52 



Hire, from the progressive increase of import to <t 

 great extent ; and, in the next, founds upon Dr 

 Smith's assumption, that in an extensive coun- 

 try, importation never can be carried far. This 

 is not the time for exposing farther the above 

 fallacy ; nor is it, indeed, any part of my busi- 

 ness so to do : for the greater the amount of 

 our importation ; the more likely it is to ex- 

 tend ; and the more ruinous the consequences 

 to follow from "it ; the more useful is the vent 

 of distillation, and the more inexpedient the 

 stoppage of it. 



I am fairly entitled to use the argument of 

 the disadvantage of importation against the sup- 

 porters of the present measure, as they have 

 enlarged on the danger of that circumstance, 

 and have, indeed, approved of the stoppage of 

 the distilleries, as the means of lessening it. 

 Many great authorities have agreed in the same 

 notions respecting importation ; and although 

 I cannot go their length on general views, I 

 certainly consider the opposite state of produce, 

 which yields an export, as more desirable, 

 (when the natural circumstances of a country 

 lead to it,) chiefly as a resource against the oc- 

 casional deficiency of home supplies. Assum- 

 ing, therefore, that it would be better for us 

 were the balance of our corn trade with foreign 

 nations turned the other way ; on at least, that 



