298 - on the coal duties in Scotland. Dee. 26. 
subjects, fhould often fall into mistakes, when they pre- 
tend to decide magisterially upon it. ‘To explain, how- 
ever, in some measure, to the most ordinary understand- 
taxes, which alone can fupport government, may be confidered as the 
. direct parent of every blefling we enjoy. - ; 
Allow me to ftate a fingle inftance, as an illuftration of the pofitions 
here affumed. The poft-office is one of the principal branches of re- 
venue, which derives its organization from the influence of government. 
_ Government alone, by poflefling the means of directing the fcattered 
. efforts of millions of men towards one point, has it in its power to make 
all thofe little efforts, which feparately would be nothing, when thus 
united, to become irrefiftible. If the poft office were annihilated, what 
would be the confequence? Without a regular government to take 
charge of fuch a complicated bufinefs it never could have been eftablifh- 
ed. Were individuals left to find out channels of conveyance, the ex- 
pence would be infuperable ; were affociations to attempt it, the fame 
objection would remain, The expence would be enormous, the rifk in- 
finite; and of courfe all the channels of commerce would be fhut up 
for ever. 
This would be the cafe even when we confider our own ifland only *; 
but when we extend our thoughts beyond this ifland, the poft- office openg 
to our view a {ene fo immenfe, fo ftupenduoufly grand, as to fill the 
mind with wonder and aftonifhment. I, for example, put in a dozen 
. of letters into the poft-office, at the expence of a few fhillings, direct= 
ed to the moft remote corners of this habitable globe, and immediately 
retire to reft, or play, or the convivial enjoyment of my friend, with- 
out the fmalleft anxiety, well knowing that in my feryice, men will be 
employed continually travelling through night and day, for days, for 
weeks, for months, for years: that the moft ftormy feas will prefent 
no barrier to my commands ; that the deepeft {nows will not interrupt 
the progrefs of my meflengers; that the bleakeit defarts will be paffed 
to fulfil my will: nor Will there be any relaxation in their exertions 
till anfwers fhall be brought back from all the corners of the univerfe. 
Had any man faid that fuch a thing could be accomplifhed by man, be- 
fore it had been a&tually done, it would have been declared to be ut- 
terly beyond the reach of human powers: yet fuch, eyery man in Bri- 
tain knows is the cafe ; and he regards it not, becaufe this is done with 
fo much eafe to himfelf as never to excite a thought in his bofom. It 
is government alone, however, which effects’ this, and thoufands of 
other accommodations to every man; by the means of which he is en- 
abled to carry on his trade with advantage, and to avail himfelf of his 
induftry. All this it is enabled to do folely by means of taxeg, 
*It appears by biftorical records, that in the days of Elizabethtewhen com- 
merce was not entirely in its infancy, no letter could be fent between England 
and Scotland but by occafional meffengers ; and that the JSpeedicft exprefs as 
ghat time took twelve days al leaft to ga between Loudon and Edinburgh, 
