we pay them in gold and filver. 
Refined reasoners often advance maxims which experience 
will not fupport. I have heard ingenious men talk to this ef- 
fect : “ Suppofing our gold and filver were annihilated in one 
u night ; that the earth, from whofe bowels they were taken, 
“ fhould fwallow them up again ; or that we parted with them 
“ all at once to the Chinese for tea; what would be the con- 
“ fequence ? The price of labor, and all the produce of labor, 
“ would then fall ; and in proportion to our fkill, the extent 
“ of our induftry, and the quantity of our manufactures, all 
“ our riches would again revert to us.” 
Of what a dangerous tendency is this opinion ! There ia a 
meafure in all things : becaufe we find it ufeful to traffic in gold 
and filver, fliall we forget the important ufes of them in peace 
or war, and all the advantages which attend them ia a na- 
tional light ? How often are nations in real diftrefs for thefe 
metals? And what might happen to us, if we had not fupplies 
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