COMMERCE. 179 



other aft, which probably was pafTed at the defire of fome mer- 

 chant, without any perfon's caring about it, which has been 

 the cafe with many an American aft. The next prohibitory 

 law, which declared the importation of Irilh cattle a nuifance, 

 was a contefted job between the duke of Ormond and the duke 

 of Lauderdale ; afterwards it became the fafhion to pafs afts 

 againft Ireland, which nobody had the knowledge or libe- 

 rality to oppofe. In the full perfeftion of this fpirit it was, 

 that a bill, which palTed in Ireland in 1759, for ref drifting the 

 importation of damaged flour, was thrown out in England at 

 the inftigation of a fmgle miller at Chichefter. 



Whenever old prejudices wear out, it will certainly be found 

 for the intereft of England to give every freedom poffible to 

 the trade of Ireland. I am convinced if this extended to its 

 being an abfolute free port, no mifchief would refult from it ; 

 but as to a free export to all the world, not the fliadow of a 

 good argument ever yet appeared againft it ; for upon what 

 principles of policy, or of common fenfe, can we found a con- 

 duct which reftrains our own fubjefts from the free fale of 

 their produfts and manufactures, when the returns of fuch 

 fales muft flow into our own coffers by that extention of de- 

 mand which has been infeparably connected with the wealth 

 of Ireland, when the population and the power that rife upon 

 fuch wealth are our own ? A mercantile landlord at London 

 might as well fay to his tenant in Yorkfhire, You (hall not 

 fell your corn to whom you pleafe, you (hall fhip it to me $ 

 you (hall not convert your wool to the beft purpofes, you 

 fhall fell it raw to me. This language might be that of his 

 leafes, but it would be that of folly. Would he not foon find, 

 that by leaving his tenants to make the beft of their own com- 

 modities, they would afford to pay him a better rent ; their 

 wealth becomes his, if he keeps them poor he muft be fo him- 

 felf. The cafe of Ireland is exactly parallel ; the inhabitants 

 of that ifland, in their public revenue, in their military, by 

 their abferitees, and in their commercial balance, pay to this 

 kingdom a direft rent for it, which vibrates in its amount to 

 the variations of their national wealth. While it was a wil- 

 dernefs of favages it paid the rent which defarts every where 

 yield ; as it improved oar receipt has been proportioned, 

 until it has become a cultivated flourifhing eftate, and yields a 

 rent which marks to an iota the extent of the cultivation, and 

 the degree of that proiperity. Of what ufe is the experience 

 of a century of facts, if we are not to open our eyes to the 

 lefibns they convey ? Long experience has told us what the 

 effects of Irifh wealth are ; we feel thofe effects flowing like 

 vital warmth through the whole extent of our own territory, 

 and fhall we yet hefitate to encourage and extend a profperity 

 which is the fource and foundation of our own ? 



Ma 1 bare 



