z6o Confi durations on Regulating the Value of Lahout. AUg. 



fecure the fubfiftence of to-morrow, — is an event as improbable, 

 as the means recommended for obviating it (if true) are incon- 

 fillent with thofe found, evident, and eilabliflied principles of 

 political economy, which are the eminent characteriilics of an 

 enlightened age. 



In fact, your correfpondent feems to have confounded two 

 things efientially different — the combination of the workmen, and 

 the competition of the mailers ;' and has raihly attributed to the 

 former, confequcnces refulting entirely from the latter. In ar- 

 guing thus, it is evident that he argues completely againll his 

 own mtereit. For whence proceeds the competition of mailers .'' 

 Certainly from fome good to be derived from fome expe£led ad- 

 vantage, which tempts them to bid againfl one another, in order 

 to obtain hands to execute their work ; and thus leads them vo- 

 luntarily to break through that natural combination not to raife 

 wages, which always exills among every clafs of employers. 

 The advantage to be derived, is an increafed produce from their 

 land, and an augmented price for that produce : and the rife of 

 wages is merely the premium, advanced to enfure their future 

 gains. As in America, and other newly-peopled countries, 

 where the price of labour rofe extravagantly high, the moll 

 powerful incentive to population is created ; a family becomes a 

 lource of profperity, inltead of opprelFion j and the poor man 

 counts his wealth when he numbers his offspring. As the li- 

 beral wages he receives, enable him to live more cafily and hap- 

 pily •, fo will he be the more difpofed to communicate that eafe and 

 that happinefs to others — to marry, and rear around him a numer- 

 ous and induflrious brood. This increafe of population alfo will 

 prove a frefli ftimulus to the cultivation of the land — a new fpring 

 of wealth to the farmer. A market for the produce of his ellate 

 will thus be ellablilhed on the property of every landholder, and 

 a better price will be paid for it. A demand will be occafioned 

 for tlie cheefe, the butter, the milk, the fowls, the eggs, and o- 

 ther luxuries, as well as for the neceffary produce of the farm ; 

 and a competition among the purchafers of thefe will add to the 

 profits of the farmer : And thus, although the nominal wages 

 of labour may fuller no change, yet the real wages will be re- 

 duced by the increafed price of his faleable commodities, which 

 a growing market has brought to the proprietor of the pro- 

 duce of the foil. The liberal reward of labour, therefore, as 

 it occafions, fo, likewife, it proceeds from, increafing wealth ; 

 and, in words which fliould be familiar to every one, * To com- 

 plain of it, is to lament over the neceffary effecl and caufe of tlic 

 grcatcfl public prcjfperity. ' 



While I thus difavow entirely the principles of your refpecl- 

 able correfpoiidt^iu, I cannot fuffitiently commend, or recommend 



to 



