smallest weight against distilleries, has, I sup- 

 pose, never been a feather in the balance in 

 determining the legal provisions on the subject. 

 The minds of statesmen and legislators are 

 swayed by far other considerations. Indeed I 

 fear I shall risk any little credit my other no- 

 tions might gain, by dwelling on so simple an 

 objection. 



But however this may be, the above objec- 

 tion is no otherwise important to the present 

 inquiry, than as a curious speculation ; for 

 whether the measure now proposed be adopt- 

 ed or not, the quantity of distilled spirit will 

 probably not be diminished. The only question 

 is, whether it shall be manufactured from grain 

 or from sugar? I believe the spirit distilled from 

 sugar is rather more noxious than that distilled 

 from grain ; but this difference is probably not 

 so material as much to affect the argument. 

 Neither, on the other hand, does the question 

 of revenue enter into consideration, for the 

 quantity of manufactured spirit, and conse- 

 quently the duties, will probably remain much 

 the same. 



The interest of the Distillers seems likewise 

 to be pretty much unconnected with the present 

 question. For though it appears, by the evi- 

 dence before the Committee, on the one hand, 



