the querist-第15部分

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livres？

86　Whether　all　creditors　were　not　empowered　to　demand　payment　in
bank　bills　instead　of　specie？

87　Whether；　in　a　short　compass　of　time；　this　bank　did　not　undergo
many　new　changes　and　regulations　by　several　successive　acts　of
council？

88　Whether　the　untimely；　repeated；　and　boundless　fabrication　of
bills　did　not　precipitate　the　ruin　of　this　bank？

89　Whether　it　be　not　true；　that　before　the　end　of　July；　1719；
they　had　fabricated　four　hundred　millions　of　livres　in
bank…notes；　to　which　they　added　the　sum　of　one　hundred　and　twenty
millions　more　on　the　twelfth　of　September　following；　also　the
same　sum　of　one　hundred　and　twenty　millions　on　the　twenty…fourth
of　3　October；　and　again　on　the　twenty…ninth　of　December；　in　the
same　year；　the　farther　sum　of　three　hundred　and　sixty　millions；
making　the　whole；　from　an　original　stock　of　six　millions；　mount；
within　the　compass　of　one　year；　to　a　thousand　millions　of　livres？

90　Whether　on　the　twenty…eighth　of　February；　1720；　the　king　did
not　make　an　union　of　the　bank　with　the　united　company　of　the　East
and　West　Indies；　which　from　that　time　had　the　administration　and
profits　of　the　Banque　Royale？

91　Whether　the　king　did　not　still　profess　himself　responsible　for
the　value　of　the　bank　bills；　and　whether　the　company　were　not
responsible　to　his　Majesty　for　their　management？

92　Whether　sixteen　hundred　millions　of　livres；　lent　to　his
majesty　by　the　company；　was　not　a　sufficient　pledge　to　indemnify
the　king？

93　Whether　the　new　directors　were　not　prohibited　to　make　any　more
bills　without　an　act　of　council？

94　Whether　the　chests　and　books　of　the　Banque　were　not　subjected
to　the　joint　inspection　of　a　Counsellor　of　State；　and　the　Prevot
des　Marchands；　assisted　by　two　Echevins；　a　judge；　and　a　consul；
who　had　power　to　visit　when　they　would　and　without　warning？

95　Whether　in　less　than　two　years　the　actions　or　shares　of　the
Indian　Company　（first　established　for　Mississippi；　and　afterwards
increased　by　the　addition　of　other　compares　and　further？　and
whether　this　privileges）　did　not　rise　to　near　2000　per　cent　must
be　ascribed　to　real　advantages　of　trade；　or　to　mere　frenzy？

96　Whether；　from　first　to　last；　there　were　not　fabricated　bank
bills；　of　one　kind　or　other；　to　the　value　of　more　than　two
thousand　and　six　hundred　millions　of　livres；　or　one　hundred　and
thirty　millions　sterling？

97　Whether　the　credit　of　the　bank　did　not　decline　from　its　union
with　the　Indian　Company？

98　Whether；　notwithstanding　all　the　above…mentioned　extraordinary
measures；　the　bank　bills　did　not　still　pass　at　par　with　gold　and
silver　to　May；　1720；　when　the　French　king　thought　fit；　by　a　new
act　of　council；　to　make　a　reduction　of　their　value；　which　proved
a　fatal　blow；　the　effects　whereof；　though　soon　retracted；　no
subsequent　skill　or　management　could　ever　repair？

99　Whether；　what　no　reason；　reflexion；　or　foresight　could　do；
this　simple　matter　of　fact　（the　most　powerful　argument　with　the
multitude）　did　not　do　at　once；　to　wit；　open　the　eyes　of　the
people？

100　Whether　the　dealers　in　that　sort　of　ware　had　ever　troubled
their　heads　with　the　nature　of　credit；　or　the　true　use　and　end　of
banks；　but　only　considered　their　bills　and　actions　as　things；　to
which　the　general　demand　gave　a　price？

101　Whether　the　Government　was　not　in　great　perplexity　to
contrive　expedients　for　the　getting　rid　of　those　bank　bills；
which　had　been　lately　multiplied　with　such　an　unlimited　passion？

102　Whether　notes　to　the　value　of　about　ninety　millions　were　not
sunk　by　being　paid　off　in　specie；　with　the　cash　of　the　Compagnie
des　Indes；　with　that　of　the　bank；　and　that　of　the　Hotels　des
Monnoyes？　Whether　five　hundred　and　thirty　millions　were　not
converted　into　annuities　at　the　royal　treasury？　Whether　several
hundred　millions　more　in　bank　bills　were　not　extinguished　and
replaced　by　annuities　on　the　City　of　Paris；　on　taxes　throughout
the　provinces；　&c。；　&c？

103　Whether；　after　all　other　shifts；　the　last　and　grand　resource
for　exhausting　that　ocean；　was　not　the　erecting　of　a　compte　en
banc　in　several　towns　of　France？

104　Whether；　when　the　imagination　of　a　people　is　thoroughly
wrought　upon　and　heated　by　their　own　example；　and　the　arts　of
designing　men；　this　doth　not　produce　a　sort　of　enthusiasm　which
takes　place　of　reason；　and　is　the　most　dangerous　distemper　in　a
State？

105　Whether　this　epidemical　madness　should　not　be　always　before
the　eyes　of　a　legislature；　in　the　framing　of　a　national　bank？

106　Whether；　therefore；　it　may　not　be　fatal　to　engraft　trade　on　a
national　bank；　or　to　propose　dividends　on　the　stock　thereof？

108　Whether　it　may　not　be　as　useful　a　lesson　to　consider　the　bad
management　of　some　as　the　good　management　of　others？

109　Whether　the　rapid　and　surprising　success　of　the　schemes　of
those　who　directed　the　French　bank　did　not　turn　their　brains？

110　Whether　the　best　institutions　may　not　be　made　subservient　to
bad　ends？

111　Whether；　as　the　aim　of　industry　is　power；　and　the　aim　of　a
bank　is　to　circulate　and　secure　this　power　to　each　individual；　it
doth　not　follow　that　absolute　power　in　one　hand　is　inconsistent
with　a　lasting　and　a　flourishing　bank？

115　Whether　the　mistaking　of　the　means　for　the　end　was　not　a
fundamental　error　in　the　French　councils？

123　Whether　there　should　not　be　a　constant　care　to　keep　the　bills
at　par？

124　Whether；　therefore；　bank　bills　should　at　any　time　be
multiplied　but　as　trade　and　business　were　also　multiplied？

125　Whether　it　was　not　madness　in　France　to　mint　bills　and
actions；　merely　to　humour　the　people　and　rob　them　of　their　cash？

126　Whether　we　may　not　profit　by　their　mistakes；　and　as　some
things　are　to　be　avoided；　whether　there　may　not　be　others　worthy
of　imitation　in　the　conduct　of　our　neighbours？

127　Whether　the　way　be　not　clear　and　open　and　easy；　and　whether
anything　but　the　will　is　wanting　to　our　legislature？

128　Whether　jobs　and　tricks　are　not　detested　on　all　hands；　but
whether　it　be　not　the　joint　interest　of　prince　and　people　to
promote　industry？

129　Whether；　all　things　considered；　a　national　bank　be　not　the
most　practicable；　sure；　and　speedy　method　to　mend　our　affairs；
and　cause　industry　to　flourish　among　us？

130　Whether　a　compte　en　banc　or　current　bank　bills　would　best
answer　our　occasions？

131　Whether　a　public　compte　en　banc；　where　effects　are　received；
and　accounts　kept　with　particular　persons；　be　not　an　excellent
expedient　for　a　great　city？

132　What　effect　a　general　compte　en　banc　would　have　in　the
metropolis　of　this　kingdom　with　one　in　each　province　subordinate
thereunto？

133　Whether　it　may　not　be　proper　for　a　great　kingdom　to　unite
both　expedients；　to　wit；　bank　notes　and　a　compte　en　banc？

134　Whether；　nevertheless；　it　would　be　advisable　to　begin　with
both　at　once；　or　rather　to　proceed　first　with　the　bills；　and
afterwards；　as　business　multiplied；　and　money　or　effects　flowed
in；　to　open　the　compte　en　banc？

135　Whether；　for　greater　security；　double　books　of　compte　en　banc
should　not　be　kept　in　different　places　an　d　hands？

136　Whether　it　would　not　be　right　to　build　the　compters　and
public　treasuries；　where　books　and　bank　notes　are　kept；　without
wood；　all　arched　and　floored　with　brick　or　stone；　having　chests
also　and　cabinets　of　iron？

137　Whether　divers　registers　of　the　bank　notes　should　not　be　kept
in　different　hands？

138　Whether　there　should　not　be　great　discretion　in　the　uttering
of　bank　notes；　and　whether　the　attempting　to　do　things　per　saltum
be　not　often　the　way　to　undo　them？

139　Whether　the　main　art　be　not　by　slow　degrees　and　cautious
measures　to　reconcile　the　bank　to　the　public；　to　wind　it
insensibly　into　the　affections　of　men；　and　interweave　it　with　the
constitution？

141　Whether　a　national　bank　may　not　prevent　the　drawing　of　specie
out　of　the　country　（where　it　circulates　in　small　payments）；　to　be
shut　up　in　the　chests　of　particular　persons？

143　Whether　tenants　or　debtors　could　have　cause　to　complain　of
our　monies　being　reduced　to　the　English　value　if　it　were　withal
multiplied　in　the　same；　or　in　a　greater　proportion？　and　whether
this　would　not　be　the　consequence　of　a　nation　al　bank？

144　If　there　be　an　open　sure　way　to　thrive；　without　hazard　to
ourselves　or　prejudice　to　our　neighbours；　what　should　hinder　us
from　putting　it　in　practice？

145　Whether　in　so　numerous　a　Senate；　as　that　of　this　kingdom；　it
may　not　be　easie　to　find　men　of　pure　hands　and　clear　heads　fit　to
contrive　and　model　a　public　bank？

146　Whether　a　view　of　the　precipice　be　not　sufficient；　or　whether
we　must　tumble　headlong　before　we　are　roused？

147　Whether　in　this　drooping　and　dispirited　country；　men　are
quite　awake？

156　Whether；　if　we　do　not　reap　the　benefits　that　may　be　made　of
our　country　and　government；　want　of　will　in　the　lower　people；　or
want　of　wit　in　the　upper；　be　most　in　fault？

165　Whether　an　assembly　of　freethinkers；　petit　maitres；　and　smart
fellows；　would　not　make　an　admirable　Senate？

175　Whether　there　be　really　among　us　any　parents　so　silly；　as　to
encourage　drinking　in　their　children？

176　Whence　it　is；　that　our　ladies　are　more　alive；　and　bear　age　so
much　better　than　our　gentlemen？

185　Whether　this　be