Star.
London, England, 1816-09-28 00:00:00

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PH ii4N+

qTRASIN G'ERMANT.

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A Gersten Paper. the New. aileinannia. eisetteins
Awe following judicious remarks on the apprehensions
expressed in . many quarters of Germany on the in-
undation of that conntry yrith British manufacturers
Sioce the yest 1806, there has !teens° much spoken,
written, proclaimed, and decreed, against thezoinmet-,
chit despotism of England, and against the-merehants-
cf the. Continent, who were said to be merely factors
of the English, and to carry on all their business
with Esiglish capitals, against the monopolizing spi.
tit of the English commerce, that, as generally hap-
pens. with things that are often repeated. , almost
every body begins so believe it; and now, when the
Most dangerous enemy of the English is fallen, and
the Rulers of his Empire seem devoted to the Eng-
lish interest, apprehensions upon this head begin to
be more lively than ever. It we. express a view of
the subject, we previously declare; that political
measuies against foreign commerce are here wholly
out nt the question; slick measures we mean as are,
designed indirectly toe compel the attainment of poll-
ticlal ends. oil 'he reciignitien of certain principles, as
for example was at least the pretendectobject of the
Continental System.
sa Whether such measures have a beneficial or
ruinoes influence on inland trade and industry is here
quite indifferent. The judgment on the propriety
depends upon this, viz. Whether they are calculated
to obtain the political ends ? and, whether these ends
are worth the immediate sacrifices necessary to ob.
tain.them ? In this point of view, Smith himself
finds thh English Act of Navigation fully justified,
which favours the navigation necessary for the de-
fence of Great Britain, at the expense of foreign
trade, because security has the precedence of riches.
But, even independently of these political ends, we
readily allow, that in a country where matitilacturel.
by means of high imporeducies, in entire prohibi-
tion of goodi. which might come in competition with
Wei), hare been carried to suchz.s as to em-
ploy a great number of londs,
it would occasion very
serious_ confusion and ice. nvenienCe if these limita-
tions were suddenly removed and the manufacturers
ruined. We also that when certain produc-
tions of industry are subjected to duties in the coon-'
try, itself,' it is also seasonable to lay a duty upon fo-
reign suticles co the sane kind.
0 Dut, mini: the exceptit n of these three cases. we
ire nimble 1., comprehend• how, according to the,
principles of pouticai economy, the limiting of the
consume von ,if foreign goods (especially of the Eng-
lish, which are so distinguished for their cheapness,)
by high duties, in prohibitions, can be justified.—
He, is not the place, and after what has been said
by class,cal writers on this subject, it would seem
piesumptuoto to go into a minute detail and exa-
mination it the argument. We therefore confine
. ourselves to proposing to our opponents the follow-
ing .“1/%IS
t, in order to found or extend a new
branch of industry, which is to be employed in the
production of articles hitherto obtained from abroad,.
4-new capital is not required ?
Whether, by the limitations of the importation
of foreign goods, and the monopoly thereby granted
to the nation against the foreigner, the capital of the
whole social body is ;named ? or whether merely a
new direction is given to a part Of it, all if it were
forced by an artificial dam out of the channel in
which it has hitherto flowed in consequence of a na-
tural, inclination, (declivity), in order to make it run
In a sew one ?
• a. Whether the fey circumstance that an artificial
dam is necessary to direct the capital into this chair-,
nel, and keep it there, is not the best proof that the;
one in. which it was before was far better adapted to
the relations of the country. snore indepen-,
and therefore more advantageous to the indivi.
-deal *silo the public, than this new branch f
whe-
_ giving a people cause to make themselves
es iiele, which they migff have purchased at a
&ewer rate, they are not hind.•red from increasing
dicit *apical by that pan of their revenue which they
ergoldigr have spared ?
farther the father of a family could be called
predeat, who, in order to disburse as little money asl
pessible. should think fit to have his shoes and clothes
COQ made at home, wed neglect for this the labour,
his own proper occupation'?
Whether it would not be considered as highly'
by prohibition or enormous taxation of West
India sugar, to keep up theadmirable manufactory
of sugar from beet-roots Hind Whether ii is not
codify. though less glaringly. absurd, by stopping
or limiting the competition, to impose on the coon-
try another branch of industry, which perhaps is not
qyite so unnatpral, yet still is not conformable to the
neutral relations of the country *ad its inhabitants ?
.." Whether. since the great flow of money in Eng.
Imed is a subject of calculation and lamentation, this
Mosley doe:. not fulfil its destination as a means of
*mai when it is sent to a foreign country for goods,
(siet.gratis, in the form of contributions, donations,
ice. j ; since it is with the produce of our men mines,
drat is a native production, or most hive carne him.,
feweign countries in return for our productions f
44 Farther. whether a system of commerce, winch
If the proposed idea was attained. and all nations
sitottld adopt the principle, that only rawroductions
itould be imported, and only goods completely
Iniebed be exported, puts an end to all trade, and
einuequently to itself ?.
40 Whether, we say, such a system. can be the
kht and true one?—Whether. supposing the oppo-
eke systim (that is, the freedom of commerce) to be
acted upon, we may not -conceive that, as in civil
lite, the various branches of employment are divided
among ipdividuais, the swop thing might happen on
a lager scale among the nations of the world, and
etch choose that which was best adapted to its asso-
rt( talents, its acquired skill, and its situation, and
easeequeadr furnish the productions of its industry
at the cheapest rate, and of the best quality I in gee
tweet. whetter we, the connecters, are made for •the
producers, or they for its ? in other words, whether,
are to consume, merely in order that others say
efin
produce, Of the ',Vale 1--bWheaser it is better to carry
as a snide with foreign cipital, (in which the _excess
of the gain above the interest turns le the advantage
Hof the cosintry,) or no trade at all ?—Whether it is
Ise apprehended that fiiteen millions of men tea.
Tint 'kith the-whole world will combine to ilreee.,l
Mionopolir.ing eleratioa or dcgoaraioa of Prises, like,