wealbk04-第68章

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hundred　pounds　value；　for　the　second　at　twenty　pounds；　and　for

the　third　at　fifteen　pounds。　The　management　of　the　silk　worm；　and

the　preparation　of　silk；　requires　so　much　hand　labour；　and　labour

is　so　very　dear　in　America　that　even　this　great　bounty；　I　have

been　informed；　was　not　likely　to　produce　any　considerable　effect。

　　　　　The　sixth　bounty　of　this　kind　was　that　granted　by　2nd　George

III；　c。　50；　for　the　importation　of　pipe；　hogshead；　and　barrel

staves　and　heading　from　the　British　plantations。　It　was　granted

for　nine　years；　from　1st　January　1772　to　the　1st　January　1781。

For　the　first　three　years　it　was　for　a　certain　quantity　of　each

to　be　at　the　rate　of　six　pounds；　for　the　second　three　years　at

four　pounds；　and　for　the　third　three　years　at　two　pounds。

　　　　　The　seventh　and　last　bounty　of　this　kind　was　that　granted　by

the　19th　George　III；　c。　37；　upon　the　importation　of　hemp　from

Ireland。　It　was　granted　in　the　same　manner　as　that　for　the

importation　of　hemp　and　undressed　flax　from　America；　for

twenty…one　years；　from　the　24th　June　1779　to　the　24th　June　1800。

This　term　is　divided；　likewise；　into　three　periods　of　seven　years

each；　and　in　each　of　those　periods　the　rate　of　the　Irish　bounty

is　the　same　with　that　of　the　American。　It　does　not；　however；　like

the　American　bounty；　extend　to　the　importation　of　undressed　flax。

It　would　have　been　too　great　a　discouragement　to　the　cultivation

of　that　plant　in　Great　Britain。　When　this　last　bounty　was

granted；　the　British　and　Irish　legislatures　were　not　in　much

better　humour　with　one　another　than　the　British　and　American　had

been　before。　But　this　boon　to　Ireland；　it　is　to　be　hoped；　has

been　granted　under　more　fortunate　auspices　than　all　those　to

America。

　　　　　The　same　commodities　upon　which　we　thus　gave　bounties　when

imported　from　America　were　subjected　to　considerable　duties　when

imported　from　any　other　country。　The　interest　of　our　American

colonies　was　regarded　as　the　same　with　that　of　the　mother

country。　Their　wealth　was　considered　as　our　wealth。　Whatever

money　was　sent　out　to　them；　it　was　said；　came　all　back　to　us　by

the　balance　of　trade；　and　we　could　never　become　a　farthing　the

poorer　by　any　expense　which　we　could　lay　out　upon　them。　They　were

our　own　in　every　respect；　and　it　was　an　expense　laid　out　upon　the

improvement　of　our　own　property　and　for　the　profitable　employment

of　our　own　people。　It　is　unnecessary；　I　apprehend；　at　present　to

say　anything　further　in　order　to　expose　the　folly　of　a　system

which　fatal　experience　has　now　sufficiently　exposed。　Had　our

American　colonies　really　been　a　part　of　Great　Britain；　those

bounties　might　have　been　considered　as　bounties　upon　production；

and　would　still　have　been　liable　to　all　the　objections　to　which

such　bounties　are　liable；　but　to　no　other。

　　　　　The　exportation　of　the　materials　of　manufacture　is　sometimes

discouraged　by　absolute　prohibitions；　and　sometimes　by　high

duties。

　　　　　Our　woollen　manufacturers　have　been　more　successful　than　any

other　class　of　workmen　in　persuading　the　legislature　that　the

prosperity　of　the　nation　depended　upon　the　success　and　extension

of　their　particular　business。　They　have　not　only　obtained　a

monopoly　against　the　consumers　by　an　absolute　prohibition　of

importing　woollen　cloths　from　any　foreign　country；　but　they　have

likewise　obtained　another　monopoly　against　the　sheep　farmers　and

growers　of　wool　by　a　similar　prohibition　of　the　exportation　of

live　sheep　and　wool。　The　severity　of　many　of　the　laws　which　have

been　enacted　for　the　security　of　the　revenue　is　very　justly

complained　of；　as　imposing　heavy　penalties　upon　actions　which；

antecedent　to　the　statutes　that　declared　them　to　be　crimes；　had

always　been　understood　to　be　innocent。　But　the　cruellest　of　our

revenue　laws；　I　will　venture　to　affirm；　are　mild　and　gentle　in

comparison　of　some　of　those　which　the　clamour　of　our　merchants

and　manufacturers　has　extorted　from　the　legislature　for　the

support　of　their　own　absurd　and　oppressive　monopolies。　Like　the

laws　of　Draco；　these　laws　may　be　said　to　be　all　written　in　blood。

　　　　　By　the　8th　of　Elizabeth；　c。　3；　the　exporter　of　sheep；　lambs；

or　rams　was　for　the　first　offence　to　forfeit　all　his　goods　for

ever；　to　suffer　a　year's　imprisonment；　and　then　to　have　his　left

hand　cut　off　in　a　market　town　upon　a　market　day；　to　be　there

nailed　up；　and　for　the　second　offence　to　be　adjudged　a　felon；　and

to　suffer　death　accordingly。　To　prevent　the　breed　of　our　sheep

from　being　propagated　in　foreign　countries　seems　to　have　been　the

object　of　this　law。　By　the　13th　and　14th　of　Charles　II；　c。　18；

the　exportation　of　wool　was　made　felony；　and　the　exporter

subjected　to　the　same　penalties　and　forfeitures　as　a　felon。

　　　　　For　the　honour　of　the　national　humanity；　it　is　to　be　hoped

that　neither　of　these　statutes　were　ever　executed。　The　first　of

them；　however；　so　far　as　I　know；　has　never　been　directly

repealed；　and　Serjeant　Hawkins　seems　to　consider　it　as　still　in

force。　It　may　however；　perhaps；　be　considered　as　virtually

repealed　by　the　12th　of　Charles　II；　c。　32；　sect。　3；　which；

without　expressly　taking　away　the　penalties　imposed　by　former

statutes；　imposes　a　new　penalty；　viz。；　that　of　twenty　shillings

for　every　sheep　exported；　or　attempted　to　be　exported；　together

with　the　forfeiture　of　the　sheep　and　of　the　owner's　share　of　the

ship。　The　second　of　them　was　expressly　repealed　by　the　7th　and

8th　of　William　III；　c。　28；　sect。　4。　By　which　it　is　declared　that；

〃Whereas　the　statute　of　the　13th　and　14th　of　King　Charles　II；

made　against　the　exportation　of　wool；　among　other　things　in　the

said　act　mentioned；　doth　enact　the　same　to　be　deemed　felony；　by

the　severity　of　which　penalty　the　prosecution　of　offenders　hath

not　been　so　effectually　put　in　execution：　Be　it；　therefore；

enacted　by　the　authority　aforesaid；　that　so　much　of　the　said　act；

which　relates　to　the　making　the　said　offence　felony；　be　repealed

and　made　void。〃

　　　　　The　penalties；　however；　which　are　either　imposed　by　this

milder　statute；　or　which；　though　imposed　by　former　statutes；　are

not　repealed　by　this　one；　are　still　sufficiently　severe。　Besides

the　forfeiture　of　the　goods；　the　exporter　incurs　the　penalty　of

three　shillings　for　every　pound　weight　of　wool　either　exported　or

attempted　to　be　exported；　that　is　about　four　or　five　times　the

value。　Any　merchant　or　other　person　convicted　of　this　offence　is

disabled　from　requiring　any　debt　or　account　belonging　to　him　from

any　factor　or　other　person。　Let　his　fortune　be　what　it　will；

whether　he　is　or　is　not　able　to　pay　those　heavy　penalties；　the

law　means　to　ruin　him　completely。　But　as　the　morals　of　the　great

body　of　the　people　are　not　yet　so　corrupt　as　those　of　the

contrivers　of　this　statute；　I　have　not　heard　that　any　advantage

has　ever　been　taken　of　this　clause。　If　the　person　convicted　of

this　offence　is　not　able　to　pay　the　penalties　within　three　months

after　judgment；　he　is　to　be　transported　for　seven　years；　and　if

he　returns　before　the　expiration　of　that　term；　he　is　liable　to

the　pains　of　felony；　without　benefit　of　clergy。　The　owner　of　the

ship；　knowing　this　offence；　forfeits　all　his　interest　in　the　ship

and　furniture。　The　master　and　mariners；　knowing　this　offence；

forfeit　all　their　goods　and　chattels；　and　suffer　three　months'

imprisonment。　By　a　subsequent　statute　the　master　suffers　six

months'　imprisonment。

　　　　　In　order　to　prevent　exportation；　the　whole　inland　commerce

of　wool　is　laid　under　very　burdensome　and　oppressive

restrictions。　It　cannot　be　packed　in　any　box；　barrel；　cask；　case；

chest；　or　any　other　package；　but　only　in　packs　of　leather　or

pack…cloth；　on　which　must　be　marked　on　the　outside　the　words　wool

or　yam；　in　large　letters　not　less　than　three　inches　long；　on　pain

of　forfeiting　the　same　and　the　package；　and　three　shillings　for

every　pound　weight；　to　be　paid　by　the　owner　or　packer。　It　cannot

be　loaden　on　any　horse　or　cart；　or　carried　by　land　within　five

miles　of　the　coast；　but　between　sun…rising　and　sun…setting；　on

pain　of　forfeiting　the　same；　the　horses　and　carriages。　The

hundred　next　adjoining　to　the　se