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money answers all things-第11部分
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to; or above the Rates ours are now at; insomuch that I think we must needs have the Balance on all such Nations; so much as to prevent any considerable Mischief arising to us; whilst our Trade is taking such a turn as an open Trade with those Nations; who can work so much cheaper; might occasion。 But lest any should think my laying such Stress on cultivating so much Land is any way extravagant; I would desire them to consider; that this also will find its natural bounds; for the cultivating Land will stop of itself; when the Plenty becomes too great to answer and turn to Account; which can only arise from too high Rents; or employing too many of the People this Way; of which last I apprehend there never can be any Danger; as I will shew hereafter。 But if this could be; since the People make a Shift to live now; there is an evident Necessity to cultivate a great deal more Land to employ them; and thereby to make Money plentiful; and Trade to flourish。 How profitable and advantageous would all other Trades; etc。 become; by being thus in fewer Hands than they would require;(11*) to which the great Plenty and Cheapness of Necessaries; which is ultimately what all work for; would so mightily contribute; that the People would naturally fall into them; and so hold that Proportion in all Trades; Manufactures; and Professions; as well as Cultivation of Land; that the Nature of Things themselves would plainly and sufficiently point out! And the Rise of Rents of late Years; which like all other Things could only rise from the extraordinary Demand for Lands; is a Demonstration that all Things would certainly thus work of themselves; just as they should do; and as the Author of Nature designed; if the People could have had more Land; instead of raising the Rents; as they wanted it; for this is really that Course of Providence; which is established in the Nature of Things; for the Provision and Happiness of Mankind。 I shall now proceed to shew that the prohibiting the current Coin to be exported is certain Loss to the Nation。 For we can have no Occasion to send Money; or Bullion; or foreign Coin to any Nation; unless we receive more Goods in value from them than they have from us; in which Case they must have our Money or Bullion; or foreign coin; sent them; or we must cease to trade with them; which I think is impossible。 Now if I must buy Bullion or foreign coin; because the Exportation of our Coin is prohibited; it's certain that the Seller of Bullion or foreign Coin must and will have a Profit; that is; I must give more in Coin for less in Bullion or foreign Coin; which when my Correspondent receives; he will value it just as if it were our own Coin of like Weight and Fineness: Wherefore if the Demand continues here for Bullion or foreign Coin; to pay the Balance of Trade to any Nation; he will send it back to this Market; where it must and will in this Case fetch more; by all Charges of Freight; and Risque of the Sea; and Postage of Letters; and Commission; and some Profit to himself; unless our Coin be melted to save this Loss。 Now suppose all this should make but 2 per cent it's evident that in 50 Returns of the Bullion of foreign Coin; we must have paid a whole Capital more than if we were admitted freely to send our own current Money; where the Balance of Trade requires it。 And this must cause our current Money to be melted both at home and abroad; since it will thus be worth more the Ballance of Trade lies against us with any particular Nation; so much the quicker will these disadvantageous Returns be made; and our Specie undoubtedly be so much the faster melted。 But if we let our current Coin come and go freely; Bullion or foreign Coin will not be worth so much as our Coin; because its Fineness and Value cannot be so easily and universally known; and therefore if the Balance of Trade be in our Favour; that is; brings us Gold and Silver; it must and will go to the Mint to be coined; to ascertain its Fineness and Value; provided the government not only coin it at their own Charge; but immediately deliver as many Ounces of Coin as they receive of foreign Gold and Silver; for it's no less absurd for the Government to fix the Price they will give for Gold and Silver brought to be coined; than it would be to make a Law to fix and ascertain the Prices of every other Commodity。 And it's further certain; that as the Balance of Trade is a fluctuating Thing; if our Money be suffered to go and come freely as the Balance of Trade may require; (and otherwise it neither can go nor come) as Bullion will then certainly be of somewhat less Value than Coin; the People in foreign Nations will buy up what Money of ours they can easily find; because it will hardly be of so much Value amongst them as their own; and they can pay more with it in the Nation it properly belongs to than with Bullion of their own coin; and this will certainly in a great Measure prevent the melting our Money at home; and in foreign Nations; and consequently will save the Trouble and Charge of coining a great deal of Money; and bring a great deal of our Money back from those Nations where the Balance of Trade had before carried it; provided our Trade stands on such a Foot with those Nations; that the Balance be in our Favour: And I have shewn how it may certainly be made so; viz。 by making our Produce and manufactures so plentiful; and thereby (which is inseparable) so cheap and good; as to cause foreign Nations to take abundance more of them; which Plenty and Cheapness of our Produce and manufactures will prevent the Importation of abundance of foreign Commodities; and thus the Balance will be in our Favour; and that Balance must be paid us in Money: By this Means only it is we have any Gold and Silver; i。e。 Money amongst us; nor is there any other in Nature; for any Nation that hath not Mines: Wherefore this deserves the utmost Regard of every Trading Nation; not only for the Sake of the Money they will thus get; but to make their Trade flourish; and their People happy; and their Government powerful; for without this; Trade must languish; the People become poor; which will make the Taxes an insupportable Burthen; and consequently make the Government weak。 I think this the more concerns us; because Foreigners are interested in our publick Securities and Funds for vast Sums; for; low as we think the Interest of Money to be now; we give better Interest than they can make at home; and our Parliamentary Securities having been always maintained inviolably; give every body the utmost Confidence in them。 As therefore all Commodities (and Money is no other) ever did; and ever will find the highest market; so this is the Cause why Foreigners deposit their Money in our Funds; and as they thereby draw home the Interest; they contribute so much to the decreasing the Cash of the Nation。 Another thing; which still enforceth the Argument to permit our current Coin to go and come freely; as the Balance of Trade may require; is; that if we have the Balance of Trade in our Favour; on any Nation who hath the Balance in their Favour on another which hath the Ballance on us; such Nations will probably transmit our Money to the Nation that has the Balance on them; because if they
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