[ 410 ] [APRIL, 



SHIPS, COLONIES, AND COMMERCE. 



THE extraordinary doctrines which some of our legislators have of late 

 years endeavoured to reduce to practice, in pursuance of speculative 

 theories of ultra free-trade, are absurdities, fraught with such mis- 

 chievous consequences, that they have attracted the serious attention of 

 all those whose immediate interests are at stake. 



Experienced merchants, especially those nearly concerned in our 

 shipping and colonial interests, have taken the alarm, and have at length 

 bestirred themselves in opposition to measures, which instead of advanc- 

 ing the general prosperity of the empire, are rather calculated to under- 

 mine and destroy all those sources of national wealth, which, till lately, 

 rendered us the envy of every nation of Europe and America, and 

 enabled us to set their united efforts for our destruction at defiance. 



So long as our distant colonists were the immediate sufferers, these 

 ruinous schemes met with less opposition than they deserved ; but when 

 ministers, by their recent budget, openly manifested a determination to 

 set the opinions of practical men at defiance, and to act upon their own 

 erroneous and ultra views commercial men could no longer remain 

 inactive, and this gave occasion to one of the most numerous and respec- 

 table meetings ever witnessed on any similar occasion : the persons 

 assembled not only marked their disapprobation in the strongest lan- 

 guage, but the influence of their opinions has been manifested in the 

 House of Commons, by a very large majority against ministers !* 



Notwithstanding the agitation created in every quarter by the momen- 

 tous question of Reform this demonstration in support of ec Ships, 

 Colonies and Commerce," has been followed by meetings in various 

 commercial towns. We hope the resolutions passed at these meetings 

 will be pressed upon the serious consideration of Parliament, until the 

 dictates of reason and common sense are listened to. We should regret 

 exceedingly that the degree of distrust and dissatisfaction which has 

 been created by the financial attempts above alluded to, should militate 

 against any measure really necessary for the good of the country, yet 

 it must be admitted that if in the guidance of interests of vital import- 

 ance to the empire at large, there has been an evident want of capacity, 

 it can hardly be expected that implicit confidence and support upon 

 other points are likely to follow. 



We have so frequently pointed out the ruinous effects of our anti- 

 colonial policy, and the misery and distress which, if persisted in, it was 

 likely to create that we scarcely consider it necessary to enter more 

 fully into the subject. Suffice it to say, that West India planters who 

 were at one time wealthy, are now reduced by it to poverty ; and finding 

 themselves yearly getting into further difficulties, some of them, we 

 believe, have actually been forced to abandon their estates and labourers 

 to their mortgagees, and other creditors ! In a very few years more, 

 unless immediate relief be afforded, the negroes on many estates will 

 manifest the want of their usual comforts by riot and insubordination : 

 the flame once raised, will spread rapidly, and instead of happy commu- 

 nities, rising in civilization, we shall have misery and bloodshed ! 



Then, indeed, when the consequences are felt at home, and when it is 

 too late to apply a remedy, we shall have every mercantile city and manu- 



* Vide Debate and Division on the Timber Duties. 



