on public credit-第4节

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event　may　take　place；　and　that　millions　may　be　sacrificed　for
ever　to　the　temporary　safety　of　thousands。　Our　popular
government；　perhaps；　will　render　it　difficult　or　dangerous　for　a
minister　to　venture　on　so　desperate　an　expedient；　as　that　of　a
voluntary　bankruptcy。　And　though　the　house　of　Lords　be　altogether
composed　of　proprietors　of　land；　and　the　house　of　Commons
chiefly；　and　consequently　neither　of　them　can　be　supposed　to　have
great　property　in　the　funds。　Yet　the　connections　of　the　members
may　be　so　great　with　the　proprietors；　as　to　render　them　more
tenacious　of　public　faith；　than　prudence；　policy；　or　even
justice；　strictly　speaking；　requires。　And　perhaps　too；　our
foreign　enemies　may　be　so　politic　as　to　discover；　that　our　safety
lies　in　despair；　and　may　not；　therefore；　show　the　danger；　open
and　barefaced；　till　it　be　inevitable。　The　balance　of　power　in
EUROPE；　our　grandfathers；　our　fathers；　and　we；　have　all　deemed
too　unequal　to　be　preserved　without　our　attention　and　assistance。
But　our　children；　weary　of　the　struggle；　and　fettered　with
incumbrances；　may　sit　down　secure；　and　see　their　neighbours
oppressed　and　conquered；　till；　at　last；　they　themselves　and　their
creditors　lie　both　at　the　mercy　of　the　conqueror。　And　this　may
properly　enough　be　denominated　the　violent　death　of　our　public
credit。
　　　　These　seem　to　be　the　events；　which　are　not　very　remote；　and
which　reason　foresees　as　clearly　almost　as　she　can　do　any　thing
that　lies　in　the　womb　of　time。　And　though　the　ancients
maintained；　that　in　order　to　reach　the　gift　of　prophecy；　a
certain　divine　fury　or　madness　was　requisite；　one　may　safely
affirm；　that；　in　order　to　deliver　such　prophecies　as　these；　no
more　is　necessary；　than　merely　to　be　in　one's　senses；　free　from
the　influence　of　popular　madness　and　delusion。





The　End