Alexandria advertiser and commercial intelligencer. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1800-1803, 1802-01-08

THE EXAMINATION.


:. NUMBER III.
HAD oar laws been LET'S provident than
|ythey bsse beensyes muft it give Us very
humble idea Of the talents Of our prefideae
- . itasefman, TO find hun embarraGed be.
tween an abGolute abandonment of revenue
and an inconvenient accumulation of trea-
fare. Purifying the doctrine prsfeGed by
bis /e2 that our public debt is anatioaal
euyt, which cannot too promptly be re-
moved, and adhering to the aGursnee
which he has virtually given, that iPoogc
the jap0,ite nerwme.,, ihall not be en-
ployei for the purpofe, how has it hap
pcned that Re hould have overlooked the
ample and obvious expediens of uins tn:
fuppof.d excefs of income a. remedy
for 70 great milehief!
After all we have heard in times paf,
it would i'll become either the head, or any
member, Of the ersbsdax /ta to contend,
that too rapid Reimbursement Of the debt.
might be attended with evils. In cuftely
however, this lhall be Gppoled to be argu.
Ell by fome new convert, who has nos en-
tirely ihaken of the r,ejudices of former
modes Of thinking; and it ihall be exami-
ned, whether this argument will afford q
publication OF the meafure recommended.
It lhall not be denied that the immedi.
ate paymen of our whole debt, If pratti.
cable, would be likely to be injurious in
various ways. 1t would in the drf in-
stance, produce a money p'o:he:s, IF the
phrafe may be allowed,) which experience
has ihewn to be inauipicious to the ener-
yies, and eipecially to the morality and
induitry ola nation. The quick eflux of
this money to pay a comfortable part Of
the debt in the hands of foreigners, and to
procure from abroad the means Of crafty
ing an increaled extravaganza, would, after
ione time, {ubaitute too great vacuity
to too great fuincls, leaving us to fusgle
with the bad habits incident to the latter
far:, and with the embarrafsr,ents of de-
fettive circulation. To thefe, other rcs.
ions might be added, which, though equal
ly jua and fold, are omitted as being
more liable to ifpuse. -.
Tho an extreme cafe Is here preientcd,
the immediate Reimbursement of the entire
debt, yet it mutt be admitted, that the
fame confederation, are applicable in lels
degree to a lu nmaty, or very rapid repay
ment by large inaalmenss. But the an
fwe- to all this is, that it would have
been full tine to adops precautionary mea-
(ures againit evils from iuch fourec, when
experience had realized the danger. Till
fuch time it is certainly the highelt wifi
dom to continue the employment Of fund
which is already provided, and without
overburdening the people, for the all i'm
portans purpoie of exonerating the nation
from deb., and Of placing it in condition,
with competent reioarces to meet future
contingencies, which may threaten its fate.
ty. On the other hand, is it rot mark
of the higheft improvidence and folly, to
throw away an important part Of this
fund on the mere fpeculation that it may
poGibly be fuprAuousl
But admitting it to b. already aicer.
taincd, that the tund is greater than is re.
QUITE to extinguilh the debt, with conve.
nient celebrity does it follow, that the
excefs if retained, mutt be fufered to &C
cumulate, and that no different method
could have been found to employ it which
would have been productive Of adequate
utility?
Watever diverGty ofopinion there may
be with regard to military and naval pre-
parations, for the defence and fecurity Of
the country, there are Tome things in
which all well-informed and rejecting
men unite. Arfenals, founderies, dock
yard. and magazine. ESPECIALLY thofe
containing materials for the contraction
and equipment Of ihips) 70 that upon the
breaking out of a war there may be fuf-
6cient iupply Of wa,like implements, ard
Of mean. for the fpcedy creation ola navy;
are By all deemed eligible objets, ofpub-
lie care. To provide for theie objeas