Money Answers All Things [21]
goods so cheap, as almost to lay them under a Necessity to buy them of us? And this is the best Condition our Trade with foreign Nations can ever have, and will render all other Stipulations and Treaties about our Trade, almost, if not altogether unnecessary. So that we may very well maintain Peace with all the World, if they do not mediately or immediately attack or make Depredations upon us; in which Case alone I apprehend it can be justifiable to suffer so many People to be cut off, as War necessarily destroys on both Sides. And if every Nation would pursue these Things, each would be so far from injuring another, that every one would contribute to the Happiness of the whole. And since I have asserted the Connection of Plenty and Peace to be such, that they may always be maintained together, and support each other, I shall shew how to avoid a War, in all Cases, except that of one Nation's making Depredations on the Goods or Territories of another; in which Case, the Aggressors so kindling War are the greatest Plagues and Murderers of Mankind, with whose Calamities they are justly chargeable. I would by no Means have any Nation tamely, or easily give up the minutest Advantage in Trade they justly possess; and whoever will force such Advantages from them, invades their just Rights and Properties, and may therefore undoubtedly be repell'd by Force of Arms. Yet we should not easily be drawn into a War, it being one of the greatest Calamities to which Mankind can be subjected; the End of which none can well foresee, and the Burthens of which (i.e. publick Debts and Taxes) are seldom discharged in one Generation, tho' a Peace of so long Duration should happen to ensue; not to insist on the prodigious Devastations War often makes, and the tributary State nations are sometimes brought under by it: On this Account, I say, we should not easily be drawn into a War, but rather give up an important Point of Trade, if it can't be preserved without a War, the Success and Duration of which we find ourselves not able to determine when we engage in it. For why do Nations contend about Points of Trade? Is it not solely for the sake of the Money they shall get by it? Now if this be a true Principle, that the Price of the Produce and Manufactures of every Nation will advance, as the Cash amongst the People increaseth; if we, to avoid a War, prudently give up a Point of Trade which augmented our Money, we must then for want of such Point of Trade, and that Money, make every thing so much cheaper at home, by the Means I have shewn, as that we may be able to go with our Produce and Manufactures, still so much cheaper than before, to those Nations whose Markets will now be considerably advanced by the Money they get by the Points of Trade we parted with to them. Now if our Produce, etc. be made cheap enough, as I have shewn they certainly may they will force themselves on them, and find so much more Vend at such Markets, as to supply them even with what before they either raised themselves, or had from other Nations, and at the same time prevent them from sending many of their Goods to our Markets, where all things being thus made plenty, and consequently good, will be too cheap to admit the much dearer Commodities of other Nations. And thus we may have the Balance on any such Nation, and bring home the Money thro' their Canal, even though we give up such considerable Points of Trade, by which they first get the Money we should otherwise have had. And if there really be this Way, as there undoubtedly is, for every Nation, that will be so prudent sufficiently to pursue it, to preserve Peace, and extend their Trade, and avoid War; how absurd as well as wicked is it to go to War about Trade, which we hence see may be more effectually promoted by the Arts of Peace! And this I think is a wise Disposition of Providence, shewing how Mankind may maintain Commerce and Peace over the Face of the whole Earth, without interrupting the one, or breaking the other. Thirdly, The full and sufficient Execution of this Proposal, is the