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472 SWEDENBORG IN THE HOUSE OF NOBLES. [Doc. 168.
and agriculture, together with all the moneys invested in them ,
depreciate in value; besides other contingencies which in such
a case overtake the higher as well as the lower nobility, and
especially the business men , who must suffer most heavily
from it.
Now, as the balance of trade is the genuine vein and
source of a country’s welfare, I have, for the purpose of
showing this, made two computations which herewith follow.
The first of these contains a calculation of the average exports
and imports during the reign of King Charles XI, when the
Swedish commerce was in its most flourishing state ; and where
it is shown that the balance consisted of four and a half million
florins in favour of our country. The other exhibits the balance
as it exists at the present day, where it will be found that this
has changed to an incredible extent, so that there is now an
annual loss of from two and a half to three millions of Dutch
fiorins: from which it follows that the rich products of Sweden
are no longer sufficient to pay the excess of imported goods
and merchandize, but that annually a part of the cash property
of the country has to be employed to adjust the difference.
This deficiency has now for a long time been made up and
replaced by the revenue which Sweden derives from its pos
sessions abroad, and from which they have still to be made
up. But as soon as the revenues cease, the country must
inevitably fall into the bitterest poverty, unless the Diet
find means by which it may be obviated.
As every one, now, is left in freedom to express his well
meant thoughts, and to suggest how the common -weal is likely
to be best helped, it is hoped that it will not be unfavourably re
ceived if I insist, in all humility, that there is nothing the present
Diet can do of greater importance than to examine, and to
assist and promote, all propositions, which have for their pur
pose to infuse new life into Swedish commerce, so as to make
our balance square ; and this for the sake of the private welfare
of every one of us, and also for that of our whole posterity.
Moreover, these are the kind of deliberations which are chiefly
held in the English Paliament, and in the General States of
Holland; and by their mature counsels and resolutions their
trade is kept in the most flourishing state, their balance of
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