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THE NATUIIK AND CAUSES Of

this kingdom, or of being executor or administrator to anyperson, orof taking any lands within this kingdom, by descent,devise, or purchase. He likewise forfeits to the king all hislands, goods, and chattels, is declared an alien in every re-spect, and is put out of the king’s protection.

It is unnecessary, I imagine, to observe, how contrary suchregulations are to the boasted liberty of the subject, of whichwe affect to be so very jealous; but which, in this case, is soplainly sacrificed to the futile interests of our merchants andmanufacturers.

The laudable motive of all these regulations, is to extendour own manufactures, not by their own improvement, butby the depression of those of all our neighbours, and by put-ting an end, as much as possible, to the troublesome compe-tition of such odious and disagreeable rivals. Our mastermanufacturers think it reasonable, that they themselvesshould have the monopoly of the ingenuity of all their coun-trymen. Though by restraining, in some trades, the numberof apprentices, which can be employed at one time, and byimposing the necessity of a long apprenticeship in all trades,they endeavour, all of them, to confine the knowledge of theirrespective employments to as small a number as possible ;they are unwilling, however, that any part of this small num-ber should go abroad to instruct foreigners.

Consumption is the sole end and purpose of all production;and the interest of the producer ought to be attended to,only so far as it may be necessary for promoting that of theconsumer.

The maxim is so perfectly self-evident, that it would beabsurd to attempt to prove it. But in the mercantile system,the interest of the consumer is almost constantly sacrificed tothat of the producer; and it seems to consider production,and not consumption, as the ultimate end and object of allindustry and commerce.

In the restraints upon the importation of all foreign com-modities which can come into competition with those of ourown growth, or manufacture, the interest of the home-con-sumer is evidently sacrificed to that of the producer. It isaltogether for the benefit of the latter, that the former isobliged to pay that enhancement of price which this mono-poly almost always occasions.

It is altogether for the benefit of the producer that boun-ties are granted upon the exportation of some of his produe-