Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1824-04-16

that examples were tn be followed, when cir.
cumstances were alike; but here, so far from
likeness, the example offered for our imitation
presents nothing but striking contrast. For "A
moment, sir, allow me to reverse the picture,
TO take the converse ofthe proposition; sup
pose that it was formally proposed in the
British Parliament, rhat Great Britain should,
by Legislative interference, attempt 10 turn her
capital and labor from manufactures to agri-
culture, and the argument offered should be-,
that America had prospered by agriculture,
what would be thought Of such PROPOSE TO- !?
The answer would be, that our populations,
compared TO territory, points TO manufactures (;
so here, say, that our population. compared
to territory, points to agriculture when a pc.
PuIation equal to that Of Great Britain, shall
he found in New York End Pennsylvania,
which, together, contain a greater territory,
manufactures will spring up in the natural
course of things.
Before proceed to Examine the various
causes which have contributed 10 the wealth.
OF Great Britain, beg leave To correct gentle
men as to the fact of manufactures there being
more productive than agriculture. Mr.. Lowe,
IN his work, gives us CoIquhouu's estimate of
The property created in Great Britain and
Ireland IN 1879 which, upon the whole, he
considers as about a fail estimate for 1893
The aggregate Of that estimate is G4SO, OOO,-
600 sterling; Of this, agriculture, in all its
branches, including, pasture, is pat down at
tSiI 900 600 manufactures, in every branch
al Sll4,000,O0o thus, it appears that, in
GLIDING pasture, agriculture produces more
than manufactures, and every means of Great
ing property put together but excluding
pasture. estimated from ESQ, 1000 900 to
El0O, 100000 and taking the largest sum,
SIN agriculture produces few millions of
pounds sterling more than manufactures in
every branch. The same book gives us d
table OF the proportions of population en-
gagged IN different pursuits from this il ap
pears, taking the year 1921, that the IA
miles chiefly engaged in agriculture were
S73,656 those in manufactures, trade, and
mechanical employment, 1,350,259 the
average estimate of family being five per-
sons to each. Thus il appears, if you iak-
the whole product of agriculture, it exceeds
the aggregate of all other products, nv some
millions, though the persons engaged In j, are
not so numerous, by more than a million and
half Of people I; do not mean tu say laborers,
because the estimate being by families, in
cudrs al! ages and sexes. II you exclude
pasturagr from The agricultural produce, still
IT exceeds the whole product of manufactures ;
the table does not furnish us with the number
| engaged in manufactures alone. bur. if we
allow one million eight hundred and frty
seven Thousand for trade and the mechanical
arts, which seems To he liberal one. there
VIII remain as many in manufacture. With
all the boast, then, of English writers, of
the productivencss of manufactures, here are
facts stated by themselves, which bear Illus
trious evidence 10 favor of agriculture
come, now, sir. To the causes which have
enabled Great Britain to take the lead, in the
career OF European competition for wealth.
They are political, religious and PHYSICAL
Certain great events in Europe, over which
she had no control, turned greatly to her ad-
vantage the revocation of the edict of Nantes
by Lewis the 18th, produced by his blind
intolerance, drove hundreds of thousands OF
his protestant subjects out Of his kingdom the
tyranny and oppression of Philip the end of
spain, forced mulitudes of his subjects in the
Netherlands, to quit their native land the
exlles from both these countries took refuge
IN Holland, the north of Germany, and Eng
iand-but much the largest number in Eng
land; they carried thither with them, besides
themselves, much active industry, much skill
IN the most valuable manufactures, and much
capital; these seeds were sown in the most
favorable soil IN Europe TO their growth, and
they accordingly soon sprung up in some
iuxurlance. Permit me TO pause here mo-
lneut, and contrast England with Spain in this
regard England gained people, rlanulactur-
ing skill, and capital, 10y the folly and wicked
ness of the rulers Of foreign nations Spain,
on the contrary, having all these advantages in
heI own bosom, lost them by her own folly
and wickedness, by the expulsion of the
Moors
Let VS. now survey the English constitution.
ana government. She at an early period es-
| tabiisbed the reformed religion, The adyanta-
ges OF which have already mentioned she
was the only country in Europe which had
representative body, thereby elevating the PEG
PIE 10 share in political liberty. She led the
way In the abolition Of the feuda system one
of The most rapacious and unprincipled kings
That she ever had, even contributed TO this. by
an act OF cunning, or left-handpd wisdom. as
my lord Bacon would call it. alIude 10 Hem
ry VII, who by opening the way To the alien
alton of lands, designed To break down his no
bles, without seeing the great consequences
which were to follow. Upon The abolition Of
the feudal system, The third estate of the realm
began to acquire property; iis stimulated in
dusiry OF every kind a spriog was given to
commerce., which, as early as the days Of Eli
gabrlh, we are told by Lord BDIingbrokp, car
rled the English over all the known, and even
into the till then unknown, parts Of the world
to the Dwina, the Volga, across the Caspian
Sea, into Persia, IN the coasts of A Grica, ~ the
East Indies, FIRST by the track Of the Vene-
fans, and then by the Cape of Good Hope /;
though The same author tells bs, that. in the
reign Of her father Henry 8th, the English
were obliged to hire or borrow ships Of Ham
burg, Lubec, Danizick, ard other places. |
come now % the physical causes, which have
given new vigor to here aIghi, new pinious Ia
her wings. The whole kingdom of Great Br-
tain is an island, and her internal navigation
/ f,, If r
ON the globe. Her insular position teens with
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