Thoughts on PUBLIC CREDIT. 317 
operating with reafon, and fupported by the legal claims of the 
public, will produce the effecft defired ? 
Let us be fenfible that it is extremely difficult for the Bate 
to raife money by borrowing ; and yet that very large fupplies 
muft be obtained. Let us learn what our true fituation is, with 
refpecft to the public debt, taking in the various conne&ions of 
the ftate. Let us fee clearly, that if the debt is increafed, the 
debtor muft become more and more unqualified to pay. To 
thefe confiderations let us add well-grounded apprehenfions of 
the dangers and contingencies of war ; that there is an enemy 
near our very doors, who, if he is not repelled, will bring all 
into confufton, and annul the debt ; and if we do not hum- 
ble him, that he will humble us. In this fituation, is it not 
reasonable to expecft, that fuch confequences will be drawn 
from fuch premifes, as will conclude in the moft happy, and 
moft effectual fupport of our country, upon honest princi- 
ples ? 
Thus when we confider what calamities mankind are fubjecft 
to, and how they generally acft under them, may we not en- 
tertain the warmeft expectations of fuccefs, if the trial is made 
at a proper feafon ? if we had no profpect of deriving any tem- 
poral advantages by decreasing our debt, nor of preventing tem- 
poral evils by preventing the increase of it, I am afraid a fenfe 
of moral obligation only, would not anfwer the purpofe : and 
yet thofe muft be ftupid as dirt, who do not difcover that 
there is a duty to the public incumbent on them ; and confe- 
quently that some regard is due to our fellow- fubjecfts, who are 
the 
