220 Mr. Roper on the Commercial System oj Great Britain. [April I , 



dcnce would infallibly dictate, we see 

 tliera pursuing their business with in- 

 creasing energy, yearly augmenting their 

 shipments, and affording additional em- 

 ployment to our manufacturers, surely 

 I am warranted also in repeating, that 

 not only are his conclusions derived 

 from insufficient data, but wholly at 

 variance with tiie ordinary modes of 

 conduct among mankind. No one, I 

 should liave tiiought, who witnessed this 

 unceasing spirit of mercantile adven- 

 ture, together with its effects in pro- 

 moting industry and stimulating con- 

 sumption, could have doubted that it 

 was attended witli beneficial results, and 

 consequently tiiat returns, far surpassing 

 in value that of the shipments from 

 Lcnce, must find their way to this coun- 

 try. Instead, however, of coming to 

 this, the only natural inference from tlie 

 facts, the author of the Exposition stu- 

 diously avoids it; and, while every 

 symptom in t!ie body politic seems 

 plainly to denote robust health, or even 

 approaching plethora, he persists in re- 

 cognising nothing but the diagnostics of 

 atrophy or consumption ; and prognosti- 

 cates impending ruin in one of the most 

 prosperous periods in which this country 

 was probably ever placed. He goes 

 even still farther ; and disregarding all 

 experience, which clearly shows that the 

 intcrferehce of the legislature in matters 

 of trade has invariably been productive 

 of evil, he calls upon the Parliament to 

 interpose their authority, and prevent 

 our merchants from rushing thus head- 

 long to ruin. Instead of pursuing that 

 career of useful improvement in which 

 the legislature has for some years been 

 advancing ; instead of gradually disen- 

 cumbering our commerce of those use- 

 less and injurious restrictions which 

 have been accumulated by the igno- 

 rance and prejudices of other times; in- 

 stead of relaxing the impolitic severity 

 of our navigation laws, and giving a 

 judicious extension to the warehousing 

 system, — he would have them shackle 

 our commerce with new regulations and 

 prohibitions, and engage in tiie wild- 

 goose scheme of attempting to teach our 

 merchants a better method of emjiloying 

 their capitals than they can find out for 

 themselves. The island of Laputa is 

 really the only place where we could 

 have expected such a proposition to 

 have been seriously made. " In the 

 governments of modern Europe," says 

 Dngald Stewart, (Elements, vol. i. page 

 262,) " it is much more necessary to 



abolish old institutions than to introduce 

 new ones ; and the perfection of political 

 wisdom consists not in encumbering the 

 machine of government with new con- 

 trivances to obviate every partial incon- 

 venience; but in removing gradually 

 and imperceptibly the obstacles which 

 disturb the order of nature, and (as Mr. 

 Addison somewhere expresses it) graft- 

 ing upon her institutions." Such then 

 is the duty, and such fortunately is the 

 course, pursuing by the legislature of 

 this country ; and the beneticial effects 

 of their recent labours are becoming 

 every day more perceptible. If they 

 proceed in the same path of cautious 

 reformation, and if peace continues to 

 shed her benign influence among us, I 

 will venture to predict, that Great Bri- 

 tain will attain a degree of prosperity 

 unequalled in her own annals, and sur- 

 passing tliat of any commercial empire 

 recorded in history. Here, then, I relin- 

 quish the subject; having said enough, 

 I trust, to satisfy every impartial reader, 



1st. That no inferences as to the true 

 value of our commerce can be deduced 

 from the documents in question, though 

 accurately marking its increase or dimi- 

 nution. 



2dly. That they clearly prove a very 

 great addition to the quantity of British 

 produce and manufactures exported 

 witliin the last few years. 



3dly. That the intelligence, prudence, 

 and self-interest, of tiie merchants en- 

 gaged in tills traffic, are sufficient gua- 

 rantees for an adequate return being 

 obtained for these shipments. 



And lastly. That the legislature is 

 much more wisely occupied in removing 

 the restraints and prohibitions of our 

 present commercial law, ratiier than 

 endeavouring to interrupt the natural 

 current of capital and industry ; which, 

 if left to themselves, will infallibly flow 

 into those ciiannels where they can be 

 most usefully and profitably employed. 



In conclusion, I can assure your cor- 

 respondent, that my object is truth, not 

 delusion ; a desire to correct misrepre- 

 sentation, and prevent erroneous inr- 

 pressions, I have taken up the contro- 

 versy in the full freedom of a Briton's 

 choice, uninfluenced by party attach- 

 ments; but entertaining an ardent atiec- 

 tion for a country whose institutions, 

 though not altogether free from ble- 

 mishes or defects, are upon the whole 

 admirably calculated to produce, and 

 have in fact been the means of diffusing 

 among her people, a greater portion of 

 freedom, 



