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 » < Ogloher^ 1762; 
 
 Advertifement. 
 
 TH E following Reflections were printed laft 
 Autumn ; but as the Negociations, with 
 Mr. Bujfy^ were then broke ofF, the Publicatiott 
 was deterred to a future Opportunity. The 
 Negotiations for Peace being now renewed, and 
 it being generally believed, from other Cir- 
 cumftancps, that the war will foon draw to a Con- 
 clufion, the present Occafion is judged very 
 proper for laying thefe Reflexions before the 
 Public. 
 
 m 
 
 W-'- 
 
 ERRATUM. 
 
 ?l^|e 8.8< line 1 8, afttr inflancesi tn/trt can be given. 
 
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t i ] 
 
 REFLECTIONS 
 
 ON THE 
 
 DOMESTIC POLICY, 
 
 Proper to be obferved on the Conclusion 
 of a PEACE. 
 
 TFIE vi(5i:orIes an^^ ^uccefTes with which It has 
 pleafed God to blefs our arms in the courfe 
 of this war, having at length brought our enemies 
 to fue for peace, we have great reafon to exped, 
 from the prudence and vigour that have of late 
 prevailed in our councils, that during the nego- 
 ciations, the intereft of the nation will be zealoully 
 attended to, and fuch a barrier placed againft the 
 reftlefs ambition of our neighbouring kingdom, 
 as will put it out of its power to difturb our tran- 
 quillity for a confiderable time to come. But 
 when v/e have once fecured ourfelves by an ho- 
 nourable peace, from the ambition and infults of 
 our neighbours, it will be extremely proper to 
 turn our eyes homeward, and ftudioufly to purfue 
 fuch a plan of domeftic policy as may have the 
 greateft tendency to promote the profperity of the 
 nation. No other advantages whatever can make 
 up for the negled of this policy. Vidories gain- 
 ed, and territories acquired are of no account 
 without it •, but a nation that adheres to it ftea- 
 
 B <Vilv, 
 
[2 ] 
 
 dily, will not only weather almofl: every calamity, 
 but will increafe in ftrength and vigour even in 
 the midft of diftrefles. 
 
 Great Britain tho' happily vidorious over her 
 enemies, yet for many years pad has been fatally 
 deficient in feveral eflential points relating to the 
 internal policy of the ftate, which if not now re- 
 drefled will render our prefent profperity ex- 
 tremely precarious, and in a great meafure blaft 
 all the fuccefles of our arms. The pernicious 
 efFeds of corrupt adminiftration have long been 
 generally felt and complained of, and many pri- 
 vate eflforts have been made to check their bane- 
 ful influence ; but the ignorance or wilful inadli- 
 vity of thofe i.\ power, from time to time fruft- 
 lated thofe patriot attempts, which no way fuit- 
 ed with their fyftem of government. 
 
 At length, however, the mean arts of corrup- 
 tion, which have precipitated the nation into a 
 moft diftrefsful and dangerous fituation, have 
 been nobly difcountenanced by the higheft autho- 
 rity, and all honeft men have been invited from 
 the throne to co-operate with their fovereign in 
 advancing the profperity of the nation. This 
 royal invitation will no doubt animate the zeal of 
 men of integrity, will revive an adive fpirit of 
 patriotifm among all ranks, and prompt thofe 
 who- have their country's welfare at heart, to pur- 
 fue with ardour and refolution, the means mofl 
 likely to reform the public abufes, and reftore 
 health and vig-our to the conftitution. If the 
 prefent golden opportunity be properly improved, 
 we may fo far, as the viciflitude of human af- 
 fairs will permit, give a flability to the grandeur 
 of the Britifh empire, and fecure, not only to 
 ourfelves, but to our pofterity, the moft valuable 
 blefling of public liberty; but if our political 
 
 grievances. 
 
 .■*#' 
 
 ■<(?■ 
 

 [ 3 ] 
 
 grievances, and the great depravity of manners 
 which they have introduced, be fuffered to remain 
 unchecked and uncontrolled, it is to be feared 
 that they will quickly be attended with ruin and 
 defolation. 
 
 Much will depend upon the deliberations of 
 this prefent parliament ; but the wiflied for refor- 
 mation may alfo, in feme meafure, be promoted 
 even by perfons in private ftations, as the dombftic 
 policy of a (late is a fubjed equally open to every 
 one converfant in hillory, and who by his natu- 
 tural inclination is led to turn his thoughts to 
 matters of government. The author of the fol- 
 lowing reflections has endeavoured to delineate 
 the outlines of fuch a plan of policy as he hopes 
 would tend to advance the profperity of Britain ; 
 and he will think himfclf extremely happy if any 
 thing here fuggefted can afford the leaft hint to 
 thole who make the welfare of this nation their 
 care and (ludy. 
 
 As it is the opinion of many judicious writers 
 that the population of Britain has been declining 
 for thefe feveral years paft, and that we have not 
 of late had a fufficient number of men to carry on 
 our various manuladures, and at the fame time 
 to fight our battles, the utmoft attention ought to 
 be given to remedy this capital deficiency. At 
 the conclufion of a war, which is a time of diflipa- 
 tion, many of our people being at a lofs how to 
 difpofe of themfelves at home, are apt to rove 
 abroad ; therefore it ought to be our principal 
 concern immediately upon the ratification of the 
 treaties, to provide for the foldiers. Tailors, and 
 carpenters difcharged from the public fcrvice. 
 Their number will be very confiderable, pro- 
 bably no fewer than 40,000 foldiers, 40,000 fail- 
 ors, and 4000 carpenters and labourers, in all 
 
 B 2 84,00® 
 
• t 4 ] 
 
 84,000 men, It is not an oveidrained fuppofl* 
 tion> CO imagine that i6,oco women and children 
 depend upon thefc, which will make the number 
 of thofe deprived of a livehhood at the peace to 
 amount to 100,000. 
 
 At the end of laft war a fatlement was made 
 in Nova Scotia, which ft rved as an afylum to 
 feveral thoufand of the difcharged troops, and 
 has been fupported annually by grants from par- 
 liament ever fince. As we have increafcd our 
 territories in America during this war, and have 
 Jarge trails of land on that contineiit uncultivated, 
 it has lately been propofed by fome to make new 
 fettlements there for our difcharged foidiers, where 
 they cou.d eafily procure a fubfiflence, and would 
 fervc to prote6t the frontiers, and awe the Indians. 
 
 On the other hand I will venture to propofe 
 that they fliould all be provided for, if poOible, 
 in the ifland of Britain -, not that 1 mean, in the 
 lead, to derogate from the importance of the 
 fettlement of Hallifax, which has fully anfwered 
 the purpofes it was intended for. But if we fecure 
 the exclulive navigation of the lakes, have a fort- 
 refs about Ofwego or at Frontenac, and keep tv/o 
 armed frigates ftationed in the MilFifTippi and the 
 Ohio, our frontiers would be fully protected, and 
 the Indians thoroughly awed ; for if their natural 
 acutenefs be fuch as it is reprefentcd, they could 
 not but perceive our unrivaled fuperiority, fo that 
 their own intercft would lead them to court our 
 friendfliip rather ihan contend with our power. 
 In all probability wcT-^all have no hoflile difpuces 
 in' America for many years, but what may be 
 decided by tl>e fl:rength of the coicnies ; therefore 
 there is no great neceflity of providing for our 
 fecurity before-hand by leaving a military force 
 in that continent. But no one can anlwer for the 
 
 con- 
 
 
[ 5 ] 
 
 continuance of the tranquillity in Furope, as the 
 French, however beaten and exhaufted, recruir. 
 their vigour in a few years, the thirlt of the Ger- 
 mans for bloody fquabblcs fcems incurable, and 
 the claims in Italy may perhaps be referred to the 
 arbitration ot the fvvord. 
 
 It would no doubt be thought madncfs to tranf- 
 port our grand magazine of arms from the Tower 
 to America ; but I had niuch rather that our ar- 
 fenal fhould be tranfported thither than our fen- 
 fible men. As our colonies are now out oi their 
 infiint (late, it is needlefs to be provi ;ing with 
 great earnellnefs for the firther peopling of them-, 
 for if the tranquillity of the inhabitants be ftcur- 
 ed, they will ofthemfelves multiply fufficiently. 
 A gentleman of Philadelphia, to whom the world 
 is indebted for fcveral ingenious philofophic dif- 
 coveries, has Hiewn that the colonifts in general 
 double their numbers by procreation alone every 
 twenty-five years; fo that in half a century the 
 plantations will be four times as populous as they 
 are at prefent ; whereas if we do not give our 
 attention to fupply the drains from the mother 
 country, in all probability, our nunibcrs fifty 
 years hence, will not le increafcd one eighth part 
 of the prefent inhabitants. It is doubtlefs of more 
 importance to the nation that the numbers of 
 people fhould increafe in this and the neighbour- 
 ing iflind than in America ; for a fhip might as 
 well attempt lo carry iicr lading hung to the end 
 of her bok-fprit as a government to manage a 
 people widely difperfed, and more numerous to- 
 wards the extremities than towards the center. I 
 may therefore afk any colonift who defires the 
 profperity of the Britilh empire, whether he would 
 |Kt rather wifh ^o fee three millions more of in- 
 habitants 
 
fc. 
 
 [ 6 ] 
 
 habitants in Britain and Ireland than fix In A- 
 merica. 
 
 But by wliat better means can Britain be peopled 
 than by retaining her native fubjedls, efpecialiy 
 thofe, who in return for the labours and fatigues 
 they have undergone in the fervice of the public, 
 have a moft juft claim to its prctedion. If the 
 propriety of fettling the troops at home be allow- 
 ed, we ought next to think of difpofing of them 
 in fuch a manner as would render their fettlements 
 of the greateft advantage to the nation. As the 
 fea which encompafles us, is both our rampart and 
 the channel of our wealth, the more we are habi- 
 tuated to it, the more we fhall be in a capacity of 
 defending ourfelvcs, and of annoying our enemies, 
 and the greater opportuiiities we fhall have of ad- 
 vancing, the trade and increafing the riches of the 
 nation. By multiplying our fettlements, there- 
 fore, on the fea coafts, and on the banks of na- 
 vigable rivers, we at the fame form nurferies for 
 future navies, and render it more eafy for great 
 numbers of men to procure a fubfiftence. Were 
 the banks of all the navigable rivers in Great Bri- 
 tain lined with fettlements, it may eafily be con- 
 ceived what an immenfe population this fruitful 
 ifland could admit of. There arc doubtlefs at prc- 
 fent more inhabitants on the banks of the Thames, 
 reckoning within two miles on each fide of the 
 river, than there were in the whole ifland when 
 it was invaded by Julius Ca^far ; yet from the 
 fource of the river to its mouth what an abun- 
 dance of the necefifaiies and conveniencies of life 
 prevails. The many large and populous cities 
 lituated on the banks of the Rhine and of the 
 Maefe in Flanders are fo far from incommoding 
 each other by their numbers of inhabitants, that 
 when the latter wt re more populous than they are 
 
 at 
 
 t 
 
t 7 ] 
 at prefent, they were alfo more floiirifblng. Thefe 
 examples flicw us that numbers of people are fo 
 far from diftrefllng one another by their vicinity, 
 that if they are induftrious, they are mutual helps 
 to each other. 
 
 How erroneous then is the common opinion, 
 that it is impuflible to earn a livelihood at home, 
 and that we muft either turn ourfelves to foreign 
 commerce, or feek to get poflfeiT'^n of fome new 
 plantation, where we may have fuil fcope to raife 
 luch a revenue from the ground as will make us 
 live in plenty. If land can be procured ciie'^p in 
 America, fo can it alfo be in Britain, nay, I may 
 fay., in fome places of this iOand cheaper than in 
 thofe parts of America where the fettlemenis 
 would be of the greatefl national importance. 
 Dean Swift in computing the difficulties that new 
 fcttlers have to encounter with in America from 
 grubbing up oi" trees, from the high rate of 
 the wages of artificers, and from other inconve- 
 niencies, reckons that their lands, tho' given 
 them, in their original Hate, as a prefent, may 
 juftly be faid to coft them an hundred years pur- 
 chafe before they be brought to a ftate of culti- 
 vation. Allowing that the Dean has exaggerated 
 his computation, yet the expence of new fettle- 
 ments in thofe countries, where nothing befides 
 the common fruits of the earth are raifed, muft 
 doubtlefs be either very confiderable, or the pro- 
 fits arifing from the lettlements muft be trifling. 
 By the confeffion of a gentlemen who had a grant 
 of lands at Hallif ix the clearing of one acre coft 
 him between forty and fifty pounds, and when it 
 was cleared it was hardly of any fervice, the foil 
 being of a light fandy barren nature. He could 
 not certainly have laid out his money to greater 
 diladvantage in attempting improvements in many 
 
 unculti- 
 
l> S. I 
 
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 J' 
 
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 V 
 
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 h 
 
 [ 8 ] 
 
 tincuitivated parts of this ifland. The revenue 
 raifed from the ground in Britain at prefcnt, is 
 not one half, nay one fourth of what it might be, 
 and exclufive of the produdls of the earth which 
 mi2;ht be tims increafed, the fea which walhes all 
 our coails affords an eafy fubfiftence to the inha- 
 bitants. A very little land, when well cultivat- 
 ed, will fupply food for one man, therefore to 
 give large trads of uncultivated land in a remote 
 ^ ountry, as a fubfiftence to a poor man, is an 
 ufelefs, if not a moil burdenfome' prefent. It 
 would be of more advantage to him to make him 
 the propri'^tor of a fmall hcufe and garden in the 
 midft of his friends, where to the produce of his 
 garden, he could add a certain revenue by his ap- 
 plication to fome handicraft or manufliAure. 
 
 The labour and fatigue the troops have under- 
 gone during the war will now make repofe the 
 more grateful to them, and if they can have but a 
 fettled habitation which they can call their own, 
 they will not probably be vfy follicitous to have 
 a fumptuous one. From the fmall buildings 
 creded near Chelfea hofpital, we may fee that the 
 invalids prekr the happinefs of domedic liberty in 
 a hut, to the being crowded in the magnificent 
 apartments of a palace. As compani nfliip is 
 greatly cultivated among foldiers, it will be no 
 fmall fatisfadlion to them to live together in civil 
 life ; therefore it would be advifeable, when they 
 are difcharged, to fettle them in fmall bodies in 
 different parts of the kingdom not occupied by 
 other inhabitants, conferring fuch fmall immuni- 
 ties upon them as fhould encourage them to neftle, 
 by rendering their fubfiltence as little expenfive 
 as poffible. As their daily intercourfe with each 
 other would keep alive their martial difpofition, 
 they would be ready to be formed into an army 
 
 I upon 
 
 I 
 
 )> 
 
 / 1 
 
 '■«*■• 
 
t ^ i 
 
 \lpot\ any bther emergency ; but fiippofing they 
 ihoiild never again appear in the field in the qua- 
 lity of foldiers, their children might, aiul the ad- 
 vantage of the eftablidiments propofed, would, 
 in other refpeftsj be very confiderable to the 
 nation. 
 
 Tho' many enlift from a fpirit of idlcnefs •, yet 
 great numbers enter into the fervice from a fpirit 
 I i of enterprize, and are far from putting ofF their 
 induftry when they put on the red coat. Some 
 of thefe, who perhaps may have improved them- 
 ■m felves by obfervations in their ttavels, will now 
 I be inclined to profit by the remarks they have 
 made, and their diligence and adivity will ani- 
 mate the (iothfulj who, if left to their own di- 
 redtion, would probably become either a burden 
 or a nuifance to fociety. 
 
 Tho' it ihould feem expenfive to form the pro- 
 pofed eftablidiments eflfedually, yet that confi- 
 deration ought not to deter us, as the national be- 
 nefit arifing from them would be fo confiderable. 
 But if it (hould be found that the difpofing of the 
 foldiers in this manner would even be lefs expen- 
 five than the methods hitherto purfued in provid- 
 ing for them, that ought to be another motive for 
 fettling them at home. 
 
 The expences of the fettlement of Nova Scotia 
 for the ten years following the firft efl:abli{hment 
 of it, exclufive of the guards and garrifons in that 
 country, amount to 582,270;/^. and the charge 
 of the out penfioners in Chelfea, during the fame 
 number of years is 478,448 j^. and both united 
 make the fum of 1,060,7 1 8 £, If th^ fame plan 
 for providing for the troops be obferved at the 
 following peace, it is reafonable to fuppofe that 
 the fame expences would be incurred during the 
 • ten following years. 
 
 e On 
 
t >o ] 
 
 On the other hand let us take a view of the ex- 
 pences of the fettlements propofed. We (hall fup- 
 pofe the 40,000 foldiers (for we (hall fpeak of the 
 carpenters and failors by themfelves) to be fettled 
 in twenty eftablifliments of 2000 men each in dif- 
 ferent parts of Britain, upon lakes or navigable 
 rivers, or places adjoining to the fea, each man 
 having an houfe and an acre of land alTigned him, 
 free for ten years, and to be upon the Chelfea out- 
 penfion for the firft year after the forming of the 
 cftabliQiment. There are many places m Britain 
 where the land is dill lying uncultivated and de- 
 folate, and doubtlefs fome fuch trads could be 
 found near the fea, or on the banks of the Severn, 
 the Trent, the Oufe, the Tyne, the Forth, the 
 Tay, the Clyde, or on the lakes of Scotland, and 
 the rent of fuch in their prefent condition cannot 
 be above a (hilling an acre, which makes the rent 
 of the whole for ten years 20,000 J[^, Gentlemen 
 who have wide eftates, with fome corners of them 
 uncultivated, would even find it for their advan- 
 tage to give the ground, for fuch fettlements, for 
 ten years gratis \ as at the end of that term they 
 would have 2000 additional tenants, who would 
 be in a capacity of paying rent both for their land 
 and houfes. Landed gentlemen arc very fenfible 
 of the advantage of having their grounds well 
 (locked with cattle; but a little refledion would 
 (hew them that it would be much more profitable 
 to (lock them with men and women, who may 
 always be induced to apply themfelves to indudry, 
 if mildly governed and prudently advifed. 
 
 The next article of the expence of the(e fettle- 
 ments, is the houfes, which built in hut fafhion, 
 as is generally the manner of new fcttlers, could 
 not exceed the charge of ten pounds each, ex- 
 clufive of the foldiers own labour in cre<Sling them, 
 
 Thofc 
 
i 
 
 I 
 
 [ n ] 
 
 Thofe only that are married, who may be reckon- 
 ed about one fifth of the whole number, ought to 
 have houfes to themfelves, and the others, who 
 are batchelors, might very well be lodged four in 
 one houfe, till fuch time as they fhould marry. 
 The number of houfes would then be 16,000, and 
 the cxpence of creating them i6o,oco^. The 
 lift article to be mentioned is the uut-penfion for 
 40,000 men, making the fum of 304,333 £. and 
 this added to the two former articles amounts to 
 484,353 £. which is the whole charge of the fettle- 
 ments, and is not above two thirds of the expen- 
 ces of the colony of Nova Scotia. 
 
 No body, I am perfuaded, will conteft the ad- 
 vantages that would arife to the nation from fuch 
 fettlements. Two of the wiftft princes of Europe, 
 the king or Pruflia and the king of Denmark have 
 given their attention to the increafing the num- 
 ber of villages in their dominions. The King of 
 Pruflia, before the prefent war, eftablifhed no 
 lefs than fixty new villages in Pomerania, and the 
 king of Denmark, whofe condu6t is direfted upon 
 patriot principles, not many months ago encou- 
 raged by his royal bounty feveral new fettlers in 
 Holftein. 
 
 Some may, perhaps, alledge that the allowance 
 of one acre to one man is not fufficient, as three 
 acres are generally computed to be requifite for the 
 fubfiftence of one perfon. But 1 would deGre 
 thofe to refled that it is not intended either that 
 the fc::!eri fhould draw all their fubfiftence from 
 the ground, or that ' the government (hould fur- 
 nifli the whole of it to them. The cultivation of 
 the land ought to be the employment of only a 
 few of the fettlers, and all of them having a (hare 
 in its produce, ought to expefl the remaining part 
 of their fubfiftence from their application to fome 
 
 C 2 trade 
 
h - 
 
 ■ 
 
 \ "> 
 
 r^S' 
 
 If! 
 
 [ le 5 
 
 trade or handicraft. On this plan they would 
 iind that a houfe and one acre at home would be 
 of greater advantage to them thar^ fifty acres io 
 America. 
 
 Tho' they could not at firfl apply to work with 
 the afliduity of common workmen, yet the appli- 
 cation of fix hours a-day might be expeded from 
 them, and it would be very hard indeed, if fo 
 many hours induftry fbould not be worth fix- 
 pence, fo that their fubfiftcnce in time of peace 
 would not probably fall fhort of what it had been 
 in time of war. To attach them to induftry it 
 would perhaps be proper that their houles fhould 
 be built contiguous ; that all thofe of one trade 
 fhould live together j that the town Ihould befiir- 
 rounded with a fmall earthen rampart j that a vi- 
 gorous civil difcipline (hould be eftablifhed by vo- 
 luntary cledion ; that it fliould be penal to be 
 feeii lounging in a forenoon ; that no public-houfe 
 fiiould be opened before fix in che evening •, and 
 that premiums fhould be annually conferred or the 
 mofi: adive and induftrious. 
 
 There is a more prefling neceflity for efiablifh- 
 ments of this kind in Scotland than in any other 
 Y^art of the ifland, and ftill more particularly in 
 the Highlands, where the people want examples 
 and motives to reconcile them to induftry. The 
 travels of thofe Highlanders who have been em- 
 ployed in the public fervice, will have opened 
 their minds, fo that when they return home, they 
 cannot but be fully fenfible of the naked and un- 
 cultivated ftate of their own country. None, 
 therefore, could be more proper than they would 
 be, to introduce new improvements into their 
 country, as their countrymen would be much more 
 apt to imitate them than any others. The nature 
 pf that part of the ifland would require that th^e 
 
 fettle- 
 
 1 
 
 f: 
 
If 
 
 ■I 
 
 k 
 
 [ 13 ] 
 
 fettlemcnts Ihould be fmall and numerous, that 
 all the fubfiftence each townfhip wanted might ba 
 raifed within its own neighbourhood. Were there 
 many fuch fmall town (hips to be formed in differ- 
 ent parts in the Highlands, it would be a cer- 
 tain means of curing the indolence of the prefent 
 inhabitants, who do not want for vigour of mind 
 if models of induftry were fet before them. The 
 foil in Swiflferland is even more rugged and the 
 winter more rigorous than in the word parts of 
 this ifland ; yet that country, we find, is extreme- 
 ly populous *, and no doubt if attention we/e given 
 to cultivate the Highlands they would be able to 
 fupport fix times the number of the prefent inha- 
 bitants. Tho' there have been numerous levies 
 raifed in the Highlands during the prefent war ; 
 yet that is far from being a proof of their popu- 
 ioufnefs, as fome have concluded : on the con- 
 trary it (hews that they are at this time more ex- 
 haufted than they have been for many years. In 
 England, where the people employ themfelves in 
 trades and manufactures, fcarce one in forty is 
 tempted to enlift ; whereas among the Highland- 
 er we have feen, within thefe tew years, both 
 ftnplings and men in advanced age, quitting their 
 habitations to ferve in remote countries, and the 
 father, fon, and grandfon engaged in the fame 
 battle. Therefore when mention is made of the 
 numbers raifed on this occafion, if we, at the fame 
 time, refled on the manner how they have been 
 raifed, the notion of the populoufnefs of the coun- 
 try will immediatly vanifh. 
 
 The ftate of the Highlands, even to this day, 
 in fome manner refembles that of Scandinavia in 
 the time of the incurfion of the Goths into the Ro- 
 man empire. As celibacy is very rare among the in- 
 {labitaqts, and they generally marry youi^,they are 
 
 \. ' con- 
 
 ->» 
 
I'' H 
 
 ' 
 
 
 
 [14] 
 
 confequently prolific ; but notwithftanding their 
 numerous iffue, the number of their villages and 
 cottages hardly ever increafes, and their country 
 from generation to generation has remained al- 
 moft a defart wafte. The yourg brood were al- 
 ways ..ither fwept off by inteftine broils, or foreign 
 wars, or were prompted by neccflity to abandon 
 their native hills and vales, where induftry met 
 with all kinds of difcouragement from their lead- 
 ing men, who were blind to its advantages, or 
 wilfully wanted to (hut it out, that they might the 
 more eafily tyrannize over their wretched vaiTals. 
 The words of Caefar in his account of the Ger- 
 man dates, might very juftly be applied to their 
 chiefs : lilts maxima laus cfl, quam latijftmas circum 
 Je vaftatis finibus folitudines habere, Tho* for thefe 
 fcveral years paft, the landed gentlemen in that 
 part ol the country have been fully lenfible of the 
 bad efiedts of the former wretched policy ; yet the 
 common people for want of inftrudors ftill con- 
 tinue ignorant of the advantages of trades and 
 new fettlements. For example, if a Highlander 
 has three or four Tons, the eldeft of courfe is fuc- 
 celfor to his father in his cottage and his efFed:s, 
 but no thought is taken to provide for the others, 
 by breeding one of them a weaver, another a car- 
 pen er, or another a fmith. No, the young lads 
 lounge about as herds to the cattle, till a recruit- 
 ing ferjeant comes, and by a few flattering words, 
 and Ihewing them a bit of fplendid metal, per- 
 fuades them to go and fell their blood to foreign* 
 crs for a groat a-day. The prefent occafion is 
 extremely favourable for introducing new max- 
 ims among them ; and as there never were fo 
 many Highlanders employed at one time in the 
 public ftrvice as during this war, if thofe of them 
 who (hail be difcharged at the peace, were to be 
 
 fettled 
 
 ,'*• 
 
 
ig their 
 ;es and 
 country 
 ned al- 
 verc al- 
 forcign 
 bandon 
 ry met 
 ir Jead- 
 ?cs, or 
 jht the 
 sraffals. 
 Ger- 
 their 
 circum 
 r thefe 
 In that 
 of the 
 'et the 
 1 con- 
 s and 
 lander 
 s fuc- 
 ffedls, 
 thers, 
 acar- 
 l lads 
 cruit- 
 ^ords, 
 per- 
 eign- 
 on is 
 
 
 I 
 
 [ t^ 1 
 fettled 111 the trtanrter above ptopofed, on the for- 
 feited eftates in their countty, and by encourage- 
 ments kept to induftry, their numbers would 
 greatly add to the influence ot their example. Al- 
 lowing even that they (hould make but little prO" 
 grefs in trades and manufactures, they would aC 
 lead fcrve as a nurfery for future levies of brave 
 and hardy men, zealouQy attached to the govern- 
 ment, and that confideration alone ought to be 
 an inducement to promote the eflablilhments pro- 
 pofed, efpecially in that country. 
 
 It is of dill greater importance to the nation 
 that fome expedient fhould be thought of for pro- 
 curing a fubiidence for the dilcharged failors and 
 carpenters, and for preventing them from going 
 abroad into the fervice of foreigners at the con- 
 clufion of the war. If we negledt to provide 
 for them, our rivals will undoubtedly profit by 
 our negligence. We rellore to the French at the 
 peace about 24,000 prifoners, tooft of them fea- 
 taring men, whofe ardour for bufinefs will no 
 doubt be wheted by their tedious conBnemenC 
 here, which has thrown them fo many years back 
 in the purfuit of their fortunes. We have taken 
 from them almoft all their (hipping, confequently 
 when a free navigation is opened to them by the 
 peace, new velTcls will be put upon the ftocks in 
 all their ports, and the greateft encouragement 
 given to (hip carpenters, who may depend upon 
 conftant employment for a long time. If there- 
 fore the French (hould wheedle over 10,000 of our 
 failors and (hip carpenters, who are ungratefully 
 left to ftarve in their own country, ought we to 
 be furprifed to (cc their (hipping in a few years in 
 as flouri(hing a condition as it was before the war, 
 and their commerce as extenfive. 
 
 To 
 
r '■ f 
 
 m 
 
 
 II .' 
 
 t 16 1 
 
 ' To fave ourfelves from future rcgt-ets on thil 
 fubjeft, we ought now to make it our ftudy to 
 find full employment for all our faiiors and car- 
 penters r t home, and this can be elFeded by no- 
 thing fo /ell as eftablifliing and encouraging an 
 cxtcnfive herring fifhery. This rich traffic, which 
 Providence has laid at our feet, if well condudled 
 might prove the chief fupport of the grandeur of 
 the nation. The fmall progrefs we have hitherto 
 made in eftablifhing it cannot be attributed to the 
 want of natural advantages, or to our unaptnefs 
 for the fea •, but mud be owing either to the ex- 
 penfive or improper means of carrying it on, or 
 to our flighting it from an opinion that it is not d 
 channel of trade worthy of our attention. It can- 
 not, however, be thought to be trifling or of 
 fmall national importance by thofe who refled thai 
 it annually afibrds a maintenance to 500,000 per- 
 fons in Holland, and that the Dutch, by the com- 
 putation of Sir Walter Raleigh and others, raifc 
 by it feveral millions Sterling annually. The 
 great utility of the fifliery having been fo often and 
 fo fully demonfl:rated, let us, notwithflianding the 
 difliiculties we have hitherto fl:ruggled with, flill 
 perfevere in our dcfign of eftablifliing it, and even 
 profecute it at this time with new vigour. Let 
 us give our chief attention to improve our na- 
 tural advantages, which will greatly leflen the ex-* 
 pence, and we need not fear foon to turn the bal- 
 lance fo much in our favour, as to be able to 
 continue the trade both to private and national 
 benefit. 
 
 If the Dutch could catch the herrings on their 
 own coafts, would not they think themfelves hap- 
 py to fave a voyage of 200 leagues. No one cer- 
 tainly that has a mine in Cornwal would chufe to 
 lodge his miners in Devonfliirc or Wales. As the 
 
 wcflern 
 
 
 \ M 
 
t 17 ] 
 
 W(;:fl:crn iflands are allowed to be the very center 
 of the fifhery, (liled by the Dutch a golden mine^ 
 would not reafon require that they fhould alio be 
 the chief refidence of the fifhermen, efpecially as 
 in thofe parts, the fifhery is not a temporary em- 
 ployment of a few weeks, but might be carried 
 on, in different branches, almofl the whole year 
 round. 
 
 The fituation^ foil, and climate of thofe iflands^ 
 when but confidercd with the Jeaft attention, all 
 invite us to make fettlements upon them^ if we 
 wifli to profecute the fifhery in a fuccefsful man- 
 ner. Their fituation is admirable, not only as the 
 filh furround all their coafts, and fill their bays 
 and creeks, which renders large buffcs unnecel- 
 fary, and enables the fifhermen to fleep on fliore 
 feveral nights of the week ; but alfo as the navi- 
 gation from them is fo convenient either to tKc 
 jiorthern kingdoms, the Mediterranean, or the 
 Weft Indies. Their climate is much more mild 
 than that of theoppofite continent, and their win- 
 ders are very rarely rigorous. The foil, tho' but 
 badly cultivated by the prefent inhabitants, isi 
 however, fo fertile that it yields in feveral places 
 thirty, fixty, aqd even fometimcs an hundred- 
 fold. Almoft all the iQands contain a great abun- 
 dance of marie, fo that were they to be cultivated 
 to their greate ft extern', they would admit gf be- 
 ing extremely populous without any other fupporc 
 befides agriculture. 
 
 But if there was not an inch of mould upon 
 them, fuch is their happy fituation for trade, and 
 fuch the riches of the fifhery upon their coalls, 
 that \\ thefe advantages were improved by the in- 
 duftry of men, a flourifliing city might fuppo^t 
 itfelf upon each of the larger iflands. Attica, 
 tho' anciently very populous, was always noted 
 
 D for 
 
I 
 
 
 
 
 till; 
 
 III 
 
 
 ♦■n 
 
 [ i8 ] . 
 
 for its barrennefs. The large and magnificent city 
 of Genoa, (lands on a mountainvjus, rocky and 
 barren coad, which according to the teftimony of 
 the elegant hiftorian Folieta, is fo far from fup- 
 plying provifions to its capital, that it draws its 
 chief lupport trom that trading city ; Notum enim 
 fion Genuam a Li}:uria, fed Jlerilem Liguriam a Gc' 
 Tiua alt. The Belgic iflands, or the iflands ot Ze- 
 Jand, in the time of Casfar, were only inhofpitable 
 morafI(fS, with fcarce any other inhabitants than 
 wild fea- fowls; but at this day we fee them well 
 cultivated and crowded with beautiful and popu- 
 lous towns. As the weftern iQands lie fo conve- 
 niently for the navigation to America, and our 
 intercourfe with that continent is daily increafing ; 
 as they enjoy as favourable a climate as thofe of 
 Zeland, belong to as induftrious and entcrprifing 
 a people, and are furrounded with an inexhauft- 
 able fund of wealth, the following century may 
 perhaps fee many flourilhing towns upon them,^ 
 and multitudes of fhips frequenting their ports. 
 This will not appear a furprizing fuppofition to a 
 perion who confiders the flux of human things. 
 
 The chief obje(5lion hitherto made againil pur- 
 fuing the fifhery is, that the whole profit, and 
 more than the profit, is confumed by the great 
 expences attending the trade, and indeed accord- 
 ing to the meafures that have yet been obfervedy 
 it could hardly have been expefte^ to have been 
 otherwife. The bufTes are built large as if intend- 
 ed for foreign voyages ; they are only employed a 
 few months of the year -, they are fitted out at a 
 great expence ; the failors and iifhermen are not 
 intercfled in the fuccefs of the fidiery, by being 
 made partners in it ; and a trifling home confump- 
 tion at extravagant prices, has been more ftudied 
 than a foreign trade at fmall profits. < > 
 
 Let 
 
 'W. 
 
 J 
 
 % 
 
Let the means purfued for the future be but 
 the revcrfe of thefe, and we need not dcfpair of 
 fuccefs. Inftead of laying up the bufles half the 
 the year in places remote from the center of the 
 trade, and where the charge of repairs is rendered 
 expenfive by the high prices both of materials and 
 of mens labour ; let magazines and ftorehoufes be 
 formed in the wcilern iflands, which lie equally 
 convenient for receiving naval (tores from the 
 Baltic or America. The company thus having 
 dock-yards of their own, and workmen at low wa- 
 ges, the charge of fitting out and of repairs would 
 be confiderably diminifhed ; and the fifliermen, 
 being conftantly employed ahuoft at their own 
 doors, in fmall veflels for nine or ten months of 
 the year, the profits of the trade would be great- 
 ly increafed. 
 
 The difcharged carpenters and failors ought to 
 be tempted by confiderable advantages and immu- 
 nities, to make thofe iflands the pla^e of their ha- 
 bitation. Thofe of them who are married ought 
 each of them to have fome fmall allowance for 
 building an houfe ; for their private Hocks can- 
 not be fuppofed to be large, and to have a home 
 that a perfon can call his own is no fmall induce- 
 ment to fobriety and induftry. If they fliould 
 even be freed from the payment of all taxes and 
 duties for feven years, and their ports be left open, 
 on condition of forfeiting this lad privilege, if 
 they imported more than what ferved for thtfir 
 own confumption, the public revenue would fcarce 
 feel any diminution. As they could not be fup- 
 pofed to have much money, they could purchafe 
 nothing from foreigners but by the fale ot their 
 own ftaple commodity, and to indulge them with 
 the free bartering of it to fupply their own con- 
 
 D 2 fumption 
 
[ ao ] • 
 
 fumption would be a powerful inducement to theip 
 fettling inthoT' i^ands. 
 
 This would alio be a great temptation to fo- 
 reigners to fettle tlicrc, it at the fame time they 
 were all'>wed the kill enjoyment oi all tue privi- 
 \e^(.'S of native lubjeiiits. Foreign hlhermcn, even 
 without fuch cncouragtnKnt, have fecmed inclin- 
 ed to take up their rclldence in the iflands fubjedt 
 to Britain j were the government therefore to m- 
 vite them by the offer of immunities and privi- 
 leges, it is but reafonable to expedl that great num- 
 bers trom Hamburg, Norway and Holland, would 
 en^brace the opportunity of living under our laws. 
 iVIr. Martin in his account of the weftern ifles, 
 (ells us, " 1 hat' alter the reftoration, a few Dutch 
 families fettled in Stornway in the i(le of Lewis; 
 but fome cunn'ng merchants found means by 
 the fecretar.es to prevail with king Charles to 
 fend them away, tho' they not only brought 
 money into the ifland, but taught the inhabi- 
 tants fomething of the art of fifhng. The 
 fmall idea of hfliing they had from the Dutch 
 has had iuch an etTed as to make the people of 
 the littL- villa(j;e of Stornway to excel all thofe 
 of the neighbouring ifles and continent, ever 
 fincc that time." In another place he fays, 
 ** That the inh .bitants of the town of Lerwick in 
 '* Zetland, in the fpace of thirty years, incrcafed 
 '* from three or four families to three hundred, 
 " chiefly by the arrival of foreigners." By the 
 former of thefe infl:ances it appears, that if fo- 
 reigners could be tempted to fettle on thofe iflands, 
 ^hey would not oniy contribute to the national 
 wealth and ftrength by their own induftry, but 
 
 if- 
 .1 
 
 cc 
 
 cc 
 
 c( 
 cc 
 cc 
 
 c« 
 cc 
 
 cc 
 
 would alfo infl:ru(^ the natives how to earn a fub- 
 fiftence, many of whom, we are told by the farnp 
 author, tranfmigrate ann^jally into other countries 
 
 for 
 
 i 
 
 p 
 
 
to theic 
 
 >n to fo- 
 nc they 
 e privi- 
 L'D, even 
 i inclirj' 
 I fubjedl 
 re to m- 
 d privi- 
 at num- 
 1, would 
 ur laws, 
 rn ifles, 
 V Dutch 
 Lewis; 
 eans by 
 larles to 
 brought 
 inhabi- 
 , The 
 I Dutch 
 jople of 
 ill thofe 
 It, ever 
 le fays, 
 wick in 
 crcafed 
 Jndred, 
 By the 
 if fo- 
 iflands, 
 ational 
 y, but 
 a fub- 
 e fame 
 iintries 
 for 
 
 [ ii ] 
 
 for want of knowing how to employ thcmfelvcs 
 at home. 
 
 If the failors and fifhermen were to fliare in the 
 fuccefs of the filhery, 'tis iL.tural to conclude that 
 they would be more atcenc-vc to improve all op- 
 portunities and advantages-, and in cafe of an 
 unfuccefstLil feafon, or any other c; ols a cidents, 
 the lofs would not fall fo hea^y on thole who em- 
 ployed their money in promoting the trade. In 
 Holland, and feveral pKices in Norji Britain, t:.e 
 the CLillom is that the leamcn go out adventurers, 
 and they themfclves, it is laid, look upon this as 
 the moll realonable and encouraging way. No 
 good ar^i,ument, I think, can be afligncd for not 
 making this the general praciice ihro' the whole 
 trade. Let no other workmen therefore be em- 
 ployed, in any branch of the filhery, exclufive 
 of the twine fpinners, net- makers, and others in 
 the molt fervile ofBces, unlefs they agree to go 
 fharers in the profit and lofs of the trade; that is, 
 let the Ihip carpenters, rope-makers, fail-makers, 
 coopers, failors, and fifhermen be jointly concern- 
 ed with the merchant in fitting a bufs for the fea, 
 by which method, if they can but merely fave 
 themfeives from being iofers by the filhing, they 
 are feveral ly gainers, having procured employ- 
 ment, each in his refpedive occupation. 
 
 As the forming of docks, eredling maga- 
 zines, drelTing of hemp, fpinning of twine, mak- 
 ing ofn.t?, would be great articles nof expence, 
 ^he following piopofal for removing in a great 
 meafure that heavy charge may peniaps dclcrve 
 the confideradon of the public. Let all the con- 
 vi6ls, who, according to the prefent method, 
 are annually tranfported from Britain to Ame- 
 rica, be for the future fent to fome of the fmali 
 Weftern ifhnds clofe adjoining to the greater ones 
 
 and 
 
■** 
 
 \\ 
 
 [ 22 ] 
 
 and employed as flaves in hard labour on the dif- 
 ferent branches above fpecified. When our colo- 
 nies were in their infancy, and America was re- 
 garded as a Siberia, it is no wonder that tranfpor- 
 tation thither (hould be looked upon as a punifti- 
 ment ; but in the prefent populoufnefs and civi- 
 lized ftate of our colonies, it cannot be accounted 
 the lead hardfhip to convicts to be carried from a 
 life of mifery and indigence here, and landed in a 
 fruitful country and favourable climate among ci- 
 vilized people who fpeak their own language. 
 BefiGcs, Calum non animum mutant : as the voyage 
 to America feldom alters the difpofitions of the 
 convicts, they are looked upon as a nuifance there, 
 and fome of them who have turned packmen, have 
 been accufed of pradifing their roguery upon the 
 unwary Indians, and thereby alienating them from 
 this nation, and even giving rife to hoftilities and 
 wars betwixt them and us. On the other hand 
 were they to be traniported to the fmali weftern 
 iflands, as to fo many prifons, and there kept at 
 hard labour with an allowance of coarfe fare and 
 mean lodging and cloathing, the dread of fuch a 
 punifhment would doubtlefs be a greater reftraint 
 upon many villains than Tyburn itf;jlf. Befides, 
 when convids are confined to a fmall fecluded 
 fpot, they cannot there corrupt others by their 
 bad example •, they are there fecure from their for- 
 mer temptations ; their banilhment thither is a 
 real punifhment ; and if care is taken to force them 
 to work and be induftrious, there they have the 
 beft chance of reforming and growing good. 
 
 The people at home, who, are fond of fafhion- 
 able novelties, giving extravagant prices for Bri- 
 tifh herrings, foreign markets were thereupon 
 flighted, as the fmall profits they yielded bore nc 
 proportion to the expenfive manner of carrying on 
 
 the 
 
 h. 
 
 ■^ 
 
the dif. 
 >ur colo- 
 was re- 
 ran fpor- 
 punifh- 
 ^d civi- 
 counted 
 
 from a 
 ded in a 
 ^ng ci- 
 Jguage. 
 voyage 
 of the 
 2 there, 
 n, have 
 )on the 
 11 from 
 2s and 
 r hand 
 eftern 
 ept at 
 •e and 
 ^uch a 
 traint 
 jfides, 
 luded 
 their 
 rfor- 
 
 is a 
 them 
 
 the 
 
 iion- 
 Bri- 
 ipon 
 e no 
 5 on 
 the 
 
 % 
 
 
 *«' 
 
 • t 23 ] 
 
 the trade. The great home confumption, how- 
 ever, was but of very fhort continuance, the dear* 
 nefs of the commodity having foon abated the ar- 
 dour of the people for purchafing it ; and the 
 demand ceafing at home, the courfe of the trade 
 which had fcarce any other channel, was imme- 
 diatly ftopt. There is plainly not the lead need 
 of any public encouragement for fupplying the 
 markets at home, where the commodity is fo plen- 
 tiful, and in fuch a fuperabundance that the peo- 
 ple, for want of knowing how to difpofe of the 
 fifh they caught, have often been obliged to ufe 
 them as manure for their lands. When fifli are 
 inffuch plenty on any, even the remoteft, coafts of 
 Britain, nothing but extortion or mifmanagement 
 can make them dear in any of our great cities thae 
 have a free communication with the fea. The 
 bounty therefore ought to be limited folely to thofe 
 fifh that are carried to a foreign market ; and 
 confidering this gratuity, and the great fuperiority 
 of our natural advantages, were we to fludy care- 
 fully the leaft expenfive methods of conducing the 
 trade, by carrying it on thro' all the feafons, and 
 by building and fitting out the buflcs where work* 
 manfhip and naval (tores were at low prices, there 
 is the greateft reafon to expeft that we might 
 foon be able to underfell the Dutch at foreign 
 ports. 
 
 The herrings as they fall from the net are rec- 
 koned to coftthe Dutch fix {hillings a barrel, and 
 it is computed that we might have them for two. 
 Mr. Martin even fays that they have been bought 
 in the weftern iflands for a groat a barrel. The 
 Dutch have no fait of their own, but are obliged 
 to buy part of what they ufe from us. Naval 
 flores can be carried from the Baltic to the weft- 
 ern iOands, as cheap as from thence to Holland. 
 
 The 
 
[ 24 ] 
 
 The ports of Britain are oprn all the year round i; 
 but leveral of thofe of Holland are often frozen 
 up for months together. We lie more convenient 
 than the Dutch for the navigation to America^ 
 and to the fouthern and northern parts of Europe ; 
 and if they can fare hard and be very laborious^ 
 they are in thofe points exceeded by the bold fifh- 
 ermen of the weftern and northern iflands, who 
 fa:isfy themfclves with a very fcanty fubfiftence^ 
 and make no fcruple ot braving the wintery feas in 
 fmall open boats. 
 
 Tofucceed in eftablifhing the fifnery, I believe,' 
 it would be found prudent not to aim at carrying 
 it on ail at once in the moft extenfive manner ; for 
 it may be doubted whether fuch attempts have 
 not been among the chief caufes of the fmall pro- 
 grefs we have hitherto made in this valuable trade, 
 Suppofe a company of the richcft merchants in the 
 nation, had attempted in the infancy of our hard- 
 ware manufadure, to enlarge it at once to its pre- 
 fent extent, by undertakii.g to build fuch a city 
 as Birmingham in four or five fummers, and to 
 people it with manufadurers in that branch, they 
 would have found the cnterprize too hard for 
 them ; and the profits no way compenfating the 
 expence, the defign would have abfolutcly ruined 
 the undertakers. In like manner were the fifnery 
 to be profecured in all the large fea-pcrt towns^ 
 the detached equipnents, would from the gene- 
 ral unacquaintedncls with the new branch ot bu- 
 fjnefs, become very exi^enfive, and the profits, for 
 the fame reafon, be but inconfi.ierable, which 
 would quickly bring the trade under difrepute, 
 and make the adventurers lay afide all thoughts 
 of profecuting it. If v>'e fhould light a great num- 
 ber of fmall tapers in different places, they would 
 be liable to be blown out with every blalt j buti 
 
 4 were 
 
•if 
 
 ar round i 
 
 ten frozen 
 onvenient 
 America^ 
 " Europe ; 
 laborious^ 
 bold fifh- 
 nds, who 
 ibfiflencej! 
 ■ry feas in 
 
 T beJieve, 
 : carrying 
 nner ; for 
 ipts have 
 Tiall pro- 
 ble trader 
 nts in the 
 )ur hard- 
 en its pre- 
 ich a city 
 , and to 
 ch, they 
 hard for 
 iting the 
 y ruined 
 le fifnery 
 
 townsj 
 he gene- 
 h of bu- 
 )fits, for 
 
 which 
 frepute, 
 h oughts 
 at num- 
 
 would 
 it ; bus 
 were 
 
 E 25 3 
 
 Were we to examine where there is the greateft 
 abundance of fewel, and to light up a fmall fire in 
 that fpot, it would foon gather ftrength, and gradu- 
 ally v/iden its circle till it became a large blaze. Let 
 us, therefore, give our chief attention to promote 
 the filhery in thofe places where the natural ad- 
 vantap-cs for carrying it on are mod apparent, and 
 no m ^rter how fmall, or how weak its firft begin^ 
 nings i.re, if we perfevere in cherilhing a vital prin- 
 ciple, it will increafe annually, and in a Ihort 
 time difFufe itfelf widely thro* the whole nation. 
 The reftridling the chief bounties and privileges 
 to thcfe who (hould fidi in the weftern iflands, 
 could not in the lead make the undertaking the 
 Jefs national. How many who have plantations 
 in the- Weft Indies manage their concerns in thofe 
 remote iflands, without ftirring out of Britain ? 
 It could not then be thought difficult for the mer- 
 chants of London, or of other cities in Britain, to 
 tranfaft bufinefs in the weflcrn iflands, which 
 are fo fituated that the correfpondence of letters 
 could not meet with the leaft interruption. 
 
 Tho' many of the difcharged carpenters and 
 failors fhould not agree to engage in the fifliery, 
 and fettle in the Weftern iflands, theyought never- 
 thelefs to be provided for by fome other eftablifli- 
 ments in Britain, as it is now more neceflary for 
 us than ever to encourage feamen, and to be for- 
 midable at fea. The French, in confequence of 
 our conquefts during this war, have now Icfs to 
 defend, and are therefore more at liberty to a(ft 
 offenfively. We, on the other hand, for the fame 
 reafon, can lefs exert ourfelves in an ofFenfive 
 manner for having fo much to defend. Our 
 numerous fettlements on the continent and iflands 
 of America, have an extenflve frontier, which is 
 cxpofed for feveral thoufand miles to an enemy, 
 
 E and 
 
1! 
 
 I Pi 
 
 if; 
 
 [ 26 ] 
 
 and can only be defended by maintaining a fupe- 
 riority at Tea; If the cxertive power of a (late, 1 
 mean that power always ready to be put in ac- 
 tion, does not keep pace with the enlargement of 
 its boundaries, the new acquifitions made only 
 tend to weaken the nation, by affording an enemy 
 greater opportunities of invading it. The Spa- 
 niards, in the time of Philip II. boafted that the 
 fun never fet on their territories -, but their naval 
 force bearing no proportion to the wide extent of 
 their dominions, thtir overgrown power was loon 
 pulled down by a fmall ftate, whom but a few 
 years before they had looked upon with the great- 
 eft contempt. Having negleded to fupport their 
 marine, they loft their fuperiority at fea, and were 
 thereby cut oiT from affording procedion to their 
 foreign fettlements, which were reduced in all 
 parts of the world by the Dutch, who wifely pro- 
 fecuted trade with the utmoft afliduity, and gave 
 a watchful attention to naval armaments. 
 
 Our infular fituation happily freeing us from 
 the charge of land frontiers, we can the more eafily 
 afford a powerful protection to our fea frontier, 
 which has this peculiar advantage, that a Euro- 
 pean enemy, before he can attack it, muft re- 
 move far from his own country, and confequently 
 invade at great difadvantage. But as fleets alone 
 can proted our foreign fettlements, we ought to 
 avoid making too great a redudtion in our marine 
 article, or at leaft we ought to make fuch a pro- 
 vifion for the failors who fhall be difcharged, that 
 upon any fudden emergency, we may always have 
 a fufficient number of them ready to man a power- 
 ful fquadron for immediate fervice. It may be 
 laid down as a certain maxim that a navy negleft- 
 ed is a navy deftroyed. Have we not found by fad 
 experience that the reducing of our marine in time 
 2 of 
 
 ' ■::j\ 
 
 C): 
 
 f- 
 
 
a fupe- 
 ftate, 1 
 t in ac- 
 ment of 
 le only 
 enemy 
 be Spa- 
 :hat the 
 Ir naval 
 ttent of 
 as loon 
 t a few 
 e great- 
 rt their 
 nd were 
 to their 
 I in all 
 ;ly pro- 
 id gave 
 
 IS from 
 -e eafily 
 roniier, 
 
 Euro- 
 uft re- 
 
 uendy 
 s alone 
 
 ght to 
 marine 
 
 a pro- 
 that 
 ^s have 
 power- 
 nay be 
 
 egleft- 
 
 by fad 
 
 n time 
 
 d, 
 
 [ 27 ] 
 
 of peace to 10,000 men, was almoft the fame 
 thing as if it had been totally annihilated? Let 
 our pall miftakes therefore ferve to inftrudt us ia 
 our lUture condudt. 
 
 Were we to be in a condition at all times of pror 
 fecuting hoftilities at Tea, and it is there only, that 
 in the beginning of a war, we can have occaHon 
 to profecute them, our enemies would be very 
 careful how they committed any thing that look- 
 ed like an infradlion of the peace. Hitherto, pre- 
 fuming upon our over fecunty, and our being al- 
 ways unprovided in time of peace, they have been 
 tempted to make light of treaties, and fecured by 
 fraud fuch advantages as gave them the a(i;iual 
 fuperiority for the two or three firft campaigns of 
 a war, while we were only in a capacity of mak- 
 ing weak efforts and fruitlefs exertions. 
 
 If we had a formidable naval ftrength ready to 
 be exerted upon the leaft rupture, a war, which 
 on account of the falfe Heps made by us, and 
 the loHes we fuffer in the firH campaigns, has 
 ufually been continued for feven or eight years, 
 would probably be terminated in half that time, 
 and much blood and treafure be faved to the na- 
 tion. A judicious and elegant author has moil: 
 fully and clearly illuftrated the propriety of main- 
 taining 30,000 feamen in time of peace. His ar- 
 guments and illullrations are couched in fuch ner- 
 vous expreflions, and have all fuch a mutual re- 
 lation and connedion, that to abridge them would 
 be doing an unjudice both to the author and 
 my readers, who will have great fatisfadlion in 
 perufing that mafterly performance*. Let us 
 make an ellimate of the expences of tenders and 
 prcfs-gangs, who ought to be otherwife employ- 
 
 • See three dialogues on the navy by Mr. Moncrief. 
 
 E 2 ed. 
 
■?» 
 
 [ 28 ] 
 
 cd, of bounties for feamen, of the Increafed wages 
 of failors on board the mcrchint /hips, and of the 
 extravagant infurance paid for merchandize and 
 Ihipping, the charge of all thefe during a war, 
 would amount to a much higher fum than wh^t 
 would be required for maintaining a (landing bo- 
 dy of feamen during many years of peace. If, 
 befides the expence of thefe articles, we confider 
 the -inconvenience of not being able to profecute 
 a war for the fir ft two or three years to any ad- 
 vantage, how improvident will our paft conduft 
 appear. 
 
 borne French writers, who have lately treated 
 of commerce, have propofed that all the coafts of 
 France fhould be turned into fea- ports -, and it 
 would feem that their government had begun to 
 adl upon this principle by the expence beftowed 
 upon the harbour of Cherburg, lately deftroyed 
 by our troops, which owed its being a port almoft 
 wholly to art. As our numbers of feafaring peo- 
 ple greatly exceed thofe of the French, as our 
 profperity is intimately conneded with the fea, and 
 our coafls are more ''Xtenfive than thofe of any 
 other nation in Europe, we ought to adopt the 
 maxim of the French writers abovementioned, 
 and multiply our fea-ports upon all our coafts. 
 Thofe failors, therefore, who fhould fcruple to 
 engage in the filliery, might be fettled part of 
 them on the coafts of the Channel, and part at 
 Milford haven, and might be engaged by a fmall 
 bounty to be ready to man a fquadron, upon any 
 occafion, if the government fhould at length be 
 convinced of the expediency of maintaining a con- 
 fiderable naval force in time of peace. The crews 
 of the royal yachts, tho' feldom employed, are 
 kept always ready for duty by the allowance of 
 their monthly wages, which is only about a third 
 
 par^ 
 
fed wages 
 md of the 
 ndize and 
 ig a war, 
 :han wh^t 
 nding bo- 
 eace. If, 
 confider 
 profecute 
 o any ad- 
 conduft 
 
 \y treated 
 coafts of 
 5; and it 
 begun to 
 beftowed 
 dtftroyed 
 )rt almoft 
 ring peo- 
 ij 3S our 
 e fea, and 
 )fe of any 
 adopt the 
 entioned, 
 ir coafts. 
 ruple to 
 i part of 
 i part at 
 y a fmall 
 jpon any 
 ength be 
 ig a con- 
 he crews 
 yed, are 
 vance of 
 t a third 
 par^ 
 
 [ ^ ] 
 part of their cxpence when in aflual fcrvicc. By 
 extending this bounty to feveral thoufand faiiors, 
 we might have it always in our power to fend 
 a fquadron to fea with the greateft difpatch, and 
 thereby to ftifle thofe fparks of contention which 
 might otherwife fet all Europe in flames. 
 
 Now alfo is the time for making the neceflary 
 works at Milford haven, to fit that j)lace for a 
 royal dock-yard ; and likewife for undertaking 
 the large repairs and alterations that may be judg- 
 ed expedient in the other docks. To profecute 
 fuch expenfive works during a war, when they 
 might fafely be deferred till a time of peace, is the 
 height of imprudence and mifmanagement. By 
 fuch a condu6l the expence of the nation is not 
 only enhanced, at a time when all unneceflTary 
 charges ought to be retrenched, but numbers of 
 workmen are alfo left without employment during 
 peace, when it is ftHl neceflary that they fhould 
 pradtife thofe trades upon which the ftrength of 
 the nation does not a little depend. 
 
 But upon the eftablifliment of a dock yard at 
 Milford haven, care ought to be taken to form it 
 upon a lefs wafteful plan than that of the other 
 yards. Such new regulations might eafily be 
 made, as would at the fame time promote both 
 the fervice of the governmerit and the advantage 
 of the workmen, which are no ways incompatible 
 with each other. More particularly a reform 
 ought abfolutely to be made in two material ar- 
 ticles, I mean the tap-houfe and the chips, which 
 are only,encouragements to idlenefs and fraud, and 
 are openly condemned by the fober part of the 
 workmen *. Great numbers of Ihip-carpcnters 
 
 might 
 
 • The porter is allowed the privilege? of keeping an open 
 ■ beer-houfein the middle of the yard, which feives as a loung- 
 ing 
 
II ^ - 
 
 li 
 
 [ 30 ] 
 might be employed in time of peace, in forming 
 the frames of fhips to be flored up in magazines, 
 as is the manner in Holland, by which means the 
 government would not have fuch a prefling occa- 
 fion for hiring fupernumerary workmen in time of 
 war 5 and would fave confiderably by being und^r 
 no neceflity of building (hips in private yards, 
 which are found not to be fo ferviceable as thofe 
 built in the king's docks. 
 
 Tho' the fettlements above propofed may, per- 
 haps, at firft view appear to be rather too charge- 
 able to the government •, yet rating them even at 
 the higheft efti'nate they will be found not to equal 
 the expence of other eftablifhments, which the na- 
 tion has madeno fcrupleof fupporting very liberally. 
 The two articles of expence, which I have already 
 named, exceed the charge of the fettelments I 
 propofe. Let us, for inftance, fum up the grants 
 for Nova Scotia, and the out-penfioners of Chelfea 
 hofpital for ten years, the amount of the whole 
 will be found greatly to exceed the charge of the 
 propofed fettlements. Nova Scotia being now a 
 regular civil government, and under no apprehen- 
 lions from a French enemy, can no longer require 
 fubfidies from the public. Suppofing this article 
 funk, the fecond would in a great meafure be ab- 
 forbed in the new eftablifhments, as if, is propofed 
 to limit the out-penfion almoft wholly to thofe who 
 refided in the new fettlements. Some few who 
 
 Pi 
 tl 
 
 t\ 
 
 
 ing place for fots and idle workmen. The worft workmen arc 
 noted for haunting it, and on the other hand,it is thediftinguiih- 
 ing charadler of the beft artifts, that they almoft never enter it. 
 The chips that fall from the ax are the perquifite of the car. 
 penters, but this pretended privilege is fhamefully abufed by 
 many workmen, who make up their bundle of chips by cutting 
 ufeful wood to pieces, by which it may be eafily demon- 
 ftrated that, in time of war, the government lofes more than 
 100,000 pounds annually. 
 
 were 
 
 m 
 
» forming 
 agazines, 
 iieans the 
 ing occa- 
 n time of 
 ig und^r 
 e yards, 
 as thofe 
 
 ay, per- 
 
 charge- 
 
 even at 
 
 to equal 
 
 the na- 
 
 beraJly. 
 
 already 
 
 nents f 
 
 ■ grants 
 
 CheJfea 
 
 whole 
 of the 
 now a 
 ►rehen- 
 equire 
 article 
 3e ab- 
 pofed 
 e who 
 
 who 
 
 len are 
 iguifh- 
 Iter it. 
 le car- 
 
 ■'^: 
 
 t 3' 1 
 
 were abfolutc invalids might perhaps fliew jufl: 
 reafons for being excepted ; but let us even make 
 a deduction of one half of the out-penfion for their 
 fupport, yet the other half, if added to the ar- 
 ticle abovementioned, would make a fum larger 
 than that which would be required for maintain- 
 ing the new eftablifliments. 
 
 It ought alfo to be confidered that the fums ex- 
 pended for the fettlements of the foldiers, and for 
 the fupport of the filhery, would not refemblc 
 the other expences of government, but like the 
 money laid out by traders and manufaflurers, 
 would quickly more then repay itfelf by the large 
 profits made. Let us fuppofe that only 60,000 
 men, whofe hands are at prefent filled with the 
 weapons of war, were turned to induftry, and by 
 encouragements and judicious regulations, kept at 
 condant employment, the annual returns of profit 
 arifing from their feveral occupations would greatly 
 exceed the fums granted by the public for their firft 
 eftablilhment. Their induftry alfo may be fuppofed 
 perpetual ; but the public charge on their account 
 would be but of very Ihort continuance. Befides, 
 our government differs widely from that of arbitrary 
 ftates. It not only like them extends its care to the 
 defence of its fubjeds ; but in a paternal manner 
 exerts itfelf to promote the welfare of the meaneft 
 individuals. Our rulers, more particularly of late 
 years, have diftinguifhed themfelves by their pa- 
 triot zeal for promoting the interefts of trade, and 
 by the attention they have given to matters that 
 concern the internal policy of the kingdom. In 
 abfolure governments, on the other hand, fchemes 
 of ambition are looked upon as the objefts of 
 greateft confideration, the fplendor of the mo- 
 narch, and the welfare of the people are frequently 
 thought inconfiftenc with each other, and the 
 
 latter 
 
[ 3* ] 
 
 latter, on many occaGons made to give way to th« 
 farmer *. As our legiQative body are now hap. 
 pily freed from fadlious contcfts, and the advanc- 
 ing the profperity of the nation, has of late feemed 
 their unanimous ftudy, 1 may, therefore, pre- 
 fumethat the eftablifhments I have propofed, both 
 with regard to the filhcry, the fupport of our ma- 
 rine, and the fettlements tor the dilcharged troops, 
 if they fhould appear objefls worthy of their con- 
 fiderarion, would be zealoufly profecuted by them, 
 tho* the expence fliould be much higher than I 
 have ellimated it. 
 
 Great numbers of men, Cdvtd from wretched- 
 ncfs, and employed in virtuous induftry, could 
 not fail of adding confiderably to the riches and 
 power of the nation : but notwithfbanding fuch a 
 valuable acquifition, if our rulers do not now ap- 
 ply themfelves to root out the bafe corruption that 
 
 • Of this we have n fhocking inftance in the barbarous po- 
 licy of Lewis XIV. The forces of France, in the year 1709, 
 were greatly exhaufled, in confequence of the bad fuccefs of 
 their arms, and the people were reduced to great mifery by 
 a famine, which then raged in fcvcral other kingdoms of 
 Europe. The French genen-ls, at the end of the campaign, 
 gave in a lift of the recruits that would be necefiary for com- 
 pleating the armies for the enTuing fpring. To their great 
 furprize, however, the king iflued no orders for raifmg tliofe 
 recruits, but command8;d that care fhould be taken to fill his 
 magazines with corn from Barbary and other places. A few 
 months after he caufed it to be given out every where that his 
 troops had plenty of com, and, in the mean while, having 
 porpofe'y neglefted to alleviate the miferies of his fubjefts, 
 the poor people, to fave themfelves from ftarving, entered 
 into the fcrvice in great numbers ; fo that he had quickly many 
 thoufand recruits more than we-^e necefiary for compleating 
 his armies. In all probability, for every recruit he got by 
 this means, two or three of his fubjeds miferably periHied ; 
 his bafe flatterers, nevertheleC;, gieady aoplauded his refined 
 policy, than which the P.nnais of mankind can fcarce furnifii 
 an inftance of greater inhumanity. 
 
 has 
 
vay to th«i 
 now hap. 
 e advanc- 
 te feemed 
 ore, pre- 
 )red, both 
 f our ma- 
 ?d troops, 
 :heir con- 
 by them, 
 er than I 
 
 vretched- 
 ry, could 
 khes and 
 ng fuch a 
 now ap- 
 )tion that 
 
 rbarous po- 
 
 year 1 709, 
 
 i fuccefs of 
 
 : mifery by 
 
 ngdotns of 
 
 campaign, 
 
 y for com- 
 
 their great 
 
 lifing tlicfe 
 
 to fill his 
 
 s. A few 
 
 re that his 
 
 le, having 
 
 is fubjedis, 
 
 entered 
 
 ckly many 
 
 m pleating 
 
 he got by 
 
 periflied ; 
 
 lis refined 
 
 ce furnifh 
 
 has fo long** prevailed in our monitd fyftcm, all 
 endeavours to Tccure the national profperity will 
 be blalledi and prove IncfFeAual. An enor- 
 mous load 6f public debts is in the body politic, 
 like an abfcefs, or impofthume, lurking in the 
 vital parts of the human ^bAty ; it drains the nou- 
 rilhment from the adtive members, induces ^ con- 
 fumptivc habit, and, at length, by a flow waft- 
 ing of the ftrength, or, by a fuddcn burfting, 
 generally puts a period to the life of the patient. 
 None will deny, but, that we have felt decays, in 
 confequence of the heavy incumbrance of our na- 
 tional debts, though from fome favourable cir- 
 cumftances We have hitherto happily bore up under 
 them ; but I will give an inftance where they have 
 adually proved fatal to a moft flourifhing ftate, 
 which at prefent is but a mere ihadow of its antient 
 iplendor and power. 
 
 The republic of Genoa formerly carried on the 
 greateft trade in Europe^ had flourifhing colonies 
 in Tartary, maintained a moft powerful naval 
 force, and was the center of the greateft wealth 
 in the weftern parts of the world. Thofe who 
 perufe the hiftory of that ftate may plainly per- 
 teive, that its declenfion is hot owing, as is ge- 
 nerally imagined, to the difcovery of a new paf- 
 fage to the Eaft Indies, which altered the channel 
 of commerce ; but to another caufe, namely, to 
 its imprudently mortgaging all its revenues to 
 wealthy individuals, who, having politically got 
 themfelves formed into one company, immediate- 
 ly became matters of the republic *. The ftate 
 
 F thenceforth 
 
 * Eg anno magiilratus S. Georgii inillrutas efl, atque al- 
 tera prope refpublica Genuam indufta, cujus rei, caufa et on'go 
 bee fuit. Cum alfidua impcndia in bella ac claiTes, quae ar- 
 
 mabanturf 
 
jL 
 
 i 
 
 '4 
 
 :i 
 
 .,|, 
 
 i 
 
 \ 
 
 I i 
 
 M 
 
 [ 3* 1 
 
 thenceforth felt itfclf deprived of all vigour, and 
 had no longer refources tor carrying the fmallcll 
 enterprize into execution, though, at the fame 
 time» the capital ovcrilowecl with wealth. The 
 directors of the nionied corporation, which took 
 the name of The Bank of St. George, boldly becom- 
 ing their own p.iymafters, by aH'uniing the admi- 
 nillntionof t!»e revenues of tiie State, influenced 
 and fwayed all public deliberations, and making 
 the public interelt give way to the intereft of their 
 funds, fcized all opportunities of taking advantage 
 of the didicfll'S of the government, whereby trade 
 quickly began to languifh, and the country to be 
 difpeoplcd. In a very Ihort time commerce entirely 
 vaniflied, and the republic, being thus deprived 
 of its vital p- inciple, was eafily dripped of its 
 foreign ft'itlements, and funk in a few years into 
 a torpid, and inadive ftate, in which it has ever 
 fince continued, verifying the maxim of the hi- 
 ftorian Folleta, ntari adempto^ ommajimul a Genu- 
 enftbus adimi. Had it not been for its domeftic 
 incumbrances, its coromerce might ftili haveflou- 
 
 rilhcd 
 
 mabantor, atque alia quje tempora rcipublicse neceflarlo pof- 
 tulabanr, facienda efTent, pecunia; a privat's hoininibus, de- 
 iicicnt'bus publkis, crebro mutua fumend.ns eianr, quibus, 
 vediaalibus ipfis illw oppigneratis, cavebitur, fenufque eX' 
 ipfifmet veftigiilibui mutuatarum pecuniarum creditoribus per- 
 folvebatur, quod varium erat, ciputque ipfum in poriiones 
 dividebatur, quas centenarum librarum efle placuitj ut qui 
 mille libr.\s mutuas dedifler, decern portiones in veftigalibus 
 haberet, pro quibus fingulis certum fenus anniverfarium per- 
 ciperet. Huic aufem vedigali oppignerato certus numerus ci- 
 vium publice prEeliciebatur ; qui ratione crediti ac frudlus vec- 
 tigalium fubdudla, debitum fenus quotannis creditoribus cum- 
 fide perfolveret. Ceterum cum res, alio fuper aliud vedYgali 
 deinceps oppignerato, ita egeftate publica cogente, in im- 
 menfum.creviiiet, fingulifque vedtigalibus oppigneratis certum ■ 
 numerum civium pra^fici neceffe eiicc, lantaque multitudocon- 
 
 fufioneni' 
 
 iii 
 
 infill 
 

 
 JSUL 
 
 ■'Ml 
 
 I 35 ] 
 
 rifhed, notwlthdanding the difcovery of the paf- 
 fage by the Cape of Good Hope ; for it is plain, 
 the Genccfe iy equally convenient for failing round 
 Africa, as the Englilh or Dutch. The Engli(h, 
 by conridering the progrefs and (late of the Gc- 
 nocfe funds, may plainly fee their own in minia- 
 ture -, and, as they will find to a demonftration, 
 that the bank of St. George has been the chief 
 caufe of the declenfion of that republic, it becomes 
 them to rtfleft on the dangerous confequenccs 
 attending the unknown credit of the bank of 
 England, and the other monied companies. 
 
 The parallel between the (late of the finances 
 of that republic and of this nation, is, in many 
 
 F 2 inftances 
 
 fufionem parcret, diftrafta haec membra In onum corpus con- 
 tradla, ac compadta funt, cui oftovirjlis magillratus prsfec- 
 tus ell, qui veteribus noniinibu?, quibus vedligalia inter fe dif- 
 tinguebantur omiflis, S. Gjeorgii appeilatus cltj juUpe hoc illi 
 additum, ut non jam publice ut antea eligeretur, fed a credi- 
 toribus tantummodo ac vedigalium oppigneratorum parcicipi- 
 bus quotannis crearecur, qui nulla in re rc«^^oribus civicatis, ac 
 prae:orio fubeflet neque ab illis pendcrer, fed Tuas frparatas 
 sedes, fuaque fegregata confilia a republica haberet, confilio- 
 que uoiverfx civicatis haudquaquam coni'uico, fed altero con- 
 filio, quod e participibus tancum conftaret, convocato, de xtf 
 bus fui: pro arbitrto llatueret, quodque ftatuiflet jus efTet, atquc 
 omnes pnrcicipes tcnereu Re(^oreique civicuis ante inicum 
 magiftratum ad jusjurandum adigerentur (id quod perpetuo 
 fervatum eft) fele res S. Georgii non attatfluros, neque quid- 
 quam de ejus juribus imndinuturos. Hoc participom corpus 
 alia ex alia neceiruace bona publita oppigncrandt indies exori- 
 ente, in immenfum numerum crevic ; cjufque dignitas et po- 
 tentia m^jus robur indies afTumpfit, iniula: Lorficu, ac nonnulc 
 lorum aliorum reipublica: locorum imperio ilii adjundo; uc 
 fic iifdem maenium ficpti'. (r»s a nullis legiilatoribus unquam ex- 
 cogitata ac nullis philofophorum dilputacionibus agitata) dus 
 t relpublicae includantur ; altera turbulenta ac difcordiis civili. 
 2 bus, et (cditionibus jadata et lacerata ; altera quieta et pacata, 
 .;? incorruptos priicd mores retinens. rcdliqae domi ac foris ex- 
 3empli. Vide Follet. Hill. Gen. ad an. 1407. See ihe con- 
 ^lequences of this moft impoliuc eftablilhment, in the years 
 1453, li?/, and 1^92. 
 
IIT' 
 
 [ 3^ ] 
 
 inftances but too confpicuous. The wealthy chlr 
 zens of Genoa got themfclve§ formed into one 
 cpmpany, and obtained permiffion frorp their go- 
 vernment to confolidate the debts of the republic, 
 and to have the diredlion of the levying the taxts 
 which were almoft all confumed in paying the in- 
 tereft of their capital. In the year 1 719, our 
 rulers were {p blind a§ to fuffer a fmall body of 
 men, under the natpe of the South Sea Company, 
 t;o become the creditors of the public for no lefs 
 9 fum than 30 millions Stefjing. If, to this fum, we 
 add the public debts, bought up by another Imall 
 ^ody of men, named the Cpmpany of the Bank 
 of England, we fhall find a few wealthy individur 
 als proprietors, not indeed of the whole national 
 debt, but of more than two thirds of it, as it 
 ftpod at that time. Thefe men, inftead of ap- 
 plying the wealth they were in poflcfiion of, to the 
 generous purpofes of advancing agriculture, 
 commerce or i^anufadlures, formed the bafe 
 icheme of levying contributions on their fellow 
 fubjects, who were fo unwary as to fuffer them to 
 put it in execution. 
 
 ' Our monied compai^ies, '^is true, have not^ 
 like that of Genoa, obtained the management ol: 
 the public revenue; but have not the monied in- 
 tereft, and the landed intcreft long, with juft rea- 
 fon, been looked upon as riv^l interefts ? Has not 
 ^he influence of the rrjonied intereft been fo great 
 in parliament for many years pafl, as often to 
 carry feveral points to the prejudice of the landed 
 Jntereft; and has it not even been acknowledged, 
 that the miniftry, for a long time pafi, have de- 
 pended upon the nionied men ? Has not the dear- 
 nefs of commodities and the difficulty of livino; 
 |3cen greatly enhanced by the artificial increafe of 
 p]oney, which is attended with all the bad confe- | 
 
 quences 
 
 -fe 
 
ly ciiH 
 to one 
 :ir go- 
 ublic, 
 taxefs 
 Ithe in- 
 cur 
 lody of 
 pany, 
 no lefs 
 una, wc 
 r Imall 
 e Bank 
 idividu- 
 national 
 t, as ic 
 of ap- 
 , to the 
 kulture, 
 he bafe 
 ir fellow 
 them to 
 
 ave not- 
 ement ot 
 jnied in- 
 juft rea- 
 Has not 
 I fo great 
 often to 
 le landed 
 wledged, 
 lave de- 
 :he dear- 
 )f Jivino; 
 creafe of 
 id confe- 
 quences 
 
 U 37 1 
 
 quences oF a real multiplication of gold and filver, 
 \yithout any pf the fubftancial benefits that, in time 
 <jf diftrefs, might arife from the poflcffion of thofe 
 metals } and has not our foreign trade been cramps 
 cd in confequence of the dearnefs of labour and 
 provifions ? 
 
 That our country, for feveral years pad, has 
 been difpeopling, partly by emigrations, but more 
 particularly in confequence of the negleft of mar- 
 riages and the prevailing fafhion of celibacy, |s 
 confefTed and lamented by many judicious and in- 
 telligent writers j and the decay of foreign com- 
 merce, and the expenfivenefs of living, are aflign- 
 ed as the caufes of this. Happily, indeed, for 
 us our emigrants, inftead of going like the Ge- 
 noefe into other countries, Jfave only removed 
 into a different part of our own dominions, where 
 the fatal efFedls of the cxceflive multiplication of 
 money is not known ; and many foreigners hav- 
 ing alfo taken up their refidence in thofe parts, 
 under the protedtion of our government, we have, 
 by this new and unexpefted refource, hitherto 
 been enabled to bear up under our domeftic in- 
 cumbrances, and to maintain that rank among the 
 Jiuropean t^atiops which is our due. As poifon 
 taken into the human body may ibmetimes, in- 
 (lead of killing, occafion aq evacuation that may 
 contribute tp the health of the patient ; in like 
 manner our Stockholders, tho' the tendency of 
 jheir fchemes has been to exhauft and ruin the na- 
 tion, have fortunately (jeen inftrqmental in ki- 
 creafing its vigour. 
 
 But tho' poifon Ihould from a happy concur- 
 rence of circumftances for qnce fail in having its 
 natural effcd, wquld not he, who had thus luckily 
 e looked upon as a madman if he fhould 
 
 jfcaped. 
 
 |lill riik the taking of large dofes of it. Our trade 
 
 to 
 

 f'.fl 
 
 [ 38 3 
 
 CO our colonies has hitherto fortunately fupplied 
 the lofs of our commerce with foreign dates in 
 fome meafure 5 but neverthelefs if we continue to 
 accumulate our public debts, or negleft purfuing 
 expedients for leflening them, the nation mult 
 unavoidably foon be debilitated. The artificial 
 multiplication of our money enhancing the price 
 of our manufactures, our colonifts will, on that 
 account, be in a manner compelled to fupply 
 themielves with thofe commoditicrs made at home, 
 which otlierwife they would be inclined to take 
 from us. Foreign nations, for the fame reafon, 
 havie of late turned our competitors in trade, and 
 tho' they may not at firft be fo fkilful as we are, 
 yet the cheapnefs of labour with them, will in 
 th*: end turn the ballance in their favour, unlefs 
 ^e purfue fuch measures as may render it eafy for 
 our labouring people to procure a fubfiftence, and 
 confequently to work for lefs wages. The report 
 of higher wages being given in England than in 
 any other kingdom in Europe, will be far from 
 retaining our manufa(ftLirers, or increafing their 
 number by the acquifuion of foreigners ; but will 
 have quite a contrary effeft ; for the abundance of 
 money in any place is not fuch a bait to draw new 
 iectLrs, as the eafinefs of earning a fubfiftence. 
 More people go to our colonies in North Ame- 
 rica, where 'tis faid they may fupport themfelves 
 without money, merely by the produ6ts of the 
 earth, than are tempted to go to Barbadoes, where 
 the wages of workmen is ieven or eight [hillings 
 a day. Should the commercial competition of 
 our European neighbours prove fuccefsful, and a 
 fpirit of emigrating feize our manufadurers, what 
 would our boafted abundance of wealth fignify, 
 efpecially as it is not of the genuine kind, like the 
 hoards of gold and filver belonging to the Eafl 
 
 India 
 
 
ipplied 
 
 tates in 
 
 |inue to 
 
 Jrfuing 
 
 muit 
 
 |rtificial 
 
 e price 
 
 n that 
 fupply 
 
 home, 
 o take 
 eafon, 
 e, and 
 
 ve are, 
 
 viJl in 
 unlefs 
 
 afy for 
 
 e, and 
 
 report 
 
 han in 
 
 r from 
 
 ; their 
 
 Jt wijj 
 
 nee of 
 
 V new 
 
 lence. 
 
 Ame- 
 
 feJves 
 
 ►f the 
 
 ^here 
 
 liings 
 
 )n of 
 
 md a 
 
 what 
 
 nify, 
 
 ? the 
 Eaft 
 ndi4 
 
 /:* 
 
 •n 
 
 * 'r 
 
 ''A 
 
 t 39 1 
 
 India Nabobs, but is mere treafures of paper with- 
 out any intrinfic value. As the plain tendency of 
 the exceffive multiplication of wealth is to ob- 
 ftru<5l population, and to render the baneful in-« 
 fluence of luxury more univerfal, wife rulers, who 
 wifh the permanent (lability of a ftate, ought ta 
 guard againft it as watchfully as againft a foreign 
 invader. What then muft have been the igno- 
 rance or knavery of thofe minifters, who fufFcred 
 our monied corporations to open upon us a mine 
 of imaginary riches by which they, as proprietors^ 
 made fometimes twenty per cent, while the reft of 
 their fellow fubjcfts, and the public itfelf, were 
 thereby fo encumbered and diftrefTed that the na- 
 tion muft have been quickly ruined, had not its 
 trade and connexions been daily increafing with a 
 flourifliing part of its fubjeds fettled on the conti-; 
 nent and iflands of America. 
 
 But let us take a more particular view of the 
 pernicious efFefts of our artificial wealth, and of 
 the diftrefles which the nation has fufFcred, and 
 the dangers which threaten it in confequence <^ 
 this imaginary affluence. According to the com^ 
 putation of our moft judicious writers on com** 
 merce, our circulating coin, including even fo- 
 reign fpecie, does not exceed feventeen millions 
 fteriing *. The currency of paper at the fame 
 rime, including our national debts, amounts to na 
 iefs than 350 millions, that is, for every pound we 
 
 * The author does not here inean that this whole quantity 
 of paper is in aftual circulation, like Angle guineas and 
 (hillings ; but that we have created fuch a fum of paper 
 figns of wealth which are called current, becaufe they may 
 be hoarded or transferred, according to the fancy of the 
 proprietor, with as much eafe and difpatch as real money. 
 Lands and houfes, on the other hand, are not the figns of 
 wealth but real wealth themfelves, and cannot be transferred 
 without the figning of deeds^ and many tedious formalities. 
 
 have 
 
,11 
 
 'i 
 
 i4 
 
 
 m 
 
 II J^^ 
 
 r 40 i 
 
 fcaVe in gold and filver we have up wares of t wen tr 
 pounds in paper. Our circulating coin in gold 
 and filvcr before the beginning of this century vas 
 faid to have amounted to fifteen millions -, fo that 
 notwithftanding our flourilhing trade for thefc 
 feventy years paft, the quantity of our real fpecic 
 has but increafcd two millions •, nay feme very ju- 
 dicious writers allege, that it has not increafed 
 half a million. That the balance of our trade* 
 fince the revolution, has brought in many millions 
 of gold and (ilver is an undoubted truth ; but the 
 people of this ifland, inftead of being pofTeflbrs of 
 greater quantities of thofe precious metals now, than 
 at the former period, have aflually been ftripped, 
 without their perceiving it, of all the real fpecic 
 they were then in poflelfion of, as they are become 
 debtors to foreign nations for the whole of it, and 
 for many r lillions befides. Such have been the per*- 
 nicious confequences of funding and jobbing. Cas - 
 far, in his account of the ancient Britons, fays, that 
 they had no gold and filver money among them, 
 and the fame with the greateft truth may be faid 
 of the modern Britons, were our foreign credi- 
 tors to be faithfully and honeftly paid that part of 
 the national debt owing to them^ which on the 
 ]oweft computation, is fuppofed to amount to 
 near thirty millions. We ihould not, 'tis true, 
 even in this cafe, be wholly without gold and 
 other precious eflPcds ; for it is computed by fome 
 that the bullion, plate, and diamonds in the na- 
 tion, exclufive of other rich commodities, amount 
 to the value of twenty millions fterlingi tho* by 
 ethers they are not eftimated fo high. But had 
 we not moft imprudently fuffered interefted meh 
 to multiply upon us imaginary riches, the quan- 
 tity of our bullion, plate, diamonds, &c. muft 
 neccffarily have been by this time much greater 
 . -^ 2 thaa 
 
 /" 
 
 
[ 4« ] 
 than it is, even tho* the ballance of trade in our 
 favour fince the revolution, had been one half lefs 
 ihan it has been computed *, and none will deny 
 but that treafures of this kind in referve are infi- 
 nitely preferable to thofe of paper, which threaten 
 us every moment with fome violent convulfion. 
 Had the iflfue of the war been as unfavourable to 
 us as it has been to the French (and that it has 
 happened o:herwife, has apparently been more 
 owing to the favour of Providence than to any fu- 
 periority of our natural ftrength) in all probability 
 our public credit would have failed be:ore this 
 time, and the confequences of our bankruptcy 
 would have been much more fatal to us, than 
 what followed among the French upon their bank- 
 ruptcy, was to them. Their large hoards of plate 
 turned into circulation by the mint, in fome mea- 
 fure, fupplied the deficiency of their coin, which 
 was not artificially increafed by a large paper cur- 
 rency i whereas our plate, tho' turned to the 
 fame purpofes, would bear but a very fmall pro- 
 portion in fupplying the general deficiency that 
 would be felt, upon the fudden annihilation of all 
 our paper money ; and what would be the diftrefs 
 of the nation in fuch circumflances is eafier to be 
 conceived than expreffed. A fhip that is wholly 
 compofed of found timbers may be ftranded and 
 got off^ again with little damage -, but a veffel 
 which for every found timber has ten or a do- 
 zen rotten ones will no fooner ftrike on a bank 
 than fhe will break to pieces. 
 
 But fuppofing that the hazard of a bankruptcy 
 fhould be very remote, are not the inconveniencits 
 arifing from the national debt fo very confider- 
 able as to call aloud for the reforfning hand of the 
 Jegiflature ? The exceflive abundance of imagi- 
 nary fpecie has had the elfedt of an aftual increafe 
 
 G of 
 
 I 
 
 i_ 
 
O ,v :1 
 
 [ 42 ] 
 
 oF real wealth, by altering the proportion that 
 formerly fubfifted between merchandize and money. 
 Thus the price of all commodities has been en- 
 hanced, which has diftreflcd individuals, cramp- 
 ed the national trade, and leflened the exertive 
 vigour of the ftate ; for the fame taxes cannot 
 now perform the fame fer vices as formerly, fince 
 many articles of confumption have crept up to 
 more than double their former prices. 
 
 The intereft paid by the nation annually to our 
 ftockholders exceeds three millions fterling, which 
 is more than five fliillings in the pound of the 
 computed rent of all the lands in England ; thus 
 the landed gentlemen find themfelves encumbered 
 with a mortgage upon their eftates of more than 
 one fourth of their yearly income. The addi- 
 tional expences of the ftate during a war, have 
 fometimes not much exceeded three millions, fo 
 that confidering thefe three millions of intereft, 
 raifed upon the people, and paid into the pockets 
 of private perfons, as a fubfidy almoft fufiicient 
 for the fupport of a war, the nation has in a man- 
 ner been carrying on two wars at once. And, 
 indeed, it is evident that the greateft enemies we 
 have had during this war are ourfelves, or rather 
 our ftockholders •, for fuppofing the public were 
 at liberty to ufe the three millions appropriated for 
 the payment of thtir intereft as fupplies for a war, 
 and the prices of our manufadiiures were leflened 
 in confequence of the annihilation of the greateft 
 part of our paper money, the n;^tion would with 
 $1 very little exertion be ab'e to raife almoft all 
 Xhe fuppli'.i" within the year, and in this cafe could 
 have carried on fuch a war as the prefent for 
 twenty years, and profpered under it. But we 
 could not with the fame fuccefs contend againft 
 our monied men y for if the war had continued 
 
 two 
 
[ 43 J 
 
 two or three years longer, and our arms had flill 
 been fuccefsful againft oiir foreign enemies, the 
 nation neverthelefs would have been fo exhaufted 
 by its domeftic enemies, that we Ihould have been 
 obliged to conclude a peace upon any terms with 
 the former, to get fome refpite from the dangerous 
 encroachments made upon the national property 
 by the latter. 
 
 The Dutch carried on a war with the powerful 
 Spanifh monarchy for forty years ; but having no 
 fuperfluity of artificial wealth to check their in- 
 duftry at home, and eftimating the charge of the 
 war, for the moft part, according to their abili- 
 ties, they annually increafed in ftrength and vi- 
 gour, and at length obliged their once formidable 
 enemy to grant them an honourable peace.* Lewis 
 XII. of France was engaged in war during his 
 whole reign, a period of no lefs than feventeen 
 years, yet left no incumbrances upon his people 
 at his death. Edward III. of England carried on 
 very expenfive wars both at home and abroad, 
 during a great part of his long and glorious reign •, 
 yet luch was the wifdom of the maxims he pur- 
 fued in regard to the domeftic policy of his king- 
 dom, that hisfubjeds havir^g no heavy fubfidies to 
 pay to private companies, were able to furnifh an- 
 nually the large fupplies nccelTary for the fupport 
 of the ftate, the trade of the nation at the fame 
 time flourifhing in a greater degree than it ever 
 had done before in any period. In thofe days ic 
 would feem that the public's real ability was made 
 the meafure of the national expence, and that 
 private men were not luftered to prey upon the 
 people's induftry, by claiming intereft for loans 
 of imaginary wealth. Were not the revenues ot 
 the nation at prefent fo deeply mortgaged, we 
 fhould need no other refourccs, befides the annual 
 
 G 2 fupplies 
 

 [ 44 1 
 fupplies that might be raifed upon the public to 
 enable us to fet the utmoft efforts of the French 
 at defiance. Conlidering the prefent unanhnity 
 and vigorous ftrength of the nation, and the 
 warm and zealous affedlion of all ranks to our pa- 
 triot king, an invafion from the French could 
 not be more formidable to us now, than the fa- 
 nious armada of Philip II. was to England alone 
 in the glorious reign of Elizabeth. The views of 
 our monied men, however, fince they have felt 
 the fwt'cts of trafficking with the government, 
 have been to divert the nan. n from exerting it- 
 fclf according to its real and natural ftrength, 
 and to perfuade us to meafure the extent of our 
 power by the extent of our credit. They have 
 profeffed themfelves devoted to the miniftry, and 
 clocking their interefted defigns with that honour- 
 able pretence, they have been always forward to 
 fupply the wants of the public by the way of a 
 loan, which has been the fatal caufe of that faci- 
 lity the nation has met with in plunging itfelf into 
 debt, and lavifliing its real wealth in the moft 
 profufe and inconfiderate manner. 
 
 For thefe many years paft immenfe fubfidies in 
 time of war, and confiderable ones in time of 
 peace, have been paid by us to foreign potentates, 
 which fubfidies if they were all to be reckoned up 
 in one fum, would be double or triple the amount 
 of the whole gold and filver coin in the nation. 
 If the ballance ofourtra'ie, during this period, 
 had been fo great as to have fupplied thofe large 
 fums with fome remaining overplus for ourfelves, 
 fuch a diverfion of our fuperfluous wealth would 
 have been no detriment to the ftate, as we fhould 
 thereby have been freed from the inconvenieqcies 
 attending a too great abundance of money, and 
 would have ftill had a quantity of real coin fuffi- 
 
 cient 
 
[ 45 1 
 cient for all the purpofes of commerce. But that 
 we have given away to our foreign allies, and 
 fpent in foreign connexions, not the exuberances 
 of our wealth, but adually more than the whole 
 of it, is evident from this, that the debt we at 
 prefent owe to foreigners exceeds the total amount 
 of our gold and filver coin by feveral millions. 
 
 An opinion, however, has been indullriouny 
 propagated, that the largenefs of the fums we bor- 
 row is a proof of our riches, as they are furnifhed 
 to the ftate chiefly by our own fubjedts, and to 
 have individuals, who, from the exuberance of the 
 profits of trade, can fupply the government one 
 year with feven millions, another year with ten, 
 and another with twelve, &c. at the low intereffc 
 of three or four per cent, is a certain proof that 
 we are the mofl wealthy nation in the univerfe. 
 But if we confider this fcheme of money lending 
 a little more narrowly, we lliall find that our 
 large loans are not io much a proof of our wealth, 
 as of our fondnefsfbr building upon the airy foun- 
 dation of credit, and having recourfc to expeditious 
 refources, fuggefted from mercenary views. Thofe 
 who are moft concerned in real commerce traffic lead 
 with the public ; yet *tis pretended that th j fums 
 lent to the government are paid in hard money, 
 and arife from the annual profits of trade, great 
 part of which profits, in (ome miraculous man- 
 ner, come into the poffeflion of a fet of no mer- 
 chants, who are diftinguilhed by the title of the 
 monied men. Suppofe even one lialf of the trade 
 of the nation were carried on by thefe monied 
 men, if their profits in three or four years could 
 amount to thirty millions, the profits of our 
 whole trade wouid be fixty millions, which allow- 
 ing 12 per cent, on an average for the gain of 
 the trade would have required the (lock to have 
 
 amounted 
 
t 46 j 
 
 amounted to the value of no lefs than 500 mil- 
 lions. The bare mention of the ( xtent of trade 
 required to raife thcfe pretended profits, is a luf- 
 ficient demonflintion or the abfurdity of fuch a fup- 
 pofition. Nay, if inftead of twenty or thirty monied 
 men, undertaking to fupplythe Government with 
 12 millions, all the thriving men of the kingdom, 
 fliould agree to lend their annual favings to the 
 flate, it is evident, that the aggregate of the 
 whole would not make the fum of 12 mil- 
 lions. 
 
 The plenty of our money then, is not the fund 
 that fupplies our loans to the government, but 
 the abundance of fomething elfe, which cuftom 
 has made fafhionable to be taken for money ; and 
 the privilege of coining this artificial fpecie, is 
 monopolized by a fmall number of men, to the 
 detriment of the whole community. The pradlice 
 of borrowing and funding, which has been re- 
 peated year after year, duringHthe courfe of our 
 four laft wars, has gradually drained the nation of 
 more than its whole ftock of gold and filver in 
 fpecie, notwithflanding the recruits we have re- 
 ceived from the large balance of our adlive trade ; 
 and has diftrelTed us with a fuperfluous abundance 
 of nominal wealth, which, by enhancing the ex- 
 pence of living, has raifed the price of our ma- 
 nufadtures, and confequently leflened the fale of 
 them. 
 
 Our paper-money being multiplied upon us 
 without ceafing, foon drove gold and filver out 
 of the large tranfadions in trade, and, in thefe, 
 their abfence was not much felt, as bills were 
 found of eafier and readier conveyance, and the 
 knavifh art of dealing in bills without any fund not 
 being then invented, all bills, in circulation, were 
 fuppofed to have an equivalent in gold and filver, 
 
 6 or 
 
[ 47 ] 
 or in commodities lodged fomewhere. The real 
 fpecie being thus turned to the daily and weekly 
 circulation, in fmall affairs, the nation fecined to 
 overflow with a general abundance of it ; but the 
 prices of things thereupon advancing, more of it 
 became neceflliry, to purchafe the fame quantity 
 of commodities, and immenfe fums, at the fame 
 time, being ftill fent out of the kingdom, and 
 their place fuppiied with more paper, fmall bills 
 at length began to make their appearance, in 
 minute payments, and in the leifer tranfadbions of 
 traffic ; and of late, it is a common complaint, 
 that real fpecie, with the utmoft difficulty, can 
 be found to anfwer thofe bills*. To divert the 
 general murmuring, and lull our fufpicions, wc 
 are told, that it is the wicked Jews, who export 
 great part ot our filver, on account of the profit 
 they make by exchanging it for gold ; and that 
 another great part of it is hoarded by the bank, 
 to enable them to ward off any large and fudden 
 demand. But whether this fully accounts for the 
 almoft total want of fmall fpecie in circulation, 
 and for the fcarcity of gold as well as filver, I 
 leave it to any readers of common fagacity to de- 
 termine. Our money-lenders have treated the na- 
 tion in the fame manner as Dr. Sangrado treat- 
 ed his patients ; they have drained off all its 
 blood, and fuppiied the place of that vital fluid 
 with plenty of water, and, though the Itate has 
 been far from profpering, in confequence of their 
 prefcriptions, their fees have neverthclefs beeii 
 
 * A letter a few months ago, from Birmingham, mentions, 
 that ca(h, both gold and filver, is fo fcarce there, that they 
 are obliged to take two and a half per cent, difcount, for 
 very good bills within a fortnight of being due ; and even to 
 allow a difcoant^ of one half per ant- to ^et change for 
 ^ank notes, 
 
 moil 
 
[ 48 ] 
 mod unconftionable. In former times they ^'ve 
 been reckoned at 40 and 30 per cent\ but c .te 
 years, they have funk confiderably, though they 
 are dill too burdenfom for an exhaulled ilatc to 
 bear. 
 
 As it is the good faith of the parliament alone, 
 that liipports the credit of our monied companies, 
 why fliould the legiflative power be diffident of 
 its own credit upon its own bottom, by which 
 the commonwealth might be fupported without 
 the alfiftance of thofe quacks, who afTume the 
 name of monied men. Why may not the parlia- 
 ment, in cafe of need, indead of borrowing the 
 credit of others, ifllie bills upon its own credit, 
 which bills would be equally convenient in domedic 
 traffic, as thofe of private men, and might eafily 
 circulate in the nation to a great amount, if there 
 was money depofited at an office, under their di- 
 redion, to be always ready to anfwer any occa- 
 fional demands. 
 
 Befides the inconveniences already mentioned, 
 flowing from the abundance of our imaginary 
 wealth, there is another, the fecret, though fatal 
 influence of which feems hitherto to have been 
 in a great meafure overlooked. The exceffive 
 dearnefs of labour, commodities, and provifions, 
 in this kingdom, is attributed to the great number 
 of our taxes, which, it is faid, have fo raifed the 
 price of all our manufaftures, as to diminifh the 
 fale of them among foreign nations. Now, I 
 doubt not but upon refledlion it will appear, that 
 the high price of every thing, is not fo much 
 owing to our numerous taxes, as to our feeming 
 plenty of money ; and that, if the greated part of 
 out artificial fpecie were annihilated, manufac- 
 tures, labour, and provifions, would become 
 .much cheaper than they are at prefent, and the 
 
 nation 
 
vc 
 .tc 
 ley 
 
 CO 
 
 [ 49 ] 
 
 nation could Aill raife the fame taxes without be- 
 ing more burdened than they are now. If mo cy, 
 or the figns of monty, are in great plenty in a 
 ihte, it finks in vaiue, in proportion to that 
 plenty. If we look back a little more than 200 
 years *, we fliall find our kings meeting with as 
 much difficulty then, in raifing 10,000 pounds, as 
 now in raifing a million, fuch was the fcarcity of 
 gold and filvcr in Europe, before the Spaniards 
 had conquered the Weft Indies and Peru. The 
 fmall quantity, however, the princes had of thofe 
 metals, ferved all the purpofcs of our prefent 
 abundance; they carried on great undertakings, 
 and engaged in long and obftinate wars, if noc 
 without burdening, yet, at kaft, without exhauft- 
 ing their fijbjedls. 
 
 The whole raxes raifed, during the 44 years of 
 the reign of Elizabeth, are faid, not to have ex- 
 ceeded 6 millions ; but, in thofe days, many bur- 
 denfome and expenfive military fcrvices, were 
 performed by the counties, and by private per- 
 fons, and the c'.arges of them not reckoned in 
 the national eftimate •, yet probably, (as there was 
 then no (landing army, and the roya.l navy was 
 but inconfiderable) the laft kind of expences were 
 as high as thofe eftimated in parliament. Befides, 
 the land revenue of that Queen, exclufivcofthe 
 wards and dutchy of i,ancafter, amounted to 
 188,197/. 4 J. per annum, which, in 44 years, 
 makes 8,280,676/. 16s. (o that the whole 
 charges of government, during that reign, may 
 be reckoned above 20 millions. This appears a 
 fmall fum in comparifon of the taxes, that have 
 been raifed thefe 44 years paft in Great Britain ; yet 
 if the obfervations of the celebrated Montefquieu 
 
 * See the reign of Henry VH. 
 
 H 
 
 arj 
 

 [ 50 ] 
 
 are juft, the real difproportion betwixt the fums 
 raifed in the two different periods will not be 
 very confiderable. " Itwas net long, he fays, after 
 *' the conqued of Mexico and Pern, before the 
 " fpecie of Europe was doubled ; this appeared 
 ** from the price of commodities which every 
 " where was doubled. As the fpecie of Europe 
 *' doubled, the profit of Spain diminifhed in the 
 ** fame proportion, and they had every year the 
 ** fame quantity of metals, which was become 
 *' by one half lefs precious. In double the time 
 •' the fpecie (till doubled, and the profit ftill di- 
 " minifhed anpthcr half. If we proceed thus 
 •' doubling and doubling, we fhall find, in this 
 *' progrefTion, the caufe and impotcncy of the 
 " wealth of Spain. It is about 200 yeais fince 
 *' they began to work the^r Indian mines, and I 
 fuppof the quannty of the fpecie at prefent, 
 in the trading world, is to that before the dii- 
 covery of the Indies, as 32 to i ; that is, it 
 *' has been doubled five times. In 200 years 
 ** more, the fame quantity will be to that before 
 ** the dilcovery, as 64 to i ; that is, it will be 
 *' doubled once more". V Efpnt de Loix 1. 21. 
 
 Montefquicu fpeaks of the real fpecie ; but if 
 we include alfo the nominal coin, by which the 
 quantity of our money is feemingly increafed, 
 this nation may be accounted 50 times more weal- 
 thy now, than it w.is in the days of Elizabeth. 
 In this cafe, confidcring the proportionable value 
 of the difierent fums, the taxes raifed, during 
 that reign, were as chargeable to England, as all 
 the taxes that have been raifed thefe 44 years paft 
 have been to Great Britain. It is of the greateft im- 
 portance to a ftate to have plenty of money i but, 
 it is likewife extremely prejudical to it, to have 
 twice or thrice as much as all its neighbours. If 
 
 the 
 
 cc 
 
 
[ 51 ] 
 the quantity of fpecie in Europe, in general, is to 
 that before the difcovery of the Indies, as 32 to i ; 
 wc might very well content ourfclves to have the 
 quantity of fpecie, in this ifland, as 40 to i : and 
 if our circulating fpecie were reduced to that pro- 
 portion, by the annihilation of the greateft part 
 of our paper- money, the nation, luppofing it 
 difincumbred of its debts, could raife as great 
 taxes as the prefent, without being burdened fo 
 much as it now is, in confcquence of the moft 
 impolitic pradlice of borrowing and funding. 
 The fucceffes and advantages of u war, lofe much 
 of their folidity, while wc bring upon ourfelves 
 a yearly debt, higher than all the revenues of all 
 our conquefls. I queftion not, but that Ed- 
 ward III. or Queen Elizabeth, would have look- 
 ed upon vidorics purchafed in fuch a manner, as 
 real defeats. 
 
 During this war there has been added to the 
 national currency upwards oi 30 millions of pa- 
 per fpecie, which has rendered our money feem- 
 ingly more plentiful, and confequently lelfened its 
 value in the fame degree ; and there has been 
 likewife added a million to our taxes. The firft 
 of thefe incumbrances, though generally over- 
 looked, is almoft as heavy as the fccond ; and 
 both of them are for a perpetuity unlefs redeemed. 
 Now, to confider the increafe of the taxes alone, 
 one million in perpetuity, it muft be acknowleg- 
 ed, is a much heavier burden, than even three 
 or four millions of extraordinary fupplies, raifed 
 during the continuance of a war, and ceafing en- 
 tirely upon a peace. But, inftcad of one million, 
 our paflion^for borrowing, which has been fatally 
 nurfed by our monied men, has at length burden- 
 us with more than three millions in perpetuity. If 
 the nation had exerted itfclf in an extraordinary 
 
 H 2 manner, 
 
[ 52 ] 
 manner, during the fhort continuance of a war, the 
 public, at this day, would not have been bur- 
 dened with thefe three millions ; but, by falfely 
 aiming at making the burden of a war be little 
 felt, we have, at length, burdened ourfelves with 
 the expence of a perpetual war. But even fup- 
 pofmg the public could eafily afford to raife the 
 ilims neceflary, for difcharging the yearly intereft 
 of the debts ; the difpofing of fuch immenfefum^ 
 in that manner, is neverthelefs extremely pre- 
 judical to the kingdom. How different would 
 be the flate of the nation, if thefe three millions, 
 that are paid annually to ftockholders, to fupport 
 them without induftry, were bellowed as boun- 
 ties to furdier the advancement of our manq- 
 fadures ? 
 
 Can any good reafon be afTigned, why our lav/- 
 givcrs ought not to cilablifh it, as a law to them- 
 fclves, to make the prefent abilities of the people, 
 the meafure of" the national expence ? or, if they 
 fhould borrow an inconfiderable part of it in time 
 of war, why they fhould not continue the taxes, 
 during peace, till that part be wholly cleared off? 
 To ifTue a million of artificial fpecie, during a 
 war, would not be attend':;d with much inconve* 
 niencc, as trade, which at that time meets with 
 many incumbrances, requires fome artificial re- 
 fources to give it frefli vigour-, but, till that 
 debt is cleared off, there is a neceffity for conti- 
 nuing the taxes even during a peace. 
 
 To anticipate our revenues, to prevent other 
 potentates from anticipating theirs, is a moft ro- 
 mantic ftrain of generofity. We have, in con- 
 fequence of many engagements involved ourfelve? 
 in a debt of, at Icuft, 40 millions, in ferving the 
 houfe of Auftria; but, has that family contrad- 
 Cd fuch a heavy debt, in ferving itfelf ? The ter- 
 
 ritope^ 
 
 / 
 
le 
 
 ' 
 
 [ 53 ] - 
 
 ritories of that auguft houfc have, more than 
 once, been proteded, by the trcafures and blood 
 of Britons. We have faved its towns, and pre- 
 vented it from mortgaging its revenue, by mort- 
 gaging our ov;n ; yet we cannot prod nee any re- 
 turns of gratitude or acknowlegement, unlefs we 
 think ourfelves, in fome meafure, repaid by a 
 letter of the Emprefs to our late magnanimous 
 king, thanking him for expofing his life in her 
 fervice. Queen Elizabeth, for the alTiftance (he 
 gave the Dutch, laid them under an obligation of 
 returning fome folid acknowlegement, by ftipu- 
 lating, to keep poflelfion of four or five of their 
 chief towns, till fhe (hould be reimburfed the 
 charge fhe had been at on their account. In ail 
 probability, the French have adted in the fame 
 manner in their prefent alliance with Auflria, and 
 have taken the towns in Flanders, as a depofite for 
 the fubfidies they fhould be obliged to give to 
 the Emprefs. Allowing that the wants of our 
 allies are fometimes fo very prefTing, as to render 
 it necefTary for us, to pay pecuniary fubfidies to 
 them in time of war, prudence, however, would 
 didlate, that if we mutt borrow thofe fums our- 
 felves, the prince we give them to, ought to be- 
 come bounu, at leaft, for the interefl of them. 
 When we borrow money, we are obliged to mort- 
 gage part of our revenues co pay the annual in- 
 terefl ; and if we can raife large fums by that 
 means, could not our German allies, in the ne- 
 cefTity of their affairs, have done the fame by 
 mortgaging the revenues of Moravia, of part of 
 Flanders, of Eaft Friefland, or of any other pro- 
 vince, which would have obliged them, inftead 
 or flicking to us like bloodfuckers, to have been 
 good managers, and to have bridled their ambi- 
 tion, till they had redeemed thofe pledges. The 
 
 mortgaging 
 
 
 ■■(.f 
 
t 54 ] 
 
 mortgaging of taxes, arid the mortgaging oP pro-* 
 vinces comes to the fame thing in the end ; for 
 by our continued borrowing and funding what 
 elfe have we done than mortgaged the richeft pro- 
 vince of the Britilh empire, namely the county of 
 Middlelex, the whole revenues of which, includ- 
 ing thofe of the capital city, are not fufficient to 
 pay the yearly intereft of the public debts. While 
 we are fj very generous as not to fcruple new and 
 larger mortgages every fucceeding year, to raife 
 fuch fubfidies as (hould prevent our allies from 
 mortgaging any of their territories, it is no wonder 
 that their rapacity (hould rife in the fame propor- 
 tion as our generofity. The demands of our al- 
 lies could not have been fo immoderate as we have 
 felt them to be, if they had been once convinced 
 that our rulers had made it a law to themfelves, 
 to limit the annual national expence to the real 
 abilities of the people, and if their indolence, am- 
 bition, and extravagance * had not been fed by 
 us, in all probability they would, on many oc- 
 cafions, have exerted themfelves more, or been 
 lefs refradory in agreeing to reafonable terms of 
 peace. 
 
 The public debts are produflive of another great 
 evil to the Hate. The ufurious profits of the 
 money-lenders having been repeated without mea- 
 
 ^ The Imperialifts in 1702, undertook the fiege of Landau ; 
 but their army was fo ill fuppljed, that they were obliged to 
 fufpend the military operations fome weeks, for want of am- 
 munition, the money which ought to have furnilhed the ne- 
 ceffiiries of the fiege, having been expended in providing a » 
 magnificent equipage and retinue for the king of the Romaiis, 
 who came in a great parade to the camp to have the honour 
 of taking the place. The fubfidies the Imperialifts received 
 from us no doubt encouraged them to fquander their trea- 
 fure in that vain and needlefs pomp, which is faid to have 
 thrown all their affairs ;nto diforder. 
 
 fure. 
 
or 
 
 ac 
 
 o- 
 
 of 
 
 d- 
 
 to 
 
 ile 
 
 ,nd 
 
 ,ifc 
 
 om 
 
 [ 55 ] 
 fure, have concentered a great part of the national 
 wealth into the hands of a few men, who by their 
 fuddenly acquired fortunes promote the growth 
 of luxury in the capital where they generally re- 
 fide, while in the remote parts of the kingdom, 
 trade languifnes for want of a fufficient circula- 
 tion. The perpetual fludluation of the funds is 
 like a market where the price of things is per- 
 petually varying, and as this fluduation is chiefly 
 influenced by the tricks and falfe alarms of the 
 money-jobbers, it affords a fine field for their 
 knavery to exercife itfelf in, by buying at an un- 
 der-rate and felling at an exorbitant profit. Thus 
 great part of the national wealth, which ought to 
 be employed in trade, is diverted from that chan- 
 nel of honeft induftry, and ufed in an ufurious 
 traffic ; a traffic which preys upon the profits of 
 die induftrious. The diftribution of the wealth 
 of a (late in a juft meafure, is as neceflliry to its 
 profperity, as the proper diftribution of the blood 
 is to the health of the human body -, but the riches 
 of this nation cannot be faid to be duly diftribut- 
 ed, when a few men, without following com- 
 merce, or carrying oa large manufadurcs, acquire 
 immenfe eftates, while, on the other hand, the num- 
 ber of thofe who arc fupported by public charity 
 daily increafes. 'Tis computed we have about 
 feventeen millions of real fpecie in this ifland, and 
 near eight millions of inhabitants, which is about 
 two pounds for each individual. Suppofing one 
 million of the inhabitants, or one eighth of the 
 whole, to be pofitiiTed of one half of the national 
 wealth, and the other half to be divided among 
 the remaining feven millions of people, the (late 
 might perhaps feel no inconvenience troni this di- 
 flribution, but however it mi^ht be, 'tis plain 
 that irs condition would be much worfe if zoo,ooo, 
 
 or 
 
 m 
 
r 5(5 ] 
 
 or one fortieth of the inhabitants fhould acquire 
 the poffefTion of three fourths of the national 
 wealth. Our money- lenders, however, by their 
 artifices have increafed the inequality to a ftill 
 higher degree. The number of the public creditors 
 or ftockholders is fuppofed not to exceed 17,000, 
 yet this fmall number of perfons, among whom 
 muft be feveral foreigners, are proprietors of up- 
 wards of an hundred millions ilcrling, which is 
 more than one fourth of the whole national cur- 
 rency in fpecie and paper united. Our monied 
 men in confequence of their fuccefsful engrolf- 
 ing fo large a proportion of the national wealth, 
 have, fince the beginnning of this century, been 
 regarded by thofe in power as the chief pillars of 
 the ftate i and of late years they have aflfeded a 
 kind of priority in refpeft of the landed gentle- 
 men, who by many are now reckoned only in the 
 fecondary clafs of fubjedts. The monied intereft 
 in parlimentary contefts, has aheady often (hewn 
 itfelf to be the prevalent intereft, many of the 
 landed gentlemen being fo far feduced, as to be- 
 tray their own caufe, and zealoudy to fupport the 
 interefted fchemes of their worft enemies. As 
 our monied men alfo have long had accefs to the 
 minifters of ftate, it may be questioned whether, 
 during a corrupt adminiftration, they have not 
 fwayed the national councils, fo as to render them 
 fubfervient to their private views. Suppofing all 
 our monied companies united into one, which 'tis 
 faid, was once in a£;itation, their influence would 
 no doubt increafe ; and as views ot profit might 
 render them the tools of a miniftry, they would, 
 in that cafe, under a prince of a defpotic temper, 
 be more dangerous inftruments in enflaving a na- 
 tion than a numerous army of mercenary troops. 
 As vigour and unanimity are now rcftored to our 
 5 national 
 
. [ 57 1 
 
 hatlonal councils, and we have a king who has 
 dlready manifefted the integrirv of his difpofuion, 
 by exprefling his difapprobation of governing by 
 unconftitutional means, we could not certainly 
 tvifh for a more fivoiirable conjundlure to ceafe 
 enlarging our public debts, and to think of effec- 
 tual expedients for leflening them. 
 
 To conclude, it is univerfally allowed that a 
 nation never flourifhes while the property of all the 
 lands is engroffed by a few great men, which is 
 generally the cafe in infant dates ; but its profpe- 
 rity is equally blafted when the money is engroffed 
 by a few, more efpecially when thole few refide 
 in one fpot, and have no intereft or connexions 
 in the remote parts of the kingdom. That wife 
 and politic prince Henry VII. laid the founda- 
 tion of our prefent liberties and grandeur, by 
 breaking the land monopolies, and I doubt not 
 but from what has been faid, it will appear that 
 there is as urgent a neceffity at this time for put- 
 ting a check to the monopolizers of our fpecie. 
 
 To fome, who have never thoroughly examined 
 the dangerous confequences of our national debts, 
 the prefent extenfivenefs of our trade appears an 
 infallible demonftration, that our affairs are in a 
 mod profperous condition, and that we have no- 
 thing to fear from our internal incumbrances, fince 
 We adlually find that they do not hinder new* 
 channels of wealth from daily opening to us. I 
 fhall bellow a few words in (hewing the fallacy of 
 thiii conclufiort. As the general confumption of 
 all the nations in Europe, and the colonies de- 
 pending upon them, may be fuppofed to remain 
 ^bout its ufual extent, the increafe of our trade 
 will be chiefly owing to the decreafe of the trade 
 of other ftates, or to fome forced circulation ac 
 home. Let us confider what nations have in- 
 
 I creafcd 
 
 ;l 
 
 t 
 
 11 
 
 ■l^ 
 
 .iM 
 
 
r 5S ] 
 
 crcafed their commerce, or formed fuch edablirti- 
 ments as tend to increafe it, and what dates have 
 loft part of the trade they formerly pofrefl<d. The 
 trade of the Turks and Italians may he fiippofed 
 neither more nor Jefs vigorous or languid, than 
 it has been for many years pad •, only we find 
 fome efforts to promote trade in Sicily by the efta- 
 blifhment of a chamber of commerce at MefTina 
 in 1 75 1. The trade of the Spaniards is allowed 
 to have increafed vtry confiderably fince the com- 
 mencement of this war •, and a3 a commercial fpi- 
 rit is beginning to prevail in that nation* they are 
 likely, not only to retain what they have acquir- 
 ed, but alfo to augment it. The French, who, 
 before the war, had an extenfive commerce, a 
 moll flouriftiing fifhery, and a great number of 
 Ihips, have been intirely dripped of their fifhery, 
 ^nd have lod almolt all their fhips -, but it would 
 doubtlefs be forming too hady a conclufion to 
 affirm that their trade is entirely ruined, and that 
 the means of re-edabH(hing it are irretriveably cut 
 dfF. Their wines, their cambrics, &c. find their 
 way even into this ifland notwithdanding the war j 
 and what interruption, can the Danes, the Dutch^ 
 the Spaniards, the Swedes, Ruffians, &c. meet 
 with in carrying home goods bought in France 
 not contraband, to their refpeflive countries.- The 
 French inland trade to Germany, Spain* Italy, 
 and Holland, which is very confiderable, cannot 
 in the lead be interrupted by our cruifers. Doubt- 
 lefs the French are great fuffercrs in the lofs of 
 their fifhery, in the lofs of their (hipping, which 
 deprives them of the advantage of freightage, and 
 in the lofs of Guadaloupe, Canada, &c. but as 
 their country has not been the feat of war, it would 
 beunreafonable to fuppofe that their internal trade 
 had been wholly interrupted. According to their 
 
 own 
 
 - ./, ' 
 
Ihe 
 [ed 
 
 Ian 
 Ind 
 
 ta- 
 ina 
 ed 
 
 [ 59 ] 
 own writers, la Bagatelle eft le refource des Fran" 
 fois ; their trade in toys alone is of great impor- 
 tance to them. But allow liig the diminution of 
 their trade to be exceeding grear, it can only be 
 Jooked upon as temporary ; for we may as well 
 fuppofe that the trees, which have no leaves in 
 winter will never fprout again, as imagine that the 
 French, who have great number*' of expert ma- 
 nufadlurers, and mod prudent regulations for the 
 condudling of commerce, will not quickly reco- 
 ver a very confiderable trade, if their commodities 
 .are offered to market cheaper than ours. Tho' 
 they fliould not for the future be allowed to fifli 
 in the American 1< as, yet if we indolently negledt 
 the fifhery on our own coafts, which might prove 
 to us a moft fruitful nurfery of hardy failors, we 
 may perhaps in a few years fee the coafls of Ice- 
 land crouded with French fifhing velfels. in confe- 
 quence of a treaty berween them and the king of 
 Denmark. It may then be allowed that the war 
 has been extremely detrimental to the French 
 trade •, but it mufl alfo be granted that their com- 
 merce is far from being plucked up by the roots, 
 and that it will undoubtedly revive again upon 
 the return of a peace. As Germany has been mi- 
 ferably haraffed for thefe five years pafl: by nu- 
 merous armies, its trade and manufadlurcs muft 
 confequently be greatly diminifhed ; but its im- 
 perial cities being in a manner unconnected with 
 the quarrel of the princes, and fome provinces 
 having but flightly felt the miferies of the war, 
 trade, in all probability, has been carried on more 
 brilkly than ufual in thefe laft exempted places, as 
 the immenfe fums of gold and filver fent thither 
 to fupport the troops, would greatly quicken the 
 demand for their manufaftures. At the return 
 pfa peace, therefore, many Gcfman mer^han.ts 
 
 I 2 will 
 
 I 
 
 Is 
 
 , i'l 
 
 W 
 
t 6o ] 
 
 will be In poficfTion of large fums, which will 
 gradually circulate thro' the country, and foon 
 reftore their trade to its former ballance. Our 
 trade in the mean time has doubtlefs gained by 
 the decay of theirs, and that of the French ', but 
 it has received no augmentation at the expence 
 of the Dutch or the Danes, for the commerce of 
 both thefe nations, as well as of the Spaniards, 
 has been enlarged fince the breaking out of the 
 war. If the Swedcrs and Ruflians have not great- 
 ly incrcafed their trade, yet they have formed fuch 
 regulations as tend to enlarge it at our expence, 
 by encouraging the eftablifliment of new manu- 
 factures of various kinds. In HufTi^ particularly 
 they have begun to carry on feveral manufactures 
 of woollen cloth-, and a few months ago we find 
 that a new council of commerce was inftituted at 
 Peterfburgh. The devaftations in Germany, the 
 conquefb of the French colonies, and the lofs of 
 their fiiipping are then, in rcfpedt of other nations, 
 the chief caules of our prefent increafed trade, but 
 thefe are merely temporary, excepting that arifing 
 frdm the conquefts which (hall be retained by us 
 at the peace. 
 
 The prefent increafe of our trade, however, is 
 more owing to fomecaufes operating within our- 
 felves, than to any great diminution of the trade 
 of France and Germany, and thefe caufes alfo 
 muft ceafe at a peace. The large fums of money 
 carried out to America, to fupply the exigences 
 of the war on that continent, have occafioned 
 more than an ordinary confumption and circula- 
 tion among our cok)nifts, and confequently in- 
 creafed their demands for the manufaftures and 
 commodities of the mother country ; but when 
 the war is concluded, this channel in a great mea- 
 fure will be fhut up. The materials for our land 
 
 an4 
 
 ^•*'. 
 
C 6« 1 
 
 3nd naval armaments are extremely expenfive, and 
 fo far as they are railed and fabricated at home, 
 they give employment to great numbers of manu- 
 fadurers, and increafe our ii.ttrnal traffic •, but 
 fo far as we are obliged to purchafe them of the 
 Swedes or Ruffians, the commerce, tho* ic may 
 occafion fome ftir, can fcarcely be called advan- 
 tagious. However great our internal trade may 
 be in confequence of the demand for warlike ftorcs 
 of all kinds*, yet 'tis evident that when the war 
 ceafes that muft alfo ceafe. The lafl: extraordi.iary 
 fource of our increafed trade, and which indeed is 
 the primary fountain from whence all the oher 
 fources are fupplied, is the annual multiplication 
 of our paper money in confequence of the loans 
 to the government. This fource from which we 
 have drawn imaginary millions yearly will be en- 
 tirely fhut up at the peace, and it is for the bene- 
 fit of the nation that it ffiould be fo ; for tho* in 
 times of neccffiry it gives a temporary relief, yet 
 its remote efFeds are fure to occafion great langour 
 and weaknefs, if we do not anticipate them by a 
 fpeedy recourfe to the natural means of fubfiftence. 
 This artificial fupport is like lime laid to the root 
 of a tree, which by fucli cultivation may for two 
 or three years yield plentiful forced crops, but if 
 the lime were to be annually augmented, the tree 
 inftead of profpering would wither and die, tho' 
 it might have lived for ages, if it had been fup- 
 plied with nourifUment that was natural to it. The 
 Spaniards when their plate fleets brought them 
 home annually feveral millions of filver from A- 
 merica, no doubt rejoiced greatly at the increafe 
 of their fpecie, which ferved as a fund for the ex- 
 pences of their ambitious princes, and enabled 
 private perfons to turn greater confumers, that is, 
 p purchafe greater quantities of all kinds of fo- 
 reign 
 
 
 •VI 
 
 '^ 1 
 V I 
 
 
[ 6. ] 
 
 md 
 
 li 
 
 idle 
 
 reign commo-iiik's, and to Jive in an luic ana 
 luxurious manner. '1 ho fc who did not confider 
 dillant con(cqucnccs, probably concluded that their 
 nation was becoming every day more formidable, 
 and would foon be able to give law to all Europe; 
 but the event quickly fliewed that the rapid incrcafe 
 of their wealth had only fcrved to exhauft and 
 enervate them. If two or three millions of filver 
 flowing in annually upon the Spaniards without 
 any exertion of induliry on their part, proved in 
 the end extremely prtjuuicial to them, ought not 
 we to be a!armed at the annual influx of three or 
 four millions of artificial fpecie, which as to irs 
 remote eifcds deadens trade, while at the fame 
 dm: it gives frefh vigour ro luxury. During a 
 war indeed it might be allowable to iflTue annually 
 one million of artificial fpecie to prevent the fl:ag- 
 nation of trade which then meets with many ob- 
 flrudlions •, but as has already been mentioned, 
 the taxes ought not to be it fiened during a peace, 
 till the incumbrance contraded during the war be 
 entirely cleared ofi^, othtTv/ife any advantage that 
 accrued from it to the fl:atc, will be overballanccd 
 by the detiiment received fiom it afterwards. - 
 
 1 he chit f caufcs of our increafed trade appear- 
 ing to be all temporary, and fome of them even 
 to be of a hurtful tendency, its prefent vigour 
 would feem but a weak foundation for boalling 
 of the naticjn's profperity, while we find mofl: pf 
 our European neighbours daily eftablifhing new 
 manufadlures, and barring the entrui-ce of ours 
 into their dominions by unfriendly prohibitions, 
 and fome even by peremptory exclufions. 
 
 If we continue inattentive to the fatal confe- 
 quencesof the heavy national incumbrances, which 
 have greatly enhanced the prices of our manu- 
 tacj:ure5, and copfequently encouraged foreigners 
 
 to 
 
[ 63 ] 
 
 to rival Us i if no means are thought of for pro*- 
 moting the nation's folid interell, by putting a bit 
 in the mouths of our money- mongers j by cafing 
 the people of the annual tribute they pay to pri- 
 vate perfons ; by turning their views to fuch me- 
 thods of advancing their fortunes as are confiftenc 
 with the public welfare, and by countenancing 
 thofe who have the boldnefs to ftcm the tide of 
 corruption and venality, our prefcnt puffy great- 
 nefs, however flattering its appearance, may juftly 
 be compared to the fhewy fplendor of a foap 
 bubble, and may quickly be fucceeded by a molt 
 enervating debility. 
 
 The prefcnt vigorous exertion of the nation, 
 1 allow, feems far from boding fuch a reverfe of 
 fortune j but a ftate as well as a human body, by 
 prefuming too far upon its aflivity and over-ex- 
 erting its natural flrength, may contratTt a moft 
 dangerous diftemper, tho' the effects of that di- 
 ftemper may not appear till a confiderablc time 
 after the caufe operated. The Spaniards in the 
 reign of their monarch Philip II. aftonifhed all 
 Europe with their affluence, their numerous and 
 well difciplined armies, and their moft formidable 
 fleets i and who, in thofe days, would have believ- 
 ed that fuch a difplay and exertion of ftrength 
 was a prelude to almoft two centuries of languor 
 and weaknefs ; yet fuch we have found it has ac- 
 tually proved. 
 
 The French during the long period of the reign 
 of Lewis XIV, had raifed their power and great- 
 nefs to fuch a degree, as fingly to difpute the fo- 
 vereignty of the fea with the two moft formidable 
 naval powers of Europe united, and to bafRe the 
 utmoft efforts of many powerful ftates leagued 
 againft them. But their ambitious monarch hav- 
 ing a pride in enlarging his territories, without 
 /: ever 
 
 fi 
 
 4-] 
 
[ 64 i 
 
 ever reckoning on the expence either of blood 6f 
 treafure, went on augmenting the charges of his 
 government, incrcafing his armies, and accumu- 
 lating his debts, till at length he exhaufted the 
 natural ftrength of his dominions, and introduc- 
 ed as much mifery into his kingdom as if it had 
 been ravaged by a vidorious enemy. His domi- 
 nions being enlarged with fome new acquifitions 
 of territory, and numerous armies being main- 
 tained in the field by him to the laft, the mifery 
 of his kingdom was only looked upon as tempo- 
 rary; and it was generally concluded that the 
 French in confequence of his conquefts had efta;- 
 blilhed their power more firmly than ever. Their 
 mifery fo far as it regarded a want of fubfiftencd 
 among the poorer fort was indeed only temporary j 
 and it may be allowed that no people recruit flight 
 misfortunes more fpeedily than the French ; but 
 the excelTive deftrudion of men, and wafte of 
 treafure, the great diminution of trade, and the 
 incumbrances upon the (late in confequence of the 
 anticipation of its revenues, and the great numbei^ 
 of placemen and annuitants, funk the whole king- 
 dom into difficulties and diftrefks, which have a^ 
 length fo weakened and enervated them, that at 
 this day they are net able to bear the expence 
 of naval armaments, and cannot even fupport 
 land expeditions in fuch a manner as to rcndef 
 then formidable to one flate, much lefs toa grandi 
 alliance. 
 
 As the heavy incumbrances brought upon the 
 Spaniards and French bv the impolitic ambition 
 of Philip II. and Lewis XIV. have been the chief 
 caufes of the prefent debility of tho'c kingdoms^ 
 have not we the jufteft reafon to dread the confe- 
 quences of our enormous encumbrances, efpe"- 
 cially as they are larger in proportion to the grcat- 
 
 nefs 
 
II. n 
 
 t 65 J 
 
 hbts of this fl;ate, than thofe which exhaufted thi 
 flrehgth of France and Spain. 
 
 The nation fcems arrived at a moft intcrefting 
 trifis> and probably peace will cither foon intro- 
 duce languor and decay, in confcquence of the 
 commercial rivalfhip of all our neighbours, or if 
 care is taken to eafe us at hdme, >^e (hall fee more 
 vigorous eicrtions than ever in every part o^ the 
 ifland, and not only new manufadures eilablifned^ 
 but new lands brought into cultivation^ and new 
 buildings carried on in all our cities and towns. 
 The heavy national debts plainly threaten us with 
 the former ; but when we fcfled that we are ac 
 prefent blcflld with a virtuous king, and an un- 
 corrupt and ftrcnuous adminiftration, we have 
 the greateft re.ifon to exped the lat er, efpecially 
 as expedients now offer themfelves for clearing off 
 the public debts, which would have heen im- 
 prai5^icab!e fixty years ago; and Britain, fince its 
 colonies are become fo populous and extenfive, 
 may be regarded as the head of a vaft empire, 
 which can fubfift and be very powerful without 
 depending folely upon the precarious fupport of 
 foreign commerce. 
 
 While England was more burdened than pro- 
 fited by its American colonies, and was flraitened 
 on the North by the rival kingdom of Scotland, 
 the chief fource of its wealth and power confided 
 in its advantageous traffic with foreign nations. 
 But as Great Britain now forms one united (late, 
 arid its colonies are not only a ready market for 
 its manufactures, but alfo fupply us abundantly 
 with a great variety of commodities, which wc 
 formerly purchafed from other nations, foreign 
 commerce is now lefs neceffary, ^^d the mod lo- 
 lid means of promoting our future aggrandize- 
 pient, would be to jgive the greateft cncourage- 
 
 K ment 
 
[ 66 1 
 
 tntnt to population and induftry. The two Iargi& 
 and fruitful iflands of Britain and Ireland could 
 fupport more than double the number of their 
 prefent inhabitants ; and beftdes, Britons may now 
 live in America adjoining to Britons, as fecure 
 from a foreign enemy as in an iQand, for an extent 
 of upwards 2000 miles. 
 
 The apprehenfions of fome, that if we fufFer 
 our colonies to fpread over North America, they 
 will foon (hake off their dependance upon their 
 mother country^ feem weak and groundlefs. Oo 
 the contrary, as the judicious author of the in- 
 terefi of great Britain conjidered with regard to 
 her colonies obferves, the wider we fpread our 
 colonies, on that continent, there is the lefs reafon 
 to fear their being difunited from us. While they 
 enjoy the fame liberties and privileges as other 
 Britons ; We need not apprehend a univerfal con- 
 federacy, and it would not be the intereft of any 
 one colony to be difunited from the Britifh Em- 
 pire, or of the others to fufFer fuch a difmember- 
 ment. The different governments are mutual 
 checks upon each other 5 if we (hall therefore form 
 two or three colonies on the Ohio and MifHiTippi, 
 we thereby add fo many new pledge? for fecuring 
 the fidelity of the whole. That the immediate 
 intereft of any fimple colony (hould be fubfcrvicnt 
 to the intereft of G. Britain, could afford no juit 
 caufe of murmuring or difcontent, as this would 
 only be making the intereft of z part give way to 
 the intereft of the whole ; and in this ifland, we 
 often find private pcrfons obliged to fell part of 
 their property to accommodate the public. The 
 defire of having a capital city among them, could 
 hardly be a temptation to the colonifts to revolt, 
 for fuppofing this (hould happen, one province 
 could only be benefited by it, and the others, in- 
 8 ftead 
 
,* 
 
 ; [ ^7 ] 
 
 ftcad of gaining an independancy, would becdme 
 more dependant than they arc at prcfcnt. If wc 
 would wifli the capital of the Britilh dominions 
 to be fo fituated, as bcft to promote the advan- 
 tage of the whole Empire, it would be difficult, 
 if not impoffiblc", to find a fpot more proper than 
 that on which the city of London is built. As 
 the intercourfc betwixt America and this ifland 
 is open and uninterrupted, we ought to look upon 
 our colonies there, merely as an extenfion of our 
 infular territory, rendering us ftiil penitus toto di- 
 vifos erbe ; and, if they are confidercd in this 
 view, they will appear as worthy of our attention 
 as any affairs on the continent of Europe. 
 
 Of late, many people have begun to be alarmed 
 at the greatnefs of the RufTian empire ; but let 
 us compare the extent, the populoufncfs, and 
 power of this fo much dreaded Empire, with the 
 extent and ftrength of the Britilh empire. The 
 territories belonging to Britaiii in Europe and 
 America (if we include Canada, and all on 
 the eaft fide of the MiffilTippi,) are near equal 
 in extent to the territory belonging to Ruf- 
 fia, in Europe and Afia, reckoning all fouth 
 from the 60 degree of latitude. As to the value 
 of the northern defarts of Siberia and Tartary, 
 that is greatly overbalanced by our fettlements in 
 the Eaft Indies, and on the coaft of Africa. The 
 RufTians, it is true, are fuperior to us in numbers 
 of people ; but, if we confine ourfelvcs to the 
 civilized inhabitants in each Empire (for little ac- 
 count is to be made of the barbarous Tartars fub- 
 jeil to the one» or of the favages fubjcd to the 
 other) the fuperiority will probably be but very 
 inconfiderable. Or, if we rather reckon only the 
 number of wealthy nobles, the ingenious and fkill- 
 ful artifts, expert manufafturcrs, and induftrious 
 
 K 2 labourers 
 
 I*-, 
 
f <8 3 
 
 )ai.bourer8 in each Hate, the fuper|prity may juftif 
 ]x concluded to be on our Hide. The eafinefs of 
 communication contributes to the ftrength of a 
 Kingdom, and it is evident, fhz^ the mcfchandife 
 oj^ the Ohio, could be tranfported to Britain, in 
 9 (borter time than the caravans are condude4 
 from the eaftern parts of the Ruffian dominions to 
 Pcterfburgh. The numerous armies of the Ruf- 
 jtians make their power appear formidable ^ but 
 when we confider that the revenues if that (late are 
 not above alixth paftof our^, and are not fufBcient 
 (o put ^hofe armies jn motion without foreign 
 fubfidies, their troops cannot be regarded as an 
 adtual force, but as an heavy burden upon them- 
 ifelves, which greatly retards the improvement cf 
 their country and the civiliziDgof their people. 
 
 But were their armies to be even more numefr 
 pus than they are, their (late could notjuftly be 
 reckoned formidable, as their cxtenfive land fron- 
 tier is liable to 1^ invaded by the Chinefe, the 
 Pcrfians, the Turks, the Pole?, the Germans, and 
 the Swedes, all of whom except the Chinefe are 
 both powerful and warlike nations. Our fron- 
 tiers, on the other hand, if we retain Canada and 
 make the Miiiiilippi the weftern boundary of our 
 empire^ cannot be invaded by land, but by fmall 
 parties of American favagcs whofe power can ca- 
 fily be controlled j and if an enemy (hould threaten 
 to invade our diflant territories by Tea, our floating 
 fortrefles are always ready to carry fuccours thi- 
 ther, and to retaliate the injuries of the invaders. 
 While we therefore maintain our fuperiority at fea 
 unrivalled, our territories in America need not be 
 looked upon as disjoined from Britain, and fo 
 Jong as they continue thus, we need not fear be- 
 ijiig over- toped by the great Ruffian empire, or by 
 9^j other power in Europe. 
 
 But 
 

 a 
 ife 
 
 I ^9 1 
 
 ^'ut as the American continent claimed by Uf , 
 )s inhabited not only by great numbers of civilized 
 puropeans and their defcendants, but alfo by 
 multitudes of favagc$, if we would wifh to fee our 
 power confirmed and peace folidly eftablifhed 
 there, we ought to mak it our chief ftudy to ci- 
 vilize the barbarous Indian tribes adjoining to our 
 colonies. We have felt the pernicious efFedls of 
 treating them with contemptuous pride and over- 
 bearing haughtiness, an^i of fuH'cring packmen to 
 wander among them and to cheat them in their 
 $icalings. We have alfo fcen in the example of Sir 
 William Johnfon, that they may be eafily attached 
 to us by ads of humanity, and by obferving a 
 piofl fcrupulous fmcerity in our tranfadions with 
 them. If they were all civilized and made obc- 
 llient fubjefls they would be a confiderable ad* 
 dition to our power ; but tho* we (hould not have 
 the leart dealings with them, our colonies on that 
 f:ontinent would ftill be of the utmoft importance to 
 this nation. In all prbability the Indians do not 
 purchafe Britifli manut dures to the value of a 
 pound a-piece annually, and is this trade of fuch 
 inighry confequcnce, that we fhould embroil 
 fjjurfclvcs coniinually on that account, facrifice 
 fnany fuperior confidcrations to it, and have the 
 fword eternally drawn. While we fufrcr the word 
 pf our fubjedls to travel among them, and tq, 
 f heat and deceive them, 'tis but natural to expedt 
 that they who look upon private revenge as a na- 
 tural right, will defpife the formalities of com- 
 plaining, and do themfelves prompt juftice upon 
 the offenders. Some of our colonies, therefore, 
 haVvi prudently prohibited packmen from travel- 
 ing among them, and have eftablifhed truck- 
 houfes where the traffic is carried on under the di- 
 leftion of men of probity fetded t'jerc as fadbors 
 
 for 
 
 I 
 
r 70 ] ^ 
 
 for the public. If all our colonies obferved the 
 fame method, many occafions of a rupture would 
 thereby probably be cut off, and a mutual good 
 underftanding become more permanent. 
 
 It would alfo be no di (honour to this nation, if 
 we were earneftly to apply ourfelves to familiarize 
 them to our manner of life, and to inftrudt them 
 in the Chriftian religion, and if four or five yean 
 refidence among them were to be made the ruad 
 to folid preferment in the church, I doubt not 
 but many miflionaries would quickly offer them- 
 felves. To attempt to influence the individuals 
 among them to lay afide their own manners and 
 adopt ours, would probably be but an unfuccefs- 
 ful labour, but if we could once perfuade the 
 chiefs of their tribes, and their leading men to 
 glory in imitating us, we might reafonably expedt 
 that the fafhion would quickly fpread among their 
 followers ; for Regis ad exemplum totus componitur 
 orbis, Hiflory furnifhes us with feveral inftances 
 of princes and princelTes converted to Chriftianity 
 and introducing that religion among their heathen 
 fubjefls. If two or three of the Indian chiefs 
 were to be fuccelFively refident here, and allowed 
 appointments like thofe granted to the ambaifa* 
 dors from the Barbary flates ; if they were taught 
 that all of them being allies to the fame great 
 king, they ought not to war againfl each other ; 
 if they were perfuaded to build better houfes, and 
 to have fome coftly furniture in them, their fa- 
 vage animofny againfl us, and againfl each other 
 would probably ceafe, and they would begin to 
 prefer fettled habitations to a wandering life, which 
 would be a confiderable ftep to their forfaking 
 their barbarous cufloms, and embracing the man- 
 ners of civilized nations. 
 
 But 
 
 I 
 
I 
 
 But It would be vain to expert a contltmanco 
 of tranquillity in America, if Canada (hould be 
 reftorcd to the French, or if they (hould be fuf- 
 fercd to enjoy the free navigation of the river Mif- 
 fiflippi. By retaining Canada and totally exclud- 
 ing them from that part of North America, on 
 this (ide the river MifTiITippi, we fave ourfelves 
 from the charge of defending a land frontier, and 
 render the building of forts in the northern colo- 
 nies unnecellary. Thus the whole extent of coun- 
 try bounded on the Weil by the MiirifTippi, and 
 extending on the North to Hudfon's Bay, could be 
 protected at a lefs charge than would be required 
 to defend one half of it, if the other half were 
 ceded to the French. By excluding the French 
 we oblige the Indians to be more tradable and 
 fubmiflive, for finding themfelves encircled every 
 where with Britons ready and able to revenge any 
 infults from them, they would be under a necefTity 
 of continuing a friendly intercourfe, or at leaft 
 of abftaining from violences. Our colonics would 
 likewife be induced to fpread themfelves diffu- 
 iively, when they found that they might make 
 new fettlements with fecurity ; and it is for the 
 intereft of Britain that they (hould be widely fcat- 
 thered as planters, rather than be concentered as 
 manufadkurers in large towns. 
 
 Some who erroneoufly eftimate the national ad- 
 vantages arifing from our conquefls, as the mer* 
 chant computes the advantage arifing from his 
 traffic, namely by the ballance of money that they 
 bring into us, affirm that Guadalupe is of more 
 importance to the nation than Canada, and that 
 if we are to reftore one of them at the peace, it 
 ought to be the latter, as all the commodities that 
 can be imported from thence are not a th'rd of 
 the value of thofe which Guadalupe can furniffi 
 
 us 
 
us with. Bu^ to thofe who think peace, fccuBlfi 
 and fuch an union of territory as doubles the 
 ftrength of the whole, to be the moft confiderable 
 national ad^/antages, Canada ^nd its dependancies* 
 will appear of more iniportan( e to us than the 
 moft wealthy of the Frcrich Weft India ilUnds. 
 England draws ten time:^ as much money from 
 Portugal as from Scotland^ yet its union wit the 
 latter is of inBniteiy more importance to it than 
 its connexion with the former kmgcjottl. The 
 retaining of Canada, in all probability, will fa vc 
 this nation the cxpence of many millions, by Cut- 
 ting off any oecafion of a rupture in thOfe parts, 
 and will foon double our ftrength ori the cohcii.ent 
 of America •, but we Can hardly teap any advan- 
 tage from the po^efllon of Guadalupe that we 
 could not acquire by cultivating the neutral ifland^ 
 in its neighbourhood. 
 
 But if we refleft on our fuccefles during this 
 war, and on the diftrefs of our enemy, it will, I 
 think, be difficult to aftlgn a reafori why we 
 fiiould be reduced to the alternative of either giving 
 up Guadalupe or reftoring Canada. If the French 
 could find iufficient refources for fupporting the; 
 cxpence of the war ; if they were fuperior on the 
 ocean, had a moft flourilhtng trade, and had con- 
 quered Jamaica and one or two of our northern 
 colonies without having loft any thing confider- 
 able themfelves, would they with fuch a fuperi- 
 ority, think of the reftitution of any of their con- 
 qaefts? 
 
 No doubt the conquerors, as well as the con- 
 quered, have need of peace *, but it can hardly be 
 made a queftion which of them arc under the moft: 
 prefiing neceflTity to have tranquillity reftoredi 
 The vanquifhed muft certainly feel the miferi^s 
 erf" the w«»\r in a much greater degree than the vic- 
 tors ; 
 
 
 *»' . • "^ 
 
 
4- 
 
 I 7i r 
 
 tors; it is more reafonable therefore that they 
 fliould purchafe a peace by relinquKhing their 
 claims to what they have not been able to defend, 
 than that the vidors (hoiild condefcend to buy an 
 acco'iimodatioii by reftoring conquells, which 
 they find themfclves fully able to maintain. If 
 Guadalupe then (hould be judged worth the keep- 
 ing on the terms of the capitulation, we are en- 
 titled by our prefent fuperlority to retain both it 
 and Canada. 
 
 Tho* the French fhould be allowed to fettle on 
 the Weft of the Milliffippi, it would not be pro- 
 per to grant them the free navigation of that river 
 with veffels of any force. Confidering their en- 
 croaching difpofition, 'tis probable they would 
 make fuch a concefllon a handle for trading with 
 the Indians on this fide the river, and ftirring 
 them up to difturb any new fcttlements we might 
 form in thofe parts, or on the banks of the Ohio. 
 Were we on the other hand to keep two armed 
 floops fucceffively Rationed in thofe rivers, fuch 
 a difplay of our power would awe the Indians 
 more, and be lefs expenfive to us than land forts. 
 If the French were totally excluded, and the bar- 
 barity of the Indians was reprelled, our prefent 
 colonies would foon branch out into thofe fertile 
 countries, and would fupply them with fcttlers 
 without any further drain from the mother coun- 
 try. ^ 
 
 But when the branches are becoming every day 
 more large and numerous, there is a neceffity that 
 the trunk which fuftains them fhould alfo be en- 
 larged. Tho' the power of Britain be augmented 
 by her colonies, yet her chief dependance for main- 
 taining her prefent or future greatnefs muft be 
 upon her internal ftrength, which ought to in- 
 crcafe in proportion as her foreign fettlemcnts in- 
 
 L crcafe, 
 
 '^ 
 
 1^4^:^ 
 
r 74 ] _ 
 
 crcafe, to fcrve as a juft counterpoife to their in- 
 fluence. The expences of government are almoft 
 all railed upon the inhabitants of this ifland alone» 
 and it is they chiefly who compofe our armies and 
 man our lieets. Th' true fouice for fupplying all 
 thcfe will be fmnci lo be great numbers of people, 
 and thofc pcopU cinployrd in virtuous induftry. 
 Mod of our writers on national affairs both an- 
 tient 31x1 modern, fcem to have almoit wholly 
 overlooks I rhegreir advant^iges of population and 
 internal traffic, but h;ive eiilarged without ceafing 
 on the benefit of foreign trade ; and the fame par- 
 tial and mercenary fpirit fcems in times paft to 
 have even infcded our national councils. For 
 one a6b in favour of agriculture we have twenty 
 in favour of commerce, and almoft every year 
 there arc prupofais canvaflfed for cultivating fome 
 new branch of foreign trade. But what gardener 
 is fo abfjrd as to think of cultivating the branches 
 of his trees ? lie applies his culture to the root, 
 and in his management of the branches, only takes 
 care that no branch fhall be fo luxuriant as to de- 
 prive the others of proper nourifhment. 
 
 It was an obfervation, I think, of Sir William 
 Petty, that if all the people of Scotland and Wales 
 were tranfplanted into England, and thofe coun- 
 tries were buried in the fea, it would be greatly 
 for the advantage of England. This fentiment 
 has been often repeated with applaufe, as a proof 
 offlarewd difcernment, tho' it is hardly poflible 
 to men. ion a more bhnd and partial Jecifion. I 
 will ftate a cafe, which is not like his out of the 
 courfe of nature, and which plain fcnle might 
 have didlated to many of our writf^rs on trade, if 
 they had not been fo prejudiced as to refer almofl: 
 all national advantages, not to the extenfion of 
 territory and the peopling of that territory, but 
 
 to 
 
 • '>^Vi^' 
 
 
^ ■ [ 75 1 
 
 to the extenfion of commerce, and the wealth 
 arifing from it. Suppofe the whole ifland of Bri- 
 tain, contained double the number of its prefcnt 
 inhabitants, and the cultivation of irs lands was 
 alfo doubled, it could not be lon^; before its fo- 
 reign commerce would be greatly enlarged with- 
 out one new ad of parliament in it, favour, and 
 the ftate would be twice as povverlul as it no'v is, 
 even tho' it were not fo rich. Sir William Petty's 
 falft and narrow notion of eflimatinp; the power 
 of a ftate in proportion to its wealth, feems to 
 have been adopted by mofl: of our v/ritc:.s on com- 
 inerce, and has long been a prevalent and un- 
 difputed opinion; but the fer.:iments cfthe great 
 Lord Bacon were very different. Ulna ^yigis tri- 
 tum^ he fays, qttam verum^ q^ucd nervi bcl.i fmt 
 fecunia. 
 
 The wealth acquired by commerce ir confider- 
 cd by writers on trade as the fummum lonum o\ a 
 ftate, and that channel which brings jn mod mo- 
 ney is by them judged moft profitable, tho' ic 
 perhaps prevents us from purfuing another which 
 "would give employment to twice the number of 
 people ; but in their opinion, no matter how few^ 
 people, provided the ballance of trade be large. 
 If a perfon at home earns annually forty pounds, 
 and fpends forty pounds, the nation, they affirm, 
 is nothing the better for him ; but one perfon em- 
 ployed in 'commerce, will, from the ballance of 
 the trade carried on by him, bring annually five 
 pounds into the nation, confequently ic is the tra- 
 der alone that advantages the (late. But let us 
 fuppofe the perfon ftaying at home, and fpending 
 all that he earns, to beget four children, he will 
 in that view be as valuable a member of the com- 
 monwealth as the other, if he has no other merit 
 to plead than that of adding five pounds yearly to 
 
 L 2 the 
 
the national (lock. Our Weft India planters in 
 in the valuation of their properties, rate the negro 
 children at eight or ten pounds a head \ is it noc 
 then reafonable that free born children in cftimat- 
 ing the national ftock fhould be valued at twice 
 as much as negroes, as the arts and trades follow- 
 ed b/ the.n are of more importance to a Itate 
 than the manual labour of Haves. 
 
 Suppofe we fhould double our commerce, with- 
 out the acquifition of new people (which might 
 be done, if all who are id'e in the nation were fet 
 to work, and new machines were invented for 
 fhortening labour) yet even on this fuppofition, 
 the public revenue would thereby be but very little 
 augmented. But were the number of fubjeds to 
 be doubled, tho' our commerce were hardly of 
 greater extent than at prefent, cither the public 
 revenue would be doubled, or the taxes would be 
 Jowered one half. It is allowed that there is not 
 fuch an abundance of money in France as in this 
 ifland, and that the people here in general are 
 much richer than the French. How comes it 
 then that their revenue is fo very confiderable ? 
 The anfwer is plain, namely, that they have more 
 than twice the number of Subjedls that we have 
 to raife it upon. Eighteen millions of people 
 paying ten fliillings a head, will raife a greater re- 
 venue tlian eight millions of people who are able 
 to pay Hfteen (hillings each. 
 
 If there were double the prefent inhabitants in 
 this idand there would be double the number of 
 houfes, and the value of land would alfo be dou- 
 bled, confc^quently the land-tax would amount to a 
 fum twice as large as at prefent. On the fame 
 fuppofition there would be double the quantity of 
 beer and all other cxcifeable commodities con- 
 fumed, wliich would a Ub double the revenue in 
 
 . _ that 
 
-•/ 
 
 \ 
 
 that branch. But befidcs the increafe of revenue, 
 our commerce could not fail of being enlarged, 
 which would augftient the number of our failors 
 and the ftate would alfo be able to raifc armies 
 twice as numerous as the prefent, without diftref- 
 ling our manufadlures. The power and greatncfs 
 of the kingdom then depends muth more upon 
 numbers of people, if they are but fo employed 
 as to prevent the nation from lofing by its foreign 
 traffic, than upon the ballance of trade however 
 confiderable it may be. 
 
 As numbers ot people are of the greateft im- 
 portance to a ilate, and it is generally acknow- 
 Jeged that thereMS a great deficiency of popula- 
 tion in this idand, ought not we to encourage fo- 
 reign Proteftants to fettle among us, by trccly 
 granting them the privileges of native fubjedls by 
 one general a6l of naturalization. Our wars arc 
 unavoidably becoming every day more and more 
 expenfive ; is it not then abfolutely neceflkry to 
 think of refources for enabling the nation to fup- 
 port that expencc in fuch a manner as the indi- 
 viduals may not be burdened by it, either during 
 a war itfeif, or for generations afterwards. And 
 to any pcrfon who will but diveft himfelfofthe 
 commonly received prejudices, the trueft refourcc 
 for fupplying the expences of the war, will appear 
 to be great numbers of men, much rather than a 
 large ballance of trade. 
 
 If means were purfued for augmenting the 
 number of fubjeds, nothing could tend more to 
 counterpoife the too great influence of the monied 
 interell, as the properties of the landed gentlemen 
 would increafe in value in confequence of the new 
 occupiers of houfes and farms, and the revenues 
 of the ftate would alfo increafe, which would 
 render borrowing lefs neceflary, and be a fund for 
 
 2 paying 
 
i * 
 
 t ?8 3 ■ 
 
 pdying ofF the debts already contraifted without 
 any new tax. The rifing of rents, while money 
 is every day finking in its value, is but a mere 
 imaginary augmentation of an eftate ; but by in- 
 creafing the numbers of occupiers and confiimers, 
 both land and money would rife in value, and an 
 eftate might in that cafe be reckoned really im-^ 
 proved. 
 
 Let us, as I before obferved, confider Britain as 
 ihc center of a vail empire, and the trunk that 
 fuftains many large and wide fpreading branch'is, 
 it will be evident that foreign commerce needs no 
 longer be our principal concern ; but that we 
 ought to give our chief attention to the peopling 
 of this fertile ifland to the rcmoteft corners of it^ 
 that it may be able from itfelf to protefl its diftant 
 fettlements, afford them manufadures at an eafy 
 rate, and alfo fupply them occafionally with new 
 fcttlers, as emigrations thither will now probably 
 be more frequent than they have been for fome- 
 tlme pad. Great Britain could nevir fo eafiiy 
 fubfift without foreign commerce as at prefenr, 
 for the produflions of all foils and all climates may 
 now he found in Britilh territories *. 
 
 An 
 
 "If we regard the northern part- of America, we there 
 find the produflions ofRi3:Tia, Denmark, and Sweden. In 
 CKiT fouthcrft colonies we ra.fe the ihiits of China, Perfia, and 
 Arabia; and the proflurj of Italy, Spain, France, and 
 Turky, might eafily jc fuinilhcd to us from Penfilvania, 
 Maryland, Virginia, Carolina, and Georgia. Our attention 
 to cultivate the various produt^s fuited to the climate of our 
 different colonies, will in all probability be the moft cfFeftual 
 means of countcrafting the commercial fpirit that is now every 
 day more and more prevailing in almoll ail the nations of 
 Europe. The I'uperior advantages ariiing to Great Britain 
 from the wide extent of her te: ritones, have cot efoaped the 
 vbfervation of our neighbours, as appears from the following 
 iefle£Uon of a judiciou^i i snch wri:er. Depuu ^ueles ittterejls 
 
I 79 1 
 
 An extenlive (late, if it is at the iame time very 
 populous, could not fail of being rich and power* 
 Jul, tho' the whole of its manufadures were con- 
 fumed within itfclf. The Chinefe have but very 
 little foreign trade, yet their domeftic and inter- 
 nal traffic maintains upwards of ninety millions of 
 inhabitants. The foreign commerce of the Turks 
 is but very inconfiderabie ; yet no body will deny 
 but that they are a very formidable power. The 
 RulTians, tho* their country is thinly peopled, and 
 
 <jt commerce f he fays, ent une influence Jl marquee fur les frin- 
 cipaUs operations politiques, Vagricitlture eft devenue plus lumi- 
 neu/e, l^ plus for ijfante, Peut-eire arrivera-t-il que la k dance 
 du commerce des nations fera uniquemtnt celle du produit Je Uurs 
 terres i^ de leurs colonies > V Angle t err e qui afaifi de bonne heure 
 r importance d- cette ohjet a defrahe fa ^vaftes dtferts dont le pro- 
 duit a augmfnii confiderahlement les nchcfes di- la nation *, As 
 manykiiids of vines grow naturally in oar colonies, it i? fur- 
 prifing that we have 7b long nej»le£led the attempting to fup- 
 ply ourfelvcs with wine from thence. This commodity could 
 never interfere with the produce of :he moiher country, and 
 if brought to perfedlion, as there is the greateft reafon to 
 cxpeft, confidering the different climates of our colonies, 
 would be a direft rivalfhip of one of the main branches of 
 the commerce of the French, and hurt them more than the 
 lols of many battles. A modern French writer computes thac 
 by the fale of their wines to foreigners they gain a millioa 
 {i^erling annually, which is more than our colonifts gain by 
 the fale of their tobacco and rice together. The Virginia 
 planters ought to be excited by their perfonal interell to at- 
 tend to the cultivation of vines; for the demand for their 
 ftaple :ommodity may- foon be lelTened, if the French fuc- 
 cecd in their attempts to fapply themfelves wholly with to- 
 bacco of the growth of the fouthern provinces of France. 
 Out colonics for thefe few years paft have had the offer of 
 a premium for cultivating vines from the laudable fociety 
 for the encouragement of artJ, manufatlures, and com- 
 merce ; but when we confider the greatnefs and importance 
 of the objeft, it would fecm to merit rather the confideration 
 of parliament than of a private fociety* 
 
 • Corpt (fohfcrvatjom de h foc'tett d* agriculture ^ dt commerce, & Jut *rt', 
 tttddit j.ai let ctatt dt Bretagne, aittieti iJSlt I7S8« 
 
 they 
 

 [ 80 ] 
 
 they are far from abounding in wealth, arc nevcr- 
 rh^iffV a potent nation, and capable of defending 
 thernc ves againfl: any ftate m Europe. If thefe 
 nations who have an extenfive territory, are for- 
 iTiidab'e without foreign commerce, fo may Bri- 
 tain, if we maintain our fuperiority at fea, and 
 turn our attention to the further peopling of this 
 jfland and the territories belonging to it. Not 
 that I would wifh the Icaft decay in our foreign 
 trade : on the contrary, the augmenting the num- 
 ber of people in this ifland, would not only in- 
 creafe the power, but would be the trueft and 
 cafieft way of enlarging our commerce. I only 
 mean, that, confidering the extent of the Britifli 
 dominions, both in Europe and America, k is a 
 narrow vipw to regard this nation merely as a 
 commtrcial ftate, and the groflfeft abiurdity, vo- 
 luntarily to wiQi ourfelves in the fame fituation 
 with the Dutch, as to extent of t rritory, for 
 the fake of having a large balance of wealth, 
 fiowiiig in to us from all our neighbours. The 
 improving of our natural advantages, tlut is, the 
 peopling our wide dominions but more particu- 
 larly the ifland of Britain, with multitudes of in- 
 duftrious inhabitants, would render us both 
 powerful and wealthy, without the fupport of 
 foreign trade, which fcems every day bccomrng 
 more and more precarious, from the fuccefsful 
 rivain-jp of many of our neighbouring ftates. 
 The Dutch being confined to a very narrow and 
 barren territory, had no other means of maintain- 
 ing the ir independency and rendering themfclvcs 
 powerful, than that of applying themfelves to 
 foreign commerce, by which they have indeed ac- 
 quired great wealth j but, nevl^rthelefs, as their 
 territory is fmall, they never can be a formidable 
 ftate; and it is evident, that they have been pro- 
 tected 
 
[ 8i ] 
 
 tefted hitherto, more by the alliances oftbeir neigh- 
 bours, than by their own Itrength. The fyftcm 
 of another European State, namely Poland, is 
 quite different from that of the Dutch. Among 
 ti:e Poles, who have very little foreign commerce, 
 trade is in great difrepute ; but, as iheir nobles 
 take delight in agriculture, and their country is 
 fertile and cxtenfive, it atFords fubfiftance to a 
 great number of inhabitants, which renders them 
 a powerful nation, though they do not abound in 
 wealth. 
 
 If cither of thofe nations could unite to it the 
 advantages of the other, it would doubtlefs be 4 
 mod fiourifhing and formidable (late i but a 
 union of fuch diffejent advantages is plainly im- 
 pofTible for the Dutch or Poles. Great Britain, 
 however, having an extenfive territory, that will 
 admit of being extremely populous, as it has on 
 every fide a free communication with the fea, may 
 eafily unite the advantages peculiar to each of the 
 above mentioned dates, and is therefore greatly 
 deficient in her policy, while flic confines h.T at- 
 tention folelyto the advantages of commerce, and 
 negle6ls thofe arifing from population, which 
 16 much more fuited to the greatnefs of her em- 
 pire. Befides, population is fo far from interrupt- 
 ing commerce, that it is the very bafis of it ; and 
 could we by the offer of naturalization, and by 
 other encouragements, prevail with great num- 
 bers of induftrious foreigners to fettle among us, 
 we need give ourfelves little concern about enlarg- 
 ing our foreign trade ; for it would of itfclf force 
 its way without public dire<5tion, if vre only con- 
 tinue thofe bounties that have been found fo fer- 
 viceable in foftering infant manuladures. 
 
 We have in the courfe of this war, on a mode- 
 rate computation, left 20,000, of our foldier^ 
 buried in Germany j and our lol's of men irv pur 
 ' M other 
 
» 
 
 r 82 ] 
 
 other expeditions by Tea and land, in all probabili- 
 ty, exceeds 60,000, in number. Should we not 
 then wifh to fee their places lupplie.i by others, 
 who are defirous of making this country their 
 home, and would come to us in the vigour cf 
 their age, without having burdened the n tion with 
 the expences of their infancy. A foreign manufac- 
 turer who comes hiither eirher alone, or with his 
 wife and children, with a defign of making this 
 country his future abode, is^ from that moment, 
 no longer a foreigner, but a moll ufeful recruit, 
 cnlifted in the nation's fervice. The nation at pre- 
 fent is evidently in great want of many fuch re- 
 cruits, and if we could by an adl of naturaliza- 
 tion, draw great numbers of induftrious foreigners 
 hither, nothing could contribute more to lighten 
 the expences of government to the individuals, 
 and confequently to enable us to lower the prices 
 of our manufactures, which is the trueft means of 
 extt-nciing our commerce. The landed Gentlemen 
 particularly, would be doubly benefited by them j 
 for they would not only occafion a further im- 
 provement of land, and ar increafe of houles, both 
 which contribute to raife the rents of eliates, but, 
 by the fh^re they themfclves would bear in the 
 public burdens, the amount of the taxes wouM be 
 fo incrcafed, as to render a land tax, in time of 
 peace, no longer necefTary ^ and whither this is 
 not an obje(fl worthy of the attention of the landed 
 Gentlemen ! leave them to confuler. There is 
 no rank of men in the llacc indeed, except the 
 money brokers, who would rot quickly feel the 
 advantage of a confiderable acquifition of fo- 
 reigners*, but, to thcfe laft, an increafe of inhabi- 
 tants would be very difagreeable, as the flate, by 
 acquiring fuch a natural fupport, would be able 
 gradually to clear off its incumbrances, wiiich 
 would put a (lop to their ufurious traffic. . 
 
 PcnClr 
 

 t 83 ] 
 
 Penfilvanla and our other northern colonics 
 nave tek no inconvenience from the many thou- 
 fand Germans that have fettled there*, but when 
 we confider the prefent advanced and profpcrous 
 ilate of our American fettlements, and the defi- 
 ciency of a full population in this ifland, in pro- 
 portion to the extent of our don inion, it would 
 appear, that the nation would reap much more 
 advantage from the fettlement of great numbers of 
 induftrious foreigners in Britain, than if they 
 (hould tranfplant themfelvcs into any of our co- 
 lonies in America. 
 
 Could not almofl all our cities and towns eafily 
 admit of being twice as Idrge as they are ; and ^ 
 they were fo enlarged, would not the value ot the 
 Jands round them be confiderably increafed, and 
 Would not the nation, in time of war, be able to 
 exert itfelf with double vigour. Some indeed 
 iTioft abfurdly allege^ that all trades and profef- 
 iions afe already ovcrftockedj and to fuffer flran- 
 gers to flow in upon us, would be a means of 
 doubling the number of our poor and confe- 
 quently incrcafe the diftrcfTes of the nation. But 
 this allegation, if it proved any thing, would 
 prove too much ; for, upon the fame principle, 
 we ought to prohibit all marriages for a certain 
 number of years, to prevent for fome time the 
 birth of any more children, till thofe who are al- 
 ready born fhould in part be provided for. It 
 would doubtlefs be thought abfurd to affirm, that 
 the fettling of ico new fmiths at Birmingham, or 
 of lOO new weavers at Manchefter, would in- 
 creafe the poor of thofe towns, and it will appear 
 equally abfurd, if we make the fame fuppofi- 
 .tion m regard to all the cities and tov;ns in 
 Great Britain. 
 
 That there are great numbers of ic'le perf ns in 
 this ifland is an undoubted truth •, but tiiis is fo 
 
 M 2 far 
 
[ 84 ] 
 
 far fron7 being owing to an overabundance of 
 peojDle, thatj on the contrary, it is chiefly oc- 
 trafioncd by a fcarciiy of inhabitants, and, if Great 
 Britain contained double the number of people, 
 thtrc woald be fewer idle pcrfons in it than at prc' 
 fent, providing the laws relating to the poor were 
 new modeled and juftly regulated. Scotland and 
 Ireland are thinly peopled in comparifon of Eng- 
 land, yet the number of people wanting employ- 
 ment in thofe countries is more confiderable than 
 in this part of the ifland-, and many of their in- 
 habitants, merely for want of work at home, 
 come and feck employment in th': populous cities 
 of England. From this inftance alone, not to 
 produce others, it would appear, that thi re is tlie 
 greatefl: want of employment in thofe countries 
 that are moft thinly inhabited, efpccially when 
 the cuftom of forming new fcttlements has be- 
 come obfolete, as in Scotland and Ireland, which 
 is a great (}ekdi in their policy *. In a populous 
 Country, on tiie other hand, the reciprocal wants 
 of the inhabitants create employment tor all of 
 them, and thofe who follow the moft infignificant 
 
 * Many young and irduftrious manufacturers abAain from 
 mariying, or quit their native country for want of having 
 an cafy opportunity of fettling in life, as the value of lands 
 hear inhabited places is very high, and the rents of houfcs arc 
 a burden too heavy for them to bear. They might, however, 
 at a very fmall expence, be eafed of both ih fe incon- 
 veniences, if the parliaments of G. Britain and Ireland would, 
 every three or four years, mark out fpaces for new town?, at 
 proper dillances from arty other habitations, and offer feitlc- 
 racnts in them gratij^ to all manufadlurcrs, who ftioold 
 marry within that tern and to none elfe. The value of even 
 good I:ind, in wafle pFaces, is bui a mere trifle ; and to fettle 
 1000 induftrious f.imilic, in this manner, would not require 
 fuch a krge fum, as what is annually granted for endowing 
 the {oundling holpital, t.iough, in all probability, it would be 
 a means of laifing a grentcr number of fubjefts to the ftate, 
 than that very coftly poor hoofe. A capital objedlion indeed 
 may be made to this piopofal ; it is rot fafhionable. 
 
 2 pro* 
 
[ 85 1 
 profelTions often procure a better livelihood than 
 the pofleflbfs of hundreds of acres in a country 
 that is but thinly inhabited. • ♦ , 
 
 Abfurd prejudices, when loudly trumpeted 
 by a powerlul tadion, have often obftruded na- 
 tional meafures •, but as our parties and prejudices 
 have now moft happily ceafcd, and our rulers, of 
 late, have evidently puriued the welfare of the 
 ftate, with more difcernment, and more enlarged 
 views, than formerly, we may hope, that the on- 
 ly oppofition, a general bill of naturalization 
 would now meet with, would be from the cla- 
 mours of a few interelled tradefmen or thofe of 
 the ignorant mob. The outcry of the multitude, 
 however, ought not to be regarded in matters that 
 appear, with the evidence of mathematical dc- 
 monftrations, to perfons the lead acquainted with 
 hiftory and politics. Of the feveral millions of 
 people in England, during the rtign of Queen 
 Elizabeth, but a very few perfons had prudence 
 and forefight enough, to commend the enterprifcs 
 of Sir Walter Raleigh, and to forerel the benefit 
 his difcovcries would procure to the nation. He 
 was o|)cnly reviled on the (tge as a knave and 
 vilhin, ;while the learned men abroad, as well as 
 at home, were addrefling their works to him, as 
 to one of the moft illuftrious chara6ters in Eu- 
 rope. He, however, notwithftanding the cla- 
 mours of the mob, purfued his noble and patriot 
 dcfigns with unabated ardour, being conlcious, 
 that the cenfures of his envious cotemporaries 
 would be repaid with the admiration of pofterity. 
 
 Edward III. not only granted a free naturali- 
 zation to foreign manufadiurers, but even fup- 
 ported them upon their arrival here by an allow- 
 ance from the public treafury, till fuch time as 
 they fhould get employment-, and lik'* a great 
 prince, he checked the turbulent fpirit of fome 
 
 of 
 
t 86 ] 
 
 •f the inhabitants of his chief cities, who, ftoiri 
 narrow and fclfifh views, wanted to infult and op- 
 prefs the new comers. His ftcady perfevcrance in 
 purfuing the welfare of his dominions, though in 
 direft oppofidon to the prejudices of the age in 
 which he lived, was quickly attended with moft be- 
 neficial confequences. The foreign manufadburers 
 having infpired (he other inhabitants with a fpiric 
 of induftry, the national commerce was fo great- 
 ly increafed by their-joint endeavours, that, not- 
 withftanding his expenQve wars, his fubjedts, at 
 his death, abounded in wealth, though, before his 
 reign, they were remarkable ibr their meannefsand 
 poverty. 
 
 To conclude, the fettling of great numbers of 
 induftrious foreigners in this ifland, would fo evi- 
 dently promote the landed and commercial intereft 
 of the ftatc, that, as a farther inducement to 
 tempt them hither, we ought, befides the benefits 
 of naturalization, to offer them, if they do not 
 chufe to fettle in any town, the property of fo 
 much ground, as (hould be requifite for a fmall 
 houfe, in thofe parts of the ifland that are not yet 
 cultivated ; and in imitation of Edward III. to 
 difperfe proclamations to this purpofe all over 
 Europe. In the reign ot Queen Anne it was pro- 
 pofed^ to plant the Palatine refugees in the new 
 foreft in Hampfhire, which, before it was defo- 
 Jaied by William the conqueror, is faid to have 
 tontained thirty fix parilh churches v but a violent 
 faction, who prided themfelves in oppofing na- 
 tional meafures, prevented that falutary fcheme 
 from taking efT( ft. That fine fpor, which has 
 been unaccountably neglcfted, could contain many 
 thoufand foreigners; and there are many other 
 uncultivated parts of the ifland wheie great num- 
 bers of them might alfo, very convcnicnt'y, be 
 fettled. . - 
 
 The 
 
t 87 1 
 
 The nation is not only weakened for Want of 
 ft clue proportion of inhabitants •, but is alfo greatly 
 diftrelied by the floth and idlenefs that prevails a- 
 mong the poor, great numbers of whom are, in 
 a manner, legally i/ititled to live without induftry. 
 One of the objedions againft a ftanding army, ia 
 time of peace, is, the great cxpence to the nation of 
 maintaining i6, or 20,000 idle men, who ought 
 to fupport themfelves by their own labour; yet 
 we give no attention to the burden of another 
 army, confifting of do lefs than 600,000 perfons i 
 for fuch the number of thofc receiving alms was 
 computed to be about 60 years ago, and it has 
 rather encreafed, than dimini(hed, fince that time. 
 Suppofing one half of thcfe vc.e really invalids, or 
 infirm, who were juftly intitlcd to public charity, 
 is it not, however, a difgrace to our national 
 policy to fuffer the other half to prey upon the 
 ftate, when, by proper regulations, they might be 
 made to contribute to the fupport of it. 
 
 The aft for maintenance of tne poor is ftiled, by 
 an eminent writer, the true bane and deftrudtion 
 of all the Engli(h manufadturcs in general, as it 
 apparently encourages floth and beggary. If that 
 aft, or any others relating to the p or, are found 
 impolitic and burthenfome, ought we 10 fcruple to 
 make a thorough ref Tm in them, or to new mo- 
 del them entirely * When we confider what an 
 additional fpinc and vigour it would give to the 
 
 ftate. 
 
 • Tho* theminiftcrs of Queen Elizabeth vvercremaikable for 
 their policy and prudence, yet they wee lar from tseinc^ in- 
 fallibli ; and the following obfcrVHtiori of a judicious writer 
 in the reign of Charles [I. willlhew that her parlitmenfi did 
 not always undertland the true intcreft of the nation. '* The 
 " ad of the 1;. Eiiz. 4" he fays, '* provides that no pcrfon 
 ^' fliall tai:c an apprent ce for woollen maiufatturcs in an/ 
 '.* town corporate, marlccc town, or villa^^e, except fuch ap- 
 •* Dfentice dj; his fun, 0; elfe that uhe ^ arcutj have ihe clear 
 
 yearly 
 
f 88 ] 
 
 ftate, were the labour of 2, or 300,000 of its peo- 
 ple to be added to the natonal (lock of indiillry, ic 
 mud appear, aftonilhing, that the means of cf- 
 fcdting fuch an important purpofe have been de- 
 ferred from year to year, even in profound peate, 
 while affairs of very httle confequence have deep- 
 ly intcrefted our legiflators. To countenance by 
 law, the maintaining of the poor, I mean thoie 
 that are not infirm, any other way than by cm- 
 ploying them, is certainly a moft iaulty ellablifli- 
 ment, an eftablifhment which, it found among the 
 Mohawksor Iroquois would be ridiculed by us, as 
 contrary to common fcnfe, and mentioned as an 
 inftance of their barbarilm. 
 
 For many years pall, the mifchiefs arifing from 
 the idlenefs oi the poor, and the burden of main- 
 taining them have often been complained of -, but 
 very few inftances of any parliamentary attempts 
 to redrcfs thofe grievances. Since the reign of 
 Elizabeth indeed, til! within thefe few years pad, 
 the weaknefs of fome of our princes, the inter- 
 nal difturbances in the kingdom, the foreign wars 
 we were engaged in to check the ambition of 
 
 
 yearly value of two pounds inheritance in to«ns corporate, 
 
 and three pour.ds in market covviis ar.d village ; wh.nce it 
 •* follows that the corp'>rat'ons bung poof, and fcarce half 
 ♦* inh..bited by not admitting others to lupply their number 
 ^* and defifts, become daily more poor and ief-s inhabited. 
 
 " The ' •nKiren of pf'or people in vill.i^es beir.g a!fo denied 
 *' by the act of the 31. E iz. 7. to erect C'» tage when they 
 *• become more than the tenements can rc' eive cr can Le 
 
 employed in hufijandry, rectflarily turn vagtant bcg- 
 ' gr.r?, dealer?, canters, or at beft, if ti.ey forfake not the 
 *' nation, do fwcll the fuborb.. of London already toj big, 
 *' be h ftlers, 'apfters, drawers, and fellers of Itroig waters. 
 ** As the two afts of Eliz. abovemcntioned, have brought all 
 ** ihefe mi'chiefs upon town and country, fo were ti.ey a 
 ** necefTary preparative for the er.acling that of the 4^ of 
 ** Eliz. 2. foi maintaining idle and lazy perfons in ail the 
 *' parilhes of England, which has prcdiiced fo many and fo 
 ♦* great inconvcniencies." Cc/:e's England's hipnvement. 
 
 Lewis 
 
 4( 
 
 < 
 
 » 
 
;d 
 
 11 
 
 lo 
 
 IS 
 
 [ 89 1 • 
 
 Lewis XIV. and the fadious contefts, occafioncd 
 by a corrupt ndminiitration, have fucceflively pre- 
 vented our rulers from reforming many domcftic 
 abufes, which could only be removed by a fteady 
 rcfolution, and by calm and deliberate counfels. 
 The happy tranquillity, howpver, which the na- 
 tion, in all likelihood, will enjoy up n the con- 
 clufion of the prefent war, will afford leifure to 
 enquire into and corred many abufcs •, and as the 
 idlcnefs of the poor, and the heavy burden of their 
 maintenance, are among the chief public grievan- 
 ces, we may hope, that our legiflators will at 
 length apply themfelves with zeal and earneftnefs, 
 to eftablifh fuch new regulations as may effedbual- 
 ly remove thofe evils. 
 
 One well digefted law of two or three fheets of pa- 
 perwould tend to clothe more naked, and feed more 
 hungry, than all the pecuniary donations that are 
 granted for charitable ufes in GreatBritain annually. 
 The new regulations therefore ought not to be the 
 refult of a few tranfient thoughts, haftily com- 
 pofcd from an imperfefl view of the fubjedl ; but 
 ought in every particular to.bc maturely weighed, 
 that the future eftablifhments may be folidly found- 
 ed on confiftent and comprehenfive principles} 
 and there may be no occafion for patching them 
 afterwards by frequent alterations and amend- 
 ments. 
 
 Several authors, particularly Davenant, Puftle- 
 thwayt, and Fielding, have propofed fchemes for 
 employing and maintaining the poor *, and all ot 
 them have recommended work houfes. If their 
 writings were confulted, or if a public reward was 
 oEcrcd for the beft plan for providing for the poor, 
 the fubjedl would probably be thoroughly con- 
 vaflcd, and fuch information given, in all points 
 relating to it, that it would be eafy for the legifla- 
 turc to form a new and juft fyllem of regulations. 
 
 N Davenant 
 
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 Hiotographic 
 
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 23 WEST MAIN STREET 
 
 WEBSTER, N.Y. 14S80 
 
 (716) 873-4503 
 
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[ 90 ] 
 
 Davenant advifes to commit the management of the 
 whole poor of the kingdom to a company or corpo- 
 tion, the governors of which fhould refide in 
 London, and have inferior officers in every parifh. 
 It was to private undertakers, he fays, that we 
 owe the order and method firft introduced into the 
 Pofl Office, Cuftoms, andExcife. If thefe branch- 
 es, therefore, which certainly are as intricate and 
 as diffufive as the diredlion of the poor could be, 
 were never fully underftood till they v/ere farmed, 
 we have the greateft reafon to expedl, that by 
 the management of a private company, the idle 
 poor would foon be made ufeful members of 
 the dare. 
 
 The overfeers of the poor, at prefent, feem ia- 
 duftrioufly to difcourage work-houfes, whether 
 from fome interefted motive, or from a de- 
 lire to fave themfelves the trouble of infpeding 
 them, I (hall not determine; but when it has 
 been propofed to eredl work-houfes for the poor, 
 they have abfurdly pleaded, that it would be 
 merely burdening their parifhes with an additional 
 expence. They allege, that thofe who are kept 
 at labour in work-houfes cannot earn by their in- 
 duftry fo much as will pay for their maintenance 5 
 and likewife, that if they could, there is no vent 
 for thofe branches of manufadlure, which they 
 are capable of employing themfelves upon. 
 
 As to the firft of thefe objedtions, though the 
 poor could not by their labour earn their whole 
 fubfiftence, yet thofe who are not infirm might 
 certainly earn a great part of it ; and there- 
 fore ought not to be allowed to fubfift idly, 
 which is only an encouragement to them to 
 indulge in vice and profligacy. But it may 
 even be queftioned, whether the poor, if kept ac 
 wark, under proper regulations, might not man- 
 tain themfelves entirely by their own labour, as 
 
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 we have an inftance of the furprifing effcds of 
 application and induftry in the city of Norwich, 
 where, it is faid, that upwards of 5000 children, 
 under ten years of age, gain a livelihood by 
 their labour in fome branches of manufaclure. 
 
 The laft objeftion, is abfolutely falfe, for, al- 
 lowing that the poor, by proper regulations r.iight 
 be kept at work, it is impoffible but the wants of 
 fociety, or the demands of foreign trade, muft 
 create a market for the fruits of their induftry, 
 however trifling they might* be. Doubtlefs m ny 
 trades and handicrafts require an apprenticeinip of 
 feveral years, before a perfon can be a proficient 
 in them ; but it is no lefs certain, that, in many 
 kinds of employment, very little teaching is ne- 
 cefTary, and that application, and a willing mind, 
 would foon qualify the moft inexpert tor prac- 
 tifing them. If we look over the lift of goods im- 
 ported and exported, we will find many hundred 
 weight of twine, yarn, canvafs, &c. weekly im- 
 ported from Holland. Could not thefe articles, 
 and many others of a like kind, be fabricated in our 
 workhoufes ? Who can anfwer, that they are noc 
 adlually fabricated in the work-houfes in Holland, 
 where 'tis well known the poor are kept con- 
 ftantly employed ? If the poor of that country 
 can be made ufeful to the ftate, it is certainly a 
 great abfurdity to pretend, that, in this kingdom, 
 their labour couid be of no benefit to the public. 
 
 According to the prefent regulations for pro- 
 viding for the poor, all parifhes are put to a great 
 exp^nce be endeavouring each to throw the bur- 
 den of itinerant beggars off themfelves. But if 
 workhoufes were once eftablifhcd throughout the 
 kingdom, and all made fubjefl to the fame di- 
 rection, there would no 
 
 igt 
 
 any 
 
 the law for pafTing of vagrants, which affords a 
 
 pretence for raifing large fums upon the people ; 
 
 4 for 
 
[ 92 ] 
 
 for wherever a vagrant was found he might be 
 made an ufeful fubjed by conducing him lO the 
 neareft workhouTe ; and if he wanted to go to his 
 own parifli, he might be tranfmitted without ex- 
 pence from workhoufe to workhoufe, and earn 
 his fubfiftcnce in his way homewards. Of this we 
 have an example in the praftice of the journey- 
 men in the hat manufactory, among whom it is a 
 Ja\V that all new comers (hall be immediately pre- 
 fented with work. By the convenience of this 
 lawjfeveral journeymen in that trade, have travelled 
 thro' almoft all the market towns in England^ 
 without having more than a day's wages in their 
 pocket when they fet out on their journey. 
 
 Were workhoufes univerfally eftablifhed, the 
 induftrious poor, many of whom are only employ- 
 ed occafionaliy, might apply to be employed 
 there at thofe times when they want other bufi- 
 nefs i and thofe places might alfo ferve for houfes 
 of call, where farmers, manufadurers, brick- 
 makers, &c. might have recourfe for fupernu- 
 inerary hands whenever they fhould have occa- 
 fion for them. The general eftablifliment of 
 workhoufes would alfo ftrike a terror into thofe 
 troops of licentious vagabonds, who over- run the 
 kingdom, and live in open contempt of both di- 
 vine and human laws. Their infolence is encou- 
 raged by the prefent negk6t of the legiflature } 
 but if they found that it was impraflicable for 
 them any longer to indulge their idle life, they 
 would probab'y not be fo daring, and their num- 
 bers would foon decreafe. Almoft all thofe va- 
 gabonds ought to be looked upon as felons, for 
 they daily fteal more by canting words than what 
 ^ others are tranfported for, and if they carmot be 
 induced by any motives, to apply themfeives to 
 work here, it were indeed better for the nation 
 that they were really tranfported and fent as flaves 
 
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 to our Weft India colonies. Many of the beg- 
 gars whoinfeft the ftreetsof this metropolis, find- 
 ing no r ftraint laid upon them, impudently breed 
 up their little children ^,n the fame infamous pro- 
 feffion; ai d the ycung vagabonds who ought to 
 be taken and fent to houfes of corredion and in- 
 ftru6tion, art- impr udently encouraged and com- 
 mended forfooth, for their infinuating addrefs, 
 which is an inducement to them to prtfcrverc in 
 their id'e calliigs, without ever thinking of in* 
 duftry. While thofe beggars are left to the cog- 
 nizance of conftabks, little reformation can be 
 expedVed ; but if work! oufes were edablilhcd, and 
 a porter, chairman, or any other perfon was to be 
 entitlid to a reward of two fhillings for bringing 
 one ot them to thofe houfes, the ftreetsin all pro- 
 bability would foon be cleared of them, and many 
 who now fpend their time idly with an averfion 
 to induftry, w(^uld apply themfelves to work at 
 home, to avoid being forced to labour in public 
 workhoufes. V heir children ought likewife to be 
 taken trom them •, for it could not be looked 
 upon as any juft hardfhip to drprive them of the 
 precious libertv of a gipfey and vagabond ; and 
 thofe who (hould undertake to inftru(5l and edu- 
 cate th^'m fhould be intitled to their work for a 
 term of year- twice or thrice as long as the ufual 
 time of apprenticefhip. 
 
 The employment of the poor, the punilhment 
 of felons, and the naturalization of foreigners have 
 been the fubjed of parliamentary deliberation 
 within thefe few years paft : but the war interven- 
 ilig called off the attention of the legiflature for 
 fome time to more prefTing objects. Upon the 
 return of peace, however, we have the greateft 
 reafon to hope, that the confideration of thefe and 
 many other eflential points, relating to the do- 
 nneftic government of the kingdom will be again 
 
 j{ refumed. 
 

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 •^y* 
 
 ' ' '. . ' ' . t 9i I . -— - ... 
 
 fefumtd, particularly the means for IcfTening thi 
 national debts and incumbrances, which point 
 will be far from being the mod difficult to be ac* 
 complifhed, if purfued with fteadinefs and rcfo* 
 liition. The thror^ is at prefent pofleflec* by ^ 
 virtuous and at^ve prince, we have a parliament 
 chofcn without the intervention ofminifterial in-- 
 fluence, and the people teem to exprefs a defirc 
 6f feeing the flagrant abufes that have fo long pre- 
 vailed in many branches of public adminiftration 
 at length reformed ; could we then wifh for a 
 more favourable opportunity of deftrbying the - 
 fyftem of corruption, which has gradually brought 
 the nation to the very brink of a precipice^ Th^ 
 \renal tribe who have long countenanced a proftL^ 
 tution of principle, becaufe it beft promoted their 
 mercfcnary and felfifli views, may indeed attempt 
 to fruftrate the , endeavours of ah i^pright king> 
 andhoneftand independant parliamenfcv Nt it la ' 
 to be Itcipcd that their fophifms will np longer be 
 libit to blind the nation, and that the clamours. , 
 '/Jeifed bv them will bnly redound to their own, 
 ^onfufion. The prefent hap^y union of integrity. . 
 and authority gives us the faireft pfofpe<Sl: Qfiboft 
 feeing thofc political grievances, which have been, 
 the confequerice of a long period of corruption, re- ; 
 fnoved, and an end put to the rule and diredioa 
 of Jews, jobb€;rs, and conrtraftors, who for many 
 years paft have preyed with the utmofl rapacity^ 
 upon the dHlrcfles of the public. If the patriot; 
 defigns of the fovereign, and the 2ieal of an inde-/ 
 pendant parHament are feconded by the endca-^ . 
 Vouris of honcft m?n, the nation will eafily emerge 
 from its prefent d^culiies, its power and influence v? 
 will increafe, the fctences and arts will flourilhj^ t 
 and the reign of Giforge III. be the moft glorioua^t 
 period of the BritilK hiftory. ^^^ 
 
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