102 PRESENT STATE 



dour, and national importance, in lefs than 90 years* 

 what may no*, be expelled from a civilized, induf- 

 trious people, were they equally exempted from 

 certain burdens of no great importance to govern- 

 ment, and fupported by adequate funds operating in 

 every department, and amongft all denominations, 

 from the fifherman and aged fpinfter, to the count- 

 ing-houfe of exports and imports ? The education, 

 fober manners, and domeflic turn of thofe people, 

 qualify them moft eminently for meeting govern- 

 ment half w$y in every beneficial meafure, and no 

 period ilnce the union required more vigorous efforts, 

 on both fides. 



The lofs of the exclufive trade of America, the im- 

 pediments to commerce, in confequence of a feven 

 years war, the capture of 313 veffels, many of them 

 richly loaded, and the non-payment of the American 

 debts, have checked the progrefs of the weflern parts, 

 and reduced many families from affluent circumflan- 

 ces to the verge, of bankruptcy. The almoft infur- 

 mountable difficulties of the working people, in 

 confequence of frequent bad feafons, and the fuccef- 

 iive high prices of grain, attended, at the fame time, 

 with accumulating excifes and taxes upon trade, and 

 the neceflaries of life, have filled the whole kingdom 

 with murmurs, and feem to threaten a decrcafe or 

 removal of various manufactures, which ferved as a 

 fubftitute for fpecie, to England, that article being 

 drained from Scotland by other channels. The 

 general decay of the fifheries, and the very injudi- 

 cious impediments to that important branch, as 

 enumerated in the fubfequent detail, are objects alfo 

 of the moft ferious concern. * 



Equally 



* Titles and Suljlancc offondry Memorials from the Royal Boroughs^ 

 and Trader S) of Scotland. 



1. Prefent State of Cultom-houfe Fees, and the Trade upon Ri- 

 vers. Edinburgh, February 1782. 



2. To the Right Hon. the Lords CommiiTioners of his Majefty's 

 Treafury, The humble Memorial of the General Convention of 



th 



