> 
1793. on the ccal duties in Scotland. 304-5 
“ and allow them to employ the summer in prosecuting the 
 fifheries, and other branches of industry.” [Ibid. ] 
It did not fall within the object of their inquiry, to as- 
certain the amount of this tax in different parts of Eng- 
land, or in Wales, whose circumstances nearly resemble’ 
those of Scotland, and where I can have no doubt this 
tax will be equally unproductive and opprefsive ; but I 
trust, that when an investigation of this kind fhall be at- 
tempted by 2n enlightened minister, he will perceive the 
very great detriment that accrues to the nation at large, 
from the operation of this cruel, impolitic, and unproduc- 
tive tax; and some others that operate in the same manner; 
and the prodigious defalcation of revenue it has long occasi- 
oned : and will of course, at once, abolifh it in all places, 
wherever situated, where it fhall appear, from the scanti- 
nefs of the revenue afforded by it, that it has there ope- 
rated as a bar to the industry of the people, and by that 
means has been a cause of general poverty among them. 
It is by attentions of this sort, to the rea/ interests of 
the lower clafses of the people intrusted to his care, that a 
minister fhould lay the sure foundations of a lasting fame ; ° 
and not by aiming at that kind of temporary power which 
is to be obtained by augmenting the influence of rich and 
Juxurious monopolizers, or by cherifhing wealthy commu- 
nities and corporations, which strive to reprefs the indus- 
try of distant parts of the country, that they themselves 
may be the greater gainers by that superiority which 
they have already so decidedly obtained. 
Believing, as I myself do, that Britain never did pofsefs 
a minister who was more capab/e than the present one, of 
judging of the measures that are hurtful or beneficial to 
the country ; and being willing to hope that he will be in- 
clined to promote the general interests of the country, if 
tightly informed of facts respecting those remote parts, 
; 
