A very small portion of this debt, I mean that part due to the
French officers, has done us an injury, of which those in office in
America cannot have an idea. The interest is unpaid for the last three
years; and these creditors, highly connected, and at the same time
needy, have felt and communicated hard thoughts of us. Borrowing, as we
have done, three hundred thousand florins a year, to pay our interest
in Holland, it would have been worth while to have added twenty thousand
more, to suppress those clamors. I am anxious about every thing which
may affect our credit. My wish would be, to possess it in the highest
degree, but to use it little. Were we without credit, we might be
crushed by a nation of much inferior resources, but possessing higher
credit. The present system of war renders it necessary to make exertions
far beyond the annual resources of the State, and consume in one year
the efforts of many. And this system we cannot change. It remains, then,
that we cultivate our credit with the utmost attention.
I had intended to have written a word to your Excellency on the subject
of the new constitution, but I have already spun out my letter to an
immoderate length.
Pages:
638
639
640
641
642
643
644
645
646
647
648
649
650
651
652
653
654
655
656
657
658
659
660
661
662