按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
everywhere to be regulated； not so much according to the real
ability of spending； as to the supposed facility of getting money
to spend。
It is thus that the single advantage which the monopoly
procures to a single order of men is in many different ways
hurtful to the general interest of the country。
To found a great empire for the sole purpose of raising up a
people of customers may at first sight appear a project fit only
for a nation of shopkeepers。 It is； however； a project altogether
unfit for a nation of shopkeepers； but extremely fit for a nation
whose government is influenced by shopkeepers。 Such statesmen；
and such statesmen only； are capable of fancying that they will
find some advantage in employing the blood and treasure of their
fellow…citizens to found and maintain such an empire。 Say to a
shopkeeper； 〃Buy me a good estate； and I shall always buy my
clothes at your shop； even though I should pay somewhat dearer
than what I can have them for at other shops〃； and you will not
find him very forward to embrace your proposal。 But should any
other person buy you such an estate； the shopkeeper would be much
obliged to your benefactor if he would enjoin you to buy all your
clothes at his shop。 England purchased for some of her subjects；
who found themselves uneasy at home； a great estate in a distant
country。 The price； indeed； was very small； and instead of thirty
years' purchase； the ordinary price of land in the present times；
it amounted to little more than the expense of the different
equipments which made the first discovery； reconnoitred the
coast； and took a fictitious possession of the country。 The land
was good and of great extent； and the cultivators having plenty
of good ground to work upon； and being for some time at liberty
to sell their produce where they pleased； became in the course of
little more than thirty or forty years （between 1620 and 1660） so
numerous and thriving a people that the shopkeepers and other
traders of England wished to secure to themselves the monopoly of
their custom。 Without pretending； therefore； that they had paid
any part； either of the original purchase…money； or of the
subsequent expense of improvement； they petitioned the Parliament
that the cultivators of America might for the future be confined
to their shop； first； for buying all the goods which they wanted
from Europe； and； secondly； for selling all such parts of their
own produce as those traders might find it convenient to buy。 For
they did not find it convenient to buy every part of it。 Some
parts of it imported into England might have interfered with some
of the trades which they themselves carried on at home。 Those
particular parts of it； therefore； they were willing that the
colonists should sell where they could… the farther off the
better； and upon that account purposed that their market should
be confined to the countries south of Cape Finisterre。 A clause
in the famous Act of Navigation established this truly shopkeeper
proposal into a law。
The maintenance of this monopoly has hitherto been the
principal； or more properly perhaps the sole end and purpose of
the dominion which Great Britain assumes over her colonies。 In
the exclusive trade； it is supposed； consists the great advantage
of provinces； which have never yet afforded either revenue or
military force for the support of the civil government； or the
defence of the mother country。 The monopoly is the principal
badge of their dependency； and it is the sole fruit which has
hitherto been gathered from that dependency。 Whatever expense
Great Britain has hitherto laid out in maintaining this
dependency has really been laid out in order to support this
monopoly。 The expense of the ordinary peace establishment of the
colonies amounted； before the commencement of the present
disturbances； to the pay of twenty regiments of foot； to the
expense of the artillery； stores； and extraordinary provisions
with which it was necessary to supply them； and to the expense of
a very considerable naval force which was constantly kept up； in
order to guard； from the smuggling vessels of other nations； the
immense coast of North America； and that of our West Indian
islands。 The whole expense of this peace establishment was a
charge upon the revenue of Great Britain； and was； at the same
time； the smallest part of what the dominion of the colonies has
cost the mother country。 If we would know the amount of the
whole； we must add to the annual expense of this peace
establishment the interest of the sums which； in consequence of
her considering her colonies as provinces subject to her
dominion； Great Britain has upon different occasions laid out
upon their defence。 We must add to it； in particular； the whole
expense of the late war； and a great part of that of the war
which preceded it。 The late war was altogether a colony quarrel；
and the whole expense of it； in whatever part of the world it may
have been laid out； whether in Germany or the East Indies； ought
justly to be stated to the account of the colonies。 It amounted
to more than ninety millions sterling； including not only the new
debt which was contracted； but the two shillings in the pound
additional land tax； and the sums which were every year borrowed
from the sinking fund。 The Spanish war； which began in 1739； was
principally a colony quarrel。 Its principal object was to prevent
the search of the colony ships which carried on a contraband
trade with the Spanish Main。 This whole expense is； in reality； a
bounty which has been given in order to support a monopoly。 The
pretended purpose of it was to encourage the manufactures； and to
increase the commerce of Great Britain。 But its real effect has
been to raise the rate of mercantile profit； and to enable our
merchants to turn into a branch of trade； of which the returns
are more slow and distant than those of the greater part of other
trades； a greater proportion of their capital than they otherwise
would have done； two events which； if a bounty could have
prevented； it might perhaps have been very well worth while to
give such a bounty。
Under the present system of management； therefore； Great
Britain derives nothing but loss from the dominion which she
assumes over her colonies。
To propose that Great Britain should voluntarily give up all
authority over her colonies； and leave them to elect their own
magistrates； to enact their own laws； and to make peace and war
as they might think proper； would be to propose such a measure as
never was； and never will be adopted； by any nation in the world。
No nation ever voluntarily gave up the dominion of any province；
how troublesome soever it might be to govern it； and how small
soever the revenue which it afforded might be in proportion to
the expense which it occasioned。 Such sacrifices； though they
might frequently be agreeable to the interest； are always
mortifying to the pride of every nation； and what is perhaps of
still greater consequence； they are always contrary to the
private inte