I79I» LITERARY INTELLIGENCER. 305 



moting the good of the community at large, or the re- 

 verfe ? 



If this queftion fliould be refolved in the affirmative, 

 it will next be necefl'ary to confider, what regulations 

 the trade in this article ought to be put under, fo as to 

 produce the greateft good, and avoid inconveniencies 

 as much as poflible. 



With regard to the nrft of thefe queflions, which 

 fliall furniih the fubjeft of our prefent difcuflion, men 

 of great eminence have ranged themfelves on oppofite 

 fides. From the time a bounty on the exportation of 

 corn was granted in Britain, about a hundred years ago, 

 till a few years part, it was the fafliion to confider a 

 bounty as highly beneficial. But of late, a man of great 

 eminence, whofe name will long be held in refpeft by 

 political enquirers f , has ventured to reprobate this fyf- 

 tem as abfurd, and has of courfe got many followers. 

 He contends that fuch a bounty on exportation of corn, 

 gives birth to many frauds and inconveniences, which he 

 thinks might be totally removed by granting an unli- 

 mited freedom to this kind of traffic, as well as to trade 

 of every other kind. 



There is fomething fo apparently liberal in this idea, 

 that it is apt to captivate the mind, and to difpofe in- 

 genious perfons to wifh his fyftem may be founded on 

 truth ; and the refpect that is juflly due to every opi- 

 nion of a man of fuch eminence forbids that it fliould 

 be {lightly paffed over : but in a cafe of fo much impor- 

 tance, it is neceflary to proceed with great caution. 

 Since the time that the bounty was granted, this coun- 

 try is well known to have profpered abundantly ; and 

 though this circumftance does not furnifli an argument 

 that alone Ihould be deemed corclufive, it affords fuf- 

 ficicnt grounds for proceeding with the utraoft caution 

 belore this fyllem be departed from. 



The great objects to be aimed at in a corn law, are, to 

 encourage the growth of grain in this country, to keep the 

 t Do(5lor Adam Smith, Author of the Wealth of Nations. 



Vol. I. f (^(j 



