47 



tiller can less afford to purchase it, or, if he has 

 purchased, he will cease to distil it, as spirits 

 fall in price, from the people giving up the 

 consumption of them*. This will happen the 

 sooner, if the importation of sugar be at the 

 same time free. The distiller will thus either 

 leave his stores to the corn-dealer, or become 

 the corn-dealer himself. The evil thus neces- 

 sarily cures itself, without 1 any public interfe- 

 rence. In the same manner, at such seasons 

 the luxurious consumption of individuals will 

 be retrenched ; superfluous horses will be un- 

 derfed, or dismissed ; export will cease ; the 

 corn-dealer will be enabled to accumulate, as 

 far as his capital will permit ; and the more he 

 accumulates, the greater is the public security, 

 that the scarcity will not be increased to famine. 

 No stoppage can be put to luxurious consump- 

 tion, farther than what moral duty and inte- 

 rest enforce. None should be put to export or 



* This idea is very justly expressed by Mr Ferguson, in his 

 evidence before the Committee. " I cannot judge with regard to 

 " the powers of merchants in importing grain ; but it has always 

 " appeared to me, that one of the greatest and best founded secu- 

 " rities against the effects of a famine, is to promote the flourish- 

 *' ing of the distilleries, the consequence of which would be, 

 u that when a famine really occurred, people woufd give up the 

 *' use of spirits, which is not a necessary of life, and leave the 

 " grain for food, which used in favourable years to be applied t 

 " the production of spirits." App. to Rep. p. 158. 



