had intereft enough with the Court to prohibit the cultivation of it in Old France, under the feverest penalties. But nevertheless the real French Patriots, and particularly the Marquis de Mirabeau, have fully demontirated, that it is the intereft of the French Government to encourage the cultivation of it; and have pointed out a fure and eafy method for collecting the duties which was the fole pretence of the farmers general for foliciting a prohibition; fo that it is apprehended, that the French Government will at last open their eyes in this refpect, and allow the cultivation of it. Tobacco therefore, being likely to be foon out of the queftion, the only remaining article is rice: and this, it must be acknowledged would bear a better price at the Hamburgh or Dutch markets than it generally doth in England. But as this is only one article, out of many, it fhould be farther confidered, that even the hips which import rice into England, generally bring fuch other produce as would not be faleable to advantage in other parts of Europe: fo that there is no great cause to fear, that we fhould confiderably lofe the trade even of this article, were the Colonies to be difmembered from us. Not to mention that all the coafts of the Mediterranean and the South of Europe are already fupplied with rice from the Colonies, in the fame manner as if there had been an actual feparation;-no riceship bound to any place fouth of CapeFinisterre being at all obliged to touch at any port of Great Britain. So much, therefore, as to the staple exports of the Colonies. "Let us now confider their imports. And here one thing is very clear and Great quantities of tobacco are permitted to be raised in French Flanders, Alface, and all the Pais conquifes, i. e. the newly conquered Provinces ; because the inhabitants of these countries are indulged in many liberties, which are denied to the Provinces of Old France. But the Farmers General keep a ftrict watch, that none of this tobacco fhall be permitted to be carried into Old France, except by themselves or their agents, And the penalty against smuggling in this cafe is very cruel and severe. certain, That whatever goods, merchandize, or manufactures, the merchants of Great Britain can fell to the rest of Europe, they might fell the fame to the Colonies, if wanted: because it is evident that the Colonies could not purchafe fuch goods at a cheaper rate at any other European market. Now, let any one caft his eye over the bills of exports from London, Bristol, Liverpool, Hull, Glasgow, &c. &c. and then he will foon difcover, that excepting gold and filver lace, wines, and brandies, fome fort of filks and linens, and perhaps a little paper and gun-powder; I fay, excepting these few articles, Great Britain is become a kind of a † general mart for moft other commodities: and indeed were it not fo, how is it conceivable, that fo little a fpot as this Ifland could have made fuch a figure either in peace or war, as it hath lately done? How is it poffible, that after having contracted a debt of nearly one hundred and forty millions, we should neverthelefs be able to make more rapid progreffes in all forts of improvements, useful and ornamental, public and private, agricolic and commercial, than any other nation ever did -Fact it is, that these improvements have been made of late years, and are daily making and facts are stubborn things. : "But fays the objector, you allow, that gold and filver lace,-that wines and brandies, fome forts of filks,-fome forts of paper,-gunpowder, and perhaps other articles, can be purchased at certain European markets on cheaper terms than they can in England, and therefore it followes, that we should certainly lose these branches of commrrce by a feparation, even fuppofing that we could retain the reft. Indeed even this doth not follow; because we have loft them already, as far as it was, the intereft of the Colonies that we should + I am credibly informed, that it appears by extracts from the Custom-house books, that more English goods are fent up the two rivers of Germany, the Wefer and the Elbe, than up any two rivers in North America. Yet the North Americans and their partisans are continually upbraiding us, as if we enjoyed no trade, worth mentioning, except that with the Colonies. lofe lose them. And if any man can doubt of this, let him but consider that that the lumber, and provifion-veffels, which are continually running down from Brifton, Rhode-ifland, New-York, Philadelphia, Charles-Town, &c. &c. to Martinico, and the other French Iflands, bring home in return not only fugars and molaffes, but alfo French wines, filks, gold and filver lace, and in fhort every other article in which they can find a profitable account: moreover thofe fhips, which fail to Euitatia and Curacoa, trade with the Dutch, and confequently with all the North of Europe, on the fame principle. And as to the ships which iteer South of Cape Finisterre, what do they do?-Doubtless, they purchase whatever commodities they ind it their intereft to purchase, and carry them home to North America. Indeed, what should hinder them from acting agreeably to their own ideas of advantage in these respects? The Cuftomhoufe Officers, perhaps, you may fay, will hinder them. But alas! the Cuftom-house Othcers of North America, if they were ten times more numerous, and ten times more uncorrupt than they are, could not poffibly guard a tenth part of the coaft. In fhort, these things are so very notorious that they cannot be difputed; and therefore, were the whole trade of North America to be divided into branches, viz. the voluntary, refulting from a free choice of the Americans themfelvs purfuing their own intereft, and the involuntary, in confequence of compulfory acts of the British Parliament; this latter would appear fo very small aud inconfiderable, as hardly to deferve a name in an eftimate of national commerce. "The 2d objection against giving up the Colonies is, that fuch a meafure would greatly decrease our fhipping and navigation, and confequently diminifh the breed of failors, But this objection has been fully obviated already for if we shall not lofe our trade, at least in any important degree, even with the northern Colonies (and molt probably we shall encrease it with other countries), then it follows, that neither the quantity of fhipping, nor the breed of failors, can fuffer any confiderable diminution: fo that this fuppofition is merely a panic, and has no foundation, Not to mention that in proportion as the Americans fhall be obliged to exert themselves to defend their own coafts, in case of a war; in the fame proportion fhall Great Britain be exonerated from that burthen, and shall have more fhips and men at command to protect her own Channel trade, and for other fervices. "The 3d objection is, That if we were to give up thefe Colonies, the French would take immediate poffeffion of them. Now this objection is entirely built on the following very wild, very extravagant, and abfurd fuppofitions. ift, It fuppofes, that the Colonists themselves, who cannot brook our Government, would like a French one much better. Great Britain, it seems, doth not grant them liberty enough; and therefore they have recourfe to France to obtain more :-That is, in plain Englifh, our mild and limited Government, where prerogative is afcertained by law, where every man is at liberty to seek for redrefs, and where popular clamours too often carry every thing before them, is nevertheless too ferve, too oppreffive, and too tyrannical for the fpirits, and genius of Americans to bear and therefore they will apply to an arbitary, defpotic Government, where the people have no flare in the Legiflature, where there is no liberty of the Prefs, and where General Warrants and Letters des Cachets are irrefiftible,-in order to enjoy greater freedom than they have at prefent, and to be refcued from the intolerable yoke under which they now groan. What monitrous abfurdities are thefe! But even this is not all: for thefe Americans are reprefented by this fuppofition, as not only preferring a French Government to a British, but even to a Government of their own modelling and chuting! For after they are fet free from any fubmiffion to their Mother-Country; after they are told, that for the future they muit endeavour to please themfelves, feeing we cannot please them; then, inttead of attempting to frame any popular Governments for redreffing thofe evils of which they now fo bitterly complain,they are reprefented as throwing themfelves at once into the arms of France; the republican fpirit is to subfide; the doctrine of Pattive Obedience. and Non-refiftance is to fucceed; and, inftead instead of setting up for freedom and independence, they are to glory in having the honour of being numbered among the flaves of the Grand Monarch! "But, 2dly, this matter may be further confidered in another point of view; for if it fhould be faid, that the Americans might still retain their republican fpirit, tho' they fubmitted to a French Government, because the French, thro' policy, would permit them fo to do; then it remains to be confidered, whether any arbitary Government, can difpence with fuch liberties as a republican fpirit will require. An abfolute freedom of the Prefs! No controul on the liberty either of fpeaking or writing on matters of ftate! Newfpapers and and pamphlets filled with the bittereft invectives again't the measures of Government! Affociations formed in every quarter to cry down ministerial hirelings, and their dependents! The votes and refolutions of the Provincial Aflemblies to affert their own authority and independence! No landing of troops from Old France to quell infurrections! No raifing of new levies in America! No quartering of troops! No building of forts. or erecting of garrifons! And, to fum up all, no raifing of money without the exprefs confent and approbation of the Provincial American Parliaments first obtained for each of these purposes! -Now I ask any reasonable man, whether these things are compatible with any idea of an arbitrary, defpotic Government?-Nay more, whether the French King himself, or his Minifters would wish to have such notions as these instilled into the fubjects of Old France? yet inftilled they must be, while a communication is kept open between the two countries; while correfpondences are carried on; letters, pamphlets, and news-papers, pafs and repafs; and in fhort, while the Americans are permitted to come into France, and Frenchmen into America. So much therefere as to this clafs of objections. Indeed I might have infifted further, that Great Britain alone could at any time prevent fuch an acquifition to be made by France, as it is here fuppofed, if the fhould think it neceffary to interfere, and if such an acquisition of territory would really and truly be an addition of strength in the political balance and fcale of power But furely I have said enough. The *The Phænomenon, of that prodigious increase of trade, which this country has experienced since the happy Revolution, is what few people can explain; and therefore they cut the matter fhort, by afcribing it all to the growth of our Colonies: but the true principles and real caufes of that amazing increase, are the following: 1. The fuppreffion of various Monopolies and exclufive companies exifting before, for foreign trade. 2. The opening of Corporations, or the undermining of exclufive privileges and companies of trade at home; or, what comes to the fame thing, the eluding of their bad effects by means of legal decifions in our Courts of Law. And N. B. the like observation extends to the cafe of evading the penalties of the Act 5th of Queen Elizabeth, against exercifing thofe trades to which perfons have not ferved regular apprenticefhips. 3. The nurfing up of new trades and few branches of commerce by means of bounties, and national premiums. 4. The giving of drawbacks, or the return of duties on the exportation of fuch goods, as were to have paid a duty, if used and confumed at home. 5. The repeal of taxes formerly laid on raw materials coming into the kingdom. See 8 G. I. C. 15. 6. The repeal of taxes formerly laid on our own manufactures, when exported. See ditto. 7. The improvements in various engines, with new inventions and difcoveries for the abridgment of labour. 8. Better communications established throughout the kingdom by means of turnpike roads and canals, and the speedy conveyance of letters to every great town and noted place of manufacture, by means of improvements in the Poftoffice. 9. Happy discoveries and improvements in agriculture and in the mecha nic arts. 10. Larger capitals than ufual employed both in husbandry and manufac tures & The manifold Advantages attendant on Such a Seheme. " AND rft, A disjunction from the northern Colonies would effectually put a ftop to our prefent emigrations. By the laws of the land it is made a capital offence to inveigle artificers and mecanics to leave the kingdom. But this law is unhappily fuperfeded at prefent as far as the Colonies are concerned. Therefore, when they come to be difmembered from us, it will operate as ftrongly against them, and their kidnappers, as against others. And here it may be worth while to obferve, that the emigrants, who lately failed in fuch multitudes from the North of Scotland, and more especially from the North of Ireland, were far from being the most indigent, or the leaft capable of fubfifting in their own country, No; it was not poverty or neceffity which compelled, but ambition which enticed them to forfake their native foil. For after they began to taile the fweets of induftry, and to partake of the comforts of life, then they became a valuable prey for these harpies. In fhort, fuch were the perfons to whom these seducers principally applied; because they found that they had gotten fome little fubstance together worth devouring. They therefore told them many plausible ftories -that if they would emigrate to North America, they might have eftates for nothing, and become Gentlemen for ever; whereas, if they remained at tures; alfo in the importation and exportation of goods. Now all these things, co-operating together, would render any country rich and flourishing, whether it had Colonies or not: and this country in particular would have found the happy eftets of them to a much greater degree than it now doth, were they not counter-acted by our luxury, our gambling, our frequent ruinous and expenfive wars, our Colony-drains, and by that ill-gotten, and ill-fpent wealth, which was obtained by robbing, plundering, and starving the poor defencelefs natives of the EaftIndies. -A fpecies of villainy this, for which the English Language had not a name, 'till it adopted the word Nabobing. May, 1774. home, they had nothing to expect beyond the condition of a wretched journeyman, or a fmall laborious farmer. Nay, one of these falfe guides was known to have put out public advertisements, fome few years ago, in the North of Ireland, wherein he engaged to carry all who would follow him, into fuch a glorious country, where there was neither tax nor tithe, nor landlord's rent to be paid. This was enough: It took with thousands: and this he might fafely engage te do.-But at the fame time he ought to have told them (as Bishop Berkley in his queries justly obferves), That a man may poffefs twenty miles fquare in this glorious country, and yet not be able to get a dinner. 2dly, Another great advantage to be derived from a feparation is, that we thall then fave between 3 and 400,000!, a year, by being discharged from the payment of any civil or military eftablithment belonging to the Colonies:for which generous benefaction we receive at prefent no other return than invectives and reproaches. 3dly, The ceafing of the payment of bounties on certain Colony productions will be another great faving; perhaps not lefs than 200,000l. a year. And it is very remarkable, that the goods imported from the Colonies in confequence of these bounties, could not have been imported into any other part of Europe, were there a liberty to do it; because the freight and first coft would have amounted to more than they could be fold for: fo that, in fact, we give premiums to the Colonies for felling goods to us, which would not have been fold at all any where else. However, when the prefent bounties fhall cease, we may then confider, at our leisure, whether it would be right to give them again, or not; and we shall have it totally in our power to favour that country moit which will fhew the greateft favour to us, and to our manufactures. 4thly, When we are no longer connected with the Colonies by the imaginary tie of an identity of Government, then our merchant-exporters and manufacturers will have a better chance of having their debts paid, than they have at prefent for as matters now ftand, the Colonifts chufe to carry their ready cash to other nations, while ther a are contracting debts with their MotherCountry; with whom they think they can take greater liberties: and provided they are trusted, they care not to what amount this debt fhall rife:-for when the time of payment draws on, they are feized with a fit of Patriotism; and then confederacies and affociations are to difcharge all arrears; or at least, are to poftpone the payment of them fine di.. 66 5thly, After a feparation from the Colonies, our influence over them will be much greater than ever it was fince they began to feel their own weight and importance: for at prefent we are looked upon in no better a light than that of robbers and ufurpers; whereas, we fhall then be confidered as their protectors, mediators, benefactors. The moment a feparation takes effect, intef tine quarrels will begin; for it is well known, that the feeds of difcord and diffention between Province and Province are now ready to fhoot forth, and that they are only kept down by the prefent combination of all the Colonies against us, whom they unhappily fancy to be their common enemy. When therefore this object of their hatred fhall be removed by a declaration on our parts, that, fo far from ufurping all authority, we, from henceforward, will affume none at all against their own confent ; the weaker Provinces will intreat our protection against the stronger, and the lefs cautious against the more crafty and defigning: fo that, in fhort, in proportion as their factious, republican fpirit thall intrigue and cabal, fhall fplit into parties, divide and sub-divide, in the fame proportion hall we be called in to become their general umpires and referees. Not to mention, that many of the late and prefent emigrants, when they shall see these storms arifing all around them, and when their promised earthly Paradife turns out to be a dreary, unwholesome, unhofpitable, and howling wilderness,-many of them, I fay, will probably return to us again, and take refuge at last in Old England, with all its faults and imperfections. Laftly, Our Weft-India Islands themselves will receive fignal benefit by this feparation. Indeed, their fize and fituation render them incapable of fubftracting all obedience from us; and set the bad precedent of their neigh bours on the Continent hath fometimes prompted them to thew as refractory a fpirit as they well could.-But when they come to perceive what are the bitter effects of this untractable difpofition, exemplified in the cafe of the North Americans, it is probable, it is reafonable to conclude, that they will learn wifdom by the miscarriages and suiserings of thefe unhappy people; and that from henceforward they will revere the authority of a Government, which has the feweft faults, and grants the greateft liberty, of any yet known upon earth. "But after all, there is one thing more, to which I must make fome reply.-Many, perhaps moft of my readers, will be apt to apt to afk,-What is all this about? And what doth this Author really mean?-Can he seriously think, that because he hath taken fuch pains to prove a separation to be a right measure, that therefore we shall separate in good earneft? And is he still so much a notice as not to know, that measures are rarely adopted merely because they are right, but because they can serve a prefent turn?Therefore let it be afked, What prefent convenience or advantage do:h he propofe either to Adminiftration, or to Anti-administration, by the execution of his plan ?-This is coming to the point; and without it, all that he has faid will pafs for nothing. "I frankly acknowledge, I propofe no prefent convenience or advantage to either; nay, I firmly believe, that no Minifter, as things are now circumstanced, will dare to do so much good to his country; and as to the herd of AntiMinifters, they, I am perfuaded, would not wish to fee it done; because it would deprive them of one of their most plentiful fources for clamour and detraction : and yet I have observed, and have myfelf had fome experience, that measures evidently right will prevail at last: therefore I make not the least doubt but that a feparation from the northren Colonies, and also another right measure, viz, a complete union and incorporation with Ireland (however undopular either of them may appear) will both take place within half a century :—And perhaps that which happens to be firft accomplished, will great accelerate the accomplishment of the other. Indeed, almoft |