CONCERNING OUR MARINE, &C. 



133 



of every class — that, like the branch and the root, 

 their prosperity is indissolubly combined. 



When we view the advantages of Britain — almost 

 to a wish,— when we view her able and ready to 

 supply the necessities of man in every clime, in ex- 

 change for his superfluities, and to scatter science, 

 morality, the arts of life, all that conduces to happi- 

 ness and improvement over the nations, — when we 

 view all this, being blasted by an exclusive system 

 of monopoly, of very doubtful advantage to one party 

 of the nation, and tyrannically oppressive upon all 

 others, can we refi'ain from execration ? We would 

 desire the casuist to draw a distinction between the 

 criminahty of preventing the operative from ex- 

 changing the produce of his labour (otherwise un- 

 saleable) for cheap food when his family is famish- 

 ing ; and compelling the labour of the Negro (whom 

 you support with food) with the whip. Men will 

 be found of a virtue sufficiently easy to advocate 

 either system. We only wish that the supporters of 



* Our industrious operatives, rendered trebly more productive 

 by recent machinery improvements, fabricate three times more 

 commodity than our landed and other population can with their 

 present habits consume. Few other nations can give else but 

 food in exchange for this overplus ; our landholders have enacted 

 laws to exclude food, and our operatives are being starved down 

 to the requisite number for home supply. 



II 



