第26章

But an Objection arises here, which though it allows, that if all the Things our Gentry consume and use were our own natural Produce, they would, as I have proved, be the richer for executing this Proposal; yet since they consume so many foreign Goods, as perhaps constitute half their Expence, viz. Teas, Sugars, Fruits, Linens, Cambrick, Laces, Wines, etc. the Prices of which depend so much on what they cost at the Places they are brought from, that they can receive but little Alteration by the Execution of this Proposal; the Gentry therefore will not be the richer for such a Reduction of Labour, and Prices of our natural Produce, as would hereby be effected.

To which I answer, That all Nations have some Commodities peculiar to them, which therefore are undoubtedly designed to be the Foundation of Commerce between the several Nations, and produce a great deal of Employment by maritime Affairs, etc. for Mankind, which probably, without such Peculiarities, could not be; and in this Respect, I suppose we are distinguished, as well as other Nations; and I have before taken Notice, that if one Nation be by Nature more distinguished in this Respect than another, as they will by that Means gain more Money than such other Nations, so the Prices of all their Commodities and labour will be higher in such Proportion, as my fourth Maxim demonstrates; and consequently, they will not be a Jot the richer or more powerful for having more Money than their Neighbours.

But if we import any kind of Goods cheaper than we can now raise them, which otherwise might as well be raised at home; in this Case, undoubtedly, 'tis indispensibly necessary for us to practice the Method I prescribe, which is the only one, by which we ever can be enabled to raise all such Commodities at home, and thereby furnish so many new Branches of Employment and Trade for our own People, and remove the Inconvience of receiving any Goods from abroad, which we can any ways raise on as good Terms our selves; and as this should be done to prevent every Nation from finding their Account with us, by any such Commodities whatsoever, so this would more effectually shut out all such foreign Goods than any Law can do.

And as this is all the Prohibition and Restraint, whereby any foreign Trade should be obstructed, so if this Method be continually observed and practised, as it most certainly ought, our Gentry would find themselves the richer, notwithstanding their Consumption of such other foreign Goods, as being the Peculiarities of other Nations, we may be obliged to import. For if, when we have increased our Produce to so great a Degree, as to reduce the Rates of Labour considerably too, and have thereby enabled ourselves to raise many Kinds of Goods, which we now import, cheaper than we now import them, which is the necessary Consequence of executing this Proposal; I say, when we have thus raised all we can at home, and thereby put our Trade into a flourishing State, the Goods we import after this is done, being cheaper than we can raise such Goods ourselves, which they must be, or we shall not import them; I say, it's plain the Consumption of any such Goods cannot occasion so great an Expence, as they would if we could shut them out, by an Act of Parliament, to raise them ourselves. If therefore it would be true, as the Objection allows, that the Gentry would be the richer for executing this Proposal, if all the Goods they consume and use were the natural Produce of our own Country, they must be so, notwithstanding their Consumption of any Quantity of foreign Goods, which we can import and sell at cheaper Rates than we can possibly raise them ourselves; for none but such cheaper foreign Goods, can ever find a Vend in any Nation, except they be the Peculiarities of other foreign Nations; to which I have given a full Answer above.

From hence therefore it must appear, that it is impossible any body should be the poorer, for using any foreign Goods at cheaper Rates than we can raise them ourselves, after we have done all we possibly can to raise such Goods as cheap as we import them, and find we cannot do it; nay this very Circumstance makes all such Goods come under the Character of the Peculiarities of those Countries, which are able to raise any such Goods cheaper than we can do; for they will necessarily operate as such.