advantages of a free government. The pubUc revenues of Great- Britain divided in like manner on its inha- tants would be 16 times greater. Deducing even the double of the expences of government, as before eflimated, from the million and a half of dollars which we before fuppofed might be annually paid without diftrefs, we may conclude that this ftate can contribute one million of dollars annually towards fupporting the federal army, paying the federal debt, building a federal navy, or opening roads, clearing rivers, forming fafe ports, and other ufeful works.
To this eiftmate of our abiUties, let me add a word as to the application of them.
If, when cleared of the prefent conteft, and of the debts with which that will charge us, we come to meafure force here- after with any European power. Such events are devoutly to be deprecated.
Young as we are, and with fuch a country before us to fill with people and with hap- pinefs, we fliould point in that diredion the whole generative force of nature, wafting none of it in efforts of mutual de- ftruftion. It fhould be our endeavour to cultivate the peace and friendfhip of every nation, even of that which has injured us moft, when we fhall have carried our point againft her. Our intereft will be to throw open the doors of commerce, and to knock off all its fliackles, giving perfed: freedom to all perfons for the vent of whatever they may chufe to bring into our ports, and afking the fame in theirs. Never was fo much falfe arithmetic employed on any fubjed:, as that which has been employed to perfuade nations that it is their intereft to go to war. Were the money which it has coft to gain, at the clofe of a long war, a little town, or a little territory, the right to cut wood here, or to catch fifh there, expended in improving what they already poffefs, in making roads, opening rivers, building ports, improving the arts, and finding employment for their idle poor, it would render them much ftronger,