INTRODUCTION, 



3 



Cultivation and Manufacture which have hitherto been in 

 use, and which long custom, the apathy engendered by 

 habits of routine, and the fear of failure in the case of 

 attempting extensive reforms, cause to be still almost 

 universally persisted in. 



Very few persons agree as to what is the best course to 

 be adopted by the Colonists. A very large portion of that 

 body are of opinion, that nothing which they are of them- 

 selves able to effect, would be sufficient to save them from 

 utter ruin, so long as the present policy of Government is 

 persisted in, and the productions of slave-labour admitted 

 to compete with them on equal terms. And this accounts, 

 in some measure, for the apathy and want of exertion 

 which has unfortunately so generally prevailed. The greater 

 number — relying entirely on the undoubted justness of 

 their claim to the assistance of Government, and using all 

 their efforts to obtain this, bv endeavouring to enlist the 

 sympathies of the nation in their behalf, and attempting, 

 by petitions and remonstrances, to avert the evil they feared, 

 — did not generally take in time, those decisive measures, 

 which, though insufficient to prevent much embarrassment 

 and loss, could alone be successful in preserving them 

 from ruin. 



Another party, who think that the principal difficulty 

 arises, not so much from any fault or imperfection in the 

 ancient methods of production, as from an inadequate 

 supply of labourers, are of opinion, that the great remedy 

 for their difficulties is to be brought about by immigra- 



