Columbia Slnftiecefitp 
 
THE CQMMERCI -h #• 
 
 CON D:' U c t 
 
 Of the PROVINCE of . 
 
 N E W-Y O R K 
 
 CON SIDERED, 
 
 4,- AND' . 
 
 The True Intereft of that Cdiony attempted to.be Ihewn.' 
 In a LETTER to 
 
 The Society of Arts, Agriculture, 
 and Oeconomy. 
 
 “ I will make my Kingdom forich, that there lhall be Occafion neither of 
 - “ Hofpitals or Pril'ons.” Aurengzebe. 
 
 Printed for the Benefit of the Society of Arts, Agriculture, 
 and Oeconomy, of New-York. 1767. 
 
To the Society of Arts, Agriculture, 
 and Oeconomy. 
 
 GENTLEMEN, 
 
 R A D E being always entered into with a 
 8 View to Gain, but Experience has evinced that it 
 has not anfwered that End in this Province; for 
 notwithftanding that our Productions amount annually 
 to a very confiderable Sum, we have found Means not 
 only to get rid of it, but alfo to have an immenfe Balance 
 againft us; the Diftreffes in confequence of which being 
 taken by you into Confideration, and having proved 
 that you follow a lofing and ruinous Trade, this Situa¬ 
 tion of Affairs pointed out the only Means that could ex¬ 
 tricate and deliver you, which was to form yourfelves into 
 a Society to encourage Arts, Agriculture, and Oeconomy, 
 
 the 
 
(^ 
 
 I 
 
 the rapid Progrefs and Succefs ofiwluch has furpafled your 
 moft fauguine Expectations. * ^ 
 
 And as you are by this patriotic and noble- Inftitution 
 rearing to yourfelves a Monument of Fame; permit me 
 to endeavour to give Stability and Firmnefsto the Pedeftal, 
 in fupporting your laudab Undertaking in the follow¬ 
 ing Pages, with fuch poor Remarks and Reafoning as my 
 Experience has furnilhed me with; and if they be found 
 confiftent with Truth, they claim your Patronage to ren¬ 
 der them as diffufive. throughout the Province as in your 
 Power ; if otherwife, I defire they may be fuppreffed, lance 
 my Intention, I am fure, was not to propagate Error, but 
 to remove it; and if I have failed in my Delign, I at lead: 
 have the Pleafure that I meant well,, and to allure you 
 that I am, with the greateft Refpect, . 
 
 GENTLEMEN,. 
 
 Your moft obedient 
 
 Humble Servant, 
 
 A Linen Draper. 
 
 
 ;***&?- - 
 
E 5 3 
 
 T HE 
 
 COMMERCIAL CONDUCT, $V. 
 
 T HE many Difficulties and Diftreffes that this Province la¬ 
 bours under, our Prifons crowded with Debtors, the 
 Eftates of many felling by Execution from under their 
 Feet, to fatisfy very trifling Debts, and the Cries of all Ranks of 
 People among us for Money, from whence fuch a Complication of 
 Mifery and Misfortune is derived to the unhappy Sufferers of this Pro¬ 
 vince, is a Matter that 1 have thought worthy of Inquiry j as alfo to 
 confider of, and to endeavour to point out, a Remedy for thofe Evils: 
 But if I fail in the Attempt, I lhall have the pleafing Teftimony, 
 that I wrote' with a good Intention, being no other than that of fer- 
 ving my Country. 
 
 B Firft, 
 
Firft, then, I would obferve, that it is generally laid down as a felf- 
 evident Propofition, that Trade is the Road to and Fountain of Riches. 
 Of this very few among us ever fo much as doubted, and therefore 
 every Man that has it in his Power turns Merchant; but whether, in 
 fu:h their Commercial Purfuits, they ferve theihfelves and their 
 Country, or whether it has not a direct contrary EfFeft-on both, is 
 what I alfo mean toconfider in the following Pages. 
 
 We have many Merchants among us whofe Trade is altogether to 
 Europe, from whence they import every Kind of its Manufactures, of 
 which I have known above Forty Thoufand Pounds Sterling arrive 
 more than once in a tingle Ship from London ; but, taking in all the 
 , Ports of Great-Britain, and thofe of foreign Countries, New-York 
 has for feveral Years paft. received from Three to Four Hundred 
 Thoufand Pounds Sterling in Britijh and Afiatich Manufac¬ 
 tures annually. In this vaft Importation the People rejoice, upon 
 the fame Principle that the Portuguefe do, who think that their 
 great Importation is a Mark of their great Riches; when it is Ex¬ 
 ports alone that makes a Country, rich, and Imports that im- 
 poverith it. And that all our Bread and Flour, Beef and Pork, Horfes, 
 Lumber, Fur, &c. are not able to keep us out of Debt, I think'every 
 Merchant among us muft be fully convinced of, or we fliould not be 
 fo many Hundred. Thoufands in Debt to Great-Britain as we are. 
 And this is the Reafon we are not able to keep any Money among us: 
 for Silver and Gold imported for our Provifions cannot flay here, 
 whilD there is fo great a Ealance again ft us in England, it not being 
 made ours, and.therefore is no Increafe of our Wealth. The only 
 wav of keeping Silver and. Gold among us, is by confuming lefs of 
 Foreign Commodities than what our own Commodities amount 
 to, for then, whatever the Balance is, it is certainly our own, and .will 
 
 .oVt ’ • . ”‘l flay 
 
I 7 ] 
 
 ftay in the Province; but our Provifions, and other Produce, not be- 
 •ing by any Means equal to our vaft Imports, our Money muft go; 
 •and this is the real and only Caufe of the Diftrefs which we labour 
 under. But I will, with a little Variation, better illuftratc this by a 
 .Quotation from Mr. Locke. 
 
 Let us fuppofe Staten Iflind one Farm, and -that the bwner, be- 
 fides what' ferves his Family, carries to Nexv-Iork, Beef, Pork, 
 Corn, Butter, Cheefe, and Wool, all Commodities produced from his 
 Farm, to the Value of One Thoufand Pounds a Year; and for this 
 brings home from New-Tork, in Rum, Sugar, Wine, Cloth, Silk, 
 Mullin, and Tea, to the Value of Nine Hundred Pounds, and the 
 -remaining One Hundred Pounds in Money, it is evident he grows e- 
 very Year One Hundred Pounds richer; b,ut if the Owner be a better 
 -Huiband, and, contenting himfelf with his native Commodities, buys 
 no Rum, Silk, and Muflin, he will bring home Five Hundred 
 Pounds yearly; and inftead, as in the firft Inftance, of having faved 
 in Ten Years One Thoufand Pounds, he will now in the fame Time 
 have faved Five Thoufand. 
 
 He dies, and his Son fucceeds totheEftate; but being a faflrionable 
 Gentleman, he muft have Claret and Madeira; he cannot drink his 
 own Malt Liquor, but muft have it from England ; the Linen made 
 of his own Flax is home-fpun, he therefore cannot endure it, but 
 fupplies himfelf with that of Holland and Ireland. He cannot fleep in 
 a Bed with his own Linen, or Stuff Furniture, but muft have that of 
 Chintz, which are more genteel; and nothing but a China Damafk is 
 . fit for a Morning-Gown for him to wear. By this Means he foon 
 fpends the ready Money his Father had faved; the Produce of his 
 ......... Faim 
 
[ 8 ] 
 
 Farm dill goes to Market, and tho’ it fells for a Thoufand Pounds, 
 that will not fupply his luxurious Wants; he brings home Fifteen 
 Hundred Pounds in Rum, Sugar, Spice, Raifins, Silk, and a great 
 Variety of India Goods; he lives with the Appearance of Splendor, 
 but grows every Year Five Hundred Pounds poorer; he is arreded, 
 Judgment and Execution is awarded againft him, his Farm is fold, 
 and his Body (hut up in a Prifon. 
 
 The Conduit of a (ingle Farmer and a Province in this refpedt differ 
 no more than greater and lefs; for it is certain, as in the above: In¬ 
 dance, that we may trade, and be bufy, and grow poor by it, un- 
 lefs we regulate our Expences; but if the virtuous and provident Way of 
 Living of our Anceltors, who were content with our native Conveni- 
 encies of Life, without the coftly Itch after the Materials of Pride and 
 Luxury from Abroad, were brought in Faflrion and Countenance a- 
 mong us, this alone would do more to keep and increafe our Wealth, 
 than all the Helps that Paper-Money can afford us. It is with a Pro¬ 
 vince as with a Family, fpending lefs than our Commodities will pay 
 for, is the fure and only Way for us to grow rich; and when that 
 is once ferioufly confidered and fet about, we certainly (hall have no - 
 need of Paper-Money, our Commodities will foon bring us a Balance 
 of Gold and Silver. But till this be done our Misfortunes will not only 
 continue, but increafe; for Money that is brought in among us for our 
 Provifions, can day by no other Means than by confirming fewer 
 foreign Commodities; but by fpending or confuming more than our 
 Produdtions can pay for, brings on Poverty and Ruin. 
 
 Foreign Commodities, which by us ought to be looked upon as 
 Luxuries, mod certainly impoverifh us, by being brought if); but that 
 
 is 
 
[ 9 1 
 
 is the Fault of our Importation, and there the Mifchief ought to be 
 cured. Vanity and Luxury fpend them, and our Merchantshav¬ 
 ing imported and vended them, our Money muft go to pay for them; 
 but as that alone will not do, our Lands are every Day fold to make 
 up the Deficiency. 
 
 The Americans, fays Mr. Locke, who are rich in Land, are poor 
 in all the Comforts of Life, whom Nature, having furniflied as 
 liberally as any other People with the Materials of Plenty, a fruit¬ 
 ful Soil, apt to produce what ought to ferve for Food, Raiment and 
 Delight, yet for want of Improvement have not the Conveniencies 
 
 • This he (aid of the Native Indians of America, who had never had. 
 the Opportunity of Knowledge, or the Ufe of Iron ; but that Britons, 
 who have tranfplanted themfelves- thither, and who carried with 
 them Arts and Sciences, Ihould not be able,-in one of the molt fertile 
 Countries on the Globe, lituated in the molt definable Climate under 
 Heaven, whofe very Forefts abound with Natural Plenty, whofe 
 luxuriant Soil refufes not to yield any Fruits that its Owner demands, 
 and is adtually capable of every Production that any Part of the World 
 is known to afford, and which in a great Meafure Experience has de - 
 monftrated ; for this we can venture to affert, that whatever has been 
 introduced, either from Europe, or from under the Tropic, to that 
 Continent, flourilh there: That fuch a. Country, then,- Ihould have 
 Recourfe to Europe, and even to fome of the moft defpicable Corners 
 of it, and through them to Afia, in order to clothe themfelves, is 
 fuch a Condu£t of its Inhabitants, that a Stranger, unacquainted with 
 thefe Fadft, would pronounce it incredible. But would he not be 
 C. , . _ altonilhed 
 
. [ 10 . ] 
 
 aftonilhed when he was told, that the Colonies of North America 
 were near Five Millions (according to the beft Calculation) in Debt to 
 Great Britain, not only for Britijl) Goods, but for Silks, Chintz, Cal- 
 lico, Muflin, Tea, &c. from Afia, and even for Linen from Silefia 
 and Auflria, via London, Hamburgh, and Amfterdam ; Hemp, Diaper, 
 and other Linen, through England_ from Rujfia, and even from Arch¬ 
 angel, when they have under their Feet a Country whofe natural 
 Fertility furpaffes any in the World ? 
 
 But they prefer ploughing the Ocean, from the Torrid to the Frigid 
 Zone, rather than their Fields, and to fupply a whole Kingdom 
 with Flax-feed, and afterwards' involve themfelves in Debt to that 
 very People for Linen ■, a People oppreffed by their Lords for their 
 Lands with extreme heavy Rents, whilft the American pays no Rent 
 
 - at all j but, notwithftanding this, they rather chufe to be in Debt 
 and to have their Land taken from them, than make their own 
 Linen. 
 
 . The Kingdom of Scotland, which is by no means famous for its 
 Fertility, having found that their Imports greatly exceeded their Ex¬ 
 ports, and that in Confequence they grew poor, did fo late as 1746 
 
 - eftablilh at Edinburgh, a Britilh Linen Company, which in 1766 
 ftamped for Sale Twelve Million Seven Hundred and Forty Six 
 Thoufand Six Hundred and Fifty Nine Yards of Linen of their own 
 Manufactory; the Value of which was Five Hundred and Seventy 
 Thoufand Two Hundred and Twenty Seven Pounds Sterling. This 
 they export, and which not only pays for their Foreign Wants, but 
 leaves them a Balance. All this they have done in Twenty Years, 
 
 
 
tho’ moft of their Flax they buy from Rujia, an Article which we 
 have of our own. 
 
 Will not this great Example, as well as the much greater one from 
 Ireland , animate every Friend of this Province to exert himfelf in the 
 Deliverance and Salvation of his Country, by the Eftablifhment of 
 Manufactures, and in Earned: to fet their Faces againft the Importation 
 of every Species of Foreign Linen and Afiatick Goods, as well as 
 againft thofe of any other Country that are hurtful to us? For Charity 
 begins at Home j nor is it any Service we do Great-Britain, in taking 
 her Luxuries, which we are unable to pay for.. 
 
 But as to the great Staple of our mother Country, the Woollen 
 Manufaflure, thofe are ufeful Goods, and therefore a moderate Im¬ 
 portation of them would be.perhaps mutually beneficial, and Ihe alone 
 ought to have a Right to fupply us, until we become wile enough to 
 make our own ; for that only can deliver us from our Diftrefies, and 
 keep Silver and Gold among us; but Men being brought up to a 
 Foreign Trade, they think there is no way to Fortune but that, and 
 therefore to their Country’s Ruin have and do import fuch immenfe 
 Quantities of Goods, that they have thereby not only dripped us of 
 every Farthing of our Money, but have reduced us to the greateft 
 Diftrefs j and tho’ a few of them get rich by fuch pernicious Trade, 
 they Ihould remember that it is at the Expence and Ruin of the Pro¬ 
 vince; fora Merchant may, and often does, get rich by a Trade 
 that makes his Country poor. As a Proof of it we have only to look 
 round us, to fee fome rolling triumphantly in their Coaches on the 
 Profits gotten hya foreign Trade, out of the Unthinking and Unwary, 
 whofe- Paternal Eftates they have feized by the Law, and the Bodies 
 
r 12 3 
 
 of thofe who have none crowd our Prifons, which of late Years 
 have been obliged to be enlarged, whilil the Din and Noife of Profe- 
 cutions even tire our Courts of Juftice. 
 
 All thefe Evils are derived from no other Caufe but that our Im¬ 
 ports exceed our Exports, the Balance of which is the Caufe 
 of all our Calamity; for a Country, fays Montesquieu, that conftantly 
 "exports fewer Commodities than it receives, will foon find the 
 Balance finking. It will receive lefs and lefs, till, falling into ex¬ 
 treme Poverty, it will receive none at all. But neither his Opinion, 
 v nor that of Mr. Locke, and both confirmed by our own Convidtioa 
 that we follow a lofing and deftrudltive Trade to Europe, is fuf- 
 ficient to determine us to fet ourfelves in Earned about curing the 
 . Evil, and thereby to prevent the total -Ruin of our Country, many 
 of whofe unfortunate Inhabitants are prevailed on. to buy the Toys and 
 Trifles of other Countries, which they foon find themfelves unable to 
 pay for by any other Means than the Sale of the bell, Eftates in the 
 World, their Lands. 
 
 “ I will, faid Aurengzebe, make my Kingdom fo rich, that there 
 “ fhall be Occafion neither of Hofpitals or Prifons.” This indeed 
 was a Refolution becoming a good and a great Prince, who, tho’ he 
 ruled over Realms burnt up by the Sun, in great Meafure effedted it. 
 
 Is it not then a Reproach to us, who are not only bleffed with the 
 fined Climate, but the moil fertile Soil under Heaven, to have 
 Occafion of either Hofpitals or Prifons, in a Country whofe Exten- 
 fion knows no Bounds ? But our Diftreffes beginning to operate, they, 
 point out to us our midaken Purfuits, we begin to be alarmed, and* 
 
 ' ■ in- 
 
[ *3 ] 
 
 in order to-prevent and put a Stop to the Evils that an imprudent 
 Foreign Trade has involved us in, what is the Remedy that we mean 
 to apply ? I anfwer, it is a Paper-Currency. This every Man is 
 anxious about, and folicitous for, becaufe they think it would be a 
 fovereign Remedy for all their Evils; but in this I beg leave to differ 
 from them, becaufe I think the Remedy would be worfe than the 
 prefent Difeafe. My Rcafons for thinking fo are, That it carries no 
 intrinfick Value, that it is expofed to Depreciation ; but above all, if 
 it be emitted by Way of Loan, the People, who are fo extremely 
 fond of Trade, will obtain fuch Paper on the Security of their Lands, 
 which being fet afloat, many of them, either for want of Experience, 
 or Misfortune, would foon find themfelves either without Land or 
 Paper-Currency. Nor have I ever heard of a Man in Europe parting 
 with a landed F.ftate in order to turn Merchant j but, on the con¬ 
 trary, Merchants always have a View to quit that uncertain Profeffion, 
 in order to invert their Property in Lands. Emifiions therefore of 
 Paper-Currency appear to me to be the moft miftaken and moil fatal 
 Mcafure that we can poffibly take, and which will by no means 
 remedy but increafe our Evils. And in this Opinion I am fupported 
 by Mr. Locke, who fays, 
 
 “ That a Law cannot give to Bills that intrinfick Value which the 
 “ univerfal Confent of ^Mankind has given to Silver and Gold, which 
 " Writing cannot fupply the Place of, becaufe Bills are liable to 
 “ unavoidable Doubt, Difpute, and Counterfeiting, and require 
 “ other Proof to affure us that they are true and good Security than 
 “ our Eyes or a Touchftone; and at beft this Cou'rfe of ufing 
 “ Paper, if practicable, will not hinder us from being poor, but 
 “ maybe fufpeted of helping to make' 'uS^fd^by keeping us from- 
 . . I D “ feeling 
 
[ 14 - J; 
 
 “ feeling our Poverty, which in, Diftrefs will be ftjje to find us 
 “ with greater Difadvantages.” 
 
 This has been fatally experienced in mod of the Colonies on the 
 Continent, and Europe has, by. no means efcaped the Evils of too 
 much Credit given to Paper; .witnefs the South-Sea Stock in England, 
 Anno 1720, where though it was not a Tender, yet the Kingdom 
 went into that Bubble to fuch a Degree, that it ruined near half the 
 Nation; and the Year before, the famous Mr. Laws formed the 
 Miffiftppi Company in Prance, where Billets de Banke, or Bank Notes, 
 were emitted. The People, who had been told of Mines not inferior to 
 thofe of Petofi, fwallowedthe gilded Bait, and paid in their Silver 
 and Gold to the Exchequer for Stock, or' Bank-Notes, but in Nine 
 Months Time they found themfelves ftripped of all their Money ; in 
 Exchange for which they had Paper, which depreciated to fuch a 
 'Degree, that, in a few Months, One Hundred Livres would purchafe 
 but Eight Livres in. Silver. At prefent it is not worth a Earthing. 
 
 A precious Metal, therefore, fays, one of their Countrymen, ought 
 only.to reprefent the Value of all other Things; and in this all Na¬ 
 tions have agreed, that Silver and Gold lhall be the Sign of it, be- 
 caufe it is durable, and little liable to be counterfeited. 
 
 But there are many People among us, who, being intoxicated with 
 an Excefs of Trade, fay that the Trade of England is extended by 
 the immenfe Emifiions of Bank-Notes; and therefore, confidering them 
 as a Paper-Currency, alledge their Utility. To which I anfwer, ift, 
 That they are payable on Sight at the Bank in Gold or Silver, which 
 for -want of Ability. is hot propofed in the American Emiffioos;. and, 
 
 . v sadly. 
 
[ IS 1 
 
 zdly, Altho’ they are payable at Sight, I am far from thinking that 
 they are of fo great Ufe as is imagined. My Reafon is, that People 
 who are embaraffed, in confequence of their having over-traded them- 
 felves, and who are often on the Brink of Ruin, make promiffory Notes, 
 payable to their Friend, a Man of Credit. This he indorfes, the 
 Paper is taken to the Bank, and there difcounted on the Credit of 
 his Friend, whom he thereby plunges in the fame Ruin with him- 
 felf. Thus the Bank, which is continually difcounting at 5 per C. An¬ 
 num, and which always takes Care to have a good Indorfer: they, 
 therefore, by this pernicious temporary Succour, are fo far from giving 
 Aid to the Adventurous and Enterprifing, that, on the contrary, I 
 think they contribute greatly to their Ruin. ■ 
 
 Paper-Emiffions therefore in Nevi-Tork willnot only have a fimilar 
 Eft'edt, but a much greater j for in England, if a Man poffcftes an 
 hereditary Eftate, and if he be apt to build Caftles in the*Air, they 
 in their Fall will only overwhelm bimfelf ; but in bis Rain his 
 Succeffor cannot be involved, the Eftate remains entire, and goes to 
 the next Heir. But this is not the Cafe in New-York and the other 
 Colonies; for our Lands, by an A£t of Parliament, are confidered and 
 put on the fame Footing with Chattels. Thus, for the Miftakes 
 and Tranfgreffions of the Fathers, the Sons are vifited and pu- 
 nilhed. 
 
 This Confideration alone ought to operate on our Minds, and 
 the Minds of the Legiflature, not to with for an Emiflion of Paper- 
 Currency, great Part of which would be inverted to gratify a Trade 
 of Luxury at the Expence of the only intrinfick valuable permanent 
 Wealth in the Univerfej 1 our -Lands, which will forever give us 
 '-“-i. both 
 
' both Food and Raiment; and who on Earth has more ? This is 
 really and truly Riches, that will never depart "from^.usj and- this 
 Opinion is confirmed by the ingenious Baron Montefqiiieu K who 
 fays, that is a bad kind of Riches which depends on Accident, 
 (meaning Trade), and not on the Induftry of a Nation, on the Num¬ 
 ber of its Inhabitants, and above all on the Cultivation of its Lands. 
 
 f Great-Britain , fince the Reign of Henry the Seventh, has had an 
 increafing Trade; but whether it has done it any Good or not, ,1 
 fhall neither confider, nor take upon me to determine. • But this I 
 will venture to fay, that the greatelLpart of the One Hundred and 
 Forty Six Millions National Debt derives its Origin from Commercial 
 War^s j and the Legiflature has long been convinced, that it is poffible 
 to have too much Trade, and therefore have and are continually mak¬ 
 ing Laws, to prevent the Importation of the Luxuries of Europe. And . 
 in this they are fo determined, that the Silks of France, when feized, 
 are burnt. But the Colonifts not having it in their Power to pre¬ 
 vent by Law the Importation of Luxuries, and ufelefs Goods, 
 or to impofe any-Duty on them, ate therefore in a more particular 
 Manner called on, for their own and their Country’s Good, not to 
 encourage their Importation, and thereby to avoid the Evils above 
 deferibed, and which not only this Province, but the whole Continent 
 has fatally experienced. 
 
 Having thus confidered,-and, as I think, .clearly Ihewn, that from 
 our. Imports infinitely exceeding our Exports is derived all our Cala¬ 
 mities, and from which Paper-Money cannot deliver us; not.can 
 they be removed by any other Means whatever, but-that of efta- 
 blilhing Manufadfures, and for which we have almoil every Materia],, 
 
{’7 3 
 
 fuch as Flax, Hemp, Leather, Fur, Iron, &c. But notwithftand- 
 ing this we are poor, with a Profuiion of natural Wealth in our 
 Poffeffion,; our ConduCt at prefent being ve'ry fimilar to that of Great- 
 Britain,m.the Reign of Edward the Sixth, when the Wool of England 
 was tent to Flanders, there manufactured, and the Cloth returned and fold 
 to the Englifi, whofe true Intereft was not underftood or purfued, till 
 the Perfecution in the Low Countries by the Duke de Alva ; in Confe- 
 quence of which Thoufands of Manufacturers fled to England, where 
 they were received with open Arms; from which Time Manufac¬ 
 tures increafed, improved, and drew Wealth from all Parts of the 
 World. Let us then avoid the former Ignorance of Britain , and 
 adopt her prefent Policy, in giving Protection, Countenance, and 
 Encouragement, to Manufactures (always avoiding fuch as intefere 
 with thofe of our Mother Country,) and to render them cheap, no* 
 •thing is wanted but Experience and a thorough Knowledge of them, 
 fince the Mechanic of every Denomination, can live better for half 
 the Money here, than another of the fame Profefiion does in England, 
 where Beef, Pork, Mutton, Veal, are on an Average Six-pence Ster¬ 
 ling a Pound. 
 
 But, notwithftanding this, we are, not without fome Perfons a- 
 mong us, who affert that we can import Manufactures cheaper than 
 we can make them, and therefore conclude it to be our Intereft to 
 continue fuch Importation. But, in order to convince them of their 
 dangerous Miftake, I will fuppofe a Piece of Dutch or Irijb Linen cofts 
 in Europe Forty Shillings, which muft be paid either, in our Money 
 or Produce; but if a Piece of eqaal Quality be our own. Manufacture, 
 and although it fhould coft more per Yard, it neverthelefs is fo much 
 clear Gain to the Province, becaufe the Flax and Labour of which it. 
 is compofed are our own, but in the firft Cafe neither one or the 
 E " , si v other; 
 
other; and this being equally true in all other Goods, moft of 
 which are made by Women and Childreb, it is therefore fo much 
 clear Gain. 
 
 But if we poffefled an inhpfpitable Climate and fterile Soil, 
 which refufed us either the Necefiaries or Conveniencies of Life, the 
 Arguments of fuch Advocates for a Foreign Trade would have fome 
 Foundation to ftand on; and in fuch Cafe it would be prudent in us to 
 follow the Example of the Dutch, in becoming the Carriers to other 
 Nations, and with fuch Gain to procure the Necefiaries that we ftand 
 in need of. But as we are bleffed with a Country excelled by none, 
 and equalled but by few, our real intrinfick Wealth therefore lies 
 - in our Soil: Provifions we have enough;; we ought therefore to turn our 
 . Attention to the Growth of Fiax and Hemp, and they, with our other 
 -raw Materials well-manufadtured, will fupply all our Wants. But, 
 .•inftead of fuch Domeftic Trade, which would be attended with Peace, 
 plenty, Happinefs, and Independance on other Countries; I fay, 
 rather than do this, we chufe to ranfack almoft half the Globe, and 
 often contrary to the'Laws, in purfuit of fuch Things as we might 
 produce in our own Country. -We fhould not then have need to fear 
 fevere commercial Laws, for our great Trade would be interior. But, 
 in order the better to illuftrate my Meaning, I will fuppofe you, Sic, 
 to be a Manufa&urer in this Province, by which you have the Pleafure 
 of employing and giving Bread to Combers, Spinners, Weavers, &c, 
 •your Affairs would all be under your Eye, and in a narrow Compafs, 
 which every wife Man would chufe. You would lead a tranquil 
 unetnbaraffed Life, and could not fail of 'getting rich. 
 
[ 19 ] 
 
 I will now fuppofe myfelf a Merchant in New-Turk, with aWare- 
 houfe full of European Goods, which are loaded with Commiflions, 
 Freight, Infurance, and many other Charges; thefe Goods I fell, 
 and, in order to make Payment, build Sloops to Trade to the Weft- 
 Indies for Molalfes; this I diftill, and fend the Rum to Newfoundland, 
 exchange it forFifh, and fend that to Spain, in Order from thence to 
 make Payment to England. Or I fend the Rum to Africa, and ex¬ 
 change it for unhappy Slaves, and fend them to the Iflacdsip order to 
 obtain a Bill, to remit, home. It does not require much Sagacity to 
 fee that all thefe Adventures are full of Anxiety, Rifque, and Dif- 
 afters, my Veffels are expofed to Huricanes, Fifh is a very perishable 
 ' Commodity, and Slaves often rife on the Coaft, or die in the Pafiage 
 if any one of thefe Misfortunes happens, I am unable to pay my 
 Britijh Creditors. Now, would not any Man who will allow him- 
 felf a Moment’s Reflection, chufe to avoid fuch a precarious Pro- 
 feffion, and embrace that of a Manufacturer, which would not only 
 be attended with more Peace and Serenity, and a much greater 
 Probability of Fortune too, but he would acquire great Honour, as 
 being an Encourager of Arts, and the Author of Plenty ? In fliorf, 
 our Conduit is not unlike that of the Butcher, who run about in 
 Search of his Knife, when he had it in his Mouth. 
 
 To conclude, if from what has been faid it appears, that we have 
 in our Commercial Purfuits been very much miftaken, and if we chufe 
 to continue indulging ourfelves with the Luxuries, and expenfive Goods 
 of China, India, and Europe, only becaufe they come from far, and 
 ,„at dear Rates, nothing but inevitable Ruin will be the Confequence. 
 f In order to avoid which we have no other effectual Means but that 
 _ of 
 
of becoming Manufadturers, and more efpecially Linen. This alofte 
 can reduce our Imports, and increafe our Exports, this is the only 
 effedtual Remedy for all the Evils we labour underj and which 
 properly encouraged will not only prevent the Seizure and Sale of 
 our Eftates, Bankruptcies, and Ruin, but it will reftore Liberty, 
 Plenty, and Happinefs, to every Part of this Province, by making it 
 fo *' rich, that we (hall have Occafion neither of Workhoufes, Hof- 
 “ pitals, or Prifohs.”