37 o DEFENCE OF THE BUSS FISHERY. 



fource may be traced, in a great meafure, the oppofi- 

 tion given to the latter fifhery, by various individuals, 

 \vhofe writings do not in all cafes merit the confi- 

 dence of the public, much lefs ought the Reprefen- 

 tatives of the public be guided by them. Why fhould 

 government be advifed to abandon that mode of 

 fifhing which anfwers moft effectually the purpofes 

 of the (late ; which is bed adapted to the nature of 

 the country, the genius and habits of the people ; em- 

 ploys the young and old of both fexes -, furniihes a 

 confiderable article of exports -, gives freights to 

 Shipping, &c. in order that others may be enabled 

 to follow a method of greater conveniency to them- 

 felves only ? The liberal principles fo prevalent 

 of late in the fouth, have not, it would feem, got 

 fo far as the Tweed; and it appears fomewhat ex- 

 traordinary, that men of jfhining abilities, whofe 

 writings manifefr., at lead, the theory of moral fen- 

 timents, fhould imbibe the local narrow prejudices 

 of a frilling town. 



Having Hated the origin of the prefent conteft be- 

 tween the two oppofite fides of the kingdom, as pro- 

 ceeding from the clamours of fundry perfons engag- 

 edi or who wifh to be engaged in the eaft country 

 filhery, I am forry to find reafon for fufpecYmg, that 

 the fame fpirit operates more or lefs amongft fome 

 perfons of that line in the weft. 



It hath been cbferved, that the bounty-laws, by 

 retraining vefFels from purchafing herrings from the 

 Highland boats as heretofore, proved the ruin of the 

 boat fifhery, which was merely limited to their own 

 petty home faie ; and, upon confidering that this 

 reflraint alfo ftruck at the root of improvements in 

 the Highlands, an object which I have ever had in 

 view, equally with the extenfion of the fifheries, I 

 refolved to ftate that matter to the public, and, at 

 the fame time, advert to the injury of the fifheries in 

 general by that reftricting claufe. This refolution 

 having gone abroad, and that I had recommended 

 to the committee of the houfe of commons a repeal 

 * 4 of 



