Political Economy, 137 
any thing like system — agricultural, or commercial— -in political 
economy, and even to the very term, applied in the manner in 
which it has been used. 
With regard to individuals there may exist a system of agri- 
culture, of commerce, &c. — that is a connected body of principles, 
and rules, according to which the cultivation of the soil, and mer- 
cantile pursuits are to be conducted. But, what we understand 
by agricultural, commercial, or manufacturing system, in politi- 
cal economy has no existence, except with regard to governments. 
According to the writers on that science we should imagine that 
every government has to determine whether to adopt the one, or 
the other— whether to protect agriculture, or manufactures, of 
commerce. Now this seems preposterous 
1. Because no country can be, exclusively, agricultural, or 
manufacturing, or commercial. Even if a nation were settled on 
a rock, and subsisted solely by commerce, they must needs have 
among them a number of tradesmen, and artizans ; a number of 
men^ — not merchants, equally entitled to the care of government, 
and to protection in their lawful pursuits ; equally essential to 
the well-being of the community. — Governments would, generally, 
he wrong, in pretending to grant protection, or encouragement, to 
those addicted to certain pursuits more than to others.* 
2. Because whatever doctrine theorists m ght attempt to 
establish, respecting the degrees of utility of the various main 
branches of industry— it could, obviously, not lead to any general 
r^jile, to any exclusive policy, by which governments ought to be 
guided, since the callings of different nations— if I may use the 
expression — like the callings of individuals, have been differently 
ordained by nature. 
3. Because the sound, and only true policy, which ought 
universally to preva.il, is to let individuals find out, what course of 
activity is, in the country to which they belong, the most beneficial, 
and afford security, and grant protection, in their lawful pursuits, 
indiscriminately to all. — “ laissez les yczre.”--As soon as government 
turns its attention to one of the systems it begins to err ! Then 
wEy create them on paper, unless it be for the pleasure, too fre- 
quently sought by the learned, of displaying their perplexing 
sagacity ! 
* This is all T contend for. Let the merchant, the man ifacturer, the far- 
mer, each carry his g 04 >d.s market at his own risk. T. C, 
Vol IL S 
