Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1809-08-24
ITO be continued.l
From the Connecticut Courant.
ON GOVERNING TOO MUCH.

ON GOVERNING TOO MUCH.
All treemen have right TO manage their
concerns in their own way and government
should protect them, but not direct, much
less obstruct them in the exercise OF their
caIiings and occupations. ! he best govern.
ment can do verv liule more toward the
prosperity of the people than to afford them
general protection from injustice and injury
and in the updis,urb,d employment OF their
time, talents and property. An industrious
ard enterprising people possessing great ma
tural advantages both for agriculture and
commerce, will prosper and grow wealthy,
if they are only projected: and their 60
yern.nent how ise and vi1tuous soever, IS
not the cause .of.tleir prosperity & wealth,
directly for the direct Efficient cause is IN
the people themselves. A wise govern
merit is the peoples guard, and takes e.
fectual care that there should be none to
MODEST Or annoy, none to interrupt them IN
their lawful callings and pursuits thus
guarded, there is full scope and also sufl-
Gent encourage mcnt given tor industry and
enterprise. Each midi, idual employs him.
self as he finds i, most for his own advan-
;ace, ard each, in advancing his own in
terest by honest industry, adds 10 the COM
mon stock.
A nation resembles swarm Of bees
The bees must be we,l hived, protected
from external and internal annoyance and
injury. and left free as air to make their
combs, construct their cells, and labor in
hive or field according to their own liking:
thus protected and thus free, they seldom
fail TO treasure up honey. But who makes
the honey? Not the guarder Of the hive
but the bees themselves. So civil govern
vent, (by government | mean 'he sdmia,is-
t,ation) a government, / say, that is never
so wise and vjgila..t, is not the direct and
efficient cause of nations wealth, which is
in fact produced by the Great .3zytp ~, the
Psoble. On the Other hand, should the
keeper OF bees undertake 70 dabb!e in their
private concerns, to alter the construction
of their cells, TO direct or interrupt their
labors, or 10 divert their "onted courses OF
enterprise into new channels; should he
foolishly do this, he would find little or no
honey in the hive at the end of The year.--
And SO again, whenever government is SO
imprudept as to obstruct or divert the IN
tlustry and enterprise Of the people by ham
pering them with unnecessary regulations,
decay Of public prosperity follows as
natural consequence.
6 When Colbert, formerly a celebrated
prime miaistsr in France, assembled some
wise old merchants of that nation, and de-
sired their advice and opinion how he could
best serve and promote commerce, their
answer, after consultation, was in these
words only, Let us alone. HAPPY would
it be for the world, if its evil governments
would observe this apothegem, and let the
beoble cline to advance their individual in
terests by honest industry and enterprise,
as should best suit themselves. Would a
griculture thrive, think ye, should govern
meat condescend to direct farmers in the
management of their farms, by framing for
them multitude of rules and restrictions?
Would manufactures thrive if government
should lay plans and give directions 10 ma.
nufacturcrs and mechanics how TO. pursue
the occupations of their several sallipgs =