372 Silks. [Apjrxx., 



tion perfectly unintelligible — but each will benefit at the expense of its 

 own monopolizers, whose privileges are broken down. 



But no matter on what motive the principles of Free Trade are carried 

 into execution, the community will have the advantage ; and on that 

 groimd we advocate them. It is then the interest of the country to 

 urge the adoption of these principles, but that the manufacturer should 

 do so is inconceivable : his interest is directly opposed to that of the 

 public ; he must naturally desire to augment his advantages ; for what 

 other purpose does he labour ? Is it to be supposed that any body ma- 

 nufactures philanthropically for the good of his fellow-creatures ? No I 

 Gain, gain, is the one great stinudus to all commercial exertion, and 

 we only blind ourselves by looking for other motives. But do not we 

 find the manufacturers themselves soliciting for Free Trade ? Yes, when 

 their interest prompts them ; the merchant clamours for Free Trade, 

 because all restrictions narrow the range of his business, and import 

 duties absorb capital, which he would be glad to have at his own com- 

 mand ; occasionally, too, these restrictions press close upon the manu- 

 facturer, and then he also joins the general cry for Free Trade. The 

 public, the manufacturer, and the merchant are then all demanding the 

 same thing ; but their interests are not the same, nor do they always 

 mean the same thing, though their demands be expressed by the same 

 phrase. All ask for Free Trade ; but the community and the raerclmnt 

 mean the removal of restrictions and protections — the manufacturer 

 thinks of nothing but the relaxation of restrictions. So long as the 

 government, in its desire to give effect to the principles of Free Trade, 

 confines its efforts to the removal of restrictions, the manufacturer is as 

 much delighted with the principles as any body ; but the moment the 

 government entrenches upon his protections, the manufacturing spirit 

 bursts forth in bitterness and detestation against the oppressive working 

 of these new-fangled notions. 



Was ever anything more illustrative of these matters than the present 

 case of the Silk Trade ? It is worth a little consideration : silk is not the 

 natural product of the country, and therefore, at a glance, it might 

 pretty safely be concluded, we could not compete with the country 

 where it was produced. The material indeed, it will be said, must be 

 imported, but that disadvantage may surely be counterbalanced by 

 superior skill and activity : to a certain extent, no doubt ; but we 

 are too much disposed to over-rate these qualities in ourselves. For some 

 reason or other, however, perhaps the deficiency of supply, or more 

 likely some political fancy, silks must be manufactured at home : what 

 is to be done ? Protect the home-manufacture, and as soon as you can 

 thus produce what you conceive an adequate supply, prohibit the intro- 

 duction of foreign goods altogether : this is done ; the exclusive mono- 

 poly is given to the home-manufacturer ; competition is shut out ; the 

 market is all his own : what are the consequences ? He fixes his own 

 price ; his gains are great ; the article deteriorates ; foreign goods are in 

 greater demand — partly from fashion, partly from prejudice, but chiefly 

 from the sounder reason ; and in spite of all prohibition, into the country 

 they clandestinely come. Tire manufacturer has access to the minister ; 

 he complains of the inefliciency of his protection ; the audacity of the 

 smuggler defeats the kind intention of the legislature — something further 

 must be done. What does the government ? Augments the police ot" 

 the customs, institutes the preventive-service, and thus saddles the 



