SECTION III.

Materials for Labour, and for Employing the

I.

W

Poor.

HETHER we work up at prefent all fuch raw Materials as either are, or might be raised in Great Britain, Ireland, and our own Plantations, or imported from Abroad? That is, Whether we might not make use of much larger Quantities of Wool, raw Silk, Cotton, Hemp, Flax, Iron, Cop

per,

WOOL.] The Oppofers of this Bill here object, that we lately worked up all the Wool that grew in the Kingdom, without the Affiftance of Foreigners; therefore they infer, there would not be Wool enough for a greater Number.But they are defired to con

fider,

I. THAT this Kingdom might raise and feed much greater Quantities of Sheep, than there are at present, by proper Improvements, without taking any Lands from Tillage; nay, greatly to the enriching of the ploughed Grounds. The Method of feeding Sheep upon Turneps during Winter, is fcarce known in the Principality of Wales, and very little practifed in many Counties in England; fo that they are obliged to fell off their Increase every Year, left they fhould have too large a Stock for the Winter Fodder.

II. THAT the French import annually from Bilboa, &c. about 12000 Bags of fine Wool; befides the vaft Quantities of a coarfer Sort, which are brought into

Provence

*

per, Brafs, Tin, Lead, &c. in our respective Manufactures, than we now do? And whether there can be a Want of Materials, as long as they may be either raised at Home, or imported from Abroad?

II. WHETHER

Provence and Languedoc, from Catalonia and the South of Spain: Whereas the English do not import 5000 Bags in all. Likewife the French bring Wool from Africa and Turkey, alfo from the Auftrian Netherlands, and Poland; all which Markets might be as open to the English as they are to the French, if our Commerce were fufficiently enlarged.

HF. Ir there fhould, by Means of a large and open Trade, and in Exchange for our Fish and Manufactures, be an Increase of the Importation of raw Silk, Cotton, Flax, &c. to be worked up and wore at Home, the Confequence would be the fame to the Kingdom, as if there was an actual Increase of the Growth of Wool, because this would be a Means of faving fo much Wool to be manufactured for other Purposes.

IV. IF the above Reasoning of the Objectors were conclufive, then it would follow, that the French must difmifs at least three fourths of their Woolen Manufacturers, as there is hardly Wool enough growing in France to employ a fourth Part of their prefent Numbers: And the English muft fend away ALL their Silk Manufacturers, as there is no raw Silk growing in England. Thefe are the Conclufions which neceffarily follow from fuch Principles!

16%

* TIN.] An higher Duty upon the Exportation of Block-Tin, and proper Encouragement for exporting it when manufactured, would create Employment for thousands of our Poor: By thefe Means we fhould reap all poffible Advantage from this valuable Metal,efpecially as it is almoft entirely in our own Hands.

II. WHETHER in fact any Country wants the neceffary Materials for Labour, either in itfelf, or by Introduction, if the Inhabitants were inclined to use them, and were properly inftructed?

III. WHETHER we may not give a better Account of fome Perfons at present wanting Employment, than by the Suppofition of want of Materials for Labour?

The Caufes of fo many Perfons being now unemployed.

S there not fuch a Thing as the Circulation of Labour, as well as the Circulation of Money? And whether the Circulation of Money without Labour, is not rather prejudicial than ferviceable to Society? Are not Lotteries, Gaming, &c. ftrong and melancholly Proofs of this Matter?

II. WHETHER the true Method of finding out the Causes of the want of Employment is not, firft to enquire, What are the Impediments to the Circulation of Labour?

III. WHETHER Labour can fo well be circulated in a Country thinly peopled, as in one C yery

very populous, where the Inhabitants create mutual Employment for each other? And whether it is not obfervable, that the People in those Countries which are thinly inhabited, are forced to feek for Employment in diftant populous Places, for want of Work at Home?

IV. WHETHER Monopolies, exclufive Privileges, and Combinations, are not fo many Clogs upon the Circulation of Labour?

V. WHETHER the artificial Wants of Mankind, properly circumstanced, and under due Regulations, are not the great Mafter-Spring of the Machine of Commerce?

VI. BUT

THE natural Wants of Mankind can be but few. Food, and Raiment, and Shelter from the Weather, are very fimple Things, which the most indolent Perfons might generally procure for themselves, as far as would answer the Purposes of Animal Life. But as fuch a State would be little different from that of Brutes, most of those moral Obligations which now constitute focial Virtue, or relative Duty, would have been unknown.— If therefore it was the Wisdom of Providence, that there fhould be Relations and Subordinations in Society, the artificial Wants of Mankind will ever be found to be relative to their Stations; and the better any Perfon difcharges the Duties of that Sphere of Life he belongs to, the more he will be enabled to contribute to the present Happiness of Society, by promoting a regular and permanent Circulation of Industry and Labour, through the feveral Ranks he is connected with. This is an effen tial Point, in which Mankind differ from the Brute Creation.

VI. BUT when these Wants degenerate into Vice, Intemperance, and Extravagance, whether they do not then become a great Obstacle to the conftant and regular Motion of this Machine;-and indeed, have a neceffary Tendency to make it stop at last?

VII. WHETHER Commerce, confidered in its general Extent, and GooD MORALS, are not infeparably connected? Whether therefore, the great Corruption of Morals now prevailing, is not the true Source of many Perfons wanting Employment, as they become difinclined to Labour, and cannot be trufted with Materials to work up?

VIII. WHETHER the artificial Wants of Gin-drinkers are of fo extenfive or commercial a Nature, as thofe of fober, frugal, and induftrious People, who exchange their own Labour for the Neceffaries and Conveniencies of Life, that is, for the Labour of others; and increase the Number of Inhabitants by breeding up Families to continue the fame honest Courfe after them?

IX. WHETHER Gaming and Debauchery, Poverty, Idleness, and Disease, can, in the main, create any Employment, but for two Sorts of Occupations, the Hangman, and the Sexton?