s; in America upon almost all the thoroughfares: in
the former country the roads are free to all travellers; in the
latter turnpikes abound. All these differences in the manner in which
contributions are levied in the two countries enhance the difficulty of
comparing their expenditure; for there are certain expenses which the
citizens would not be subject to, or which would at any rate be much
less considerable, if the State did not take upon itself to act in the
name of the public.]

Hence we must conclude that it is no less difficult to compare the
social expenditure than it is to estimate the relative wealth of France
and America. I will even add that it would be dangerous to attempt this
comparison; for when statistics are not based upon computations which
are strictly accurate, they mislead instead of guiding aright. The mind
is easily imposed upon by the false affectation of exactness, which
prevails even in the misstatements of science, and it adopts with
confidence errors which are dressed in the forms of mathematical truth.

We abandon, therefore, our numerical investigation, with the hope of
meeting with data of another kind. In the absence of positive documents,
we may form an opinion as to the proportion which the taxation of a
people bears to its real prosperity, by observing whether its external
appearance is flourishing; whether, after having discharged the calls of
the State, the poor man retains the means of subsistence, and the rich
the means of enjoyment; and whether both classes are contented with
their position, seeking, however, to ameliorate it by perpetual
exertions, so that industry is never in want of capital, nor capital
unemployed by industry. The observer who draws his inferences from these
signs will, undoubtedly, be led to the conclusion that the American of
the United States contributes a much smaller portion of his income to
the State than the citizen of France. Nor, indeed, can the result be
otherwise.

A portion of the French debt is the consequence of two successive
invasions; and the Union has no similar calamity to fear. A nation
placed upon the continent of Europe is obliged to maintain a large
standing army; the isolated position of the Union enables it to have
only 6,000 soldiers. The French have a fleet of 300 sail; the Americans
have 52 vessels. *n How, then, can the inhabitants of the Union be
called upon to contribute as largely as the inhabitants of France?
No parallel ca