Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1698136451491.pdf (Ireland)
r^) xWÂ S H O R T I N Q U I R Y I N T O T H E CAUSES OF THE PRESENT O F T H E IRISH TRADERS Oo n r i O m iseri, quæ tanta insania C iv es ?

n 1 m D U B L I N : PRINTED BY M. N. MAHON, 1 1 6 | GRAFTON-STREE1 y ' V ' í f c 1 V O H ë k / V ' e r r a t a .

P a g e , 9 line 9 from bottom f o r inoperative read imperative.

------------10 — 6 ----------11 — 2 ------ - 3 3 — 2 ---------37 — 2 ---------40 — 3 f o r unconst'tutional read unsubstantial.

f o r national read natural.

f o r rib a ld ry read rivalry.


f o r hours read hour.

----------f o r C o llart read C olbert.

A S H O R T I N Q U I R Y , (5fC.

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A T the present season o f distress and irritation, every a tte m p t to win back the public mind from the dominion of passion and error, to the milder and safer influ­ ence o f reason, m ust be attended with consequences beneficial to the community.
To c o m b a t the prejudices o f m ankind, is a task always difficult —frequently to be d re a d e d — never to be c o v e te d ; b u t it is also a d u ty which the good citizen should never hesitate to discharge.

O ne genu* ine conversion to the cause o f common sense, th a t cause o f which the adherents are perhaps so few, because the merits are so b so obvious, is more than sufficient to coun­ ter-balance all his alarms and mortifica­ tions.

H e writes not for fame.


T he ordi­ nary incitements to exertion do not affect him.

He must neutralize his feelings, in order to invigorate his ju dgm ent.

H e is assailed by every unfavourable im puta­ tion which malice or dulness can fabricate : B u t he gains another advocate for truth, and is thus rewarded for his terrors and his toils.

In addition to the usual literary dis­ the writer upon Irish to­ couragements, pics, has some severe and peculiar disad­ vantages to encounter.
In other countries prejudices are intermingled with interests.

I n Ireland prejudices are nourished, and interests abandoned.

I n other countries, the object o f factions is to modify or im­ prove the existing order of things.

In Ire­ land, their object is to destroy all present happiness, security and freedom, in or­ der to revive fabulous prosperity, and visi­ In this anarchy of onary independence.

opinions, 3 opinions, the writer who dares to be i m ­ partial, is ap prehen sive o f being known.
Clothed with p recautions he m u st steal forth to warn, to instru ct, to enlighten.

D isclaim ed by his friends, reviled by his foes, he a t length discovers th e fatal se­ cret, th a t to belong to no p a rty , is in I r e ­ lan d sufficient to secure th e h a tre d o f all.
W earied, d is a p p o in te d , disgusted, h e re­ tires from the m iserable arena o f civil dis­ cord, a n d religious c o n te n tio n , too h a p p y i f he e sc a p e securely to o b liv io n .—T hese observations serve to in tro d u c e a series o f topics, in w h ic h every m a n m u s t feel m ore or less in terested.
T h e p re s e n t c o m m e r­ cial distresses o f this c o u n tr y , a n d m ore p a rtic u la rly o f this m etro p o lis, afford a m ­ p le a n d m e la n c h o ly m a te ria ls for d isq u i­ sition.

I n th e m e m o ry o f the o ld est in h a ­ b ita n ts o f D u b lin , a p erio d o f m ore g e n e ­ ral distress th a n th e p re se n t, c a n scarcely b e re c o lle c te d .
M e rc a n tile in terco u rse sta g n a te s, ind iv id u al c re d it is im p a ire d ; t h e g en e ro u s confidence h ith e rto su b s ist­ in g b e tw ix t m a n a n d m a n , so c h e e rin g in b 2 its 4 its principle, so useful in its effect, is al­ most wholly annihilated ; on every side we behold penury and wretchedness, dis­ trust and despair.
But, perhap , gloomy and dispiriting as this picture is, evils of a more alarming!, because of a more perm anent nature, may be justly predicted by every tranquil and intelligent observer.

The Irish, and more particularly the D ublin Traders, are suf­ fering under the pressure of great pecu­ niary calamity, without acquiring the use­ ful knowledge which this hard lesson com­ monly imparts.
They seem disposed to alleviate their immediate miseries, with­ out deriving experience from the past, or providing hope for the future.

This state o f things is, indeed, pregnant with periL All reference and reflection is forsaken ; the most common-place maxims o f pru­ dence are overlooked, and a system, (shall we call it?)
o f paltry and inefficient expe­ dients, is rapidly tending to perpetuate our misfortunes— connected too with this statement, 5 sta te m en t, is the consideration tliat poli­ tical discontents a re artfully com bined by disaffected persons, with the com m ercial distresses before alluded to.
I n this crisis, therefore, it becomes the d u ty o f every individual to c o n trib u te his q u o ta o f advice a n d inform ation, co n cern ­ ing the real causes o f the present distresses, a n d the m ost efficacious m eans o f a d m i­ nistering to their m itigation or removal.
"Without this w holesom e process o f inves­ tigation, all o u r efforts, how ever h u m a n e ly designed to dim inish th e sufferings o f o u r F e llo w -C o u n try m e n , will prove u tte rly a b ­ surd a n d unsuccessful.
T o p ro m o te the general good, we m u s t in vert the usual o rd er o f b en ev o len ce.— W e m u st fir s t in ­ q u ire, a n d then relieve— we should e n d e a ­ v our to co n v in c e the p e o p le t h a t their rulers are “ clea r in th eir great office,” or a t least a re perfectly guiltless o f .

h a v in g o c c a sio n ed their distresses.


W e sh ould e x h o rt every m a n to e x a m in e into his ow n affairs, a n d to see w h e th e r his own i m p r u ­ d e n c e 6 / dence may not have caused his own, and perhaps, his neighbour’s embarrassments.
I n order to attain a thorough knowledge o f the real causes of our commercial dis­ tresses, we should bestow some attention on the imputed causes so loudly clamour­ ed by our countrymen— these are resolva­ ble into four distinct branches of com­ plaint :— 1st.

T he commercial policy of our ene­ my.

2dly.

The illiberality of the B ank of Ireland.

Sdly.

T h e non-consumption o f our Manufactures.

4tly.

T he U nion.
4tly.

T he U nion.

W e shall therefore discuss in succession these several causes, and in the course of the inquiry, point out the natural sources of the calamities under which we labour.

I JU£.

The 7 1st.
I JU£.

The 7 1st.

The Commercial Folicy o f our Enem y. I t is stated by th e superficial inquirers into the causes o f o u r presen t distresses, t h a t the decrees o f B o n a p a rte , which have ex cluded o u r m a n u fa c tu re s from the C o n ­ tin en ta l ports, arc sufficient to a c c o u n t for the d e c a y o f tra d e in o u r m etropolis.
In answ er to these assertions, it m a y be said t h a t the o p e ra tio n o f o u r e n e m y ’s decrees m ight have been a n tic ip a te d b y every tr a d e r o f c o m m o n sagacity a n d fore­ sight, a n d th a t if he o m itte d m a k in g th e necessary c a lc u latio n s which his business re q u ire d , he stood responsible for all th e c o n se q u e n c e s which m ig h t ensue.
T h re e years h a v e now e la p se d since th e p r o m u l­ g a tio n o f th e c e le b r a te d B erlin D e c re e , by w hich o u r m a n u f a c tu re s were w holly in ­ te rd ic te d .

D u r i n g this period, it b e h o v e d every c ir c u m s p e c t tr a d e r to a c c o m m o d a t e his a his speculations to the newly narrower!

market, and to forbear extending them in those particular commodities, which were more immediately affected by the In the Cloth and policy of Napoleon.
Cotton trades, for example, it was strongly incumbent on us to contract our projects, for several reasons.

U n d er the most pro­ pitious circumstances of foreign demand, we should at all times have contended dis­ ad v a n tag eo u s^ with the British M a n u ­ facturers.

How feeble and unprosperous, therefore, must our competition have proved, when the difficulties atten d an t on war, were superadded to our well- known inability to enter a peaceful mar­ ket with success.
T he British Merchant, full o f resource, is enabled to push his trade in defiance of all obstructions.

T he length of his credits, the cheapness and durabi­ lity of his goods, offer irresistible te m p ta ­ tions to the foreign consumer.

Contrast this superiority in all commercial requi­ sites, with the struggling efforts of our countrymen !

Is it possible th at a contest so so disproportionate, should not be a tte n d e d with results fatal to th e real interests o f Irish T ra d e ?
In tranq uil times, the vari­ e ty an d e x te n t o f the C o n tin en ta l d e m a n d is such as to afford us a sub o rd in ate m a r­ k et, b u t a t a period like the present, w hen even the g ia n t sinews o f British C o m ­ m erce seem u n n erv ed , a rivalry on th e p a r t o f o u r M e rc h a n ts a n d M a n u fa c tu re rs m u s t be d estructive.
T h e preceding argu­ m ents lose n o n e o f their force when a p ­ plied to all o th er bran ch es o f tra d e, b e ­ side those w hich have been a llu d e d to.

T o every d e p a r t m e n t o f o u r exp orts, th e se reasonings m a y be a d a p t e d .

O u r M e r ­ c h a n ts were a p p ris e d o f th e in o p e ra tiv e necessity which existed for d im inishing th e ir concerns.

T o rely on th e h o p e o f a n a u g m e n te d h o m e c o n su m p tio n was ab su rd .
T o confide in th e p ro s p e c tiv e m itig a tio n o f o u r e n e m y ’s policy , was e q u a lly u n ­ wise.

T h e l i n e o f c o n d u c t th e n which p r u ­ d e n c e p re sc rib e d , was a c a u tio u s r e tre n c h ­ m e n t o f o u r m e rc a n tile cap itals.

T h e d e- c .

.

p a r t u r e « 10 parture from this salutary system has oc casioned most of our present distresses.

2dly.

The Illiberality o f the B ank o f Ireland.

The immediate cause of the late fai-.


the lures in D ublin seems to have been, determination of the Directors of the Bank of Ireland to reduce their discounts.

N o other mean could possibly have effected so rapid and so comprehensive a decay of credit as we have lately witnessed.
So long as the Directors of the B ank conti­ nued to advance their capital on the real or supposed securities of their customers, the fabric of mercantile credit, however hollow and unconstitutional within, might have presented all the outward indications o f strength and solidity.

B u t as soon as the Directors conceived themselves oblisj- ed to narrow their discounts, the bubble burst a t once.

N um erous bankruptcies quickly / 11 q u ic k ly took place.
T h e m anu facturers dismissed their w o rk m en , a n d universal distress has ever since prevailed am o n g the whole trad in g interest o f the city.
T h e tru th is, th a t the M e rc h a n ts a n d M a n u fa c tu re rs o f D u b lin have been for a leng th of tim e p a st over-trading most e x ­ tensively, an d all th eir calam ities are e n ­ tirely im p u ta b le to this c irc u m sta n c e. I f it be asked how were th ey e n a b le d to e x ­ te n d th e ir speculation s so unw isely a n d im p ro v id e n tly , it m a y be an sw ered t h a t th e D ire c to rs o f the B a n k o f Ire la n d h a d fu rn ish ed th e m w ith th e m eans.
D u r i n g the last th ree years, the D irecto rs, in c ite d p a r t l y b y th e ir liberality, an d p a r tly b y th e ir c u p id ity , h a v e increased th e ir dis­ co unts, a n d c o n s e q u e n tly their issues o f p a p e r m o st eno rm o u sly a n d in ju d icio u sly .
T h e inferior traders o f the m etrop olis, se* d u c e d by this facility o f d isc o u n t, were te m p te d to p u s h th e ir s p e c u la tio n s b e y o n d th e n a tio n a l limits w hich th e ordinary d e ­ m a n d for th e ir several articles h a d before c 2 prescribed J 2 prescribed.

The natural order of trade having been thus disturbed, new violati­ ons w^ere soon committed.

Fictitious bills were poured into the Bank in order to dis­ charge those which had been previously discounted.
Fresh speculations were un­ dertaken, new engagements were incurred, until the Directors, awaking from their golden dreams, saw the destruction which impended over them, and could extricate themselves only by involving thousands in ghame and ruin.

To impress on the reader the soundness of these general views, it may be expedient to apply them to a particular case.

L e t us suppose A .


a m erchant concerned in the cotton trade to the am ount of ten thousand pounds per an­ num : his profits not high b u t certain and regular.

l i e learns th at other mercantile men are availing themselves of the pro­ fuse liberality o f the Bank, and he pro­ cures the consent of a friend to accept a bill or bills of accomm odation, which he hastens to get discounted.
E ager to em ­ ploy this newly obtained fund, he aug­ ments 13 m e n ts liis stock o f cottons, and hopes to realize som ething considerable by their sale.

In the m ean time, however, 13.

C. a n d D .

have pursued precisely the sam e p lan , a n d are p rep a re d to e n te r the m a r­ k e t which A .

had a n tic ip a te d as his own, w ith ad d itio n a l q u a n titie s o f the sam e a r­ ticle.

T h e su p p ly being infinitely g reater th a n the d e m a n d , A .
a n d his co m p e tito rs are red u ced to the altern ativ e o f selling th e ir cottons greatly u n d e r prim e cost, or re ta in in g their e x tr a sto ck upon hands, i r o m e ith e r d e te rm in a tio n , ruin is c e rta in to result.

YV hen the bills which p ro d u c e d this im p r u d e n t extension o f tra d e b eco m e d u e , A .

is necessitated to s u b s titu te others in th eir room a t th e B a n k .
T his d e s tru c tiv e operation is re p e a te d so fre­ q u e n tly , t h a t the d irectors ta k e alarm , a n d throw o u t A ’s.

d o c k e t for d isc o u n t. H is bills a re p ro te s te d , his insolvency is p ro c la im e d , a n d his a c c o m m o d a tin g friend, his w orking m a n u fa c tu re rs in th e L ib e rtie s or elsewhere, a n d p e rh a p s m o s t o f his c o m m e rc ia l co nnexio ns a re sharers in 14 in the general impoverishment which fol­ lows.
B ut the Dublin traders so far from be­ lieving that the liberality or rather profu­ sion of the Bank of Ireland has occasioned the con­ their embarrassments, are on trary disposed to exclaim against what they term the niggardliness and parsimony of the directors.

They appear never to have considered that the Bank has long since afforded them all the assistance which it is possible for Banks or Bankers to give.

I t has even done m uch more.


The directors have themselves over-traded prodigiously in the article o f discount, and have consequently brought upon themselves th at loss, or at least th a t dimi­ nution of profit, which in this particular business never fails to attend the smallest degree o f over-trading.

Our traders hav­ ing got so m uch assistance from the B ank, wish to get still more.
T he B ank, they seem to think m ight enlarge its cré­ dits without incurring any other expense, besides 15 besides th a t o f a few rheam s o f paper.
T h e y com plain loudly o f the dastard ly spirit a n d c o n tra c te d views o f the dire c­ tors, who do n o t as they assert, ex te n d th e ir credits in propo rtion to th e extension o f the trade o f the country ; m e an in g no d o u b t, the extension o f their own g id d y a n d ruinous speculations bey ond w h at the a m o u n t o f their capitals can justify.
T h e directors havin g themselves suffered from th e sam e desire o f excessive gain, a re b eco m e too c au tio u s to be led q u ic k ly into the sam e error.

T h e y resist every a p ­ p lic a tio n for d isc o u n t which does n o t seem to c o m e from th e fair a n d p r u d e n t tra d e r, a n d to every person who is a t all c o n v e rsa n t w ith th e principles on w hich th e b a n k in g system rests, th eir d e te r m i­ n atio n will a p p e a r tru ly ju d ic io u s a n d r e ­ quisite.
T h e g e n u in e interests o f th e B a n k , are c o n n e c te d c o n tin u a lly w ith th e g e n u in e interests o f its custom ers.

I f its c a p ita l, in stead o f b e in g confined to the le g itim a te p u rp o s e o f th e in s titu tio n , t h a t o f fa cilita tin g real tra d e , should be e m ­ p lo y e d 16 ployed in the promotion of idle and un­ profitable speculations, the eventual in­ ju ry is sufficiently obvious.
B ut if the Bank, in addition to this error should ex­ ceed its legal issues in the vain hope of remedying indiscretion by prodigality, the whole countrv will feel the effects of this wûde wasting imprudence.

The universal overtrading to which it gives rise, absorbs the accum ulated gains and savings of m any years.
T he distress which it occa­ sions is not limited to persons immedi­ these trading pro­ in ately implicated jects : I t “ lives along the line” of social life ; it includes the relations, friends, connexions and dependents of the p rin­ cipal projectors, who indeed, if alone in misfortune, would justly deserve fate.
their “ W h a t a B ank can with propriety a d ­ vance to a m erchant or undertaker of any kind, is not, either the whole capital with ■which he trades, or even any consider­ able part of th at capital ; b u t th a t part of it 17 it only, which he would otherwise b e obliged to k eep by him unem ployed, a n d in ready money for answering occasional d em a n d s. W hen a B an k discounts to a m e rc h a n t a real bill o f exchange, draw n by a real creditor, upon a real d e b to r, a n d which as soon as it becom es d u e is really and regularly paid by th a t d e b t o r ; it only a d v a n ces to him a p a r t of the value w hich he would otherwise be obliged to k eep b y him.
T h e p a y m e n t o f the bill when it be­ comes d ue, replaces to the B a n k th e value o f w hat it h a d a d v a n c e d , to gether with th e interest.” * B u t when th e B a n k discounts a fictitious bill d raw n by a suppositious cre­ d ito r on a co u n terfeit d e b to r, it is in p o in t of fact lending to such m e r c h a n t or u n d e r­ tak e r, th e whole o f th e c a p ita l on w hich he trades.
W e m a y j u d g e o f th e p r o b a ­ ble success o f th e m e r c h a n t who should c o m m e n c e tr a d e on a c a p ita l borrow ed in this way.

M o n ey raised by bond or m o r t ­ g ag e m a y be e m p lo y e d with a d v a n ta g e iu trad e, and is frequently so e m p lo y e d .

B u t d th e F in ith ’s In q u ir y .


18 the money which is raised by the dis­ counting of a fictitious bill, is obtained by a process infinitely too expensive and ela­ borate for the ordinary profits of trade to afford.—-When this fictitious bill becomes due, it can be paid only by the previous discounting of another fictitious bill, which is augmented to meet the expense of the second discount.
On the renewal of every distinct operation of this description, the whole am ount o f the capital borrowed from the Bank must necessarily increase.

This practice is unhappily too well known in D ublin, to require further explanation.

Its evils are certain and extensive.

Every step tells, and the business is terminated b y such a succession of bankruptcies as has lately occurred in Dublin.
There is, .perhaps, no fact better ascertained than, that during the present distresses, no tra­ der of known and established prudence has become insolvent.

This is decisive.

Incautious spendthrift speculators; men o f straw, without property or principle, have fallen victims to their own foolish and 19 an d reprehensible projects, b u t the e q u i­ table and substantial traders have survived the storm.

3dly.

The Non-Consumption o f oui' M anu­ fa ctu res.


T h ere is p e rh a p s no s u b je c t discussed w ith less te m p e r a n d m ore ig norance th a n this, in the whole ran g e o f c o m m ercia l disquisition.

T o superficial thinkers, n o ­ th in g a p p e a rs m ore n a tu r a l a n d reasona­ ble, th a n t h a t every c o u n try should e m ­ ploy its p o p u la tio n in p ro v id in g for its o w n w ants, to th e c o m p le te exclusion o f all fo­ reign su p p ly .
T o such persons th e follow­ ing a rg u m e n ts are n o t a d d resse d , for they, overflowing with practical knowledge, c a n ­ n o t b e e x p e c te d to listen to th e theories o f S m ith , a n d H u m e , a n d T u rg o t. T h e s e sa p ie n t persons n ev er seem D 2 to im a g in e that « 20 that-the cool atid rejectin g philosophers above mentioned, educed their theories from the most enlarged and enlightened experience ; from an aggregate of the most useful facts, which the records of man­ kind could furnish them with— but in vain.
The doctrine of the necessity and jus­ tice of consuming domestic manufactures, was unquestionably invented and propa­ gated by manufacturers themselves in all In every countries, where it prevails.

country it always is, and ever must be the interest o f the inhabitants, to buy whatever they want from those who sell it cheapest.

The.
The.

proposition indeed, is so obviously true, th at it seems ridiculous to a tte m p t to prove it, nor could it ever have been doubted, had not the interested cunning o f merchants, confounded the ju d g m e n t of mankind.

Their interest is in this respect directly opposed to the in­ terest of the great mass of the people.
As it is the interest of a Corporation to hin­ der 21 d e r any w orkm an from being em p lo y ed b u t themselves, so it is the interest of the m an u factu rers o f every co u n try , to secure to themselves the m onopoly o f th e hom e m ark et.
F ro m h en ce arise th e high d u ­ ties by which all nations have e n d e a ­ voured to p ro h ib it the in tro d u c tio n of fo­ reign m an u factu re s. T h a t the p reju d ices subsisting a m o n g nations, who live in a sta te o f w hat is called n atu ral h o s tility ; such, for e x am p le, as E n g la n d a n d F ran ce, m ig h t in some degree c o u n te n a n c e this c o m m ercial warfare, is very co n c e iv a b le; b u t t h a t two nations, bearhig the rela­ tions to ea c h other which G r e a t B rita in an d Ire la n d hold, should persist in e n ­ forcing such m ischievous doctrines, is al­ m o s t incredible.
Ire la n d is p la c e d in re­ latio n to E n g la n d , in precisely the sam e situ atio n as a p oo r m a n in th e n eig h b o u r­ h o o d o f a w ealthy one.

A s an o p u le n t in­ d ividu al is m ore likely to im p ro v e the con­ dition, a n d a n im a te th e in d u s try o f the s u r ro u n d in g p o o r ; so is an affluent natioii more likely to effect the sam e m eliorations on on the dependant and subordinate states which surround her.
If England can sup- • ply the various wants of Ireland on cheap­ er terms than our own manufacturers can possibly do, is it not our evident interest in the same manner to act as a nation, that we should act individually, viz.

to purchase where the article is cheapest?


The inhabitant of a poor village does not think himself deficient in prudence, or local attachm ent from having bought his clothes at a neighbouring town, where the greater skill of manufacturers has worked up articles of dress, more durable in tex­ ture, and more accessible in price.
I n ­ stead of an individual case, imagine a na­ tron of individuals, and see if it be possi­ ble to consult their interests more accu­ rately and advantageously, than by permit­ ting them to purchase what commodities in what places they may chuse P The lan­ guage of domestic monopolists is, however, I t is, when very different from all this.
stript of its patriotic cant, something to the following purport '“ Fellow-Coun­ trymen» 23 trym en, we have engaged in a m an u fa c ­ ture, which though it is not yvu r interest to buy, it is very m u c h for ours to sell.

O u r capitals are vested in a business, which w ithout y our aid, m u s t sink before the skill and in dustry o f the E nglish traders.

^ ou.

will therefore benefit us m ost e x c e e d ­ ingly, by tak in g off our hands cottons at 2s.
6(1. per y a rd , which will wear a b o u t h a lf the tim e th a t M a n c h e s te r co tto n s a t 2 s. p e r y a rd usually last.

^ ou will please also to ex ten d y o u r liberality to those o th e r branches in which the m a n u fa c tu re is d e c id e d ly inferior to t h a t o f G r e a t B ri­ tain.
A n E nglish b ro ad -clo th is, we are aw are, the m o st serviceable article for c o a tin g t h a t is fa b ric a te d in E u r o p e , b u t as we h av e a vast n u m b e r o f p oo r eng aged in the m a n u f a c tu re o f b ad ra tte en s, we earnestly re q u e st y o u will p a tro n iz e the m akers, a n d dress yourselves as dearly, a n d as d is re p u ta b ly as you can.
W e have also, a silk m a n u f a c tu r e which possesses no claim on y o u r generosity, b u t the p o v e rty o f the artizans.

“ P u t m o ney in y o u r p u r s e ,” 24 purse,” we say, “ and decorate your wires and daughters with the produce of Irish looms, however defective in quality ; the worse it is, the more you will have occa- In short, we entreat you to sion to buy.
beggar yourselves for the laudable and li­ beral motive of consuming the Irish m a­ nu factures, which shall always preserve a decent inferiority to those of E n g la n d /’ © To give the monopoly of the home mar­ ket to the produce of domestic industry in any particular art or manufacture, is, as has been said a thousand times, in some measure to direct private individuals in w h at manner they shall employ their ca­ pitals, which must always prove perni­ I f your manufac­ cious to the country.
tures be flourishing, they will of course sustain themselves without any adventi­ tious helps.

As soon as the persons en­ gaged in any branch of manufacture, call on their countrymen for support, we may with certainty infer, th at the branch is a losing one, and that the quicker we get «• 1 - rid ' 25 rid o f it the better.
I f on the contrary we should su b m it to their wishes, and p u r ­ chase the p ro d u ce o f this unprofitable m an u factu re, every consum er by so doing, m ust impoverish himself an d his family.

W h a t folly can equal th a t o f the m a n who persuades him self into the conviction th a t he is discharging a p ublic d u ty by p u r ­ chasing an indiffèrent Irish co a t a t N o .

12, instead o f b u y in g an excellent English one a t N o.

14, in the sam e street ?


D oes the consciousness o f patriotism , and p u b lic spirit, console him for the p in ch in g econo ­ m y w hich he m u s t practise in all other b ran ch e s o f his e x p e n d itu re ?

Q u ite the co n trary .


H is cold fit o f frugality returns as soon as he arrives a t his h o m e ; he th e re discovers t h a t his d u ty to himself, a n d to th e beings who d e p e n d on him ior subsistence, is p a r a m o u n t to every other, a n d he resolves to obey in fu tu re n o t th e d ic tâ te s o f profuse generosity, b u t of j u s t a n d c a u tio u s p arsim o n y .

L e t every c o n ­ su m e r ask himself, why h e buys fabrics of e E n g lish t » 26 English manufacture ?
Is it from his ab­ stract and peculiar regard for England ?

H e has, perhaps, never set his foot on English ground.

Has he friends, or con­ nexions, or relations, residing in England, whose interests he wishes to promote by the purchase of their goods ?

No, none of all these.

H e has no point of contact, no influential feelings tie of affection, no which induce him to expend his income on English commodities.

His sole motive is his individual interest.


W ith fanciful schemes of universal good, he has no b u ­ siness to meddle.

His unceasing object is to buy every thing he wants as cheaply as he can.

N o argument, no sophistry, can long prevent him from pursuing this instinctive law o f practical wisdom.
“ W h a t is prudence in the conduct of a private family, cannot be folly in th at of a great kingdom .”* I f a foreign country possess an advantage over us in a particular m anu­ facture, 9 S m y tV s In q u iry I 27 facture, better purchase from it with a part o f the produce o f some manufacture, in which we have an advantage, than endea­ vour to make this unpropitious fabric our­ selves.
We quite forget, that in our ef­ forts to rival the natural advantages of E ngland, we m ay have omitted to culti­ vate the natural advantages o f Ireland.

Whilst we are occupied in favouring and forcing into prem ature growth, some fee­ ble and ricketty manufacture, m ay we not culpably neglect some o f those capabili­ ties, which peculiarly distinguish our fair and fertile island.

But it is asked, are we never to possess a cotton, or a woollen, or a silk m anu fac­ ture ?
Yes, undoubtedly we shall— b u t when P— as soon as th at portion o f English capital, which cannot employ itself a t home in these branches, shall have over­ flowed upon Ireland.

Irish industry will then receive new and profitable directions from the enterprising spirit o f English tra- e 2 ders, 28 ders, and the mechanical improvements devised by English ingenuity.

This pe­ riod too is not far distant.


The hazardous speculations of capitalists in England, in­ dicate clearly that some of them will soon change the scene of their commercial ac­ tion.

They will find themselves attracted towards Ireland by innumerable anticipa­ tions of gain.

They will view this beau­ tiful country, in which nature has been so kind, and man so inactive, as a rich field for their labours.
They will scatter, not by the way-side, b u t in the sheltered and productive spots of our soil, the choice seed of industry, which will ripen into prosperity and peace.

The same agency which will improve the face of our land, will also elevate the moral character of our people.

Raised from idleness and indi- gence, to industry and wealth, they will * consider themselves as exalted in the scale of being.
They will gradually divest them ­ selves o f all those grovelling habits which have hitherto reduced the Irish peasant to a level 29 that proud, Independ­ a level with the Indian slave.

ence, that glorious feeling, which purifies the principles, animates the faculties, and expands the soul of man in every clime, visited by its blessed and per­ vading influence, will give vigour to our minds, and liberality to our hearts.
Poli­ / tical animosity, religious bigotry, all th a t black and baneful train of evils, generated as much by the slothfulness of our habits, as by the asperity o f our dispositions, will fade and finally disappear before the bright a n d powerful influence of industry.

<l F lin g but a stone, the giant dies*” 30 4 thly.

The Union.
The Union.

It was natural to expect that for a series o f years, subsequent to the accomplish­ the irri­ ment of this offensive measure, tated feelings of the country should recur to it, not only as a circumstance of degra­ dation, b u t as the fertile source of all our national calamities.

By a people proud and poor, the strong sense of independence was cherished as “ the immediate jewel of their souls."
I t was the fancied posses­ sion of this glittering treasure, th a t con­ soled them for all real political disadvan­ tages.

T he deprivation of their distinct legislature, was therefore felt most deeply and indignantly, and even still continues to excite reproach and repentance.

T he traders, in particular, do not hesitate to im pute their distresses to the absence of a Parliament, which watched unceasingly over their interests.
W e are bereaved, say they, SI I they, of the natural protectors of our in­ dustry.

W e are depressed and over­ powered by the competition of our E ng­ lish neighbours, and we are shut out o f every market, by their superior capital a n d influence.

I n answer to the first p art of this state­ ment, we may remark that it is founded in the same spirit o f monopoly which is so broadly charged on the English Legislature an d on English traders.
A n Irish parlia­ m ent which grounded its chief claim to the gratitude o f the country, on the exclu­ sive preferences which it afforded to home industry, m ust undoubtedly have been governed by the most unwise and unge­ nerous maxims o f policy.
All th a t free and liberal international intercourse which quickens and invigorates the elements o f industry was of course greatly and inju­ riously obstructed : and, th a t this was the case is sufficiently proved by the sad­ dening evidence o f our statute books.

Never did there exist a legislature more ac tu ated 32 actuated by tlie perverse love of device and contrivance, and more desirous to extend the baneful effects of commercial restraint and regulation, than the Irish parliament.
Instead of employing the power committed to their charge, in ac*.

cordance with the grand and general principles of commercial freedom, they fabricated acts of restraint and prohi­ bition.

There was an eternal conflict sustained between the interests of two countries whose fates and fortunes were indissolubly connected.

The left-handed wisdom of our legislators was incessantly exerted to project some new check to the introduction of British manufactures.
Some narrow-minded scheme, the wretch­ ed offspring of suspicion and ignorance, was operating with continual and de­ structive vigour, to extinguish the prime elements of national prosperity.

T h a t the U nion inflicted no small injuries 011 the genuine interests of Ireland, cannot be den ied ; b u t it is equally true t h a t - w e are 1 33 are in d e b te d for them to the sam e a b o m i­ n a b le system o f restriction which has so long k e p t our land barren, an d our people idle.
All the com m ercial stipulations o f the a c t o f U n io n were d ic ta te d in this w retched spirit o f petty-foggi ng legislation.

T h e re was a p a trio tic clause to secure th e c o n su m p tio n o f every inferior Irish m a n u ­ factu re.
E n o rm o u s “ p ro te c tin g d u tie s ’'' were im posed on numberless British fabrics, lest th e c a p ita l, skill, a n d in d u s try o f th e m akers, should successfully c o n te n d w ith th e p e n u ry , aw kw ard ness a n d indo lence o f o u r own p eople.
E v e r y p re c a u tio n w?as t a k e n to d iv e rt o u r m a n u fa c tu re rs from those bran ch e s p e c u lia r to our soil a n d con­ genial with o u r habits, into new ch an n els o f com m ercial en terp rize, for which th ey were a n d are as y e t, wholly unfitted.

B y an ingenious a b s u r d ity , all those m a n u f a c ­ tures which had been carried to m atc h le ss perfection in E n g la n d , were selected, n o t for im ita tio n , b u t for rib a ld ry on th e p a r t yl Ire la n d .
All th ose e m p lo y m e n ts o f ’ F c a p ita l 34 capital which form as it were the patri­ mony of the most industrious nation of the civilized world, were carefully culled by the hand of error, and transplanted into a country by act of parliament, whose means and dispositions to con­ test either the palm or the profit of ex­ cellence were so manifestly inferior.

H ere then is the real grievance of the union.


This great measure which should have had for its pre-eminent object the utter extinction of all mean and pernicious jealousies, contained the germ of fresh disquietudes and suspicions.

To the true p a trio t an opportunity was afforded for the suppression of all those despicable conten­ tions, which had so long enfeebled the best energies of Ireland.
But this oppor­ tunity* of such rare occurence in the an­ nals o f mankind, was neglected or rather scorned, because the popular prejudices ■were arrayed against the good sense of government.
However base and unjusti­ fiable the weans by which the union was affected 35 affected m ay have been, there existed in the m ind o f th e great sta te sm an now u n ­ fo rtu n ately no more,) who designed t h a t m easure, a sincere desire to ally a n d c o n ­ solidate the reciprocal interests o f G r e a t Britain a n d Irela n d .
I t could never h a v s formed a p a r t o f his plan, to lay the fo u n ­ d ation o f a war of custom -houses ; to set a t variance the m u tu a l a d v a n ta g e s w hich e a c h c o u n try was c a p a b le o f affording to th e o t h e r ; — to o p p o se a n d oppress the grow ing p ro sp e rity o f Ire la n d , b y laws w hich d ep riv ed h er in d u stry o f every free a n d easy a n d n a tu ra l notion.

F a r, far different were his views.
H e wished to c o m b in e a n d c o n c e n tr a te th e legislative forces o f b o th k in g d o m s. H e was a n x ­ ious to sm o o th every im p e d im e n t w hich h a d r e ta rd e d th e m a rc h o f Irish civilization a n d im p ro v e m e n t. I n this tru ly p a trio tic design, he was resisted by t h a t p h a la n x o f p erv e rte d ta le n t, w h ic h assu m e d for itself th e exclusive possession o f all p u b lic spirit, a n d political virtue, th e I r i s h o p p o s i t i o n - f 2 F rom 36 I From this mischievous quarter, proceeded that load of odious commercial restrictions which lies like a night-mare on the bosom o f our domestic industry.
U n h ap p y Ire­ land !

for ever devoted to impartial ruin, by the wickedness of your secret enemies, or the folly of your avowed friends.

I t is thus that the prodigality of nature is inces­ santly counteracted by the blindness and bigotry of man.

L e t us therefore cease to im pute to the U nion as originally projected, the calamities under which we suffer, and Jet us cheer ourselves too, with the con­ viction, th a t in a few years, the accu­ m ulated absurdities of our Patriots will legally expire.
In the year 1821 the greater num ber of those “ protecting du­ ties” before mentioned will happily for us, terminate ; and until then, be it re­ membered, the Union cannot be fairly a p ­ preciated.
W hen the passions, “ sins and ignorances” of past days shall have ceased to 37 to operate ; when the foolish clamours of the hours shall have been hushed ; when a genuine inter-communion of inter- © est and affection shall have left nothing from England b u t to separate Ireland the waters which bathe and beautify their shores, then, and not until then, shall we reap the full harvest o f that great mea­ sure which will soon obtain from a grate­ ful posterity, confessions to the praise and blessings to the memory of Pitt.
W e have now examined in succession all the imputed, and most of the real causes o f the present distresses.

W e have seen how little warranted our traders are in attributin g to public measures, the mise­ ries which have resulted from private im­ prudence.

One common-sense conclusion we should not fail to draw, namely, th a t aid should be administered (if a t all) most v sparing and circumspectly to the sufferers.
By interposing the benevolence of the Public individuals will cease to think, what 38 what should always be inculcated, that unjust speculations in trade upon facti­ tious capital, differ but little in design or in effect from the worst species of swindling.

To weaken this conviction by extending indiscriminate pecuniary assistance to every unfledged trader, “ whose means are in supposition,” is to forward, and to patronize every foolish and pernicious project which such persons may chuse to indulge in.
To concert; lavish and comprehensive systems of chari­ table relief, to propose arbitrary plans for compelling the opulent to share their possessions with the need}r, all those wild and wisdomless schemes, which the heart unsanctioned by the ju d g m en t is ever disposed to form, are calculated only to enlarge the sphere o f public embarass- ment.

To the generous, warm-hearted, b u t uncalculating man o f feeling, these positions m ay ap p e ar cruel and repre­ hensible.
Every suggestion which does not teem with libcralit}', presents to such persons 39 persons images only of horror and inhu­ manity.

But, the truth is, th at in seasons the great o f distress like the present, difficulty is to restrain within discreet lim­ its the first impulses o f blind and im­ provident philantrophy.

W e should firm­ ly oppose every a tte m p t to procure the benevolent interference of the public in behalf of an y classes of the co m m u ­ nity.
T h e measures which government has recently adopted for the purpose o f di­ minishing the distresses of the D ublin tra­ ders, are in some degree liable to these objections.

I t is at all times impolitic for the constituted authorities of an y country, to listen to the interested clamours o f the mercantile classes, ■ b u t more particularly so, when called on to sustain those branches o f trade, which have been depressed, in conse­ q uence of the im prudence o f the conduc­ tors.
In such a case, the governm ent never 40 never fails to incur the penalty o f its u n ­ wise interference.

L et us see why.

W hen the traders engaged in any par­ ticular manufacture, perceive th at the pro­ fits derived from it, are inferior to those which can be obtained in other branches, they will, if left to themselves, transfer their capitals and industry, to more profi­ table employments.
They may, perhaps, previous to this transference, endeavour to excite the executive to assist them in their old and losing projects.

I f govern­ m en t afford them this assistance, they launch out more extensively than ever into enterprises which experience had proved to be disadvantageous.

T he re­ sult is of course ruinous, and government is again committed in the support o f men­ dicant merchants.

In France, during the reign o f Louis X IV .


the celebrated M. Collart laid the foundation of a systematic interference on the p art o f the govern­ m ent, in all mercantile transactions.

The consequence 41 the consequence of this, was, the people be­ event o f miscarriage, came clamourous, and the government that in embarrassed.

R epeated aids from the public revenue were sometimes not con­ venient, at other times not practicable.
In order to ward otf immediate danger, the minister was reduced to the practice ot miserable shifts and paltry expedients, which weakened the credit and impaired the dignity ot the state.

T he finances were at last involved in such inextricable confusion, that the entire frame o f the governm ent became disordered.

This was one ol the remote causes of the French revolution.
T he present governm ent o f Ireland, though actu a te d by the most enlarged be­ nevolence, has nevertheless departed from sound policy in relation to the present com m ercial distresses.

T he nature o f the aid which has been held o u t to traders, is as follows.

A commission consisting of g eleven 42 eleven respectable merchants, has been appointed to investigate the claims of such traders as may present a statem ent of their affairs in order to share the conditional liberality o f government.
The Bank of Ireland has agreed to advance the sum of two hundred thousand pounds, to enable its objects.
to accomplish government Pi very applicant for relief is required to detail upon oath, the nature and extent of his wants ; the mercantile projects which, if unaided, he will be compelled to ' relinquish ; the num ber of persons whom he will be also compelled to dismiss from his employ, &c. &c. On this state­ ment the commission is authorised to issue upon approved personal securities, the sum or sums applied for a t six per cent interest, and at dates o f six, twelve, or eighteen months.
N o w the first consideration which forci­ bly occurs to every person o f reflection, relates to the probable class o f traders who will will receive the benefits of this munificent aid.

N ot surely the prudent and honour- able class which has restricted itself to the regular and equitable pursuit of gain.

But, it is to the class o f traders described in the foregoing pages, to the over-trading over-reaching class th a t this exchequer stream will flow.
T he inferior merchants and manufacturers of the metropolis, who have exhausted all the well known arts of raising money, and who have amassed quantities of commodities with which the m arket is already glutted, grasp a t the new and tem porary resource, with all the eagerness of avaricious hope.

They ob­ tain security, pass their bills, and obtain the treasury cash.
Is it at all likely, th a t those scheming and spend-thrift traders, who had before exhibited so m uch im pru­ dence in the m anagem ent of a capital bor ­ rowed too easilv, will now become more cautious and frugal in the m anagem ent of another capital, borrowed with even more facility.

This is not tn hum an nature.

g 2 There 44 There will be, indeed, for a time, more bustle in the trading world ; more noise upon exchange, more labourersemployed.
B u t during this season of apparent pros­ perity, the elements of future distress will be in unobserved action.

Speculation will be crouded on speculation.

Absurd and successless projects will accumulate.

The markets will groan under the weight of unsaleable articles.

T he natural ter­ mination of all this, it requires no super­ human sagacity to foresee.
Bankruptcies more general and more ruinous than ever, © will infallibly take place, and at last the public will arrive slowly at the conviction, th at trades and traders should be left to themselves.

The proclamation of the Lord M ayor oi this city, recommending the consumption of home manufactures, is perhaps, the most extraordinary production th a t ever proceeded from a civic pen.
In d ep e n d en t of the general objèctions to the system of false ( false benevolence, inculcated hy oui chiet magistrate, his.Lordship merits more se- vere reprehension tor the pernicious cnpis Í5 which he lins c o n t r i b u t e d to diffuse and i t has been endea\ouif.d countenance, in the preceding pages, to shew the inju­ rious tendency of those trading specula­ tions, which have for their object, the ri­ valry of Irish with British manufactures.
But still the bad effects of these specula­ tions are confined chiefly to the traders, who a r e foolish enough to engage in them.

T h e public exercising its own discretion, purchases English or Irish manufactures according to its wants or wishes, and the proper level of trade is thus continually preserved.
B u t here is a L ord Mayor, who holds up to popular indignation, such of his fellow citizens as are either unable or unwilling to purchase Irish manufactures o f which they have not the smallest need.

“ I beg leave,” sa}rs his Lordship, to îe- eom m end in the strongest manner, each m an to get directly a full suit o f clothes, and 46 and every female a dress of cotton or silki individually the exertion will be trifling- collectively the benefit will be great, will be almost incalculable.
Now, the plain and obvious effect of this official recommendation, is to inflict a stigma on every man who may not wish to enlarge his wardrobe, and with articles too, for which he has no very particular liking.
This injunction if obeyed, which most assuredly it will not be) would resem­ ble the ordinances of the Court of P atri­ mony in Sicily, which issues orders to the people, commanding them to p u r­ chase all the articles of life at specified places, and in specified portions, whether they m ay w ant thèm or not.
This is very much grum bled a t in Sicily, b u t in Ire­ land, the people satisfy themselves with piaising the wisdom of their magistrate, and practising their own, which consists as m ay be supposed in buying what they chuse, whenever it may suit them to be­ come 47 come purchasers.

The miserable m anu­ facturers, think, however, very differently on this subject.
Sanctioned by the pro­ clamation of the Lord Mayor, they con­ ceive nothing in the world to be more rea- sonable than, that every man who is in the habit of wearing cloths, should wear twice his usual num ber of coats and breeches, in order to take off’ the surplus quantity o f cloth which lies rotting in their ware- houses.
I f this desirable consumption should not be accomplished, these mis­ guided manufacturers will o f course ex­ press a strong feeling of discontent, which the L ord M ay o r after having created may perhaps himself be compelled to quell.
T he L ord M ayor seems sufficiently aware, th at the non-consum ption o f their manufactures, is the im m ediate cause of the distress o f the weavers, &c. in the L i­ berties o f this City, b u t his L ordship has touched only one link o f the commercial chain, in m aking this profound discovery.

T he w The real cause then, is the avcr-tradin of the Dublin merchants and manufac­ turers, which has been explained in the preceding part of this little tract.
To this circumstance it is entirely owing, that, their warehouses are filled with goods, for which a demand was not only improbable, b u t impossible.

Thus fictitious capitals have been dissipated in these projects, and they are now compelled to discharge their labourers from employment.

In this di­ lemma, the Lord M ayor steps in, and en­ courages these projectors to continue their business by the promise of a forced con­ sumption.
I t lie cannot fulfil his pledge, he is responsible for the additional misery which he may occasion.

I f he should suc­ ceed in persuading every citizen of D u b ­ lin to buy each two suits of Irish m anu­ facture, he will have done more mischief, than all his predecessors put together were enabled to com m it in a similar way.

L et L et us suppose th at there are manufac­ tures to the amount of three hundred thou­ sand pounds lying ou the hands of the Dublin traders.
These articles are clearly an excess beyond the regular demand of the market, and consequently should not have been manufactured at all.

The natural remedy is to let them be sold for what they can bring, and thus impress upon the manufacturers, the necessity of suiting their supplies to the demand.

The natural order of trade is in this manner silently restored without effort or influ­ ence.

/ M ark now the consequences which spring from our benevolent, though mis­ taken line of conduct !
whilst we are exr pending our money in buying up these surplus manufactures, the weavers in the Liberties are occupied in augm enting the stock of their employers.

F or every coat which is purchased in Castle-street, a whole piece of cloth ia worked up at the manufactory.

h 50 L et us not delude our­ manufactory.

selves with the belief, that the present ar­ tificial consumption can be supported.

The thing is utterly hopeless and imprac­ I t would be an intolerable griev­ ticable.
ance if persevered in for two months.

A t the end of this period we should see the manufactories crowded with goods for which there could be no demand, and With labourers for whom there could be no employment.

By this time too, every citizen would have exhausted his means of charity.

The purchase of superfluous suits of clothes, parochial subscriptions, public funds, all the usual resources would cease to furnish aid.
The fountains o f liberality would be dried up, and a degree o f misery would prevail of which we can at present form but a faint conception.

Thus vanishes a t the severe touch of truth th a t beautiful fabric of factitious prospe­ rity which so many benevolent minds have laboured fruitlessly to frame.

B u t 51 B ut happily for the community, the simple fact is, that nothing short of penal inflictions could possibly effect the artifi­ cial consumption alluded to.
N o t only the finer branches of our manufactuies re­ main unsold, but even coarse woollen cloths at six shillings per yard cannot be disposed of.
The writers o f newspapers, and the gentlemen of the common council, may exclaim against this as unnatural and they may quote Swift and un p atrio tic; L u cas as authorities in political economy, b u t still we may rest assured, th a t there is something rational and prudent at bottom, in the universal determination o f the Irish people, not to buy Irish manufactures.

N eith er puffs nor philippics can alter the natural course o f hum an interests.
The great mass o f our population is firmly con­ vinced th a t English woollens, cottons, and silks, are more valuable, more serviceable, more possessed in short o f all the excellent qualities, which woollens, silks, and cot­ tons should have, than the produce o f any h 2 Irish 52 Is it probable, that Irish looms whatever.

this conviction can be shaken by the pro­ clamation of a Lord Mayor, or the vin­ dictive eloquence of a common council man.

B u t the grand puzzle is the immediate evil.


I t is said, will you suffer your wretch­ ed manufacturers to starve in your streets ?

Can you look unmoved on these crowds of perishing paupers who obstruct your path, and besiege your doors, and who are to­ tally unable to obtain employment ?

This appeal is certainly affecting, but it is defi­ cient in another material requisite, it is not founded wholly in truth.
The m anu­ facturers are starving, not because they are unable to procure employment, b u t because they Avili work only at one employ­ m ent.

In many branches of,common la­ bour, there is at.

the present moment an ample demand for labourers, b u t the poor m anufacturer is led to beli«eve th a t a forced consumption 53 consumption of the goods which he has worked up, will restore him to his loom, and therefore he prefers begging to dig­ ging.
The ordinary wages of a brick­ labourer, are half-a-crown per layer’s diem ; of a common paviour’s labourer, from eighteen to twenty-pence, per diem.

Now we will suppose that in these divi­ sions of labour, a weaver from the Liberty might earn in the former two shillings, and in the latter sixteen-pence, per diem ; is it not more advantageous to submit him- self for a while to these employments, than to depend on the casual bounty o f the p u b ­ lic for absolute subsistence ?
I t will be ot course answered, that it is very hard, and very humiliating, thatm an u factu rerssh o u ld be compelled to betake themselves to such degrading occupations.

G r a n t e d ; b u t it is also very hard th a t the citizens of D u b ­ lin should be called on to contribute to the su p p o rt o f a class o f men, who will not w o rk out of their own cast of labour.
I f we were enabled to pursue into their o b ­ scure 54 scure conditions, the many Dublin mer­ chants who have recently failed in conse­ quence of their unguarded speculations, M e should find most of them, perhaps, in the inferior clerkships of the mercantile houses in Dublin, or in the provincial ca­ pitals.

They must yield without a strug­ imposed on gle to the necessity justly them, and must maintain themselves and families by unremitting labour in the most subordinate commercial capacities.
W hy then should the lower classes of labour be exempted from this necessity?

W hy should the most useful and most effectual o f all checks on the idleness or improvidence of man, be removed from those persons, who were designed to feel it most constantly ?
I f we were not affected with this morbid benevolence, this incessant desire of ta m ­ pering with the concerns of the poor, the natural and undirected efforts o f industry would repair all the evils, which im p ru ­ dence 55 dence might incidentally, and for a time In the case of the Dublin ma­ occasion.

nufacturers, we might rely confidently on the good effects which would result from an entire change o f system.
We should never wander from the consideration that the present distresses are owing to theorer- trading of their employers, and that the only radical cure consists in the gradual consumption of the surplus stock o f m anu­ factures, without working up a singleyard in the interim.

hen this natural and un­ forced consumption shall have been ac- complised, the num ber o f manufacturers which is requisite to supply the ordinary dem and o f the market, will be immedi­ ately restored to their former employments.
B ut the extra num ber, the num ber th a t had been before seduced into these em­ ployments by the wages which overtrading had occasioned, will not be restored.

This extra n u m b er will have diverted their industry into some other channel which may require an increase of labourers, and the 36 the equilibrium of trade will be completely re-established.
To the candid and enlightened reader, who may have honoured the preceding pages with a perusal, it is unnecessary to repeat, th at if there existed the most re­ mote possibility th a t the smallest perma­ * nent relief could be obtained for our dis­ tressed fellow-citizens, from any plan or plans now in agitation, every heart and hand should accelerate the work of charity.
B u t if it be on the contrary demonstrated, th at every expedient which benevolence can devise, is calculated only to sink them deeper in distress; if every project of the philanthropist is fertile only in the multi­ plication of misery, it becomes o u rb o u n d - en duty to desist a t once from all our schemes and contrivances.

L e t us no more then endeavour by our absurd inter­ position, to dispel those disordeis which, if left to nature, will be safely and spee­ dily eradicated.
L e t us n o t commit the heinous 57 licíiious sin of cheating our distressed feL* low-creatures, with the unreal hope, they can be extricated from their difficul­ ties by any other means, save immediate an d independent industry.

By rigidly ab­ staining from all interference, except th a t which every individual m a y in his private capacity exert, we have it in our power to quicken into active growth, every latent principle o f national prosperity.
W e have tried, and tried in vain, all the dictates of benevolence, let us now attend to the les­ sons of experience, and the suggestions o f wisdom.