4993. MANUFACTURES, The Colonies and.—
I think nothing can bring the security
of our continent and its cause into danger, if
we can support the credit of our paper. To
do that, I apprehend, one of two steps must
be taken. Either to procure free trade by
alliance with some naval power able to protect
it; or, if we find there is no prospect of
that, to shut our ports totally, to all the
world, and turn our Colonies into manufactories.
The former would be most eligible,
because most conformable to the habits and
wishes of our people.—
To Benjamin Franklin. Washington ed. i, 205.
Ford ed., ii, 132.
(1777)
