3 1 2 
Ballance of "Trade with FRANCE. 
As to our legal and contraband trade with prance, I am per- 
fuaded the whole ballance is at lead: jT 200,000. I muft repeat 
to you, that an eminent banker in paris affured me that it was 
not lefs than £ 300,000 which the English fpend annually in 
France, in time of peace; I fuppofe he fhould have added italy 
alfo : but granting it to be half fo much, thefe are fuch fums 
in favor of France, if fhe had not greater mifchiefs in agitation, 
fhe might be glad to evade war with us for fome years to come 
on this very account : and if we, like sampson, fuffer our lock 
to be cut off, we muft be vanquifhed in the iffue. Our iniqui- 
ties, in dying in the face of our laws by smuggling, is be- 
come our punifhment in a double capacity ; firft, as it fo far 
impoverifhes and difqualifles us for war : and next, as it makes 
fo dreadful a calamity as war necessary, in order to check the 
power of France, and repair the injuries we have fuffered in 
fo dangerous and hurtful a commerce. 
Now I am upon the fubjed, I beg leave to add two re- 
marks, which I think of great moment : the firft is, that thofe 
who buy fmuggled goods, knowing them to be fuch, are, 
with regard to the injury they do their country, smugglers. 
The next is, that I have been acquainted with many perfons 
of condition, of both fexes, whofe honor I had not the leaft 
reafon to call in queftion in other refpe&s, who have been ar- 
rant smugglers. As patriots they wifhed the laws might take 
their courfe ; and, as far as humanity admits, they would look 
on with pleasure, to fee fome kinds of fmugglers hanged ; and 
yet thefe very people, without the leaft remorse, would rob 
the public, when the occafion offered, of the duties on things 
for 
