a Bounty , to encourage the Exportation of Corn. 421 
We will now fhew, that the natural and 
neceffary tendency of the bounty is, to raife the 
price; and that it is impoffible it fhould do 
otherwife ; and therefore abfurd to affert it. The 
advocates for the meafure fay, “It encourages 
the farmer to grow more corn, by providing a 
market abroad ; this makes it more plentiful, and 
confequently cheaper.” This, in fa< 5 t, is faying, 
the farmer has more encouragement to grow 
corn, when the price is lower, than when it is 
higher. The market is nothing to him, 
abftra&ed from the price. When he fells his 
corn, he neither knows nor cares what becomes 
of it afterwards: he looks only to the price. 
If it affords him a reafonable profit, he proceeds 
with alacrity; and his diligence and induftry 
will be excited in proportion to his gain. But, it 
feems, the bounty lowers the price and renders it 
cheaper, and, at the fame time, encourages the 
farmer to extend its culture, and grow larger 
quantities, than he would otherwife do ! This 
is the land-owner’s argument; but where is the 
man, who can reconcile ic to common JenJe ? 
Repugnant as this is to the common fenfe of 
mankind, it is the great argument made ufe of, 
not only to continue the bounty, but to increafe 
and extend it, I could, therefore, wifb, as it is a 
queftion of very great importance, to be permit¬ 
ted to fift it to the bottom. 
E e 3 The 
