179^' p'jlitical progrefs of Britain. 221 



\*e see Britain founding frefti colonies, at the very mo- 

 ment that reason, supported by the . most decisive ex" 

 perience, has convinced every thinking person in the na" 

 tion that we made a most valuable acquisition, when we 

 lost our American colonies. By its influence we see the 

 Britiih arms employed to extend our empire, as we vain- 

 ly call it, in the east, at the very time that we are 

 profefsedly execrating war and conquest. When eco- 

 nomy is the favourite topic of the day, we are lavifhing our 

 treasures in enterprises, from year to year, that can have 

 no other tendency but to generate frelh wars, and accu- 

 mulated expences to an indefinite extent. All these things 

 the love of plunder can perform j it can do more, — it can 

 cause the most extensive monopoly in trade that ever 

 existed, be cherifhed in the heart of a nation which boasts 

 of its freedom, and execrates monopolies in trade. Under 

 the influence of this all powerful agent, prosecutions 

 against delinquents are commenced ; by its influence also 

 they are suspended j individuals are allow^ed to raise the 

 price of articles, of universal consumption, almost to what 

 height they please, by a careful exclusion of all others from 

 coming into a fair competition with them. — We ihould 

 never have done, were we to enumerate the hundredth part 

 of the things that can be effected by this domineering and 

 irresistible agent, that has so long extended its ravages in 

 the world. 



The writer of the pamphlet under consideration, has 

 traced, with a bold outline, some of its effects in the higher 

 departments of society j but he has in a great measure 

 lost sight of it among the lower orders of people, where 

 its influence is as extensive, and where it rages with as 

 unlimited sway, as among their superiors. He proves, 

 that some princes are extravagant, ministers prodigal, and 

 parliaments venal } from all which many will probably 



