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more convenient for any merchant to pay for the goods which his
correspondents had sold to him in some other sort of goods which
he might happen to deal in than in money。 Such a merchant would
have no occasion to keep any part of his stock by him unemployed；
and in ready money； for answering occasional demands。 He could
have； at all times； a larger quantity of goods in his shop or
warehouse； and he could deal to a greater extent。 But it seldom
happens to be convenient for all the correspondents of a merchant
to receive payment for the goods which they sell to him in goods
of some other kind which he happens to deal in。 The British
merchants who trade to Virginia and Maryland happen to be a
particular set of correspondents； to whom it is more convenient
to receive payment for the goods which they sell to those
colonies in tobacco than in gold and silver。 They expect to make
a profit by the sale of the tobacco。 They could make none by that
of the gold and silver。 Gold and silver； therefore； very seldom
appear in the commerce between Great Britain and the tobacco
colonies。 Maryland and Virginia have as little occasion for those
metals in their foreign as in their domestic commerce。 They are
said； accordingly； to have less gold and silver money than any
other colonies in America。 They are reckoned； however； as
thriving； and consequently as rich； as any of their neighbours。
In the northern colonies； Pennsylvania； New York； New
Jersey； the four governments of New England； etc。； the value of
their own produce which they export to Great Britain is not equal
to that of the manufactures which they import for their own use；
and for that of some of the other colonies to which they are the
carriers。 A balance； therefore； must be paid to the mother
country in gold and silver； and this balance they generally find。
In the sugar colonies the value of the produce annually
exported to Great Britain is much greater than that of all the
goods imported from thence。 If the sugar and rum annually sent to
the mother country were paid for in those colonies； Great Britain
would be obliged to send out every year a very large balance in
money； and the trade to the West Indies would； by a certain
species of politicians； be considered as extremely
disadvantageous。 But it so happens that many of the principal
proprietors of the sugar plantations reside in Great Britain。
Their rents are remitted to them in sugar and rum； the produce of
their estates。 The sugar and rum which the West India merchants
purchase in those colonies upon their own account are not equal
in value to the goods which they annually sell there。 A balance；
therefore； must necessarily be paid to them in gold and silver；
and this balance； too； is generally found。
The difficulty and irregularity of payment from the
different colonies to Great Britain have not been at all in
proportion to the greatness or smallness of the balances which
were respectively due from them。 Payments have in general been
more regular from the northern than from the tobacco colonies；
though the former have generally paid a pretty large balance in
money； while the latter have either paid no balance； or a much
smaller one。 The difficulty of getting payment from our different
sugar colonies has been greater or less in proportion； not so
much to the extent of the balances respectively due from them； as
to the quantity of uncultivated land which they contained； that
is； to the greater or smaller temptation which the planters have
been under of overtrading； or of undertaking the settlement and
plantation of greater quantities of waste land than suited the
extent of their capitals。 The returns from the great island of
Jamaica； where there is still much uncultivated land； have； upon
this account； been in general more irregular and uncertain than
those from the smaller islands of Barbadoes； Antigua； and St。
Christophers； which have for these many years been completely
cultivated； and have； upon that account； afforded less field for
the speculations of the planter。 The new acquisitions of Grenada；
Tobago； St。 Vincents； and Dominica have opened a new field for
speculations of this kind； and the returns from those islands
have of late been as irregular and uncertain as those from the
great island of Jamaica。
It is not； therefore； the poverty of the colonies which
occasions； in the greater part of them； the present scarcity of
gold and silver money。 Their great demand for active and
productive stock makes it convenient for them to have as little
dead stock as possible； and disposes them upon that account to
content themselves with a cheaper though less commodious
instrument of commerce than gold and silver。 They are thereby
enabled to convert the value of that gold and silver into the
instruments of trade； into the materials of clothing； into
household furniture； and into the ironwork necessary for building
and extending their settlements and plantations。 In those
branches of business which cannot be transacted without gold and
silver money； it appears that they can always find the necessary
quantity of those metals； and if they frequently do not find it；
their failure is generally the effect； not of their necessary
poverty； but of their unnecessary and excessive enterprise。 It is
not because they are poor that their payments are irregular and
uncertain； but because they are too eager to become excessively
rich。 Though all that part of the produce of the colony taxes
which was over and above what was necessary for defraying the
expense of their own civil and military establishments were to be
remitted to Great Britain in gold and silver； the colonies have
abundantly wherewithal to purchase the requisite quantity of
those metals。 They would in this case be obliged； indeed； to
exchange a part of their surplus produce； with which they now
purchase active and productive stock； for dead stock。 In
transacting their domestic business they would be obliged to
employ a costly instead of a cheap instrument of commerce； and
the expense of purchasing this costly instrument might damp
somewhat the vivacity and ardour of their excessive enterprise in
the improvement of land。 It might not； however； be necessary to
remit any part of the American revenue in gold and silver。 It
might be remitted in bills drawn upon and accepted by particular
merchants or companies in Great Britain to whom a part of the
surplus produce of America had been consigned； who would pay into
the treasury the American revenue in money； after having
themselves received the value of it in goods； and the whole
business might frequently be transacted without exporting a
single ounce of gold or silver from America。
It is not contrary to justice that both Ireland and America
should contribute towards the discharge of the public debt of
Great Britain。 That debt has been contracted in support of the
government established by the Revolution； a government to which
the Protestants of Ireland owe； not only the whole authority
which they at present enjoy in their own country； but every
security which they possess for their liberty； their property；
and their religion； a government to which several of the colonies
of America owe their present charters； and consequently their
present constitution； and to which all the colonies of America
owe the liberty； security； and property which they have ever
since enjoyed。 That public debt has been contracted in the
defence； not of Great Britain alone； but of all the different
provinces of the empire； the immense debt contracted in the late
war in particular； and a great part of that contracted in the war
before； were both properly contracted in defence of America。
By a union with Great Britain； Ireland would gain； besides
the freedom of trade； other advantages much more important； and
which would much more than compensate any increase of taxes that
might accompany that union。 By the union with England the
middling and inferior ranks of people in Scotland gained a
complete deliverance from the power of an aristocracy which had
always before oppressed them。 By a union with Great Britain the
greater part of the people of all ranks in Ireland would gain an
equally complete deliverance from a much more oppressive
aristocracy； an aristocracy not founded； like that of Scotland；
in the natural and respectable distinctions of birth and fortune；
but in the most odious of all distinctions； those of religious
and political prejudices； distinctions which； more than any
other； animate both the insolence of the oppressors and the
hatred and indignation of the oppressed； and which commonly
render the inhabitants of the same country more hostile to one
another than those of different countries ever are。 Without a
union with Great Britain the inhabitants of Ireland are not
likely for many ages to consider themselves as one people