yiii PRELIMINARY DISCOURSE. 



owing that extreme ceconomy in the expenditure of 

 public money upon that kingdom, and that rigid 

 adherence to thole articles of the treaty which relate 

 to excife, duties, and cuftoms, without attending to 

 the ability of the people, or to particular cafes, where 

 a fpecific fum is levied equally on any given articleof 

 the like denomination in England, however unequal, 

 or inferior in quality, to thofe of the latter kingdom. 



Many other cafes might be enumerated, which 

 have their origin in mifconception refpedting thefe 

 aborigines of the ifland. With a view, therefore, to 

 elucidate this matter, I have drawn up a brief epi- 

 tome of the Scottifh annals to the treaty of union in 

 1707, and from thence have dated the account cur- 

 rent between both nations, to the prefent time ; by 

 which the advantage feems greatly in favour of 

 England, who abforbs the balance of the Scottifh 

 commerce with foreign nations, the hard-earned 

 gains of its manufacturers, traders, and fifhers, be- 

 fides half a million fterling of the landed property in 

 fpecie or bills. Thefe annual drains compofe the ba- 

 lance derived by the greater, from the lefler kingdom, 

 amounting nearly to one million annually ; befides 

 the fupplies of cattle, fheep, falmon, linen, and other 

 valuable articles, for which Scotland takes the pro- 

 duce or manufactures of England ; befides, alfo, the 

 powerful afTiftance England receives from Scotland 

 in feamen and foldiers, whereby ihe hath been en- 

 abled to combat, and generally to vanquifh, the 

 greateft maritime force of Europe. 



Thus, the importance of the latter kingdom will 

 appear evident to every perfon who is capable of 

 judging with candour; and, confequently, the in- 

 tereft of Scotland will be the intereft of England, fo 

 long as both nations fhall form one united kingdom. 



Upon this ground of National Policy, I had propofed 

 a more liberal fyftem with regard to improvements, 

 fifheries, and unproductive taxes, in Scotland j but be- 

 ing convinced, from fome recent circumftances, and 

 2. the 



