heart-bursting fighs, how much more affected by them muft even creditable tradefmen be? and if we will but extend our researches to a farther examination, how much more affected still must all other inferior ranks of the people be, down from the shopkeeper to the man that bears the load of heavier labour? Think upon these things, ye rulers of the land! and every objection to the truth of what has hitherto been offered on this fubject, will appear, upon an inquiry, to be partial, oppreffive, and tyrannical.

Bread is the primary ingredient of life; and that our poor might be fupplied with that article at a reafonable price, I have already pointed out the neceffity of prohibiting the ufual exportation of corn, and the prudence of abolishing the bounty-money eftablifhed by law, which are the two finishing strokes to defeat all monopolizing of lands and farms, and the very ONLY means whereby we can propose to reduce our wheat at a moderate value in our own markets. Every impartial inveftigator of politi cal difquifition will admit the force of these truths, and join to explode a measure that exhaufts the fatnefs of our fields, and faps the foundation of the ftate.

Provifions are the next effential neceffaries that are required to preferve our beings while we make our abode in this world; and the chief of these, which the lower ranks of the people of this kingdom have ever been accustomed to, are meats of the groffer kind; and without which they cannot fuftain the duty of hard labour, fo immediately dependent on their fervice, nor even fubfift with any energy of healthy vigour. For the speedier reduction then of the prefent extravagant price of thefe articles, it would not be amifs to establish a parlia mentary encouragement for the railing of live cat. tle of all kinds, with a forbiddance, under large

fines, to fell, kill, or otherwise diminish the feveral females of the refpective beafts, for the term of three years; because the infinity of procreation derives its numbers from the prefervation of the feminine part of the creation; and whofe different fpecies are easily propagated by a judicious appointment of a fingle male to each diftinct kind of beafts. Something like this, I humbly conceive, will be the quickest way to introduce fuch a plenty in the kingdom, as may disappoint the iniquity of foreftalling in all its various branches of inhuman conduct. Popular remonftrances demand a regulation in our markets, and if some measure of this tendency is not foon carried into execution, the alternative is very obvious.

In profecuting a plan on these principles, as is hinted, it may be urged, that if no female beafts are brought to market, the price of meats during that time must be confiderably augmented, and that a greater scarcity muft unavoidably enfue? To all which I anfwer, if foreftalling and regrating be totally abolished, the objection will leffen in its appearance, and will moreover be compleatly removed if the propofed embargo on corn takes place till the quartern loaf finks to three pence, and thereat to remain for ever, short harvests excepted. But how is foreftalling and regrating to be effectually abolished? How, but by punishing the delinquents with death, offering confiderable rewards for the encouraging informations, and exercising the fpirit of the laws with due exertion of unremitted vigour. But, in fact, there is no fuch thing as a real fcarcity of provifions in this country, as can be proved to a mathematical demonstration; we are therefore not to fhrink at fhadows when we mean to conquer evils; and to expect the bleffing of Providence is to deserve it.

Every age bears the marks of fome peculiar vice, and monopolization feems to be the curfe of the prefent! It is in vain to civilize ferpents, or humanize sharks; to extirpate their very race is a leffon we are taught from reafon and felf-prefervation, and whofover is remifs in this duty, expofes his perfon to danger and deftruction. Monopolizers therefore are not to be argued with; they must be crushed; no ferpent is more venomous, and no shark more voracious! Exhortation is fruitlefs, and reproof but loft labour; authority then muft interpofe with its iron arm of power, and punishment effect what virtue hopes! Let me not be thought rigid while our oppreffors are triumphant, nor clamorous while our mifery is poignant. To be filent is to be timid, and to be awed is to be fervile! Perish the wretch that trembles in the cause of God, or knows a fear but his Creator's wrath.

Purchases themselves must be regulated to maintain the balance of freedom in the landed interest, and a scheme which hath been hinted at in the papers for limiting a certain number of acres to be tilled by one man, is extremely deferving of legiflative approbation, and which I hope to fee confirmed by their voice before the present feffion expires.

But as much as I applaud any propofal for repreffing the univerfal increase of engroffing farmers, yet I must entirely diffent from the opinions of fome in regard to the advantages attending exportation; for it is evident our poor will never enjoy any plenty without obtaining that embargo on corn, which they fo much oppose, The inference that is drawn with France is no parallel. France is not fo fertile a country as England, and her lands are chiefly turned into vineyards; her poor, therefore, do not want from their not being encouraged to agriculture for the benefit of exporting their corn, but because the

country

country itself cannot produce a fufficient quantity to spare an exportation. This is the cafe; and the notoriety of which is not to be controverted. Let any one produce better reasons to prove the general utility of his favourite fyftem, or he will be charged with finifter motives; and as to making the exportation of our corn the medium whereby we must pay the intereft of that part of the national debt due to our neighbours, it is infinitely more dangerous to the ftate in the end than was it paid in real fpecie; which we have no reason to expect, or dread, while we can fupport our manufactories; and that will be impoffible, if the artists are not oppreffed; for nothing adds more to our oppreffion than the exportation of corn. Another reafon to evince the propriety of perpetual embargoes (under certain restrictions) it will encourage the revival of rearing flocks and herds, which have of late years been fo greatly neglected for the growing of corn. Infomuch has the public been prejudiced by monopolizing farmers and landholders, that thofe little farms which were formerly appropriated to the ufe of raising poultry, and which kept a few cows to make butter and cheese, even thefe have been fwallowed up in corn-fields by the voracious cormorants of exporting agents; and this being a pretty general practice, it naturally contributed to enhance the price of meat, poultry, butter, cheese, and eggs. From hence (and many other reasons frequently urged in my pafts letters) the reader will be able to judge of the abfolute neceffity of a perpetual em bargo on corn; let us, therefore, unanimously pray and infift that our minifters do take the merits of our complaints into their ferious confideration, and haften the redress of a people who are on the borders of Famine, and almost in the very jaws of Ruin. April 23.

M 4

OMEGA

The

The fame fubject continued.

ASE attempts- argue bafe minds. They can

compliment. Scarce lefs heinous, indeed, is intentional, than actual evil; and feverely would it be punished by law, it is prefumed, was it not from the univerfality of its practice, and the uncertainty of ascertaining the juft damages which the party aggrieved may fuftain. Nevertheless, in the eye of virtue, every fuggeftion that hints an injury, or infinuates a falfhood, is held in the fame deteftation, as is the real commiffion of the crime itself, To contradict, therefore, the prefent distressful situation of our Poor, which is visible to every fpectator, and to deny the existence of grievances which are felt by the whole community, are fuch grofs abfurdities, as are to be numbered with those only that compofe the principles of rank ftoicism, and ought to be treated with contempt and condemnation.

Arithmetic is but of little ufe in the adjusting economical expences, if we can be perfuaded to believe that a joint of meat cofts no more at this time than what it did thirty years ago; and feeling must be confidered as a ridiculous affectation to remonstrate against the hardships of want, if the proof of it is to be refuted by logical demonftration; yet, fuch attempts have been made, in opposition to certain truths which have been occafionally maintained, and even denied too with an unfeeling remorfe, in fpite of the daily experience of a whole kingdom. It requires no fupernatural abilities to detect the real caufe. The offender and the defender are too clofely connected to impofe on a difcerning reader; and when men are fhameless in their actions, we cannot expect to find truth in their writings. Corrupt fentiments are the mirrour of a corrupt heart, and the mind of the man is often to be read from the ftile of the writer. Examples

to