The capacity of the individuals to discharge the duties required of them having been ascertained, and the most intimate connexion between their interest and the discharge of these duties having been established, the only desirable circumstance remaining is to reduce the amount of the emoluments to be paid for the discharge of these duties to the lowest term. I can discover none. To this method, the mode of obtaining services by employing commissioners and managers, is opposed. If we confine ourselves to general principles, contracts must be preferred to commissions.
Public opinion is, however, but little favourable to the system of contracts.
The savings which result to the state are forgotten, whilst the profits reaped by the farmers are recollected and exaggerated. The contractors are rich . If they are so, this is not the fault of the system, but of the conditions of the bargain made with them. The contractors are ostentatious and vain . Such inappreciable, or rather imaginary evils, cannot be brought into political calculations.