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More efpecialJy on a juft, as well as rCal and na- tional Oeconomy, the Regard due to Subjects, who have ferved in Quality of Soldiers, Sea- men, or Marines, the Ncceflity of providing for the Security of our Frontiers, and of ren- dering the Peace folid and tailing, by Steadinefs in our Condudl at Home and Abroad ; intcrfper- fed with feafonable Remarks upon hafty Rcdu- 6 ) fucli a Method would be a real Adl of Otconomy, and contribute infinitely more to the Benefit of the Nation than trifling and temporary Sayings. This mull be done by banifhing and fupprefTing Luxu^ i-y, reviving the old Spirit of Diligence and Application, and repreffing the new one of purfuing Pleafure, as if that was the only Bufinefs of Life worth minding. Nor ought this to be looked upon as a beaten Topick of Satyr, or an Obfervati- on fo obvious as to deferve little Notice j iince if we regard it much longer in this Light, we {hall find the Difeafe grow too strong, not only for Phyficians, but for Phyfick. It is a downright Dreamt to fancy, that by the fmall Abatements we are able to make in our Expences, the People of this Nation may continue at their prefent Rate of Living without any Hazard of Ruin j for that is not to be done by any fuch (lender Expedient. If we will live high, and not leave our Pofterity Beggars, other Means mufl be employed j and inftead of looking upon it as a Piece of Policy to get rid of able Hands, when the Time for which they immediately ferved is over, we muft flu- dy to encreal'e and to employ thera. This may do the Bufinefs j for to this wo '-.f' 'i^ ■ (17) we owe what has been done already, and if we can but efftdt it, our Vagabonds and Beggars will difappear, and private Fortunes and publick Revenues rife as they ought to do, that is, together. At firft Sight, perhaps, this may feem a Matter that requires much Confidera- tion, and when found not to be made evident to every Underftanding without a long and fatiguing Train of Arguments. But the contrary may be eafily {hewn, and that in a Manner fo plain and perfpi- cuous, as to admit of no Reply. I fhall only obferve, that a very great Propor- tion of our Manufactures are exported to, and that confequently a very large Share of our Commerce arifes from, our Planta- tions in America, It is true, that from, the very ftating of this Fadt there arifes a'^onvincing Proof, that we have a vaft Number of People there already, but let it be at the fame time confidered, what pro- digious Benefits refult from their being in thofe Countries to thofe that remain here at home 5 what Quantities of our Goods they confume, what a Multitude of Hands they employ, what a Quantity of Shipping this renders neceflary, and what Safety, what Glory, what Riches we (derive from our Navy ? Let it be like- C witb ; I 1 r i \ ( >S ) v/ife remembered, that notvvith^landing.ull tliis, there nrc in fomc of ihtlc Plantations very large Qnantities, nrt of barren, but of unimproved Lands, which in the Hands of induftrious People might turn to as great, or greater Account, than any tliat have been yet fettled. This, if it could be brought about, v. ^uld not only take away all Excufes fot Idlencfs, but all Pofiibility of complaining for Want of Employment ; >t would beget new De- mands for the Produce of this I Hand, raife new Trades, increafe our Shipping, and confeqiiently enlarge the Capital of the Nation, make our annual Income larger, and fo ofnecefTity heighten the Revenue, without fatiguing the Heads of our Projectors for the inventing new Taxes. We may boldly venture to aflert, and not to fuppofe, this, becaufe from the Ex- perience we have had in paft Times, the Certainty of this Method is fufficicntly eftablifhed j we know not only that it will do, but how and what it will do. It is not tlicrefore to be ranked among the Number of fpecious and plaufible Propofals for procuring future Benefits, but may be prefcribed as a fafe and eiFec- tual Remedy for that Difeafe which will otherwjfc prey upon our Vitals. A Re- medy ^ Ing.all tations 1, but n the t turn an any s, if it »t only fs, but ''ant of w De- mand, ipping, >ital of [ncomc en the eads of Taxes, •t, and he Ex- es, the cicntly that it nil do. among aufible enetits, 1 effec- ch will ARe- medv ('9) medy that Providence has put into out Hands, and which there is nothing want- ing but Attention and Application, to make it anfwer that End which is (o much to be de(ired>. Tryals we have had, and thofc Tryals have not only fulfilled, but have exceeded Expedlation. In fliort, it is our having this Remedy that is the great Blefling, the fupreme Felicity of this Ifl;ind ; and therefore not to be in- grateful to Providence, or wanting to ourfelves, we ought to make ufe of it. We (hould coniider in what Man- ner we fhould be affedled, if this was as much in the Power of our Neighbours as it is in ours, and what melancholy Apprehenfions would arife >f this fhould ever happen. Let us then feize this hap- py Opportunity, let us make Ufe of this great and valuable Prerogative, and there- by not only cnficih and aggrandize our- felves, and our immediate Pofterity, but lay the Foundation of our Grandeur fo deep and fo fure, as that there may be no Danger of the Superftrudture's being overturned in fuccceding Ages. Tiic Defign is great and glorious, and which is Hill more, it is pradticablc; nay, it not only may be done, but may be done >vith Facility. C 2 h '// X\' ( 20) It may be demanded, whether upon this Plan it will be expeitcil, that the Le- giflature lliould provide for the tranfport- ing to our Colonies, fubfifting in their PafTage, and putting in a Condition to fettle when arrived there, fuch Perfons as are thrown out of Service either by Sea or Land, in confequence of the Peace lately concluded. No private Perfon has a Right to prefcribe, or infift upon any fuch Thing j but perhaps if a Man fliould hy that it is pradticable, reafonable, and what would turn to the general Service of the Nation, he might not find it a very difficult Tafk to make every Point of this good. We very well know, in ConjunSures like the prcfent. Multitudes of Briii/h Subjects will retire elfewhere, and either enter into the Service, or fettle in the Dominions of Foreign Princes and States J the reducing them to a Condition which makes this neceflary for them, is, without doubt, a tacit Permiflion to take fuch a Step. Bat if a Propofal was made to thefe People, to retire to one of our Colo- nies, where the Climate and Soil are tem- perate and pleafant, where they might live under the fame happy Conftitution as at home, and this too amongft their Coun- trymen ', we can hardly doubt that they would I (21 ) lijrould accept it, more efpeclally If fuch Encouragements were given them as would coft the Pubhck very little, and would notwithftanding be very confide- rable to them. The Diftrefs and Diflike confifts in quitting their native Country; but when Brit'tjh Subjeds are obliged to get over thefe, there would be aflliredly no great Difficulty found in perfuading them to make Choice of Places, which in reality are only the diftanc* Parts of their own Country, rather than fubmit to foreign Laws, and pafs the Remainder of their Days amongll Strangers. At leaft it would be but fit to make the Trial, becaufe fo many as accepted fuch an Offer would be faved to the Commu- nity, and the Produce of their Labours ftill preferved to thefe Kingdoms. Such a Proceeding would be but juft and equi- table in itfelr, becaufe many of thefe have been forced into the publick Service ; and after hazarding their Lives, wafting their Strength, and running variety of Hazards in that Service, it feems but a moderate Return to offer them, tho' it fhould be attended with fome immediate Expence* a tolerable EftabliQiment when their Ser- vice is no longer wanted ; becaufe it may ^e prefumed, if they had not been fo forced. / ri :»!* (" ) forced, they might have obtained 3r ihcmfelves ; fuch as have as or a better. good, freely chofe cither the Land or Sea Ser- vice, when the Circumftances of their Country required it, derive fn-m thence a Plea of Merit, that may well entitle them to fuch an Offer. But as the Be- nefit of Individuals ought to be confider- ed in fuch a Light, as that it may coin- cide with the pubiick Advantage ; the Difpofing in this Manner of fuch as arc thrown out of Bread by a ncceflary Re- duflion, becomes the more reafonable, becaufes it is impoffible they fhould reap any Good from it, without doing more Good to Society than what they require can amount to. So that on the whole, this would be no extravagant or ill- grounded Expectation, in cafe any Patriot fhould advance on their Behalf that fuch a Thing is at this Time really expeded. But leaving thefe Matters to the free and impartial Confideration of thofe who are the only natural and proper Judges, let us proceed to obferve, that this is not the only Method that may be employed, either for procuring a Subfiflence to fuch Perfons, or the Accomplifhment of that great and important Point to the Nation in general, of obtaining an Ac- cefllon ( 23 > ccfibn of Inhabitants fufficlent to fettJe and improve thofe vaft Tradts of Coun- try, of which we are in Pofleirion in A" merica. There are proper Seafons for all Things, and Works of the greateft Confequcnce are performed with more or Icfs Difficulty^ in Proportion as they are undertaken, either in a proper or an improper Seafon. There are Times when Men abound, as well as when they arc fcarcc, that is to fay, when there are Numbers in NecefBty and out of Employment, who would thankfully and cheerfully embrace any Opportunity offered them, of procuring a comfortable Subfiftence for themfelves and their Fa- milies by their own Labour, in Coun- tries happily fituated, governed by juil and equal Laws, and where they might be free from any Reftraint in Matters of Confcience.The prefent may be juftly ftiled fuch a Seafon i there are already Multi- tudes of Prote(>ants, and the Circum- fiances of Europe afford us Grounds to believe there will be yet many more, in fuch Circumrtances, that any Invitation of this kind to tranfport themfelves, their Families, and Effects, to Colonies where they might meet with fuch a Puvifion, will be regarded as the moA ^vourablp Dif- n !!/ -I 'rfj ( H ) DiTpenfation? of Providence. Such an Occafion therefore ought not to be over- looked by us, but ought rather to be confidered in the very fame Light, fince the Advantage would be reciprocal at leaft, and in the Space of a very few Years we (hould feel the happy EfFeds, rellilting from fo wife 0nd worthy a Po- licy, from fo great and fo glorious an Ad: of CompafTion. Thofe that arc now vaft howling WildernelTes, overgrown with Wood, and Harbours only for wild Beads, would become rich and fruitful Countries, full of flout and loyal Sub- jects, conftantly adding to the Wealth of this their Mother and protecting Coun- try, ^nd contributing to her Strength, her Grandeur, and her Profperity. We know already from Experience, that this Method of peopling our Colo- nies, more efpecially thofe on the Con- tinent, may he purfued with the great- eft Safety, and with the moft probable Expectations of Succefs. We know that there are not better Subjects, more fru- gal, more laborious, or more induftri- ous People in America, than fuch Fo- reigners as have been either invited over, have retired to, or have other wife fettled in our Plantations ; which leaves not the lead (^5) leaft room to doubt that others would follow their Steps, and endeavour to de- ferve our Favour and Protedion, by be- having i.i the like manner. Nor does it require any great Strength of Thinking, or Depth of JPenetration to perceive, that fuch an Acquiiition of Subjects Abroad, would have a gradual Influence upon our People here at Home. Their Cloaths, the Indruments neceffary for clearing and cultivating their Plantations, all the Con- veniencies, and many of the NecefTaries of Life, they muft, when fettled in thofe Plantations, derive from hence ; this, in confequence of being a new De-^ mand, would raife the Value of our na- tive Commodities, revive and quicken our Manufadlures, afford a Vent for our Eafl-India Goods, and whatever elfe is the Produd: of our foreign Trade, enable us to extend and carry it on to greater Advantage, and of Courfe employ, en- rich, and aggrandize cur People. To be more fully fatisfied of this, we need only enquire into the State of I'hings in this Kingdom before we had any Plantations, into the State of our Trade, the Number of our People, the Value of our Lands, and ccmpare the Refult of thofe Enqui- ries with the Situation that Things are in D now. r^ */ •V} Hi (26) now. To become the better Matters of this Point, we may fingle out any of the Colonies, more efpecially of thofe that are more immediately the Subje(a of this Advice, and learn what have been the Effeds of their becoming better peopled, and better cultivated j which may be eafi- ly done, if we only demand from expe- rienced Perfons, what Number of Ships were in the Trade between us and them iifiy Years ago, and what are employed in the fame Trade now. If upon fuch an Examination we find, as I dare affert we fhall, that tliey are not greatly only, but prodigioufly encreafed, we muft con- clude of Courfe, that the Profit arifing to this Nation from thofe Plantations, muft have augmented in the fame Pro- portion. This is a Way in which we cannot be deceivej, our own Reafon will be our Guide, and the Teftimonies cf Men who are above Sufpicion, will afford us indifputable Evidence. It is not impoflible, but to fome well- meaning People, who are not accuftom- ed to think much of thefe Matters, one Objedion may arife, and methinks it is the only Objection that can arile, which may obftrudt their feeling the full Weight of this Reafoning; and therefore it may be I I (27) be proper firil to ftate, and then to obvi- ate it. We may at firfl Sight imagine, that as great Part of the Trade between thefe Nations and their Colonies, con^ fjfts in bartering the Goods and Manu- fadlures of Europe for the Produce of America^ this cannot be properly faid to enrich usj but when we ferioufly ex- amine this, we (hall find that the Obje- dlion is founded rather in Words than in Fadl. For either we bring Home from thofe Colonies Goods that we muft others wife purchafe from our Neighbours; and then the Advantage is apparent, fince by trading with our own SubjecSs, where- ever the Profit lies it muft lie on our Side: or we export a certain Proportion of the Returns from our Plantations, over and above our Home Confumption, and receive for them what we muft otherwife have paid for either in Money or in Money's worth; and all that is thus acquired is evidently clear Gains, Be- fides all this, whatever Wealth our Sub- je6ts in the Plantations acquire, centers here ; fo that while Induftry is encoura- ged by the mutual Intcrcourfe of BritiJIj Subjed:s in Europe and Americay they muft confequently thrive, and whatever is advantageous to the one, will fooner or D 2 later. hfi: Ml t ( 28) later, cither in the Means or in the End, beconie beneficial to the other. Two plain and eafy Iniiances will fet this Matter beyond the Reach of Doubt, or the Power of Controverfy. We know that Timber, Iron, and naval Stores, (and if I did not ftudy Brevity I might add fome other Things) are abfolutciy necef- fary, and what we cannot be without ; and that prefuming upon this, a certain Northern Nation has by Degrees brought us into fuch a Situation, that we can purchafe thefe only for ready Money j and it is eafy to iee, that the Exporta- tion of this is a very great Hardfhip and Inconvenience. Now there are fome of our own Plantations, from whence, with a little Encouragement, all thefe Things without Exception may be had upon reafonable Terms; and if they were better peopled, that is to fiy, if the Number of Hands in thofe Plantations were increafed, we might have them upon ftill eafier Terms ; and inftead of Gold and Silver, pay for them in Goods and Manufactures, that is, in the Pro- du«5t of our People's Labour at Home ; which confequently would give Subfi- ftence to a greater Number of Hands here, perhaps to as many as may want Bread I |nd, fet ibt, »ow [and add kef- ( 29 ) Bread in Confequence of the prefcnt Re- du(Sion. On the other Hand, tlie Spa- niards bring only Treafure and very rich Goods from the vaft Dominions they have in America ; but are they the more wealthy, the more potent, or the more happy for this? quite the contrary. There is hardly a Country in Ew^ope more thinly peopled than Spain, where the common People fare harder, or where there is lefs Appearance of Plenty. Their Marine is in fo low a Condition, that the Barbary Pirates infult their very Coafts ; and the whole Tunnage of the VeiTels employed in their Trade to America, is not equal to that of the Ships employed between Great-Britain and one of her Colonies. In the Indies again, they are weak to the laft Degree, their People are continually wafting, and of all the Trea- fure that they fend into Europe, the far greateft Part comes to us, the French^ and the Dutch, for the Commodities and Manufadures that we furnifli them with- all to exchange for thefe Treafures. After this, let any Man deny if he can, that we are infinitely the better for our Colonies producing what they do, and that Providence in this, as well as in all other Cafe?, has dilpofed Things much more (3°) more advantageoufly for us, than we /hould have done for ourfelves s and all it requires in Return is, that we will take the Pains to poffefs them, and be thank- ful. As Improvements of this Kind are very far from being airy or impracticable, fo they are lafting and increafing, and not of a fleeting or flu(5luating Nature ; if we do our Part by them, there is no Fear that they will continue to do their Part by us, which is another Thing that de- ferves our Obfervation. It may help us to form fome Notion of the Importance of new Settlements, if we confider that of our new! Conqueft ; I mean that of the Ifland of Cape Breton. I will not pre- tend to revive the Calculations made at the Time when it firft came into our Hands ; that would be an invidious and ofFenfive Tafk, and quite befide the Com- pafs of my Defign, which is not to throw Refle(ftions, but to hint fome Things that may be ufeful. The Method I {hall take, will be quite of another Nature 5 I fliall obferve, that at the Peace of Utrecht the French ran the Hazard of overturning the whole Negotiation, ra- ther than part with that Ifland ; and not- wiihftanding our Acquifitions, which were confiderable i! i (3') confiderable in this Quarter of the World 5 it was charged upon the Negotiators of that Treaty, that in leaving Cape Breton to the Frencby (for the Dodlrir 3 then was, that it belonged to this Crown of ancient Right) they had done the fame Injury to the Nation as if they had given away a Mine of Gold. Such were the Senti- ments of both Nations at the Treaty of Utrecht, Again, at the Treaty of Aix-la- Cfjapelkt the Ifland of Cape Breton was of fuch Confcquence, that to get it out of our Hands, the French were content to reftore the Low Countriesy without in- fifting upon their firft Demand of Lux^ emburgh ; and becaufe this Reftitution could not be made in fo prompt a Man- ner as that of their Conquefts in the Au- ftrian Netherlands^ they expe<5ted Ho- mages for the Performance of the Article which flipulated this Reftitution. If thefe Inftances of the Value fet upon this Ifland by both Nations, when in and out of the Poffeflion of each of them, are not allowed to be fufficient to prove the Confequencc of it, we muft be at a Lofs to know what Arguments are of Weight in Politicks ; and if any are fo hardy after this, as to deny its great Importance, it will be a vain Thina; to endeavour their Convi<^ion. J 4 ;'^. '!,' ■*f ^ i ( 3O Convldion. As for the impartial and dif- interelied Part of Mankind, they cannot fail of feeing ': in a true Light, and of concluding from thence, that it was in- deed a great and glorious Acquifition in time of War, and that it was a Thing that floods both us and onr Allies in very great Stead, when it was thought necef- lary, or at leaft expedient, to make Peace. If therefore this fmall Jlland appears to have been of io very great Impor- tance, what Reafon have we to enter- tain the leaft Doubt, that the improving all the wade Parts of thoie exrenfivc Countries which ^ve pollefs in that Neigh- bourhood, would not turn to as great or greater Account ? Or why, being once iiitished of this, fliould we hefitate or delay attempting fuch Improvements? Thefe are Acquifitions that may be made in a Time of Peace, when the Advan- tages that are to be derived from them will rife, and \\\\\ be felt while they are making ; and, which is flill a Thing of greater Confequence, will at the fame Time put it out of the Power of any Enemies to attempt, or at leaft to eftcct ought to our Prejudice, whenever War fliall break out again. We need not doubt, that as foon ^s France is:in Pol- kilion (33 ) fcflion again of this valuable Ifland, for which (he has paid fo high a Price, and for which (he has manifefled fo great a Concern, fhe will lofe no Time in re- ftoring, refortifying, and repeopling it, Co as to make it repay all that it has cod her ; and (hall we be lefs afliduous, lefs attentive, to make the moft of thofe Coun- tries that are ours by an indifputed Right, from which we already draw fuch vaft Advantages, and from which it is not- withftanding certain, that we may dill draw much greater ? To what Purpofc do we boail of our being a Maritime Power, what avails the Superiority of our Naval Force, or what are we the better for that vaft Incrcafe of Shipping, to which this Part of the World in particular has fo much contributed, if our Indolence» our Inattention, our Want of r ublick Spi- rit, can prevent us from reaping fuch Ad- vantages as thefe that offer themfelves to our View, and our Poffeffion ? That in- vite, that call upon us to exert our Skill, as our Anceftors did in paft Times, to make jourfelves great and powerful ; not by incroaching upon our Neighbours, or oppreffing Strangers, but by making a right Vic of our own, by applying our Thought to fettle and improve Places e th»t (E I! / '■i\ ,(t II ill t ( 34 ) that are commodious by Situation, and capable of furnifliing us with Commodi- ties of the greateft Ufe ; with the Want of which we are leaft able to difpenfe, and for the Purchafe of which we an- nually fend vafl: Quantities of Money to Strangers ; who, inllead of confidering us as their Friends and Bcnefadiors, look upon us rather in the Light of Depen- dents, and afford us not the fmalleft To- ken either of Favour or Refpedl. It may be, if at length we fliould take this falu- tary Step, and convince them that their Countries produce nothing which we could not have from our own, they would alter their Condudt ; or at leaft fear a People, whom no Benefits, no KindnefTes, (for they have been indebted for them to us of all Sorts) could ever yet teach them either Gratitude, or Wifdom enough to love. At leaft, we fliould convince them of their Miftake, and fet all the reft of Europe too right in this Point; by ftiewing them that Great Britain, v^hen her Councils are rightly direfted, need depend for Tim- ber and Naval Stores on no other Coun- tries in the World, but what are in uer ovvhPoffefTion. This furely is a Point of too great Importance, to be either flight- ed, or negleded. *" We mt fe, n- to us lok :n- 0- (35) We have heard it infmuated, and per- haps not altogether witho it Foundation, that the Inhabitants of thofe Colonies that were moft inftrumental in making the Conqiieft of Cape Breton, have cx- prefled iome Diffatisfadion at feeing it given up ; neither, if we judge cahnly or impartially, can we blame them very highly if they did. But we may eafily banirfi fuch Notions, retrieve our Credit with thcip, and revive that fincere Ve- neration, which they are always by Na- ture and Duty, as weP, as by Intercft, ready to pay to their Mother-Country, by mewing an early Concern for their Welfare, now the Peace is made. It is very well known how much they have thefe Improvements at Heart, and this Difpofition of theirs is moft certainly that, which we ought to oherifti and fup- port. There is no qucftion that it would turn to their Advantage, but at the fame time it would turn much more to ours ; and amongft many other Benefits that would refult from it, nothing could con- tribute fo much as this, to fix the perpe- tual Dependence of thofe Colonies upon Great Britain. At the fame time it would increafe our Strength where we want it moft, that is, in one of our E 2 Frontiers; / i Hi if (36) Frontiers: And as by this Method wc fliould not only render our People more numerous, but at the fame time vaftly incrcafc our Shipping in thofe Parts ; this would have a manifeft Tendency to heighten our Power throughout all j^* merica, becaufe it would enable us to convey Succour from the Parts in which we arc ftrongeft, to thofe in which, from the Nature of our Settlements, wc are at prefent, and are dill likely to continue weakcft. This too is a Point of the ut- moft Confequence, which ought to be always uppermoft in our Thoughts, and which we (hould ever fludy to promote; fince as the Wealth we draw from our Plantations is a Matter of prodigious Be- nefit to us, fo it is and ever will be the great Objeft of Envy to other Nations, more efpecially to fuch as have Settle- ments in that Part of the World as well as we, and who for that very Reafon will be always upon the Watch, to take Advantage of any Negligence of which we are guilty, and profit by any Miftakes into which wc may fall. At prefent, indeed, we have a very large Extent of Country, and many of our Colonies are flourifhing and in great Power; but notwithftand- ing this, there are others of which this cannot Lf I! . i ^i (37) cannot be faid, and yet the Prefervation of thofc Colonies is of the utmoft Con- fcqucnce to the whole. At the breaking out of the War, we made a Settlement upon the Ifland of Rafan, the Situation of which was very commodious, in rcfpeft to military Operations in Time of War, and of Commerce in Time of Peace. It is faid of late, it may be proper to relin- quifh that Settlement, and to withdraw the People tha*- arc upon it. Poflible it may be fo; but furely this will be very well weighed before it is done; and it will not be thought a Point of true Oe- conomy, to decline making Satisfaction to thofe who thus abandon their Properties which they acquired by our Countenance, and poflelTed under our Protection. We may eafily conceive, without entring into the particular Circumftances relating to that Place, how laborious and difficult a Thing it is to lay the Foundations for fu- ture Improvements, and to bring into tolerable Order the firft Plantations in a wafte and defert Country, whcic thofe who have the Courage to attempt it, mufi: overcome all the Obftacles ot Soil and Climate, by Dint of conftant and inde- fatigable Perfeveranee $ and this with in- finite N y I?- ': i (38 ) finite Hazard to their Health and Livet, which thofe who fucceed them will ef- cape; and after this is done, and chefe bold and adventurous People begin to reap the Advantage of their heroic Con- flancy, and to behold the Fruits of their Induftry fmiling on every Side j what can there be more fenfible, more cruelly af- feding, than to oblige them in fuch Cir- cumftances to withdraw ? It is eafy at this Diftance to find plaufible Pretences for treating this as a Thing neceflary, and Orders may be ilTued in Confequence of thole Pretences, without feeling any of thofe Pangs that muil naturally wring the Souls of fuch as are to obey them.. People who have placed their Hopes, and "what is there more reafonable, than that they fliould place their Hopes in the En- joyment of what with in'ixpreilible Peril, and a Fatigue not to be defcribed, they have at lall in fome meafure brought to bear ? To ftrip fuch Men at once of the little Property they have fo dearly bought, and with fo m^ny Hardlhips acquired, is what Humanity forbids, and what Ju- llice will prohibit, without giving them an ample Recompence, or at leait a fuit- ble Equivalent \t\ fome of our Colonies, where the fame induftdous Spirit may be ! .1 ■ (39) be employedjWithoutFearof fuch another cruel Revcrfe of Fortune, without the Heart-breaking Apprehenfions of being one Day obliged to abandon the Work of their Hands, and the Delight of their Souls. Reputation is a Jewel to Nations as well as Merchants, and no Recom- pence can be given to either for the Lofs of that. If Men have flaked their all in Confidence of Protedlion and Support ; if for a Time they have received fuch Protection, and fiave had AlTurances given them of its Continuance; can it be withdrawn without their Confent, jind the Reputation of thofe who for a Time beftowed it, remain fafe and unhurt ? No certainly, Men will never rely a fe- cond Time in Matters that fo nearly con- cern them for Protcdion, on thofe who have deceived them once. They will defer* thofe Settlements and that Nation for ever, and will feck that Security, which muft give Spirit to frefh Labours, under fome other Power. But in r^fpeft to the Ifland juil men- tioned, this certainly will not be the Cafe. Why (hould we think of with- drawing from, or quitting any Country which we have a Right to keep, when there is no apparent, no exprefs Stipula- tion ¥■< I fl lli i (40) tlon that we fhould defert It ? What Ex"- ample has been fet us on the other Side, what controverted Iflands have been flighted or deferted by other Nations, or what Certainty have we, that this Prece- dent, if we fliould make it, will be fol- lowed? Or without fucha Certainty, with- out fo much as any Aflurances, why fliould fuch a Precedent be made ? If thePofleflion of that Place be ofnoCon- fequence, why did we take Pofleffion ? if it be, why (bould we leave it v/ithout an Equivalent ? Will doing and undoing, making a Point of a Thing one Day, 2nd giving it up the next, fparing no Pains or Coft for fome Years, and then throwin<5 all away, juft as the Fruits of them appear, raife our Credit in that Part of the World, where it imports us fo much that our Po ver fhould be re- vered, and our Steadinefs rely'd on ? Will not Friends and Enemies defcant upon this Conduct, and cndea^^our to pene- trate into its Motives ? Is it poffible they i^ould afcribe it to Oeconomy, or be- lieve that the faying a fmall Expence would influence thofe who have hazard- ed much greater, where far lefs Advan- tages were in View ? To what then can they afcribe it ? Will it be to the Con- clufion e, or :e- Fol- th. ^hy If : ( 41 ) clufion of the Peace, when there is no Article therein by which this is required ? Will they afcribe it to Complaifance, when they are fatisfied that this can have no good Effedl, when they fee no other Nation ading upon this Principle, or en- dear jring to fhew their good Breeding to us in the fame way ? There may in- deed be fecret Reafons, but of thefe nei- ther we nor they can judge, while they continue fecret j and therefore I prefume, that whenever this Ifland is abandoned, thofe Pcaf'^r.s and that News will reach the puV *;V Vxr at the fame Time. As for the Rumours already fpread, they muft be falfe and groundlefs, becaufe they are idle and injurious, in the Sentiments of all proper Judges. There are many ftrong Reafons why we ought to meditate very carefully upon thefe Points, and not upon fome People's Fancies, that a little Money may be faved here ; or the Infci mation of mercenary and felf-intcreftf V People, that there is no need of Fo '^ o. Forces there j un- cover our FroiUi:' ., md leave that great Empire we poflefs in the New World a Prey to fuch as have a due Attention to their own Affairs, and are ready to pick up and keep what others, for want of F knowins; ■I I il 14 I'M I |H1 i t (42) knowing its Value, flight and defpife. We have many Countries in thofe Parts, which have been long in our Poffeflion, but to which other Nations have kept up a Claim, from a Forefight, perhaps, that in fome or other of our whimfical Hu- mours, we may be content to throw them away, or leave the People that are in them to the Mercy of their next Neigh- bours. But this will not fuddenly be the Cafe : Iflands and Countries "<"e not of fo fmall Confequence, as to be *> ^ , with- out fo much as an Enquiry w.^ether it would not anfwer as well to the Pnbiick to prefervc them. It is not impoflible, that twenty or thirty thoufand Pounds a Year (one would rather over than under- do the Thing) may by this Means be kept at home ; but for the Confequences of fiich a Saving who will take upon him to anfwer ? It is not faying, that no Orders were given to the People to withdraw, that no Agreement was made with any Power to relinquifli fuch Places, but that amongft other Methods taken for keep- ing the publick Expences within Bounds, amongft other Redudtions one was made here. This moft certainly will be but a very lame Apology for fuch a Piece of Condud} for if you uncover and take away u •Ml (43 ) away Protedion from a Colony, efpeci- ally if that Colony be upon the Frontiers, there is no need of bidding the People withdraw, they will do that of them- felvesj for how little foever their Intercfl may be underflood in Europe^ the Bri^ tijh Subje(5ts in America know it too well to truft fuch Neighbours, as Ene- mies alike in time of War and Peace, and who never failed to lay nold of any Opportunity of preventing other People from reaping the Benefit of Countries, which never were or will be of any Ufe to them. Withdrawing Protedtion in fuch Cafes, is a Signal fufficient to the People, as well as the Soldiers ; and the former, however unwilling, will never- thelefs defert their Plantations, as foon as the latter retire from their Ports. It is not fo long ago fince the War broke out, that we ftiould forget the Caufes of it; and it would be a very flrange Thing to maintain a War at lo large an Expence of Men and Money, and for fo many Years together, and at the End of it relinquiOi any thing which our Enemies in the Courfe of it could never obtain by Force. It was thought expedient, before that War begun, to cover the Southern Frontier, as by much F 2 the I ( I II' i I \ (44) the weakeft we have ; and for the very fame Reafon, it ought to be held expe- dient to cover it ft ill. It will be no fatif- fadory Anfwer to fay, that all our Fron- tiers are covered by the Peace, becaufe it is well known, that nothing has been fti- pulated for their Security by the Peace. If indeed we fliould give Credit to what foreign Gazettes tell us from Mt^dridt that upon the Arrival of our AmbafTador there, Conferences will be opened for fettling all Matters in America^ it would furnifli us with a diredl and conclufive Argument, that nothing {hould be done to weaken our PoiTeflions in that Part of the World, until thefe Conferences being over, we knew how far our Safety might be increafed from the Refult of them. It is very well known, that King Charles the Fir ft granted to Sir Robert Heath that very Country of which the French are at prefent pofleffed, and that this Grant was o:n6rmed by King Wil/iam, as well as by his Predeceflbrs, when we were in full Peace with Spain 5 and it is alfo very well known, that notwithftanding this, the Spaniards have all along kept up a Claim, and but a little before this War dircdtly infifted upon their Right, not barely to our Frontier Province, but to thofe long ago h' (45 ) ago fettled alfo. In fuch a precarious Si- tuation, it muft be very imprudent to truft to a bare PolTelTion, without being in a Condition to maintain that Poffeffion ; nor can we ever hope that our Plantations in thofe Parts ftiould flourifh, if ve either refufe or repine at the trifling Expcnce that the due Protedlion of them requires. Such a Condud- as this, inftead of mani- fefting Oeconomy, the diredl Proof of the Want of it. * r to lofe great Ad- vantages, for want of laying out fuch fmall Sums as are requifite to fecure them, is the Frugality of a Mifer, who lofesthe Ufe of his Horfes, rather than pay for Hay and Oats to keep them. Such a Proceeding is unworthy of a great Na- tion; we (hould either refolve to part with Places, or determine to prote<5t them; to do neither, entails upon us an Ex- pence that is to no purpofe, and, what is worfe, at the fame time does us no Credit. One Thing indeed is certain, that if we withdraw oar Protcdion, and our Sub- jeds (hould, as they undoubtedly will, withdraw upon it, we (hall have either the French or Spaniards, or probably both, take pofTeflion of what we leave ; and then we muft either abandon our next Frontier, or be at a greater Expence for \ \t' Hi' . f'N- ' Li <% f r 'i^^t (jii it Hi ( 6 ) for the Defence ( • ; . i, than would keep the Frontier that ' . now have. The Truth of the Matter is, (for why fhould not the Truth be told) the real Intereft of Great Britain is to maintain a confi- derable Force in thefe Parts j and tho' this may be attended with a coniiderable Expence, yet that would be much more than ballanced by the Confequences that muft follow from it. It has been faid, and it is fit that it (hould be faid again, that even a fmall Expence, if it be to no purpofe, is Folly and Profufion ; but a large Expence that procures Advantages far fuperior to it, is in reality a Saving, and no Expence at all, Wc may eafily conceive this, if we conlider, that our Southern Colonies are full of Negroes, by whofe Labour the white Inhabitants are fupported, and very large Returns are made to Great Britain, But tho' Slaves are beneficial to their Mafters, and their Mafters lay out all that accrues to them for their Labour with us here in England, yet thefe Slaves are not to be depended upon for Defence, Nor will any Man in his Scnfes cxpedl, that Countries in this Condition (hould be able to defend thiemfelves without Afliftance, or that there is any Thing unreafonable in their expeding ii f\t ■lu (47) cxpcding this Afliftance from that Na- tion upon which they depend, and to which they belong. Neither is the Af- fiftance that we give them, if duely weighed, any Hardfliip upon this Nation ; for every Man of the Troops kept there, does not coft above one Third of what is earned by a Planter ; now as we have all that the Planter earns, two thirds of the Expence is faved by defending them, that it would adlually coft this Nation if they were able and (hould defend themfelves. Befides, by affording this neceflary Prote- ction, and keeping up a re" 'bnable Force in the Frontier Colony, we preferve the Dependence of thefe rich Southern Coun- tries cfFedlually, as we may always fecure the Dependence of the Northern Colo- nies, by taking off their Timber, Naval Stores, and other Commodities, for which we muft otherwifc pay ready Money to Strangers; fo that the Dreams fome People have, or affedt to have, of our Colonies thirfting after Independency, will remain Dreams, unlefs we follow the Advice of thefe Dreamers, and by throw- ing off all Regard for our Subjeds abroad, force them to forget their Duty to the Government at Home j a Cafe that, while common Senfe remains either in Europe t\' i-' '■ y r lii^ (48) Europe or in Americay can never happen: As there are many unforefeen Inconve- niencies attend a wrong Meafure, fo it is a very difficult Matter to enumerate all the Advantages that may arife from a right one ; yet without aiming at the Charadler of a great Politician, one may affign feveral others that would arife.from keeping conftantly a regular Force on the Southern as well as Northern Frontier. For inftance, it gives Weight and Credit to the Britijh Nation, preferves the Friendship of the Indians y which is a Point of very great ConfequencCjand which,as the French and Spaniards are ready to purchafc at a high Rate, we ought to fet a reafonable Value on alfo, as having learned by Experience the Benefits refulting from it. It efta- blirties a juft Senfe of Security in the Planters, gives them Courage and Spirit tc purfue their Labours, and to think of turning them to what might promote the future Profperity of the Colony, ra- ther than facrifice that to their imme- diate Advantage, which, while they have any Fears, Sufpicions, or Doubts, they will always do. It affords the ftrongeft Invitation for others to come and fettle there likewifej for where there is 1:0 want of Room, a moral Certainty of thriving, fi ! T ( 49 ) thriving, and a clear AHurance of perpe- tual Protection, there will never want People. The Succefs of thofe already fealed, will excite others to aim at hav- ing a Share in their Profperity j and in Proportion as this fpreads and extends it- felf, the Reputation of the rifing Colony will continue to attradl Inhabitants, as the increafe of Inhabitants will alfo heighten their Advantages ; and whatever contributes to make a Plantation thrive, mnft enrich the Mothci-Country. While Ihe ftarves her ChildiCn, (he rnufl P.arve for them, (for there is nothii.^ ro be iiad from Beggars) but providing loi .Leir Subfiftence, they mull maintain her, bo- caufe her Wealth aril's frcm .he means of their Subfiftcnce. I will add but one Thing more 5 if we are fick of American Wars, and of the enormous Expence that attends them, this is the Way to render the Peace perpetual ; for while we have a confiderable Number of regu- lar Troops in our Frontit^r (.olony, there is no Danger of feeing tiiac Peace di- ll:urbed. It was the want of fi.ch a Force that encouraged the Violences that brought on the laft War, and if we had had but a reafonable Number of well- G feafoned 1 \ f\ ' "nt ir ,fe:l 4f !l ii L! I ^ii: ( SO ) feafoned Troops in thofe Parts, our Ex- peditions had ended otiierwife than they did. On the whole therefore it will ap- pear, that true Oeconomy confifls in providing againft and keepini^ off Dangers, and that immenfe Charge that is brought upon us by Wars, which, for want of a few reafonable Precautions, wc generally fpeaking bring upon ourfelves. Whatever fome People may think, thefe are no new Dodlrines, but the very fame that have been preached up by all who were well acquainted with thefe Matters for half a Century paft. Look into the State Tradls, from the Reign of King Charles II. to this Time, and you will find the fame Arguments urged, the fame Reafons infifted upon, and the fame Backwardnefs and Mifappiehenfion ex- pofcd. If we have been fo often taught, and fo long a learning, is it not at leaft hio;h Time that we (hould learn now ? Have we not had the Examples of other Nations before our Eyes in this Rcfped ? and have we ever feen any Settlements flourilh, that were not fupportcd? On the other hand, have we not feen Colonies rife and flourifli, and become dangerous Rivals, even to our Sugar Iflands, merely by Dint lU' ll Hi ( 5' ) Dint of the Supprt afforded them from their Mother Countries? Have we not alfo {cci\ great and flourifliing Plantations link and dwindle to nothing, for want of a little Support ? Is not this precifely the Cafe of the two Nations fettled upon the Illand of Hi/paniolaf one aiTifted, cherifli'd, and defended, and, in Con- fequence of that, rich and powerful, fend- ing home annually large Fleets with Cargoes of prodigious Value j the other (lighted, negleded, and left to fliift for herfelf, and from thence declining low and poor. What reafon therefore is there to countenance the Hopes of de- riving Advantages from unproteded Co- lonies, of >cying that we are to receive Riches fruiii Countries, where the People liave no Chance of fubfifting in quiet ? Thefe are plain, perfpicuous, and con- fiftent Dodrines, not taken up to ferve a Turn, or to advance any private or par- ticular Intereft, not even that of the Co- ionics, farther than as their Interefts be- come finally the Interefts of Great- Britain, and which therefore it is the Duty of every unbiafied and unprejudiced Britijb oubjett to cipouic. This being the Cafe, it 13 hoped, that fuch as profefs them- G 2 fclvcs 1 1« ( 50 felves concerned to re(ftify paft Miftakes, and to put all thlrp^s npon a proper Foot for the future, will conr.^er ^bcfe Mat- ters ferioiiflv, and with the Attention they de tTve, If Leifure cannot be fpared for this at prefent, at leait let no precipitate Meafures to be taken ; for tho' we may at any Time abandon, we cannot at all Times acquire. If the Reafon fliould be afked, V/hy there are any who do not fee Things in this Light, if in reality they are fo very plain, it may be very eafily given. The Light of Men's Eyes differ not more than the Light of their Minds ; and therefore it is no Wonder at all, that fome are near- fighted, and fome are fhort-fighted ; nor is it at all ftrange in an Age like this, when almoft every thing is governed by Fafiiion, that there fhould be amongft us fome who afftO: to be fliort-fighted. Thefe People keep their Eyes fixed upon the Sums tlidt go out for the Service of the Colonies ; and becaufe they fee this Money immediately paid, and do not as imme- diately fee how it returns, they believe, or pretend to believe, that it is loft, and treat thofe who alTert the contrary, as mere Speculatifts or Enthufiafts,, But if we refleclj A ^ at- ( 53 ) refledt, that it is aThing notorionfly known to all, who are acquainted with the Na- ture of Britijh Commerce, that, exclulive of the other Advantages derived to us from our Colonies, we adtually receive from them to the Amount of upwards of three Millions a Year, it will not appear at all ftrange or unreafonable, that we fliould take a little Pains, and even be at fome Expence too, for their Prefervation. Be- fides, it is not the Nation only that is a Gainer, but, which ought alfo to have its Weight, the publick Revenue. Mod of thefe Goods are charged with confider- able Cuftoms, and fome of them pay likewife a heavy Excife. Why don*t we keep our F^yes a little upon that, fmcc we mav judge; from thence of the Value of thefe Countries, and of the large Amends they make us for that Proportion of Trouble that we are pleafed to beftow about them. We might likewife look round, and con- iider the many great and rich Families fettled and eftablilhed in this Ifland, whofe Anceflors acquired their Fortunes in ^1//:erica j and this would fhew us two Things, firft, that very large Fortunes are acquired there, and next, that when fo acquired they are laid out here. Now 1 conceive, that let a Man come from what \/ i i n V '• ;!>' : if ill I I ( 54 ) what Country he will, if he brings with him Money enough to purchafe a large Eftate, this Nation is a Gainer by him, juft as much as that Purchafe amounts to ; for the Land was here before, remains here ftill, and the Money that purchafes it into the Bargain. But, fay fome, if thefe Countries pro- duce fuch mighty Advantages, and are fo ^exceedingly rich, why do they not fupport themfelves? what Occafion is there for being at any Expence at all about them ? Yet at other times thefe People anfwer themfelves, by exprefllng their Fears, that ibme Time or other the Colonies will be- come inuependent; without confidering, that to oblige them to provide for them- felves, is to make them independent. As their Mother-Country, we have the Tute- lage of them, we provide them with Ne- ceiTarics, we fupply them with Conve- uicncies, we aflift them with what they want, we proted them when in Danger, wc fend Perfons to govern them j, but then, on the other fide, we take all they have, we apply it to our own Ufe, and we make a very large Profit by that Application. This being the true State of the Cafe, there cannot be any thing more ridiculous, as well as more unkind, than to be treat- ing I ( S5 ) ing thefe People at every turn as if they were Strangers and Foreigners. At this Rate we may form the fame No- tion, and indeed the Vulgar do, of the Inhabitants of Torkfiiresind Somerfetjhire 5 but is not this filly and weak ? is it not narrow, and unworthy of a civilized Peo- ple ? Did ever Notions of this kind prevail among the great Nations of Antiquity ? of did they ever confider their Citizens as falling from that Chara(5ter, by living for the publick Service at a Diftance ? if not,' why rhould we ? Sometimes we have the Vanity to compare ourfelves to the Greeks and Romans ; let us refemble them in their Virtues, and it will be no longer a Vanity; Let us conceive the Bounds of Britain to extend where-ever her Laws are obeyed, where-ever Men are made free and happy by living under our excellent Conftitution; this will purge out thefe little, mean, and defpicable Notions, and we {hall then have a right Idea of the Welfare of the Britiflo Nation, which conlifts in the well-being of every Individual, who pays a juft Obe- dience to its Government. The fctting up a Preference amongft the Colonies, is a Species of that Narrow- nefs of Spirit which ought to be explod- ed. All we have in /imerica is alike oilr own, I .r w ( 5^ ) own, and every Part of it oncrbt to be alike o Tire. Two Men ot War liavc lately broL^ j • ^'^e hundred thouiand Pounds in ha ;',,!ver from 'Jamaica j iliall we thence conch:de thatlfljnd alone delerves our Care ? Our Care iue cer- tainly deferves, but in the f.me Propor- tion with the reft of our Plantations ; Ibme yield us more, fome Icfs, but every Co- lony yeilds us all it can ; and therefore, itridiy fpeaking, all yield alike. Some yield more in War than in Peace, others more in Peace than in War ; but what then? we muft take Care of them all, and at all Times, becaufe they all depend upon each other. Our Sugar Colonies could hardly fubfift, without the Afliftance of thofe upon the Continent ; and thofe up- on the Continent thrive and grow rich by their Commerce with the S'lgar Iflands; but it is Great Britain that reaps the Benefit of both, all their Gains center here. Neither ought we to grudge them that Opulence in which, in fome of the Plantations, they are thought to live ; for as they cannot be frugal without our reaping the Advantage of it, fo it is im- pofTible for them to be extravagant, but we muft be the better for it. Whether they keep or throw away, tho' it is not alike ♦n be r iiave )ulci,iid aloiie e cer- ropor- ; fome y Co- reforc. Some others : what ill, and d upon could ince of )re up- w rich Iflands ; ips the center ;e them ; of the ve ; for lut our : is im- nt, but /hether L is not alike {S7 ) alike to them, yet it is the very fame Thing to us. If they lay up Money, they come here and purchafe Land j if not, they come here and throw away that Money. It muft certainly there- fore be our great Interefl to preferve them in fuch a Situation, as that they may be able to acquire Wealth, whether they hoard, or whether they diflipate it. Wc do them a Kindnefs indeed in doing this, but at the Bottom we do it for our own Sakes ; or at leaft this appears to be the Caie, when we exprefs an Unwillingnefs in what we do, and either from a Spirit of Ig- norance or Ill-humour, are pleafed to mif- take for a Burthen, the greateft Bleffing that Heaven has beftowed upon us ; that Bleffing, which in the Space of a Couple of Centuries has multiplied our People, aug- mented our Wealth, and increafed our Power almoft beyond the Reach of Cal- culation. As this is the general Refult of our Plantations in America^ io thofe Plantations in general ought to be the Objed: of our Concern, and we (hould labour as much as poffible to prevent any Jealoufies or UneafinefTes from prevailing amongft them, or amongft us, by infu- fing upon all Occafions the ialutary Doc- \\ trine I'l' I I'.!? 1 lit; :l ■li H ( 58 ) trine of there being but one Interefl com- mon to all, and that the Intereft of the Britijh Nation. This thoroughly incul- cated, would have great and glorious Ef- fects J and we fhould fee no Eagernefs or Emulation, but what proceeded from this Principle. We fhould not fancy, that faving what is necelTary for the Defence of any Part of the Britijh Dominions is Qeconomy, but we fliould look upon it as extravagant to part with our Wealth for any other Purpofe. t'rugahty and Profuaon are relative Things, and may eafity change Places. It may be objeifted, that fome of our Colonies produce very little, and yet thefe Colonies require a great Expence. Now mcthinks, a difcreetMan would fee nothing ilrange in what is fo very natural. There is not any Colony we have but what was heretofore in the f^me Condition. Name the Colony that has cod us Money for twenty Years pad, and is not able to fub- fift yetj arid it will be eafy to name another that coft us Money for forty Years together, that broke Company after Company, and did well at laft, which it might have done fooner, if thofe Com- panies could have done more at once ; for the II' % IS (59) the Fault lay not in what was fpent, but in the fpending it by little and little. If you feed Chickens by a Grain at a Time, they will never be fat j give them theit Corn by the Handful ,and youMl find your Account in it. There is no Coun- try in America^ with which we have any thing to do, but what is capable of Improvements, capable of all that has been faid of or promifed for it. If there- fore it does not anfwer our Expedtation, it is our own Fault ; the People want En- couragement or Protediion, or the Coun- try wants People. We have it in our Power to fupply either, or both thefe Deficiencies, and we ought to fupply them, becaufe it is our Intereft. Is there a Colony that does not anfwer, or is a Burthen to us ? Have done with it. I don't mean abandon or defert it, but take Care to be well apprized of its Condi- tion, learn what is the true State of its Inhabitants, and wherein theirWants con- fili, that you may remove them. If the Fault lies not there, and the Colony is thinly peopled, take away that Defed:. We complain of People here that are burthenfome, fend them thither ; and what was a Burthen at home, will be a T^ 2 "Dl .fV.-.^ * ) 1 I i !^i t lr,!,' ( 60 ) Blefling ibroad. But fend them in Time, don't let them run the Gantlet through all the Goals in the Kingdom, and then fend them thither when they are good for nothing, as Tranfports. Poverty is a Misfortune, but no Crime, or at leaft no Crime in the P<^or, whatever it *nay be in the Governors ; for true Policy confifts in finding Employment for all People, and the Toleration of Idlenefs is an Error in Government. It is a Species of Pro- fufion to beftow Alms upon able Men, but it is great Frugality to lay out twice what you would give them in Charity, to put them in a Way of fubfifting them- felves. The one is a temporary Relief to neceffitous Perfons, the other a real and perpetual Relief to the Body Politick. Be a(hamed then of an Expedient that refleds Difcredit upon them and you, and never think any Sum of Money thrown away, in putting your Countrymen in a Condition to live like Freemen, which is their Birth- right. Thefe look like wild and extravagant Notions, only to wild and extrrvagant Men ; who, becaufe they do not happen to feel Want theni- felves, have no Bowels for them that do ; tho' perhaps their Neceffities are owing to their h ^ to (61 ) their fpending their Heahh and Strength,' in protecting from Necelfity thofe who defpife them. Thus we return to where we fet out, and after making the Tour of the whole Britifh Dominions, we find that to con- fult the Benefit of the Nation, we muft have our Eyes upon every Part of it, into whatever Countries or Climates it may be difperfed. We muft confider all Ranks and Degrees of People, and believe that no Eafe can be given to one Part by op- prefling another. We muft be content, if we will do what is right, to aim at the Good of the whole ; and as this requires much Caution and great Deliberation, we muft proceed flowly and furely, in order to effedt it ; we muft be tender of throwing our Countrymen and Fellow- Subjeds into fuch a State of Diftrefs, as may make them dangerous to others, as well as defperate themfelvesj we muft take the fpeedieft and the fafeft Methods for preventing thefe Evils, by providing for them, as far as that is poffible, the Means of Subfiftence, of which the In- habitants of a neighbouring Ifland (a va- luable Part of his Majefty's Dominions) have fet us a wife and laudable Example ; we :'M5 ! 1 i • i. l!il iiv_ 1*1 '■ it i I-' ^i ( 62 ) mre muft make ufe of the Quiet which ^e Peace has procured us, to find out the moft effedtual Methods for employing and encouraging Induftry, and thereby augmenting our national Income, fo as that Plenty and Profperity may be uni- verfally diffufed ; we muft be cautious of trailing too early, or too entirely, to a Reconciliation fo lately made ; we muft remember, that the beft way to pre- fcrve Peace is to be provided for War, and not fuffar ourfelves to fink into fuch a State, as may expofe us to have other Terms prefcribed than thofe we have ftipulated ; we muft call to mind the Caufes of the laft War, which will iufficiently (hew us the Neceftlty of procuring fome way or other their to- tal Extirpation ; for it is not the Name of a Treaty that takes away Debates, or filences Difputes ; this can be only done by removing the Grounds of them. This, indeed, may not lie entirely in our Power ; but thus much will be always within its Compafs, that we provide for our own Security, and leave no Part of our Dominions open to In- fults or Incroachments. We have, for the Sake of our Allies, reftored our ConqueftSi !l. (63) Conquefts, and withal have refpited the Terror of our naval Armaments; this was all that could be expefted from us, and this being done, we have fulfilled our Engagements; as for Works of Supererogation, or Ads of Complai- fance, they can fefve only to weaken ourfelves, and to raifc up new Demands from thofe whom we fhall never oblige by any fuch Methods. FINIS.