The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1804-07-28
o " B n " K S.
NO. !.
Bank.

POLITICAL Ucononiits have ATTEMPTED 10
ihoW, that there are three irdiIpeniib!e prere
quIiites OF wealth in every civilized fociety: its
land, its labor, and its active tock or capital
The land produces mott of the proyii,ons and
mott Of the materials, which it either requires
FOR its own Ute, or which it exports to other
countres.---lts AGbOr contributes 10 the growth
OF thoie provitions and materials. manufactures
them into more terviceable form, or eychan-
ge3 thete Proviiions, materials, ard tiniibed
work, with other countries, or with ditant parts
OF the fame Countrywide Eock or easitni of a
country condfts of this imneuf. MATS of proyi.
hons, raw materials, or manufactured work, or
any part ct 1t which has a certain value in the
market; or for which fome other perfon would
be willing TO give fome other commodity in ex
change. According TO this definition, the man
who has a Certain quantity of corn or any fort
OF provilions, of wool Or any fort of materials.
of cloth Or any fpecies of manufacture. or a GER
tain fun of money, may be denominated the
potieHQr OF certain quantity of flock, or capi-
tai. No part of this fund can however be en-
titled TO the denomination of aG7ive capital, un-
LET'S it can be appropriated to the employment
of tori1e Production labourers in agriculture, ma
nufaetures, or commerce. The itock which an
Idle capitaIit reierves for his own conflmption,
cannot be called aStirs. Even ttifd. udrtictItar
portion of his itockj which may be defined to
the employment of productive Iabourers,cannot
be regarded in any other light than that of dead
capital, unleis it ihould be of that particular
Kind, which thofe labourers may be willing TO
take in exchange for their labor, or the produce
of their labor, at 4 Inifabie rate of valuation.-
Hence, money, which no man is willing 10 re-
tufe, or corn, which almoh every one is willing
to accept at its proper value, or fone rj4ytic,i
lar commodity for which there may be an etfse-
fHai or nearly efectull demand at that DartIcu-
lar ;inie, may be faid to conititute the aaiye
capital of All individual.
IT is this active capital, which cultivates the
lands of country, and puts its various labor III
TO motion. The capitat who poHeHes flock
eXceeding bis own immediate continuation, is
anxious 10 make profit from it, by giving it
Tome tuitable dcftination. Having pdfchafed
Proviii6ns and tools, he either devotes his own
labor, or the labor of others, to tine Cultivation
of the earth or collecting the properfnaterials,
he undertake lome msnufl6turipee0dbliG
OF elevated by the hopes Of making large nercan-
tile profits, he employs his capital in exchanging
the produce otdiCrenttrldcs.o f of GiT.ysnt co,ln
tries If therefore the lands Of any country I've ff
cePtlblcofa greaterdegree Ofimprovefnent, or ifa
greater number OF productive labonrers can he
employed in its manufactures or COMMERCE. anv
increaie Of IFS active capital will add 10 the natl
onal wealth. Il greater capital in the hands Of
the merchants will command greater Quantity
OF provifons, raw materials or fuiihed work
should more hock be employed in the cultivaG-
on or the land, the amount of exchanges will be
increafed and the number of manufactures e.
merchants viii begin to multiply. d certain in