h, or to what should be
like truth, invented, and put into the papers, whatever might serve the
ministers. This suffices with the mass of the people, who have no means
of distinguishing the false from the true paragraphs of a newspaper.
When forced to acknowledge our independence, they were forced to
redouble their efforts to keep the nation quiet. Instead of a few of
the papers, formerly engaged, they now engaged every one. No paper,
therefore, comes out without a dose of paragraphs against America. These
are calculated for a secondary purpose also, that of preventing the
emigrations of their people to America. They dwell very much on American
bankruptcies. To explain these, would require a long detail; but would
show you that nine tenths of these bankruptcies are truly English
bankruptcies, in no wise chargeable on America. However, they have
produced effects the most desirable of all others for us. They have
destroyed our credit, and thus checked our disposition to luxury; and,
forcing our merchants to buy no more than they have ready money to pay
for, they force them to go to those markets where that ready money will
buy most. Thus you see, they check our luxury, they force us to connect
ourselves with all the world, and they prevent foreign emigrations to
our country, all of which I consider as advantageous to us. They are
doing us another good turn. They attempt, without disguise, to possess
themselves of the carriage of our produce, and to prohibit our own
vessels from participating of it. This has raised a general indignation
in America. The States see, however, that their constitutions have
provided no means of counteracting it. They are therefore beginning to
vest Congress with the absolute power of regulating their commerce,
only reserving all revenue arising from it, to the State in which it is
levied. This will consolidate our federal building very much, and for
this we shall be indebted to the British.

You ask what I think on the expediency of encouraging our States to
be commercial? Were I to indulge my own theory, I should wish them to
practise neither commerce nor navigation, but to stand, with respect to
Europe, precisely on the footing of China. We should thus avoid wars,
and all our citizens would be husbandmen. Whenever, indeed, our numbers
should so increase, as that our produce would overstock the markets of
those nations who should come to seek it, the farmers must either employ
the surplus of t