rence of plenty, to suit its consumption to the 

 state of produce, and thus equalize the supplies 

 throughout successive years. The operation 

 of distilleries in this way is precisely analogous 

 to that of the corn dealer and exporter, and 

 the prejudices on the one subject exactly re- 

 semble those on the other *. 



The result of the above observations seems 

 to be, that the four latter modes of superfluous 

 consumption (which have a strong analogy to 

 each other) are all eminently useful in common 

 years, as affording an encouragement to land 

 produce, while they somewhat repress the con- 

 sequent increase of population ; and, on the re- 

 currence of scarcity, yield a sure and valuable 

 resource. That while, on the one hand, it is 

 absurd to encourage them for the interest of 

 cultivation by positive bounties ; on the other 

 hand, it is wrong to repress them for the public 

 supply, even in the greatest necessity, because 

 they then naturally suit themselves to the pub- 

 lic wants in the best possible manner, when 

 left alone. 



In applying the above general principles 

 more particularly to the measure of suspend- 

 ing the corn distillery, now in agitation, it is 

 natural to inquire, First, Whether there does at 

 present exist any necessity for throwing the 



* Sec Note (D.) 



