1801. ] Remarks on the Inveftigation of the High Price of Provifions. 499 
has verv feldom been difturbed by the 
rage of religious bigotry, orby the effervef- 
cence of political enthufiafm. Not that 
we fhall find within its precin@s that 
unanimity of opinton which is the refult 
of paflive ignorance. ‘The diffenters of 
all denominations are numerous, and the 
opponents of his majefty’s minifters are 
neither few nor filent. But it has fo hap- 
pened, that the exercife of the virtue of 
mutual forbearance has happily preferved 
Liverpool from thofe public acts of acri- 
monious hoftility, which have at various 
times fincethe zra ofthe French revolution 
troubled the quiet of other diftricts of the 
kingdom. ‘This fact cannot be entirely 
the refult of a fortunate concurrence of 
circumftances. It is the effect of various 
caufes, among which may be enumerated 
the prudence and candour of the Jeaders 
of parties; the regular and conftitutional 
manner in which the overt acts of fupport 
of, and oppofition to miniftry have been 
conducted; the activity of the police; 
but, above all, the intermingling of in- 
terefts, which neceffary refults from the 
extenfion of commercial tranfactions. It 
has been obferved with pride and fatis- 
faction, that even immediately after. the 
intemperate heat of a contefted election, 
the merchants and tradefmen of dif- 
ferent interefts meet together at the ex- 
change, and, in the mutual accommoda- 
tions of bufinefs, at once lofe the re- 
membrance of a difpute in which but 
a day or two before, they had fpared 
neither their perfonal exertions, nor their 
purfes. 
The public indignation has been fo fuc- 
cefsfully excited againft the African trade, 
the profit and infamy of-which are almoft 
monopolized by the town of Liverpool, 
that many will be apt to fuppofe that this 
unpopular branch of commerce muft have 
fome effect upon the manners of its inha- 
bitants. But when it is confidered how 
few out of a population of 65,000 perfons 
have any direct concern in this trade, it 
will be obvious that its influence on the 
habits of fociety cannot poflibly be dif- 
cernible. ‘The merchant, who buys and 
fells 1000 negroes, may be as fociable in 
his manners, and as humane in his general 
conduct, as the ftatefman who hires, or 
lets to hire, 1000 foldiers. A company 
of tradefmen may fit out an adventure to 
Africa, and a cabinet may lay a plan to 
plunder a province: but the individuals 
of the company, and the members of the 
cabinet, will, in all probability, be found 
to differ little from other men of their 
own {tation in the common intercourfes 
of life. 
OBSERVATOR, 
TO 
The Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, 
HAVE been juft receiving much in- 
formation and fatisfaction to my own 
mind from the perufal of a moft ingenious 
pamphlet, publifhed by Mr. Johnfon, in- 
titled, An “ Invefligation of the Caufe of the 
prefent High Price of Provifions :” this, it 
feems, comes from the hand of the cele= 
brated author of the ‘‘ Ezy on the Prine 
ciple of Population, a circumft-nce alone 
fufficient to invite public attention. No 
fubject has been more conftantly kept in 
view, than the extravagant high price of 
corn and all other provifions, and the cons 
fequent fufferings of the poor. Thofe wha 
can look only on the furface of the thing, 
a{cribe it generally to nefarious practices; 
‘“¢ there muft be roguery fomewhere.”— 
Farmers, millers, and bakers muft be 
hanged, and excifemen ftationed at the 
barn door: in the mean time, men who 
have the beft opportunities of deciding 
upon information and facts, differ exceed- 
ingly in their decifions; according to fome, 
there is no fcarcity—the harveft has been 
plenteous—our granaries abound with 
corn, and. we only want the power of 
compelling it into the market. ‘This 
ftate of things is denied by others, who 
maintain, that the unkindly {pring and 
autumn of 1799 will alone account for 
the prefent dearth. Some afcribe our 
diftrefles almoft entirely to the war, in 
which we have unhappily for fo many 
years been engaged; while others deny 
the poffibility of its having produced. 
founpopular and calamitous an effect. 
Amidft the confli@ of fuch difcordant 
opinions, it is a fort of melancholy con- 
folation to the mind to repofe itfelf up- 
on the wifdom of one man, who, divefting 
himfelf of all prejudice, takes a courfe dii- 
ferent from. all others; and, “to a dif- 
order fcarcely capable of admitting a 
cure,” applies the beft alleviation which 
the nature of the cafe will allow, fortitude 
and patience. If I underftand our author’s 
meaning, it is plainly this: there is a real 
fearcity of corn; and, our population be- 
ing much increafed, not enough for the 
fupply of all. The richeft would of courfe 
be firft fupplied, thofe of the middle ranks 
in fucceflion, but the moft indigent of the 
poor could have no fupply at all Huma- 
nity however has forbidden them to flarve, 
and “ parifh allowances have been in- 
creafed in proportion to the price of corn;” 
thefe allowances have occafioned a prodi- 
gious rife in the price of provifions; and, 
by faving the poorer fort from perifhing, 
have “ caufed the diftrefs to be divided 
8% among 
