Page 485 of 2651

If, by the general progress of improvement, the demand of this

market should increase, while, at the same time, the supply did

not increase in the same proportion, the value of silver would

gradually rise in proportion to that of corn. Any given quantity

of silver would exchange for a greater and a greater quantity of

corn; or, in other words, the average money price of corn would

gradually become cheaper and cheaper.

If, on the contrary, the supply, by some accident, should

increase, for many years together, in a greater proportion than

the demand, that metal would gradually become cheaper and

cheaper; or, in other words, the average money price of corn

would, in spite of all improvements, gradually become dearer and

dearer.