232 
*elass. 
country—the encouragement afforded to 
foreign cotton—the continued  slave- 
trade by other nations—the favour 
uniformly shewo to the manufacturer at~ 
the expence of the planter—and the im- 
position of duties on the raw material, 
compose the second. There may be 
other minor circumstances that concur in 
producing the same end; these however 
are of primary importance, and if obvi- 
ated, the others will soon avail nothing. 
It would be useless to trace the various 
ramifications of the first, as they operate 
generaily ; and it is not to be expected 
that these effects will cease as soon as 
their influence on one part of the empire 
is pointed out. ‘The latter, however, 
-is of adifferent character: their injurious 
operation is immediately confined to the 
planters; they may be obviated, if pre- 
jadice and folly do not interfere. 
1. The monopoly claimed by the mo-. 
ther country is of a two-fold nature, viz. 
as relating to the supply to the colonies, 
and to the export of produce from them. 
Each part of this monopoly is exacted 
with unrelenting activity by Great Bri 
tain. -Every person at all acquainted 
with West India affairs, is aware that all | 
- provisions might be obtained at one half 
expence from North America, than they 
-are from the United Kingdoms; but, 
according to the letter of Monopoly 
Acts, the admission of such a practice 
would be destructive of British interests. 
This isto be questioned: indeed, Mr. 
Jordan, in an excellent tract on this sub-. 
ject, has clearly demonstrated, (as far 
as such matters are capable of demon- 
stration) that this opinion is completely 
without foundation. If then the spirit 
-and not the letter of old statutesMs to be 
regarded, (and this is most consonant 
with common sense,) the restriction 
would be impolitic and oppressive, and 
some remedy should be immediately 
applied. It is not a little singular, that 
the exclusion of foreigners from a free 
tradé with us, is most rigorously enforced 
in that instance, in which it Is most detri- 
mental to génuine British interests; and 
that where its partial enforcement would 
be beneficial, it is altogether neglected. 
It is scarcely necessary to recal-the ‘en- 
-couragement -afforded to: the foreign 
growers of cotton wool, Of this more 
hereafter. 
The most favourable expression of. 
that can be used in speaking of the prin- 
ciple of monopoly ts, that it is a very 
divubiful one; if it be examined more 
/ 
On the present State of the Cotton Colonies. 
The monopoly by the mother 
[Oct. 1, 
narrowly, it will be found far from du- 
‘bious, and accurdingly the best informed 
politicians, have uniformly discouraged 
it, except in one or two extraordinary 
cases, where it is warranted by peculiarly 
strong circumstances. But on _ these 
exceptions, the national ebyects are of 
primary importance, and the individual 
oppression little or nothing. 
If the general principle of monopoly 
be inadmissible with one or two excep- 
tions; if it be proved that the present is 
not one of the extreme cases, but that 
public, no less than individual ijury, 
must be the result; if it be farther shewn, 
that a departure from the general prine 
ciple will be highly advantageous to the 
whale empire; then no monopolist, hows 
ever determined on his object, will ven- 
ture to oppose tlie reasoning, however’ 
pertinaciously he may persist in the 
practice. Now all this has been already 
done. é 
2. The encouragement afforded te 
foreigners is the next source of the colo. 
nist’s misfortunes: by reference to table 
C. it will be seen,. that American and 
Portuguesé cottons, when imported into 
this country in British shipping, pay no 
more than that which is produced in our 
ewn colonies. ‘ : 
It has been also shewn, that the 
cotton thus encouraged, is cultivated at _ 
“an expence much inferior to that of Bri- 
tish cotton ; and that while foreigners are 
enjoying ,every advantage, the British 
planter is actually sacrificing his capital. 
Connected with this cause, is another to 
which humanity, equally with policy, 
directs the attention of Great- Britain. 
The legislature of this country has, with 
a propriety that does it eternal honour, 
abolished the British slave-trade, and 
continues to adopt regulations subver- 
sive of the system still covertly carried 
on. By this act, its memory is sancti- 
fied in the hearts of all good’men, and 
will be an everlasting monument of the 
omnipotence of truth. But as it now 
stands, it is imperfect: by it, British 
property is rendered comparatively less 
valuable ; for foreigners still carry on the 
trade; so that they are daily and hourly 
extending the plantations, the quantity 
of produce is necessarily increasing, and 
the price is consequently becoming de- 
pressed. The British planter being 
restricted to his original limits, can pros : 
duce only a certain quantity of cotton, 
which, at the present low prices, cannot 
requite him. 
be overwhelmed with all the misery that 
_ poverty, 
On the contrary, he must — 
va 
