19 *
which are within the reach of private enterprise, and are most pro-perly entrusted to the more minutely attentive and economical ma-nagement of the district that bears the expense, demand, neverthe-less, the delegation of the powers of government, to enforce theconcurrence of the refractory, and to compel the surrender (onreceiving a fair equivalent) of interfering rights, which mightembarrass, or totally obstruct, the execution of useful designs.
The interference of government, also, is often highly expedi-ent, to enact regulations, by which rights (which have grownupthrough ignorance, or the pressure of imperious circumstances,into a constitution so mutually entangled and interfering, as toprevent the most profitable use of the subject) may be disentan-gled and disjoined.
When industry is thus protected and encouraged, under a wise,just, and enlightened government, and allowed its free and un-obstructed course, its natural tendency is to improve, universally,and to the utmost, the condition of the human race.
An unrestrained indulgence in the powers of procreation, is theonly circumstance which, in such a state, could possibly causeindustry to fail in producing general happiness and prosperity;for it is evident to demonstration, that, if these powers were uni-versally employed to their full extent, they could at all times ve-ry speedily multiply the population beyond all possible means ofcomfortable subsistence;—an evil which common prudence willin a great measure tend to prevent, under every happy constitu-tion of society, which allows the generality to attain to such com-forts in their station, as they would be reluctant to diminish, bytoo wide a division; and chiefly to be dreaded where the absurdprovision of poor’s rates holds out a lure to improvidence; or,where the great bulk of the people are placed in circumstances ofsuch hopeless depression, that no prudence on their part can bet-ter their situation, nor imprudence make it worse. *
Having premised these general observations, which may su-persede separate discussion, when we treat of particulars to whichthe principles laid down may be applicable, I proceed to thedistribution of the subject of this work.
It is indeed extremely difficult to arrange, within the compre-hension of a single Number in the Appendix to a Genera! Re-port, a subject of such extent, as would require, many chapterssubdivided into many sections. The task, however, shall be at-tempted. Sect. I. will contain general observations upon Indus-try, and the classes into which it may be divided. Sect. II. shallbe devoted to the consideration of Agricultural Industry, and themeans of promoting it, dependent upon political regulation;and although this discussion appears only in form of a Section,(in conformity to the prescribed plan of the Report, which re-quires such a multiplicity of objects to be embraced under one