Here is another little sum in arithmetic which will explain more than a lengthy disputation upon the subject of our national ruin. It is a list of the current expenses and revenues for a number of years:
| GUILDERS | ||
| In 1795 the expenses were | 51,000,000 | |
| Revenue | 17,000,000 | |
| Deficit | 34,000,000 | |
| ———— |
In 1796 expenses and revenue were the same.
| In 1797 the expenses were | 42,000,000 | |
| Revenue | 20,000,000 | |
| Deficit | 22,000,000 | |
| ———— |
| In 1798 the expenses were | 31,000,000 | |
| Revenue | 21,000,000 | |
| Deficit | 10,000,000 | |
| ———— |
But when in 1799 the English and Russians invaded the country and the revenues were appropriated according to the new style provided, the expenses were 80,000,000, the revenue was 36,000,000, and the deficit was 44,000,000. And these deficits, year after year, had to be covered by extra loans, until at last a heavy loan was carried to pay the dividends upon the original loan. Even with the three billions which the republic was reported to have gathered during former centuries, there is but one possible end to such a system of finance: That end is called national bankruptcy.
A country place