WfQ
u est ion
: od
Callicoes
re
USE ONLY!
C**l<
A Brief State of the Queftion,
Between the
Printed and Painted
CALLICOES
AND THE
Woollen and Silk
MANUFACTURE,
As far as it relates to the
Wearing and Ufing of Printed and
Painted CALLICOES in Great-
Britain.
LONDON:
Printed for W.Boreham at the Jngel
in ?ater-noJler-kow> 1719*
A
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INTRODUCTION.
in
UJ
Si V
>
or
p!u
HEN Men mi/lake in one thing,
'tis very ufual to have the World
think they miftake in every thing 5
and 'tis an eafy thing to find a
Stone to throw at a Dog.
Had the poor Weavers, who 1 am now to
fpeak of, brought their Complaints againft the
exorbitant Wearing of Calicoes 272 a regular
and jujiifiable manner, and before the pro-
per Judges of thoje things - as their Condutl
could not have been reproach 'd, fo the Grie-
vance which now fuffers by their Miftake,
would, perhaps, have met with more Friends.
But wife and impartial Men will learn to
diftinguijl) between the Juftice of a Caufe, and
rJs, the Miftake s of the Managers of it $ between
the Reafon of the Complaint, and the disorderly
A 2 manner
354873
INTRODUCTION.
manner of Complaining : And this is all we frail
have ovcafion to fay ofth&poor miftaken tumultu-
ous Weavers, leaving them to the Clemency and
ComflaJJiey of {he QowmmeM whom they have^
offended* nit recommending- the Grievance* un-
der which they groan, to the ferious Confi-
dflp&twfr'thQfe i* wi%fe$owe\ it is to re-
drejs it.
That the Weavers fuffer under the general
Calamity of Trade $ that they, and even the
whole ALmuf alluring part of the Nation,
are opprejsd i by the ex.horbitant growth of
clavdftme rrade, and the unreafonabh pour-
ing in cf Eift- India Wrought Goods upon us.
T<his xpifl admit of no Debate, at le aft, none
tfiat can be fupported by Reafqi: What little
can le f'ai I for it is jo eafily confuted and- ex-
pos d, and- bai fo often bfen fully anfwtrdjhat
little wilt be wanting now, but according to
my Title, to Jlate ihe Cafe clearly and impar-
Ually between Woollen and Silk Goods made at
Borne, -and the Callicoes. and Wrought Silks
printed here, or clandeftinely imported, from
Abroad.
In
IjNrTRODUPJ.JON.,
In order to enter npon. x this J fair with -all
foible Clearjiefs a.nd Plainnefj, and, if we can,
tojlrike at the Root of the Mif chiefs we com-
plain of, Ijhallfirft lay down fome general Pro-
portions as Fundamentals in this Quefiion o
Trade , obliging my Jelf to giyefuch Evidence for
the proof oft hem a.s flail take away all pojfible
Pretences to deny the Fact 5 and this I do. at
Mk mt* W t !WI have * filling at the
Threfiold, no cavilling at the Terms, or Jlwf-
fling off the Queftion from one thing to another 3
but that as l?n.iy talk to Men-.of.Bufinefs, I may
talk likewife to their Under/landing and Con-
viction. My Propcfnions are,
1. That the Woollen and Silk Manufactures of
this Kingdom being the Staple of our Trade,
and the mofl con fider able and efjential part
v of our Wealth, the Fund for our Exportation,
the Support of our Navigation, and the only
Means we have for the Employing and Subfifi-
ing our Poor 5 it is therefore the commonln-
tereflofthe whole Kingdom to difcourage eve-
ry other Manufacture, whether foreign or af-
Jumd,
INTRODUCTION.
fumd,fofar as tbofe Manufactures are ruin-
ous to, and inconfiftent with the Profperity of
the /aid Britifh ManufaBures of Wooll and
Silk.
X
2. That the Wearing and Ufing Printed or
Painted Callicoes, as they are now almoft uni-
verfally worn andufed in Great-Britain, is
ruinous to, and inconfiftent with the Profperity
of our Englifh ManufaBures, as well tbofe
of Wooll as tbofe of Silk.
3. That the total prohibiting the Wearing and
ufing of Printed or Painted Callicoes in Great-
Britain, if not ruinous to, or inconfiftent with
the Profperity of the Eaft-India Trade 3 or 9
to put it into an Affirmative that may be
more capable of Evidence, the Eaft-India
Trade may and would remain in a very thri-
ving and fiouxiflnng Condition, and be carrfd
on to the Profit and Advantage of the Adven-
turers, tho' all the SubjeBs of Great-Britain
and of Ireland were effeBually limitted from,
and prohibited the wearing and ufing of Print-
ed and Painted Callicoes.
4. That
INTRODUCTION.
4. That the Printed and Painted Callicoes novo
worn and ufed in Great- Britain, come under
four Denominations, All pernicious and de-
finitive to our Trade , (viz.*) fuch as being im-
ported by the Dutch, are either printed in
the Indies or in Holland, and clandejlinely
run on Shore here, in fpite of former Prohi-
bitions : Ok fuch as being imported here by our
oven Eaft-India Company \ and prohibited to
be worn bee aufe printed in India, are pre-
tended to be exported, but are privately run
on Shore again and fold: Ok fuch as being
printed here, are entred and Jbifd for Ex-
portation, in order to draw back the Duties
on the Stamps, but are re-landed and fold
here 5 and laftly, fuch as are printed here,
and legally worn and ufed, and under the
Colour of which All the other Frauds are
prdBisd and conceal 'd.
5. That this clandeftine Importation and Re-
landing of Printed and Painted Callicoes, is
no way to be prevented, neither is it in the
reach of the Wit and Power of Man to put a
flop
INTRODUCTION
flop to it by any other Means but by efj
ally preventing aid ptobilMn} the wearing
and nfe of them.
/ have fome 'titer effenml Propoftibns in
Trade, which' will corhe in 'courje to he laid
down for the carrying on this- Argument, as we
'proceed in the Ccffifi^htibn'Sfifrefe $ hit' I pall
referve them in petto till I jetyhethr the Age
is weak enough to firuggle with things fo felf-
evident as thefe, and till I fee what it is can
be offer d, if any thing (hall be' niuftred up,
. 1 r r- mv*
again ft theje Jive.
'
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'
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A Brief
A Brief State of the Queftion,
Between the
Printed and Painted
CALLI COES
AND THE
Woollen and Silk Manufa&ure^ &>c.
HAT the Importation of
Wrought Siiks and Printed
Callicoes from the Eajt-In-
dies, and allowing the ufe
_ w of them here when imported,
has all along been found prejudicial to the
Home Confumption of our Woollen and
Silk Manufadures in Great-Brita\n y needs
no other Proof than the late Ads of Par-
liament, which were obtained in Confequence
of the general Application of the Manufadu-
rers, as well Matters as Workmen, through
B the
( 10 )
the whole Kingdom, to prohibit and limit
their Confumption. i ' *
In doing this, the Parliament, whofe Wif-
dom and Juftice was very confpicuous in that
very Cafe, entred into the true Merits of the
Caufe, fearch'd it to the bottom, and weigh'd
the Allegations on ; every fide. The Mem-
bers were neither clamour' d into it by the
Weavers, byafs'd to it by Parties, or hurry 'd
into it by the multitude of Petitions from the
Counties and Corporations they reprefented $
but the weight of the Caufe fuppqrted itfdf j
the nature of the thing pleaded it, and their
own well-weigh 'd Reafon importun'd them
to it : The thing was felf- evident 5 the Hu-
mour of the People, as too often is the Fate
of Nations, feem'd, at that time, poifefs'd a-
gainft their Intereft, and being hurry 'd down
the Stream of their Fancy, they ran head-
Jong into the greateft Neglect and Contempt
of the Growth and Manufactures of their
own Country and People, and embrac'd, with
a Violence in their Temper, not to be refin-
ed, the Silks and Calicoes of India, in a man-
ner
( If )
ner even ridiculous to themfelves, as well as
fatal to their Intereft.
I
. The Extravagance of that Time cannot be
fo entirely forgot, as that we mould not re*
fleft how the Ladies converted their Carpets
and Quilts into Gowns and Petticoats, and
made the broad and uncouth Bordures of the
former, ferve inftead of the rich Laces and
Embroideries they were ufed to wear, and
drefs'd more like the Merry- Andrews of Bar-
tholomew-Jtaix, than like the Ladies and the
Wives of a Trading People.
The .Confequence was, what any one might
have forefeen would be, (viz,') the Ruin of
our Manufactures, the ftagnating of our Trade,
the (top of Employment, and the ftarving our
Poor : The Cry was universal, not the Spit-
f/<?-/fc/J* Weavers only, felt it 5 the Calamity
was general, and the Complaint came from
every Corner of the" Nation.
As -all Mifchiefs.in their Exorbitance tend
naturally to their own Cure, fo it was here .
B % fee-
(>
feeing the thing was fetal in itfelf to ourTrade,
it was our Felicity that it run on to fuch Ex-
tremes as allarm'd the whole Kingdom ^ for
this awaken'd the Parliament to its Redrefs 5
Such we cannot but hope will be the Cafe a-
gain 5 for like Caufes generally produce like
ErTeds.
The Proceedings of the Legislature might
pafs with us all, for Reafon, in a Cafe of much
more Confequence than this 5 but we have
yet more powerful Auxiliaries to bring in
Aid of the Cafe before us 5 I'll infift upon two
only, ifty The Pattern of our Neighbours $
idly y The Succefs of our own Prohibi-
tions. 1 begin with the lad.
What the Parliament did in the Cafe I juft
now mentioned, was abundantly juftified in
the Succefs : What can be more encouraging
to apply the fame way, feeing the Cafe is
the fame?
No fooner was the Flux of foreign Manu-
factures ftopp'd t and the Eaft-hdia Goods pro-
*** hibited,
( 3)
hibited, but the Trade reviv'd 5 the face of
Things chang'd 5 Bufinefs and Plenty fucceed-
ed to want of Employment and want of
Bread $ the Numbers of Poor flocking to the
Manufactures for Employment, and the En-
creafe of the Confumption of our Manufa-
ctures reviv'd the whole Nation. Nothing
could be a (Ironger and more convincing
Evidence of what had been alledg'd, (viz.)
that the fo general wearing and ufing Eaft-
India printed Callicoes, &c. had been the
Ruin of our Trade, had put a flop to the Em-
ployment of the Weavers, and, in a word,
had fiarvd our Poor. I (hall come to this
again in its Place.
I come, in the next place, to the Example of
our Neighbours, and particularly the French,
a Nation but too wife in the raofl proper
Methods for ere&ing and encouraging Manu-
factures, of which there are fuch Teftimo-
nies given in the Adminiftration of Monfieur
Colbert^ who was juftly called The Father of
the French ManufaBures y as we have felt the
Confequences of in Trade for many Years paft.
The
( i4)
The French . Eaft-India Company was efta*
blifh'd by the enterprifing Genius of the faid
Monfieur Colbert, in the Year 1664, and the
Edict pafs'd the th of August 1686, fettling
all their Privileges for 50 Years 1 and they
begun with great Advantages, tho' they had
not Succefs, occafion'd by their own Mifma-
nagement: However, the King of France t
finding the ufing and wearing of India
wrought Silks, Cottons, and Callicoes paint-
ed and printed, whether in India or at Home,
began to encroach upon the Manufactures of
his Subjects, as well Silk as Wooll ^ and
forefeeing that it would be the Ruin of both,
for which he thought himfelf obliged to pre-
ferve the utmoft Concern, as being the Fun-
damental of the Riches of his Kingdom, he
effectually prohibited the Wearing and Ufe
of them, whether printed at Home or Abroad,
among his Subjects, by an Edict in the Year
1686, and under very fevere Penalties : And
the late King of France^ being mov'd by his
Council of Trade, from time to time, by fe-
veral fubfequent Edicts, ,confirm'd thofe Pro-
hibitions
( i5)
hibitions, adding farther Penalties, more fe-
vere than before, for enforcing the Execu-
tion: By all which it appears, ofwhatCon-
fequence this Matter was thought to be for
the preferving the Manufactures' of his own
Dominions.
The Government of France proceeding (till
upon the fame Maxims, of a juft Policy in
Trade, continue as tenacious of their former
Care for their own Manufactures as ever :
And this appears by the Provifion made by
fubfequent Edicts to continue the fame Pro-
hibitions, in the ftritteft manner, of all fuch
Eaft-India Goods as are hurtful to their Ma-
nufactures, of which the following is a fla-
ming Inftance : (viz.") We all know that the
prefent Government has united their old Eaft-
India Company to their new Weft-India Com-
pany, and what great Advances of Credit that
Union has made in France $ yet fo far is the
prefent Government from neglecting their
own Manufactures, by forgetting to prohibit
the Ufe of the Callicoes, &c. which the
faid Company may import ^ and fo far are
they
( i<S )
they are from imagining that the (aid Com-
pany mould not flourifh and thrive, notwith-
ftanding the Prohibition of thofe Goods, tho'
fo confiderable a Branch of their Importation,
that thofe Prohibitions are all expreily re-
new'd, repeated, and confirm'd by the Edict of
Re-union, as appears by the IXth and Xth
Articles of the Grant to the faid new cfta-
bliuYd Company, as follpws:
Artie. IX. c We permit the faid Company
4 to import from the Countries within their
* Grant, all forts of Stuffs qf pure Silk, and
* of Silk and Cotton mix'd with Gold and
* Silver, Bark of Trees, and Callicoes dy'd,
' painted, and ftrip'd. We require, that the
* faid Merchandizes prohibited in this King-
* dom, may not be fold but on exprefs Con-
' d it ions of being exported to foreign Parts,
' and that for this End they may be
1 laid up in the Ware-houfes of our Farmer-
* Generals, under two Keys, of which the
' Farmer-General, or his Deputies, (hall
1 keep one, and the Directors of the Com-
\ pany, or their Subftitutes, the other ^ and
* that
( *f)
1 that all other necefiary Precautions be ta-
* ken, to hinder the Sale of the faid Merehatt-
* dife for Domeftick Gonfumption.
Artid. X. * The faid Company may alfo
* import, from the Countries within their
* Grant, all forts of White Caliicoes, Raw
* Silks, Coffee, Drugs, Spices, Metals, and
* other Things, except thofe prohibited by
* the preceding Article, paying the Duties
* which are actually paid by the India Com-
c pany, according to the Edicts, Declarations,
' Arrets, and Regulations of the Kings our
' Predece/fors. ,-p
Here we fee the very Thing done in France
which we want here ^ and for the very fame
Reafons for which we (land fo much in need
of it here 5 which Reafons we cannot doubt
.will fubfift with the fame force Here as There 3
the Foundations of Foreign Import, and Home
Manufactures being the fame, and efpecially,
Ibecaufe we cannot doubt but that a Britifi
Parliament will appear infpired with all the
juft Principles of Care and Concern for the
C Good
( i.8)
Good of our People, and the Profperity of
our Trade, as the Councils of the late King
of France -could be for'his Subjects.
But I cannot forbear taking notice here,
how much ftronger the Argument is oil our
Side for the doing this now, than it ever
was before, even for this particular Reafon,
(viz.*) becaufe the French have, upon their
new fcftablilhment, continued their Prohibi-
tions. I explain my ielf thus :
The French have not only re-eftabJiuYd the
Trade to India, but they have put it into
Hands which are not like to neglecl: it, run
in Debt in the Indies, or fell the Liberty
of trade to others 5 but they who are now
entrufted with the Privilege, know very-
well how to make ufe of it, and want no
Stock to carry it on : And as they are capa-
ble both in Knowledge of the Bufinefs, and
Stock for the managing of it, fo they appear
refolute to proceed immediately upon it ^ and
we are told, they have already taken up four
large Ships ior the carrying on the Trade,
booxj and
(('9 )
aad that they talk of taking up feveral
more.
The FJwntfihgs under the Imperial Com-
miflion or Charter, are not only doing the
fame, but are actually embark'd in the Eaft-
India Trade, have feveral Ships now Abroad,
and one great Ship juft arriv'd from India at
Oftendy being the fecond that they have re-
ceived fince their entringupon that Trade :
And we. are likewife told, that the Govern-
ment of the Aufinan Netherlands lias already
refolv'd on the prohibiting the Confumption of
Printed and Painted Cailicoes among them,
and that they will be publickly prohibited
there as they are in France.
Let any impartial Perfon then judge, whe-
ther we have not juft Reafon to be allarm'd
at thefe Meafures, while we lie open to a
fmuggling Trade fo generally carried on
thro' this whole Kingdom, and fo impoiTible
now to be prevented : Whither muft the
vaft Quantities of Cailicoes which thefe two
new Eajl-hdia Companies will import, I
C 2 fay a
( 2 )
fay, Whither muft they go> Whither but
to England, and Scotland, and Ireland, where
the People are fp fond of them, and where
it is fo eafy to get them on Shore.
Qur pajl-lndta Company has already fhew'd
theiufelves apprehenfive of the Succefs of the
new Eftablifh d Imperial Company in Flan-
ders, nor can they be juftly unconcernd at
the fetting up a Cpmpany in France upon
fo potent a Stock as that of 50 Millions :
But what then have we not to fear for our
Woollen and Silk Manufactures, which are fo
opprefs'd already with clandestine Importa-
tions of Silks and Gallicoes from Abroad, as
well as Printing them at Home, and when the
Frencfi will not fail to bring in Quantities
equal to the Opportunities which they have
to land them?
We may appeal for this, to any one that
is acquainted on thofe Shores of England
which lie neareft to France } are not French
Brandies, French Wines, and French Silks to
J)e had almoft in as great Plenty in our Port-
Towns
( at )
Towns on that fide of the Country, as in
fome Parts of France it felf, and will it not
be the fame thing with India Goods I Can
Rttmney-Marjl) want French Callicoes, where
all French Goods are, as it were, as familiar
to them as in France .<? Can thofe People
that know how to carry off whole Freights
of Wooll, the moft bulky of all Merchan-
dife, be ignorant to take on Shore French
Callicoes, French Wrought Silks, French
Eaft-hdia Goods of all Kinds ? It cannot be
doubted, but when the French come to have
a Quantity of Callicoes always by them, and
no confumption for them at Home, they will
find Ways and Means to croud them in up-
on us, with much more Eafe than they do
now their Wines and Brandies. What the
Confequence of this will be to our Wool-
len and Silk Manufactures, is very plain:
They muft be deftroy'd, nothing can pre-
vent it.
Thefe Things ferve to let us fee that the
prefent Debate is not the Cone^ rn of a few
people in Spittle-fields only, tho* their Po-
verty
C 22 ))
xofty and Diftrefs happens to be neareft our
View. at this time, as their Complaints have
beeri Ioudeft :' But, in a word, the whole
Body is aflfefted, the whole Intereft of our
Woollen and Silk. Manufactures throughout
th^JCingdom iscortcernd in it ji I mean,' as
to thofe Goods which concern our Wearing
Apparel and 'Furniture, which is the Bulk of
our Manufactures :, nay, the Eajl-India Com-
pany themfelves are concern'd in it 5 and, I
believe, it might be very eafy to prove, by a
pit. Calculation, that if thefe Companies now
&t up in France and Flanders, profper and
thrive, as it is more than probable they will,
ih&Eaft-lndia Company of 'Great-Britain will
fuffer more by their Importing their Calli-
coes here, and thereby fharing the Trade
with them, or rather taking it from them,
thau they will, by the general putting a flop
upon the consumption, and thereby check-
ing the Foreigners in their beginning ^ fo that
upon the whole, of the two, the Prohibi-
tion feems to me to be no Evil at all, but
rather an Advantage to them.
-o c i
It
( :3
It was, without queftion, an unaccount-
able Miitake in thofe who folicited the firft
Prohibition of Indian Printed Callicoes, that
they contented themfelves with prohibiting
the Ufe of Callicoes Printed Abroad, but
did not infift upon prohibiting the Wearing
and Ufe of thofe Printed at Home, as Things
in themfelves equally ruinous to our Manu-
factures. ^ they had not then left the Door
open to the Printing and Painting them in
En&Iand^ a Trade then fcarce known 5 under
colour of which, all forts of Callicoes, where-
foever Printed, have been worn here, and
Foreigners thereby encouraged to pour them
in upon us by the Arts of clandeftine Trade,
and our People impofe upon us by Re- landing
their own $ in which, by the way, the known
and wilful Perjury that attends it, is one of
the leaft Things in our Conlideration.
But now the Work is to be done over again,
with this Difficulty in the Difference, (viz)
that now we have the Pretences of the Cal-
Ikoe- Printers to ftruggle with, their calling
\r. the
the Callicoes a Manufacture, becaufe Painted
and Printed here 5 rho' thefe are in them-
felves meer Trifles, like that of the Numbers
of Families employ 'd in Printing, &c. I
fay, Trifles, when compar'd with the Manu-
factures themfelves which we plead for, and
the Numbers of Families and People main-
tain'd by and employ 'd in them 3 of which I
believe I am not arrogant, when I fay, it is
ridiculous to talk of any Proportion.
: 1
The Work has alfo another Difficulty in
its Way, or rather a pretended Difficulty 5
that is to fay, I forefee that fome People in-
tend to call this a Difficulty, I mean, the
Fund form'd upon the Stamps upon Calli-
coes, appropriated, perhaps, to fuch or fuch
Ufes, or as Security for fucti and fuch Loans :
But as all thofe Funds are, to our great
Satisfaction, made redeemable by Parlia-
ment, we have no more to do but to convince
our Reprefentatives of the Neceffity of re-
deeming them, and leave the Houfe, which
is the inexhapftible Fund of Funds, to their
own Methods for rinding an equivalent Secrf-
nt/
(^5)
rity to the Satisfaction of the Lenders 5 and
yet, even in this Point, when the Houfe (hall
legitimate fuch an Attempt, fomething may
be faid farther.
Difficulties therefore are no Difcourage-
ment, where abfoluteNeceflity is the Motive :
The Thing carries an apparent Neceility in
it 5 it muft be remedied, or our Trade muft
be Ruin'd, our Manufactures be at an End,
and cur Poor not fent a Begging only, but
indeed be Starv'd. And here, were it any
thing to 'the Purpofe, I could fpend forae
time in? Exclamation* at the prepofterous un-
thinking Humour of our People, who, up-
on all Qceauuns, run directly counter to
their Jntereft, as a Trading Nation, in fo visi-
ble and fo evident a manner as this of wearing
Printed Callicoes 5 or, at leaft, wearing them
fo as to make it an univerfal Mode. We
often fee Clothiers, Drugget-makers, Serge-
makers, Stuff-makers, &c. drefs themfelves
and their Families in the Cloth, or Druggets,
or Serges, or Stuffs they make 5 and tho they
may not be fo very like their Neighbours, they
D will
( *6)
will give this ready Anfwer, (viz.') *Tis my
own Trade 5 'tis my dwn ManufaRure. And the
Anfwer is allow'd to be very reafonable $ Why
fhould it not be a National Anfwer, as well
as a Family Anfwer > Why mould not an
Englifh Man, or an Englifb Lady reject foreign
and deftructive Gewgaws, and chufingto wear
the Woollen and Silk of our own Product
and Manufacture, give this for a Reafon for
it, 'IBs our own Trade - 'tis our own Manu-
facture.
Let Us go to the Indians and the Chinefes
for Inftruction, as Solomon fends the Sluggard
to the Ant : Are they prevail'd with to lay
by their own Manufactures for any of
Ours? No 5 'tis evident, we are fo far from
being able to place any of our Manufactures
among them, that they defpife the Propofal 5
and refufe to fell rhofe Goods, which we
have fo little need of bur for that ready Mo-
ney which we havc/o little need to fart with.
But this is a large Field $ I refer it to
the Time when the Batuc (hail be more clofe-
( V )
\y joind $ then we may find time to talk
more feelingly of the Folly of carrying Mo-
ney to the Indies, to buy that, which we ought
rather to give Money to be without.
But I return to the Indians, who, as un-
capable as they may be to judge of their Na-
tional Interefts, are yet wifer in this part, by
the Strength of meer Nature, than we are,
who pretend to fo much Knowledge 5 for
they wear their own Manufactures $ nor can
we bring them to alter the manner of their
Cloathing, any more than the Matter of it.
Some have alledg'd for a Reafon of this, the
Climate in the Indies being fuited to the Manu-
factures they make 5 and that nothing can be fo
light,fo clean, fo pleafant in fuch hot Countries,
as theCallicoes and Silks of their own making :
But we might very well anfvver this, by gi-
ving the Patterns of our fine Stuffs 3 fome of
which, as well as the . manner of wearing
them in hot Countries, are much Cooler, and
much more fuited to the Heat of the warm-
eft Climate, than the uncouth Falhions,
D 2 great
( ^8)
great Sleeves and pleated Gowns of the Ia-
dians, who even load themfelves, rather than
drefs themfelves with their Callicoes and
other Manufactures of their own Make.
Any Traveller might be left to judge of
this, who has fcen the Spaniards in Peru,
at Lima, at Panama, Carthagena, and fuch-
like Hot Places, where they drefs much
cooler and lighter in Brit if) aud French Stuffs
and Cloth, my, even in Englijb Black Bayes,
than the Indians on the Coaft of Mala-
bar and Ccrcmandel, or in the Bay of
Bengale, do in their Silks and Callicoes 5
but Nature dictates to thefe Nations to
cultivate their own Produce, to confume
their own Manufacture, and encourage their
own Commerce : And Nature would dictate
the fame thing to us, if we did not obftinately
put out Nature's Eyes, and aft aopinft Nature,
in purfuit of the moft untraceable part of our
Faculties, I mean, Humour and Fancy.
Certainly, if we were free from this Trade-
Frenzy, and were to aft by the Dictates of
Cqmmcn Settee, we ftould reiieft, that the
Woollen
( *9 )
Woollen Manufa&ure is the Staple of our
Trade, the Soul of our Commerce, the Ori-
ginal Fountain of our Wealth, and, as 1 faid in
my Introduction, it is the moft effcntial part of
the Riches of the Rich, and the principal Means
we have for employing our Poor. Many things
might be faid to prove, and fome to iliuftratc
whoever is contain d in thefe Generals, con-
cerning our Woollen Manufacture 5 but I am
loth to funnofe my felf talking; to any People
fo ignorant as not to know it, or fo partial
as not to acknowledge it. If I can meet with
any Englifiman fo weak as to difpute it, I un-
dertake, at Demand, to expofe them, and
prove my Proportion, both at once.
.
The Premifes then being granted, my In-
ference is as juft, namely, that it is the com-
mon Interefi of the whole Kingdom to difcou-
rage every other Manufacture, fo far as thofs
Manufactures are ruinous to, and inconfilient
with the Profperity of our Own.
The late King of France, who fo well un-
derftood the Intereft of his Subjects in Trade,
is
(3)
is a ftanding Authority for this very thing :
All the Ed ids publifh'd in France on this
Subject, fuch as in the Year 1686, and in
1689, and in 1697, prohibiting the Printing
and Paint mg of Callicoes in France \ and the
felling Callicoes Printed or Painted in India
when Imported into France, are fortified with
thisReafon,asfuflicient tojuftify their Govern-
ment in the faid Prohibition, (viz.) that they
were prejudicial to the Manufaflures of Wooll
*nd Silk, already ejlablifbed in France.
And there are two Things in thofe Edi&s
of the King of France which are very re-
markable, and which I referve for farther
Explanation, if I find occafion to fpeak in this
Caufe hereafter 5 I fay, two things are very
remarkable in the King of France's Prohibi-
tions and Limitations of his Eaft-India Com-
pany's Trade, which ftand as Precedents for
our Practice 5 the fame Reafons being much
more ftrong and forcible at this time in our
Circumftances, than they could then be in
France.
FtrJL
(.# )
Firft, That in the Edict or Arret, prohi-
biting or forbidding the Painting and Print-
ing of Callicoes in France, is alfo included a
flrict Prohibition of the Painting and Print-
ing any kind of Linen Cloth of Hemp or
Flax, tho' fuch Linen was the Growth and
Manufacture of his own Kingdom,
Secondly , That in his Limitation of thfe
Importations of the Eaft-India Company, there
is this Ciaufe 5 That whereas the Company
were allow'd to Import fome certain Wrought
Silks, named in the Edict, to the value of
150000 Livres a Year, fo, firft , they were
oblig'd to bring in no more $ and, fecond-
fy, they were oblig'd, w confideration of
that Liberty only, I fay, they were obli-
ged to export to the Indies the value of
500000 Livres a Year in Goods of the
Growth and Manufactures of France,
And even this Condition did not continue
long 5 for the Council of Trade there, confi-
dering that the confumption of the Manu-
factures
( 3* )
fa#ures, was by no means an Equivalent
for the Injury thofe Siik, *&e. tho'but to
the value of i $6cc> Livres a Year> did to the
Manufactures of France, that Grant was alfo
Tevok'd, and 'he Goods entirely prohibited,
"tondfer the moft rigorous Penalties, as they
^ifcfattnue'to be to this Day.
Thefe two Claufes are of fuch moment in
%fe Cafe before us, "and diftate fo clearly
not only what we have to feek, and what
to complain of, with refpe&to our Mmu-
faftures, and to our Eaft- India Company, but
alfo the Reafons of it, that! cannot but think
it very much for the Publick Service to pub-
lifh the feveral Edicls, in which thefe Claufes,
and the Reafon and Caufes given for them
are contain'd, accordingly they are placd
in the Clofe of this Woik.
Thus I have touch'd at the Heads of this
Matter, and have pafs'd them over without
other Enlargements than fuch as the prefent
Occafion makes necerLry. This LlTay, for
it is no more, is but a Specimen of the Con-
tioverfy,
( 33 )
troverfy, every one of thefe Heads having ne-
ceflary Explanations attending them, and iong
debated Points of Commerce to fpeak to, in
order to fet the whole Affair in a clear Light 5
all which it may be to the Purpofe to enlarge
upon hereafter.
CONCLUSION.
In the mean time, I cannot difmifs this
Affair, without turning a little to the Trading
part of Mankind, and efpecially the Dealers
in the Woollen Manufacture in this Nation :
'Tis not a little ftrange to obferve, how un-
concern 'd we (it, and feem to enjoy our felves
in a perfect Compofure of Mind, and a mofl
inimitable Tranquillity 5 when our general
Commerce, by which we all fubfift, lan-
guishes, and, as it were, expires in our fight.
At Home, foreign Manufactures encroach up-
on us 5 Abroad, they are preparing new Pro-
jects to attack us 5 and as they feem united
to Undo us, fo, I muft fay, we feem unani-
mous in the Refolution of being Undone.
E How
(34)
How can we fit ftill and fee the Brea<
thus taken out of our Labouring Peo-
ples Mouths, even by thofe very Men who
ought to be equally concerned with us to
prevent it ? The Wearing and Ufe ofCalli-
coes, is evidently the Ruin of our Manu-
factures : If we can diflinguiQi between the
Manufactures and the Manufacturers 5 if the
Employment can be loft, and the Workmen
not fuffer ^ if the Trade can die, and the
Tradefmen live , then I have no Foundation
for my.Difcourfe, no Reafon for this Ex po-
pulation.
Nay, if this was a particular Article of
Trade only, if a few Families were to be
ruin'd, of this or that particular Employment
only, and the main of our People not be
afTe&ed with it ^ we might be (ilent, and the
Oppofers might fay, we made more Noife of
it than there was occafion for.
But (ince the Evil is general, and the Mif-
chiefs which attend it arefo fpreading, that the
whole*
( 35 )
whole Nation is more or lefs afFecled, from
the Gentleman of the greateft Quality and
Eftate, to the meaneft Wooll- comber, and that
we are all inevitably to feel the Confequences
of it } How can we, I fay, (it unconcern'd, and
fee our Families impoveriftYd, and the Foun-
dation laid for the Ruin of our Pofterity, and
yet take no Notice of it > It is certainly our
Concern, in a more particular manner, to Ap-
pear, not in Arms, not in Mobs and Tumults,
that neither is a lawful Way of appearing, nor
would it give the lead Aid in this Matter.
Trade is the Daughter of Peace, and draws
its principal Nouriihment from the Publick
Tranquillity : No Men in their Sences can
propofe railing Tumults and Riots for the
promoting Trade, neither is it the way to
engage the Government, the Parliament, or
the Miniftry to redrefs our Grievances in
Trade. Such violent Ways only arm Power
againft us, and engage Governors to be
our Enemies. My Arguments all run ano-
ther Way, and, if I miftake not, have ten
times more Force in them with wife Govern-
E 2 ments,
( 3*)
nients, than all the Clamours of a Rabble
can be fuppos'd to have.
I move you fir ft to fee the Mifchief:
To that end, I fet it in a clear Light, prove
the Fad, fhew you the flow degrees by which
the Poifon works, how infenfibly it grows
upon you, and yet how fenfibly fome parts of
Trade feel it already, and how certainly all
the other parts will be affected by it.
I move you then to put your Hands to
all Legal Preventions $ I aim at no other :
I move you to joyn in all juft Reprefenta-
tions, both of the Mifchief and of the Reme-
dy, to thofe in whofe Power it is to relieve
you, I mean, your Parliament-Men j your Re-
prefentatives 5 who, as they are moll: of them
chofen by the feveral Trading Corporations of
England^ may be more particularly called the
Reprefentatives of the Trading- Part of the
Nation.
Thefe are the profeft PhyGciaos of all our
Trading Maladies - I may fay, 'tis their Bu-
fmefs.
( 37 )
linefs to heal you, and I am fure it is in their
Power ^ reprefent it to them in Parliament,
and reprefent it to them out of Parliament 5,
let them come up to Parliament fairly appris'd
of the Cafe 5 fully convinc'd of the Juftice of
your Complaints, and the abfolute Neceflity
there is of relieving you : Let them fee it ^ make
them Witneifes, in the Countries where they
live, of the Decay of the Manufactures - r of
the Abatement made upon the Poor in their
Wages $ of the Numbers of Poor that de-
fert, and run from one Work to ano^
ther for want of Employment : Shew
them the Rolls of your Parifhes, which* I
am fatisfy'd, will difcover how many Fa-
milies, more than ever, are lifted among
your Penfioners ^ for whom Parifh Provifion
is neceifarily made, for want of their getting
Bread by the Works they were wont to be
employ'd in 5 (hew them the languishing Cir-
cumftances of the People, as the Effcft $ and
then lay before them the languishing Circum-
stances of the Trade, as the Caufe 5 then they
will come up to Parliament convinc'd of your
putrefies, fully prepar'd to receive your Pe-
titions,
354873
(3)
titions, and fill'd with Companionate Thoughts
for your Redrefs.
I muft confefs, this feems to me to be the
mod proper Method, to fpirit the approaching
Afiembly of Parliament with Sentiments of
Pity for their Country, and with a juft Know-
ledge of the Reallity of, and Reafon for the
Complaints you make 3 and if I might be al-
low'd to fuppofe, that thefe Sheets (hall any-
where come to the Hands of the particular
Members in the Manufacturing Counties and
Corporations for which they ferve, I would,
with all poflible Humility, but alfo with the
utmoft Importunity, petition them to look a
little into the State of the Manufactures in
their refpective Countries where they live.
It is, without doubt, the juft Concern of
our Reprefentatives, to ftudy the Intereft and
the Circumftances of the People who they
reprefent. If thefe Gentlemen pleafe but to
look round them, rhey muft of Necellity fee
that the Manufactures decline, that Trade lan-
guifhes, and the Poor ftretch out their Hands
to
(39)
to them for Help. They rauft needs alfo
fee the Caufes of it, even at their own Doors,
while they cannot but fee a wilfully-poffefs'd
Nation, drefs'd up in the Manufactures of Fo-
reigners, and defpifing the Workmanfhip of
their own People : Madly fending their Mo-
ney to India and China, to feed and fupport
Heathens and Savages ^ and negle&ing, nay, I
may fay, Rejecting the Manufactures of their
own Country, tho' they fee the poor Fami-
lies flarving for want of Work.
I am not teaching our Parliament-Men
their Duty at all 5 tho' if I were doing fo,
and there were juft room for it, I would
not doubt doing it with fo much Caution
and Refpect, as that they would rather take
the Advice, than refent the Advifing : But I
argue upon a better Foundation ^ I prefs the
People in the Countries to lay open their
Cafe before their Reprefentatives, and con-
convince them of the melancholly Circum-
ftances they are in, by the Decay of Trade,
and the Stop of their Manufactures 3 and give
them a clear View of the Nature of the
Grievance,
( 4 )
Grievance, and whence it proceeds $ and
there is no room to doubt, but the Members
would be afTecled wkh it, as well as other Men.
Tk from the fame Principle, that I move
the Gentlemen themfelves to enquire into the
Cafe, and make themfelves fully Matters of
both the Fad and the Reafon of it : After
which, 1 would not fuffer it to be nam'd as a
Doubt, but that the natural Concern every
Member of Parliament muft have for the
Profperity of the People he reprefents, will
move him effectually to apply himfelf in
Parliament to the Remedy.
Tis a great Miftake to fuggeft, that Spittle-
fields alone Complains, or has Caufe to Com-
plain ^ tho*, as I faid before, the Manufactu-
rers there feel the Burthen fooner ^ but all the
Country, and almoft all the Branches of the
Woollen and Silk Manufactures feel it : And
'tis eafy to (hew why the Town Workmen
feel the flop of Trade fooner than the Coun-
try Workmen, The Cafe is this :
The
(4' )
The Clothiers, and Drugget or Stuff-
makers in the Country, who are the head
Managers of the Woollen Manufacture, are
generally Men of Subftance and good Stocks 3
they have often whole Towns and Villages
employ 'd in their particular Works 5 and
tho' they do feel a flop of the Trade at Mar-
ket, they do not fo immediately put a flop to
their Works, but they muft keep their Mar-
kets, and make their Circuits, to take in the
Yarn, and put out the Wooll, or their Neigh-
bours will break in upon them, their Spin-
ners will feek Work in other Hands, and,
perhaps, not be gotten again when they may
want them.
Thus they go on a great while, tho' the
Goods, when made do not fell 5 till Black*
tr ell- Hall lies piled up to the Roof with
Goods, and the Wholefale-Mens and Factors
Ware-houfes are throng'd with them 5 nay f
even then they go on, and are forc'd to draw
upon the Factors and Wholefale Dealers for
the Money, whether the Goods fell, or no :
F The
(42 )
The Factors again are fometimes forced to
fell them to Mony'd Men under the Price,
and perhaps to Lofs^ nay, and even fome-
times . to pawn or pledge them for Money,
in hopes of a Market to come $ and ftill with
the Money anfwer'd by thofe Bills, the Clo-
thier in the Country goes on, as long as he
can get Credit for a Bag of Wooll to work,
or a Penny of Money to pay his Workmen :
And this caufes the Country Poor not to
feel the Checks and Decays of their Trade fo
foon as the Town Workmen. But then we
muft take this with us, as we go, (viz.) that
when the Trade droops fo long together
and the Country Manufacturer or Clothier
is forced to flop, 'tis more fatal to the Poor, as
above ^ for then as they are long before they
flop, fo they are longer before they recover,
and the Poor are, as it were, entirely deftitute
for a great while.
But in Spittle-fields the Cafe alters $ here
the Manufacturers, I mean, the Matters, are
near the Market : They do not put out the
Wooll to Spinning, but generally buy it in
the
( 43 )
the Yarn : As foon as the Market flops, they
flop ^ if they cannot fell their Work, they
immediately knock off the Looms, and the
Journey-men as immediately ftarve and want
Work. Thus as Diftempers near the Heart,
or in the Vital Parts, are fooner an 3 more
fenfibly felt, than in the lefs noble Parts of
the Body $ fo the Difeafe of Trade, the De-
cay and Stop of the Sale, is more fenfibly and
fooner felt Here, than in the Country, and
therefore Here the Complaint is flrft made,
and loudeft.
But this, on the other hand, teftifies to us,
that if it be not provided for forthwith, if
fome prefent Remedy be not apply 'd to it,
the fpreading Malignity will foon extend it
felf, and the moft extream Part will then
feel it : And what's the Confequence > but
that then the Complaint will come up louder,
and be more uneafy to us.
All thefe things urge us, if poffibje, to
apply fome fpeedy, fome immediate Remedy
to the Evil. What that Remedy is, and what
F 2 alone
(| 44- )
alone can cure us> I refer to the Seafan of it 5
the nrefent Bufmefs, is, to lay down the Fun-
damental, (viz!) (hew the Difeafe, awaken
the Nation, open their Eyes to the Cqnfe-
quences of it, and guide them in their Appli-
cations to the proper Perfcjns, who alone
can take it in hand, and that is, as above t
the Parliament.
Certainly, if the Members of Parliament,
in the feveral Countries would but enquire
a little into the Particulars, now they are ac
leifure, they would come up big with a De-
fire to fet their helping hand to it. $ they
would come up fiU'd with Refentmentat thofe
who have been Inflruments to ruin the flou-
rifhing Trade of their Country 5 and nothing
could influence them againft the humble Pro-
pofals that may be made to them for refto-
ring the Trade and Profperity of the King-
dom,
It is fuggefled, that all Applications of this.
Kind will meet with a powerful Opposition,
and thsft the tylanufaclurers, however nume-
(4* )
rous they are, will not find Friends enough
to carry their Point againft the Rearing and
Ufing the Printed Callicoes.
For my part, I cannot be of this Opinion:
It is true, I have not told Nofes, as they call
it, or call up the Strength on either fide, or
examin'd who fhall be the Friends, or who
the Enemies of the Weavers Petitions 5 but
this I venture to fay, that as I have prov'd
the Grievance is National, this, I think will
follow, that none of the Nations Friends cap
be Enemies to the Propofals for a Remedy.
It is our Satisfaction that this is no Party-
Caufe, unlefs any one mould vilely infinuate^
that there is a Party that would not have the
Manufactures thrive, or would have the Pooi
ftarv'd and perifh 5 and I cannot have fuch ill
Notions of any Man as to think Party can
carry them that length $ Trade is a perfecT:
Neuter in all our unhappy Strife: Spinning*
and Weaving are neither Whig or Tory, but
the great Articles by which we live, by
which the confumption of our Produce is
carry 'd on, and by which the Poor are fub*
filled.
lifted, who, without it, would, in a word,
eat us up all.
If this .Caufe meets with Enemies $ if any
one Man can be found in Britain, who would
not have us leave off Painted Feathers, and
flick to our own Manufactures ; I fay, if one
Man can be found fo prepofTefs'd, it muft be
either a Man perfectly ignorant in Matters of
Trade, and fo not worth talking to^ or
it muft be fome Callico- Printer, or his
Employer and Dependant, who, finding
his Account in the Mifchief, acts upon the
corrupt Principle of being willing to get Mo-
ney, tho' at the Expence of the Ruin of his
Country ^ fomething like the wretched Sex-
ton of Cnpplegate, in the Year 1665, who,
being employ 'd at the Peft-boufe near Old-
fir eet, would have had the Plague continue,
that hrs Fees might not abate, but that he
might have People enough to Bury.
-
But let us not fright our felves with the
\maginary Notion of Enemies, and a ftrong
Oppoficion : Kl defperandum, let us take but
true
( 47 )
true Meafures, fetting the Fad in a clear
light, and convincing our Reprefentatives, in
a peaceable but effectual manner, of the
Weight of the Cafe, and how juftly they are
concern'd, as Reprefentatives, to efpoufe the
Trading Intereft of their Country 3 I can ne-
ver imagine, that any Cabals of Drapers,
Eaft- India-Men, Brokers, and Jobbers (hall
be able to biafs the Members of a Britijb
Parliament againft it, or to blind their Eyes
in a Cafe fo clear as this, that wearing a fo-
reign Manufacture, and defpifing our own, is
the moft prepofterous, tho' the moll certain
Method of ftarving us all, that can poflibJy
be invented.
Here follow the two Claufes in two feveral Arrets of the
French King's Council, mentioned in this Work.
Tn the Arret of 3. Vecemb. 1697. (after other Claufes) a s
follows :
" His Majefty ordains, That the ArrSt and Regnla-
" tions formerly made, prohibiting the Confumption and
" Wearing of Painted Callicoes aforefaid, (hall be executed
" according to their full Tenor and Form, and according to
" the aforefa'd Arret of the 14th of May 1689. and has
" prohibited, and does hereby prohibit all Perfons,of what
" QuaHcy or Condition foever, to Paint or Princ, or caufe to
" be Printed or Painted any Silks, or all Callicoes whatfo-
u evcr>
(4.)
* r evr^ stod dl! linen Cloth; or Cloth made of Flax or Hemp,
' new or old, or to fell or expofe the fame to Sale, on pain
" of Confiscation, and 3000 Livres Fine. And His Majefty
f lifcewife ordains, That the Motllds or other Inftruments
f made ufe of for the Printing or Painting the faid Linen,
*' (hall be broken and defaced : And to this Purpofe, there
" (hall be an exaft Search made through all Places in the
'< City .of Paris, by the Lieutenant General of the Polity ;
<c and in the other Provinces, by the In^endants and Coir
miffaries, refpeftively, whom His Majefty hereby require*
" to put the faid Arf& in Execution.
The other Claufo is from an Ant't of July 31. 170^
wherein, after other CLmies, iris cxprtfly laid THUS:
" His Majefty has permitted, and does hereby permit thtf
* 4 Eaft India -Company*, according to an Arr& of Council.
" of $<tn. 2;. 1 '695. to bring from the Indies every Year
"Painted Calliccjes;ancl'Stufi's to die Value of 1 $0000 Livres,
* on Condition the faid Company fhiil export to the Indies
* every Year, as is likewife ordain'd by the faid Arr&t, the
* Value of 500000 Livres every Year, in Goods of the
Growth and Manufacture of France; which faid CalJicoes,
" nevenhelefs, fkill be lent into Foreign Parts, on account
44 of the Company, and not fold to any of the Merchants
* of France .- And if the Company brings any greater C^uan-
ticy thanis- limited, as above, thry (hall be Confiscated
*< and Burnt.
" His Majefty alfo ftrift'y forbidding all Perfons ofQua-
u Mty, or Condition lbcver, to make any Garments or
* Houfbold-StufF of the laid Painted Callicoes or Stuffs, and
c to all Taylors or Upholders, to have any thirty made of ,
che fame in the^r keeping, on the pun of 300c Livres
" ine, &c'i
FIN IS.
v
27
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