Ch. vii. Continuation of the same Subject. 331 



proceeded in a very straight-forward manner to 

 spend great sums in war, and to raise them by- 

 very heavy taxes. It has no doubt done its part 

 towards the dilapidation of the national resources. 

 But still the broad fact must stare every impartial 

 observer in the face, that at the end of the war 

 in 1814 the national resources were not dilapi- 

 dated ; and that not only were the wealth and 

 population of the country considerably greater 

 than they were at the commencement of the war, 

 but that they had increased in the interval at a 

 more rapid rate than was ever experienced before. 



Perhaps this may justly be considered as one 

 of the most extraordinary facts in history ; and it 

 certainly follows from it, that the sufferings of the 

 country since the peace have not been occasioned 

 so much by the usual and most natural effects to 

 be expected from war and taxation, as by the 

 sudden ceasing of an extraordinary stimulus to 

 production, the distresses consequent upon which, 

 though increased no doubt by the weight of tax- 

 ation, do not essentially arise from it, and are 

 not directly, therefore, and immediately, to be re- 

 lieved by its removal. 



That the labouring classes of society should not 

 be fully aware that the main causes of their dis- 

 tress are, to a certain extent and for a certain 

 time, irremediable, is natural enough; and that 

 they should listen much more readily and willingly 

 to those who confidently promise immediate re- 

 lief, rather than to those who can only tell them 

 unpalatable truths, is by no means surprising. 



