^$4 Thoughts on 'Turnpike' Roads and Road Aits. Aug* 



taming itfelf. Thele ought to be left out of the nomniatlon of 

 toll-roads, and confidered as by-ones, till fuch time as the trade 

 upon them will afford funds fudicient to put them on the toll efia- 

 blifhment ; each refpcdive pnrifh making its own part thereof 

 from the converfion- money, till that is the cafe. It appears evi- 

 dent, that to apply parifh money to any purpofe, but within its own 

 bounds, or even not to declare any line of road running through 

 more parilhes than one, a toll-road, as foon as it can a^brd to be 

 fo, is evidently unjuil to the land poffeffor, and taxing him higher 

 tlian any body elfe. A toll is an equal tax, becaufe every one 

 pays in proportion to the ufe he makes of the ro-id ; and there- 

 fore, where there is a deficiency of funds for making or uphold- 

 ing a road, it is much fairer to increafe the tolls, than lay it on 

 the landholder, by raifmg the converfion-money by a new a<St of 

 parliament, which has fometimes been done. In fome counties, 

 <iifputes have arifen about the application of the two funds be- 

 fore mentioned, owing to thofe concerned not having a clear and 

 diflindl idea of Their nature ; confequently, their road a6ts are, 

 in fome inflances, confufed, contradictory, and unintelligible. 

 The following feem to be the main points to be agreed upon, 

 and perfectly equal and fair. 



The great toll-roads ought to have their whole toll-money m a 

 aimulo fum, levied at fuch places, and laid out on the whole line, 

 as the truilees Ihall think bell: for the public benefit. 



The fecondary fort of toll-roads 'are thofe which may require 

 fome afiiftance from the parifli money, and ought to draw fuch 

 aihltance from the different parilhes they pafs through, in pro- 

 portion to their length in each, until the tolls enable them to 

 rank amonjj thofe of the firft claU;. 



The third fort of roads, is the real internal parifh roads, which 

 ought to have, in preference to all others, the converfion money 

 applied to them folely, unlefs where it may be thought for the 

 public good to lend fome afhllance to the fecondary roads, and 

 that only with the concurrence of thofe having the direction of the 

 parifli money, and within the parifli only. As to the qualifica- 

 tion of trufl:ees, there have been different opinions ; but this, I 

 believe, is now generally agreed upon. Some were for a plough- 

 gate of land in property, and others for lool. Scots as the rule. 

 There is no doubt, that a perfoii appointed by the laws of the 

 land to lay on a land-tax as a commiflioner of fupply, has 2 

 complete right, by analogy, to be a truftee, becaufe the former 

 mufl be confidered as the greateft trufl; of the two. But I can- 

 not fee how the commiflioners of fupply can exclude a plough- 

 gate proprietor, when met to concert a road-bill, more than a 

 maa of 2100, 400, or jooo pounds Scots valuation, can exclude 



the 



